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KAUA‘I COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Institutional Self Study Reportin Support of Reaffirmation of Accreditation

Submitted by

Kaua‘i Community College3-1901 Kaumuali‘i Highway

Lihu‘e, Hawai‘i 96766

to

Accrediting Commission forCommunity and Junior Colleges

Western Association of Schools and Colleges

July 28, 2006

Certification of the Institutional Self Study Report

Date: July 28, 2006

TO: Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior CollegesWestern Association of Schools and Colleges

FROM: Kaua‘i Community College3-1901 Kaumuali‘i HighwayLihu‘e, Hawai‘i 96766

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.

Signed:

_________________________________________________________________________________Peggy T. Cha Chancellor, Kaua‘i Community College

_________________________________________________________________________________Dr. John Morton Interim Vice President for Community Colleges

University of Hawai‘i

_________________________________________________________________________________Dr. David McClain President, University of Hawai‘i

_________________________________________________________________________________Kitty Lagareta Chairperson, Board of Regents

University of Hawai‘i

_________________________________________________________________________________Chairperson, Faculty Senate andChairperson, Accreditation Steering Committee

_________________________________________________________________________________Representing the APT Staff

_________________________________________________________________________________Representing the Classified Staff

_________________________________________________________________________________Representing ASUH – Kaua‘i Community College

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

History and Organization..............................................................................................1

Organizational Charts...................................................................................................3

The Community We Serve...........................................................................................4

Student Enrollment Trends...........................................................................................6

Enrollment Projection...................................................................................................9

Employee Profile........................................................................................................17

ABSTRACT OF THE REPORT

Abstract of the Report.................................................................................................32

ORGANIZATION FOR THE SELF STUDY

Self Study Calendar....................................................................................................35

Self Study Committees...............................................................................................37

CERTIFICATIONS

Certification Signatures of Continued Compliance With Eligibility Requirements. .40

Certification of Continued Compliance With Eligibility Requirements....................41

RESPONSES TO RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations From the 2000 Self Study............................................................46

INSTITUTIONAL SELF EVALUATIONS

Standard I: Institutional Mission and Effectiveness..................................................52

Standard II: Student Learning Programs and Services..............................................85

Standard III: Resources............................................................................................211

Standard IV: Leadership and Governance...............................................................264

Kaua‘i Community College Self Study 2006

Introduction

History and Organization of the Institution

Kaua‘i Community College (KCC) is one of seven community colleges in the University of Hawai‘i System. It is a comprehensive community college which provides access to two-year associate-level terminal and transfer degrees, as well as certificate and non-credit training programs that enable the college to respond flexibly and quickly to changing workforce needs. Shorter term certificates as well as non-credit training enable the college to respond flexibly and quickly to the changing needs of the workforce.

Established in 1928 as a vocational school, it was part of the state Department of Education. In 1965, it became a comprehensive community college and was transferred to the University of Hawai‘i System as part of the UH Community College System. It is the only public institution of higher education serving the county of Kaua‘i, which includes the islands of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau.

The college awards the following degrees and certificates:

Associate of Arts (AA) in Liberal Arts

Associate of Science (AS) o Nursing o Early Childhood Education

Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in o Accountingo Office Administration and Technologyo Visitor Industry--Culinary Arts and Hospitality Serviceso Autobody Repair and Paintingo Automotive Mechanics Technologyo Electronics Technology

Certificate of Achievement (CA) ino Nursingo Early Childhood Educationo Accountingo Office Administration and Technologyo Visitor Industry--Culinary Arts and Hospitality Serviceso Autobody Repair and Paintingo Automotive Mechanics Technologyo Electronics Technologyo Facilities Engineering

Certificates of Completion and Competence are also awarded in most of the above areas and an Academic Subject Certificate in

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Hawaiian Studies is available to complement the AA degree. The Certificate of Competence has been the most active area of curriculum development in the past five years. Certificates in Medical Office Receptionist, Hawaiian Botany, Polynesian Voyaging, Auto Body Repair and Painting, Electronics, Cashiering, and Culinary Arts have been added.

Currently, degrees previously offered in Carpentry and Electrical Installation have been stopped out and the division is reviewing the programs.

In 1996, Kaua‘i Community College took on the responsibilities of a University Center, in response to the growing need for baccalaureate and graduate level education in the community. The University of Hawai‘i System established three such centers, one on Kaua‘i, one on Maui and one in West Hawai‘i. As a University Center, the college can broaden the educational opportunities of island-bound residents by supporting baccalaureate and graduate programs from sister campuses. Distance learning technology, including two-way video and audio and online classes, greatly extends the reach of higher education for the island. The college provides access to this technology and also provides facilities and academic support for on-site faculty from UH Mānoa and Kapi‘olani Community College and visiting faculty from other campuses as needed. Ascertaining and assessing community needs is among the most important responsibilities of the University Center.

The college is presently organized into four units, headed by a dean or director, who reports to the chancellor. Instruction, led by the Dean of Instruction, is made up of six divisions:

Language Arts and Humanities Science and Math Health Education Business Education Trades and Technology Academic Support and University Center

Student Services is led by the Dean of Student Services and includes

Admission and Records Academic Advising Financial Aid Special Student Services

The Office of Continuing Education and Training, headed by a director, is responsible for non-credit, customized training and the operation of the Performing Arts Center. Administration and facilities are coordinated by the Director for Administrative Services. Institutional Research also reports directly to the chancellor.

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The chancellor reports to both the President of the University of Hawai‘i System and the Vice President for Community Colleges. The chancellor is a member of both the Council of Chancellors and the Council of Community College Chancellors.

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Chart I

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART


The Community We Serve

Kaua‘i Community College is located in Kaua‘i county, which includes the islands of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau. Geographically isolated, the islands are the northernmost of the major Hawaiian islands and separated from Honolulu, the capital and main population and business center of the state, by 100 miles of the Pacific Ocean. Passenger travel to any of the other islands is primarily by air. Ni‘ihau is a privately owned island, which is accessible only by barge and helicopter. It is home to the state’s largest concentration of Native Hawaiian first language speakers.

According to the 2000 Census, the county have a population of 58,463, with 26.4 percent 18 years of age and under, and a median age of 38.4. Of persons 25 and over, only 19.4 percent have a bachelor’s degree, compared to a state average of 26.2 percent. There are 16 public schools, 3 public charter schools with a focus on Native Hawaiian language and culture, and 7 private schools. The county also has the highest proportion, 11.1 percent, of persons aged 25 and older who do not have a high school education.

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The ethnic makeup of the island is diverse, though changed from the last decade. The major difference, however, seems to be a result of the addition of a “2 or more races” category, which now represents 24 percent of the population. While those listing native Hawaiian as their only ethnic background make up only 8.1 percent of the population, the numbers of residents declaring native Hawaiian and another ethnic background, as well as native Hawaiian only, actually make up 23.1 percent of the Kaua‘i population. State of Hawai‘i - Population - Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000, Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF1) . As a community college, KCC must pay particular attention to the goals of the community it serves. The recently completed Kaua‘i Economic Development Plan/Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Report notes the following significant factors:

In line with the state, Kaua‘i is experiencing low unemployment and a tight labor market.

Kaua‘i’s economy is dominated by retail and other visitor industry related services, including a significant number of small, locally owned businesses.

Most jobs do not pay a “living wage,” defined for Kaua‘i as $60,000 for a family of four. Sixty-five percent of Kaua‘i’s jobs pay less than $30,000 per year. The salaries of the 10 most represented occupations on Kaua‘i are below $26,000 per year.

While unemployment is low, underemployment is high, and there are “pockets” of unemployment in certain areas.

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http://www.kauai.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=255


http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/census/Folder.2005-10-13.2927/hsdc-tables-sf1

http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/census/Folder.2005-10-13.2927/hsdc-tables-sf1


Worker shortages are anticipated in all sectors as a significant number of employees reach retirement age. This factor is beginning to impact the college, as well.

As previously noted, there are significant numbers of residents without even a high school education in an economy increasingly requiring solid basic skills along with technical and job-specific competencies.

According to the state Department of Education Senior Exit Plan Survey, 2003, only 39 percent of public high school seniors were planning to pursue post-secondary education or training. In addition, the report cites the Hawai‘i Outcomes Institute, Healthy Hawai‘i 2010,which notes that “One out of ten teens on Kaua‘i between the ages of 16 to 19, is not in school and not working.”

In planning for future economic development, the county has identified six target clusters as priority “investments” for Kaua‘i:

Food and Agriculture Health and Wellness Sports and Recreation Arts and Culture High Technology Renewable Energy

Workforce training needs in all these areas are taken into consideration in the college’s own strategic planning, curriculum development and resource allocation decisions. Specific projections of workforce needs are also considered in college planning.

Student Enrollment Trends

Enrollment trends over the past 5 years have been unstable, with increases in 2001-2002 and decreases in 2003-2004. This movement has been somewhat counter to trends on other campuses in the system, which have tended upward during that period. However, only Windward and Maui community colleges have returned to or exceeded their enrollment highs of the mid-1990s. While Kaua‘i enrollment was up 6 percent from Fall 2000 to Fall 2004, it was down 26 percent from its high of 1,518 in 1994 to 1,117 in 2004. Chart I: Fall Enrollment 1994-2004 shows headcount enrollment for all seven campuses from Fall 1994 through Fall 2004. Data for Charts I-IV taken from Exhibit 2: MAPS Fall 2004 Enrollment Report.

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http://www.hawaiioutcomes.org/Attachments/CHP%20Release2_Final/HOI_Kauai_book.pdf


Some demographic characteristics changed from 2000 through 2004, as well. Mean student age decreased from 28.3 to 27.4, reflecting, in part, an increase in the numbers of high school students below 18 who are taking advantage of the statewide Running Start program, which allows dual credit for selected courses taken at the college. Indeed, despite the mean age of the student body, the largest percentage of students falls into the 18-19 year age group. Students 21 and below make up just over 50 percent of the student population. However, the mature, working adult group, 35-59, is also a significant population. Fall Enrollment Age Distribution

Fall 2000 Fall 2001 Fall 2002 Fall 2003 Fall 2004 1 YrChange

No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % %Mean Age (in years) 28.3 29.3 28.1 28.2 27.4Under 18 41 3.9 48 4.1 65 5.3 60 5 84 7.5 4018-19 279 26.5 280 23.6 328 26.8 330 27.3 291 26.1 -11.820-21 147 14 154 13 191 15.6 194 16 184 16.5 -5.222-24 126 12 138 11.6 119 9.7 139 11.5 121 10.8 -12.925-29 109 10.4 120 10.1 118 9.6 97 8 97 8.7 030-34 78 7.4 101 8.5 84 6.9 86 7.1 81 7.3 -5.835-59 247 23.5 315 26.6 292 23.9 278 23 240 21.5 -13.760 and Over 25 2.4 29 2.4 25 2 26 2.1 19 1.7 -26.9No Data 2 0.2 Another potentially significant change can be seen in the slowly growing numbers of

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students who have off-island addresses, illustrating the growth in distance learning as an important option for students. These numbers represent students who are residing on other islands and taking KCC courses via distance technologies. On the other hand, we are also seeing students who live on Kaua‘i but are pursuing their degrees from another campus, primarily one of the four-year campuses.

Fall Enrollment Local Address

Fall 2000 Fall 2001 Fall 2002 Fall 2003 Fall 2004LOCAL ADDRESS No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Kaua‘i 1,052 100 1,171 98.8 1,177 96.2 1,153 95.3 1,073 96 Lihu‘e 286 27.1 336 28.5 307 25.1 309 25.6 285 25.4 Kawaihau 289 27.5 311 26.2 347 28.3 332 27.4 327 29.3 Waimea 162 15.4 157 13.2 172 14.1 160 13.2 152 13.6 Koloa 247 23.5 280 23.6 279 22.8 275 22.7 240 21.5 Hanalei 68 6.5 87 7.3 72 5.9 77 6.4 69 6.2Other Neighbor Islands 13 1.1 27 2.2 17 1.4 22 2 29.4 No Data 1 0.1 20 1.6 40 3.3 22 2

While headcount enrollment fluctuated over this period, FTE and the number of full-time students was slightly more stable, pointing out that the enrollment behavior of part-time students has been the driver of change. This pattern, together with the high proportion of students who are working both part time and full time, has impacted scheduling and related curricular and service decisions.

Fall Enrollments FTE and Headcount FT and PT

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Enrollment Projection

Enrollment projections for high, middle and low growth have been estimated through 2010. The middle series has been used for strategic planning and budget development. The college’s long-term goal is to grow enrollment to a 1350 headcount, in line with the high-growth projection. This figure is still below the highs of the mid-1990s and should be attainable given the resources presently available.

Source – Exhibit 2: Enrollment Projections, UH Community Colleges Fall 2004 to Fall 2010.

The going rate of recent high school graduates is another key indicator that the college tracks. The figure below shows the number of all State of Hawai‘i high school graduates entering Kaua‘i Community College the fall semester following their graduation from high school.

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Going Rate High School Graduates (Number)

Source: MAPS, High School Background of First-Time Students, University of Hawai‘i, Fall 2003, Table 4. As would be expected, if only Kaua‘i schools are considered, the numbers change very little. Kaua‘i High School, in Lihu‘e, is the closest of the three public high schools. Waimea High is on the west side of the island and Kapa‘a on the east/north.

Going rate from Kaua‘i high schools fell from its high of 23.5 percent in Fall 2002 to a low of 18.8 percent in Fall 2003.

Fall 1999 Fall 2000 Fall 2001 Fall 2002 Fall 2003Public No. Going Rate No. Going Rate No. Going Rate No. Going Rate No. Going RateKaua‘i 157 22.1% 141 20.2% 134 18.8% 165 23.5% 122 18.8%

Kapa‘a 45 18.1% 57 21.2% 28 11.8% 44 18.0% 51 20.6%Kaua‘i 67 24.2% 49 19.9% 72 25.3% 80 30.5% 40 17.7%

Waimea 45 24.9% 35 19.1% 34 18.2% 41 21.4% 31 18.5%Private Kaua‘i - 3 9.7% 4 17.4% 2 9.1% -

Island School 1/ - 2 11.1% 1 16.7% - - Kahili - 1 14.3% 3 75.0% 1 20.0% -

Kula 1/ - - - 1 14.3% -

1/ First graduates reported June 2000

Note: The "going rate" is the percentage of graduates from a given high school entering Kaua‘i Community College in fall semester immediately following graduation from high school.

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Data Source for Going Rate: MAPS Report “High School Background of First-Time Students.”

Data from the Senior Exit Plan Survey, which the state Department of Education administers each year, showed that in 2005, (Exhibit 3: Senior Exit Plan Survey) 31 percent of public high school seniors at Kaua‘i High School and Kapa‘a High School, who completed the survey, indicated an intention to attend KCC. (Waimea High School sent only information on students indicating an intention to attend KCC from their 2005 survey.) However, the actual going rate has been significantly less. Moreover, according to the Kaua‘i CEDS, only 39 percent of Kaua‘i seniors planned to pursue any additional education or training. This figure is of concern, especially since 1 in 10 youth between 16 and 19 are neither attending school nor working.

The college serves a primarily resident population, with approximately 97 percent of the students claiming residency status. A small, but steady non-resident population reflects the increasing proportion of new residents on the island.

Enrollment by Residency for Tuition Status

FALL 2000 FALL 2001 FALL 2002 FALL 2003 FALL 2004 1 YR No. V% No. V% No. V% No. V% No. V% % ChangeTUITION STATUS: Residents 1,020 97 1,147 96.8 1,195 97.6 1,180 97.5 1,078 96.5 -8.6 Resident 1,016 96.6 1,137 95.9 1,186 96.9 1,171 96.8 1,070 95.8 -8.6 Resident Converted 4 0.4 10 0.8 9 0.7 9 0.7 8 0.7 -11.1Non-Residents 32 3 38 3.2 29 2.4 29 2.4 38 3.4 3.1 Not Exempted 29 2.8 26 2.2 23 1.9 26 2.1 35 3.1 34.6 Exempted 3 0.3 12 1 6 0.5 3 0.2 3 0.3 0Military 1 0.1 2 0.2 2 0.2 1 0.1 1 0.1 0Faculty / Staff 8 0.7 1 0.1 Institutional 2 0.2 Ethnic Hawaiian 2 0.2 2 0.2 3 0.2 2 0.2 No Data 1 0.1 1 0.1

MAPS Fall 2004 Enrollment Report

Student Profile

As noted above, the college student body reflects the diversity of the Kaua‘i community. Although the faculty is also diverse, certain groups are over-represented and others underrepresented in relation to the county population. Also, as noted above, the 2000 census figures for native Hawaiians must be considered in the context of the way in which ethnicity is reported through the University of Hawai‘i data system, as opposed to the census figures. Further mining of the census figures for the numbers reporting “mixed” background, i.e., native Hawaiian and at least one other ancestry, yields a figure of 23.1 percent, rather than the 8.1 percent reporting native Hawaiian only. (Exhibit: Census 2002) As the university reports “Hawaiian and part Hawaiian,” the “mixed” percentage, which is included in the “All Others” below, is more comparable.

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State, County, Students, and Faculty Diversity

Sources:

1. State of Hawai‘i and County of Kaua‘i – Population: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics for the State of Hawai‘i, by Counties: 2000 (in Percentages)i. Percentages include ‘One Race’ only replies; multiple races are included in All Others.

2. Students: MAPS, Fall Enrollment Report, University of Hawai‘i, Community Colleges, Fall 2004, Table 3ii.

3. Full-Time Faculty: Community Colleges Human Resource Office.

As the following table shows, the community colleges serve by far the majority of native Hawaiian students in the UH System. In line with our mission of access and the UH System’s commitment to serving the needs of native Hawaiian students, KCC has established a Hawaiian Studies Center on campus and has both federally funded and internally funded outreach and support services which serve the needs of native Hawaiian students.

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Hawaiian and Part Hawaiian Enrollment

Source: UH-IRO Ad-Hoc Studies, Special Report: Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian Students Enrolled in the University of Hawai‘i System.

Note: UHCC figure is UHCC System total minus Kaua‘i Community College total.

In terms of the percentage of the total student body, the representation of Native Hawaiian students at Kaua‘i Community College is equal to or better than such representation in the UHCC System as a whole. The number served has grown in the past few years as the result of a focused effort, including a US Department of Education Title III grant, which funded the construction of the Hawaiian Studies Center, expansion of the Hawaiian Studies curriculum and the integration of culturally appropriate values and instructional materials into courses across the curriculum, especially science and math.

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Source: UH-IRO Ad-Hoc Studies, Special Report: Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian Students Enrolled in the University of Hawai‘i System.

Note: UHCC percentage does not include Kaua‘i Community College.

*Percentage is number of Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian student enrollment for series divided by the total student enrollment for same series.

The Fall 2004 enrollment is consistent with trends we have seen over the past five years. The three largest ethnic groups are Filipino, Caucasian and Native Hawaiian. Females continue to outnumber males by a considerable percentage, though that difference has narrowed very slightly over the last few years from 37.1 percent male in Fall 2000 to 39 percent male in Fall 2004.

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Fall 2004 Kaua‘i CC Student Enrollment - Ethnicity and Gender

Source: MAPS, Fall Enrollment Report, University of Hawai‘i, Community Colleges, Fall 2004, Appendix C4iii.

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International Student Enrollment

While non-resident students are not a major factor in the college’s credit enrollment, the international goals of the UH System are reflected in an active non-credit program, primarily with institutional partners in Japan, Okinawa and Hong Kong. In the spring semester, short- term visits (two weeks) have taken place for more than a decade with Chiba Keizai College and Okinawa Christian University. A third agreement with the Okinawa Prefectural College of Nursing is in its fourth year and our first agreement with Hong Kong involves a private culinary school, Kitty Choi’s Cookery and Catering. These visits take place during the summer.

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International Student Credit Enrollment Fall 2004

Region of Origin HAW HON KAP KAU LEE MAU WIN UHCCAfrica 1 1Americas 1 3 6 2 10 2 24Asia 32 23 363 4 7 56 2 487Europe 1 2 9 5 3 20Middle East 1 1 1 3Australia 1 1Oceania 6 7 5 5 3 1 27No Data 1 11 2 2 16

Total 40 37 396 4 17 74 11 579

Source: UH IRO August 2005 (all non resident alien status students).

Employee Profile

Kaua‘i Community College has a staff of 131, including 63 faculty, 62 classified staff, and 6 administrators. Faculty include instructional and non-instructional positions such as counselors, librarians, and academic support professionals.

Administrative/Professional/Technical (APT) staff include support professionals in financial services, facilities management, institutional research, student services, computer services, and media services. Civil service staff is made up of clerical and facilities support staff. Lecturers and part-time casual hire staff are not included in these numbers. The ratio of clerical support to faculty is 1:4.

Females make up 46 percent of the faculty, slightly below the UHCC System average ratio. Executive/managerial employees are evenly split between male and female, as are the professional support staff (APT). Ethnically, the faculty is primarily Caucasian and Japanese, with some representation among Filipino and Native Hawaiian. There has been a slight rise in the hiring of Caucasian faculty. The age of the faculty and staff has remained almost the same except for a marked drop in the 42-48 year old age group for faculty. The largest numbers are in the 49-62 ranges and programs predict a decline in these groups due to retirement.

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Faculty Diversity: Ethnicity, Gender, Age.


Faculty by Rank, Ethnicity, and GenderPage 20

Staff Diversity: Gender, Age, Ethnicity


Source: UH Community Colleges Human Resources Office.

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Student Retention, Persistence, Graduation, And Transfer

The following figures show measures of student success in meeting educational objectives and demonstrating student movement.

Retention refers to those students who are enrolled in a course at the fall census date and who do not drop or withdraw before the end of the semester. Within the University of Hawai‘i Community College System, this has also been called the Course Completion Rate.

Source: MAPS, Distribution of Grades, Credits Earned Ratios, Course Completion Ratios and Current Grade Point Ratios, University of Hawai‘i, Community Colleges, Table 4Div.

Note: Most recent report Fall 2001.

While data from the UH System Institutional Research Office is not available beyond Fall 2001, campus data on course completions for 2002-2004 is consistent with the system data shown above. These numbers reflect all students, not just full time, first time.

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Most recent report Fall 2001.


TABLE A. Retention Rate of Students Still Enrolled at Census Date\1

LINE FALL 2002 FALL 2003 FALL 2004A: Enrollment 3,374 3,422 3,154 B: Audits 10 36 8

C (A-B): Adj. Enrollment 3,364 3,386 3,146 D: Withdraws 277 225 185

E (C-D): Retention 3,087 3,161 2,961 F (E/C): Retention Rate 91.77% 93.35% 94.12%

TABLE B. Pass Rate of Courses By Students Still Enrolled at End of Semester (no Withdraws)\2

LINE FALL 2002 FALL 2003 FALL 2004E: Retention 3,087 3,161 2,961 G: Fails (F,NC), No Grades (N) 371 483 359

H (E-G): Receive Passing Grade /4 2,716 2,678 2,602 I (H/E): Pass Rate 87.98% 84.72% 87.88%

TABLE C. Pass Rate of Courses By Students Still Enrolled at Census Date\3

LINE FALL 2002 FALL 2003 FALL 2004C: Adj. Enrollment 3,364 3,386 3,146

J (G+D): Fails (F,NC), No Grades (N), Withdraws (W) 648 708 544 K (C-J): Receive Passing Grade 2,716 2,678 2,602 L (K/C): Pass Rate 80.74% 79.09% 82.71%

Notes\1 - All students enrolled in a course as regular students (no audits, "L") at census and who do not

withdraw from that course (receive "W" grade).

\2 - All students enrolled in a course as regular students (no audits, "L") at the end of the semester ("W" not included) and who receive a passing grade (A, B, C, D, CR).

\3 - All students enrolled in a course as regular students (no audits, "L") at census and who receive a passing grade (A, B, C, D, CR).

/4 - Passing Rate is distinguished from "Successful Completion," which requires a grade of "C" or better. Most course pre-requisites specify a grade of "C"or better in the pre-requisite course.

Persistence refers to students who enroll in a fall course and also enroll in a course the following spring. Clearly, simple retention in the fall semester does not translate into persistence to the spring semester.

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Sources:

1. MAPS, Fall Enrollment Report, University of Hawai‘i, Community Colleges, Fall 2004, Table 1.

2. Data for Spring 2000 and Spring 2001: MAPS, Spring Enrollment Report, University of Hawai‘i, Community Colleges, Spring 2000 and Spring 2001, Table 4v.Data for Spring 2002 on: MAPS, Spring Enrollment Report, University of Hawai‘i, Spring 2002, Spring 2003, and Spring 2004, Table 7vi.

Certificates and Degrees Awarded

While the majority of the students declare a major in Liberal Arts, or the AA degree, the college primarily awards career and technical degrees and certificates, i.e., AS, CA or CC.

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Source: MAPS, Degrees and Certificates Earned, University of Hawai‘i, Community Colleges, Table 1vii.

Note: Certificate data only includes Certificates of Achievement (CA).

*Certificates of Completion/Competency (CC and CO) and Academic Subject Certificates (ASC): Operational Data Store (ODS) 6/22/2005 data pull provided by APAPA.

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Source: IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey.

Notes:6. Numbers are unduplicated.7. Graduation – first-time, full-time students who received a degree or certificate

within 150 percent of time from first-time enrollment.8. Transfer – first-time, full-time students who transfer (as matched by National

Student Clearinghouse data) to another postsecondary institution within 150 percent of time from first-time enrollment.

9. Continuing – first-time, full-time students who are still enrolled at the same institution within 150 percent of time from first-time enrollment and who have not received a degree or certificate.

10. Transfer-Out information available beginning Fall 2000 cohort.

Transfers to Colleges and Universities

Table 6 looks at the transfer behaviors of students whose last term of attendance was between the semesters of Fall 2001 to Summer 2004 compared against National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) data in July 2005. As some students have attended multiple colleges, the first college that a student attended was selected for this analysis.

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Transfer Numbers and Rates

Source: National Student Clearinghouse, Operational Data Store (ODS) 7/19/2005.

Basic Skills Completion

In line with national trends, a significant proportion of the incoming students is academically unprepared for college level work. The college uses the COMPASS placement test from ACT to determine proper placement of incoming students in math, English, and other courses which have a math or English pre-requisite. COMPASS scores for math from 1997-2003, as shown below, demonstrate the level of remediation needed among entering students. Only 4 percent of those taking the test tested into college algebra. Seventy-five percent tested into remedial math or pre-algebra.

The placement score required for placement into English 100, our transfer level English class, is 74-100 in the Writing module. The mean writing score of students from the three public high schools for this same period of time, 1997-2003, ranged from 44.1 to 46.7. This mean score placed most students into our English 22, which generally serves as the expected

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English course for our non-transfer level career and technical programs. (Exhibit: COMPASS Cutoff Scores, Exhibit: Kaua‘i High Schools’ Compass Scores October 30-1997 to September 22, 2003.)

Basic Skills are defined as math and English courses not applicable to a degree or certificate. These courses are English 18 and 19 and Math 22. Basic Skills Completion is calculated from:

Student enrollment in the final basic skills course prior to the regular college curriculum and,

Successful completion of the basic skills class, and Successful completion of the following regular college curriculum course.

This is as compared to completers in the first regular college curriculum who enrolled without taking a basic skills prerequisite course. English 22, Writing 21, and Reading and Math 24 are considered college-level courses, but do apply toward our AAS degrees and certificates in our career and technical areas.

As the chart shows, students who tested directly into the college courses were generally more successful than those who first took the basic skills courses. Overall completion rates, regardless of how the student entered the course, are adequate but clearly leave room for improvement.

Source: Banner—Operational Data Store (ODS) Captured 07/14/2005.

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Job Placement and Preparation

The college surveys graduates and leavers annually. For career and technical program graduates, employment status is one of the questions asked each year. As the chart below shows, the employment status of graduates has been steadily improving. In particular, the percentage of graduates with full-time employment shows significant improvement.

The greatest change in all categories except “Employed Full-Time” was shown in 2001-2002. In 2001-2002, unemployment decreased to about 12.5 percent, considerably below the 25 percent unemployment in 2001-2002 and a little lower than the 14 percent in 2000-2001. While “Unemployed by Choice” had small responses in 2000-2001 and in 2001-2002, there were no responses in 2002-2003. Part-time employment plunged 15 percent in 2001-2002 and then rose about 6 percent in 2002-2003. Full-time employment was the only indicator which showed an increase in each year. It moved from 32 percent to 35 percent in 2001-2002 and from 35 percent to 44 percent in 2002-2003.

Source: UH Community Colleges campus Graduate and Leavers Surveys.

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Source: UH Community Colleges campus Graduate and Leavers Surveys.

The college’s Graduate and Leaver Surveys indicate high satisfaction among students with their preparation for entering the workforce. Over 90 percent of liberal arts and career/technical education graduates in 2002-2003 felt they were moderately to well prepared for the workplace by their programs. Only 3 percent felt they were poorly prepared.

Students indicating they were “well-prepared” rated their preparation nearly the same in 2000-2001 and 2002-2003. Those graduating in 2001-2002 rated their preparation 13 percent to 16 percent higher. Those viewing themselves as “moderately well-prepared” for their programs also rated their preparation nearly the same in 2000-2001 and 2002-2003, but in 2001-2003 fewer graduates felt they were moderately prepared, rating their preparation 11 percent-12 percent lower than in the other 2 years. Those who felt they were adequately prepared to enter the workforce rated preparation with higher percentages each year. In 2000-2001, zero students rated their preparation as simply adequate; in 2001-2002, 1 percent felt their preparation was adequate; in 2002-2003, 4 percent saw their preparation as adequate. Students who felt they were poorly prepared for entering the workforce showed nearly the same percentages as those who felt adequately prepared, the percentages differing by years—0 percent in 2001-2002, 1 percent in 2000-2001, and 3 percent in 2002-2003.

Student Engagement

Research shows that the more actively engaged students are with college faculty and staff with other students, and with the subject matter they study, the more likely they are to learn and persist toward achieving their academic goals. Student engagement, therefore, is a valuable yardstick for assessing whether, and to what extent, an institution is employing educational practices likely to produce successful results.

University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges have been recognized in the national Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) among the highest performing colleges.

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Kaua‘i Community College’s performance on the 2004 survey reached national benchmarks in all areas.

Figure 16

CCSSE Benchmark Scores

Source: CCSSE 2004, Kaua‘i Community Collegeviii.

The comparison below, between the 2002 survey results and the 2004 results, demonstrates significant improvement in student perceptions. The smallest improvement in perception was the 10 percent change in student views toward Active and Collaborative Learning, moving from 80 percent to 90 percent. Two areas showed 30 percent improvement: Student Effort and Support for Learners both improved from 50 percent to 80 percent. In the area of Academic Challenge, student perception moved from 40 percent to 80 percent. The greatest change in perception, 60 percent, was in the area of Student-Faculty interaction.

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____________________________

i. http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/census/Folder.2005-10-13.2927/profile-kauai/kauaicdp.pdf , Race, One race percentages for State of Hawai‘i and Kaua‘i.

ii. http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seccf04.pdf , Table 3: Selected Characteristics of Credit Students, University of Hawai‘i, Community Colleges, Ethnicity, Kaua‘i.

iii. http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seccf04.pdf , Appendix C4: Distribution of Majors, by Program, Gender and Ethnicity, Kaua‘i Community College, Grand Total group.

iv. http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?grccf01.pdf , Table 4D: Course Completion Ratios, Kaua‘i Community College.

v. http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seccs00.pdf , Table 4: Selected Characteristics of Credit Students, Kaua‘i, Registration status=Continuing;http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seccs01.pdf, Table 4, as above.

vi. http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seuhs02.pdf , Table 7: Selected Characteristics of Credit Students, Kaua‘i, Registration status=Continuing;http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seuhs03.pdf, Table 7, as above;http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seuhs04.pdf, Table 7, as above.

vii. http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?dgccy04.pdf , Table 1: Degrees and Certificates Earned, Kaua‘i Community College, Certificates of Achievement and Associate Degrees.

viii. http://www.ccsse.org/survey/public-profile.cfm?ipeds=141802&source=2004 . Note: Public results do not include national mean on chart. Username and password are required to enter the members only results for Kaua‘i Community College at http://www.ccsse.org/members/profiles/profile.cfm?ipeds=141802&source=2004.

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http://www.ccsse.org/members/profiles/profile.cfm?ipeds=141802&source=2004


http://www.ccsse.org/survey/public-profile.cfm?ipeds=141802&source=2004

http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?dgccy04.pdf

http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seuhs04.pdf



http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seccs01.pdf


http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?grccf01.pdf

http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seccf04.pdf


http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/census/Folder.2005-10-13.2927/profile-kauai/kauaicdp.pdf


Abstract of the Report

Institutional Commitment

Evidence of the college’s commitment to provide high quality education and training to the community of Kaua‘i lies in the centrality of student learning to the mission. That commitment is expressed in the ongoing program actions for improvement and the stated outcomes that “contribute to the development of life-long learners who think critically, appreciate diversity, and lead successful, independent, socially responsible, and personally fulfilling lives.” The college is measuring the achievement of these outcomes through assessment and other evidence. New planning processes, structures, and policies were developed to help fulfill the mission and goals. Committees were re-purposed and many conversations were held across the campus within programs, divisions, committees, and campus-wide. The mission statement was created in 2002, reviewed in 2003, and was slated for another review in Fall 2005 but that was postponed until Fall 2006. Thereafter, it will be reviewed every two years. Overall, the college feels that this standard has been met and will be reinforced by more guidelines and training on the use of data.

Evaluation, Planning, and Improvement

One of the strongest areas of accomplishment with regards to the standards is in evaluation, planning, and improvement. The college has successfully created and implemented a planning process that begins with the mission and goals as beacons that guide the improvement process. The Program Review and Annual Program Review Update process is based on the examination of program data such as enrollment trends, student achievement, and student learning, and results in action plans and associated budget requests, which then move to the College Council, chancellor, and all the way through the UH budgeting process to the legislature and governor. A “mini” program review was completed by all instructional programs in Spring 2004 as a way of introducing the process. The full program review process has been ongoing since the Summer 2004 with 16 out of 24 programs completing the full review process and all programs, both instructional and non-instructional completing annual updates of action plans and budget requests. The budget allocation and development process has been fully implemented since 2005. These processes are evaluated continually by the Program Review Committee and the College Council.

Improvements to the curriculum are being further achieved through the course review process and the new Curriculum Action Form. The college has committed to reviewing courses periodically for content, relevance, methodology, and assessment of learning outcomes. Twenty percent of each program’s courses will be reviewed for five years. To date 60 courses have been reviewed. Financially, the college maintains reserve funds above the minimum target to meet unforeseen emergencies and occurrences.

The college’s Long Range Development Plan is used to guide renovations and additions to the campus; the soon to be built, One-Stop Center is the result of such planning. The campus uses ADA and safety guidelines when renovating, building, or in the course or normal daily tasks. Recently new entry ways were renovated to meet ADA guidelines.

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Student Learning Outcomes

The college’s greatest challenges lie in the area of systematic assessment of Student Learning Outcomes on program and campus levels. SLOs exist at the campus level, course level, and program level and are being more consistently and clearly tied together through the new Curriculum Action Form. However, the college lags in measuring outcomes at the program level in a systematic manner. Most programs established their SLOs but program assessment has not been fully developed in all programs.

An assessment committee was established in 1999 to help educate the campus about assessment. Various training events were and continue to be held. The committee developed and used a writing rubric in 2000 and 2002. In 2004 the committee re-focused on one of the campus SLOs each year for training and implementation by faculty. The Assessment Committee is currently working with selected programs to help them measure the Information Competency SLO since Spring 2006. Course level assessments are being aligned with program outcomes through program matrices.

Organization

The college has overhauled many of the processes on the campus having to do with planning or improving student learning. The typical change process involves an appointed task force to research and create processes, a committee to implement and evaluate, and policies or written documentation for guidance. The Assessment Task Force, Program Review committee, and Kaua‘i Community College Memorandum (KCCM) 1-6 is an example of this approach. The College Council became a decision-making body and is now guided by KCCM 1-7. The Information Technology Task Force developed the IT Strategic plan and was later transformed into the Information and Technology Advisory Council tasked with implementation of the plan. A new Position Request Form implemented this year requires justification as to how the position relates to the college’s plans, goals, and objectives. The Curriculum Committee, involved in the new course review effort, is working with a new Course Action Form (CAF) and providing tips and guidelines to help faculty move through the process. The Professional Development committee receives direction from program review action plans. The Assessment Committee was formed to aid in the assessment process. Each of these task forces and committees are (or have been) comprised of faculty or staff from appropriate programs or units and typically (but not always) an administrative contact or member is appointed to facilitate their actions.

The administrative staff was complete up to June 2006 when the Dean of Instruction retired. A search is underway to replace the dean at this writing. The college lacked a full-time Institutional Researcher (IR) for several years but that changed in January 2006 when the new IR came onboard. In 2005 the college considered re-organization of the administration to provide more administrative help to instructional programs.

The All College Hour on Friday afternoons was carved out of the class schedule initially to work on program review but it has been used variously for assessment workshops, self study, and to hold College Conversations on various campus issues. Convocations at the beginning of each semester are used to inform the faculty and staff about progress on various projects

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and upcoming events. Email, the campus mailboxes, the KCC Bulletin, and the campus intranet, CampusDocs, are additional channels for communication.

Dialogue

The college engaged in extensive dialogue when developing the program review process and has continued to do so for strategic planning, assessment, and other issues that arise. The forums for these discussions are division meetings, committee meetings, college council meetings, and college-wide meetings on Fridays. Some examples of college conversations that have occurred this past year are a discussion about remedial and developmental education on the campus, a presentation on the Kaua‘i County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies Plan by the Mayor’s Office, and self study input sessions.

Program reviews brought about more awareness of the need for data and other evidence to guide improvement. The college looks for data to guide change and makes that data available on the website or intranet site, CampusDocs. Input from constituents is also sought via surveys and focus groups. Constituent groups include students, employers, other faculty, or staff. Faculty and staff within each program have the direct responsibility to produce the program reviews and annual updates. The need for evidence is firmly embedded in the college. The next challenge is to improve the ability of all members of the campus to understand and use the data to improve decisions.

Institutional Integrity

Institutional integrity is achieved through consistency in the college’s publications such as the KCC catalog, the schedule of courses, the Student Advising sheets, the student handbook, the KCC website, etc. The Multi-Year Plan of Offerings, implemented in 2005, is a constant two-year plan of program offerings to guide schedule building and student advising. New Student Advising Sheets are scheduled to be completed in Fall 2006. The college has committed to maintaining the consistency by creating a new position to track changes from the curriculum committee and make sure that all publications are up-to-date.

Academic honesty policies are clearly stated in the catalog, the student handbook, and other publications. The college follows hiring and employment practices with a regard for issues of equity and diversity. It provides training for all college personnel on selection and hiring, EEO/AA, diversity, disabilities, and has an EEO/AA coordinator to monitor these processes. The college has programs that assist special populations and personnel to support them such as counselors and an EEO/AA coordinator.

The Program Review/APRU process has been a major opportunity to honestly reflect upon the effectiveness and efficiency of each college program and service.

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Self Study Calendar

Fall 2004 Date Scheduled/CompletedSteering committee formed. September 13, 2004Steering committee members attend ACCJC workshop.

September 14, 2004

Complete steering committee assignments. October 14, 2004Establish draft timeline. November 5, 2004Steering committee meet with administration. November 5, 2004Self Study groups meet and organize. Fall 2004Self Study groups analyze standards and determine data and evidence needed.

Ongoing during the Self Study.

Review last self study and interim reports. Ogoing during the Self Study.Spring 2005 Date Scheduled/Completed

Establish a central filing place for data and evidence.

January 2005

Steering committee groups work together to finalize evidence and data needed for their standards.

March 4, 2005

Steering committee groups to finalize their report/request for evidence and data and submit to administration.

March 15, 2005

Ongoing effort to gather evidence and data and organize at central filing.

Ongoing during the Self Study.

Fall 2005 Date Scheduled/CompletedGroups meet to review evidence and data to see if additional information is needed.

August 2005

Any possible campus survey questions need to be submitted to Ramona Kincaid.

September 30, 2005

Review data needs worksheet and continue to collect data and file. Familiarize groups with what is on file.

September 30, 2005

Groups start drafting report on their standard based on evidence gathered.

September 30, 2005

Group members submit their completed reports electronically for review by other members within the standard.

November 4, 2005

Groups incorporate comments and make revisions where appropriate.

November 4, 2005,to

November 15, 2005Groups submit final report electronically to standard co-chairs.

November 15, 2005

Standard chair submit finished draft of self study. December 15, 2005Spring 2006 Date Scheduled/Completed

Standard 1 Campus Conversation January 27, 2006Standard 2 Campus Conversation February 3, 2006Standard 2 Campus Conversation February 10, 2006

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Standard 3 Campus Conversation February 17, 2006Standard 4 Campus Conversation February 24, 2006Standard chairs evaluate other standards. Start February 27, 2006Standard chairs submit responses to other chairs. April 1, 2006Standard committees review and edit standard drafts based on suggestions from campus conversations and submit.

April 28, 2006

Steering committee chairs meet to review drafts and submit to editor.

May 12, 2006

Summer 2006 Date Scheduled/CompletedReview final draft before submission to printers. Date to be determined.Send final report to printers and post to website. June 2006Submit to Board of Regents. June 2006Board of Regents’ approval. July 2006

Fall 2006 Date Scheduled/CompletedFall convocation final report to campus. August 14, 2006Final preparations for team visit. September 2006Team visit. October 2006Please note that the above dates are tentative.

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Self Study Committees

Steering Committee

Professor Al Spencer, Self Study Steering Committee Chair (Faculty, Business Education)Professor Joanne Noone, Standard I Co-Chair (2004)Instructor Rick Randolph, Standard I Co-Chair (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities)Professor Marshall Mock, Standard I Co-Chair (replacing Joanne Noone, Fall, 2005) (Faculty, Science and Mathematics)Associate Professor/Counselor Bonnie Honma, Standard II Co-Chair (Faculty, Student Services)Instructor/Librarian Anne McKenna, Standard II Co-Chair (Academic Support)Instructor Brian Cronwall, Standard II Co-Chair (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities)Assistant Professor/Counselor Wade Tanaka, Standard III Co-Chair (Faculty, Student Services)Instructor Gigi Drent, Standard III Co-Chair (Faculty, Science and Mathematics)Electronics Engineer Pat Watase, Standard IV Co-Chair (Academic Support)Assistant Professor Rae Nishikawa, Standard IV Co-Chair (Faculty, Business Education)

Standard I: Institutional Mission and Effectiveness

Joanne Noone, Co-Chair (2004) Joan Langan (Faculty, Health Education)Rick Randolph, Co-Chair (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities)Marshall Mock, Co-Chair (Faculty; Science and Mathematics)

June Ikehara (Clerical, OCET)Lane Yokotake (Janitor, Maintenance)Leah Lei Agustin (Academic Support)Mary Cardenas (Janitor, Maintenance)

Anastacia Torres (2004) Mia Ako (2004)Bill Blackburn (Interim Director, OCET) Pacita Ramos (Janitor, Maintenance)Calvin Shirai (Rural Dev. Program Coordinator, OCET)

Patricia McGrath (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities)

Carmela Tamme (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities)

Phyllis Vidinha (Fiscal Accounting Specialist, Administrative Services)

Char Ono (Faculty, Health Education) Rick Matsumura (Faculty, Trade-Technology)Clarice Kali (Academic Support) Russell Grady (Faculty, Health Education)Cris Beralas (Clerical; Language, Arts, and Humanities)

Sheane Talbo-Mandrigues (Clerk, Bookstore)Sueann Okada (Academic Support)

Dawn Kaihara (Account Clerk, Administrative Services)

ASKCC Student RepresentativeEsther Miller (Academic Support)

Dennis Chun (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities)

Eve Kurasaki (APT, Childcare Center)Francis Dinnan (Faculty, Student Services)

Gerald Hirata (Faculty, Science and Mathematics) Isabel Adorable (Academic Support)

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Standard II: Student Learning Programs and Services

Brian Cronwall, Co-Chair (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities)

Irene Yoshioka (Janitor, Maintenance)Jan Carmichael (Faculty, Health Education)

Bonnie Honma, Co-Chair (Faculty, Student Services) Jennifer Defuntorum (Clerical, OCET)Anne McKenna, Co-Chair (Academic Support)Amy Watase (Clerical, Student Services)

Jim McFarland (Faculty, Science and Mathematics)

Andy Bushnell (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities) Joann Ventar (Clerical, Student Services)Anna Smithwick (Faculty, Health Education)Arnette Lee (Clerical, Dean of Instruction)

Joe Vegas (Bldg. Maintenance Worker, Maintenance)

ASKCC Student Representatives (3) Jolynne Uyesono (Manager, Bookstore)Braden Lindstrom (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities)

June Sekioka (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities)

Billy Gibson (Faculty, Business Education) Ken Curtis (Faculty, Student Services)Bob Kajiwara (Academic Support) Kimo Chun (Faculty, Student Services)Carol Bland (Clerical, Health Education) Lauretta Hadama (Clerical, Maintenance)Carol Llego (Clerical, Business Education) Lena Tobias (Academic Support)Cheryl Fujii (Faculty, OCET) Maria Fabro (Faculty, Health Education)Clarence Nishi (2004) Melanie Bacio (APT, Business Education)Creighton Fujii (Faculty, Student Services)Ed Coll/SAM (Academic Support)

Pat Posner (Lecturer; Language, Arts, and Humanities)

Elama Kanahele (2004) Ron Motosue (Groundskeeper, Maintenance)Gerald Browne (2004) Sharon Chiba (Faculty, Student Services)Glenn Alquiza (Faculty, Trade-Technology)Glenn Hontz (Faculty, Trade-Technology)

Shirley Tani (Development Officer, UH Foundation)

Greg Shepherd (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities) Tessie Edurise (Janitor, Maintenance)Harold Nakamura (Faculty, Business Education) Tom Gaglione (2004)Hiroko Merritt (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities) Tom Smithwick (Faculty, Science and Math)

Tracy Tucker (Academic Support)

Standard III: Resources

Gigi Drent, Co-Chair (Faculty, Science and Mathematics) Kent Tanigawa (Academic Support)Wade Tanaka, Co-Chair (Faculty, Student Services) Leighton Oride (Registrar, Student Services)Annie Rellin (Clerical, Student Services) Lon Malapit (2004)Beth Carlozzi (2004) Marjorie Akita (Academic Support)Beverly Yasuda (Clerical, Administrative Services) Mark Oyama (Faculty, Business Education)Cresente Santos (Bldg. Maintenance Worker, Maintenance)Dana Bekeart (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities)

Nancy Bushnell (Faculty, Science and Mathematics)

Daryl Gerardo (Lecturer, Trade-Technology) Ralph Kouchi (Faculty, Trade-Technology)Diane Johnson (Academic Support) Sandy Magnussen (Faculty, Student Services)Donna Victorino (Clerical, Trade-Technology) Sharon Suzuki (Academic Support)Francis Takahashi (Faculty, Trade-Technology) Teresita Tagudin (Janitor, Maintenance)Ilei Beniamina (Faculty, Student Services) Theresa Dressler (2004)Jane Sasahara (Clerical, Chancellor’s Office) Tom Kajihara (Academic Support)

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JoRae Baptiste (Personnel Officer, Administrative Services)

Tina Unciano (Personnel Clerk, Administrative Services)

Joyce Nakahara (Faculty, Science and Mathematics)Kahale Blackstad (Account Clerk, Administrative Services)

Tracy Nakasone (Maintenance Mechanic, Maintenance)

Karen Nakamura (Clerical, Student Services)Zane Abreu (Academic Support)

Wayne Miyata (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities)

Standard IV: Leadership and Governance

Rae Nishikawa, Co-Chair (Faculty, Business Education) Mary Jo Sweeney (Faculty, Health Education)Patrick Watase, Co-Chair (Academic Support) Rick Carmichael (Faculty, Health Education)Alison Shigematsu (Academic Support) Rupert Hunt (Faculty, Business Education)Brian Yamamoto (Faculty, Science and Mathematics)Calvin Uyesono (Equipment Operator, Maintenance)

Melanie Matsuyama (Clerical, Science and Mathematics)

Cammie Matsumoto (Academic Support)Cecilia Ramones (Clerical, Administrative Services)

Molly Summers (Faculty; Language, Arts, and Humanities)

Domi Beralas (Groundskeeper, Maintenance) Shelley Konishi (Faculty, Business Education)Eric Chu (Academic Support) Sheri Amimoto (Clerical, OCET)Joey Tanaka (2004) Susan Woods (APT, Childcare Center)John Constantino (Faculty, Student Services) Sylvia Vidinha (Janitor, Maintenance)Karen Doiron (Clerical, UHH) Constante Azares (Faculty, Trade-Technology)Mark Niitani (Groundskeeper, Maintenance) Vinny Itoga (Academic Support)Marshall Mock (Faculty, Science and Mathematics)

Student Participants

Crystal Cruz, ASUH-KCC PresidentKealoha Figaroa, ASUH-KCC Vice PresidentElizabeth Kane, ASUH-KCC SecretaryHealani Akau, ASUH-KCC TreasurerNelson Batalion, ASUH-KCC HR ManagerPatricia Agustin, ASUH-KCC SenatorAdrian Corpus, ASUH-KCC SenatorMason Ishiki, ASUH-KCC SenatorArvin Montgomery, ASUH-KCC SenatorJeffery Toloza, ASUH-KCC SenatorKhuyen Tran, ASUH-KCC Senator

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Certification Signatures of Continued ComplianceWith Eligibility Requirements

Kaua‘i Community College affirms that it continues to meet each of the eligibility requirements set by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Statement of Assurance

We hereby certify that Kaua‘i Community College continues to meet the eligibility requirements for accreditation.

Signed:

_________________________________________ ________________________Peggy T. Cha DateChancellor, Kaua‘i Community College

_________________________________________ ________________________Dr. John Morton DateInterim Vice President for Community CollegesUniversity of Hawai‘i

_________________________________________ ________________________Dr. David McClain DatePresident, University of Hawai‘i

_________________________________________ ________________________Kitty Lagareta DateChairperson, Board of RegentsUniversity of Hawai‘i

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Certification of Continued Compliance With Eligibility Requirements

1. Authority

The UH Community Colleges were established by the state legislature in 1964 through Act 39, as an integral part of the University of Hawai‘i System. Kaua‘i Community College began in 1926 as Kalaheo Vocational School. In 1965, it became Kaua‘i Community College and, under Act 39, became part of the University of Hawai‘i System, governed by the Board of Regents.

2. Mission

The most recent revision of the mission of Kaua‘i Community College was approved by the Board of Regents of the University of Hawai‘i System at their March meeting in 2003. The mission statement defines our commitment to student learning and is reflected in the Student Learning Outcomes adopted by the college as part of its strategic planning process. Our mission defines us as an open access, post secondary institution providing education and training services in academic, career and vocational areas primarily to the Kaua‘i community.

3. Governing Board

The 12 members of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawai’i System are appointed by the Governor of Hawai’i. The By-laws of the board state, “The primary duty of the board is first to determine and set forth the objectives of the University, and second, to provide the means, in the form of adequate budget, personnel and material, to achieve these objectives. In determining the objectives of the University, the assistance of the faculty will be sought and obtained through proper channels.”

Members of the board are chosen to represent the various constituencies and geographic areas served by the University of Hawai’i System. A five-member standing committee is charged specifically with responsibility for overseeing community college affairs. These regents include the regents from Kaua‘i, Maui, Hawai’i and two regents from O‘ahu.

Article X of the By-laws, Conflicts of Interest, outlines standards of conduct and fiduciary responsibility of the members, to ensure fair and objective decision making.

4. Chief Executive Officer

The chancellor of the college is appointed by the board and has full-time responsibility and authority for the day-to-day management of the institution and implementation of board policies. Neither the president of the UH System nor any chancellor of an individual campus within the system may serve on the Board of Regents.

5. Administrative CapacityPage 42


The college is organized into five units, each headed by a managerial level administrator who reports to the chancellor. These units include Instruction, Student Services, the University Center and Academic Support, Office of Continuing Education and Training and Administrative Services. All management personnel meet minimum qualifications as set by Board of Regents policy and have adequate staffing to perform day-to-day operations. All staff meet minimum qualifications as determined by the appropriate classification, e.g., state civil service.

6. Operational Status

Kaua‘i Community College is fully operational and has served an average of over one thousand students in each year since our last accreditation self study. The majority of these students have been and are pursuing a certificate or degree.

7. Degrees

All of the college’s credit offerings are either required courses, distribution requirements or elective courses for one or another of the degree or certificate programs offered in ten different areas. In Fall 2004, 46.3 percent of students had declared a major in the Liberal Arts transfer AA degree program and 31.6 percent had declared a major in one of our career technical programs. The remaining students are unclassified students or special status students such as high school students taking courses under Early Admit or Running Start programs. Many unclassified students are residents taking advantage of cultural offerings for personal development, such as our performance music courses, ceramics or art.

8. Educational Programs

The college currently offers ten two-year degree programs, all in fields which are congruent to our mission, including a transfer-oriented Associate in Arts degree and career and technical degrees in Nursing, Early Childhood Education, Electronics, Automotive Technology, Autobody Repair and Painting, Accounting, Office Administration and Technology (newly renamed Business Technology), Culinary Arts, and Hospitality and Tourism Services. All programs are based on recognized higher education fields of study, are articulated across the UHCC System and, in the case of transfer degrees, articulated with four-year institutions both in the state and on the mainland US. All programs have identified Student Learning Outcomes, which are also aligned with campus-wide, general education learning outcomes.

9. Academic Credit

The college grants credits based on accepted practices in higher education and in compliance with Board of Regents policy. The college follows a semester calendar, in concert with the other campuses in the UHCC System.

10. Student Learning and Achievement

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Student achievement expectations for each graduate are spelled out in the catalog description of graduation requirements and are on the student advising sheets, used by counselors and faculty when working with students on their progress toward an educational goal.

Campus-wide Student Learning Outcomes for general education have been identified and are published in the college catalog. All programs have identified and defined Student Learning Outcomes on the program level, which align with these campus-wide SLOs. The Curriculum Action Form adopted in 2004 requires each course to clearly identify SLOs, align them with program SLOs and indicate what assessment methods will be used to evaluate student learning.

11. General Education

The college’s statement on the value of general education is published in the catalog. “QUOTE” Campus-wide Student Learning Outcomes, incorporated into all degree programs include Communication, Cognition, Information Competency, Social Responsibility and Personal Responsibility.

12. Academic Freedom

BOR policy and the contract between the BOR and the faculty union, University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly, state a commitment to academic freedom. “Quote contract”

13. Faculty

Full-time faculty make up the vast majority of Kaua‘i Community College’s instructional staff. All faculty meet a set of minimum qualifications set by UHCC System agreement among all campus chief academic officers and chancellors, in accordance with board policy. The Board of Regents policy of faculty classification clearly states that the development and review of curriculum and assessment of student learning are primary responsibilities of faculty. (Exhibit : BOR Policy 9-2(3) Community College Classification Plan and Compensation Policy) http://www.hawaii.edu-offices-bor-policy-borpch9.pd

14. Student Services

Appropriate student services are made available to all students. Academic advising, career counseling, financial aid, and services for students with special needs are available through the Student Services unit. Academic support services such as tutoring, focus group labs, peer assistant tutors are available through the Learning Center and the College Success Center. Night and weekend hours are also scheduled as needed. Online information is available including schedule and class availability and catalog information.

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15. Admissions

The college adheres to an open door policy, emphasizing access. Any student 18 years or older, or a high school graduate is eligible for admissions. In addition, special programs allow for high school students to take a limited number of courses on an Early Admit basis. Hawai‘i also has a Running Start program, which provides for both high school and college credit to be earned for certain, articulated college courses. A placement test, COMPASS, is used to properly place students in appropriate academic levels. Individual programs may have specific pre-requisites to assure that students pursuing a particular degree, e.g., nursing, are adequately prepared for the demands of the program.

16. Information and Learning Resources

The college provides adequate information and learning resources. Students have access to a fully equipped and staffed library, computer labs, wireless access in most buildings on campus to the campus’ high speed Internet connection, and Distance Learning facilities including the UH System interactive television system.

17. Financial Resources

The college’s financial base is made up of primarily state general funds and tuition and special fees charged to students. Approximately 88 percent of the budget is made up of appropriated state general funds. The per FTE financial resources, as a percent of our peer group is “DENNIS JONES.” The annual budget plans on a minimum reserve amount equal to 3 percent of our total resources.

18. Financial Accountability

The University of Hawai‘i's consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with Government Accounting Standards Board ("GASB") principles, which establish standards for external financial reporting for public colleges and universities. This financial audit is part of the annual A-133 audit required by the federal government. Historically, as part of the University of Hawai‘i System, there has not been a separate audit of the community colleges. However, beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, the university audit contract has been modified to include a presentation of a combined balance sheet and income statement of the university’s community college system as supplemental information to the university’s consolidated financial statements, including an opinion on such supplemental information in relation to the university’s consolidated financial statements taken as a whole.

19. Institutional Planning and Evaluation

Kaua‘i Community College has implemented a continuous cycle of planning, implementation, assessment, and evaluation focused on our mission and goals and aligned with the UH System strategic plan. All instructional and non-instructional programs undergo a full program review every five years and produce an annual

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program review update (APRU) in the interval between full reviews. In addition, each instructional program annually updates a rolling multi-year plan of offerings (MYPO) each fall. This scheduling plan is also used as a springboard for reviewing curricular and programmatic changes and their budget, staffing and facilities implications. That analysis becomes part of the program review/APRU action plans, which form the basis of program budget requests. Divisions/Units prioritize the various budget requests for presentation to the College Council and the chancellor. Alignment with mission and strategic goals is one of the criteria used to rate these requests.

20. Public Information

The college catalog includes all required information. Copies of catalog have been sent with this self study, the catalog is also available online on the college website, kauai.hawaii.edu. Semester schedules are also available online and are widely distributed to the community.

21. Relations With the Accrediting Commission

The college has responded appropriately to all communications from the Commission. The current self study effort is evidence of its continuing commitment to maintaining the standards and policies of good practice embodied in the Commission standards.

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Recommendations From the 2000 Self Study

Brief Outline

2000 Self Study: 1-7 Recommendations administered

2002 Interim Report: Addressed 1-7ACCJC Response: 1- 4 Focused Recommendations administered, placed on warning status

2003 Midterm Report: Addressed 1-7 and 1- 4 FocusedACCJC Response: Met Focus Rec. 3 and Rec. 1 and 7 but 4 and 6 must be addressed further

2004 Progress Report: Addressed 4 and 6ACCJC Response: Must still address 2, 4, and 6 for KCC, and 2, 4-7 administered for UHCC

April 2005 Progress Report: Addressed 2, 4, and 6 for KCC and 2, 4-7 UHCC,ACCJC Response: Warning status dropped for KCC but 2, 6, and 7 for UHCC must still be addressed

October 2005 Progress Report: Addressed 2, 6, and 7 for UHCC

2000 Self Study Recommendation #1 (Institutional Mission)

The team recommends that the college set up a systematic process and timeline for regular review of the college mission statement and its influence on planning. It notes that the college’s own planning agenda items suggest that the “open door” and “basic education” concepts be included in the revised mission statement. In that light, the college should re-examine the current remedial education strategy to assure that students lacking basic skills have a clear, accessible path for building the skills needed to achieve success in college-level courses or occupational programs and certificates.

2002 Interim Report Focus Recommendation #1

It is therefore recommended that the college, at the time of this next mission review, amend the current statement by specific inclusion of some of the information in its supporting documents, and also reexamine the current statement to bring it into compliance with 1996 as well as the new accreditation standards.

Summary

The entire college reviewed and re-wrote the mission statement in the 2001 academic year. That new mission statement was subsequently revised to align with Focus Recommendation #1 in response to the Interim Visit. The idea of “open access” is now clearly stated as part

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of the mission. Since review of the mission statement is set for every two years, it was brought up to the College Council in Fall 2005. The council decided to keep the current statement and to more thoroughly review the mission statement in conjunction with the review of the systemwide strategic plan.

Since 2003, the remedial education strategy was re-assessed and several initiatives were promulgated under the ABE/Remediation Systemwide Task Force and Kaua‘i Community College: expansion of remedial courses in the campuses’ curriculum, legislative implementation of a Running Start program for dual credit for high school students, and focused funding for teacher education/certification and adult basic education. A Case Management coordinator was hired under Perkins funding and worked with a design team in Spring 2004 to research and write up recommendations for a Case Management System. Elements of that system have been implemented in the past two years: a vacant position was redescribed as a College Success Center Coordinator, a Summer Bridge program was expanded, pre-program cohorts have been established for some programs, an early alert system is being initiated, focus labs for Focus Lab study groups have been created for high-risk courses, and a more useable information management system purchased with Title III funding. The continuing challenge is to evaluate, streamline, and coordinate these services to further facilitate student success.

2000 Self Study Recommendation #2 (Institutional Integrity)

The college should ensure that program information, including course frequency and anticipated time for program completion, is widely disseminated to students in multiple written and verbal forms that are consistent.


Develop a multi-year schedule of classes to ensure all courses needed for program completion are offered within a reasonable period of time.

Summary

A Multi-Year Plan of Offerings (MYPO) was developed for each program. This plan is updated annually as part of the program review process, so that each program has a constant two-year plan of offerings to guide schedule building and student advising. The development of the MYPO involved a review of each program’s Student Advising Sheet, Catalog and website program description, and Catalog course descriptions. Now that this chart is available, the college can consistently inform students when program courses will be offered so students can plan which courses to take and form a realistic picture of the time it will take them to complete the program. The college will know what program courses and general education or other courses are needed each semester.

In order to improve the movement of students toward their educational goals, the college implemented a new scheduling process. The process includes both faculty and counselor

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input and considers the many variables involved in scheduling, including enrollments, evening enrollments, program direction, two-year cycles, etc.

2000 Self Study Recommendation #3 (Institutional Effectiveness)

The team finds that the planning recommendation made by the 1994 team has not been adequately addressed. Therefore, it is the recommendation of this team that the college should clearly define its institutional planning processes, make the processes participative, and establish implementation priorities. This should be done using local and system institutional research data that has been analyzed to provide clear external and internal information on community needs, student outcomes, and institutional effectiveness and program review. This data should be used to support and enhance planning, decision making, and institutional improvement. This information should be broadly disseminated to staff and students, with appropriate training, so that staff and students understand its usefulness.


It is recommended that the college provide training to faculty, staff and administrators on how to utilize existent research data in institutional evaluation and planning so that they can assume appropriate responsibility for this college-wide effort.

Summary

The Assessment Task Force was appointed to develop a program review process in 2003. Recognizing that a process could not be developed without an updated mission statement and goals, they immediately set about creating them and using them as a foundation for the planning process. A program review process was developed and is outlined in the college’s policy KCCM 1-6. In all, 25 programs or units will cycle through the process. Each year, those programs that are not involved with comprehensive program review will submit an Annual Program Review Update (APRU) to report on the status of their action plans and to request budgetary support for them. The College Council rates and ranks these requests according to college goals and other criteria. These ratings are submitted to the chancellor for final decisions. This process has been through two cycles so far.

In Spring 2004, the College Council selected four priority goals for programs to focus on, based on the action plans from the mini and regular program reviews. Budget requests are rated according to how well they address these priority goals. The goals and priorities will be reviewed in Fall 2006. The UH System and UHCC System strategic plans will be undergoing review in conjunction with the UH System Second Decade project. (http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/app/seconddecade/). The data underlying that effort will be a major resource for the college’s efforts.

Since the Spring 2003 semester the college has hosted training sessions and sent faculty to conferences to gain skills on interpreting data, assessment, and accreditation. During the APRU processes, the Program Review Committee has made itself available to help programs

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interpret their data. Now that the new institutional researcher is on board, (as of Spring 2006) he will provide much of this support.

Campus-level data is collected on a systematic basis. Graduate and Leaver Surveys are conducted annually and a report was provided during the 2003 Spring Workshop (surveys are located on the college website). Enrollment demographics and course data is available via Banner and has been disseminated by Student Services these past years. The college participates in the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) every two years. Workforce information from resources such as the Department of Labor Statistics, Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc. (EMSI), and Kaua‘i Economic Development Plan, needs assessment surveys, etc. are used to gauge community need. Course Enrollment History, Course Completion History, and program health indicators are collected and made available on the intranet for program reviews and APRUs.

2000 Self Study Recommendation #4 (Educational Programs)

It is recommended that all instructional programs participate in a systematic program review process that provides data, including curriculum data, for planning, reviewing student outcomes, program improvement, and documenting changes.


The 2000 recommendation continues, “…all instructional programs participate in a systematic program review process that provides data, including curriculum data, for planning, reviewing student outcomes, program improvement, and documenting changes.” In addition, it is recommended that the college seek technical assistance, as necessary, in the development and execution of program reviews for instructional areas to assure compliance with accreditation standards (Standard 4D.1)

Summary

As noted above, a Program Review process was created and includes responses to the program review criteria, consideration of PHI and other data, and an action plan and a timeline based on program goals. An Advisory Review Team evaluates the report by answering selected questions. The report goes back to the program for consideration. The final Program Review is discussed with the appropriate dean or director and the chancellor. Under consideration during this phase are Student Learning Outcomes, student achievement, curriculum and scheduling issues, services, personnel issues, and budget requests. The Campus Council considers all program requests and decides which align best with campus goals to receive funding and other resources. This occurs in the spring budgeting meetings. Programs will provide an Annual Program Review Update (APRU) report that describes the status of their action plans, analyzes the most current PHI data, and outlines budget requests. Programs undergo a full review every five years.

Of the 25 programs that are slated to undergo program review, all but 8 have completed the process. All of the programs participate in the yearly APRU, and the college has been

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through two budget cycles using the new allocation process. The Program Review Committee evaluates the program review process and recommendations are brought to the College Council for approval. The College Council reviews the budgeting cycle annually. As a result of the review of the process in this year, the council voted to move the process timetable up to the fall semester, to better align with UH System and legislative schedules.

The institutional researcher will provide technical support for the program review process as mentioned under Recommendation #3.

2000 Self Study Recommendation #5 (Student Support and Development)

The team recommends that the college develop a comprehensive and formal program review in which feedback is systematically collected from students, faculty, and staff regarding the quality and effectiveness of student services programs and use the data to improve support services to students.

Student Services is on the campus calendar for program review and has participated fully in all of the processes. In 2004, Student Services concentrated on an Admissions and Records program review. In 2005, they consolidated this process by doing one program review for all of their services. Counselors and staff attended data workshops and assessment conferences in the past three years in preparation for their program review. They employed several survey tools by NCHEMS and Noel-Levitz and developed in-house surveys to gauge customer satisfaction. They have participated in the APRU planning process twice.

Recommendation #6 (Information and Learning Resources)

It is recommended that the college develop a clear technology plan by which to allocate resources to ensure the adequacy of computer equipment and software, technical support services, and technical training for all faculty and staff, including technical support staff.

Summary

An Information Technology Task Force (ITTF) was created in Spring 2004 and charged with developing a college Information Technology Strategic Plan (ITSP) aligned with the college’s mission, goals, and Student Learning Outcomes. Once created, a committee, the Information Technology Advisory Committee or ITAC, was appointed to implement the ITSP. In March 2005, the Prioritized Goals and Action Plans for Fall 2004 Through Spring 2007 was submitted to the College Council. The document prioritized the ITSP objectives, delineated the steps to accomplishing them, and provided a timeline for each step. The council approved this document.

ITAC is currently on schedule with its action plans; all 2004 actions have been completed. A campus directory was created on a server for access to documents and forms, and the upgrading/standardization of campus computers is on schedule. A budget for upgrades and

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standardization was established and a request is being considered in the state legislature at this writing. This spring, the committee developed in online an Information Literacy Competency (ILC) assessment and will pilot it before the end of the semester.

Recommendation #7 (Physical Resources)

It is recommended the college reconsider the adequacy of assignable space, location, and accessibility for its Student Services operation.

Summary

The 1999 Master Plan identified the college’s need for a “One-Stop Center” that would house Student Services as well as Administration, the Office of Continuing Education and Training, and the University Center. The college was allocated $10,000,000 for Phase I of the center. The design was completed and the bid for construction was published in 2006. Construction should commence by the end of 2006 or early 2007. In the meantime, Student Services shifted some of the COMPASS testing which was taking place in their hallways to the Learning Center in 2002. The One-Stop Center will have a dedicated testing lab and a career-counseling center.

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STANDARD I: INSTITUTIONAL MISSION AND EFFECTIVENESS

Standard I.A. Mission

The institution has a statement of mission that defines the institution’s broad educational purposes, its intended student population, and its commitment to achieving student learning.

Descriptive Summary

In response to the recommendations made in the 2000 Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) accreditation report, Kaua‘i Community College (KCC) undertook a campus-wide review of its mission in the spring of 2001. Through a combination of retreats, meetings, and workshops, faculty, staff, students, and community supporters were able to take direct part in the review and development of a new mission statement.

In 2002, the new mission statement was edited by the Assessment Task Force and sent to a campus committee for review in Fall 2003. The committee was made up of a wide variety of campus faculty and staff. The committee edited the new mission statement and sent it to the College Council, which approved it on September 11, 2003 (College Council Notes). The new mission statement was then submitted to and approved by the Board of Regents (BOR) in November of 2003. Our Kaua‘i Community College mission reflects the UH System mission. It was also agreed that the mission statement would be reviewed every two years.

The educational purposes of the college are stated in the first paragraph of the mission statement:

Kaua‘i Community College is an open access, post-secondary institution that serves the community of Kaua‘i and beyond. We provide education/training in a caring, student-focused, and intellectually stimulating environment. This education/training contributes to the development of life-long learners who think critically, appreciate diversity, and lead successful, independent, socially responsible, and personally fulfilling lives.

This section is followed by a more detailed statement, which identifies ways in which the mission is accomplished.

As a respected leader and powerful economic engine on Kaua‘i, we create quality of life for our graduates and community. As an integral part the University of Hawai‘i System, we provide an expansive continuum of opportunities in academic, technical, vocational and cultural programs. We

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offer open access and solutions for community needs, as well as stepping-stones for our diverse local and global student body to achieve their dreams. Our mission is accomplished through the following:

Timely and timeless learning, practical and theoretical, comprehensive and accessible to students of all ages and backgrounds.

An appreciation for intellectual pursuits which fosters in our students the ability to analyze problems, think critically, and communicate ideas effectively through writing, speech, and/or an artistic medium.

Creative synergies of curriculum and programs, which maximize the use of technology for global reach and adaptability to change.

Programs and facilities to attract, support, and house an international student body.

Partnerships: campus, community, UH System, state, national and global.

Active, involved leadership and participation throughout our campus.

Community leadership and service, institutionally and individually.

Customized programs and events, which broaden our reach and expand our role for visitors, residents, and students seeking degrees or simply the joy of learning.

Ongoing assessment and evaluation of services, changing and improving as needed.

Professional development and support for all employees. At a College Council meeting in October 2005, the council members were reminded of the college’s commitment to review the mission statement every two years. Department chairs and other representatives of various units were directed to return to their units and divisions for input regarding possible changes in the mission statement, which they did. Considering the college’s commitment to create measurable Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and move all courses to the new Course Action Form (CAF), it was agreed that we should keep the mission in its current form for the next two years. On October 27, 2005, the College Council met again and according to the meeting notes, “Input from campus units supported the position that there should be no changes in the mission statement at this point. The mission statement will receive more extensive review in the next several years.”

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Self Evaluation

In Spring 2001, the college undertook a campus-wide review of its mission as a first step in a new, inclusive and formal planning process. A two-day retreat involved division chairs, department heads, administrators, students, the members of the Self Study Standard One subcommittee and the members of the Kaua‘i Community College Fund Board of Trustees. A consultant, Roxanne MacDougall, served as facilitator and recorder of this retreat. Draft mission, vision, and values statements for the college were one result. Retreat participants felt strongly that broader input was needed, and two additional retreats were held that summer for approximately 75 faculty, staff, students, and community representatives. In this way, the college’s publics had a direct role in the creation of mission and vision statements. (Exhibit I-1: KCC Mission Statement Development Meetings, Exhibit I-2: Workshops on Mission Statement, and Exhibit I-3: Convocation Agenda). This collaborative effort underscored the college-wide commitment to student learning.

The 2002 mission statement was edited by the Assessment Task Force so that the educational purpose of the college was clearly stated in the first paragraph. The statement was sent to a campus committee for review in Fall 2003. The committee was made up of a wide range of campus faculty and staff. The committee further edited the statement and sent it to the College Council. The College Council approved the new mission statement on September 11, 2003. The mission statement is reflective of the educational needs of our community. As an integral part of the University of Hawai‘i System, we provide an expansive continuum of opportunities in academic, technical, vocational, and cultural programs. The KCC mission statement can be found on the KCC Website, in the KCC Catalog, on the University of Hawai‘i System Strategic Plan, 2002–2010, and the KCC Strategic Plan.

The first paragraph of the mission statement states that Kaua‘i Community College is an open access, post-secondary institution that serves the community of Kaua‘i and beyond. According to the Fall Enrollment Report of University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges for 2004, which reflects a typical year, Kaua‘i Community College’s student population was 1,117 students. Of those, 39 percent were men and 61 percent were women. Forty-six percent were seeking AA degrees, 26 percent sought AAS degrees, and 6 percent sought certificates. Nineteen percent, or 39, were unclassified students with no data. Thirty-seven percent were full-time and 63 percent part-time students. The permanent home addresses of these students were: Kaua‘i – 73 percent; U.S. mainland – 1 percent; and the remainder were from other Hawaiian islands. Twenty-six percent were 18- to 19-year-olds; 70 percent were 18 to 29; 29 percent were 30 to 59; and 2 percent were 60 and over. There were 60 percent Asian/Pacific Islanders; 25 percent Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders and Mixed Asian/Pacific Islanders; 1 percent Hispanic; 23 percent Caucasian; and 15 percent others.

Office of Continuing Education and Training (OCET) students are not included in the prior numbers. OCET offers non-credit courses designed for life-long learners. According to

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OCET enrollment history from Fall 1999 to Summer 2005, OCET has served an average of 2,805 students annually. The college’s identified population is a reasonable match for the institution’s location, resources, and role in higher education.

Planning Agenda

It is recommended that the mission statement continue to be revisited on a regular basis (approximately every two years). Upon completion of the self study in Fall 2006, KCC will begin the next review of the mission statement.

It is also recommended that an established procedure for the review be published with an identified schedule that assures more time for faculty, staff, and community input.

I.A.1. The institution establishes student learning programs and services aligned with its purposes, its character, and its student population.

Descriptive Summary

Our mission reflects the college’s Strategic Plan: 2003-2010, which follows:

“The common purpose of the University of Hawai‘i System of institutions is to serve the public by creating, preserving, and transmitting knowledge in a multi-cultural environment.” (University of Hawai‘i System Strategic Plan, 2002–2010: Entering the University’s Second Century, 2002-2010) Within that overall mission, the community colleges have as their special mission to broaden access, to specialize in teaching and learning, to provide a trained workforce, to provide opportunities for personal enrichment, to contribute to the community and to use their uniqueness to create curriculum and foster relationships throughout the world.

In line with our mission, KCC offers transfer preparation and career and technical programs at the associate degree and certificate levels. According to the Management and Planning Support (MAPS) UHCC Fall Enrollment Report for 2000-2004:

Career and Technical Education programs averaged 363 students per year. A more detailed breakdown is as follows:

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Percentage of StudentsEnrolled By Division

Average Number of Studentsin Each Program

Business Education – 57% Accounting – 59 Associate in Applied Science (AAS) – 55 Certificate of Achievement (CA) – 4Office Administration and Technology (OAT) – 52 AAS – 46 CA – 5Visitor Industry – 96 AAS – 86 CA – 6

Health Services – 13% AS Nursing – 19CA Practical Nursing – 26

Public Services – 9% Early Childhood – 34 AS – 26 CA – 8

Technology – 22% Auto Body Repair and Paint AAS – 15 CA – 4Auto Mechanics Technician AAS – 28 CA – 1Electronics Technology AAS – 14Facilities Engineering Technician Certificate of Completion – 12

The college currently offers programs in fields congruent to our mission, including a transfer-oriented Associate in Arts degree and career and technical degrees in Nursing, Early Childhood Education, Electronics, Automotive Technology, Auto Body Repair and Painting, Facilities Engineering, Accounting, Office Administration and Technology, Culinary Arts, and Hospitality Services. All programs are articulated across the UHCC System and, in the case of transfer degrees, many are articulated with 4-year institutions both in the state and on the mainland. All programs have identified Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), which are also aligned with campus-wide, general education learning outcomes. These SLOs are reflective of the mission statement, which clearly states the college’s commitment to “the development of life-long learners who think critically, appreciate diversity, and lead successful, independent, socially responsible, and personally fulfilling lives.” The college’s SLOs are:

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Communication: Effectively use language and non-verbal communication consistent with and appropriate to the audience and purpose.

Cognition: Use critical thinking skills to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate ideas.

Information Competency: Conduct, present, and use research necessary to achieve educational, professional, and personal objectives.

Social Responsibility: Interact with others demonstrating respect toward their opinions, feelings, and values.

Personal Responsibility: Demonstrate self-management through practices that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Support services provided include placement testing, academic and career counseling, a Wellness Center, tutoring/mentoring in the Learning Center, library and media resources, general purpose computer labs as well as computer classrooms and a variety of extracurricular activities such as Pamantasan, Theater Arts, Hospitality Club, Culinary Club, and leadership opportunities through the Associated Students of the University of Hawai‘i – Kaua‘i Community College (ASUH-KCC).

College programs and services are also responsive to community workforce and economic development needs. For example, the college refers to Kaua‘i County planning documents, such as the Kaua‘i Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, when considering its own strategic planning.

Self Evaluation

Our mission statement gives the following plan for its student learning programs and services aligned with its purposes, its character, and its student population:

Creative synergies of curriculum and programs, which maximize the use of technology for global reach and adaptability to change. (Continue using the latest technologies in the classroom and World Wide Web access.)

Programs and facilities to attract support and house an international student body. (Continue exchange/training programs such as Okinawa Nursing and Chiba Japanese teaching students; continue expansion of online course development; continue the international “home-stay” program of international students.)

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Customized programs and events, which broaden our reach and expand our role for visitors, residents, and students seeking degrees or simply the joy of learning. (Continue community events such as the Annual Breakfast, Spring Gala, performing arts, as all of these efforts foster collaboration between students, faculty, community residents, and visitors. Continue offering short-term, varied courses through the OCET program. Continue customized programs such as the Massage Therapy Certification and Medical Office Receptionist.)

Ongoing assessment and evaluation of services, changing and improving as needed. (Continue discussions with advisory community leaders and with students to assess how well services and programs are meeting current needs. Implement a strategy of continuous-process improvement as a methodology for making changes as needed.)

Investments in office equipment such as computers, copiers, scanners, etc. Professional development and support for all employees. (Continue offering professional development via workshops, speakers, and campus activities. Continue investment in audio-visual equipment for classroom use.)

The college meets the standard. Discussions have been held among key constituents regarding the relevance of the mission statement to student learning. Results from a faculty, staff, and administrators’ survey (Self Study Survey, Standard I) conducted in Fall 2005 specifically for this Self Study indicate that 45.5 percent either agree or strongly agree that the current mission statement is useful in guiding them in their jobs and helping to set department priorities. Of the remaining, 37.7 percent indicated a neutral opinion on this issue. As documented in the college’s Focused Midterm Report and Midterm Report submitted to the ACCJC in October 2003, the development of general education SLOs was done in tandem with the revision of the mission statement and development of the campus strategic goals (Focused Midterm Report and Midterm Report, pages 8-9 and Appendices N, Q, P). The mission is outcome oriented and commits the college to the development of students who have learned to be critical thinkers and contributing members of the community, appreciative of diversity, independent and responsible for their own lives.

Student needs are assessed and addressed in a variety of ways. The college uses the ACT COMPASS test for placement of students in appropriate levels of math and English as well as to determine if students meet certain program and course pre-requisites. Based on study of COMPASS data over time, as well as data on student retention and success rates in basic skills classes, the college has initiated several actions. For example, COMPASS data over time shows that more than 60 percent of students taking the test score in the developmental range, below our Math 24, Elementary Algebra. This finding created the need for Math 22, Pre-Algebra. However, we need to review the scope and sequence of math courses. The leap from adult basic education (ABE) Math to Math 22 is difficult for most students, regardless

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of COMPASS scores. Similarly, the high proportion of students at developmental English levels, 46 percent, created the need for English 18 and 19.

Another assessment effort, which has had long-range effects, is a persistence study done during Fall 2001 that identified student “success factors,” such as having a clear educational goal (Exhibit I-4: Retention Quantitative Study). Based on ideas from the study and other data, pilot projects funded by federal grants have been used to test approaches such as pre-program cohorts, and the Skip Downing On Course approach to developing self-empowered students (Exhibit I-5: EPSCOR Report and Exhibit I-6: Perkins Reports). A Career Counseling Center was also added to the plans for the new one-stop information center, which was funded by the legislature in 2004 (Exhibit I-7 One-Stop Plans).

Graduate and Leaver Surveys and employer focus groups done as part of program review are also primary sources of information on student and employer needs (Program Reviews). The college also participates in the UHCC System consortium for Community College Survey of Student Engagement (Exhibit I-8: CCSSE Reports). Results from the first survey pointed the need for more student-faculty interaction. Since then, the college has improved dramatically in this area of engagement. To further strengthen the bond, a formal faculty mentorship program is being developed with the help of federal Title III funds (Title III Grant Updates).

College programs and services are responsive to community workforce and economic development needs. For example, program review processes are built around program health indicators, one of which is the projected number of job openings appropriate to the program area (Program Review Instructions). Employer and graduate focus groups are also consulted for community feedback (ECE Program Review).

The college assesses institutional effectiveness through program review and the use of data such as Program Degrees/Certificates Awarded (APRU Data 2006), Transfer Student Numbers, OCET Training Numbers (Appendix F-2), Student Grades (Course Completion to Spring 2005), Exhibit I-9: Nurse-External Licenses, Exhibit I-10: Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification, and Graduate/Leaver Surveys. While this kind of information is available on the campus intranet, in CampusDocs as well as on both the campus and the UH System website, only a limited number of people make regular use of the data. A survey of faculty and staff showed only 30 percent of respondents consider institutional data easily accessible or user friendly, and 29 percent felt that the college is effective in publishing assessment data. Program review committee members and the chancellor met with each program when the first round of annual program review updates were due. There is a need for workshops and more support for faculty and staff as they attempt to make use of institutional data for decision making.

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Career and technical programs, Student Services, and Academic Support have community advisory groups. Similar advisory groups were considered for other divisions, but it was decided that they were not needed at this time.

With our new Institutional Researcher, data gathered by Student Services and through future surveys will be more focused to better help us determine the effectiveness of our student learning programs and services. The COMPASS test gathers information from new students such as educational goals, work status, and educational background of parents. Our new Institutional Researcher will develop a dissemination plan for the data. It also might be helpful for the first session of College Council each semester to be devoted to going over the data on new students. Additionally, data could be broken down by program and discussed separately. Follow-up data is available on leavers. Students who do a complete withdrawal are asked to give a reason for the withdrawal, so data is available. Data has been collected as part of the annual Graduate and Leaver Survey. Participation in that survey has been low. Three years ago, the Assessment Committee did get better participation from a phone survey of leavers. This procedure should be repeated regularly. The data indicated that financial/work needs were the major reasons for not returning to school. The specific mechanism for improving return rates could be left to the institutional researcher. The survey data points to the need to make that data more accessible to administrators, faculty, and staff.

Planning Agenda

The Institutional Researcher should develop a dissemination plan for data.

An early session of College Council should be devoted to going over the data on new students and program data.

A phone leaver survey should be repeated more regularly to determine barriers for continuing students.

I.A.2. The mission statement is approved by the governing board and published.

Descriptive Summary

The Board of Regents (BOR) approved the newly revised mission statement at its regular meeting on March 19, 2004. The mission of Kaua‘i Community College is aligned with the common purpose of the University of Hawai‘i System, which is “…to serve the public by creating, preserving, and transmitting knowledge in a multicultural environment.” (University of Hawai‘i System Strategic Plan, 2002–2010: Entering the University’s Second Century).

The mission statement is available to all campus faculty, staff, and students. It is published in the school catalog (KCC Catalog) and on the campus website (KCC Mission Statement).

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Also, it has been posted across the campus along with the college’s goals and general education Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs).

The University of Hawai‘i System’s mission statement provides the necessary framework from which the community colleges define their own unique missions in relation to their community’s particular educational needs. The University of Hawai‘i System’s mission statement can be found on the UH website (University of Hawai‘i System Strategic Plan, 2002–2010).

Self Evaluation

Through the approval of the mission statement by the governing board and the various means by which the statement is published, the college meets the standard. The KCC mission statement was approved at the March 19, 2004, BOR meeting (BOR Minutes 3/19/04). The college will continue to periodically review its mission.

Planning Agenda

No action plan.

I.A.3. Using the institution’s governance and decision-making processes, the institution reviews its mission statement on a regular basis and revises it as necessary.

Descriptive Summary

In response to a recommendation made in the 2000 Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) accreditation report, Kaua‘i Community College undertook a campus-wide review of its mission in the spring of 2001. Through a combination of retreats, meetings, and workshops, approximately 75 faculty, staff, students and community supporters were able to take direct part in the review of the mission and development of new mission and vision statements. In addition, the college articulated six goals, addressing the concerns of the 2000 accreditation report:

Access: To broaden access to postsecondary education in Hawai`i, regionally, and internationally by providing open-door opportunities for students to enter quality educational programs within their own communities.

Learning and Teaching: To specialize in the effective teaching of remedial/developmental education, general education, and other introductory liberal arts, pre-professional, and selected baccalaureate courses and programs.

Work Force Development: To provide the trained workforce needed in the state, the region, and internationally by offering occupational, technical, and professional

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courses and programs which prepare students for immediate employment and career advancement.

Personal Development: To provide opportunities for personal enrichment, occupational upgrading, and career mobility through credit and non-credit courses and activities.

Community Development: To contribute to and stimulate the cultural and intellectual life of the community by providing a forum for the discussion of ideas; by providing leadership, knowledge, problem-solving skills, and general informational services; and by providing opportunities for community members to develop their creativity and appreciate the creative endeavors of others.

Diversity: By building upon Hawai‘i’s unique multi-cultural environment and geographic location, through efforts in curriculum development, and productive relationships with international counterparts in Asia and the Pacific, UHCC students’ learning experiences will prepare them for the global workplace.

In 2002, the new mission statement was edited by the Assessment Task Force and sent to a campus committee for review in Fall 2003. The committee was made up of a wide variety of campus faculty and staff (Focused Midterm Report and Midterm Report). The committee edited the new mission statement and sent it to the College Council, which approved it on September 11, 2003 (College Council Notes). The new mission statement was then submitted to and approved by the BOR in March of 2003. It was also agreed that the mission statement would be reviewed every two years.

At a College Council meeting in October 2005, the council members were reminded of the college’s commitment to review the mission statement every two years. Department chairs and other representatives of various units were directed to return to their units and divisions for input regarding possible changes in the mission statement, which they did. Considering the college’s commitment to create measurable SLOs and move all courses to the new Curriculum Action Form, it was generally agreed that we should keep the mission in its current form for the next two years. On October 27, 2005, the College Council met again, and according to the meeting notes, “Input from campus units supported the position that there should be no changes in the mission statement at this point. The mission statement will receive more extensive review in the next several years.”

The mission statement of Kaua‘i Community College has been central to the creation of the college’s Strategic Plan and its implementation. The current Strategic Plan is used in determining the allocation of resources as the college works toward meeting its goals; at the same time, the college is aware that the mission statement and the college’s goals need to be reviewed, revised, and adapted based on continuous data gathering and analysis to assure that

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the college addresses the changing needs within the institution itself, the larger UH System, as well as the diverse community and students.

Self Evaluation

The college meets the standard. It has continued a dialogue with the various constituents regarding the value and appropriateness of the current mission statement. Further, a process is in place to assure that the mission statement is reviewed every two years. The mission statement was last reviewed October 27, 2005.

However, the current process directly involves only the College Council in the review. The original process was more inclusive and included community members as well as faculty, staff, and students (See Exhibit I-1: KCC Mission Statement Development Meetings; See Exhibit I-2: Workshops on Mission Statement; Exhibit I-11: Sign-in Sheets on Mission Statement; and See Exhibit I-3: Convocation Agenda). Approximately 44 percent of those who responded to a faculty and staff survey agreed that the institutional goals as expressed in the mission statement are useful in setting program priorities. Thirty-four percent were neutral and 18 percent disagreed. Confusion regarding the survey question and the survey’s purpose, as well as the relatively new approach to reviewing the mission, may help to account for the large number of neutral responses. A more inclusive process with greater participation among campus personnel might clarify the meaning of these results.

Planning Agenda

More data needs to be gathered by the units to discover why so many people responded to the survey questions with "neutral" or “disagree."

A formal procedure for the review needs to be published and a schedule established earlier. These steps should assure that the units have more time to provide greater input.

All proposed changes in the college’s mission should be disseminated in campus-wide meetings before being implemented.

I.A.4. The institution’s mission is central to institutional planning and decision making.

Descriptive Summary

In 2003, the college completed a comprehensive review and revision of its mission statement. The mission statement is reflective of the educational needs of our community and is intended to keep planning focused on the present and future needs of students. As noted above, the revision of the mission statement was done in tandem with the development of our

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campus-wide Student Learning Outcomes and our strategic plan goals. Both the SLOs and the plan goals directly reflect the college mission and goals as articulated in I.A.3.

The college’s strategic goals and the elements of the program review process are keyed to these elements of the mission (KCC Strategic Plan and KCCM 1-6). Institutional planning is driven by these goals and decisions are prioritized and shaped by how well a program’s plans can achieve these goals. All resource requests must demonstrate how the proposed expenditure will help the program achieve one of the strategic goals, improve student learning, or otherwise move the campus toward accomplishing our mission. For example, in order to fill a vacant position, a program must complete the Request to Fill a Position form (Exhibit I-12: Request to Fill a Position Form) that asks for an explanation of the relationship between the position and the strategic goals.

Finally, as noted in section I.A.1 above, the college’s Student Learning Outcomes, which were developed as the college reviewed its mission and goals, reflect the learner-based outcomes of the mission statement.

Self Evaluation

The college meets this standard. There has been a great deal of planning since the last self study to assure that the college’s decision making is based on both qualitative and quantitative data. Within this context, faculty, staff, and administrators have been involved in the creation of a strategic plan and discussion regarding the possible revision of the mission statement for the college. The process of continual review has made everyone more aware of and reflective about the mission of the college, and the College Council allocates funds to departments based upon their ability to demonstrate that their proposals will help to fulfill the college’s mission. This has made the departments more accountable and is ensuring that goals are being met. In addition, distance education and the Office of Continuing Education and Training have provided alternate opportunities for the college to address its mission.

One way to reach program goals is to review all courses in a regular manner. With the mandate of reviewing 20 percent of our courses annually, each division has worked to clarify its program Student Learning Outcomes as well as the SLOs for each course. The new Course Action Form (CAF) assures that each course’s SLOs are aligned with the program and college goals and SLOs. The following are sources of evidence that show the processes that the institution uses to foster a college-wide commitment to student learning and how the mission statement expresses this commitment. (Exhibit I-13: Flyers; Exhibit I-14: Sign-in Sheets; Exhibit I-15: OCET Schedules for Professional Development and Assessment; Exhibit I-16: Division Meeting Minutes; College Council Notes; Exhibit I-17: Course SLOs; Exhibit I-18: Curriculum Committee Meeting Minutes; KCC Mission Statement; KCC Website; and the KCC Catalog.)

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Results from a survey conducted specifically for this self study indicate that 45.5 percent of the faculty, staff, and administrators agree that the current mission statement is useful in guiding them in their jobs and helping to set departmental priorities. Of the remaining, a significant number, (37.7 percent) indicated a neutral opinion on this issue, while 16.8 percent disagreed.

Each academic unit of the college undergoes an Annual Program Review Update (APRU) that examines the status of the action plans and the budgetary needs of each program. The Assessment Committee, newly strengthened by the addition of our new Institutional Researcher, will develop an integrated assessment plan to draw together the various assessment pieces such as program review, annual Graduate and Leaver Survey, focus groups, and SLO development. This plan will include a professional development component. In addition, the College Council, with representatives from each division and unit, will continue to meet on a regular basis to check off goals that have been met and to create new goals that are aligned with the vision/goals statement and the broader mission statement of the college. This coordinated effort between faculty, staff and administrators should continue indefinitely.

Planning Agenda

The Assessment Committee and Institutional Researcher will develop an integrated assessment plan (including a professional development component) to draw together the various assessment pieces such as program review, annual Graduate and Leaver Survey, focus groups, and SLO development.

The College Council will continue to meet on a regular basis to check off goals that have been met and to create new goals that are aligned with the vision/goals statement and the broader mission statement of the college.

Standard I.B. Improving Institutional Effectiveness

The institution demonstrates a conscious effort to produce and support student learning, measures that learning, assesses how well learning is occurring, and makes changes to improve student learning. The institution also organizes its key processes and allocates its resources to effectively support student learning. The institution demonstrates its effectiveness by providing 1) evidence of the achievement of student learning outcomes and 2) evidence of institution and program performance. The institution uses ongoing and systematic evaluation and planning to refine its key processes and improve student learning.

I.B.1. The institution maintains an ongoing, collegial, self-reflective dialogue about the continuous improvement of student learning and institutional processes.

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Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College, as the only post-secondary institution on the island of Kaua‘i, makes notable efforts to reflect the values of the local community. Both the Faculty Senate and College Council – which include representatives from faculty, staff, student government, and administration – meet regularly to address issues concerning institutional efficiency, budgeting, staffing, and processes (Faculty Senate Minutes and College Council Notes). In addition, program coordinators and chairpersons from all academic and trades divisions meet bi-monthly with the Dean of Instruction to address student learning and administrative concerns. Furthermore, all programs are actively involved in an ongoing program review process, including not only a major program review on a five-year cycle, but an annual review by each program of its action plans, goals, and Student Learning Outcomes (KCCM 1-6).

Kaua‘i Community College's student government body, the Associated Students of University of Hawai‘i – Kaua‘i Community College (ASUH-KCC), provides a forum by which students can actively participate in institutional governance and decisions that affect institutional effectiveness. ASUH-KCC representatives have the right to attend division-level and College Council meetings, and students are encouraged to participate actively at these levels. Students involved in extra-curricular clubs and organizations likewise are encouraged to voice their opinions, and the college tries to accommodate reasonable requests and to address legitimate concerns regarding the college's processes, procedures, and operations.

Faculty and staff from across campus participate in continuous institutional improvement thorough serving on a number of campus committees, including the Assessment Committee, Professional Development Committee, Buildings and Grounds Committee, Library Advisory Board, Learning Center Committee, Distance Learning Committee, Website Committee, Information Technology Advisory Committee, Title III Implementation Committee, and Curriculum Committee. These committees meet regularly to discuss means to improve institutional effectiveness and to address the learning needs of students, reporting and recommending to the Faculty Senate and/or College Council as appropriate. As issues concerning institutional effectiveness and student learning come up, relevant and focused task forces are created which work to provide essential data and planning for existing committees. Examples of such effective use of task forces include the Exhibit I-19: Assessment Taskforce Report, the Case Management Design Team, and the Information Technology Strategic Plan Taskforce.

Frequently, committees and individuals work collaboratively to address overarching campus concerns. For example, the Assessment Committee and the Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC) are currently working together to address campus-wide Student Learning Outcomes in the area of information competency. Similarly, the Professional Development Committee, the Institutional Researcher, and the ITAC are working together to ascertain the information technology training needs of faculty and staff.

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Twice in each academic year, at the beginning of each semester, the college’s staff, faculty, and administration engage in half- or full-day convocations. These convocations are well-attended by a broad spectrum of the college’s employees, indicating that staff, faculty, and administration find the events useful and worthwhile (Exhibit I-20: Convocation Sign-in Sheets and Self Study Surveys). At these convocations, members of the college community are kept informed of institutional plans and processes, college plans and initiatives are presented, reports from various committees are made, and collegial, team-building activities are provided. Often, workshops are held to facilitate heterogeneous groups in addressing college-wide concerns, including Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), Accreditation Review, and self study activities (Exhibit I-21: Convocation Handouts).

At present, KCC faculty are engaged in re-evaluating and updating all course offerings, including both traditional classroom-based courses and those delivered through alternative means (distance delivery technology). Approximately 20 percent of all courses in each division are planned for revision each year for the next five years, and each division and/or department is responsible for determining which of its courses will be revised, when they will be revised, and who will be responsible for the revision. An important facet of this course updating involves the new Course Action Form (CAF) created by the Curriculum Committee (See Exhibit I-18: Curriculum Committee Meeting Minutes). Because the CAF requires SLOs for all courses to be measurable and clearly outlined, this revision process creates productive dialogue concerning not only individual course offerings, but also an assessment of student needs and learning outcomes. This, in turn, assures some uniformity in course sections. By the end of the five-year period, all courses offered by KCC should be on this new form, and approved at both the division and Curriculum Committee level.

Kaua‘i Community College also participates in the Institutional Research Cadre (IR Cadre), a UH Community Colleges systemwide group headed by the Office for Academic Planning and Policy Analysis (APAPA) and comprised of Institutional Researchers, Analysts, and/or Computer Support people from each of the community colleges, as well as representative deans of instruction and deans of student services. As a way to ensure that data throughout the system are comparable and consistent, this cadre has put together a minimum set portfolio of demographic information and achievement data (DIAD) to be used by each campus for self study and which has been approved for use by the Council of Chancellors. Most data for this portfolio comes directly from system IRO through its MAPS reports; additional data are supplied by APAPA, along with instructions for any calculations that need to be made. Each campus is allowed to add any other data it would like to examine.

Self Evaluation

Kaua‘i Community College is dedicated to continuous improvement in how its institutional processes meet the needs of its students. This is evidenced by the broad-based and varied committee activities focused upon the improvement of student learning and institutional processes. These committees are comprised of representatives from a variety of constituent

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groups (faculty, staff, and, in many cases, students), and the individual divisions, programs, and committees work collaboratively to ensure coordinated implementation of changes intended to improve student learning.

Results from a survey conducted specifically for this self study indicate that a majority of faculty, staff, and administrators (53 percent of respondents) either agree or strongly agree that college dialogue concerning Student Learning Outcomes has had a positive impact on student learning. A significant number (30 percent of respondents) indicated a neutral opinion on this issue.

Kaua‘i Community College must continue the process already begun (Progress Report 2003, pages 4-6) to ensure that faculty, staff, and administration are able to understand the meaning of data and research, and to apply this information in their evaluation of student learning and success. A critical position in this process is that of the newly-hired Institutional Researcher, a full-time position. The new Institutional Researcher will be able to help us create more effective surveys and to appropriately assess and interpret data from future surveys and DIADs to facilitate the understanding of faculty and staff.

Another means of addressing the problem of using data and research in student evaluation may be explored by the Professional Development and/or Assessment Committees. Workshops on the meaning and use of data may be beneficial in assisting constituents understand the role of relevant data in the evaluation of student learning.

Planning Agenda

The college will continue the process of ensuring the use and understanding of data for student learning and success through professional development efforts and through the efforts of the Institutional Researcher and Assessment Committee.

I.B.2. The institution sets goals to improve its effectiveness consistent with its stated purposes. The institution articulates its goals and states the objectives derived fromthem in measurable terms so that the degree to which they are achieved can be determined and widely discussed. The institutional members understand these goals and work collaboratively toward their achievement.

Descriptive Summary

Through a collective, collaborative process, KCC has established its Strategic Plan (SP) with clearly articulated goals (KCC Strategic Plan). The SP was developed with extensive involvement of all parts of the campus community. Faculty, staff, students, and administrators, with input from community, county, and business advisory groups, took part in the development and revision of the plan. Specific goals were then developed for each of the areas described in the SP, and the College Council selected four of the college’s goals for

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priority budget consideration. Goal selection was based on data such as declining enrollments, workforce demands, faculty demographics, as well as feedback from UHCC systemwide budget discussions (College Council Notes).

The four priority goals are as follows:

1. Access: To provide open access to educational excellence for a diverse student population with particular focus on improving enrollment and retention.

a. Outreach: Increase access to and participation in college programs through coordinated and continually improving marketing and recruitment activities.

b. Enrollment: Enhance educational success through retention initiatives.

Performance indicators: Enrollment increate to a headcount of 1350 by 2007. Increase FTE by 127 by the year 2010 and SSH by 3,048 by the year 2010.

2. Learning and Teaching:

a. Remediation/Developmental: Review the college’s current strategies for dealing with remedial students and, based on the findings, modify offerings to meet their needs.

b. Student Learning Outcomes: Develop, implement, and sustain an assessment process that fosters innovative and continuous improvement of Student Learning Outcomes at the college, program, and course level.

Performance indicators: Improve retention rate, fall to fall and semester to semester, to 75 percent by 2010. Improve graduation rate to 40 percent by 2010 (4 year period for cohort).

3. Workforce development: To provide a trained workforce by offering programs that prepare students for both employment and future career development. Particular emphasis on identified community workforce needs include:

a. Teaching and teaching related (statewide)b. High technology [Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF)]c. Healthcared. Construction (statewide)e. Visitor industry

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Performance indicators: Improve transfer rate to relevant baccalaureate programs, e.g., teaching, engineering, nursing. Improve employer satisfaction as demonstrated in focus groups.

4. Foster faculty and staff currency of expertise in their areas of responsibility through support of professional development activities.

a. Emphasis on faculty and staff retention and "succession planning."

Performance indicators: Program Reviews and APRUs will show evidence of succession planning through faculty replacement requests.

Self Evaluation

Program reviews and program action plans indicate that there is a broad-based understanding of the program or department goals and the college goals. All programs and departments on campus go through the program review process. Each program or department develops goals that are aligned with the campus goals and within the program review process the Annual Program Review Update of action plans links data analysis and decision making to resource allocation. The program review cycle is five years with an Annual Program Review Update (APRU) during the intervening years. Every program completes either a program review or an APRU annually. Based upon the analysis of data on such factors as enrollment, workforce needs, transfer rates, program efficiency, student achievement, and, eventually, Student Learning Outcomes, programs develop a set of action plans in their program reviews. These action plans then become the basis of the annual status reports embodied in the APRUs. Program goals are aligned with and support the college's goals and each goal is connected to an action plan and timeline (Program Reviews and Program action plans).

The administration has demonstrated its commitment to the review process by supporting the priority goals established by the College Council. Individual program action plans also indicate strategies for achieving these goals.

Listed below are examples of the initiatives that indicate how the college is moving toward meeting its goals.

Goal I: Access

1. To meet the goal of increasing enrollment by improving access, the college has been actively marketing various programs and courses. For example, faculty representatives and counselors have attended career fairs at the high schools on Kaua‘i as well as special career-related events. Also, marketing dollars have been spent for promoting the college, using radio ads, promoting various college programs on the local TV station and also during UH football

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games. One APT position has been funded to include a partial workload of marketing the college. The emphasis this past year was on improving efforts to recruit high school students. This was accomplished using radio ads, flyers, and video slots on MTV that appeal to the younger audience.

2. To improve retention, the Auto Body program has modularized its seven-credit semester length courses into smaller two and three credit modules over the last year. This change allows students more opportunities to pursue different Certificates of Competence by successfully completing a series of courses in a variety of sequences. In the old system, students were locked into a three-semester Certificate of Achievement or a two-year associate’s degree.

In addition, moving to modular courses may have contributed to the substantial increase in first-year students. For example, the enrollment for 2000 was 10; 2001 was 16; 2002 was 22; 2003 was 27; 2004 was 25; and 2005 was 33.

The Auto Body and Automotive programs are developing a pre-program consisting of remedial math and English as well as special courses in Auto Body and Automotive subjects to better prepare potential majors in the programs.

Goal II: Learning and Teaching

3. In response to the Case Management Committee’s recommendations, the college hired a faculty member for the College Success Center whose job includes coordinating and developing learning communities to promote student success. These learning communities include remedial (ABE) level cohorts of students, who take a full schedule of linked courses as a group, as well as paired classes with an integrated curriculum offered for students at the developmental, or pre-college level. Members of learning communities also are afforded the extra support of peer tutoring services in the Learning Center; computer and software-assisted instruction as a complement to their schedule of courses; coordinated advising and counseling by a case management team; and ongoing evaluation and assessment.

4. The college obtained a Title III grant to assist with the College Success Program, which participates in a college-wide effort to expand service to the increasing number of under-prepared students, a high percentage of whom are of Native Hawaiian origin. The creation of a case management-based Success, Transition, And Retention (STAR) initiative provides for the training of faculty mentors, increased staffing and outfitting of a math/science lab, and

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the purchase and installation of an improved assessment, tracking and reporting system (Title III Grant Updates).

5. The college has continued to offer a Summer Bridge Program that focuses on basic skill development, self awareness and self esteem, goal setting, vocational development, career and academic planning, study skills, and time management for new students.

6. The nursing program has also conducted a National Science Foundation EPSCOR-funded Nursing Academy program to prepare interested students to qualify for admission into the LPN/RN program. The cohort of pre-nursing students is enrolled in a program that includes a series of integrated full-semester courses designed for that specific learning community. Courses include developmental courses and learning skills as well as nursing-specific support courses. There have been 3 cohorts with a total of 84 students. The Fall 2005 term was the first semester that students had completed the Academy and were eligible for entry into the Career Ladder Nursing Program. There were 12 students who entered in the fall of 2005 and all 12 have successfully completed the first semester.

7. The college has committed to reviewing 20 percent of its courses per year to include measurable Student Learning Outcomes.

Goal III: Workforce Development

8. The Rural Development Project (RDP) coordinator, the OCET coordinator and the chancellor meet regularly with industry leaders and organizations, such as the Kaua‘i Workforce Investment Board, to identify workforce needs. The result is training and courses funded by RDP grants and/or offered through OCET specifically for workforce development. RDP has offered more than 200 workforce development courses for more than 2,600 students since 1998.

9. The University of Hawai‘i College of Education has an office on campus and coordinates teacher education for the island. This program include:

Baccalaureate, Elementary Education Post Baccalaureate Certificate, Secondary Education Post Baccalaureate Certificate, Special Education M. Ed, Special Education M. Ed, Educational Technology M. Ed, Science

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M. Ed, Administration M. Ed, Counseling, Guidance, and Rehabilitation

10. In addressing the national as well as local need for workforce development in health care, the college financial plan has budgeted for an increase in faculty positions to increase enrollment in the nursing programs. In 2005, 2 additional nursing faculty positions made possible the admission of 32 first-level students into the program. This is a significant increase in enrollment compared to previous years. For example, enrollment for 2004 was 27 students; 2003, 27 students; and 2002, 18 students.

11. A Photonics specialization is being developed as an option for Electronics Technology students as a direct response to future industry workforce needs at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF).

12. The college has moved forward with revamping the Facilities Engineering Program (FENG). The program curriculum includes Construction Technology as well as Electricity, Welding, Machine Shop, and Air Conditioning.

Goal IV: Personal Development

13. The Professional Development Committee organizes various professional development activities on campus. Workshop topics for staff and faculty professional development are selected based on needs expressed in the KCC Strategic Plan for Information Technology, program review and APRU action plans, Division Chair meetings, unit staff meetings, and recommendations from members of the KCC Professional Development Committee.

14. On June 27-29, 2005, funding from RDP and a Perkins grant sponsored an “On Course” seminar that provided college educators with learner-centered structures for empowering students to become active, responsible learners who can prosper in a learner-centered environment. As a result of the training, college participants formed support groups and made a commitment to implement at least one teaching strategy in their curriculum for the Fall 2005 semester. In addition, participants presented what they had learned to the faculty and staff at the College Convocation in August 2005.

Planning Agenda

The strategic plan was developed for the 7-year period from 2003-2010. The College Council determined the performance indicators for the year 2010. Although there are early signs these indicators are being achieved, it is too soon to identify a trend.

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The college will continue the process of redefining and setting specific goals for which action plans will be developed as part of the SP process.

The need for gathering, storing, and interpreting data for all of the college's self-assessment activities will continue to grow. An Institutional Researcher was hired to make this process more efficient.

We have had some success with marketing and outreach to the high schools, but we could improve outreach further by developing a campus-wide, integrated plan.

I.B.3. The institution assesses progress toward achieving its stated goals and makes decisions regarding the improvement of institutional effectiveness in an ongoing and systematic cycle of evaluation, integrated planning, resource allocation, implementation, and re-evaluation. Evaluation is based on analyses of both quantitative and qualitative data.

Descriptive Summary

As a direct result of previous ACCJC recommendations, the college has initiated a comprehensive five-year cycle of program review (KCC Policy Guideline KCCM 1-6, dated October 1, 2004, and Program Reviews). All programs are required to engage in an extensive self-directed review of all aspects of the program once in each cycle and to formulate action plans to address shortfalls and to improve effectiveness and student learning on an annual basis (Annual Program Review Updates or APRUs). The reviews follow a specified format that requires the use and interpretation of both qualitative and quantitative data, and the adoption of program-specific Student Learning Outcomes that reflect those of the college as a whole. The process is scheduled, organized, and overseen by the Program Review Committee, currently headed by the Assistant Dean of Instruction. Programs with advisory committees, which include community and student representatives, receive and incorporate feedback on the program into the APRUs. Furthermore, the documents are subjected to a peer review process in which representatives from other programs evaluate the program’s self-assessment, goals, and action plans, make objective suggestions for improvements, and then return the document to the program in question for revision. Thus, the program review process becomes an ongoing cycle of continuous self-assessment and planning.

Ultimately, the College Council makes budgetary, staffing, and programming recommendations to the chancellor based on these ongoing program reviews. Programs and committees are held accountable and responsible for gathering, interpreting, and presenting appropriate data to support budget requests and recommendations made to the council.

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Self Evaluation

The college currently meets the standard, although further improvement is desirable. Results from a survey conducted specifically for this Self Study Report indicate that 58 percent of faculty, staff, and administration agree or strongly agree that the program review process has been useful. Only 10 percent disagree or strongly disagree. Clearly, the majority of the college’s constituents understand and embrace the notion of ongoing planning. However, the same survey indicates that only 26 percent of the college’s constituents feel that the college effectively uses program review analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data to allocate its resources to fulfill its plans, and a significant number of respondents (48 percent) indicated a neutral stance on the issue. This considerable neutral response may imply that many members of the college community feel it is too early in the process to evaluate its effectiveness, or it may be the result of a faulty or ambiguous survey, or a lack of clarity as to the survey’s purpose and audience (Self Study Survey, Standard I).

Institutional assessment data are available to all college constituents through the Office of the Assistant Dean of Instruction, and this data is supplemented by the posting of all program review and related documents on the college’s CampusDocs section of its secure server. Thirty percent of respondents to the Self Study Survey indicate that they agree or strongly agree that the college is effective in publicizing its assessment data, and 40 percent indicate a neutral opinion. The same survey indicates that only 30 percent of the respondents feel that institutional data and research is easily accessible and user-friendly, while 35 percent disagree or strongly disagree. At the same time, only 31 percent agree or strongly agree that college-related communication on campus is effective—clear, understood, widely available, and current. Thirty-five percent disagree or strongly disagree. The duties of faculty and staff members are defined by union contracts. The governance procedures of the college further define specific roles of faculty, including involvement in the program review process. All campus units are required to do periodic program reviews, which are used in the planning process. This process includes faculty and staff input on the College Council, as well as the Faculty Senate and its sub-committees, including the Curriculum Committee, Building and Grounds Committee, and Budget Committee (Faculty Senate Charter).

All staff and faculty members are required to participate in program review and institutional self study activities, and an atmosphere of cooperation and collaboration is evident in these committee, sub-committee, and program meetings. In addition, all faculty and staff are directly involved in institutional efforts to develop SLOs and program plans—both institutional efforts to improve student learning and achieve the college’s goals (Exhibit I-22: Workshops). While it may be too early to tell whether this collaborative effort will result in actual institutional improvement, a student-centered atmosphere is now prevalent, and all staff and faculty are aware of the importance of participation in governance processes, self study, and program reviews.

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The college makes a concerted effort to schedule courses to best meet student needs and availability. The new scheduling process provides a means by which career programs are able to request specific classes at specific times that suit their students’ needs, and all divisions make decisions concerning which courses to offer and what times to offer them based upon past enrollment patterns and estimated student demand (Scheduling Process and Timetable). Programs try to ensure that courses that are frequently taken by the same students are not offered simultaneously, and the Multi-Year Plan of Offerings (MYPO) allows counselors and students to plan their entire course schedule for two-year degrees with a clear sense of what courses and options will be available in which semesters.

The campus' move towards using a new scheduling process and the MYPO has clearly enabled programs to ensure that course offerings are meeting student needs and to ensure that all constituents are well-informed of scheduling decisions and plans. However, other aspects of internal communication at the college continue to be problematic. Although email, UH news bulletins, paper mailings/handouts, CampusDocs, the UH Portal System, biannual convocations, and regular division meetings that include reports from committee members are currently in place to facilitate internal communication, the recent Self Study Survey Results mentioned indicate that other means are needed to ensure that important information is disseminated in a timely and efficient manner. This is particularly true for data regarding the college’s use of program review information to allocate its resources, as the survey seems to suggest that faculty members do not yet feel entirely comfortable with the new data-driven process. The college needs to consider means to improve its internal communication processes to be more user-friendly. At the same time, constituents need to become more comfortable with obtaining and providing appropriate data to support requests made at the division and program levels. This consideration may be best facilitated through a survey of faculty and staff conducted by an ad-hoc communications committee regarding needed training that will, in turn, make recommendations to the appropriate college bodies. Some professional development initiatives in the areas of data selection and presentation would be appropriate and useful to faculty and staff.

In conjunction with improving internal communication, the services of the college’s newly-hired Institutional Researcher will be indispensable for the necessary interpretation and re-presentation of statistical data in a user-friendly format which will be easily understandable to faculty and staff. This data will then need to be distributed to constituents in an efficient and timely manner—a logistical consideration which will be best addressed by the Institutional Researcher in conjunction with a communications committee.

Planning Agenda

The college needs to consider means to improve its internal communication processes to be more user-friendly. This might be accomplished with an ad-hoc communications committee.

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Constituents need to become more comfortable with obtaining and providing appropriate data to support requests made at the division and program levels. This could be done through previously recommended professional development initiatives.

As previously recommended, the Institutional Researcher should assist in data interpretation and dissemination.

I.B.4. The institution provides evidence that the planning process is broad-based, offers opportunities for input by appropriate constituencies, allocates necessary resources, and leads to improvement of institutional effectiveness.

Descriptive Summary

There are two formal mechanisms used by the college to provide broad-based representation in its planning process: program advisory committees and graduate student focus groups. Not all academic programs or non-instructional programs use these mechanisms. The following programs have advisory committees:

Instructional Non-InstructionalBusiness EducationAccounting, Culinary Arts, Hotel Operations, and Office Administration

Learning Center

Nursing Student ServicesAuto Body Financial AidAuto Mechanics RegistrationElectronic Technology LibraryFacilities Engineering

Figure 1: Instructional and Non-Instructional Programs with Advisory Committees

The advisory committee can be made up of faculty, staff, potential employers, current and former students, employees in related fields, and any other interested community individual. Copies of advisory committee guidelines, composition, and minutes may be obtained by contacting the secretary of the program.

Each program advisory committee meets at least once per year, and many of these committees meet more often as they deem necessary. Advisory committee minutes are shared with program personnel and incorporated into the program’s short and long range planning.

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Focus groups comprised of recent KCC graduates are also used by some instructional and non-instructional programs to help in assessing their effectiveness. The following procedure is used for focus groups: 1. questions are generated by program faculty, 2. students are contacted by the program’s secretary, and 3. an independent interviewer meets with the focus group to conduct the interview. All responses are kept confidential and a written report is made to the instructional program. These reports, reflecting the concerns of recent graduates, become an integral part of program planning.

Self Evaluation

In a Self Study Survey of the faculty and staff conducted in Fall 2005; respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement to the following two statements: 1) “I am satisfied with the mechanisms that exist for participating in college planning,” and 2) “the college effectively allocates resources to achieve its plans.” Seventy-nine responses were received. Of those, 41 percent agreed that existing mechanisms are sufficient. However, only 26 percent agreed that the college efficiently allocates its resources to achieve its plans. The majority of survey responders, 68.3 percent, gave a neutral to strongly disagree rating.

Advisory committees are a primary method for vocational and non-instructional programs to obtain feedback from constituents. Some of the staff in OCET stay in touch with community training needs by serving on various boards, such as the Chamber of Commerce, Hawai‘i Restaurant Association, Hawai‘i Hotel Association, and Society of Human Resource Managers.

Advisory committees exist for the programs in Figure 1. Other programs have other vehicles to incorporate constituency feedback, such as university articulation committees for the Liberal Arts program, vendor or fiscal management committees for Business Affairs, and the Faculty Senate or Budget and Finance Committee for Administration.

The procedures for requesting funding vary. The most frequently used method is for the program faculty to first meet with an advisory committee to assess the program’s needs in relation to community or college goals; the program faculty then meet with their division to decide on a plan of action that will be forwarded to both the Faculty Senate and the College Council.

Biennial and supplemental budget requests must reflect program action plans and are assessed in a variety of ways, including by the program review or APRU process, including advisory committees when applicable; relevant program meetings; the College Council; deans and directors; the; the president for community colleges; the UH System Biennium Budget Committee; and president of the UH System. If proposals successfully navigate these channels, they are submitted to the BOR for approval. Proposals approved by the BOR are then submitted to the state legislature for possible funding.

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Planning Agenda

The college has taken steps to include more feedback from its constituents in its budgetary planning, but the timeline needs to be further modified to allow for more input during the decision-making process.

All representatives to the College Council need to report back to their individual units to explain budgetary decisions and to receive input, ideas, and a clear sense of the unit’s budgetary priorities.

Further, in the event of budgetary shortfalls, alternate means for obtaining funding need to be encouraged and supported by the administration.

I.B.5. The institution uses documented assessment results to communicate matters of quality assurance to appropriate constituencies.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College engages in ongoing, systematic evaluation and integrated planning to assure currency and measure achievement of its stated Student Learning Outcomes. Each program is required to undergo a program review or an APRU at the end of March. The program review process examines a variety of qualitative and quantitative evidence such as student achievement, enrollment, student demographics, student outcomes, course completions and transfers.

The APRU is the final step in the program review process that links data analysis and decision making to resource allocation and action plans. The APRU includes an update on the progress made on action plans, a review of analysis of Program Health Indicators, and a resource and allocations priorities list. The action plans become the basis for the annual status reports embodied in the APRUs. The College Council reviews each action item from a program plan in relation to the college’s strategic goals to determine what program goal is being addressed by the action item, the steps the program intends to take, the resources that will be needed, and the performance indicators that will be used to determine the action’s effectiveness.

Program reviews and college data are accessible through the college’s Institutional Effectiveness Website. The website provides accessibility of program review data openly to both internal and external audiences. Information on program reviews, strategic planning, and assessment data have also been discussed through Advisory Committee Meetings that some programs have. For example, nursing meets with its advisory committee, which includes nursing community stakeholders, once every semester. Data on enrollment,

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workforce needs, graduation rates, transfer rates, student achievement, and program efficiency and actions plans are reviewed at the Nursing Advisory Committee meetings (Exhibit I-23: Minutes of Nursing Advisory Meetings).

Self Evaluation

The college does a good job of documenting assessment results and organizing the materials for easy access through the Institutional Effectiveness Website, but, according to the 2005Self Study Survey, most faculty and staff were either neutral or did not agree that the college was very effective in publicizing its assessment data. Further, 35 percent of the respondents “Disagreed” or “Strongly Disagreed” that “the institutional data is easily accessible and user friendly.” These responses suggest that other, more user-friendly means of distributing this information, particularly to the larger island community, would be helpful. Other than in advisory meetings, there are few opportunities for sharing such information in an open forum on a regular ongoing basis.

Planning Agenda

Kaua‘i Community College systematically strives to improve access to information about its goals, progress, and plans by maintaining an up-to-date and user-friendly college website.

Programs with advisory meetings should meet regularly to discuss assessment data and program review, and how the results of these efforts can best be communicated to the campus and island community.

To improve public communication, one of the chancellor’s goals is to compile an annual report for the college’s constituencies that will also be placed on the college website for open review. A summary of the annual report, with appropriate links to the entire document, should be made available through other public media, such as newspapers, radio, and television, to inform the general public of the college’s assessment results, data, and strategic plans.

I.B.6. The institution assures the effectiveness of its ongoing planning and resource allocation by systematically reviewing and modifying, as appropriate, all parts of the cycle, including institutional and other research efforts.

Descriptive Summary

Currently in its initial review cycle, the 2003-2010 College Mission and Strategic Plan guides the overall planning process at the college, as well as provides policies and procedures for assessment of institutional effectiveness. Now in its second full year of implementation, the college has initiated scheduled, five-year cycles of program reviews, with annual reviews by each program (KCCM 1-6). Using qualitative and quantitative data and following a specific

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format, all program reviews include self assessments, goals, action plans, and budgetary needs. Based on these reviews, program budget requests are submitted to the College Council, which prioritizes program needs based on defined goals and supporting evidence (Faculty Senate Minutes and College Council Notes). Recommendations for resource allocations are then submitted from the council to the chancellor for final decision making and action. The program review process is an ongoing cycle of continuous self-assessment and planning.

Self Evaluation

The college meets the standard. Through the accreditation and self study processes, institutional planning, program reviews and surveys, the college engages in collaborative, ongoing institutional evaluation and improvement. Twelve of twenty-four programs have completed their Annual Program Reviews Updates (APRU). These updates have helped the college establish future student-learning goals, staffing needs, and resource allocations priorities. A recent Self Study Survey indicated that 41 percent of 79 respondents, comprised of faculty, staff and administration, strongly agreed or agreed that satisfactory mechanisms exist for participating in college planning, while 33.3 percent remained neutral. Twenty-three percent disagreed or strongly disagreed. Twenty-six percent of the same audience strongly agreed or agreed that the college effectively allocates its resources to fulfill its plans, while forty-eight percent remained neutral. Twenty percent disagreed or strongly disagreed. It is unclear why significant responses were neutral.

Planning Agenda

The college needs to encourage broader participation by faculty, staff, and students in all decision making that pertains to resource allocations. This involvement will facilitate a better understanding of this difficult process and the administration’s decision making.

In addition, despite the numerous methods of available internal communication, timelier dissemination of important committee information is needed.

I.B.7. The institution assesses its evaluation mechanisms through a systematic review of their effectiveness in improving instructional programs, student support services, and library and other learning support services.

Descriptive Summary

The recent focus on program reviews incorporating SLOs has generated awareness of the need for verifiable methods to improve and achieve success. Each academic/student services division conducts a regular program review, incorporating quantitative data to assess

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effectiveness in achieving established SLOs. The program review process ensures a systematic review of all college programs over a five-year cycle.

Self Evaluation

The college meets the standard. The college’s recent focus on developing SLOs for all courses and programs that are aligned with the college’s stated mission assures an effective mechanism to assess the college’s and the various programs’ effectiveness. The college has implemented a clear schedule of program reviews in 12 areas, and all administrators, faculty, and staff members are actively engaged in this process. A multi-year plan of offerings (MYPO) was created and designed to improve the scheduling of various courses and instructional programs. The new Course Action Form (CAF) ensures that each course taught at the college meets student needs and is allocated the necessary resources by aligning its SLOs with the program SLOs and the campus SLOs.

The college is actively assessing and reassessing the effectiveness of its ongoing planning and resource allocation, as this study shows. However, ongoing means there is always more to do. While the college currently is involved with developing program and course SLOs, it has not significantly addressed the assessment of those SLOs. Continued workshops and training opportunities are needed to provide increased understanding of the evaluation process. Since the program review process and allocation of resources are tied to quantitative and qualitative data, the college also must continue to incorporate and expand the use of an institutional research methodology that is based not solely on data collection but on identifying relevant and applicable data in order to judge disparate programs, courses, and multiple student needs. The Institutional Research will need to play an even bigger role in the strategic planning and review process for all programs in the future. A more careful and data driven review of the outcomes of each program in the future will serve to improve instructional programs, student services, library services, and other learning support services.

Planning Agenda

Continue workshops and training opportunities to provide increased understanding of the evaluation process.

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Standard I Resource Documents

ASE Certification, Exhibit I-10APRUsAPRU Data 2006Assessment Taskforce Report, Exhibit I-19BOR Minutes 3/19/04CAF Course Action FormCase Management College Council NotesConvocation Agenda, Exhibit I-3Convocation Handouts, Exhibit I-21Convocation Sign-in Sheets, Exhibit I-20Course Completion to Spring 2005Course SLOs, Exhibit I-17CCSSE Reports, Exhibit I-8Curriculum Committee Meeting Minutes, Exhibit I-18Division Meeting Minutes, Exhibit I-16ECE Program ReviewEPSCOR Report, Exhibit I-5Faculty Senate CharterFaculty Senate Minutes Flyers, Exhibit I-13Focused Midterm Report and Midterm ReportGraduate/Leaver Surveys Information Technology Strategic Plan TaskforceInstitutional Effectiveness WebsiteKaua‘i Economic Development Plan/Comprehensive Economic Development StrategyKCC CatalogKCC Mission Statement KCC Mission Statement Development Meetings, Exhibit I-1KCC Strategic PlanKCC WebsiteKCCM 1-6MAPSMinutes of Nursing Advisory Meeting, Exhibit I-23Multi-Year Plan of Offerings (MYPO)Nurse-External Licenses, Exhibit I-9OCET Schedules for Professional Development and Assessment, Exhibit I-15OCET Training NumbersOne-Stop Plans, Exhibit I-7Perkins Reports, Exhibit I-6Program action plans

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http://kauai.hawaii.edu/admin/gov/progreview/documents/05ECEFullReviewRevised.doc



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Program Review InstructionsProgram Reviews Progress Report 2003Request to Fill a Position Form, Exhibit I-12Retention Quantitative Study (persistence-study done during Fall 2001), Exhibit I-4Scheduling Process and TimetableSelf Study Survey, Standard ISelf Study SurveysSign-in Sheets, Exhibit I-14Sign-in Sheets on Mission Statement, Exhibit I-11Title III Grant Updates Transfer Student Numbers University of Hawai‘i System Strategic Plan, 2002–2010Workshops, Exhibit I-22Workshops on mission statement, Exhibit I-2

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STANDARD II: STUDENT LEARNING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

The institution offers high-quality instructional programs, student support services, and library and learning support services that facilitate and demonstrate the achievement of stated student learning outcomes. The institution provides an environment that supports learning, enhances student understanding and appreciation of diversity, and encourages personal and civic responsibility as well as intellectual, aesthetic, and personal development for all of its students.

Standard II.A. Instructional Programs

The institution offers high-quality instructional programs in recognized and emerging fields of study that culminate in identified student outcomes leading to degrees, certificates, employment, or transfer to other higher education institutions or programs consistent with its mission. Instructional programs are systematically assessed in order to assure currency, improve teaching and learning strategies, and achieve stated student learning outcomes. The provisions of this standard are broadly applicable to all instructional activities offered in the name of the institution.

II.A.1. The institution demonstrates that all institutional programs, regardless of location or delivery, address and meet the mission of the institution and uphold its integrity.

The mission of Kaua‘i Community College is to be an “open-access, post-secondary institution that serves the community of Kaua‘i and beyond. We provide education/training in a caring, student-focused, and intellectually stimulating environment. This education/training contributes to the development of life-long learners who think critically, appreciate diversity, and lead successful, independent, socially responsible, and personally fulfilling lives,” (KCC Mission Statement).

An institutional commitment was made in the fall of 2002 to ensure that the institutional programs are regularly reviewed to ensure that they maintain the mission, goals and learning outcomes of the campus and uphold its integrity. “ This process is meant to be broadly inclusive and open in order to produce a program review and planning cycle which is comprehensive, integrated and above all useful in helping us to improve learning and to better answer our community’s need” (Exhibit II-1: Chancellor Memo 9/20/03).

Distance learning courses are regularly reviewed and approved by both the Distance Learning Committee and the Curriculum Committee as part of the regular course review process (Exhibit II-2: Distance Committee Minutes for 12/14/05 and Memo to the Curriculum Committee dated 1/10/06).

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Campus and program-level missions, goals and learning outcomes were developed through a series of workshops and campus-wide meetings (Exhibit I-21: Convocation Handouts and Exhibit I-22: Workshops). A Program Review Calendar was established and all Instructional and Learning Programs, all Academic Support units, Student Services, the Administrative Services unit and the Office of Continuing Education and Training unit have completed full or mini-program reviews. By March 2008, all programs will have completed a full program review (KCCM 1-6).

In its institutional commitment to providing high-quality education, KCC developed 5 campus-level Student Learning Outcomes (Student Learning Outcomes):

Communication: Effectively use language and non-verbal communicationconsistent with and appropriate to the audience and purpose.




Personal Responsibility: Demonstrate self-management through practicesthat promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

II.A.1a. The institution identifies and seeks to meet the varied educational needs of its students through programs consistent with their educational preparation and the diversity, demographics, and economy of its communities. The institution relies upon research and analysis to identify student learning needs and to assess progress toward achieving stated learning outcomes.

Descriptive Summary

The college used a variety of data and research to determine the educational needs of the community it serves. One of the most important resources was the recently completed Kaua‘i Economic Development Plan/Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Report that notes the following significant factors: 1) In line with the state, Kaua‘i is experiencing low unemployment and a tight labor market. 2) In common with rural economies, Kaua‘i is predominantly small-business, primarily in the retail and visitor-industry-related areas. 3) Most jobs do not pay a “living wage,” defined for Kaua‘i as $60,000 for a family of four. Sixty-five percent of Kaua‘i’s jobs pay less than $30,000 per year. The salaries of the ten largest occupations on Kaua‘i are below $26,000 per year. 4) While unemployment is low, underemployment is high, and there are “pockets” of

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unemployment in certain areas. 5) Worker shortages are anticipated in all sectors as a significant number of employees reach retirement age. 6) There are significant numbers of residents without even a high school education in an economy increasingly requiring solid basic skills along with technical and job-specific competencies. In planning for future economic development, the County has identified six target clusters as priority “investments” for Kaua‘i: 1) Food and Agriculture, 2) Health and Wellness, 3) Sports and Recreation, 4) Arts and Culture, 5) High Technology, and 6) Renewable Energy.

Workforce training needs in all these areas are taken into consideration in the college’s own strategic planning, curriculum development and resource allocation decisions. New programs that have been developed include Medical Office Receptionist (August 1999), Massage Therapist Program (January 2000), and Entrepreneurial Skills for Successful Careers in the Food Industry (June 2003). Other programs have been modified in response to a changing economic environment on Kaua‘i. These include Automotive Technology Program, Auto Body Repair, Culinary, Hotel Operations, Facilities Engineering, and Electronics (Program Reviews).

Kaua‘i Community College identifies and seeks to meet the varied educational needs of its students by offering programs that are consistent with the educational preparation, the diversity, the demographics, and the economy of its community. According to the 2000 Census, the county has a population of 58,463 with 26.4 percent 18 years of age or under, and a median age of 38.4 years. Of persons 25 and over, only 19.4 percent had a bachelor’s degree, as compared to a state average of 26.2 percent. There are sixteen public schools, three public charter schools with a focus on Native Hawaiian language and culture, and seven private schools. The county also has the highest proportion, 11.1 percent, of persons aged 25 and older who do not have a high school education.

The college serves a highly diverse island population. The Fall 2005 enrollment is consistent with trends seen over the past five years. The three largest ethnic groups are Caucasian (24 percent), Filipino (21 percent), and Native Hawaiian or Part-Hawaiian (20 percent). Approximately 12 percent of students are mixed race (two or more) and 10 percent are Japanese. The students’ average age is 26.6 years. Females continue to outnumber males by a considerable percentage, with 63 percent female and 37 percent male students (from the University of Hawai‘i Operational Data Store, ODS Database, Fall 2005).

Programs and units within the college rely upon research and analysis to identify students’ learning needs and to assess the progress of programs toward achieving stated learning outcomes. Kaua‘i Community College uses COMPASS scores for placement in reading, writing and math. COMPASS placement scores have been aligned with the entire University of Hawai‘i System. The placement score required for placement into English 100, our transfer level English class, is 74-100 on the writing test. The mean writing score of students from the three public high schools for the years 1997-2003 ranged from 44.1 to 46.7. This mean score placed most students into our English 22, which serves as the expected English

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course for our non-transfer-level career and technical programs. Students who tested directly into the college courses were generally more successful in passing the courses than those who first took the basic skills courses. Overall completion rates, regardless of how the student entered the course, are generally good (See Self Study Introduction).

The college has established five campus-level Student Learning Outcomes, and each program is reviewing how to better assess their Student Learning Outcomes in order to improve courses and programs (Program SLOs and Exhibit I-17: Course SLOs).

Self Evaluation

Program reviews measure the effectiveness of programs through analysis of statistics on transfer data, retention, persistence, number of degrees and certificates awarded, and job placements as well as from qualitative research from student and employer focus groups.

Sources of qualitative and quantitative data include results from assessment testing, County of Kaua‘i’s Kaua‘i Economic Development Plan/Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, Hawai‘i’s Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Hawai‘i Workforce Informer, Exhibit II-3: EMSI, and the University of Hawai‘i’s Management and Planning Support (MAPS), community advisory councils for various programs (culinary, nursing, early childhood, accounting, hotel operations, technology, etc.), student, graduate, and employer focus groups, student and faculty surveys, and KCC’s data in the form of Program Health Indicators (PHI). The program review process facilitates dialogue to review data, assess programs, and identify areas for improvement. An integrated program review, planning, budgeting and decision-making process is focused on understanding student learning needs and assessing Student Learning Outcomes and student achievement.

Data is analyzed on an ongoing basis to determine course offerings and course scheduling that optimize students’ ability to complete degrees and programs in a timely manner (Exhibit II-4: Minutes/agendas of ongoing Semester/Course Offering Meetings with the Dean of Instruction, counselors, and division chairs and Multi-Year Plan of Offerings (MYPO) for each instructional program). The processes and tools that ensure students can get the classes they need to meet their educational goals have recently been updated.

The overall scheduling process and calendar are defined in a multi-part series of procedures. Four parts are posted online in CampusDocs:

Part 1--Checklist of Questions for Making Good Scheduling Decisions (Scheduling Process and Timetable Part 1)

Part 2--Setting the Spring Schedule (Scheduling Process and Timetable Part 2)

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Part 3--Developing the Multi-Year Plan of Offerings for Each Program (Scheduling Process and Timetable Part 3)

Part 4--Scheduling Process (Scheduling Process and Timetable Part 4)

Part 5--Setting Summer Schedule (Scheduling Process and Timetable Part 5)

The Multi-Year Plan of Offerings (MYPO), which projects the schedule of offerings for two years, is updated each fall, “rolling over” the calendar to include the next year. The process is predicated on the assumption that the “heart” of the campus is the schedule of courses, i.e. the educational offerings of the college. The listing of resource needs, curricular changes, and staffing all proceeds from an analysis of the MYPO. The MYPO itself is one of the main references for the Annual Program Review Update (APRU). The APRU (described in KCCM 1-6 ) is then reviewed by College Council, which makes recommendations to the chancellor as to the priority of all the funding requests from all the programs. With the overall scheduling structure in place, data can be used more effectively to make scheduling decisions and requests for resources. The timing of this process was changed after the College Council reviewed the first full implementation of this integrated evaluation, planning and budgeting cycle. Previously, the APRU was due in the spring semester. However, the dates were moved up to the end of the fall semester, to better coordinate with UH System budget processes and the state legislative schedule.

Kaua‘i Community College uses research and analyses, not only to identify learning needs, but also to make changes where needs are not being met. For example, in the past in any given semester there were approximately 150-180 pre-nursing students. Analysis in 2002-2003 showed that only about 10-15 percent of local students preparing for the KCC Nursing Program were ever accepted, primarily because they were not able to meet admission requirements in math and science. With the critical shortage of nurses locally, statewide, and nationally, pre-entry preparation to enhance entry and success in the Nursing Program was essential in meeting manpower needs. National Science Foundation EPSCOR grant funds were obtained for a three-year pilot project to prepare pre-nursing students who were academically at risk (placed in remedial and developmental courses, ESL, first- generation college, single parents, etc.). The Academy for Future Nurses learning community was formed to provide contextual and experiential learning, a life/learning skills curriculum, and personalized instruction and guidance to enhance math, science, technology and critical-thinking skills. Mean critical thinking scores for Cohort 1 improved 28 percent (pre-test and post-test). Eighty-eight percent of Academy students received passing scores on the NLN-RN Preadmission Test compared with 55 percent of all other applicants. In Year 2 Skip Downing’s curriculum in On Course: Strategies for Success in College and in Life was integrated into the first two capstone courses. Project findings shown on their website (Hawai‘i EPSCOR) indicates that student retention and success rates improved significantly.

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Faculty and staff from every division have attended On Course workshops. A Title III grant was obtained to implement campus-wide, various retention and college success efforts that had been successfully piloted by smaller grant programs. An On Course coordinator position was created to assist both faculty and students with implementation of success strategies.

Another program developed in response to unmet learning needs was a COMPASS Brush-Up pilot program. It was developed and implemented during spring semester 2005 and was funded by EPSCOR to help students improve their math placement scores. The six-week program included test-taking strategies, sample test questions, and individualized online math remediation. Students were able to improve their scores, facilitating entry into programs such as culinary arts and the pre-nursing learning cohort (Exhibit II-5: Highlights of Outcomes for Brush-Up Workshop). A major initiative was developed at the college to meet the needs of under-prepared students. In Fall 2003, Noel-Levitz consultants recommended that the college unify its retention efforts under one umbrella to prevent duplication of efforts and to promote collaboration between different units on campus. Through a Perkins Vocational Grant, a pilot case management program was developed and implemented by several units of the college working under a Case Management Coordinator. Faculty members from Student Services, Instruction, and Academic Support researched and planned curriculum for remedial and developmental students. These pilot programs utilized a case management design and implemented many strategies from the pre-nursing pilot, including use of a life skills curriculum (Case Management Document).

In each semester since Fall 2004, KCC has offered a College Success program, which utilizes student assessment, intrusive counseling, cohort classes, intensive academic support, and the tracking of student data to improve student retention and program completion. The College Success program evolved from the Case Management pilot program. The College Council chose to focus on several of the recommendations in the Case Management System study, including the development of a freshman year experience, student success programs, and collaboration between faculty from Instruction, Academic Support and Student Services. Students were recruited to the cohorts through counselor recommendations, based on student COMPASS scores. There have been two remedial cohorts and one developmental level cohort. Initial data indicated that students enrolled in the College Success program showed increased retention and success. The UHCC System report for the 2004-2005 Perkins Core Indicators showed that as a system we met or exceeded six of the seven indicators. The Perkins indicators measure such things as successful completion of major courses, successful completion of general education courses, certificates and degrees conferred, and employment in one’s field. We are lagging only in the placement of graduates into employment/transfer (Exhibit II-6: College Success Program 2004-2005 Performance Data).

As a result of these pilot programs, in January 2005, a College Success Coordinator was hired to work collaboratively to develop programs to improve student achievement and

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retention. On April 28, 2006, the first of a series of college-wide campus conversations on the role of the College Success Center was held.

The college is engaging in research and analysis to identify student learning needs and to assess student achievement of learning outcomes. In order to assess the effectiveness of all college programs, the campus is in the process of formally documenting the alignment and implementation of campus-level, program-level and course-level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs). Course syllabi sent electronically to the division chairs and Dean of Instruction every semester will allow for an analysis of the syllabi to ensure that they contain SLOs. The curriculum review/proposal process has been revamped to ensure that SLOs are identified and documented and that assessment techniques to be used are mapped to the SLOs. A new template for the Course Action Form has been developed. Approximately 20 percent of course syllabi are being updated each year through the curriculum review process. SLOs continue to be evaluated as part of the program review process.

There was an action plan to address one campus-wide SLO each year, beginning with the Communication SLO in 2004-2005 (Assessment Committee Action Plan). The college is somewhat behind on this plan because of the extent of involvement with the program review processes and the Self study in this past year. The Assessment Committee, in consultation with the English faculty, developed a writing rubric to evaluate the SLO for written communication, and faculty from each division were trained in its use (Assessment Committee). In addition, a series of workshops has been offered on writing SLOs, assessment methods, and using assessment information to improve instruction.

In Spring 2005 the Assessment Committee recommended: 1) to follow up on the Communication SLO; 2) to focus on implementation of the Information Competency (including implementation of a “benchmarking” assessment for Information Technology skills); and 3) to facilitate faculty workshops in the spring with a consultant for the Technology SLO. The committee arranged a workshop with Ruth Stiehl, a consultant versed in developing SLOs. The focus was on Accounting, Automotive Mechanics Technology, Auto Body Repair and Maintenance, and the General Education programs. The aim was to create program SLOs. Professional development efforts to aid in the measurement of Student Learning Outcomes are still needed.

Other programs and courses developed in response to accreditation recommendations and research on the needs of under-prepared students include two Summer Bridge programs, a developmental science course (Science 97), two remedial English courses (English 18 and 19), and a remedial math course (Math 22). Currently there has not been a systematic analysis of the effectiveness of these courses and programs.

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Planning Agenda

It is recommended that the COMPASS Brush-Up Program for reading, writing and math be implemented as a regular service through the College Success Center and the Learning Center.

Campus-wide dialogues should continue to be scheduled to determine the role of the College Success Center in creating new programs and services in concert with student services, academic support services, and instruction.

Faculty from Instruction, Student Services, and Academic Support, working with the Institutional Researcher, should systematically analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of courses and programs developed to serve the needs of under-prepared students.

The College Success team should include the Institutional Researcher as a standing member.

Training for additional faculty in the use of the writing rubric is recommended.

The college will develop a clear process for assessing the campus-level SLOs.

It is recommended that the Assessment Committee work with the Faculty Senate to develop and implement a process to collect and analyze data on each campus-wide SLO, beginning with the Communication and Information Technology SLOs.

Assessment Committee will plan workshops and/or other strategies to help programs develop program-level SLOs.

The On Course Coordinator will work with faculty, staff, and students, particularly in first year classes, to implement life skills and learning skills development.

SLOs for campus, programs, and courses will be electronically disseminated to all lecturers and new faculty.

II.A.1.b. The institution utilizes delivery systems and modes of instruction compatible with the objectives of the curriculum and appropriate to the current and future needs of students.

Descriptive Summary

Structurally and in practice Kaua‘i Community College (KCC) relies heavily on the faculty to determine that the delivery of instruction fits the objectives and content of its courses. In division meetings, faculty members discuss delivery systems and modes of instruction.

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During the new-course proposal process there is significant discussion on what type of delivery system the course will employ and how such a system will fit the objectives and content. An instructor proposing a new course completes a Course Action Form (CAF). The CAF form requires instructors to explain the delivery method, modes of instruction, course objectives, and content, and how the delivery method will help students achieve Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs). Each SLO is connected to an assessment/evaluation.

Instructors discuss how they plan to assess students to determine whether the students have achieved the outcomes (CAF Handbook). In addition, over a five-year period all existing courses, except for inactive ones not being offered, will be reviewed and transferred to this new CAF.

In addition to on-campus courses, KCC offers distance courses. KCC, as part of the UH System, adheres to standards or best practices when offering distance courses. The KCC Distance Learning Committee encourages and supports faculty willing to offer distance courses. In division meetings, the faculty discusses appropriateness of delivery and the Distance Learning Committee approves all courses and forwards recommendations to the Curriculum Committee. Further, the college has an instructional technologist whose primary job is to help faculty instill technology into delivery. He has been on sabbatical during 2005-2006, but has been used by faculty in Nursing, Spanish, and other areas in getting assistance to develop distance delivery systems.

KCC faculty have been actively engaged in professional development to help them ensure that delivery systems and modes of instruction are compatible with curriculum objectives and are appropriate to the needs of students. The University of Hawai‘i Foundation, a nonprofit fundraising organization, is one source of funds for faculty professional development. Instructors travel to professional conferences where they learn from presenters and consult with other faculty. In addition to professional conferences, the college regularly sponsors day- and week-long workshops during which dialogue about delivery systems and modes of instruction takes place. In these workshops new technology is introduced. This might include technology to help track grades, post assignments and readings, and create power-point presentations. At the college, faculty members have participated in Skip Downing’s “On Course” workshops. This program helps instructors to develop collaborative/interactive learning. The program advocates, for example, small-group activities. The workshop is grounded in the idea that students learn best by taking responsibility for their own learning to help facilitate student success. The college’s chancellor extended an invitation to all faculty members to attend this year’s (2006) “On Course” workshop.

The college has recently hired a full-time “On Course Coordinator” under a Title III grant (through September 2010) to work with faculty and staff to improve instruction and to improve student success (Exhibit II-7: On Course Coordinator Job Description).

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KCC also supports faculty attendance at Hawai‘i Great Teachers Seminar typically held on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, usually sending one or two faculty each summer. Other examples of recent professional development include the attendance of the college’s financial aid coordinators at this year’s Orlando Banner Summit workshop on the student registration system. Financial aid personnel also attended a Reno, Nevada workshop on financial aid administration.

Currently, the college solicits recommendations for workshops from all faculty members, staff, administration, and the Professional Development Committee. The decision as to which workshop will be made available is based on benefit, cost, and availability of faculty and staff. When the Professional Development Committee starts planning a workshop, division chairs are contacted first to identify which of their instructors would most benefit from the workshop. Invitations for a workshop are then sent via email, published in the campus bulletin, and offered through telephone calls to individuals.

Self Evaluation

KCC is putting into place a formal mechanism to measure the effectiveness of delivery systems and modes of instruction. The college believes that CAF forms will provide an important measure of effectiveness. Each completed CAF form is presented to the division. Suggestions are considered and the form is approved before submission to the Curriculum Committee. The Committee may offer more suggestions. Once the revised CAF obtains committee approval, the form is then submitted to the Dean of Instruction who may send it back to the committee and instructor for further revision or approves it and sends it to the chancellor who may also raise concerns. The chancellor’s approval is necessary before the course is approved and can be scheduled for offering. Every division is required each year to move 20 percent of their courses to the new CAF form. By the year 2010, the college will have moved all of its courses onto the CAF. As mentioned above, a significant part of the CAF includes SLOs. Divisions write program SLOs that map to the institution’s SLOs, while instructors map their own SLOs to program SLOs (Course Tracking Form) Division members give first approval to each CAF before the form is sent to the Curriculum Committee.

Prior to developing a distance-delivered course, an instructor must seek approval from the KCC Distance Learning Committee. If there is a demonstrated need for the course to be offered systemwide, then the instructor completes the Curriculum Committee approval process. The latter committee discusses delivery systems and modes of instruction when they consider submitted CAF forms. The committee may request information from the division representative to explain how a particular system and/or mode are suitable to the course. Conclusions and recommendations are shared with division chairs as well as other faculty. Further, delivery methods and modes of instruction are evaluated for their effectiveness in meeting student needs through instructor and course evaluations. Faculty up for promotion may request peer evaluations. Courses taught by probationary faculty are evaluated each

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semester. One primary evaluation is the “Student Evaluation of Instructor and Course.” Students taking distance courses can submit evaluations on line. Statements students respond to in completing the “Student Evaluation of Instructor and Course” include: “Course objectives… were clearly explained in the syllabus at the beginning, and by the instructor throughout the semester”; “The instructor uses effective teaching methods to present course material”; “Out-of-class activities (projects, papers, homework, etc.) are helpful, and relate to the course objectives”; “Tests and examinations are fair, and relate to the course objectives.”

Peers and the Dean of Instruction also evaluate probationary instructors. Instructors receive these evaluations after the conclusion of the semester and are then asked to address areas in which they can improve as suggested by the evaluations. These evaluations include information on delivery methods. Student and peer evaluations are shared with instructors (Exhibit II-8: Student and Peer evaluation forms).

Every two years KCC participates in the nation-wide Community College Student Survey Evaluation (CCSSE). In 2004, the most recent survey, 100 KCC students were surveyed. The results of the survey are kept in the Institutional Researcher’s Office. Survey questions/statements and the student responses elicited relevant to our survey here include:

Did you receive “prompt feedback (written or oral) from instructors on your performance”? Sixty percent of the students responded “Very Often” or “Often.”

Did you work “with instructors on activities other than coursework”? Only 16 percent of students responded “Very Often” or “Often.”

Fifty-one percent of the students responded that they have done or plan to do an “internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment.” Twenty-nine percent responded that they have participated or plan to participate in “organized learning communities (linked courses/study groups lead by faculty or counselors.)”

In response to the question, “Would you recommend this college to a friend or family member,” 93 percent replied “Yes.”

Eighty three percent rated their educational experience at KCC as “Excellent.”

Evaluations generated by CCSSE are shared at convocation and in some division meetings.

The CCSSE survey results (Exhibit I-8: CCSSE Reports) offer an opportunity for faculty to consider their delivery systems and modes of instruction. However, no formal effort has yet been made to encourage faculty to use these results to improve instruction.

In regard to Career and Technical Education, community advisory committees consult with instructors to help them stay up to date with the latest methods, including delivery methods

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and modes of instruction. Some KCC programs have a Cooperative Education component that provides direct feedback. Examples of programs that utilize co-op placement include Hospitality, Office Administration Technology, Accounting, Auto Body Repair and Automotive Repair. Although it does not have a formal cooperative placement program, Nursing places its students in local clinics and hospitals and relies on community health professionals to provide professional feedback to students and to faculty. Culinary Arts’ students are required to participate in numerous community events that offer opportunities to work alongside and get feedback and instruction from professional chefs.

There are external certification programs for certain programs. Students must pass rigorous examinations in order to become certified and thus eligible for professional employment. Nursing students take the NCLEX; CISCO certifies students who will be working in the electronics and computer networking fields, while the NATEF End of Program Examination is administered to automotive students.

Effectiveness of instruction for AA degree graduates can be examined by studying their success in transferring to 4-year institutions. A recent research study shows that our graduates or transfers did as well GPA-wise as incoming Manoa freshmen and third-year students who started at UH Manoa (Transfer, Enrollment and Performance UHCC AA Graduates).

Another way the college considers the effectiveness of delivery methods and modes of instruction is through student achievement data for some math and English courses. This includes course passing rates and retention. Student achievement in a second course that has a pre-requisite is another measure of course effectiveness. At this time the Math 22/Math 24 courses is equivocal. Former Math 22 students had a 57.9 percent successful completion rate in Math 24 compared to 74.24 percent for those who tested into Math 24. Math 24 doesn’t seem to be preparing students better for Math 25 in comparison with the students who test into Math 25. Former English 18/19 students going into English 22 had a 66.7 percent completion rate in English 22 as opposed to 74.29 percent completion rate for those who tested into the course (Course Completion to Spring 2005). The college recognizes that student achievement data, i.e. grades, is not enough. This is at best an indirect measurement of effectiveness. If there is a clear connection between assessment through the use of SLOs and grades this will become a measure of effectiveness. Exactly how this will work is to be determined. The assessment of SLOs is part of the current college dialogue. However, vocational courses, such as those offered to students in Business Technology (BTEC) and Automotive Mechanics Technology (AMT), typically measure specific competencies, and therefore they have built-in assessment measures. BTEC students, for example, must demonstrate typing speeds and the ability to correctly format memos. The AMT program is built on the standards specified by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF). Students must demonstrate the ability to, for example, repair engines and heating and air-conditioning systems.

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In the annually conducted University of Hawai‘i Community College (UHCC) e-learn pre and post-survey, students across the community college system including KCC are asked to discuss their experiences with distance courses. In the 2004 survey, 782 students responded to questions including: “What is the primary reason you decided to take distance learning class(es)?” Seventy-three percent of the students responded that their primary reason was “Scheduling and Convenience.” When asked, “What is your feeling about your distance learning class now (at the beginning of the semester)?” Forty-two percent responded that they were “excited and looking forward to it.” In the post survey, 599 students responded. They were asked, “Will you take another online or distance learning course in the future?”

Sixty-seven percent responded in the affirmative. Asked if they “would recommend this course to my friends?” Sixty-seven percent of the students said they would. When asked, “How well designed was the course?” Sixty percent of the students responded “Very Well.” Since we are unable to separate KCC students from all of the UHCC students in this survey we cannot make any conclusions specific to KCC student satisfaction. However, these statistics clearly show that the majority of students taking distance learning courses across the system are satisfied with those courses.

In regards to completion rates for different delivery systems, on-campus courses and the same courses offered distance, the KCC “Course Completion Review: Fall 1998-Spring 2005” reports:

Nursing 121 221 of 247 on-campus students passed, 89.4%61 of 80 distance education students passed, 76.2%.

Nursing 259 has only been offered distance, 79 of 101 passed, 78.2%.

English 215 23 of 27 on-campus students passed, 85.1%4 of 4 distance education students passed, 100%.

English 251 34 of 39 on-campus students passed, 87.1%16 of 16 distance education students passed, 100%.

English 252 35 of 37 on-campus students passed, 94.5%10 of 12 distance education students passed, 83.3%.

Information and 495 of 641 on-campus students passed, 77.2%Computer 159 of 239 distance education students passed, 66.5%.Science 100

Information and 113 of 136 on-campus students passed, 83%Computer 59 of 76 distance education students passed, 77.6%Science 101

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Passing here is considered letter grades A, B, C, and D. Not passing is considered F, N, and L-Audit (KCC Catalog, pages 46-47). The above does not include students who withdrew from the course sometime during the semester.

Planning Agenda

The Professional Development Committee should develop a survey to find out the most effective ways to share information and ideas learned at conferences, workshops and trainings pertaining to delivery systems and modes of instruction.

The college should determine a process of integrating the results of the CCSSE

survey into curriculum development and professional development activities to improve instruction.

The Professional Development Coordinator should use the record of faculty participation in all professional development activities both on-campus and off-campus in order to develop a faculty resource list to share the professional expertise and resources gained through their experiences. This should include assistance or resource people to train faculty in developing more distance classes.

The college should consider creating a Teaching and Learning resource center to include, among others, the On Course Coordinator, the Professional Development Coordinator, and the Lei Aloha Coordinator to offer faculty access to innovative curricular, pedagogical and technical ideas.

II.A.1.c. The institution identifies student learning outcomes for courses, programs, certificates and degrees; assesses student achievement of those outcomes; and uses assessment results to make improvements.

Descriptive Summary

Much of the campus effort on SLOs and their assessment will be put into practice over the next few years.

There are three ways the institution identifies, assesses and uses SLO assessment results to make improvements. The first is a plan to focus on one of the five campus-level SLOs each year for the next five years.

The five campus-level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) focus on communication, cognition, information competency, social responsibility, and personal responsibility; they are posted on the college’s website (Student Learning Outcomes) and also in the college’s catalog (KCC Catalog).

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Communication: Effectively use language and non-verbal communication consistent with and appropriate to the audience and purpose.




Personal Responsibility: Demonstrate self-management through practices that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

The college has generated a new curriculum form called the Course Action Form (CAF) and requires each new course or course modification to provide SLOs.

According to the plan, each year during the fall semester the campus would focus on workshops to help faculty develop SLOs aligned with the campus-level SLO that is being focused on for that year. During the spring semester the campus will implement and assess the SLOs identified for that academic year.

2004-2005 – Communication 2005-2006 – Information Competency 2006-2007 – Cognition2007-2008 – Social Responsibility2008-2009 – Personal Responsibility

The second means of identifying SLOs and assessing them and using the results to improve programs is through the program review process. As of May 2006, according to the Program Review Calendar, sixteen programs have completed full program reviews. The remaining programs have completed mini-program reviews and by 2008, all programs will have completed full program reviews (Program Review Calendar). Part of the program review process involves examining the effectiveness of the program in meeting the program SLOs. Programs or units will then make changes and improvements based on the assessments of the SLOs and other data to make decisions on changes in curriculum, budget, staffing, etc. The final step in the program review process that links data analysis and decision making to resource allocation is the annual review of action plans and resource needs. Each program submits to the College Council its action plans with resource requests, either from its comprehensive program review or from their APRUs (Program Review Action Plans and Resource Allocations).

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The third means of reviewing SLOs at the college is the Course Action Form (CAF) process, although it is important to note that course assessment of SLOs is ensured by the CAF, the CAF form itself does not assess SLOs. Every year for the next five year is 20 percent of existing courses must go through the CAF process. All new course proposals, modifications and deletions, beginning in Fall 2005, must also go through the CAF process. Part of the CAF form requires that course SLOs be listed along with how course SLOs align with both program level and campus-level SLOs.

Self Evaluation

The campus has had workshops, meetings within divisions, and conversations across the campus to discuss and develop SLOs. They have become a significant priority of the whole campus.

The college, through extensive dialogue, developed five campus-level SLOs, and established a timeline to develop, implement and assess the SLOs.

The Assessment Committee, with representatives from all divisions, developed a rubric to measure written communication skills. The Committee piloted two assessments, in Spring 2002 and Spring 2003, of graduating students, writing samples, after a professional was brought in to train faculty volunteers. After the two pilots, no further campus-wide writing assessments were done. The English department has made some minor changes to the rubric for use with the department courses.

In the 2004-2005 academic year, there were several workshops sponsored by the Assessment Committee on developing communication SLOs, as well as expectations that all faculty would include at least one written communication SLO in Spring 2005, in at least one of their courses. The Dean of Instruction asked that all faculty members send all course syllabi electronically to the Dean’s Office to ensure that communication SLOs have been developed. This allows the dean to annually compile the Course Tracking Form. This form records, for example, course offerings, courses to be deleted, courses scheduled to be moved to the new CAF form, course SLOs listed in course syllabi, and assessment of SLOs as defined in course syllabi. The purpose of this form is to inform students, faculty, and others about the status of the curriculum.

The program review process has been going forward in a timely way following the timetable for full and mini program reviews (Program Reviews). The college is in the initial stages of implementing the use of Student Learning Outcomes as part of the program review process. The culture on the campus has changed and the dialogue and the commitment to change are evident in the program review documents. The Annual Program Review Updates (APRUs) are due in February 2006. Future program reviews and APRUs will reflect whether programs have begun to use the assessment of SLOs to make improvements. The timetable

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of the APRUs has been advanced at the recommendation of the College Council to better align with UH System budget timelines.

The college is in the beginning stages of reviewing all courses offered at the college through the Course Action Form process. The college has developed a Handbook for Preparing Course and Program Action Form to guide faculty in developing SLOs. The Curriculum Committee has also distributed a set of “tips.”

The first 20 percent of existing courses are scheduled for division review and Curriculum Committee review during the spring of 2006. The current distance learning courses—courses offered through distance education format as well as on site format—English 22, English 253, English 254, Spanish 201-202, Information Computer Science 100, Information Computer Science 101, and Linguistics 102 have already completed this process. A number of issues are currently under discussion between members of the Curriculum Committee, the division chairs, the program coordinators and the Dean of Instruction related to the appropriate numbers of SLOs for each course, the format of SLOs, and the assessment methods of SLOs. There is now a document covering this and it will soon be distributed. There have been several workshops on developing SLOs during the past two years with the majority of faculty members in attendance.

Instructors have been assessing course-level SLOs or learning objectives. It is expected that this more formal and structured approach to SLO assessment at the course, program and campus-levels will affect the teaching of courses. However, it is too early to tell how these assessments have impacted/changed courses. Since many CAF forms are yet to be written and approved, the college is not yet prepared to conduct a program-level assessment. Some programs will be externally evaluated, for example, the American Culinary Federation (ACF) will evaluate the Culinary Art’s program in Spring 2007. This program’s goal is to receive accreditation from the ACF. The ACF evaluation will consider the Culinary program’s SLOs. The Nursing program is probably the furthest along, as their external accreditation has long required close attention to learning outcomes.

Planning Agenda

Continue to clarify and regularly update the CAF process, with specific guidelines and/or models (Tips for Minimizing CAF Changes), to insure that faculty and programs have a clear understanding of the SLO format and assessment methods. The Curriculum Committee will compile and distribute a new Program Action Form and Handbook.

The college should sponsor regularly scheduled collaborative work sessions so that faculty experienced in developing SLOs can mentor faculty new to the process.

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The college should identify campus resource people to become mentors for the campus in SLO development. Further, it is important to convey the SLOs to students so they know the college’s expectations and standards.

The college should identify and empower a responsible body, which may be the Assessment Committee, to develop a system for assessing campus-level SLOs in order to improve student learning.

II.A.2. The institution assures the quality and improvement of all instructional courses and programs offered in the name of the institution, including collegiate, developmental, and pre-collegiate courses and programs, continuing and community education, study abroad, short-term training courses and programs, programs for international students, and contract or other special programs, regardless of type of credit awarded, delivery mode, or location.

II.A.2.a. The institution uses established procedures to design, identify learning outcomes for, approve, administer, deliver, and evaluate courses and programs. The institution recognizes the central role of its faculty for establishing quality and improving instructional courses and programs.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College has established procedures for course development. KCC’s academic courses and degree/certificate programs are approved through an extensive process that involves the teaching faculty, counselors, the Curriculum Committee, division chairs, program coordinators, the Dean of Instruction, the Registrar, and the chancellor. As stated in the Kaua‘i Community CAF Handbook, all curriculum actions brought to the Kaua‘i Community College Curriculum Committee for review will follow the CAF guidelines and will reflect the college’s curriculum-building foundations, including campus mission, goals, and Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs); degree, certificate, and hybrid programs; and active learning, principles of good practice in undergraduate education, and workplace basics.

In the CAF process, other input is sometimes sought from advisory committees, employers, professional organizations, program coordinating councils, and focus groups. Research is conducted on similar courses in the University of Hawai‘i Community College System, University of Hawai‘i System, and non-system and out-of-state colleges, and on workforce data and other statistics. The CAF format requires that the proposer provide program and course SLOs, all the while ensuring that these SLOs align with program and campus goals.

After approval is made at the Division Chair level, the Dean of Instruction, who is responsible for reviewing the proposal and its relation to the college’s foundations and alignment with the program action plan, approves the proposal and signs off, submitting the document to the chancellor for approval. The chancellor reviews the proposal and its relation

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to the college’s foundations and alignment with the program action plan, then approves and signs off, where upon the proposal becomes effective.

The CAF has been extensively revised to address the need for SLOs and their measurement. This curriculum development tool helps the college ensure that the delivery of instruction is of good quality and that learning takes place. This year the campus has begun the process of moving 20 percent of its curriculum to the new CAF each year. All new courses being proposed use the new CAF.

The college has established a procedure to evaluate the quality of its programs and courses via the program review process, which looks at a variety of qualitative and quantitative evidence: student achievement, enrollment, student demographics, student outcomes, course completion and transfers. The program review should be objective and data driven; collegial, inclusive, collaborative; focused on importance of outcomes; consistent and openly communicated to both internal and external audiences; and closely tied to operations and strategic planning and decision making. The program review process produced the Kaua‘i Community College Strategic Plan for 2003-2010 which was developed in tandem with the UH and UHCC System strategic plan efforts. That document placed the college goals firmly in the context of the system strategic plan (KCC Strategic Plan).

The Assessment Committee was formed in 1999 in order to inform the strategic and operational decisions of the college and its component units through appropriate and systematic use of information in planning, evaluation, improvement, and the demonstration of accountability. Its goals were to:

Identify the information needs of campus units;

Foster the efficient collection and subsequent dissemination of information; and

Facilitate appropriate interpretation and understanding, and subsequent use, of information in college and unit decisions.

The Committee offered two workshops in writing assessment and sponsored several assessment workshops.

Since 2003, Kaua‘i Community College has provided education and training for all staff and faculty on the use of data for program review, developed and implemented a new program review process, and merged that process with planning and resource development.

Dr. Linda Umbdenstock, by recommendation of Barbara Beno of the Accrediting Commission, was invited to our campus on June 18-20, 2003 to facilitate the conversation about developing SLOs while reinforcing the tie-in with Program Health Indicators and program review. Support services were targeted since they are present in the summer

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months. A total of 58 faculty and staff attended. Separate meetings were held for Student Services, Administrative Services, the Office of Continuing Education and Training, and Academic Support. Hawaiian Studies and Title III faculty reserved one entire day to develop several SLOs (Hawaiian Studies Program Review).

Julie Slark was invited by the Accreditation Task Force to discuss SLOs with the entire campus during the College Convocation on August 18, 2003. In the afternoon of the 18th, she met with the Liberal Arts divisions and Student Services units and conducted a workshop on creating Program SLOs from the proposed campus-wide SLOs. The following day she met with all of the other Academic divisions and the Office of Continuing Education and Training. Each of the divisions has produced program SLOs as a result of these workshops.

In addition, numerous workshops were held throughout the 2003-2004 academic year (Exhibit I-14: Sign-in Sheets):

Spring Workshop – “Using and Interpreting Data for Program Planning and Improvement” - May 19-20, 2003

Workshop with Amy Driscoll and Mary Allen – sponsored by the Assessment Committee - September 3, 2004

SLO Faculty Workshop (Demystifying Course Learning Outcomes/Objectives) with Dr. Kani Blackwell, sponsored by the Assessment Committee – October 29, 2004

Assess Course Learning Outcomes/Objectives with Dr. Alice Kawakami – December 10, 2004.

Both the CAF process and the program review process emphasize the central role of faculty in decision making, establishing quality, and improving instructional courses and programs. Faculty conduct the program review for their programs, develop program action plans, assess budget needs and present these needs to the College Council and chancellor. Thus, faculty are the key developers of strategic goals and SLOs.

Student Services faculty/counselors also participate in course and program development across the campus by meeting with divisions in their area to develop campus-wide systemic programs to address the needs of the diverse student population and also serve as liaisons to specific campus divisions and programs. This creates a system by which the teaching faculty, division chairs, administration and counselors can collaborate effectively in areas of program and course management; better analyze enrollment, data, statistics and trends; and provide for concise and accurate delivery of information and service to students and the general public (Student Services Program Review, pages 22-24).

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Another college entity, the College Council, plays a key role in reviewing the program action plans to determine that there is alignment with the college mission and strategic goals and to identify items which would be more efficient and effective if coordinated across programs (Exhibit II-9: KCCM 1-7). The Council prioritizes the resource requests in the action plans as a set of recommendations to the chancellor for budgeting purposes. The recommendations and priorities guide the development of the annual budget allocations of discretionary monies as well as the biennium and supplemental budget requests to the Board of Regents, and supply ideas for external grant requests and fundraising (Program Review Action Plans and Resource Allocations).

Self Evaluation

The college’s recent focus on accreditation and program review has kept the campus units aware of the processes involved in measuring the quality and improvement of programs offered at the college. The new Course Action Form assures that Kaua‘i Community College uses established procedures to design, identify learning outcomes for, approve, administer, deliver, and evaluate courses and programs. It is a valuable tool to help the college ask the questions up front to identify the delivery of quality instruction. In both the program review and course approval procedures, many entities at the college are involved in establishing quality and improving instructional courses and programs. Faculty are committed to the accreditation goal of moving 20 percent of their program courses to the new Course Action Form (CAF) by the end of spring semester, 2006.

The Multi-Year Plan of Offerings (Multi-Year Plan of Offerings (MYPO) and the APRU (KCCM 1-6, APRU Guidelines) processes promote continuous discussion of courses and program SLOs and program effectiveness.

Planning Agenda

Continue to assess the quality of instructional courses and programs through the MYPO, Program Review, and APRU processes.

II.A.2.b. The institution relies on faculty expertise and the assistance of advisory committees when appropriate to identify competency levels and measurable student learning outcomes for courses, certificates, programs including general and vocational education, and degrees. The institution regularly assesses student progress towards achieving those outcomes.

Descriptive Summary

The course approval process and the program review process rely on faculty expertise in decision making and identifying the competency levels and measurable SLOs for courses and programs. In the development of the program review process, faculty and staff throughout

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the campus developed a set of campus SLOs and over the Fall 2004 semester faculty developed appropriate program SLOs and aligned them with campus SLOs. Faculty are in the process of documenting course SLOs and aligning them with program and campus SLOs.

Faculty collaboration occurs across the community college system as well. For example, in the Business Education Division (BED), and the Information and Computer Science program, statewide meetings with counterparts from other campuses are instrumental in identifying SLOs systemwide, which assures articulation among the campuses.

Various campus credit programs engage the resources of advisory committees, made up of professionals in the industry, who provide advice to help establish performance-level SLOs. There are advisory committees for all Career and Technical programs which meet regularly. Advisory committees provide input on the general trends in the industry and advise on skills, knowledge, and abilities that should be included in the curriculum. For example, the Office Administration Technology Program relied on their OAT Advisory Committee consisting of former graduates and employers in the hotel, law, and medical industries, to define the Professionalism and Business Etiquette guidelines. In another example, the Hotel Operations (HOPE) Advisory Committee met to evaluate communication SLOs (public speaking, writing, listening and reading) and define strategies for helping students achieve these skills (Exhibit II-10: HOPE Advisory Committee minutes). In addition to advisory committees, programs also form employer and graduate focus groups to assist in curriculum review as well as to examine the appropriateness of SLOs (Exhibit II-11: Focus Groups).

Although Liberal Arts programs do not have advisory committees, the college has developed articulation agreements that facilitate the transfer of liberal arts students to four-year institutions such as Hawai‘i Pacific University, Chaminade University, UH West O‘ahu, UH Manoa, and UH Hilo (See Section II.A.6.a). The UH Manoa Hallmarks and the System AA Degree Taskforce report provide additional external input in defining relevant SLOs for the AA degree.

For continuing and community education classes, the Kaua‘i Workforce Investment Board (KWIB) served as an advisory board for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program that was administered by the County of Kaua‘i. The KWIB regularly reviews the college’s offerings to align the programs with current workforce trends and demands. More recently, the KWIB conducted focus group sessions by industry clusters to get more information from businesses and employers. Through its advisory role, KWIB has guided OCET to provide job-related skill courses that are accelerated, focused, and often customized to meet specific industry needs and nationwide trends. In addition, the Kaua‘i County’s WorkWise! One-stop Center provides continuous feedback on the vacancy demands that exist in various industries on the island. In 2004, they conducted an industry survey that focused on how agencies (Kaua‘i Community College, WorkWise!, Workforce Development Division, etc.) could further develop a skilled and productive workforce necessary for a healthy economy. Respondents were asked to identify the critical skills using skills and knowledge standards

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that were developed by the state and these results were shared among the training agencies/partners (Exhibit II-12: KWIB Industry Survey).

The college uses the following tools to assess student progress towards achieving outcomes:

The college has a plan to develop and assess each of the five campus SLOs (Communication, Information Technology, Cognition, Social Responsibility, and Personal Responsibility) over the next five years.

The program review process requires individual programs to assess student progress in achieving SLOs.

The campus has developed a writing rubric as a common assessment tool for written

communication.

The Information Technology Assessment Committee (ITAC) developed a basic competency test for information technology that will be administrated at the same time as the COMPASS placement test beginning in Summer 2006.

The Library has an information literacy module called the Learning Information Literacy Online @ UH (LILO). It is an interactive web-based tutorial that engages a student in thinking critically about a research topic, and how to locate and evaluate resources needed to support a thesis statement (Exhibit II-13: LILO flyer). The tutorial was developed by instructional librarians from all ten campuses of the UH System. They are currently working on a rubric to assess the student journal portion of the tutorial.

The Office of Continuing Education and Training (OCET) asks student to evaluate their progress in each training program by administering student evaluations at the end of each class. These evaluations reflect customer satisfaction in terms of achieved learning outcomes, delivery, curriculum, and overall feedback on the facility (OCET Course Evaluation). In certain situations such as with contract training, OCET will administer computerized exams to determine if objectives were met in its computerized (Microsoft) courses. All other computer courses have a written pre- and post-testing process built into the structure.

For those courses that prepare individuals for national or state licensure exams, successful achievement would be measured on their ability to pass the stated exam such as the NCLEX for RNs, NCLEX for LPNs, CCNA (Cisco) for networking students, and ASE for automotive students.

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Self Evaluation

Kaua‘i Community College relies on its faculty resources to identify competency levels, to develop appropriate SLOs, and to use measurement tools that assess student achievement of SLOs. The faculty are primarily responsible for the development and formal review of the curriculum. Career and Technical Education programs such as Culinary Arts, Business Education, Automotive Mechanics Technology, Auto Body Repair and Painting continually solicit input from their advisory committees to redefine their competencies and restructure their curriculum. As described above, community input from Kaua‘i planning documents is also distributed to all programs.

The college is in the process of developing common rubrics and/or assessment tools for assessing common SLOs on college, program and course levels. Within the next five years the college will have developed common SLOs and assessment instruments for all five campus-wide SLOs.

In the CCSSE surveys conducted in 2002 and 2004, a benchmark on student effort was measured and compared with other small colleges as well as all of the colleges who participated in the survey (Exhibit I-8: CCSSE Reports). This benchmark was measured from survey questions about student preparation for papers, classes, use of tutors, labs, books read, etc. In 2002 KCC scored slightly under the average for small colleges. In 2004 the score was above the average. Although the benchmarks were measured differently in the two years, making direct comparisons problematic, it is safe to say that there was improvement in student effort in general.

Planning Agenda

The college’s career and technical education programs should continue to meet regularly and work with their respective advisory committees to develop and evaluate the stated Student Learning Outcomes to ensure that they are current and meet industry standards.

The college will complete its campus SLO assessment cycle.

II.A.2.c. High-quality instruction and appropriate breadth, depth, rigor, sequencing, time to completion, and synthesis of learning characterize all programs.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua’i Community College is a diverse institution with an open admissions policy that results in the enrollment of students with a variety of educational backgrounds and academic goals. Approximately sixty-two faculty members of varied educational backgrounds serve students’ educational needs:

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Educational Preparation ofKCC’s Faculty

Highest Degree Held NumberDoctorate 8Masters 38Bachelors 9Associates 5Certificate 1Work Experience 1

The quality of instruction is assessed through internal and external college policies and procedures. Internal policies and procedures include:

The program review process both comprehensive and annual update

The curriculum review process, with division, Curriculum Committee, and administrative review

The tenure review and promotion process

Post-tenure review (five-year cycle, if not applying for promotion)

The contract renewal process

The review of probationary faculty

Student evaluation of faculty

Peer evaluation of faculty

Graduating students’ focus groups

The quality of instruction is externally assessed through the following:

Compliance with accreditation standards

Articulation agreements within the University of Hawai‘i

Meeting SCANS competencies for AS/AAS programs

Adherence to the high national standards for several programs in Career and Technical Education

Utilization of industry advisory committees for Career Technical Education programs

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The college’s recent focus on accreditation and program review has kept the campus units aware of the processes involved in assuring the quality and improvement of programs offered at the college. The new CAF assures that Kaua‘i Community College uses established procedures to design, identify learning outcomes for, approve, administer, deliver, and evaluate courses and programs. In both the program review and course approval procedures, many entities at the college are involved in establishing quality and improving instructional courses and programs. The college is committed to the accreditation goal of moving 20 percent of each programs’ courses to the new CAF by February 28, 2006.

Another measurement of quality instruction is the success rate of student transfers to four-year institutions. A recent report, Transfer, Enrollment and Performance of UH Community College Associate in Arts Graduates at UH Manoa, shows students from Kaua’i Community College perform better, or as well as, first-time UH Manoa freshmen who succeeded to the end of their third year of enrollment. The study covers the years Spring 1997 to Spring 2003. According to the study, an average of 42 percent of those receiving an Associate in Arts (AA) degree from Kaua‘i Community College transfer to UH Manoa. The average cumulative GPR of Kaua‘i students was 3.02 in comparison with a 2.99 average for all community college transfer students. An average of 85.7 percent of Kaua‘i students were in good standing at the end of the first year (Transfer, Enrollment and Performance UHCC AA Graduates). Since the full-time institutional researcher joined the college in Spring 2006, there was no opportunity to retrieve and analyze data available through the Clearinghouse database that tracks students who transfer to other colleges or universities.

Measures of quality instruction for career and technical education students include pass rates for nationally recognized certification/licensure examinations for the nursing and automotive programs and for the Cisco courses in the electronics program and job placements for all career and technical program graduates (Program Reviews and APRUs).

Students in the Nursing program have to pass the NCLEX licensure exam to qualify for the LPN and RN licenses. For the LPN program the pass rates on the NCLEAX-LPN were 100 percent from 2001 to 2004. For the RN program the pass rates for the NCLEX-RN for the first try ranged from 67 percent to 91 percent for the past five years and for the second try the scores ranged from 94 percent to 100 percent (Nursing Program overview).

The Auto Mechanics program administers the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) End of Program Test to measure each student’s knowledge of course content and learning outcomes. The results of the eight-part test provide instructors and administrators with impartial feedback on how well students are learning and comprehending the materials presented throughout the curriculum (Exhibit II-14: User’s Guide for the NATEF End of Program Examinations, 2005).

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Some programs are accredited to ensure that they meet national and professional standards. The Early Childhood Education program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The Culinary Arts faculty are working toward getting the Culinary program accredited by the American Culinary Federation (ACF).

In order to facilitate time to completion of their degree programs, the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges offer distance-delivered courses. Kaua‘i Community College offers seven distance courses, which must go through the Distance Learning Committee as well as the Curriculum Committee for approval. All distance courses have completed the new CAF process in 2005-2006.

The quality of instruction in OCET is addressed through hiring policies that ensure that instructors meet specific qualifications. OCET instructors are systematically evaluated.

To carry out its training initiatives, OCET employs an expanding cadre of part-time instructors who demonstrate subject-matter competency, sound instructional skills and methodologies, and the motivation to maintain expertise and proficiency in their discipline or area of responsibility. Instructors have advanced training or degrees and/or a minimum of three years professional experience equivalency.

Data is also continuously collected on OCET’s training instructors and course offerings through a written Course Evaluation utilizing a 5-point Likert scale (1=Poor, 2=Fair, 3=Satisfactory, 4=Above Average, 5=Excellent). When analyzing course evaluations, OCET considers a ranking score of 3 as its “average” minimum performance expectation. These evaluations are distributed at the conclusion of each training class and reflect customer satisfaction in terms of achieved learning outcomes, instructor knowledge, methodology, curriculum and materials; they also solicit general feedback for areas of improvement.

Self Evaluation

The quality of instruction is a reflection of institutional quality, as assessed primarily through the accreditation process, the hiring and faculty evaluation process, the college’s program review and course approval process, and the success rate of transfer students.

Articulation agreements within the University of Hawai‘i System are further evidence of the quality of the college’s instructional offerings. Although there is an articulation website for KCC courses articulated with UH Manoa, the link to the site is not clear on the KCC website.

The program review process has illuminated the need for the college to track students after they graduate from the college for employment data and for transfer information. The Nursing program tracks its graduates for employment status (Exhibit II-15: Associate Degree Nursing Program Systematic Evaluation Plans for 2002-2005). Other programs are beginning to collect employment data for their graduates.

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In the CCSSE surveys, the benchmark for ‘academic challenge’ consisted of questions dealing with student expectations; analyzing, synthesizing and applying knowledge; and similar ideas. In 2002 KCC scored below the benchmark for small colleges and in 2004 KCC scored above that benchmark. Although the methodologies for establishing benchmarks were different each year, it is safe to say that students were more challenged in the 2004 survey. The rigor of instruction vis-à-vis the average for peer colleges is comparable. The CCSSE survey was conducted again in 2006 and that will help the college define trends that could help improve instruction.

Planning Agenda

The institutional researcher should regularly collect information on graduates’ employment status.

The Professional Development Coordinator should survey the needs of the faculty for training needs and provide best practices information in different disciplines to assure course and programs have breadth, depth and rigor for high-quality instruction.

KCC should develop a transfer information web page with articulation information and transfer guidelines. The college should also publish articulation information more widely on its website and in the catalog, using the Business Division’s Articulation Agreement format (Accounting articulation agreements).

The link to UH System articulation information, which is located on the Class Availability page, should also be available on the Liberal Arts web page.

A survey of transfer students should be regularly administered in order to assess student satisfaction with instruction and programs at KCC in preparation for national exams, for job placement, and for higher-level work at transfer institutions.

II.A.2.d. The institution uses delivery modes and teaching methodologies that reflect the diverse needs and learning styles of its students.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College addresses the diverse needs and learning styles of its students by providing a variety of delivery modes, teaching methodologies, and support services that address the learning needs of under-performing students.

Kaua‘i Community College is the only post-secondary educational institution on the island and offers a wide array of programs that are responsive to the learning needs of its clients. The college uses various delivery modes in both credit and non-credit programs that include both on-site (traditional classroom) and distance delivery. There is continuous discussion

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among the Dean of Instruction, Student Service counselors, and program instructors to determine if coursework and scheduled times are conducive to the college’s student learning needs. This process ensures that the college schedule is student-centered and that it meets the academic needs of the students (Exhibit II-16: Developing the Multi-Year Plan, Course Enrollment History, Course Completion Review, Scheduling Process and Timetable). The college has made a conscious decision to effectively use distance resources for the benefit of students and community in order to provide educational resources far beyond the limited resources of a small, rural community college. Distance delivery modes include HITS, online delivery, cable television, and videoconferencing. Kaua‘i Community College has developed a detailed Distance Learning Plan that highlights the necessary procedures involved in requesting a distance-learning course and contains the procedures that ensure the validity of course selection (Distance Learning Plan). As of Fall 2005, Kaua‘i Community College has developed seven distance-education courses that include ENG 215, ICS 100, ICS 101, LING 102, NURS 259, SPAN 201, and SPAN 202. Distance-learning courses that are developed and offered from other UHCC campuses serve as an expansion of opportunity for students and the community (UHCC e-Learn ). In Fall 2005, 239 distance-learning courses were available to students. These courses are listed on the college’s course schedule, the college’s website, and the UH System’s websites.

The teaching methodologies employed at the college include demonstrations, experiments, field trips, guest speakers, hands-on learning, Internet enhancement, lectures and group discussions, tutors, portfolios, practicum/internships, research, service learning, student participation, student reports and projects, web research, collaborative learning, and problem-based learning. Teaching methodologies are selected by faculty based on the appropriateness of course content and the diversity of student learning styles. The Course Action Form requires that instructors identify teaching methodologies that will be used in a course and how they will be incorporated into the course.

Some academic programs, such as Nursing, Early Childhood, Office Administration Technology, Accounting, Culinary Arts, and Hotel Operations, have conducted assessments to determine if the teaching methodologies are appropriate for course content and reflective of their student learning needs. Assessments include graduate and current student focus groups, program course evaluations, and student success data (passing/failing rates, student attrition/retention). Some instructors have partnered with The Learning Center’s Coordinator to perform student learning-style assessments. The information is analyzed to address the appropriateness and relevancy of the teaching methodology (Learning Center Program Review).

A central focus of Kaua‘i Community College is student retention and student success. To address this issue, the college has dedicated a variety of resources to assist under-performing students in achieving success. Data shows that a large percentage of KCC students are

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functioning at the remedial level (Exhibit II-17: COMPASS Scores, Fall 2002-Spring 2006). At times, the under-performing student population includes many individuals who are socially, economically, educationally, and culturally disadvantaged. Moreover, the college serves many that face physical, emotional or learning disabilities. To accommodate the needs of under-performing students, the college has developed and/or supported various initiatives. In the 2000-2001 academic year there were 30 self-identified CTE students with disabilities; this number has steadily grown and reached 65 in the 2004-2005 academic year (Exhibit II-18: Increasing Number of CTE Students w/Disabilities).

A pre- and post-survey is provided online for all distance courses, and a student evaluation of faculty is available to faculty by subscription (Online Student Evaluation of Instruction and Result for UHCC e-Learn Online Survey).

Five student support services are available at the college to specifically address student needs and learning styles: The Learning Center, The College Success Program, the Peer Tutoring Program, the Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program, and support services for students with disabilities.

During the Fall 2005 semester, a “Women in Technology” grant was funded by a Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education grant. The activity the campus implemented was “Recruitment and Retention of Women in Technology.” Within this activity there were six goals, including: (1) producing a “Women in Tech” brochure; (2) Recruiting six new women in the Fall 2005 semester; (3) Enabling women already in the field to become concentrators (complete ten vocational credits); (4) Producing role models for high school girls; (5) Linking KCC’s trade website to the IWITTS (Institute of Women in Trades, Technology and Science) site; and (6) Retaining students through “Performance-Based Stipends.”

All of the goals set out by the grant were achieved as documented below:

Enrollment

Program of study

Fall 04 M/F

Spring 05 M/F

Fall 05 M/F Spring 06 M/F

AMT 23/4 16/5 11/5 (l W-illness)

9/4

ABRP 24/1 20/2 30/1 27/1ETRO 19/3 16/4 17/6 16/5

(IRO Data, first Census Date)

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Completion with Certificate and/or Degree(Numbers were taken off the Commencement Program)

Four women made the dean’s list in Fall 05 (1-ETRO, 2-ABRP, and 1-AMT). The program started out with 11 women, and 8 completed. Three certificates were earned and four of the remaining eight were on the dean’s list. The average credits attempted by the eight completers were 13.4 credits. The average credit earned was 13 credits. (Exhibit II-19: Non-Trad Inc. Project Completion Report, UH System Committee, 2006).

The Learning Center (TLC) provides services for students in the form of workshops, computer-assisted training, small-group sessions, and individual appointments and touches upon many subjects relating to student learning (study skills, bi-cultural issues, tutoring, assessment of student learning styles etc.). The center offers tutoring in reading and writing, and trains and supervises tutors who work with students taking various subjects.

In Spring 2005, the college hired a College Success Coordinator and is in the process of defining a College Success Program. Among its other goals, the Center will provide academic services to under-performing students. Services currently offered through the College Success Coordinator include group focus labs (group tutoring), development of Cohort Learning Communities with a Cohort Management team, and a Summer Bridge Program. Teaching methodologies used by these services are proven effective strategies of successful pre-college programs (Case Management Document).

The Peer Assistant Program, funded by a Perkins grant, addresses student-learning styles and enhances teaching methodologies by using an innovative approach that identifies potential tutors enrolled in courses that have high failure/attrition rates and hires them to provide tutorial assistance for registered students. The Peer Tutoring Program, which is also paid for out of Perkins, provides general tutoring for all students, not just those enrolled in a specific class.

Native Hawaiians comprise roughly 20 percent of the college’s student body. The Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program provides services to vocational education majors and pre-vocational education majors of Native Hawaiian descent. The program offers several services that help to assist disadvantaged students through the instruction of credited courses (internships, IS 199V/CASE 193V; Career Exploration and Planning, IS 105; Self-Development and Student Success Strategies, SSCI 101.) Teaching methodologies employed

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Program of study

Fall 04 M/F

Spring 05 M/F

Fall 05 M/F Spring 06 M/F

(Tentative)AMT 0/0 8/1 3/2 4/1ABRP 0/0 6/1 5/1 5/0ETRO 1/1 6/1 0/0 0/0

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within the coursework are proven strategies appropriate to the unique learning styles, including bi-cultural issues, of Native Hawaiians. Native Hawaiians are a special, targeted population that receives state and federal funding.

The counselor for students with disabilities currently assists self-identified students with special learning needs and provides assistance for instructors on teaching methodologies that are appropriate for students with disabilities (Exhibit II-20: Students with Special Needs form). Furthermore, the counselor advises the college on meeting the Federal Disabilities Act to ensure that students with disabilities are provided equal access to services rendered by the college. The counselor regularly sends faculty a newsletter that includes tips and teaching strategies for working with special needs students (Exhibit II-21: ADA Newsletter).Several programs are working to define effective pre-programs to assist under-prepared students to meet entry-level requirements (See Section II.A.1.a).

Self Evaluation

The college has made progress over the past five years to meet the standard. It does take into consideration the diverse needs and learning styles of its students by providing a variety of delivery modes, teaching methodologies, and support services that address the learning needs of under-performing students. The new Course Action Form requires information on delivery modes and teaching methodologies employed in the classroom whether they are face-to-face or distance learning classes. Academic success and student retention continue to be focal points of the campus. However, the assessment strategies described above have generally been limited to federally funded or self-identified special-needs students and have recently begun to be applied to the general student population. The current Title III grant will be used to build on the lessons learned from the various federally funded specialty programs (i.e. Perkins, EPSCOR) to apply with the general student population. The college has had some recent success in obtaining state funding for identified needs. For example, a permanent position has been filled for the counselor for students with disabilities. In addition, internal reallocation decisions have been made in accordance with needs and recommendations from program review; for example, a vacant position was re-described to create the College Success Coordinator.

For the Spring 2005, Fall 2005, and Spring 2006 semesters, the new College Success Program Coordinator piloted focus labs (based on a Supplemental Instruction-style model) for several high-risk courses: History 151, History 152, Microbiology 130, Botany 105, and Spanish 102. The focus labs were student-led study groups, which met twice a week. The labs were developed with the course instructors and were marketed through in-class announcements, posters and brochures. An initial analysis of the grades from the Spring and Fall 2005 semesters shows a positive impact of the labs on student success rates (Exhibit II-22: Focus Labs Summary).

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“During the Spring 2006 semester the college directed its efforts to formulate a cohesive approach to services for the under-prepared students. Many services such as tutoring, College Success cohorts, focus labs, etc. are delivered ad hoc. In the next months several campus conversations on this topic will be held to try to formulate a purposeful plan that will serve a larger number of students in a more effective way. The plan will include recommendations from the Case Management Report, the Title III and Perkins commitments, as well as recommendations that grow out of campus discussions” (Exhibit II-23: Email Assistant Dean of Instruction, April 17, 2006).

The college participated in the CCSSE survey in 2002 and 2004. One of the benchmarks in the survey was ‘active and collaborative learning’ that dealt with class presentations, class discussions, group projects, tutoring, community projects and the like. KCC scored 43.7 against a mean of 42 for other small colleges who participated. In 2004 the score was 55.5 as compared to 50.8. Although the scores between the years cannot be compared since the methodology that was used differed, in each case KCC scored above the average.

Planning Agenda

The college should provide opportunities (professional development, inter-departmental conversations, etc.) for faculty to explore the effectiveness of various teaching methodologies to ensure that all programs address diverse student learning needs and styles. This may include a resource list of teaching methodologies used by faculty.

Programs that use focus groups should incorporate questions about teaching methodologies and delivery modes.

To stimulate dialogue on the campus about effective teaching strategies, the institutional researcher could catalog the different strategies currently being used on the campus and the frequency of their use.

Continue to develop and track in a systematic way College Success services for under-prepared students. Include recommendations from the Case Management Report, the Title III and Perkins commitments, as well as recommendations that grow out of campus discussions.

II.A.2.e. The institution evaluates all courses and programs through an on-going systematic review of their relevance, appropriateness, achievement of learning outcomes, currency, and future needs and plans.

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Descriptive Summary

The systematic review of courses and programs is primarily accomplished through the program review process that focuses on an analysis of relevance, appropriateness, achievement of learning outcomes, currency, and a “big picture view” of future needs and plans. Virtually every program has at least begun the process of developing SLOs, which are in various stages of development. In some cases, SLOs are developed systemwide as a collaborative effort, partly to meet articulation standards, industry standards, accrediting agencies, and task-force requirements.

Relevance is defined differently by the two major educational tracks on campus. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs subscribe to the doctrine of “career relevance,” which is based on the occupational requirements found in the “real-world” – business and industry. The Kaua‘i Community College Catalog describes Career and Technical Education Programs in terms of occupational skills, using such terms as: “Entry-level skills, competency-based, enhance employment and promotion opportunities, articulated career ladder, prepare for certification, become eligible for board exams and licensure.” Liberal Arts programs are described in the KCC Catalog as, “studies that develop general intellectual capacities, such as reason or judgment, rather than specific professional vocational, or technical capacities. These studies encourage students to think clearly and creatively, to seek and assess information, to communicate effectively, to take pleasure in learning, to learn to adapt to change, and to live more consciously, responsibly, and humanely.” Liberal Arts programs tend to define relevance in terms of the “transferability” of credits to four-year institutions, and aspire to broaden students’ minds in ways that will serve them well in various life roles.

Distance Learning is described in the Kaua‘i Community College Catalog as follows: “Kaua’i Community College serves as a University Center for the island of Kaua’i, providing support for courses and programs made available from other institutions within the UH System. Baccalaureate, graduate degrees, and certificates can be obtained on Kaua’i. Programs are delivered via ITV (interactive television), Internet, and/or in person.” Distance Learning is intended to provide a means of broadening students’ academic opportunities. The college has been the leader in the development of a strategic plan for distance learning, the implementation plan for that strategic plan, and the shaping of the shared offering of a large number of distance-delivered courses which can be used toward the AA degree. Distance learning courses are approved through the CAF process.

The Office of Continuing Education and Training (OCET) is not restricted to an academic calendar and is able to provide flexible, timely responses beyond the traditional college curriculum. Its training programs are relevant to the workforce needs in the community as they are responsive to current industry and individual demands. OCET offers courses in Computers, Recreation, Maintenance and Repair, Food Industry/Service and Agriculture, Business, and Non-profit management.

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The Liberal Arts focus is that of the traditional, liberal arts institution. As a result of a systematic review of the Liberal Arts course requirements by the LAH and SAM divisions, the college has maintained its rigorous AA/AS program requirements. As shown on the accompanying chart, the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa requires seven credits in Natural Sciences, while Kaua‘i Community College (KCC) requires ten credits (see shaded areas). UH Manoa requires six credits in the Social Sciences, while KCC requires nine credits. KCC is considering adding one “writing intensive course” as a requirement; currently KCC is the only campus in the UH Community College System that does not require at least one writing intensive course for the A.A. degree.

Comparison of AA/AS RequirementsUH Manoa KCCFoundation RequirementsWritten Communication 3 cr. 3 cr. English 100Symbolic Reasoning 3 cr. 3 cr. Logical ReasoningGlobal/Multicultural 6 cr. 6 cr. History 151-152

Diversification Requirements

Arts/Humanities/Lit (2 Areas) 6 cr. 9 cr. Humanities (3

Groups)Natural Sciences (2 Depts.) 7 cr. 10 cr. Natural Science

(with 1 Lab)

Social Sciences (2 Depts.) 6 cr. 9 cr. Social Sciences(2 disciplines)

Focus RequirementsContemporary Ethical Issues 1 course No

Oral Communication 1 course 3 cr. Oral CommunicationHaw/Asian/Pacific Issues 1 course NoneWriting Intensive 5 courses None

Self Evaluation

The under-preparedness of students is well-documented in COMPASS scores and in figures provided by Noel-Levitz, which reveal that incoming students qualify for remedial and developmental courses at extremely high rates: 60 percent in math, 40 percent in writing, and 25 percent in reading (Exhibit II-24: Noel-Levitz Report 2002).

Fall 2002 Spring 2003 Fall 2003 Spring 2004 Fall 2004 Spring 2005 Fall 2005 Spring 2006Tested into Math22 84 71 113 98 117 110 112 97Tested below Math22 95 95 128 104 112 96 121 91Tested into Eng18 75 72 101 88 98 89 75 72

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Tested into Eng19 107 94 101 91 98 73 83 65Tested below Eng18 4 4 8 9 8 6 5 3Tested below Eng19 104 90 132 118 127 101 100 96Tested below Math22, & 1 0 3 3 5 2 2 2 Below Eng18 & Eng19

(COMPASS Scores, Fall 2002-Spring 2006, Earl Nishiguchi)

In response to the needs of under-prepared students, three courses were developed: English 18 (Reading Essentials), English 19 (Writing Essentials), and Math 22 (Pre-Algebra). A Case Management Design Team was appointed to research different approaches to serving under-prepared students. Of the recommendations the task force presented in the Case Management System Recommendations, the College Council approved a pilot College Success program based on a learning community model. In January 2005 a College Success program was established and a College Success Coordinator was hired.

The college has had ongoing discussions about requiring writing intensive course(s) for the A.A. degree for several years. Although the Language Arts and Humanities and the Science and Math Divisions sent a proposal to the Curriculum Committee recommending the requirement for a writing intensive course for the A.A. degree, it was not approved due to an insufficient number of writing intensive courses being offered in Liberal Arts. Liberal Arts program faculty members are continuing to discuss the issues of offering more WI courses and requiring a writing intensive course as part of the A.A. degree.

In the Liberal Arts Program Review the faculty recognized the need to offer courses fulfilling A.A. degree requirements in the evening so working students can complete their programs.

A calendar of program reviews has been institutionalized, with programs undergoing a full review every five years, and program review updates are done annually.

Planning Agenda

The institutional researcher should design instruments to evaluate the remedial/developmental programs for effectiveness.

The Liberal Arts program should work to increase the number of WI course offerings and continue discussions on requiring one WI course for the A.A. degree.

The college needs to investigate whether the night schedule of courses is meeting the needs of working students and whether it impacts their decision to take on-campus or distance courses to fulfill A.A. degree requirements.

II.A.2.f. The institution engages in ongoing, systematic evaluation and integrated planning to assure currency and measure achievement of its stated student learning

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outcomes for courses, certificates, programs including general and vocational education, and degrees. The institution systematically strives to improve those outcomes and makes the results available to appropriate constituencies.

Descriptive Summary

The Kaua‘i Community College’s Policy Guideline KCCM No. 1-6 on program review defines a systematic evaluation and planning process and assures that there is ongoing review through the program review, annual program review update, and budget decision making. The program review process looks at a variety of qualitative and quantitative evidence: student achievement, enrollment, student demographics, student outcomes, course completion and transfers. The program review should be: objective and data driven; collegial, inclusive, collaborative; focused on importance of outcomes; consistent and openly communicated to both internal and external audiences; and closely tied to operations and strategic planning and decision making. The program review process is based on the mission and goals in the Kaua‘i Community College Strategic Plan for 2003-2010 (KCC Strategic Plan) which was developed in tandem with the UH (University of Hawai‘i System Strategic Plan, 2002–2010) and UHCC System strategic plan efforts (UHCC Strategic Plan). The document placed the college’s goals firmly in the context of the system’s strategic plans.

Anticipatory planning is encouraged at the curriculum level. Programs complete a Multi-Year Plan of Offering (MYPO) from September to November. There are two parts to this plan. (1) Rolling Plan of Offerings – anticipates courses to be offered each semester so there is a two-year plan. Needs growing out of the curriculum are noted on this form which includes courses to be developed, staffing needs, and other resource needs. (2) APRU Prep is an analysis addressing issues raised the previous year and identifies additional needs in curriculum, staffing and additional resources. Since this MYPO is completed by the end of November, the discussion is further developed in the APRU or comprehensive program review the following semester.

The action plans from the comprehensive program review or the APRU is the final step in the process that links data analysis and decision making to resource allocation. The APRU includes an update on the progress made on action plans, a review and analysis of Program Health Indicators and a resource and allocations priorities list. The program review cycle is five years with an APRU during the intervening years. Every program completes either a program review or an APRU at the end of February.

Based upon the analysis of data on such factors as enrollment, workforce needs, transfer rates, program efficiency, student achievement, and, eventually, Student Learning Outcomes, programs develop a set of action plans in their program reviews. These action plans then become the basis of the annual status reports embodied in the APRUs.Each spring semester, the College Council reviews the action items from all program plans. The plans detail the Strategic Goal and program goal being addressed, the steps the program

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will take, the resources needed, person responsible, timeline and performance indicators. In other words, the action plan says what issue or problem they will be addressing, what steps they will take, what kind of funding, if any, they need (internal or requesting additional), who will be responsible for taking which steps, what they intend to accomplish, and how they will know if the action has made a difference.

Some of the college’s vocational programs are tied to meeting current national standards. Nursing, Automotive, and Auto Body and Repair measure student learning against national standards and the curriculum is therefore guided to help the students meet these standards (NCLEX, I-CAR, ASE). Another example is the Culinary Arts program, which seeks to abide by American Culinary Arts Federation (ACF) Accrediting Commission’s competencies in their degree program.

The institution systematically strives to improve those outcomes and to inform the college’s constituencies/stakeholders (instructors, students, parents of students, the general public at large) of Kaua‘i Community College’s goals, progress and plans. One of the chancellor’s goals is to compile an annual report for Kaua‘i Community College to inform the general public of our mission, goals, enrollment data, budget, etc. and have it placed on the college website for open review. The college’s accreditation reports are located on the website for public access and the reports are also made available in print in the library. In addition, all of the program reviews and APRUs are on the web and intranet, CampusDocs.

Self Evaluation

The Kaua‘i Community College’s Policy Guideline No. 1-6 on program review defines the evaluation and planning process and assures that there is ongoing review through the program review, APRU, and budget decision making, and has been an invaluable tool in keeping the college on track in systematic evaluation and future action planning of the college’s programs. We are in the initial stage of the program review cycle and are using data much more effectively and regularly to make decisions to make improvements.

Data collection and analysis is a vital part of evaluating the college’s programs. There are several developments that have an impact on data collection and analysis. The COMPASS placement exam provides valuable demographic data. The Banner System is a repository for student personal and academic information. The SAS System, in the process of being purchased through Title III Grant funds, will establish a systemwide way of tracking student data. The UH IRO (Institutional Research Office) now allows campuses to access the Operational Data Store (ODS) to download data into Microsoft Excel for conversion into charts and graphs, as needed. ODS data is available at two freeze events, at the beginning (Census) and at the end of each semester (EOS).

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While Kaua’i Community College and the University of Hawai‘i System collect raw data, we have had a permanent Institutional Researcher only since Spring 2006, and this vacancy has impaired our ability to analyze data for improvement in courses and programs.

Planning Agenda

The Institutional Researcher should provide statistical information to be included in the annual report for the college to keep the general public informed.

II.A.2.g. If the institution uses departmental course and/or program examinations, it validates their effectiveness in measuring student learning and minimizes test biases.

Descriptive Summary

Due to the small (i.e. one-person) size of most departments, the college does not use departmental course and/or program examinations. However, the Nursing, Automotive, and Electronics programs utilize nationally recognized vendors to measure the effectiveness of student learning. These standardized tests are carefully selected by the participating program to ensure minimal test biases. For example, as a CISCO Networking Academy, the Electronics program participates in the CISCO certification testing. This program has been internationally implemented and is validated by the industry.

In January 2004, the Office of Continuing Education and Training implemented competency-based tests in its contract training series for the County of Kaua‘i. These assessments were directly aligned with the training materials used for the various computer classes. Since many of the computer classes were divided into various progressive workshops, students were required to meet required competencies before progressing to advanced courses.

Self Evaluation

To the extent that Career Technical Educational and non-credit professional training programs at the college utilize standardized tests, they validate the effectiveness of the tests through the relevancy of the content and the demands of the industry.

Planning Agenda

The college will continue to rely only on industry-validated standardized tests.

II.A.2.h. The institution awards credit based on student achievement of the course’s stated learning outcomes. Units of credit awarded are consistent with institutional policies that reflect generally accepted norms or equivalencies in higher education.

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Descriptive Summary

The faculty at Kaua‘i Community College is in the process of documenting Student Learning Outcomes for all of their courses. The Curriculum Committee must approve up-dated course outlines for all existing courses, including SLOs and the means by which student mastery of the SLOs will be measured. This process will be ensured through the use of the Course Action Form (CAF) and should be completed by the fall of 2010. All new courses approved by the college will be required to identify SLOs and the means for their measurement. Faculty teaching the courses will be expected to ensure that students successfully completing their courses have mastered the SLOs through the use of the measurement tools included in the course outlines. All current syllabi include learning objectives, and the awarding of credit is based upon the student’s successful demonstration of his/her achievement of those objectives.

The college ensures that units of credit awarded are consistent with its policies through institutional review by the various divisions, the Curriculum Committee, the Office of the Dean of Instruction, and the chancellor. The college follows generally accepted practice in defining the units of credit. For example a three-credit lecture course is expected to meet for a minimum of 45 hours in the course of a semester.

An external check on units of credit is the articulation process, which enables the college to be assured its courses reflect generally accepted norms in higher education. Articulation agreements have been formalized with other campuses in the UH System, as well as with other colleges and universities in Hawai‘i and on the Mainland.

Self Evaluation

The key document that has been developed to clearly document that both credits and certificates/degrees awarded by the college are based on stated learning outcomes (at both the course and program level) is the Course Action Form. The program faculty and the Curriculum Committee have only just begun to make use of this form, but over the next five years the Curriculum Committee will review every course offered by the college (20 percent each year). When the process is complete, every course should have documented, measurable SLOs and a clear connection between assessment methods and SLOs. All new courses are developed using the new form.

The key section of the CAF which addresses the connection between assessment in a given course and the Student Learning Outcomes is Section G. In this part, the faculty member is asked to list the types of assessment methods to be used for each SLO. The Curriculum Committee has been developing a series of “tips” primarily addressing the mechanics of the form. As faculty develop more comfort with the process, they can begin to engage in more substantive discussions about the SLOs and assessment methods.

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Planning Agenda

The college will complete the conversion of all existing course documentation to the new CAF.

Workshops or other support will be provided to faculty who are having difficulties with completing the conversions.

II.A.2.i. The institution awards degrees and certificates based on student achievement of a program’s stated learning outcomes.

Descriptive Summary

All programs at the college have developed or (as in the case of the Liberal Arts program) are revising program-level Student Learning Outcomes. In many cases the SLOs are determined by standards established by external organizations such as the National Automotive Teacher Education Foundation, the American Culinary Federation Accrediting Commission, or the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, etc. All courses required for completion of a degree or certificate contributes to the mastery of the program’s SLOs. Collectively, these required and elective courses will address all of the SLOs, and successful completion of all of the required coursework will ensure mastery of the program’s SLOs. One way the college is documenting that all of a program’s SLOs are addressed is through the use of the Course Action Form (CAF) and ensuring that the various course SLOs do, in fact, address the entire program’s SLOs. Individual program faculty, division heads and the Dean of Instruction are responsible to make sure that all SLOs are collectively addressed by the required courses. The Office of Admissions and Records is responsible for verifying that all requirements have been met—all required courses have been passed—before students receive their degrees or certificates.

External examinations in some areas such as Nursing, Automotive Technology, and Auto Body Repair and Painting have validated the rigor of our programs. Other programs, such as Hotel Operations, Culinary Arts, Early Childhood, and Nursing have relied on feedback from employers (Exhibit II-9: KCCM 1-7). They and other programs are in the process of developing surveys for both graduates and employers. The Liberal Arts program has relied, in part, on the success of its graduates at four-year institutions. All students who participate in the graduation ceremony are surveyed to assess their satisfaction with their KCC experience.

Self Evaluation

The key document that has been developed to ensure that certificates/degrees awarded by the college are based on stated learning outcomes at the program level is the Course Action Form.

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When the CAF process is complete every course should have developed SLOs that are aligned with appropriate program SLOs. If program SLOs need to be modified as a result of student achievement on external examinations, feedback from employers, or the Graduate and Leavers Survey, then courses and course SLOs will also have to be modified.

The Liberal Arts program initially adopted the campus-level SLOs as its program SLOs. Subsequent dialogue resulted in a desire to incorporate more content-based outcomes. The program is currently looking at proposed revisions of the program SLOS.

Planning Agenda

The Liberal Arts program needs to finalize revised program SLOs. Program SLOs and course SLOs should be continually reviewed in the light of the

results of focus groups, employer and student surveys, external examinations and other assessment instruments.

All programs will complete the mapping matrix, begun in our first assessment workshop, to map campus-wide and program SLOs to program courses.

II.A.3. The institution requires of all academic and vocational degree programs a component of general education based on a carefully considered philosophy that is clearly stated in its catalog. The institution, relying on the expertise of its faculty, determines the appropriateness of each course for inclusion in the general education curriculum by examining the stated learning outcomes for the course.

General education has comprehensive learning outcomes for the students who complete it, including the following:

II.A.3.a. An understanding of the basic content and methodology of the major areas of knowledge: areas include the humanities and fine arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences.

Descriptive Summary

The philosophy and rationale for the general education component are stated in the catalog on page 72 under Liberal Arts. General education courses “encourage students to think clearly and creatively, to seek and assess information, to communicate effectively, to take pleasure in learning, to learn to adapt to change, and to live more consciously, responsibly, and humanely. This philosophy is aligned with the UHCC System AA Degree and AS Degree Task Force reports, which described the structure and competencies of these degrees (CCCM 6004).

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All degree programs at Kaua‘i Community College require a general education component. Kaua‘i Community College’s 2005-2006 Catalog clearly states that the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Applied Science degrees require the completion of at least 60 semester credits hours with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 for all courses applicable toward the degree. The general education credits required by the A.A.S. degree programs range from a low of six credits in Culinary Arts to a high of 21 credits in Accounting.

For a general education course to be approved as part of a program, faculty members, in preparing a Course Action Form (CAF), specify in question #7 on page 5 which general education category the course meets. These courses are reviewed by faculty at the program and division level and also by the Curriculum Committee before final approval by the chancellor. These categories reflect the UHCC systemwide articulation agreements regarding the AS degree, as well as the AA degree. Certain learning outcomes are expected of any course in the specified general education area. The general expectations are outlined in the AS Degree Task Force report, which is incorporated as an appendix to CCCM 6004. For example, the Student Learning Outcomes identified in the area of Social Environment are:

Students will be able to:

-understand issues involved in ethnocentrism;

-understand the issues in the formation of ethical principles;

-understand the relationships between political and economic institutions;

-understand economic cause and effect and how economic systems influence the behavior of individuals and groups;

-understand and utilize the processes involved in personal and career goal-setting and decision making;

-understand the significance of work in our lives and how work patterns reflect values and shape the social climate of culture;

-identify, understand, and appreciate the uniqueness of oneself.

The development of the campus-wide SLOs was aligned with and borrowed much from the general education descriptions developed by the systemwide groups.

The CAF also requires faculty to list the Student Learning Outcomes for each course and how those outcomes will be assessed. Then the course is reviewed and approved by the

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division, Curriculum Committee, Dean of Instruction, and the chancellor. Every five years each course will be reviewed as part of the cycle of general education course review

As part of its general education program, Kaua‘i Community College offers its students a wide range of courses in the humanities (41 courses), natural science (45 courses), and social science (16 courses). To meet the rationale and philosophy of general education, a student must take at least three courses from each of the areas (humanities, natural science, and social science) for the A.A. and A.S. degrees.

The Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S) is a 2-year technical-occupational-professional degree and it requires general education courses under the following categories: Cultural Environment, Natural Environment, Oral Communication, Social Environment, and Written Communication. The college offers the A.A.S. degree in 10 areas (KCC Catalog, page 56).Certificate programs may require some courses in general education to meet industry standards (KCC Catalog, pages 56-77).

Self Evaluation

Beginning in Fall 2004, the college instituted a multi-year plan of offerings for each program, including Liberal Arts, which houses the courses, to ensure that students have an appropriate selection of general education courses to select from and that the courses that they need will be offered. The rationale for the multi-year plan is to provide a more complete and cohesive process for scheduling (Schedule of Classes Procedures).

Program and course SLOs are being reviewed through the CAF process. A master list of all courses, broken down by general education categories (cultural environment, natural environment, communication, social environment, and written and oral communication) was prepared by the former Dean of Instruction in a document dated January 26, 1998. This list has been subsequently updated by the current dean to reflect curricular changes since that time. The courses are also listed on the program student advising sheets and the catalog. In order to assure that this information is updated in a timely and accurate fashion, the college has reallocated a clerk-steno position from the Chancellor’s Office to an administrative/professional/technical position under the Dean of Instruction. This position will manage, coordinate, and facilitate the schedule, catalog, and student advising sheet updates to ensure consistency, accuracy and timeliness.

Planning Agenda

The master list of courses meeting the A.A.S. general education should be updated as all courses go through the CAF process. The planned position must be filled by Fall 2006.

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SLOs for all general education courses should continue to be clearly documented in the CAF process over the next five years.

II.A.3.b. A capability to be a productive individual and life long learner: skills include oral and written communication, information competency, computer literacy, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical analysis/logical thinking, and the ability to acquire knowledge through a variety of means.

Descriptive Summary

The skills that help graduates be productive individuals and life long learners are developed through oral and written communication, information competency, computer literacy, scientific and quantitative reasoning, and critical analysis/logical thinking. “Courses which include these outcomes encourage students to think clearly and creatively, to seek and assess information, to communicate effectively, to take pleasure in learning, to learn to adapt to change, and to live more consciously, responsibly, and humanely” (KCC Catalog, page 72 and the KCC Mission Statement).

To address the need for general education courses to clearly include these outcomes, in the Fall of 2001, Dr. Joyce Tsunoda, former Chancellor of University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges, formed an Associate in Arts Task Force with a two-fold purpose: (1) to facilitate compliance with new accreditation standards and hence expectations and (2) to allow for effective articulation and transfer of UHCC general education credits within the system. The task force developed the following themes: critical reasoning/cognitive skills, communication skills, comprehension and knowledge, and application of conception/communicative skills. Added to these traditional “themes” were information retrieval and management skills and a variety of personal skills such as teamwork, cooperation, self-management, and responsibility.

As noted above, this report and the companion report from the A.S. Degree Task Force were incorporated into system policy, CCCM 6004, which governs the degrees and certificates awarded by the college. In addition, the reports were foundational resources for the development of the college’s campus-wide SLOs of Communication, Cognition, Information Competency, Social Responsibility and Personal Responsibility. The general education component of each degree is primarily responsible for ensuring these student-learning outcomes are achieved.

Self Evaluation

The college is committed to assessing and improving one of the five campus-level SLOs each year (Exhibit II-25: Assessment Committee Convocation Presentation Power Point). In 2004-2005, the college began with the campus-level Communication SLO. During the 2005-2006 year, the focus has been on the Information Competency SLO. In 2004-2005 a series of

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workshops was offered by the Assessment Committee on developing and assessing Student Learning Outcomes, with a particular emphasis on the outcomes for communication. A variety of approaches were presented including the use of rubrics, objective testing, projects, oral presentations, and others (Exhibit II-26: Assessment Workshop). In Spring 2005, faculty members were supposed to ensure the Communication SLO was clearly documented in their course syllabi. All programs began a matrix to document how various SLOs are addressed through the required coursework (Exhibit II-27: SLO Matrices).

Although the process began strongly, due to major campus commitments, including program reviews, campus reorganization dialogue, and the accreditation self study process itself, as well as the loss of our Institutional Researcher, the campus-wide assessment step stalled. KCC is a small college with a limited number of faculty and staff, and it is difficult to work on several major initiatives at one time because everyone is already serving on numerous college committees, as well as working on their primary duties.

The Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC) developed and implemented a baseline test of IT skills, which is administered along with the COMPASS placement test. It will give us basic data about the skill levels of our students. Library staff throughout the system has developed an online training module on information literacy, which is available to all students. The Cognition SLO is the next focus, followed by Social Responsibility and Personal Responsibility.

Planning Agenda

The college should set realistic priorities and timelines on the Academic Calendar for managing all the various projects the campus needs to do and should hold people accountable for adhering to these deadlines to ensure that they are met.

The college should continue to support faculty working on major campus projects and initiatives, including the documenting and assessing of campus, program and course SLOs by providing adequate assigned time.

II.A.3.c. A recognition of what it means to be an ethical human being and effective citizen: qualities include an appreciation of ethical principles; civility and interpersonal skills; respect for cultural diversity; historical and aesthetic sensitivity; and the willingness to assume civic, political, and social responsibilities locally, nationally, and globally.

Descriptive Summary

The college through its campus-wide SLOs, general education courses, and service learning opportunities recognizes the importance of students becoming ethical human beings and effective citizens. Some programs have specific components that focus on ethics and

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professionalism. For example, the nursing program requires two courses, Nursing 158 and 258 (Issues and Trends in Nursing) on ethical and legal aspects of nursing practice. Amedical ethics course, Philosophy 250, is strongly recommended to nursing and health science students. The Business Division requires all students to read and understand the Division Policy on Professionalism and Business Etiquette.

Liberal Arts offer a variety of courses that focus on ethics and effective citizenry. There are two philosophy courses, Philosophy 101 (Morals and Society) and Philosophy 250 (Ethics in Health Care). Speech courses, such as Speech 20 and 151, include interpersonal communication skills. Courses in Hawaiian studies and Hawaiian language, as well as French, Japanese, and Spanish offer opportunities to experience cultural diversity.

Also, history, literature, art and music courses, such as History 284 (History of the Hawaiian Islands) and History 284K (History of Kaua‘i), English 253 and 254 (World Literature), English 261 (Literature of the Pacific), EALL 272 (Japanese Literature in Translation –Modern), Art 101 (Introduction to the Visual Arts), Music 253 (Basic Experiences of Music), and Hawaiian Studies 261 (Hawaiian Literature in English) expose students to a variety of cultural expressions and aesthetic experiences.

Courses in the social sciences including political science, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and economics focus on the civic, political, and social arenas.

A major way to expose students to civil responsibilities is through service learning opportunities. Some courses require service learning, while other courses offer it as an option (See Section II.B.3.b).

Self Evaluation

With the adoption of the campus SLOs for Social Responsibility and Personal Responsibility in 2004, respect for diversity and effective citizenship were formally recognized in the curriculum. These campus SLOs will be further developed in 2007-2009.

While there are many courses listed in the catalog that contribute to the development of ethical and social responsibility, and cultural and aesthetic sensitivities, some have not been regularly offered (Enrollment History). The college must balance enrollment demand with the desire to offer a variety of courses. The multi-year plan of offerings (MYPO) is a planning tool which will allow programs to plan for course rotation in a meaningful way, anticipating, for example, offering certain courses in conjunction with significant historical anniversaries or events.

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Planning Agenda

The Service Learning Coordinator should track service learning participation at the college by developing a list of courses that utilize service learning, a list of community organizations that KCC students work with and the number of students that participate in service learning opportunities. Faculty should evaluate the effectiveness of student learning and outcomes as a result of these experiences.

Campus programs should continue to use the MYPO to plan course offerings to insure a diverse selection of courses.

The campus should consider developing a business ethics course to serve the needs of students.

II.A.4. All degree programs include focused study in at least one area of inquiry or in an established interdisciplinary core.

Descriptive Summary

All 15 instructional programs that lead to an associate degree at Kaua‘i Community College are designed to provide students a significant introduction to the broad areas of knowledge, their theories and methods of inquiry, and focused study in a least one area of inquiry or established interdisciplinary core (KCC Catalog, pages 56-71). Of the 60+ credits required to meet the degree requirements at the associates level, programs generally expect over 50 percent of them to be major courses. Some programs, such as Auto Body Repair and Painting have organized the curriculum into modules which can be completed separately as certificates or built upon to reach a degree.

The AA degree, as a general education program, does not specify a major but is interdisciplinary in nature and, through distribution requirements, ensures that student learning encompasses the campus-wide SLOs. Academic Subject Certificates are also available in Hawaiian Studies, for those students who are particularly interested in Hawaiian culture. In addition, counselors can help students intending to transfer to professional schools to choose the proper courses to assure a smooth transition to a baccalaureate program.

Self Evaluation

The college meets the standard. The career and technical programs, in particular, regularly assess the competencies and skills delivered in each course to ensure that the Student Learning Outcomes are in line with industry standards.

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The multi-year plan of offerings for the A.A. degree is an important planning tool to assure that the most useful courses are being offered to move students toward their degree goals in a timely way.

Planning Agenda

The college will continue to regularly review the structure of program offerings to ensure continued compliance with this standard.

II.A.5. Students completing vocational and occupational certificates and degrees demonstrate technical and professional competencies that meet employment and other applicable standards and are prepared for external licensure and certification.

Descriptive Summary

In several programs, students must pass national licensure or certification tests. Students in the Nursing program have to pass the NCLEX licensure exam to qualify for the LPN and RN licenses. In the Auto Mechanics (eight areas) program, students are certified through Student Profile and Automotive Service Excellence (NATEF ASE) tests but students must also gain work experience before being awarded certificates. Some programs are accredited to insure that they meet national and professional standards. The Early Childhood Education Program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The Culinary Arts faculty is working toward getting the program accredited by the American Culinary Federation (ACF). Licensure results for Nursing have shown steady improvement over the past few years.

Program Test % Of Students Passing

2003

% of Students Passing

2004

% of Students Passing

2005Nursing – RN NCLEX - RN 92% 94% 100%

For the Automotive program, the graph indicates that over a period of seven years, the performance of students on the National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (NATEF) exam showed slight improvement in all areas. Improvement in engine, air-conditioning and heat, and electrical has been minimal. Currently, all pass rates are above 70 percent.

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Every Career Technical Education (CTE) program has an advisory committee. One of the uses of the committee is to review the program and to make recommendations for industry currency and program improvement (Exhibit II-28: CTE Advisory Committee Meeting minutes).

Self Evaluation

As a result of recommendations from Advisory Committees, the Auto Body, Auto Mechanics, Culinary Arts, Nursing, and Hospitality Services faculty have made changes to their programs (Exhibit I-18: Curriculum Committee Meeting Minutes).

For example, the Culinary program was redesigned in 2003 to meet the needs for short -term training to meet workplace demands and to align the program with the required Student Learning Outcomes for the American Culinary Federation accreditation standards. The business employers wanted specific competencies and the faculty developed a Certificate of Competence for students needing remedial help. This program addresses academic remediation for students that do not qualify for the Associate of Applied Science requirements by including a remedial industrial math component into the program. Also, it offers a career exploration course for students who are unsure of their future career. In the first year of this program, 9 students qualified for the AAS program out of 20 enrolled students (45 percent). In the second year of this program, there were 8 who qualified out of 20 enrolled students (40 percent). The program faculty members are in the process of analyzing data to see if the redesigned program is an improvement in meeting the needs of the students and employers (Food Services Mini-Program Review).

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The Nursing program developed a three-year pilot program, the Academy for Future Nurses, under an EPSCOR grant, to address the needs of under-prepared students who wanted to pursue a career in nursing (See Section II.A.1.a). Eighty-eight percent of the Academy’s students received passing scores on the NLN-RN pre-admission test, compared with 55 percent of all other applicants.

UH Program Coordinating Councils for each vocational and professional program have developed horizontal articulation programs that insure that students in common programs meet the same outcomes and competencies throughout the UH System. Since Summer 2004, Carol Pang and Jean Hara from the Office of the Associate Vice President for Academic Planning and Policy, UH Community Colleges, have been meeting with faculty from UH System community colleges from the various programs such as Hospitality and Travel (HOST), Business Technology (BUSN), Information and Computer Science, etc. to articulate and agree on common course alphas, numbers, titles, descriptions, SLOs, etc. This articulation agreement allows students from these programs to seamlessly transfer to the same programs at other UH community colleges (Exhibit II-29: Articulation Agreements and more discussion in Section II.A.6.a.).

The KCC instructors teaching in career and technical areas are exploring the use of valid and reliable standardized tests to measure their students’ learning outcomes. For example, the hospitality program may use the American Hotel and Lodging textbooks which contain standardized final examinations which are graded by the Association. For Microsoft Office software, there are the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) tests in Word, Excel, Access, etc. The students will benefit because they can use the certificates when applying for jobs. The Electronics program is already a CISCO networking academy.

Planning Agenda

Instructors should consider exploring the use of standardized tests to measure Student Learning Outcomes.

II.A.6. The institution assures that students and prospective students receive clear and accurate information about educational courses and programs and transfer policies. The institution describes its degrees and certificates in terms of their purpose, content, course requirements, and expected student learning outcomes. In every class section students receive a course syllabus that specifies learning objectives consistent with those in the institution’s officially approved course outline.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College (KCC) uses internal processes, structures, and systematic procedures to achieve the objectives stated in Standard II.A.6. Several projects are intended

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to help provide assurance that information about programs is clear and accurate: the Multi-Year Plan of Offerings, the fit of the Student Advising Sheet with the Multi-Year Plan of Offerings, and the extensively revised Course Action Form.

The college has developed the Multi-Year Plan of Offerings that includes both a Rolling Plan of Offerings and a chart of anticipated curricular and other actions and anticipated staffing and resource needs, which are completed in the fall semester of each year. The Rolling Plan ensures that the college knows what courses will be offered over a two-year period. This process provides improved opportunity to assess the effectiveness of course timing and to spot inconsistencies that will confuse students or keep them from progressing toward their educational goals. The information will be provided on the KCC website so that students can plan which courses they will take in particular semesters. In the chart, the program analyzes data relating to what courses are offered when and how. Growing from the curriculum, the needs chart reviews curriculum changes and needs, staffing needs, and supplies and equipment needs in preparation for the development of the APRU, which is finalized in the spring semester for review by the College Council as it makes funding recommendations to the chancellor. The college has reallocated a position from the Chancellor’s Office to the Dean’s Office to manage, coordinate and facilitate the development of the schedule, catalog, and student advising sheets to ensure consistency and accuracy with respect to the MYPO and official curricular actions.

Since an increasing number of students self-advise, the Student Advising Sheets will also be provided on the KCC website. The Advising Sheets must accurately reflect planned offerings.

The movement of all active courses to the new Course Action Form (CAF) over a five-year period provides opportunity for the accuracy, currency, and fit of courses in the program to be reviewed.

The Dean of Instruction’s Office and the academic programs annually review the academic information published in the KCC Catalog and ensure that information placed on the college website is consistent with the catalog. The catalog lists the degree and certificate programs available at KCC and provides a description of them in the Instructional Programs section. The catalog also provides information on the purposes of programs, course content, and course requirements. Course descriptions, course hours, and required prerequisites and co-requisites are noted in the Course Descriptions section of the catalog. Yearly, the faculty is asked to review their sections of the catalog and submit changes. Those changes are checked against curriculum committee actions. Changes in curriculum are added to the new KCC Catalog. As noted above, a position has been reallocated internally to manage this increasingly complex and important process.

Program information in the catalog is used in developing some program information brochures (Nursing, Hawaiian Studies, and OCET). Effective Spring 2006, the printed

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schedule of classes includes course prerequisites and descriptions. The program review process provides the opportunity for programs to self-assess the clarity and accuracy of their program information.

Course syllabi are expected to include the course description in the catalog. The instructor may choose to add additional information that helps the student understand the particular approach that will be used in the section in which the student is enrolled.

The new Course Action Form (CAF) requires inclusion of Student Learning Outcomes and means of assessing those outcomes. The college has mapped a plan for ongoing review of curriculum in which 20 percent of the courses will be moved from the old course proposal form to the new CAF each year. The 2005-2006 year is the first year for movement to the new form. Courses proposed this year use the new form and thus include Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in the CAF and in the sample syllabus. Some faculty are also providing information on the assessment of these outcomes in their sample syllabi. A process for tracking course movement to the new CAF, with presentation and assessment of course specific SLOs in the syllabus, is established and will provide an update to faculty each semester (Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 Course Tracking spreadsheet).

The college expects that all instructors will provide course syllabi to their students either through hard copy or electronic means. It is expected that the SLOs are consistent with those in the course outline approved by the Curriculum Committee. The program review process requires programs to monitor their progress on development of SLOs, inclusion of SLOs in the course syllabi, identification of means of assessing SLOs, and reporting of whether students met the SLOs.

Instructors are asked to submit their course syllabi electronically every semester to the Office of the Dean of Instruction. A tracking system has been established (Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 Course Tracking spreadsheet). This tracking form will be completed at the end of each semester; thus Division Chairs will have information on courses moved to the new CAF, syllabi submitted, and the documentation of SLOs and assessment of SLOs.

The new CAF requires course SLOs to be aligned with campus-level SLOs and program level SLOs. Course proposals submitted for approval to the Curriculum Committee must include a syllabus which defines Student Learning Outcomes, sometimes still called course objectives in the syllabus. The Curriculum Committee has provided a statement of expectations regarding the way SLOs are written for the CAF (CAF Handbook).

Evaluation of probationary and non-probationary faculty by the Division Chair, the Division Personnel Committee, and administration includes an opportunity to review and suggest improvements in faculty’s syllabi. In their self-assessments, probationary and non-probationary faculty have opportunities to assess SLOs to improve program delivery. The program review process provides for review of program curriculum.

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Self Evaluation

A process for coordinating the course/program approval process with the use of Student Advising Sheets is being developed. It is important that the Student Advising Sheets, which includes all degree and certificate course requirements, be carefully compared with the Multi-Year Plan of Offerings to ensure that what the student sees is accurate and updated in a timely manner. Because the Multi-Year Plan of Offerings reflects faculty decision making, the Student Advising Sheets must also reflect that decision making. The process involves divisions in making curriculum changes that are approved by the Curriculum Committee.

The college has recognized that there have been issues around accuracy of information. The curriculum review process with the new CAF is more thorough, detailed and demanding, so the college decided to reallocate a clerk-steno position in the Chancellor’s Office to create an APT (Administrative/Professional/Technical) position in the Dean’s Office. This position will be responsible for organizing, tracking, and aligning the curriculum documentation to ensure that accurate information is made available in a timely way.

Several sections of the CAF under construction or modification will be reviewed after use of the CAF this year. A number of faculty have requested workshops in which faculty can be assisted in filling out the new form. The Division Chairs are looking at workshop materials on SLO development and sample syllabi from each division to better understand the need for consistency at the division level, in how course SLOs will be stated. The college has discussed including course SLOs in the course description information in the college catalog. The Curriculum Committee has issued tip sheets to assist faculty in completing the CAF forms (Tips for Minimizing CAF Changes).

As of March 17, 2006, 61 course syllabi have been submitted to the Dean of Instruction (Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 Course Tracking spreadsheet). The use of the new tracking process will provide feedback that should encourage a greater submission rate and increased awareness of the need to provide SLOs and information on assessment of SLOs. There has been discussion of putting all course syllabi online so they are available to students. The expectation that faculty provide their course syllabi electronically each semester provides a procedure which will note whether syllabi have been provided, whether course SLOs are included, and whether assessment of those SLOs is described in the syllabus (Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 Course Tracking spreadsheet).

Planning Agenda

The college needs to make sure the process for coordinating the Multi-Year Plan of Offerings and the Student Advising Sheets is institutionalized.

The new coordinator position for educational courses and programs should be defined and the hiring should be completed by Fall 2006.

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The Curriculum Committee should provide workshops to assist faculty on how to properly complete the required CAF form.

Information on the progress on the review and revision of the CAF forms should be provided to all faculty with clear instructions provided on any changes in the form.

The Course Tracking Form should be completed each semester and its use in determining curriculum actions documented, evaluated and disseminated to appropriate faculty and programs to assist future planning efforts. The most current form should be made available on the college website and updated regularly.

II.A.6.a. The institution makes available to its students clearly stated transfer-of-credit policies in order to facilitate the mobility of students without penalty. In accepting transfer credits to fulfill degree requirements, the institution certifies that the expected learning outcomes for transferred courses are comparable to the learning outcomes of its own courses. Where patterns of student enrollment between institutions are identified, the institution develops articulation agreements as appropriate to its mission.

Descriptive Summary Transfer issues within the UH System are covered in general in the Board of Regents’ (BOR Policies and Bylaws, Chapter 5), Academic Affairs, Section 5-13.

Section 5-13, a. notes that, as a comprehensive statewide system, it is important that coordination and cooperation amongst campus instructional units occurs permitting students to start their education at one campus and, through productive study in a planned program, succeed in achieving their educational objective by graduating from another campus.

Students wishing to transfer should be assisted through appropriate counseling and advising, and efficient student and course transfer procedures. This process should be “as simple and predictable as possible” and “Unreasonable institutional barriers to transfer should be eliminated” (Section 5-13, b). Section 5-13,c. mandates that “All university and campus policies and practices affecting student and course transfer shall be periodically reviewed to ensure that they are founded on sound academic principles and designed and implemented in a manner which facilitates the smooth flow of students towards successful completion of their postsecondary educational goals.”

The specific executive policy covering articulation within the UH System is E5.209. The University Council on Articulation (UCA) reviews UH System articulation policies, such as E5.209 (UCA policies).

The latest revision of Executive Policy E5.209 - Student Transfer and Inter-campus Articulation was finalized on March 13, 2006 and contains the updated executive policy and

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the transfer and articulation policy guidelines for the UH System. This document includes general principles and assumptions, transfer of courses and credits, transfer of students, lead responsibilities and procedures, and appendices covering the web sites for the Joint Statement on the Transfer and Award of Credit, Procedure for Articulation to UH-Manoa's General Education Foundations Requirement, and Kapi‘olani Community College Foundation Board Portfolio.

In addition to articulation agreements within the UH System, KCC also has articulation agreements with other colleges, such as Hawai‘i Pacific University and Chaminade University.

Self Evaluation

The KCC Catalog provides general information about Kaua‘i Community College, its programs and services, and summarizes those major policies and procedures of relevance to the student. A caveat warns the students that the “information contained in the catalog is not necessarily complete. For further information, students should consult with the appropriate unit.” (page 3). A summary description of the programs, as well as the degrees and certificates, can be found on page 17 of the online catalog. A more definitive description of the different types of certificates and degrees offered at KCC is found on page 57. The matrix on page 56 allows the students to relate the type of certificate and degree with each instructional program. A complete description of each instructional program and certificate/program course requirements follows on pages 58 to 77. The procedure and requirements for transferring credits from other institutions is discussed on page 22 of the online version of the college catalog. Additional information on programs is available by clicking on the “Program” link on KCC’s Website.

The University of Hawai‘i System has created a website that is devoted to transferring within the system (Transfer to a UH Campus). A number of Career/Technical Education programs are undergoing articulation across the UHCC or UH System (Hospitality and Touring (HOST) articulation agreement, Business Technology (BT) articulation agreement, and Information and Computer Science (ICS) articulation agreements). Kaua‘i Community College Curriculum Committee processes have been developed for reviewing and incorporating these articulation agreements into the Kaua‘i Community College curriculum (Exhibit II-30: Curriculum Committee Process for Handling System Articulation Agreements). There are a number of specific details requiring attention to ensure that students are informed. Course elements such as alpha number, description, and pre-requisites may need to be changed in the Catalog, Student Advising Sheets, and campus brochures.

Transfer and articulation information to UH Manoa is available via the Kaua‘i schedule web page at the UH Manoa website (Articulated Courses).

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Faculty and program counselors have also developed articulation agreements with non-UH campuses in several disciplines, such as in the Business Division (Business Articulation Agreements).

Planning Agenda

Information on transfer policies and articulation agreements need to be available to all students and faculty in electronic and hard copy forms.

KCC should develop a transfer information web page with articulation information and transfer guidelines and make it easily accessible to students and faculty.

Articulation information should be accurately reflected in the Catalog, Student Advising Sheets, and campus brochures.

There is a need to review all articulation agreements for courses and programs with non-UH campuses and to ensure that copies are housed in the Dean of Instruction’s Office.

An accurate, complete file of articulation agreements with non-UH campuses should be housed in the Dean of Instruction’s Office.

II.A.6.b. When programs are eliminated or program requirements are significantly changed, the institution makes appropriate arrangements so that enrolled students may complete their education in a timely manner with a minimum of disruption.

Descriptive Summary

The establishment and termination of programs for the UH System is covered in BOR Policies and Bylaws, Chapter 5, Academic Affairs. The policy indicates, “commitments to students already enrolled in such programs shall be met but no new program admissions shall take place” (Section 5-1 b (3)). The college makes every effort to ensure that students who have begun an established program, which is subsequently modified or terminated, can complete their education in a timely and efficient manner.

Self Evaluation

Kaua‘i Community College has procedures in place to allow students to complete programs if they are modified or eliminated based upon the Board of Regents policy Section 5-1 under Academic Affairs. When an academic program is modified or terminated, courses required for the program are offered, even if low enrolled, so students can complete the program in a

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timely way. If a required course cannot be provided, an acceptable substitute is made available. Counselors in academic advising and counseling assist students in dealing with such situations.

A written policy regarding students’ rights to complete programs that have been changed or eliminated is not present in the Kaua‘i Community College Catalog, or the Student Handbook. Three programs need to be reported to the BOR:

1. Workplace Readiness Certificate of Completion was no longer offered as of Fall 1998. No terminal action was taken while the Business Education Division (BED) was considering the usefulness of the program in its current structure. The Division was asked if it intended to offer the program again. The decision has been made not to offer the program. No students are currently enrolled. The termination request will be submitted by the BED this semester. The chancellor is authorized to act on this program and will report its termination to the BOR.

2. Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology was not offered after Fall 1997 following the retirement of the only instructor in the program. At that time, workforce demand in construction had been falling and was continuing to fall. While individual courses in the program were continued with lecturers, the program itself did not enroll any students. Students who were currently in the program at the time were allowed to complete the program, but no new majors were brought in. This program and Electronics were both under review. Electronics was still a provisional program. The interaction between these two closely related programs had to be clarified. Workforce demand in this area has only recently begun to pick up.

3. Carpentry was not offered beginning in Fall 2002 after the retirement of the only instructor in the program. Enrollment at the time of the instructor’s retirement was down to one student. With the program completion of that student, no additional majors were accepted while the college assessed workforce and student demand (clearly minimal). Since the retirement, one carpentry course has been offered as part of the Facilities Engineering Program. The college has continued to offer the Facilities Engineering Program as more appropriate to community workforce needs. Enrollment in Facilities Engineering, which offers training in the range of construction skills, including carpentry and electricity, has been adequate. Currently the demand in construction is booming again and the UH System, in collaboration with the construction industry, has developed a Construction Academy initiative to respond. Facilities Engineering is being revised in order to better align itself with the apprenticeship program and to prepare for integration with the Construction Academy. Action on the Carpentry Program must be coordinated with action on Facilities Engineering (FENG) Program and the Construction Academy. Under the

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assumption that the Construction Academy and the Facilities Engineering Program will meet industry needs, the request for stop-out will be completed after the establishment of the Construction Academy.

Planning Agenda

A program elimination procedure, aligned with system policy should be drafted and published in the Kaua‘i Community College Catalog and the Student Handbook.

II.A.6.c. The institution represents itself clearly, accurately, and consistently to prospective and current students, the public, and its personnel through its catalogs, statements, and publications, including those presented in electronic formats. It regularly reviews institutional policies, procedures, and publications to assure integrity in all representations about its mission, programs, and services.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College reviews its catalogs, statements and publications for accuracy and consistency concerning its mission, services and programs. The KCC Catalog and the semester Schedule of Classes (Exhibit II-31: Schedule of Classes) provide information concerning educational purposes, degrees and curricular offerings, student fees and other financial obligations, student financial aid, fee refund policies, requirements for admission and achievement of degrees, including the academic calendar and information regarding program length, names of administrators, faculty and Board of Regents. The KCC Website posts semester schedule information, financial aid forms, the KCC Catalog, admissions information and other information. The UH phone directory also includes pertinent information accessible to students and the general public.

Self Evaluation

Printed materials, the college web site, and other electronic modes are all used to communicate information to the college community and general public in a consistent manner. The Dean of Instruction and various heads of departments, agencies, and offices such as Academic Support and Counseling, Division chairs, and program coordinators, Registrar’s Office, Learning Center, University Center, etc. provide updated information. Media Services personnel input the changes on the web. The Assistant Dean of Instruction/University Center Director, the graphic artist and clerical staff are responsible for updating and publishing the college catalog in a PDF file format on a yearly basis. For cost-effectiveness, 100 photocopies of the catalog are placed in the campus bookstore for purchase and 200 more copies are printed and distributed to Student Services, the Registrar’s Office, and other areas around campus.

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The Schedule of Classes is revised and printed biannually, and the Course Enrollment History and the Course Completion Review are the two most widely used pieces of campus data used for course scheduling decisions (Schedule of Classes Procedures). The multi-part Scheduling Process and Timetable ensures a planned scheduling process and ensures all information in the Schedule of Classes is consistent with the KCC Catalog. Efforts have been made to take advantage of electronic formats to communicate changing information in a timely manner and to make the KCC website more user friendly for the students and the public. For example, since the previous Self study in 2000, the website and the online Banner System have been revised to be more interactive, with easy links to various areas like the KCC Catalog, the Schedule of Classes, Payment Deadlines, Academic calendar, etc. New students are directed to Steps to Enroll, Admissions, Application Procedures, Financial Aid, Attaining a Username, and the Bookstore. The KCC Catalog has easy links to alphabetized Program descriptions as well as sectional links for particular Program course descriptions. Students can quickly find any area on the website through a network of online links from whatever page they are viewing. In the UH Banner System, the Credit Schedule of Classes has been linked to the Student Information System so that throughout the entire period of registration, students can check the website to determine available classes and register online. A page listing distance courses available on Kaua‘i is linked to the KCC website on the Distance Learning website.

There has been some concern among the faculty that the replacement of hard copy catalogs for photocopies printed only as needed may deter adequate availability. There is also concern that the PDF format of the online catalog is not user friendly. The institution is considering reinstating hardcopies of the KCC Catalog.

At this time, the college has an active marketing plan and a designated marketing coordinator who works with Media Services, Student Services, OCET, and Administration and is supported by a budget from OCET.

Planning Agenda

The college should survey high school counselors, community agencies, and other stakeholders to find out the most efficient and useful means of receiving and sharing college information, including the catalog.

The Catalog index should be reviewed for additions and revisions, including a more effective keyword index and course listings alphabetized by subject instead of by alpha.

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II.A.7. In order to assure the academic integrity of the teaching-learning process, the institution uses and makes public governing board-adopted policies on academic freedom and responsibility, student academic honesty, and specific institutional beliefs or worldviews. These policies make clear the institution’s commitment to the free pursuit and dissemination of knowledge.

Descriptive Summary

As part of the University of Hawai‘i Community College System, Kaua‘i Community College functions under the UH System guidelines and policies. According to the 2003-2009 contract, the University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly (UHPA) and the BOR provides for academic freedom for faculty and lists procedures for dealing with alleged infringements of academic freedom (Article IX, 2003-2009 UHPA and UH BOR Agreement, page 17). Academic freedom cases are heard by a Faculty Advisory Committee on Academic Freedom, consisting of five members appointed from the Faculty Personnel Panel, with a majority of members coming from the campus in which the alleged infringement occurred. The Faculty Senate also deals with the issues relating to faculty academic freedom. The American Association of University Professors’ Revised Statement on Professional Ethics for Faculty is found in CCCM 2600. Other statements of employee ethics are found in the United Public Workers contract, and the Hawai‘i Government Employee’s Association contract. In addition, faculty state course content through identified teaching objectives, methods, and evaluations in the course syllabi. Updated files of syllabi are kept in the Dean of Instruction’s Office and the division secretary’s office.

The KCC Catalog provides faculty and students with clear expectations concerning the principles of academic honesty and the sanctions for violation (KCC Catalog, page 53). Many instructors include the statement in their course syllabi. Other campus publications with related information on academic honesty and the sanctions for violation include the Kaua‘i Community College Student Handbook, Kaua‘i Community College Employee Handbook, Business Education Division Policy Handout, and the Kaua‘i Community College Career Ladder Nursing Program Student Policy Handout.

The college is a state institution and espouses no particular set of beliefs or worldview.

Self Evaluation

Faculty academic freedom is protected by the policies outlined above, while ensuring that the faculty understands its commitment and responsibility to present unbiased information to students. The expectations and consequences of academic dishonesty are clearly delineated in all information formats provided to students on campus. In the Fall 2005 Kaua‘i Community College Self Study Survey, 65.3 percent of the faculty who responded to the survey agreed and 24 percent were neutral that the college supports academic freedom. 82 percent of faculty agreed and 8.7 percent were neutral that faculty are fair and objective in the

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presentation of their courses. Eighty-nine percent of the faculty believe that they are familiar with college policies on plagiarism and academic honesty. There have been no cases concerning academic freedom raised during this accreditation period.

Planning Agenda

The Faculty Senate should develop a statement on academic freedom to be included in the KCC Catalog.

II.A.7.a. Faculty distinguishes between personal conviction and professionally accepted views in a discipline. They present data and information fairly and objectively.

Descriptive Summary

Article IX of the 2003-2009 UHPA and UH BOR Agreement protects the academic freedom of faculty. Under Academic Freedom it states,”Faculty members are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing subjects of expertise, in the conduct of research in their field of special competence, and in the publication of the results of their research.”

Article IV, Faculty Professional Responsibilities and Workload, however, defines high professional standards required when giving instructions on controversial matters. It states, “In giving instruction upon controversial matters, Faculty Members are expected to set forth justly and without suppression the differing opinions of other investigators, and in their conclusions provide factual or other scholarly sources for such conclusions. Faculty Members should be careful not to introduce into their teaching controversial matters that have no relation to their subject.” As noted above, faculty self-perception is that they are aware of the need for fairness and objectivity in their classroom presentations and adhere to that responsibility.

There is a Student Academic Grievance Procedure that outlines the steps students can take for alleged violations of the above responsibilities. The procedure begins when a student files a Complaint of Alleged Academic Impropriety with the dean or dean’s designee. If the complaint is not satisfactorily resolved by the dean/designee, then the student files an Academic Grievance with the chairperson of the Academic Grievance Committee for formal review.

Self Evaluation

In the past five years, no formal student grievances have been raised about the distinction between personal conviction and professionally accepted views in the classroom. There have been some student complaints, which were resolved at informal levels between the student and faculty member or the student and Division Chair. Administrators may also field calls

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and hear about complaints. However, as no student survey on this issue was done, it is difficult to know if this accurately reflects students’ perceptions.

Planning Agenda

During new faculty and lecturer orientation the policies regarding distinguishing between personal convictions and professionally accepted views in a discipline should be reviewed.

Information on professional standards required when giving instructions on controversial matters should be posted in the KCC Catalog and on the website.

The KCC Catalog, the new student orientation, and the Student Handbook should include the Student Grievance Procedure.

II.A.7.b. The institution establishes and publishes clear expectations concerning student academic honesty and consequences for dishonesty.

Descriptive Summary

Academic dishonesty is clearly defined under Section G on Academic Dishonesty of the Student Conduct Code. It specifically includes plagiarism and cheating and provides detailed examples of each. The consequences are also clearly delineated to range from redoing the assignment to receiving a failing grade for the course. The student may contest the instructor’s course of action at which time the case is referred to the dean. Self Evaluation

Though academic dishonesty is clearly defined in both the Student Conduct Code and the KCC Catalog, the information needs to be given more visibility and be more widely distributed. The Student Conduct Code is available online and at the Office of the Dean of Student Services.

The KCC Catalog, though accessible to everyone online, does not encourage perusal because of the PDF format. The section on Academic Dishonesty is buried among other information. The tendency is to use the index to research specific information rather than to flip through to see what is there.

Planning Agenda

The Student Conduct Code should be part of the new student orientation, as well as the new faculty orientation, and be made available on the web page as a clearly designated and accessible topic.

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II.A.7.c. Institutions that require conformity to specific codes of conduct of staff, faculty, administrators, or students, or that seek to instill specific beliefs or worldviews, give clear prior notice of such policies, including statements in the catalog and/or appropriate faculty or student handbooks.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College, as part of the University of Hawai‘i System expects professional and ethical conduct on the part of its faculty and students. Faculty expectations in this area are addressed in the contract between the UH and the University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly (UHPA), the faculty union (2003-2009 UHPA and UH BOR Agreement ). Sections of the faculty contract which address relevant issues are Article IV, Faculty Professional Responsibilities and Workload, and Article IX, Academic Freedom.

Self Evaluation

The college does not adhere to or espouse any particular belief system or worldview.

Planning Agenda

None.

II.A.8. Institutions offering curricula in foreign locations to students other than U.S. nationals operate in conformity with standards and applicable Commission policies.

The college does not offer any programs in foreign locations to non U.S. nationals.

Standard II.B. Student Support Services

The institution recruits and admits diverse students who are able to benefit from its programs, consistent with its mission. Student support services address the identified needs of students and enhance a supportive learning environment. The entire student pathway through the institutional experience is characterized by a concern for student access, progress, learning, and success. The institution systematically assesses student support services using student learning outcomes, faculty and staff input, and other appropriate measures in order to improve the effectiveness of these services.

II.B.1. The institution assures the quality of student support services and demonstrates that these services, regardless of location or means of delivery, support student learning and enhance achievement of the mission of the institution.

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Descriptive Summary

Driven by a campus effort to support the learning needs of the students served, Kaua‘i Community College is engaged in a systematic process to evaluate our services and their compliance with the institution’s mission. Although the physical locations of support services as they are identified are located at various parts of the campus, they are easily accessible and visible. The Campus Center, which houses Student Services, Financial Aid, Counseling and Advising, Student Activities, the Cafeteria, and the Bookstore, is a two-story building equipped with an elevator and ADA compliant pathways. The Library, Academic Support Services, and the Business Office are located in the Learning Resource Center and the Wellness Center is located in the Faculty II building at the south end of the campus. A One-Stop Center that will eventually contain all of these services (except the bookstore) and departments is scheduled to begin construction in Spring 2006 with a completion date targeted for 2007. The bookstore along with Office of Continuing Education and Training (OCET), the non credit arm of the college) will be integrated into the final construction plans identified as Phase Two (Exhibit I-7: One-Stop Plans).

Student Support Services are delivered through various programs and departments on our campus. They are identified as Admissions and Records, Financial Aid, Bookstore, Business Office, Child Care, Compass Testing, College Success Program, Student Activities, Computer Services, Counseling and Advising, Disabilities Services, Facilities and Maintenance, Special Populations, Library Services, Learning Center, University Center, Veterans Affairs, Campus Security, and the Wellness Center. Each department directly or indirectly assists new students and continuing students to transition into higher education in a manner that cultivates their individual needs. With a phone call, by dropping in, or by using a downloadable application, the initial activity for any new incoming student begins with the submitted application. In the Fall 2004 semester, 702 new applications were processed. Of this number, 402 attended. For Fall 2005, 721 applications were processed of which 480 attended KCC. The learning environment is further enhanced by the opportunities awarded through our Financial Aid Office. In the academic year 2003-2004, 1.05 million dollars were distributed to qualified students. $125,000 to $150,000 was paid to student workers, while $200,000 was awarded as student loans. $650,000 was distributed through Pell grants, scholarships, and tuition waivers. Of 744 applicants for financial aid in the 2004-2005 academic year, 430 applicants qualified and 305 received awards. (Student Services Program Review, page 6). A week preceding the start of the fall semester, a three-hour orientation is offered to new students as an introductory welcome to the college and the semester. Generally, 120-145 students participate yearly. The satisfaction level for this activity is higher than that of the National Group Means as reported by Noel-Levitz (Exhibit II-32: Noel-Levitz Institutional Summary, pages 2-21).

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In Fall 2004, Kaua‘i Community College’s enrollment included 600 continuing students, 304 new, 120 returnees, and 86 transfers. Of these students, 419 were registered by counselors, 160 were assisted by counselors while registering on Banner, 419 registered without assistance. Since advising is mandatory for first-time students, 304 first-time plus 160 continuing students required various levels of counselor intervention. In Spring 2005, there were 755 continuing students, 114 first-time, 143 returnees, and 58 transfers. Six hundred thirty-five students registered on the web, 278 walk-ins required counselor’s assistance, and 151 registered independently and requested counselor assistance. In this current semester Fall 2005, 515 students are continuing, 95 are first-timers, 128 are returnees, and 78 are transfers. Six hundred ninety-five students registered on the web with no assistance, 226 required counselor assistance, and 138 were engaged in web and counselor assisted registration. Although advising is mandatory for new students, many continuing students depend on their assigned counselor to recommend course selection options for the upcoming semester.

Semester Continuing Students

New Students

Returning Students

Transfer Students

Total

Fall 2004 600 (54%) 304 (27%) 120 (11%) 86 (7%) 1110Spring 2005 755 (70%) 114 (11%) 143 (13%) 58 (5%) 1070

Fall 2005 515 (49%) 338 (31%) 128 (12%) 78 (7%) 1059

Semester Required Assistance

Both (web registered and

counselor assisted)

Web Registered

Total

Fall 2004 419 (38%) 160 (14%) 531 (49%) 1110Spring 2005 278 (26%) 151 (14%) 635 (59%) 1070Fall 2005 226 (21%) 138 (13%) 695 (66%) 1059

Data provided by Dean of Students 11/30/05

In the last two years, approximately 27,000 class schedules were published every semester. These schedules are distributed as inserts in the local newspaper that reaches every household on the Wednesday prior to the beginning of registration. For the 2006 Spring Schedule the format was changed from a landscape to a portrait format, and included course pre-requisites, course descriptions of the courses, and separated campus offerings from distance courses. These new features were developed to make the schedule a more efficient tool for students and faculty (Exhibit II-28: CTE Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes). Catalogs have been primarily available online with a few hard copies published for bookstore sales and limited distribution.

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Classroom assignments are supported by the Library’s 57,000 volumes of books, 200 periodicals, subscriptions to online databases, 1200 videotapes, 6000 microfilms, 18 computers, and 9 wireless-ready laptops (Library Mini-Review, pages 1-2). The campus has 512 computers for faculty, staff and students and 65 notebooks for students. Six computer labs with 106 computer stations are open to students during lab hours (Computer Services Program Review, page 5). The bookstore orders about 225 to 250 book titles every semester. The total number of books ordered is contingent on class sections and class size. Distance Learning (DL) students “typically use all of the services that a campus students uses with no distinction for Special DL services beyond a new student orientation specifically for these students. They register on line as all students do; they receive counseling from Student Services if requested, and apply for Financial Aid online. Library services are available online, and on campus as well. Test taking is primarily online” (University Center Program Review). Information regarding book ordering online or through the phone, payments, and buyback is posted on the KCC website.

The extent to which the Administrative Services supports learning can be seen daily in the well kept grounds and facilities. The facilities and maintenance staff add esthetic value to the campus by caring for plants and the natural environment as well as create a clean, healthy environment in the physical classrooms, offices and restrooms. The business office staff assist students with registration/tuition, scholarships, distribution of financial aid checks, and tuition refunds; assure the operational budget is properly developed, allocated and accounted for; and provide ATM and vending machines for student use and convenience (Administrative Services Full Program Review, pages 1-2).

The campus has committed its resources to serve students in special populations with counselors who are specifically charged with addressing their needs. One counselor works specifically with special disabilities. In the current academic year, 65 students (an increase of 19 students from the previous year) are being accommodated (Student Services Program Review, page 37). Through a Title III Grant (Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Program), the institution is seeking to improve remediation and student success. The grant supports the development of programs such as an Early Alert System, Faculty Mentoring, Math Lab, and Remedial/Developmental Cohorts. Some faculty found that these efforts were not generally culturally sensitive, to the Native Hawaiian population. Past Title III projects have sought to rectify this through instructor training. A federally funded project specifically supporting Native Hawaiian students in career and technical programs has shown positive impact. In the academic year of 2003-2004, 25 Native Hawaiians were assisted and 85 percent passed their academic course work. During that period, 15 students at the high school level were also assisted and 87 percent successfully completed their academic course work with a grade of “C” or better. For 2004-2005, 30 college students were assisted, and 87 percent passed their academic course work. Fifteen high school students were assisted as well with a similar passing rate (Exhibit II-33: Scope of Services). The campus, in addition, offers space and access to two Native Hawaiian Programs. The Liko A‘e Scholarship program through Maui Community College operates a satellite office here on campus. The

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Na Pua No‘eau Native Hawaiian Enrichment Program, a UH Hilo program, operates their extension on this campus (Exhibit II-34: Email from Kimo Chun, dated 10/27/05).

The Academy for Future Nurses, supported by EPSCOR, is a two-year program designed to prepare students for successful entry into the college’s highly competitive Registered Nursing Program (Student Services Program Review, page 15). The first EPSCOR cohort started in 2003, and from that group, nine students plus an additional three pre-nursing students entered the Nursing Program. The second cohort of 25 students was accepted into the program in Fall 2004. Of this number, 21 students completed both Fall 2004 and Spring 2005 semesters and have continued in Fall 2005. A third cohort of 24 students is currently enrolled this fall. Both the 2004 and 2005 cohorts will be eligible to enter the Nursing Program in 2006 and 2007, respectively (Exhibit II-35: Imua Hawai‘i EPSCOR document dated, Sept. 2005). The success rate of students transitioning to the next semester reflects the strength of this strategic approach. The college has institutionalized this activity and is prepared to support it with internal funding.

Student Activities plays a vital role in the development of the overall student. The campus has supported this function with a general funded counselor’s position which is parceled into 50 percent student life, 25 percent general counseling, and 25 percent various campus and community committees. There are currently 11 registered student clubs on campus. Over the last academic year, four campus dances, five live bands, three International lecturers, two movies, and snack nights were additional activities organized for students (Student Services Program Review, pages 48-49).

Campus buildings and restrooms have been modified to meet mandated American With Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. External pathways are well maintained for safety and beautification. Signs are posted around campus identifying different buildings, complemented by four campus directories. Evening lights are timed and extended to accommodate special events and additional registration hours. Sixty-one percent of faculty and staff surveyed strongly agreed that they are satisfied with the cleanliness of the buildings on this campus, while 52.9 percent were satisfied with the cleanliness of the grounds of this campus. Regarding satisfaction with campus safety and security, 27 percent of faculty and staff were strongly and somewhat dissatisfied, while 53 percent were strongly and somewhat satisfied while 9 percent were neutral. These statistics are taken from the Administrative Services Full Program Review, page 20 and corroborated in the Self Study Survey, Standard II. Security is provided through Freeman Guard Services from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Our Child Care Center offers pre-school services to children of students, faculty, and staff. If spaces are available, children from the community are accepted once the needs of students, faculty, and staff are met. During the Spring 2005, Summer 2005, and Fall 2005 semesters, 20 children were enrolled in this program. In Fall 2004, 18 attended. The average stay for pre-schoolers is a year and a half.

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In Fall 2004, the College Success Program, targeting remedial students in English and math, developed a cohort of 13 students who achieved an 85 percent completion rate. In Spring 2005, 8 of 11 students completed the program (Exhibit II-36: Email data from Ken Curtis, dated 11/7/05). To institutionalize services to the under-prepared, a College Success Coordinator was recently hired to work with Student Services on an Early Alert System and to identify potential students for special cohort programs. With the addition of the College Success Coordinator, the campus has affirmed its commitment to provide services to students to assist them toward their individual goals. The plans are to increase the participation of students and track the success of students who completed the program.

In the academic year 2002-2003, The Learning Center counted 18,670 student visits for the purpose of using the facility’s equipment and resources. This is a weekly average use of 549 students or a daily average of 112. For the 2003-2004 academic year, there were 24,234 student visits. This represents a 30 percent increase in student usage from the previous year. The various services offered and the breakdown of student participation can be seen in the Learning Center Program Review, Appendix A8-2,3.

The Learning Center also offers assistance in Key Train and the Writing Lab through a part-time Peer Assistant Program Coordinator. Key Train is a comprehensive computer based program designed to teach work skills and increase the employability of students in specific job areas. The tutorials are self-paced, and each student begins at a level that is determined by a pre-test. Topic areas include: reading for information, applied mathematics, applied technology, writing, listening, teamwork, observation, etc. The system is designed to be used by CTE faculty to supplement their instruction. In practice, it has been used by specific faculty from Nursing, NHCTEP, and the Early Childhood Education programs. It is also being used as a tutorial option for individual students who need additional remediation in math. In Fall 2004 and Spring 2005, 67 students used Key Train, and 103 used the tutoring services in the Writing Lab (Exhibit II-37: Email from Kimo Perry, dated 11/7/05).

A staff member in our Admissions Office addresses veterans Affairs’ responsibilities. In Fall 2004, 18 veterans were enrolled in various programs. In Spring 2005, 10 veterans were enrolled. In the Fall 2005, 9 were enrolled, while in Spring 2006, 12 were enrolled. (Exhibit II-38: Document from Admissions and Records, dated 10/24/05 and oral update on dated 4/5/06). The university system anticipates an increase in veteran population due to the current war.

The University Center serves students who are interested in pursuing baccalaureate or graduate degrees or certificates that are offered through distance education. Students can select among six bachelor’s programs, six master’s programs, and five certificate programs. Currently, there are 3 students in Hawaiian Studies, 5 in Nursing (BSN), 10 in Psychology, 19 in Business, 15 in Social Sciences, seven in Elementary Education, nine in Secondary Education, 41 in various master’s programs, and 5 in Substance Abuse certification (University Center Program Review). Prior to each semester, new students are invited to

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attend an orientation organized by the University Center to learn the fundamental technical skills required for distance learning. New students have an opportunity to listen to students who have completed a distance course and their assessment of this mode of learning. In addition to the regularly scheduled distance orientations at the beginning of each semester, in 2004-2005, mini-distance orientations were offered throughout the year to students who were interested in learning more about distance education prior to enrollment. The major programs are cohort-style enrollments, thus there is an ebb and flow in the enrollment patterns, depending upon the start and end dates of the various cohorts.

Year Number of UC Students

(Unduplicated)Fall

Number of UC Students

(Unduplicated)Spring

2001-02 81 922002-03 83 732003-04 66 672004-05 74 69

[University Center, Program Review, page 6]

The Wellness Center serves the health needs of students, faculty and staff. There were 982 appointments in 2004 and 710 appointments through October 2005 for services that include general health screening, family planning services, STD and HIV screening, common illnesses, immunizations, stress reduction and emotional care, and energy work. Every student entering the college must submit a current TB clearance card; the Wellness Center offers this medical service without cost to the student. In calendar year 2004, 150 TB tests were given through the Wellness Center. In 2005, the number at the end of October was 122 test administrations. Among other services provided, 53 and 33 hepatitis shots were given in 2004 and 2005 respectively for a nominal fee (Exhibit II-39: Data from HED, dated 10/11/05 and Exhibit II-40: Wellness Center Flyer, dated 10/11/05).

Both Running Start and Early Admit programs allow high school students who meet specific requirements to enroll in college courses. Through the Running Start program, students can obtain both high school credit and college credit for selected courses. The Early Admit program also allows academically and/or vocationally gifted students to enroll in college classes prior to their high school graduation. These programs are open to juniors and seniors meeting the requirements determined by their respective high schools (Exhibit II-41: Running Start Enrollment 2002-2005 and Exhibit II-42: Fall 2002 to Fall 2005 Early Admit Majors).

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Self Evaluation

In 2003, Kaua‘i Community College purchased the Student Satisfaction Inventory from Noel-Levitz. The results of this inventory were generated by Noel-Levitz as a proposed retention plan. Various scales were assessed, comparing our campus to a national group of community, junior, and technical colleges. The satisfaction scale for Kaua‘i Community College was above the national group means, some at the .05 confidence level, and others at the .001 level in Academic Advising/Counseling (comprehensiveness of the academic advising program; Academic Services (library, computer labs, tutoring and study areas); Admissions and Financial Aid (competence and knowledge of admissions counselors, as well as the effectiveness and availability of financial aid programs); Campus Support Services (career services, orientation, child care, and special programs such as veterans’ services); Safety and Security (security personnel and campus facilities); Registration Effectiveness (institution’s commitment to making this process as smooth and effective as possible), Campus Climate (extent to which the institution provides experiences that promote a sense of campus pride and feelings of belonging), Concern for the Individual (institution’s commitment to treating each student as an individual); Service Excellence (assesses the attitude of staff toward students, especially front line staff); and Student Centeredness (campus’s efforts to convey to students that they are important to the institution). However, on the scale of “Responsiveness to Diverse Populations”, the campus satisfaction level was .02 lower than the national means. It should also be noted that the students surveyed did not consider this particular scale to be important (Exhibit II-29: Articulation Agreements, pages 2-6).

These results strongly indicate that compared to other community, junior, and technical colleges, mean scores exceed national norms. Further confirmation can be seen in the Instructional Effectiveness Scale, which is above the national group means (Exhibit II-43: Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Summary, pages 2-6).

The Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, through its Institutional Summary (pages 2-6), has clearly indicated that our students have a higher satisfaction level in most or all areas related to student support. Student Services is committed to administering this survey at least every two years to continually reassess our services to students. In addition, a recent KCC student survey (Self Study Survey, Standard II) asked: “Is student support services adequate for distance and campus students?” The results indicated 11.2 percent strongly agreed, while 41.8 percent agreed. In the same survey, students were also asked: “Are staff and resources in support services adequate to meet distance and campus needs”? Of 134 student respondents, 9.7 percent strongly agreed, while 40.3 percent agreed. Students were also asked “Are facilities sufficient to meet student needs”? From a sample of 135 students, 18.5 percent strongly agreed, while 46.7 percent agreed. These three questions generated a 1.5 percent “strongly disagree” response. This represents two people of a sample of 134 and 135 who shared this opinion and is not statistically significant.

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In the 2002 CCSSE survey the benchmark score for ‘support for learners’ was 40.8 which was 0.2 below the average score for all small colleges that participated. In 2004 the score was 55.6 or 3.7 above the benchmark score. While benchmark methodology differed between the two years, it is safe to say that there was some improvement in student support between the two surveys.

Given the student satisfaction levels from the Noel-Levitz study, the student survey, and the CCSSE survey results, no planning agenda is necessary at this time. However, just as the Noel-Levitz will be conducted every two years, the self study survey should be as well. The CCSSE survey was conducted again in 2006 but results are not yet available.

Planning Agenda

None.

II.B.2. The institution provides a catalog for its constituencies with precise, accurate, and current information concerning the following:

II.B.2.a. General Information

Official Name, Address(es), Telephone Number(s), and Web Site Address of the Institution

Educational Mission Course, Program, and Degree Offerings Academic Calendar and Program Length Academic Freedom Statement Available Student Financial Aid Available Learning Resources Names and Degrees of Administrators and Faculty Names of Governing Board Members

II.B.2.b. Requirements

Admissions Student Fees and Other Financial Obligations Degree, Certificates, Graduation and Transfer

II.B.2.c. Major Policies Affecting Students

Academic Regulations, Including Academic Honesty Nondiscrimination Acceptance of Transfer Credits Grievance and Complaint Procedures

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Sexual Harassment Refund of Fees

II.B.2.d. Locations or publications where other policies may be found

Descriptive Summary

The KCC Catalog is available through a link on our website. It is reviewed and updated annually. The primary mode of distribution is via the KCC website. Three hundred copies are published and sold in the bookstore (for $2.00) or distributed to faculty. The official name, address of the college, telephone numbers and educational information are conveniently located in the catalog. In addition, courses, programs, degree offerings, the academic calendar, and program lengths are included. Financial aid information, learning resources, faculty and staff qualifications, and names of the current members of the Board of Regents are given. Language pertaining to academic freedom can be found in the 2003-2009 UHPA and UH BOR Agreement.

The catalog describes the admissions process and publishes tuition rates for resident and non-resident students for the community colleges and the three baccalaureate granting institutions. Information on other financial obligations, degrees, certificates, graduation, and transfers (to and from) are clearly explained in the catalog.

All major policies impacting students can be found in the catalog. Academic regulations including academic honesty, nondiscrimination, acceptance of transfer credits, grievance and complaint procedures (catalog refers the reader to written procedures that are housed in Student Services), the college’s policy on sexual harassment, and the tuition refund policies are located in the catalog.

The Student Handbook is currently undergoing a revision and should be available to students in the Summer 2006 semester. This student handbook will be updated/revised within a two-year cycle. The schedule of classes is distributed island wide through the local newspaper as an insert the Wednesday before registration. Hard copies are available to students at the Library and Student Services the day after they are distributed through the local, home delivery newspaper. The student handbooks and the schedule of classes are non-cost items to students. The schedule is also available online, with class availability information updated regularly.

Self Evaluation

In the Self Study Survey, Standard II 133 to 135 students responded to 15 questions, 17.9 percent of those surveyed strongly agreed that the “catalog is useful as a resource for general information” while 50 percent agreed. In respect to: “policies not included in the catalog are easily accessible for both distance and campus students” 9 percent strongly agreed, while

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33.6 percent agreed. When these students were asked “how familiar are you with college policies on plagiarism and academic honesty,” 42.1 percent responded they were strongly familiar, while 39.8 percent agreed they were familiar. Those that strongly disagreed in these areas ranged from 1.5 percent to 5.2 percent or a total of 2 to 7 students respectively. The relevance and inclusiveness of policies not included in the catalog should be re-assessed with the Assistant Dean of Instruction.

The catalog is kept current annually. Media Services requests edits and updates at the end of the spring term and the catalog is produced at the beginning of the new academic year.

Planning Agenda

Include a statement on academic freedom in the next catalog.

The survey should be analyzed and re-administered to reassess the scope of policies that apply to students.

II.B.3. The institution researches and identifies the learning support needs of its student population and provides appropriate services and programs to address those needs.

II.B.3a. The institution assures equitable access to all of its students by providing appropriate, comprehensive, and reliable services to students regardless of service location or delivery method.

Descriptive Summary

A core part of the college’s mission and one of the college’s priority goals is to provide “access” to educational excellence for a diverse student population. In promoting access, the college must also provide a system of student support services to ensure that students enroll in programs and courses that will help them successfully complete their educational goals. These services include admissions, assessment, financial aid, health services, academic advising, personal and career counseling, and services for special need students (including students with disabilities, the academically disadvantaged, Native Hawaiians, single parents and displaced homemakers).

Initial assessment of student needs is through the administration of the college’s placement testing program. All new classified students are required to take the COMPASS placement tests for math, reading, and writing.

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Self Evaluation

The Disabilities Program has made college access increasingly available to students by providing basic skills and special support services to students to help them achieve their goals. From 2001 to 2005 the number of students seeking the services of the disabilities program has grown by 116 percent from 30 students in 2001 to 65 students in 2005. The results show that Kaua‘i Community College continues to be successful in providing access to disabled students in the face of recent increased demand. In January 2006, the college established a permanent, general-funded counselor position for students with special needs (students with disabilities and academically disadvantaged students). The Admissions and Records (A&R) Office exists to serve all students and is responsible for helping the college implement its open door admissions policy. The A&R Office is also responsible for providing pre-admission services to prospective students, processing high school students’ applications, maintaining and securing student academic records, certifying enrollments, verifying credentials and providing registration services in general. They also provide support for counseling services, especially in the academic advisement process and special services for veteran students. The recently completed Admissions and Records Program Review noted the need for additional staff to meet their program’s objectives and mission. The College Council approved the additional staff position. The position description is currently being developed and recruitment should begin in early 2006. Health care is provided, in part, through the Campus Wellness Center (CWC). The CWC provides all students with basic health services and counseling. All students are eligible for services regardless of their ability to pay. Low cost student health insurance is also available through Student Services (Exhibit II-40: Wellness Center Flyer, dated 10/11/05).

The offering of financial aid to students also enhances access to education. Assistance is offered in the form of loans, grants, employment, scholarships, and tuition waivers. A financial aid counselor and a clerk typist staff the Financial Aid Office (FAO). They are responsible for application processing, needs assessment, records maintenance, and scholarships. In addition to these functions, they are responsible for the administrative functions of fiscal operations, the federal application process, and management and coordination of private scholarships. Since most of the campus-based programs are federal programs, special care must be taken to be in compliance with federal guidelines and regulations. Another major objective of the FAO is to assist students in obtaining and managing financial resources so that they can become self-sufficient, contributing members of society.

The Student Services Program Review noted that the FAO received 744 applications in 2004-5 with 305 students actually receiving awards. The Review also noted: “According to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, Kaua‘i Community College should be staffed with 2.0 FTE Financial Aid Staff that does not include a clerical

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staff position.” The college received funding to add another full-time APT position to the Financial Aid Office. The position was filled in February 2006.

The college’s new student orientation program is offered one week before the start of each semester. The program introduces students to campus services, student activities, faculty and staff, general college information, to program information and to the physical layout of the campus facilities. The Case Management System Design Team recommended in their Case Management Document that the college’s website be further developed to include online student orientation.

The college is committed to ongoing support for distance education. The UHCC System offers distance education classes through multiple delivery modes: interactive television, Internet, and cable television. KCC is a designated University Center site, which coordinates off-campus offerings that are brought to our campus. The Hawai‘i Interactive Television System (HITS) provides a video and audio link connecting all campuses of the UH System. HITS is utilized to bring classes, workshops, and seminars to the faculty and students of KCC.

Two recent reports have indicated a high student demand for career guidance. This is a significant need for a in an open door, rural community college. The COMPASS test student demographics (1,413) from May 1, 2003 to May 4, 2005 indicate that 42.32 percent (598) need help in choosing a major. The 2003 Levitz and Noel Report states 25 percent of new students are uncertain of their major choice. Aside from the IS 105 course, services are limited to individual counseling sessions. Although no data is available, the number of students taking advantage of the career services has been small. There are two possible reasons for this, 1) there is no designated Career Development Center to house resource materials and 2) the Counseling Department has not developed a process for working with students who need career guidance or help in selecting a major. The college is developing several programs that will support student development in the area of career guidance. Some of these programs are Summer Bridge, Service Learning, Learning Communities, and faculty advising/mentoring.

A Case Management Coordinator was hired in May 2003 to assist the college in developing and implementing a Case Management Program. Subsequently, a Case Management Design Team was formed to research and design a system to improve student retention and success with a “case management” approach. The group presented its recommendations to the College Council in January 2004. As a result, two cohorts (remedial and developmental) were piloted in Fall 2004. A comprehensive report developed by the Case Management Design Team was used as a foundation in developing the current Title III Grant. The grant has been funded for five years and many of the recommendations of the Design Team will be implemented through the grant (Case Management Document).

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Student and workforce needs are identified through institutional and program surveys, student and employer focus groups, program reviews, annual program review updates program and campus research, and analysis of data. Student assessment and workforce input have recently resulted in some major program modifications and the development of new support programs. For example, the following programs have completed significant program modifications or are currently re-designing their programs based upon various data: Automotive Mechanic Technology, Auto Body Repair and Painting, Hospitality Services, Culinary Arts, Early Childhood Education, and Facilities Engineering Technology.

Several new support programs have been developed and implemented based upon the assessment of student learning. The Academy For Future Nurses is a pre-entry program for academically high-risk pre-nursing students. It is designed to strengthen skills in math, science, technology, and critical thinking prior to entering the nursing program. Focus labs and a Peer Assistance Program (based on the Supplemental Instruction Model) have been developed and implemented for courses with high attrition. Also, a College Success Program is currently being developed based upon recommendations from the Case Management Committee and results from the remedial and developmental cohorts offered in Fall 2004, Spring 2005, and Fall 2005.

Planning Agenda

The new One-Stop Center will include a Career Resource Center. One counselor should be designated to coordinate career programs/activities and update resources.

The counseling department will develop a process of working with students identified as needing career guidance and major clarification.

The college should further develop the college website to include an orientation section.

Student Support Services will continue to provide assistance to assure equitable access and comprehensive and reliable services for all students. The new general funds counselor position (Disabilities/Counseling) will work with the College Success Center to coordinate efforts to identify high-risk students (remedial, developmental, special needs, etc.) and develop programs and strategies that address major retention factors for this group.

The college should conduct ongoing retention research to guide retention planning.

There is a need for ongoing and systematic assessment to discover why students leave before.

In order to facilitate the success of a case management approach at KCC, the College Success Team including counselors and the new Admissions position should adopt a

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new enrollment and case management philosophy, Student Learning Outcomes, intervention strategies, and procedures for admissions and enrollment.

The college should implement the Case Management recommendation that encourages Student Services to create a “Career Services” division of Student Services by offering a specialized array of instruction and counseling services, including self-assessment, career-assessment, job search strategies, resumes and cover letters, interviewing techniques and expectations.

II.B.3.b. The institution provides an environment that encourages personal and civic responsibility, as well as intellectual, aesthetic, and personal development for all of its students.

Descriptive Summary

Student government, student activities, and other support programs are set up to serve as a catalyst for student development in personal and civic responsibility, intellectual growth, aesthetic appreciation, and in personal development. Extra-curricular activities provide a variety of experiences that enable students to practice what they learn in the formal setting. These programs are an integral part of the total educational environment and they help students realize their full potential.

The Associated Students of University of Hawai‘i - Kaua‘i Community College (ASUH-KCC) is the official student organization which represents all students on campus in matters of student self governance and is also the official body through which students’ issues and concerns can be heard. The purpose of ASUH-KCC is to stimulate student engagement in purposeful activities that make positive contributions to the college and community-at-large. The organization serves as the official conduit of communication with the administration for to addressing student concerns.

Another major objective of the college is to promote the co-curricular activities other than student government to provide an additional dimension to the students’ college experience. These activities include cultural and club activities, political forums, service learning, movies, musical productions, art shows, and leadership development.

Self Evaluation

Extra curricular and co-curricular programs provide students with opportunities for active participation and leadership in student governance, campus clubs, student activities, and college committees. There is a wide variety of activities sponsored by clubs and ASUH-KCC. These programs and activities are important to the overall growth and development of students. They also provide opportunities for students to practice classroom skills and knowledge.

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ASUH-KCC provides students a conduit to be heard but the reverse is also true. It is a means for the institution to communicate its concerns to students. ASUH-KCC is an official student body from whom the college can seek input in matters concerning students. Some examples of this include mass communication policies, college publications and student representation on college committees (i.e., the College Council, Student Conduct and Grievance Committee, Commencement Committee, Curriculum Committee, University of Hawai‘i Caucus, KCC Fund Board of Trustees, etc.)

The recently established Kaua‘i Community College Rotoract Club is one of two Rotoract Clubs in the State of Hawai‘i. The Club is a service organization that connects college students with six rotary clubs on Kaua‘i. The club selects projects that address broad issues from raising funds that support non-profit groups to international goodwill projects and scholarships.

The college’s Performing Arts Center (PAC) plays a vital role in students’ understanding of aesthetics. A variety of programs, meetings, and training are held in the PAC. Five assisted listening devices and one transmitter/receiver for the hearing impaired were purchased to be fully compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act. In addition, two erasable mobile marquee signboards to better direct participants at various seminars and meetings at the PAC were purchased.

The number of students participating in service learning projects/activities is increasing (Exhibit II-44: Service Learning at Kaua‘i Community College, Spring 2004 to Fall 2005). Approximately 25 pre-nursing majors annually participate in service learning projects through their NURS 150 course. These students are placed in non-profit, health related community agencies. Pre-nursing students are also placed with the AmeriCorps Program. A grant was recently awarded to the college that resulted in two service-learning projects. One project was the identification and signage of native Hawaiian plants on campus, the other funded Botany students in a research/mentoring/ community service project. The Japanese Club members provide service during community cultural events held at the Performing Arts Center.

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Kaua‘i Student InvolvementIn Campus Activities

Organization/Activity % InvolvedClub 21.7%

Culinary Breakfast 21.7%Fund-raising 12.7%Blood Bank 12.2%Career Fairs 12.2%

Job Fairs 11.6%Tutoring 11.6%

Other 10.1%ASKCC 9.0%Dances 8.5%

Car Wash 6.3%Performing Arts/Theater 6.3%

Food Bank Drive 5.3%Service Learning 4.2%

International Student Activities 3.2%



Student engagement in campus activities is illustrated by the percentage of students attending various campus events. For example, there are 260 students involved in 13 registered clubs at Kaua‘i Community College for the fall of 2005. Further, in Fall 2005, 21.7 percent of the students were involved with fundraising. Other events with significant percentage of student involvement were the Blood Bank’s blood drive (12.7 percent) and the Career Fair (12.2 percent). Other evidence of student involvement can be found in the Student Services Program Review, page 48.

The college provides opportunities for aesthetic development through participation in activities sponsored through the music, arts, and speech classes such as the annual KCC Chamber Singers concerts, the college and stage band concerts, drama and musical productions, and art shows (ceramic, painting, drawing). The Music, Theatre and Arts Club has organized several “Poetry Slam” and “College Bowl” activities. Every year there is a student literary competition for student writers that culminates in a reading and awards ceremony.

Planning Agenda

In the recently completed Student Services Program Review, Sections 4.2.1 Student Development and 6.1 Diversity list the following recommendations for its Action Plans which are appropriate for this standard:

Review comments from Student Services Program Review Survey under Student Life to assess demand for additional clubs, organizations and activities.

Design and implement a marketing and promotional strategy to increase student involvement in clubs and organizations.

Encourage the development of new courses/units/workshops, which cover such topics as hate crimes, conflict resolution, cultural diversity/sensitivity and other relevant topics.

Encourage and support student involvement in culturally based clubs and organizations.

Encourage culturally/ethnically based clubs and organizations to hold an annual event which builds an awareness of and an appreciation for cultural differences and diversity.

II.B.3.c. The institution designs, maintains, and evaluates counseling and/or academic advising programs to support student development and success and prepares faculty and other personnel responsible for the advising function.

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Descriptive Summary

The counseling staff is involved with admission and counseling related support services which includes providing information about admissions procedures, providing pre-admissions testing, academic advising, career counseling, financial aids, job and transfer placement, outreach, and hosting orientation programs. These support services are key to student success.

Academic advising is developmental in nature. The emphasis is on helping students determine and plan courses of study that will be enriching and that will enable students to achieve their personal and educational objectives. This process usually involves helping students determine their academic and career goals through placement testing, curriculum planning, course selection, and career counseling.

Academic advising is required for all new students. Advising is optional for continuing students but it is highly recommended. Students on academic probation and suspension are required to attend academic advising sessions. Academic contracts and mid-term grade checks are implemented for students on probation.

The process of academic advising provides counselors with opportunities to identify specific needs of students, enrollment trends, and especially course scheduling needs. For the past several years, the Dean of Instruction, faculty, and counselors have actively worked together to determine courses and number of sections to be offered each semester (Scheduling Processes and Timetable, Part 1 and 3).

The Disabilities Counseling Program is designed to provide academic advising and special support services to students with significant barriers to achieving their educational goals. The college recently sought funding through the legislature for a permanent general funds counselor position for the Disabilities Program. Funding was approved and the college is currently advertising and recruiting for this position.

Academic advising is coordinated and implemented by Student Services with counselors having primary responsibility for assisting students. In the past, some faculty participated in academic advising, on a volunteer basis, by attending group advising sessions to consult with students.

Self Evaluation

The college recently implemented a systematic campus-wide program review process on a five-year cycle. Student Services, including Counseling Services, completed their program review in July 2005 (Student Services Program Review). The program review cites: “A Student Services Survey conducted in Spring 2005 indicated that 71.43 percent (189) of those surveyed indicated they met with a counselor for academic advising; 64.7 percent (119)

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were satisfied or very satisfied with their advising session.” In the same survey, 61 percent (111) were satisfied or very satisfied with the assistance received by counselors to clarify their career goals and to determine a course of study. This survey also showed that 62 percent or (112) students were able to select appropriate courses as a result of the advising received.

Academic advising has become more important because the needs of students have changed dramatically over the past 10 years. More students are entering college academically under-prepared, work at least part-time and have less time and energy to concentrate on their educational tasks. Complicating this matter further is the fact that many students have erroneous expectations about their level of academic preparedness and the rigorous time demands of pursuing a college education.

For the past three years, the Nursing Department Graduate Focus Group noted the need for the Nursing Counselor to be more accessible to students. Nursing students have an extremely demanding schedule and want the convenience of a counselor nearby. Various scheduling plans were developed and implemented for the counselor to maintain office hours in the Nursing Building. In September 2005, the Nursing Counselor relocated full time to an office in the Nursing Building. This move resulted in a significant increase in student traffic and improved accessibility to the Director of Nursing and the faculty.

The counseling department has also noted an increase in email academic advising. Returning and new students use email to seek advising, answers to admissions related questions, and to set-up appointments.

In 2001 a total of 30 students sought assistance related to disabilities. The number of students increased to a total of 65 in 2005, showing a 116 percent increase in students seeking disability related assistance. These students require extensive academic advising services including arrangements for special accommodations. An additional general funded counseling position was filled in January 2006 to assist students with disabilities and assist students who are academically disadvantaged. There has been commitment and support for counselors to avail themselves of professional development opportunities. A full-time Professional Development Coordinator assists in seeking appropriate opportunities for counselors. The Student Services Program Review states: “Since 2002 to the current year of 2005, nine counselors and our Dean of Student Services have attended conferences within the state and out of state. Counselors have attended conferences in California, Denver, Washington D.C., Minnesota, Oregon, Nevada and Utah.” In addition, counselors attended many statewide conferences and training. Also, they have actively participated in teleconferences as part of professional development (Exhibit II-45: Student Services Professional Development List of Conferences/ Workshops Attended Since 2002).

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Through the newly funded Title III Grant, several faculty members will be researching the feasibility of developing and implementing a faculty mentor program. This project will begin Spring 2006.

A Student Services survey (N=265) conducted in Spring 2005 (Student Services Program Review) provided the following results:

(1) 71.4 percent of students met with a counselor for academic advising with 65 percent of those students indicating they were satisfied or very satisfied with their advising session. The number of students who indicated they were less than satisfied was only 2 percent. These results indicate student satisfaction with academic advising.

(2) 61 percent of students indicated they were satisfied or very satisfied with the assistance received from counselors in clarifying their career goals and determining a course of study. The results also indicate that 4 percent of students were not satisfied or very dissatisfied with the counselors clarifying their goals.

Planning Agenda

It is recommended that the faculty be assisted in developing a faculty mentor program.

A systematic way of documenting online academic advising should be developed.

Based upon available resources, a professional development plan that reflects the mission and goals of the college and Student Services should be created.

A workshop/conference (off-island and on-island) documentation process should be developed through Student Services minutes.

A workshop/conference reporting process to document how student services faculty and staff are meeting their mission and goals through professional development activities should be developed.

III.B.3d. The institution designs and maintains appropriate programs, practices, and services that support and enhance student understanding and appreciation of diversity.

Descriptive Summary

One of the institution’s goals is to foster global understanding and appreciation for diversity (KCC Strategic Plan, 2003-2010, page 12). Programs are designed and maintained to achieve this goal. For example, the culinary arts program incorporates the appreciation of different cultures in their curriculum through their menu selection process. Students are

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trained to prepare and present ethnic foods for the weekly fine dining lunches. These menus are posted on the institution’s website and most of the customers are returnees, and others come through recommendations from friends or relatives. The waiting list attests to the popularity of this program.

Student understanding and appreciation of diversity is a core goal of the campus and a student learning outcome for many of the courses in the Liberal Arts program. With the adoption of the campus Student Learning Outcomes in 2004, respect for diversity is being implemented in the curriculum in all programs. As each program undergoes a full review every five years, the effectiveness of services will be addressed (CAF Handbook). Course grades and final projects are used to evaluate student learning and appreciation of diversity at the program level.

There is a counselor in place at Student Services whose responsibility is to address the needs and services for people with disabilities. Monthly flyers are distributed by the counselor to all faculty members informing them of strategies to use for people with special needs and awareness of their circumstances. Self-disclosure statements are part of the institution’s catalog and instructors’ syllabi. Special accommodations in terms of facilities have been made and are continuously assessed for compliance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (Exhibit II-46: Disability flyers).

A common practice in many classes at the institution is to have a pa`ina, a potluck affair, at the end of the semester. An array of ethnic food is brought and enjoyed with good fellowship ensuing. Food serves as a catalyst for understanding and appreciating diversity (Exhibit II-47: KCC Summer Bridge Activities Booklet, page 34).

Partnerships with various Asian educational institutions demonstrate Kaua‘i Community College’s commitment to support and enhances student understanding and appreciation of diversity. The three primary institutions are Chiba Keizai Junior College, Okinawa Prefectual College of Nursing, and Okinawa Christian College. On the average, 20 students and their advisers annually visit KCC for a two-week stay, which includes English and Hawaiian culture classes and a weekend stay with local host families. The visiting nursing students participate in a service learning activity. They assist the patients at Mahelona Hospital at an outing and swimming activity at Lydgate Beach. Thirty-six students from Chiba Keizai Junior College will be visiting in early Spring 2006. The Office of Continuing Education and Training and KCC faculty coordinate these visits. The colleges continue to send students to KCC annually which attest to the effectiveness of the program. Students from abroad experience the climate and environment of our campus, and our students likewise appreciate the opportunity to interact with students from Japan and Okinawa. KCC students have also had opportunities to travel abroad, the KCC Japanese instructor has taken a class to Japan for the past two summers and several Hawaiian Studies groups have traveled to Aotearoa (New Zealand).

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Extra-curricular activities by campus clubs also foster student understanding and appreciation of diversity. Clubs do not discriminate in their membership. Some examples of clubs are the Pamantasan (Filipino) Club, the Japanese Club, the International Students Club, and the Hawaiian Club. Club membership includes nontraditional students as well as traditional students. Fellowship, social responsibility, service, and effective citizenship are desired outcomes for these co-curricular experiences. Campus clubs are a vital part of the institution’s environment. The clubs are primarily self-supporting with opportunities for financial support from the institution’s Foundation Fund and ASUH-KCC.

Self Evaluation

The institution’s goal to “foster global understanding and appreciation for diversity” stems from the college’s mission statement: “Kaua‘i Community College is an open access, post-secondary institution that serves the community of Kaua‘i and beyond. We deliver education and training in a caring, student-focused and intellectually stimulating environment. This results in empowered life-long learners who think critically, appreciate diversity and lead successful, independent, socially-responsible and personally fulfilling lives.” To measure the diversity aspect of our mission and goal we use many different sources. The UH Institutional Research Office publishes an Enrollment Report yearly. The reports are available online at the University of Hawai‘i’s Institutional Research Office, Management and Planning Support (MAPS) website. The introduction of this self study document (pages 12-15) use some of these statistics in tables to describee the diversity of the students, staff, and faculty. In short, the campus is very diverse with respect to age, gender, and ethnicity. Hawaiian (15 percent of students enrolled) is the third largest ethnic category in the college and the indigenous culture so naturally there are many courses (and a certificate) offered for students to learn more about this culture. The largest ethnic categories among students are Filipino and Caucasian (24 percent and 23 percent, respectively).

One way we measure understanding and appreciation of diversity is through the CCSSE surveys that we conduct every two years. The 2002 CCSSE survey results indicated that on of the college’s “successes” was in understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds. 75 percent of the students responded that the college experience contributed to their understanding people of other races and ethnic backgrounds. The 2004 results were the same.

The college administered the Former Students Leaver’s Survey in 2003 and currently administers an annual Graduates Leaver Survey. One of the areas addressed is understanding and appreciating diversity. Comments made in the Former Students Leaver Survey were: “Student mentioned his wife took Hawaiian with him and they both thought it was excellent and better than they expected.” “Took Hawaiian language and the interaction with the Niihauan students was a real plus. All his designs are based on Hawaiian motifs and knowing the language and the culture play a big part in them.”

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The 2003 Graduate Leaver Survey results also support the college’s efforts in enhancing the appreciation of diversity. Questions pertaining to enhancement and appreciation of diversity are: “Rate the quality of instruction in increasing my knowledge about other cultures and world affairs”, 3.1 percent rated it as poor quality, 16.7 percent rated it as fair quality, 53.1 percent rated it as good quality, and 27.1 percent rated it as excellent quality. For this population, 80.2 percent rated the instructional quality good or excellent in increasing knowledge of other cultures and world affairs. Adequate data cannot be derived from the current Graduate Leaver Survey to determine to what extent students understand and appreciate diversity because the response to this survey has been low.

Planning Agenda

A suggested plan for the future is to hold a Cultural and Diversity Fair in early April 2006. This event would incorporate diversity activities such as cultural traditions, dance, music, arts and crafts, and food; religion; disability issues; and gender/sexual orientations.

The internal and external communities would be involved in the planning and

execution of the fair. A survey will be conducted at the Cultural and Diversity Fair to obtain data on the level of satisfaction, understanding, and appreciation of diversity.

II.B.3e. The institution regularly evaluates admissions and placement instruments and practices to validate their effectiveness while minimizing biases.

Descriptive Summary

The Banner Student Information System has been institutionalized as the instrument for admission and maintenance and retrieval of records. “Record collection is standardized via data entry standards established by Banner” (Admissions and Records Program Review, page 9).

The current admissions practice is to issue an acceptance letter within two weeks of application for the forthcoming semester. A survey was conducted to determine students’ satisfaction with the “pre-admissions process”. The results showed that 13 out of 13 respondents indicated that they were satisfied with the pre-admission services. Since the number of responses was small, it cannot be concluded that all new students are generally satisfied with the pre-admission services.

The Computer-Adaptive Placement Assessment and Support System (COMPASS) tests have been adopted and institutionalized in all colleges of the UH System. They are national exams designed by the American College Testing Program. They assess students’ math, reading and writing levels for appropriate placement in courses. Assessment and effectiveness of common cut-off scores is an ongoing process.

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The Science and Math Division is currently reviewing the existing COMPASS placement cut-off scores along with their counterparts on the other UHCC campuses. Curriculum action will be initiated if necessary.

Across the UH campuses, effective Spring 2006, a change in reading and writing placement cut-off scores were implemented. Placement into English classes will now be determined by a reading score into a reading class and a writing score into a writing class instead of a combined score interpretation.

Self Evaluation A program review of Admissions and Records was recently completed on November 10, 2004, which resulted in a 2-year Action Plan (Admissions and Records Program Review and Student Services Program Review).

In 2003 the UHCC campuses began to review COMPASS cut off scores for English and Mathematics. Over a two-year period a number of meetings were held for English and math faculty from all campuses to discuss revisions to the cut off scores. In March 2005 all of the recommendations from the faculty were accepted and implemented in Fall 2005 except for the entry level score for ENG 102 (the faculty recommended keeping the existing cut-off scores rather than lowering it). Further meetings and discussions ensued with the final outcome of a recommendation from the deans of instruction (Exhibit II-48: Deans letter, March 2006) to the chancellors that the entry-level scores remain the same, that another study be conducted, and that reading curriculum be aligned along shared systemwide SLOs.

The Fall 2005 math placement changes and the Spring 2006 changes in English placement necessitates a campus review of course prerequisites.

Planning Agenda

Continue the ongoing process of assessing the validity and reliability of the cut off scores through dialogue with the UH Systems Community College.

Begin dialogue across the campus on effects of changes in the UH System English placement cut-off scores and campus Science and Math curriculum changes.

II.B.3.f. The institution maintains student records permanently, securely, and confidentially, with provision for secure backup of all files, regardless of the form in which those files are maintained. The institution publishes and follows established policies for release of student records.

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Descriptive Summary

A program review of Admissions and Records was recently completed on November 10, 2004. This document provides the objectives, measurement criteria, assessment/method/data source, and action plan for the Office of Admissions and Records. “The mission of Admissions and Records is to provide access to all eligible prospective students interested in and capable of pursuing an education…. including safeguarding academic records in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)” (Admissions and Records Program Review, page 3 and Student Services Program Review, page 3).

The Registrar’s Office is responsible for securing all paper files. FERPA privacy guidelines are adhered to and published in the Schedule of Classes for each semester and in the college’s catalog, which is available in print and online. Students sign a “Request Not to Release Directory Information” form, and it is kept in their files. A concern of Students Services is that the security of Banner can be compromised if one party does not log off properly, which leaves the file open for others to see.

Student employment and stipend records are kept confidential through the Financial Management Information System (FMIS) security procedures which requires Business Office personnel to sign a security policy.

Self Evaluation

Paper files are stored in a locked room in the Registrar’s Office. “A systematic method of data sharing is not in place at the present time. A campus-wide policy and procedure manual for student records needs to be established with assistance from the Institutional Researcher, and in collaboration with other departments” (Admissions and Records Program Review, page 9). Effective hardcopy retrieval is problematic. The safety of the records are assured, but access to the information does not facilitate the use of the data for planning and evaluation purposes.

Another concern is the storage of paper files. Considerable space is needed for storage. An optical imaging system is desirable which will make retrieval of hardcopies and storage less problematic.

Planning Agenda

The Office of Admissions and Records will create a procedure manual for the handling of student records that will ensure confidentiality and security and yet allow reasonable access for institutional research. As noted above, this will need the assistance from the Institutional Researcher and collaboration with other departments.

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Admission and Records will request funds and implement an optical imaging system for file storage.

Professional Development Coordinator should include FERPA training on an annual

basis for faculty, staff, and student workers.

II.B.4. The institution evaluates student support services to assure their adequacy in meeting identified student needs. Evaluation of these services provides evidence that they contribute to the achievement of student learning outcomes. The institution uses the results of these evaluations as the basis for improvement.

Descriptive Summary

In the past two years, the college implemented a systematic and regular review of all programs, including student support services. The Program Review Calendar is developed on a five-year review cycle. To date, the following programs related to student support services have completed their program reviews: Computer Services, Instructional Technology, Admissions and Records, Counseling, Financial Aid, Student Life, Early Childhood Center and The Learning Center. By February 2008, all programs will have completed their respective program reviews (Program Review Calendar).

The college developed and adopted five campus Student Learning Outcomes(SLOs) several years ago. The focus from teaching to learning and the manner in which we approach the assessment of outcomes has been shifting. Professional development activities, organized by the Assessment Committee and the Professional Development Committee were intensified to help the campus move in the direction of assessment of SLOs. In the area of student support services, the transition has been even more difficult as we shift from program accountability to learning accountability.

Self Evaluation

There have been several significant changes implemented by the college in response to recommendations from program reviews and review of data from surveys, focus groups, and student evaluations. Some of these changes are:

A clerical position in the Office of Admissions and Records was reclassified. The new position, Educational Specialist in Enrollment Services, will enhance student access to the college.

A new counselor position was funded by the legislature in response to the large increase of students with disabilities and the formation of the College Success Program.

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In March 2006, a Financial Aid Officer was hired to assist with anticipated increased workload (due to tuition increases) and to address compliance concerns.

Counseling and academic advising services were physically decentralized by placing two counselors in academic divisions, Nursing and Hawaiian Studies.

Funding for the One-Stop Center has been granted and released which will improve the facilities for student services by consolidating services which are presently scattered around the campus and by adding a Career Counseling Center and a testing center.

The Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory notes that the college received satisfaction ratings above the national group means in most of the areas related to student support services.

With the college mission, goals, and SLOs completed, progress has been achieved in aligning these components with the program review process. The college has created a promising foundation from which this campus can now proceed to integrate program review as a continuous, evaluative effort. Student support services must now engage in measuring Student Learning Outcomes as well as institutional outcomes such as success, retention, and persistence.

Planning Agenda

Student Services will seek professional development resources and the assistance of the institutional researcher to develop appropriate assessment strategies.

Standard II.C. Library and Learning Support Services

Library and other learning support services for students are sufficient to support the institution’s instructional programs and intellectual, aesthetic, and cultural activities in whatever format and wherever they are offered. Such services include library services and collections, tutoring, learning centers, computer laboratories, and learning technology development and training. The institution provides access and training to students so that library and other learning support services may be used effectively and efficiently. The institution systematically assesses these services using student learning outcomes, faculty input, and other appropriate measures in order to improve the effectiveness of the services.

II.C.1. The institution supports the quality of its instructional programs by providing library and other learning support services that are sufficient in quantity, currency, depth, and variety to facilitate educational offerings, regardless of location or means of delivery.

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The learning support services at KCC, located within the Academic Support Division, headed by the Assistance Dean of Instruction for Academic Support, include the Library, The Learning Center, the College Success Program, the Peer Assistant program, Instructional Technology, Computer Services, the University Center, and Media Services. The library provides resources and services to KCC students, distance students, faculty, staff and the community. The Learning Center provides tutoring, test proctoring, computer aided instruction, and COMPASS testing services and serves as the base for the Instructional Technologist, the College Success Program Coordinator and the Peer Assistant Program Coordinator. The Instructional Technology unit provides resources, recommendations, training and support to faculty and students on hardware and software deployment. The Instructional Technologist integrates technology intensive instruction into courses at KCC and provides support services and coverage for The Learning Center. The College Success Program Coordinator provides a menu of services and programs to assist students to become successful in their college careers, including coordination of learning communities, Focus Labs that provide supplemental instruction, individual tutoring sessions, a Summer Bridge program, and a 3 credit course - IS 103 (Introduction to College). Computer Services supports the college’s technology infrastructure. The Peer Assistant Program Coordinator develops and administers the PAP program, which provides in-class and individual tutorial assistance to students in vocational/technical courses that have been identified as high-risk. Media Services provides technical support for the campus voice communication system, the distance education infrastructure (Hawa‘i Interactive Television System, cable television, videoconferencing), the KCC web site, the Performing Arts Center operation and maintenance, and installation and maintenance of the campus’s copper and fiber optic infrastructure for voice and data. The University Center negotiates for educational programs that are needed by the Kaua‘i community and supports distance delivery through technology and services.

Descriptive Summary

Library

As one of the learning support service units at Kaua‘i Community College (KCC), the library provides services to its students and faculty within the Learning Resource Center, a two-story facility. The library staff consists of four librarians and two classified staff.

Circulation, reference, and instructional services are the primary public services offered by the library. The Library also provides space for exhibits and for community programs that provide intellectual, aesthetic and cultural experiences for students, faculty, staff and the community. Along with access to a book collection of 60,000 volumes, the library also provides intrasystem loan (ISL) from the entire University of Hawai‘i Library System. It takes from 3-5 days to receive materials ordered through ISL. There are in excess of four million volumes available through this loan system. The library is currently subscribing to several full-text electronic databases for journals and magazines. These are readily accessible

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by students from any remote location and links to these databases are prominently displayed on the library website. The library owns over 1,000 videotapes and has recently started to collect DVDs. Faculty also have access to over 22,000 videotapes, 3,200 DVDs, and 14,500 CDs through the Wong A-V Center at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa through the intrasystem loan service.

The Distance Learning Librarian supports community college distance students and University Center distance students (upper division and graduate students) by providing reference services, information literacy instruction, and a distance learning library website which includes links to full-text databases, interlibrary loan services, online reference tools, online information literacy tutorials and contact information for library services at all UH campuses (Distance Learning Library website).

The Learning Center

The Learning Center (TLC) is also located in the Learning Resource Center building. The unit offers resources, including networked software, instructional software diskettes, links to online resources through TLC web page, books, and other printed learning materials, all appropriate for academic improvement. It serves as a proctoring center for onsite and distance students. TLC’s part in instruction comes in the form of in-class, small group, and individual tutoring, collaborative learning/study and test-review sessions for difficult courses, and make-up testing in TLC. In addition, TLC offers individual sessions, in-class and small group workshops to teach students word processing, Internet search strategies, electronic mail, and Excel.

One of the basic responsibilities of TLC has been to teach students life-long learning skills. TLC offers individual in-class sessions and small group workshops in learning how to learn and in acquiring specific study skills. To help prepare students for the workforce, TLC has resources and activities designed to gain or improve personal or self-management skills (Learning Center Program Review).

In December 2005, the Learning Center Coordinator retired and the role of the Learning Center in Academic Support is being redefined. Through a series of Campus Conversations, which began in April 2006 and which will continue in Fall 2006, the KCC faculty will discuss the reorganization of the Learning Center, the College Success program (which is located in the Learning Center), and other learning support services to better serve students and faculty. The College Success Program Coordinator and the Peer Assistant Program Coordinator are currently providing many of the tutoring and instructional services provided by the former TLC coordinator.

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The University Center

The University Center was established by the UH Board of Regents in 1996 to support or facilitate the delivery or receipt of courses in the UH System. It does not confer credit or degrees but negotiates with other institutions to bring programs to the island of Kaua‘i. Currently there are 18 programs being offered by the University Center, including 6 Bachelor degree programs, 6 Master degree programs, 5 certificate programs and 1 post-baccalaureate degree. There have been 11 programs that have come and gone during the past 5 years. There are two upcoming Master level programs in the planning stages (University Center Program Review).

Coordinating the activities of the University Center is the University Center Director. The Educational Specialist offers information to individuals interested in pursuing baccalaureate or graduate-level degrees or certificates and also assists with advising, registration and exam proctoring. On a systemwide level, the Educational Specialist participates on a committee that coordinates distance services across the UH System; primarily the community colleges.

The Learning Center Coordinator, the Distance Learning Librarian, the Instructional Technology Coordinator, and the University Center Educational Specialist provide orientations to distance students every semester on using the UH email system, MYUH portal, WebCT, online library resources, the interlibrary loan service, proctoring services, and book ordering. There are an average of 17 students that attend these orientations every semester.

Instructional Technology

Instructional Technology’s unit objectives cover a wide base of instructional needs of students and faculty. These include: 1) To research, recommend, and deploy software to create, distribute, and receive technology-mediated instructional content and make it accessible to faculty; 2) To research, recommend, and deploy hardware to create, distribute, and receive technology-mediated instructional content, and make it accessible to students; and 3) To provide consultation to faculty and students in the development and/or use of instructional technology.

The College Success Program

The College Success Program Coordinator, a new position at the college, provides a variety of services and supports to help students succeed and persist in all phases of their college experience. The College Success Program coordinates remedial and developmental learning community cohorts; Focus Labs for challenging courses; individual tutoring for writing, reading, and English across the curriculum; and the development and delivery of first-year experience curriculum in a new course – IS 103, Introduction to College – to help new students gain valuable academic and affective skills to succeed in their college careers.

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College Success also will offer the Summer Bridge program in 2006, a special three-week intensive program to help new and under-prepared students make a smooth transition to post-secondary education.

Peer Assistant Program

The Peer Assistant Program, funded by a Perkins grant, identifies potential tutors enrolled in courses that have high failure/attrition rates, and hires them to provide tutorial assistance for registered vocational-tech students. Classes are defined as high-risk if they have had a failure rate of 30 percent over several semesters, with failure being defined as all grades of D, F, and W. Peer tutors attend these classes with their tutees, and help with course-specific content as well as study habits and skills. The position is part-time and the Coordinator also serves as the Key-Train Coordinator (See Section II.B.1).

Computer Services

Computer Services supports the college’s computer technology needs by establishing, maintaining and updating hardware infrastructure, and by providing software support. There are 533 computer systems on campus, including 418 desktops, 100 notebooks, 15 servers, and 77 printers. They also support 200 notebooks and PDAs owned by students using the college’s wireless network. The unit has a current operating budget of $20,000/year and a $50,000/year equipment replacement budget (Computer Services APRU). The 2006 legislature appropriated funding for an additional position and a stable budget for equipment replacement.

Computer Services provides computer support to students, faculty, and staff, by phone, by web, and by a walk-up service location. Students can request assistance at a help desk window in the Natural Sciences building Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. or by phone. The Computer Services website also provides a link to online work order forms for faculty and staff.

Media Services

The personnel in Media Services include two electronic technicians, a graphic artist, and clerical support. The unit’s mission is to provide quality support in multimedia, graphics, educational technology and stage production that facilitates learning and communicates the mission of the college.

Media Services goals include providing technology –enabled environment in both the physical and virtual classrooms, support the college through print and electronic media, assist college and community groups in the delivery of seamless stage productions, provide and maintain state-of-the-art equipment, and provide and support an infrastructure for electronic communication (Media Services Program Review). Media Services tracks age, usage and

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replacement costs for equipment, usage of services by students and faculty, and surveys faculty and students for evaluation of their services and equipment needs (faculty). Media Services personnel also offer new faculty who teach evening classes an orientation session on their services. Self Evaluation

Library

While the Association of College and Research Libraries’ (ACRL) Standards for Libraries in Higher Education no longer provide benchmark numbers for size of library collections, the libraries within the UH System can be compared on the size of their collections in relation to their enrollment. In 2004, Kaua‘i Community College’s closest peers in terms of size of enrollment (FTE) were Windward (1112) and Maui (1659) Community Colleges. Using FY2004 data, Kaua‘i’s book collection was 57,739 versus its closest peer Windward with 42,128 and Maui with 55,220. In fact, Kaua‘i’s numbers were much closer to a larger campus such as Honolulu (FTE 2448) with a book collection of 57,992.

The UH Systems Office, upon request, provides the Library with statistics showing the age (mean, median, mode) and circulation of the collection by broad call number classification. These statistics are used for the age analysis of the book collection. Based on an earlier collection age analysis conducted six years ago, it was determined that the library’s book collection is aging and certain areas, such as scientific subjects, need to be updated. Based upon the collection analysis, the Library was able to obtain funding to upgrade the health and science subject areas of the collection. A recent update of the study has indicated an improvement in the overall currency of the book collection (Library Program Review – Collection Age Analysis Statistics and Circulation Statistics 2001-2005).

The number and types of online databases, providing access to full-text journal articles, varies among the campuses due to different needs; but there are standard ones that are subscribed to by a consortium of all libraries in the state called the Hawai‘i Library Consortium. The UH System subscribes to the EBSCO Host databases, which provide full-text access to approximately 5,000 journals covering a broad range of academic disciplines. The consortium has also added additional databases such as Congressional Quarterly Researcher, ScienceDirect, and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) in the past few years. Kaua‘i has also recently joined another consortium consisting primarily of medical libraries in Hawai‘i. This consortium enabled Kaua‘i to bring in a medical full-text database, OVID, for the nursing program on campus and for distance students in the BSN and MSN programs offered by UH Hilo and UH Manoa.

Access to computers on campus is one of the most in-demand needs of students. The library has increased the available supply with the addition of nine laptop computers in 2004 via a

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Perkins Grant. Altogether, the library has 24 computers (8 of which are in a computer lab in the microfilm room) available for student use.

Results of recent surveys of KCC students have shown that students like the library as a place to study, and that they are satisfied with library resources and services, except for the book collection, where more than 10 percent of respondents indicated dissatisfaction (Library Program Review – Appendix 2 – KCC Library Student Surveys).

Results of recent surveys of distance students show that students were generally very satisfied or satisfied with distance library services. Results showed that over 95 percent of those who indicated they had asked librarians for help answered that they were “almost always” or “usually” able to help them. An analysis of trends over time in distance students survey responses, indicate a growing awareness and use of distance library resources, such as the KCC Library Web pages. The percentage of survey respondents using the KCC Library website has more than doubled from 35 percent in 2001 to 79 percent in 2005. Survey results have been used to increase the marketing of the full-text databases, online tutorials, and information on automated citation builder sites on the Internet to distance students and faculty.

Results of a faculty survey (Fall 2005) and a faculty focus group (Spring 2005) show that the faculty are very satisfied with the reference services, the online databases, the library web pages, library instruction, and the print journal, but 15 percent of the respondents indicated dissatisfaction with the book collection and 20 percent with the A-V (Video/DVD) collection (Library Program Review – Appendix 29 – Faculty Survey). The faculty focus group suggested that the Library should position itself as the intellectual, information center of the campus and should redefine itself in more of a bookstore model by reconfiguring space and by offering more community events (Library Program Review – Appendix 23).

The Learning Center

TLC created two booklets to assist students. “Resources for Self-Management” focuses on the development of skills associated with personal growth while “Resources for Academic Success” includes web sites appropriate for improvement of academic and personal skills. TLC is currently in the process of updating its website, including appropriate links to a variety of online resources for academic, personal, and college success.

In the academic year 2002-2003, The Learning Center counted 18,670 student visits for the purpose of using the facility’s equipment and resources. This reflected a weekly average use of 549 students with a daily average of 112. For the 2003-2004 academic year, there were 24,234 student visits. This represents a 30 percent increase in student usage from the previous year (Learning Center Program Review). In Spring 2006 the Learning Center offered test proctoring to 443 students, answered 395 service requests, assisted 70 students

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with computer help, administered 166 Compass tests and provided tutorial assistance to 191 students.

The College Success Program

The College Success Program has coordinated or developed the following specific services/courses since January 2005: Focus Labs for History for academically challenging courses, College Success Learning Communities for identified under-prepared students, IS 105 (Introduction to College), Summer Bridge, and IS 97 (Success Strategies).

The Peer Assistant Program (PAP)

From Fall 2004 through Fall 2005 (3 semesters), the PAP program provided 17 tutors for 279 students in 20 classes and the success rates for students improved in 18/20 classes. The average percent decrease in student non-completion in PAP supported classes versus non-PAP supported classes from the previous calendar year was 16.53 percent.


The Instructional Technologist has assisted 46 faculty members with technical support over the past three years in order to integrate technology intensive instruction into their courses and has helped other faculty members develop their distance courses, most recently, Spanish 201 (Instructional Technology Program Review). Instructional Technology was able to purchase hardware (digital projectors, scanners, hard disks, digital video and still cameras, microphone headsets, etc.) through the Lei Aloha initiative mission that augmented existing hardware in TLC, Computer Resource Center, and Microfilm Room in the library.

University Center

The University Center serves KCC distance students as well as Kaua‘i students enrolled in baccalaureate and graduate distance programs. Approximately 350 people contact the University Center each year with about 50 (14 percent) actually enrolling in a program. Students can access the Center through phone calls, a web site and by walk-in. The Center is open one evening a week until 7:00 p.m. A recent survey of students and distance faculty shows a high level of satisfaction with University Center Services (University Center Program Review).

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http://kauai.hawaii.edu/admin/gov/progreview/documents/05INSTRTECHFullReview.doc



Year Number of

Programs Available on Kaua‘i

Number of Students

Enrolled in DL courses

(Duplicated)

Number ofUC Students

(Unduplicated)Fall

Number ofUC Students

(Unduplicated)Spring

2000-01 23 2492001-02 26 365 81 922002-03 23 437 83 732003-04 22 362* 66 672004-05 18 No data 74 69

*Incomplete count

Media Services

Faculty and student responses to a survey conducted in Fall 2005 show that most media services are rated highly by students and faculty. Faculty and student perception of the KCC catalog, schedule of classes, website, and graphic services were notably different. Distance student responses have also been positive with students rating the technical support a 4.9 on a 5 point Lickert scale question, with 5 being the highest rating. In the unit program review, Media Services includes actions plans and a timeline summary that address areas that need improvement as indicated by usage and survey statistics, by survey comments, and by future technology requirements. These include marketing the unit’s services, creating program brochures, tracking efficiency of services, and updating equipment for instruction and for the Performing Arts Center (Media Services Program Review).

Planning Agenda

The college should update library materials, based on the collection analysis, program needs and faculty input.

Appropriate college programs and units should work together to propose a redesign and reuse of the Learning Resource Center building, to use space that will be vacated. These efforts should focus on creating a more welcoming environment for students, faculty, and staff to gather, study and participate in the college and community events.

Programs and units should advocate for a closer working relationship between the learning support services and instructional programs so that there are sufficient resources and assistance available.

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Appropriate programs and units should plan for the reorganization of the Learning Center, the College Success program and other learning support programs to streamline services to students.

II.C.1.a. Relying on appropriate expertise of faculty, including librarians and other learning support services professionals, the institution selects and maintains educational equipment and materials to support student learning and enhance the achievement of the mission of the institution.

Descriptive Summary

Library

The mission of the library is to provide an intellectually stimulating environment for the college community by providing a variety of resources and services that promote the development of critical thinking and information literacy skills. This aligns with the college mission of “providing education in a caring, student-focused and intellectually stimulating environment.”

To support the college’s mission, the library relies heavily on faculty for recommending resources to support their curriculum. The book selection process permits instructors to participate actively in the collection development process by selecting library materials that are supportive of student learning. By means of book reviews, publishers’ catalogs, and personal recommendations, faculty assist librarians in selecting books in their disciplines. Faculty are also consulted when selecting online resources mentioned under Standard II.C.1.

All librarians are assigned subject areas in which they are responsible for the collection development of those areas and they are also subject specialist liaisons between the library and the corresponding instructional division. Since 2003 the librarians have attended instructional division meetings once a semester as liaisons between the library and divisions. This presents an opportunity for the library to address needs and concerns from the divisions and to let the divisions know that there is a subject specialist available that can be conferred with for division support.

The library houses a lab with 8 computers and 10 laptops are available for use within the library. Nine more computers are used for public access to library catalogs, online databases and web resources. One computer is devoted to receiving interlibrary loans through the Ariel System and there are a total of 8 faculty/staff computers within the library. All of these computers and networks are maintained by computer services. In addition to computers, there are two copiers (one color) for student use and three microfilm reader/printers.

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The Learning Center

The Learning Center offers computer support and technological assistance to students with its 22 computers. The computers are upgraded on a regular schedule and maintained by Computer Services. The lab also includes a data projector. Currently, TLC is in the process of purging outdated software and materials, and will replace these as funding permits.


The Instructional Technologist has researched, deployed, and administered a computer-supported collaborative learning environment allowing faculty and students to create and access computer-mediated resources. Instructors are using this web-based environment as an adjunct to face-to face and distance education courses. This collaborative learning environment consists of a web based IT help desk with links to tutorials, references, and computer applications. Two instant messaging systems (both text and audio) are available for collaborative interactions. A wiki-wiki, and a computer-assisted constructivist learning environment (Fle3) are also available.

The close proximity of TLC and Instructional Technology enhances the collaborative efforts between both units in supporting student and faculty needs. The Instructional Technologist has located free computer programs that have been downloaded in the network and accessible in TLC. Students can also download these programs from a remote site.

Computer Services The unit plans for and updates the campus technology infrastructure to provide computer access to faculty, students and staff. The college has a 4-year computer replacement schedule and a $50,000 a year budget. This schedule allows for the staggered replacement of all computer systems every 4 years. Computer Services works with the Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC), which is made up of instructors and non-instructors from the college to implement the Information Technology Strategic Plan (ITSP). The plan, approved by the College Council in March 2005, prioritizes technology goals and establishes a timeline for implementation through Spring 2007 (Computer Service Program Review – Prioritized Goals and Action Plans for Fall 2004 Through Spring 2007).

Media Services

Currently 12 out of 44 classrooms on campus have DVD playback capability. The campus, however, still has many pieces of outdated equipment. There has been an increasing demand for data projectors for classroom use. Almost all of the existing projectors have been supplied by grants.

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Self Evaluation

Library

The Library uses student surveys (given every semester to students in library research classes), faculty surveys (2000 and 2005), a faculty focus group (2005), and analysis of library collection statistics on age and subject coverage to evaluate the Library’s collections.

Although the numbers are not high, some KCC students and distance students express more dissatisfaction with the Library’s book collections than for its other resources or services. The age of the collection seems to be the primary reason for their dissatisfaction, based on the comments at the end of the survey. In Fall 2004, 13 percent of 232 students surveyed were either “dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” with the book collection. In Spring 2005, 12 percent of students surveyed were dissatisfied (Library Program Review – Appendix 2 – KCC Library Student Surveys – Fall 2004, Spring 2005).

KCC faculty members were surveyed on their satisfaction with library resources and services in the Fall 2005 semester. The book and audio visual (A-V) collections rated the lowest level of dissatisfaction. The few comments on the surveys indicated the faculty wanted more and newer resources, especially A-V items. The participants in the Library Focus Group, held in April 2005, weren’t sure about the currency or adequacy of the collection as compared with other colleges, but recommended a more active acquisition program. The participants mentioned the benefits of a strengthened collection of DVDs and videos. They liked the Hawai‘i-Pacific collection and were satisfied with the web pages and the online databases. They recognized that they should take an active part in the collection process (Library Program Review – Appendix 23 – Library Focus Group Questions).

Resources Very Satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Did Not Use

Books 8% 58% 15% 0 19%Print Journals 4% 69% 8% 0 19%

Online Databases

34% 31% 0 0 35%

Library Web Pages

27% 42% 0 0 31%

Videos & DVDs

7% 53% 20% 7% 13%

(Library Program Review –Appendix 29-Faculty Survey)

To address the need to update the collection, a new library collection development plan was completed in Summer 2005 that replaced the old collection guidelines (1980s). This plan will serve as a basic guideline in the selection of new materials and weeding of outdated items from the library’s collection. The collection analysis statistics (on the age and subject distribution of the collection) and faculty and librarian input on potential book and other material purchases, will be used to insure that current and proposed programs/courses will be

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supported with appropriate library resources (Library Program Review – Appendix 9 – Library Collection Development Policy and Appendix 11 – Kaua‘i Community College Collection Age Analysis Statistics 2006). By faculty request (Library Program Review – Library Focus Group report, 2005), the library has re-instituted a system in which book reviews on printed cards (Choice Book Reviews) are routed to faculty selectors from each Division on a regular schedule. Since the last accreditation self study, the library’s book collection has increased in size and there has been a significant median age shift in many of the subject areas of the collection when the 2000 study is compared with the 2004 study. The top 12 subject areas (according to Library of Congress Classification numbers) that showed the most significant increase in median age levels from 2000 to 2004 ranged from 5 to 12 years. There was an additional year or two increase with the 2005 study. All twelve-subject areas have 300 or more titles in the collection at the time of the first study in 2000. What these studies reveal is that there has been a positive and significant shift in the median age levels of the book collection (Library Program Review – Appendix 12 – Ranking of Median Age of Book Collection by Subject Areas 2001-2005).

Although this is a positive statistic, it is not indicative of the source of the new acquisitions. With a very small book budget for the past several years, the library has looked to other sources for books and other library materials. Donations from other libraries, organizations, and individuals have been the source of most of the new book acquisitions. Other means of obtaining books and A-V materials have been though fundraising activities such as the annual used book sale and through grant writing efforts for Perkins and Title III funding to develop the READ Collection (a vocational and general book collection for students whose reading skills are below college level); two University of Hawai‘i SEED Diversity grants for DVDs; and funds to purchase a microfilm reader/scanner and laptop computers). Without a reliable source of funding to purchase new books on a regular schedule, often faculty and librarian recommendations are out of print by the time leftover year-end funds are released.

Other parts of the collection have been downsized due to budget concerns and technology. Within the past five years the microfilm collection has been reduced from 12,000+ reels to half that number. This has been largely due not only to deterioration of the reels but also the datedness of the holdings and the decision to drop the subscription to certain titles.

Periodical subscriptions have also been reduced to 169 titles due to cost and change in priority levels but more recently because of overlap in coverage with full-text online databases. The movement to electronic resources can be further illustrated with the decision by the nursing program director that elected to drop certain print subscriptions and to share costs with the library for a full-text nursing/medical database that covered those print titles and more. There has been a steady increase in usage of the Library’s electronic subscription databases over the past two years as evidenced in the number of searches on the EBSCO databases almost tripling from 5918 in 2002-2003 to 17430 in 2005-2006 (Trends in EBSCO

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Usage, April 2006). Interlibrary loan requests for articles have also dropped because of access to subscription full-text databases (Library Program Review – Interlibrary Loan statistics).

Another major component of the library’s collection has been significantly reduced due to burgeoning electronic technology. This is the general pamphlet or vertical file index. Once heavily used before the Internet, these materials are now readily found on the Internet. Only the Hawaiiana and occupational pamphlet materials have been retained in the collection.

The incorporation of more computers into the library has been an active response to student demands for more computers on campus and access to them. Currently there are 15 desktop computers and 9 laptops available in the library. There is a current need to add more peripherals (i.e. floppy disk drives and power cords) to match the available laptops.

Computer Services

As the number of computer systems and peripherals have increased every year, it is becoming more difficult to stretch the budget and stay on the 4-year equipment replacement schedule. Although a tracking system has been implemented, in order to obtain more accurate data, the system must be used consistently. Results from a recent survey of faculty and staff showed that 82 percent of the respondents were “happy” with services (Computer Services Program Review and Computer Services APRU).

Media Services

The average age of the majority of the audio and videocassette devices is approximately 12 years old. The equipment used to support the interactive television courses (HITS) are beyond their useful life expectancy and have been out of production for over 10 years which makes parts difficult to locate (Media Services Program Review).


The Information Technology Advisory Council (ITAC) that was created in 2004 oversees the implementation of the campus’ information technology plan. In support of the plan, the Instructional Technologist, who is a member of the Council, has developed tutorials and use of instructional technology for faculty. During the past two years of the LEI Aloha project, a total of 46 faculty members were provided technological assistance. Projects ranged from the complex that involved developing a statewide online course in news writing to routine tasks such as entering student grades in Banner (Instructional Technology Program Review).

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Planning Agenda

Implement the collection development plan to guide the selection and de-selection process in the library.

Include appropriations in the budget to regularly update the library’s book and A-V

collections based on the collection analysis statistics and faculty recommendations.

Conduct a student focus group for the library to explore issues of dissatisfaction with the library’s book collection.

Insure that computer resources in the learning support units are taken care of by the campus technology plan.

Update the audio-visual equipment on campus.

II.C.1.b. The institution provides ongoing instruction for users of library and other learning support services so that students are able to develop skills in information competency.

Descriptive Summary

Library

Library instruction is a major component of the college’s efforts in developing information competency skills among students. Librarians teach classes and individuals in the information literacy skills of defining an information need and locating, evaluating, and using information effectively and ethically. Information competency is one of the 5 campus-level Student Learning Outcomes that were developed through all-campus dialogues held during 2003. As defined by the college, information competency is the ability to “conduct, present, and use research necessary to achieve educational, professional, and personal objectives” (Student Learning Outcomes). This outcome has two components. The first is information literacy, which is defined as the ability to “use print materials, personal communications, observations, and electronic media to locate, retrieve, and evaluate information and understand the ethical, social and legal issues surrounding the use of information.” The second component is technological competency, which is the ability to “apply technology effectively to locate, interpret, organize and present information.”

Over the past two years, the library has been developing an instructional program based on the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, as defined by the American Library Association’s Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Following the standards, students are taught how to use the Hawai‘i Voyager catalog, online databases and the Internet to locate information related to their specific topics, how to locate

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materials in the library, how to construct effective search strategies, how to evaluate information, and how to use information ethically by citing sources. This is a change from the old form of bibliographic instruction, in which librarians basically taught students where to locate materials on a library tour. Information literacy requires a closer collaboration with teaching faculty in working toward the development of students’ critical thinking skills in locating and evaluating information.

The library markets its library instruction and tour program to all interested faculty through forms placed in instructors’ mailboxes, through email announcements and through presentations at Division meetings. All library instruction classes are held in The Learning Center because of its classroom setting and the 22 computers, and the multi-media equipment that includes a 36-inch TV monitor and a projector. The Library does not have a facility large enough to accommodate classes that have over 8 students. Classes are either 45 minutes or 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on the times the classes are scheduled. Some instructors request more instructional time in additional sessions, but the norm is for one session only. Although the majority of classes are for students in English courses, the librarians regularly customize instruction for specific subjects and for particular needs and requests, such as for Microbiology, Science, Botany, Biology, Food Services and Hospitality courses. Students are actively engaged by visually following the searches on the projector screen, by hearing the librarian explain the research process, and by kinesthetically conducting the searches at their computers. Students also are given handouts describing the various resources that are covered in the class.

To evaluate students’ understanding of the research skills introduced in the library instruction session, the librarians developed a pre-test and a post-test to administer to a sample group of students in English 100 and English 21/22 level courses. Scores are not compared for individual students, but for each class. Up until 2003, library surveys contained questions dealing predominantly with satisfaction questions on library services and resources. With the incorporation of questions dealing with information literacy, the library survey has evolved to a composite of a test and a survey.

For several semesters, the instructional librarians have conducted a pre-test and post-test to students in sample English 100 and English 22 classes prior to instruction and again at the end of the semester as a means of assessing the instructional sessions and student knowledge of information literacy skills. For the English 100 test there are 10 questions and for the English 21/22 tests there are five questions. The 10-question test covers several information literacy skills including search strategies, evaluation of resources, steps in the research process, and plagiarism. The shorter test covers basic skills of locating books and articles and evaluating resources. The librarians have used the results to target their instruction to areas that needed improvement, such as evaluation of information on the Internet (Library Program Review – Appendix 31). Students show improvement in most areas from the pre-test to the post-test results, but the instructional librarians are still developing and refining the testing instrument and will be working with the Institutional Researcher to further develop a

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valid and reliable test. The results from these tests support the library’s role as a contributing factor to literacy and technology skills that students acquire at Kaua‘i Community College. Also, the results point to a direct contribution to the campus SLOs (Library Program Review – Appendix 32 – Pre-test – Post-Test Scores). Librarians are working collaboratively on information literacy initiatives at the UH System level. The Distance Education Librarian is a member of the University of Hawai‘i Libraries Information Literacy Committee (UHLILC), which has representatives from all 10 campuses of the UH System. The Committee, in collaboration with writing faculty from several UH campuses, including English faculty from Kaua‘i Community College, developed an interactive, online tutorial based on the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) information literacy standards. The tutorial, Learning Information Literacy Online (LILO), engages the student in thinking critically about a research topic, and how to locate and evaluate resources needed to support a thesis statement. It is designed to be used in any course that requires research projects or papers. LILO develops students’ research skills in six modules: The Research Process, Understanding Your Assignment, Developing a Research Strategy, Conducting the Search, Evaluating Resources, and Using Resources. It includes an online student journal that records student responses to questions in the tutorial as they progress through the research process. The journal can be emailed to instructors and/or librarians for assessment. It was piloted on all UH System campuses during the Fall 2005 semester and was promoted on the KCC campus to the faculty through announcements and promotional brochures given to faculty at division meetings and in an English faculty meeting (LILO and Exhibit II-13: LILO Flyer). In addition to the LILO tutorial, the Library Distance Learning website provides links to other online tutorials on using the UH Voyager Catalog, How to Use Journal Article Indexes and Databases, the World Wide Web, Evaluating Information Sources, and Citing Sources. The Distance Librarian notifies distance faculty and students of these online resources through email announcements each semester, through print and electronic brochures, and through the Distance Learning orientations held in The Learning Center.

The Learning Center

The Learning Center offers instructional programs to develop skills in information competency among students. They have included academic assistance through individual, small group, and in-class sessions, technological assistance in order to help students gain or improve skill in computer usage, teach life-long learning skills, and prepare students for the workforce. Workshops and assistance in learning to use technology are all interactive. Students are guided into learning and using these programs. The sessions allow students to gain and improve basic technological application skills.

Historically, TLC has offered special workshops and other services to the campus community on a broad range of topics, including how to combat procrastination and test anxiety, and many other college success strategies. Since the retirement of the TLC director,

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and the inception of the College Success program in 2005, the center is currently in the process of reorganizing.

Recently, TLC has offered a number of group and individual workshops covering such topics as how to use email and the Internet. When the campus establishes how the College Success program will operate with, as well as complement, TLC operations and offerings, clear priorities will be established to guide the realignment and expansion of workshops and other educational opportunities.


Instructional Technology offers assistance to users through tutorials, and identifies online resources to provide learning opportunities for the acquisition of technological skill sets for faculty and students. The Instructional Technologist also provides consultation to faculty and students in the development and/or use of instructional technology (Instructional Technology Program Review, Appendix: Software Tutorials and faculty logs).

Self Evaluation

Library

The number of library instruction classes and students who have participated in these library classes has remained stable during the past few years. The criteria used to count instructional sessions were changed in 2002 to include only classes that had actual classroom instruction (excludes tours and classes that scheduled library time to complete assignments with no formal instruction). The number of classes has grown from 43 in 2002 to 54 in 2005. Total number of students who had instruction increased from 655 in 2002 to 856 in 2005 (Library Program Review - Appendix 22 - Bibliographic Instruction Trends Over the Past Seven Years). The number of individual courses that included scheduled library research instruction session(s) was 24 in 2005. Compared with total enrollment, the total number of students participating in the library instruction program seems high. The numbers, however, are not controlled for duplicate counts.

Although almost all English instructors schedule library instruction sessions, there has not been an initiative to make the sessions mandatory. At two UH community colleges (Leeward Community College and Windward Community College), library instruction is required in English 100 courses and students must pass an exam in order to satisfy either the course requirements or college requirements. Faculty from many of the divisions incorporate library instruction in their classes; however, most of the faculty using the library instruction program are from the Language Arts Humanities (LAH) and the Science and Math Division (SAM) divisions. Faculty from the Health Education Division regularly schedule classes for the professional, pre-professional and nurses’ aide programs. The Auto Body and Repair program schedules one class every year.

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For most courses library instruction is covered in only one session, which is limited to a 50- minute session or a 75-minute session. This is too short a time to teach all the components of information literacy instruction. To address this issue, instructional librarians from the UH System created the LILO tutorial described earlier, which can be integrated into any course that requires a research paper or project. The incorporation of the online tutorial into courses could provide instructors a means of infusing information literacy into the curriculum without requiring more in-class time. The UHLILC (University of Hawai‘i Libraries Information Literacy Committee) is currently working collaboratively to develop a rubric to assess the student journal portion of the tutorial, which will provide a measurement of UH System defined information literacy skills.

Three instructors at KCC used the LILO tutorial in Fall 2005 as a guide for students writing researching papers. Informal feedback from the instructors on this campus and other UH campuses has been positive. Kaua‘i had the second highest number of users of LILO among the UH System with 75 out of a total of 414 UH students systemwide (LILO user counts for the system). By Spring 2006 Kaua‘i had the highest percentage (4-5 percent) of its student population who were using LILO. The results of a survey of KCC LILO users in Fall 2005 showed that 68 percent of the respondents agreed with the statement: “The LILO tutorial has helped me to improve my researching skills” (Library Program Review – Appendix 26 – LILO Users Survey).

The seven faculty members participating in the Library focus group, who represented all college divisions, were asked if they utilized the library instruction program. Those in the affirmative indicated that they used it for beginning classes or classes that required use of library resources. For advanced classes, faculty felt that students already had the knowledge so they stopped using library instruction. Some mentioned they liked the fact that library instruction can be customized according to their needs. Another question the focus group participants were asked was what they thought of several colleges within the UH System that required the demonstration of information literacy skills in order to graduate with an AA degree. Most thought that this was something that should be explored further. Others felt it was useful and should be encouraged but not a requirement. Some said it was already being evaluated in classes by means of research papers (Library Program Review – Appendix 23 – Library Focus Group Questions).

Library surveys administered to students who took library instruction classes show a consistently high rating with these classes. In the Spring 2005 survey of 108 students, 92 percent of the students surveyed were either satisfied or very satisfied with library instruction. 84 percent of students surveyed rated the impact of the library on their academic studies as useful or very useful (Library Program Review – Appendix 2 – KCC Library Student Surveys).

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The Learning Center

Currently TLC does not have a standardized tool to measure its success in teaching students to locate and use information they need and/or improve their use of technology. However, session records are kept to show if students have demonstrated the skills taught to them (Learning Center Program Review).


Instructional Technology also does not have an assessment tool to measure success of students after they have utilized the online tutorial and self-assessment; an assessment and remediation instrument has been developed to assess baseline computer competencies. It is currently awaiting adoption.

Planning Agenda

It is recommended that more faculty be encouraged to incorporate LILO into their courses and programs through dissemination of information from UH System faculty who are using it successfully.

It is recommended that a student focus group be conducted to elicit suggestions on how to improve library resources and services.

Assessment tools should be developed to measure effectiveness of TLC’s programs.

The assessment instrument for Instructional Technology services should be

implemented.

The online version of the library pre-tests should be implemented.

Campus priorities for remedial, developmental, and other educational services to be offered jointly by TLC and College Success Program should be developed.

II.C.1.c. The institution provides students and personnel responsible for student learning programs and services adequate access to the library and other learning support services, regardless of their location or means of delivery.

Descriptive Summary

Library

Due to the non-filling of a vacated support staff position the library has reduced its service hours to 52.5 hours a week. However, the library has maintained the Saturday hours. Library

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hours are posted at the front entrance to the Learning Resource Center, within the facility, and on the library’s web site. The Library is open Tuesday, and Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m. The Learning Center is open on Monday and Wednesday evenings until 7:00 p.m., so students have access to computer labs 4 nights a week.

Students have 24/7 access to the UH Voyage catalog and to over 5,000 full-text journals in electronic subscription databases. Students use their student ID number to access the resources and do not need a library card. Even within the library itself, wireless access to the local area network (LAN) has enabled students to access the library’s resources through their own laptops or through the laptops that are available for loan at the circulation desk. Library orientations are provided for on-campus and distance students at the beginning of each semester. The Distance Learning Librarian sends emails announcing specific databases and interlibrary loan services available to students taking courses at the different colleges in the UH System and how to access these resources using their student I.D. numbers.

The Learning Center

The Learning Center’s hours of operations are also posted at its front entrance and on its home page. Evening hours are provided two evenings a week until 7:00 p.m. This schedule is worked out with the library so there is evening access to the computer labs at both sites throughout the week. Much of the daily access to TLC revolves around operating hours and includes walk-in traffic and appointments with TLC staff. Basic remote access to information about TLC and Instructional Technology are available through the TLC website and the IT website. The TLC has many links to services provided by the facility and also links to sites on the Internet that will assist the student in self-management interpersonal skills.

The University Center Educational Specialist proctors West O‘ahu Writing Assessment exams. Some of these proctored exams are proctored during non-business hours, to accommodate special requests of students. In addition, the Educational Specialist accommodates student requests for use of TLC resources at other than normal hours of operation.


Since Instructional Technology is located within TLC, the hours of operations are aligned with that unit. However, remote access to Instructional Technology was made possible in 2004 with the implementation of an information technology help desk center in TLC. It consists of two high-end workstations (both Windows and MacIntosh) and other equipment available for faculty use and checkout. The development of an online help desk permitted ad hoc peer-to-peer network (s), on-demand audio chat and remote computer assistance available to faculty and administration (Instructional Technology Program Review, Appendix: Hardware, Software, Tutorials, and Faculty). This online help desk serves as Instructional Technology’s web site.

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http://kauai.hawaii.edu/instructors/ecoll/helpdesk/blog.html


http://kauai.hawaii.edu/resources/lc/



Faculty can make an appointment to use Instructional Technology Resources. Appointments can be made in person, by phone, by email, or by submitting a request at the online help desk (IT website). Anyone can visit the online help desk and make subsequent use of the resources cited at the above website. It is possible to use the resource without being counted or identified as a user.

In terms of physical access to the learning support units, structural modifications to the buildings on campus in 2005, including the Learning Resource Center, have improved entrances/exits for people with disabilities. These include electronic door openers, easier opening door handles, and up ramps. These modifications have placed the physical accessibility of the library, TLC, and IT in accordance with the ADA.

The existing Kaua‘i Community College ADA related modifications meet those required by law and they equal or exceed those made at other campuses in the UH System. The main entrance to the Learning Resource Center was modified per ADA recommendations. The main entrance is the first (closest) entrance to the drop off/pick up point for special assistance students.

University Center

The University Center has a web page on the KCC website. The Office of the University Center Educational Specialist is located in the Media Services area of the Learning Resource Center and is only accessible through the Library. University Center personnel are available five days a week during regular college business hours and one evening a week.

Computer Services

Computer Services is located in the Natural Science building and offers a help desk, by phone and in-person five days a week from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. for students, with extended hours at the beginning of each semester. They offer a Computer Help Line and a web based work order form on the KCC website for faculty

Self Evaluation

Library

The library extended its evening hours in 2003 to 7:00 p.m. (from 6:30 p.m.) in response to student requests on library surveys. Even with the extension of library hours over the past 3 years there are still students who are dissatisfied about the hours. The data from the KCC library surveys from 2003-2005 show that that the percentage of KCC students who were dissatisfied (combining the “slightly dissatisfied” and the “very dissatisfied” categories) ranged from 13 percent in 2002, to 19 percent in 2003, 14 percent in 2004 and 12 percent in

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2005 (Library Program Review – Appendix 2 – Student Satisfaction with Library Services). According to the results of the 2005 faculty survey, 84 percent of the respondents were very satisfied or satisfied with the library hours. Only 8 percent were dissatisfied and none were very dissatisfied. Some of the participants in the library focus group recommended the library should extend hours to allow students access to computers and to spaces for collaborative work. This could be done by closing off sections during early morning or evenings and reconfiguring the library so that it would be more cost effective to offer extended hours with fewer personnel.

Assessing the usage level of the library facility has become more difficult with the mechanical failure of the gate counter at the end of 2002. Replacement of this unit was determined to be not cost-effective since the replacement price outweighed its short life span. Data as of 2002 did show that the daily walk-in traffic through the library increased over the previous year. However, walk-in traffic does not accurately measure usage level of the library by students. Beginning in 2003 the library conducted random sampling of the number of students present in the library during evening and Saturday hours by way of a visual count. Counts of people in the library in the evening hours, however, show sparse usage after 6:00 p.m. (Library Program Review – Appendix 3 – Library Attendance Counts).

Library database use has increased during the past few years. One of the primary reasons is the offering of more full-text databases. The library currently subscribes to EbscoHost, a vendor that offers access to 18 different databases. Academic Search Premier, a multi-disciplinary database, is one of the larger full-text databases within EbscoHost and it contains full-text articles for over 4700 journal titles. Usage has almost tripled during the past 5 years (Trends in Ebsco Usage). All students in library research classes learn how to search the full-text subscription databases and the link to them is prominent on the Library web page.

In the most recent library surveys, over 95 percent of KCC and distance students gave the electronic resources and the KCC Library web pages “very satisfied” or “satisfied” ratings (Library Program Review – Appendix 2 – Satisfaction with Library).

The Learning Center

TLC also looks at student evaluations of its facility. In previous semesters students have requested longer hours during the evening. In response to this TLC started opening two nights a week until 6:00 p.m. Some students still wanted longer hours and TLC extended the hours to 7:00 p.m.

The Learning Center facility is small and inadequate for current services. When multiple activities are simultaneously taking place, the facility becomes overcrowded. With twenty or more students in the center, it becomes noisy, especially for those taking tests. There has

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been a steady increase in the number of people using TLC services and resources. If this trend continues, the problem of space will become a bigger issue.

While the library does not have an accurate way of tracking daily use of the facility, TLC utilizes a daily record of usage with students signing in. In Fall 2002 there was a daily average of 117 students, a weekly average of 551 students, and a total of 9,373 for the semester. A year later in Fall 2003, the numbers grew as follows: daily average of 146, weekly average of 718, and a total of 12,926 for the semester. Thus, statistics seem to verify the impact of TLC marketing strategies for their facility, resources and services on the growth of student clientele (Learning Center Program Review).


Instruction Technology does not currently have in place a method to survey the use of its tutorials or computer supported collaborative learning environment. But it does have statistics for the past two years in which the instruction technology coordinator has worked with 46 faculty members on various kinds of projects. They are as complex as developing a statewide online course in news writing to tasks as routine as entering student grades in Banner.

University Center

Signage for the University Center has been posted at the media entry door (Room 111), and on both walls at the corner fronting the University Center Educational Specialist’s Office to increase visibility of the office.

Computer Services

Computer Services conducts surveys of users who use their services through work orders. Results for the past two years show that approximately 82 percent-83 percent are “happy with the service”, 17 percent-18 percent responded, “service was okay,” and 0 percent responded, “service can be improved.” A tool to measure the effectiveness of the walk-up Help Desk services for students has not been developed, but is included in the action plan as a major goal (Computer Services APRU).

Planning Agenda

Student and faculty focus groups should be conducted on a regular schedule to determine satisfaction with access to academic support services (hours of operation, computer access, computer services help desk, signage, clarity and content of website information.)

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Present and future announcement of hours for the library, TLC, and Instructional Technology should be accurately updated, if and when schedule changes are adopted.

In lieu of a gate counter to gauge traffic flow through the library, the library staff

should conduct daytime and evening visual count of students one week during each semester. This will present a snapshot of usage of the facility for assessment purposes.

II.C.1.d. The institution provides effective maintenance and security for its library and other learning support services.

Descriptive Summary

Library

Since Hurricane Iniki in 1992, two industrial dehumidifiers have been in continuous operation on both floors of the library 24 hours a day. The dehumidifiers help control the growth of mold and provide air circulation in the library’s collection. They serve as the frontline defense in preservation of the collection. Manual cleaning of each individual item in the collection has been performed in the past.

Security measures in the library include three Checkpoint security gates. Two are at the front entrance and exit while the third is located at the entrance to Media Services. In selected areas, security cameras are present to discourage theft. The cameras also provide surveillance of the facility.

Overall security for The Learning Resource Center involves staffing responsible for their assigned areas. Each unit has their own separate entrances and is responsible for the opening and closing of the facilities. Staff is always present to monitor student and visitor activity in the library and TLC.

The Learning Center

The Learning Center has an internal and external lock on the front door to the room, and an internal lock on the back door. The tests that are administered by the Learning Center staff are kept in locked file cabinets. Only faculty and non-student staff have access to the locked files. The computers in the Center and other labs on the campus require students to obtain a password from Computer Services.

Computer Services

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The Campus’ server rooms and wiring closets are locked and are restricted to the appropriate staff. Standard practices have been applied in securing our network and computing resources. Computer Services is currently undergoing a risk assessment process.

Self Evaluation

Library

The Checkpoint security gates were upgraded in 2000 and the number of gates was increased from one to three in order to provide more security at every access point into the library. The most recent servicing of Checkpoint was during the Spring 2006 semester.

During 2004 the library underwent a safety and fire inspection by the state fire inspection crew. Steps were taken to improve the safe environment of the library. Several years prior to this inspection hazardous material were already eliminated from the library’s supply inventory. During the past year the entire campus, including the library, was retrofitted with a new fire alarm system with both audio and visual signals. Emergency procedures are in place to evacuate students and personnel from the building with the onset of the fire alarm. There are multiple exit doors at various points within the library.

The library maintains a record of delinquent patrons in the Voyager System together with accrued fines and items that have not been returned to the library. Missing items on shelves are evaluated for replacement or removal from the Voyager records. Any incidents of theft or other criminal activity are reported to the administration.

The college meets the standard.

Planning Agenda

None.

II.C.1.e. When the institution relies on or collaborates with other institutions or other sources for library and other learning support services for its instructional programs, it documents that formal agreements exist and that such resources and services are adequate for the institution’s intended purposes, are easily accessible, and utilized. The performance of these services is evaluated on a regular basis. The institution takes responsibility for and assures the reliability of all services provided either directly or through contractual agreement.

Descriptive Summary

Library

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Consortium agreements provide the library with valuable resources at costs lower than if the library had a single contract with a vendor. The library has consortium agreements with the Hawai‘i Library Consortium and Medical Libraries Consortium of Hawai‘i. EbscoHost, the library’s primary online database is delivered through the Hawai‘i Library Consortium that consists of academic, public, and school libraries in the state. In 2005 the library added a new electronic resource called OVID through a consortium of medical and academic libraries in Hawai‘i. This database, which consists of full-text medical and nursing journals, serves the nursing program on campus. Other online databases available to the college through the UH consortium include ScienceDirect, CQ Researcher, and CINAHL (Library Program Review – Appendix 47 – Bylaws of the Hawai‘i Library Consortium).

Another working agreement among the UH Libraries is the intrasystem loan (ISL) that allows students access to circulating material at all campuses (Library Program Review – Appendices 42-44 – Libraries of the University of Hawai‘i System Loan Policy, Intrasystem Loan Procedures and Intrasystem Lending Policies). Students and faculty can borrow books and order articles (less than 50 pages) without charge. Since the adoption of the ISL System and the growth in the number of full-text subscription databases, the number of requests for articles from other libraries has fallen, while the number of requests for books has increased. Students in all library instruction classes are informed of the interlibrary loan service.

All 10 campuses of the UH System have had a shared online catalog, UH Voyager, since 2000. Users can either search for materials in the KCC Library or search the holdings of all UH System libraries at one time. Students in library instruction classes are taught how to search for materials in the KCC Library (>50,000 titles) and the entire UH Voyager Catalog (> 4 million items).

Another agreement specific to cataloging is the library’s subscription to the cataloging management system called OCLC. This database assists technical services in the use of the cataloging module in Voyager. The library’s contractual agreement with the vendor is based on a rider in the UH agreement.

The Learning Center

The TLC provides test-proctoring services to distance instructors and learners outside of the UH System, there are no formal or contractual agreements with other academic institutions or organizations. The college has its own test-proctoring fee scale in place and the colleges that require proctoring services varies each semester. All requests for proctoring are initiated by the institution or individual.

University Center

Kaua‘i Community College participates in two UH systemwide distance education committees, the Master Scheduling Group and the Distance Coordinators Committee. These

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committees coordinate course scheduling and academic support services such as test proctoring, academic advising, and textbook ordering. These groups, with representatives from all UH campuses, develop distance policies and procedures for the UH System. The Distance Coordinators Committee is currently working on developing best practices for academic support services for distance programs.


The Instructional Technologist researches and incorporates software from various sources (commercial and free and open source). With these materials he has researched and produced a software toolkit available to faculty and students. This toolkit CD contains a suite of software programs allowing access to and production of multi-mediated technology intensive assignments. Since these are free software products their use does not involve contractual agreements.

Self Evaluation

Library

The UH Library Consortium allows KCC students, faculty, and staff to access an integrated online catalog and several electronic full-text journal databases. The intra-system loan service provides access to most of the resources in all of the libraries in the UH System. Student and faculty survey results show a high level of satisfaction with electronic databases, as evidenced by responses to survey questions. Even though the intrasystem loan service is free for most items and the service is described in all instruction classes and to distance students, usage by students has not increased over the past several years. Faculty use, however, is increasing, especially in the use of A-V resources from the Wong A-V Center at UH Manoa. Students are aware of the service because the library quiz given to students at the end of the semester (embedded in the library survey) contains a question about interlibrary loans and scores are very high (Exhibit II-49: KCC Library Surveys).

Planning Agenda

The Library should continue to work with the UH consortium to evaluate electronic resources for future subscriptions.

II.C.2. The institution evaluates library and other learning resource support services to assure their adequacy in meeting identified student needs. Evaluation of these services provides evidence that they contribute to the achievement of student learning outcomes. The institution uses the results of these evaluations as the basis for improvement.

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Descriptive Summary

Library

Library resources and services are evaluated in student and faculty surveys, the collection and circulation statistics, information literacy pre- and post-tests, the mini-program review, the full program review and annual update (Library Program Review and Library APRUs). Prior to the institution’s emphasis on program review, the library conducted a form of self evaluation with an annual report.

Another source of input for the evaluation of library services is the Library Advisory Committee that meets once a semester. Composed of six faculty representatives (one from each division), three community representatives, and the head librarian, the Committee advises the Library on various issues and matters concerning its place within the college and the community (Library Program Review – Appendix 30 – Guideline: Learning Resource Center/Library Advisory Committee).

The Learning Center

The Learning Center (TLC) completed its first program review in 2005. Prior to this, the TLC submitted annual reports to the administration. There is also an advisory committee for the TLC that was reorganized in Fall 2004 and that met in Spring 2005. Members include five faculty members, one community representative, one student, and the TLC coordinator.

The TLC also surveys its users with evaluations of the facility, services, staff, and resources. This form includes a question asking students to include suggestions on how the services might be improved and what other programs and services they want to see offered at the TLC.

An early assessment of Student Learning Outcomes that was conducted by TLC occurred in Spring 2003. TLC did a simple study that looked at retention and classroom performance of students in 22 classes that were surveyed in Fall 2002 (Learning Center Program Review).

College Success Program

The new College Success Program Coordinator worked with cross-division teams from Student Services, Academic Support, and Instruction to develop or to revise programs to serve under-prepared students. Services currently being offered (or being developed) include group focus labs (group tutoring), the development of Cohort Learning Communities with a Cohort Management team, and a Summer Bridge Program for 2006, which will link math, science, English, and astronomy with college success strategies.

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http://kauai.hawaii.edu/admin/gov/progreview/documents/06APRULibrary.doc




For the Spring 2005, Fall 2005, and Spring 2006 semesters, the Program Coordinator piloted focus labs (based on a Supplemental Instruction-style model) for several high-risk courses: History 151, History 152, Microbiology 130, Botany 105, and Spanish 102. The focus labs were student-led study groups which met twice a week. The labs were developed with the course instructors and were marketed through in-class announcements, posters, and brochures.

The Coordinator developed a new course, IS 103, which will begin in Fall 2006, to help new students develop academic and affective skills to succeed in colleges. The course has nine Student Learning Outcomes related to self-management and self-awareness, time management and career planning, communication management, and academic preparedness.


The Peer Assistant program has served 279 vocational students in 20 high-risk over 3 semesters (Fall 2004, Spring 2005, Fall 2005) including ACC 124C, HOPE 120, HOPE 125, BUS 55, MATH 22, MATH 24, MATH 25, MATH 100, HIST 151, HIST 152, ICS 100, OAT 121.

Self Evaluation

Library

The Library has used results from student and faculty surveys, quizzes, a faculty focus group, and recommendations from the Library Advisory Committee to improve library services. Library hours were expanded and signs requesting quiet zones in the upstairs of the Library were created in response to student surveys. The Distance Librarian sent links to sites on citation styles and online tutorials in response to results from distance student surveys. In response to the results of student quizzes, the Acting Instructional Librarian created a PowerPoint presentation to clarify content that students did not understand about evaluating information on the Internet (Library Program Review – Appendix 31 – Goals for Library Research Class). In Fall 2005, the Library began disseminating information about new acquisitions and more information on new resources and online tutorials in response to the results from the faculty focus group by sending regular email announcements of new acquisitions and by attending division meetings.

The Library is in the beginning stages of defining and assessing Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) for information literacy skills. The library has defined one SLO for information competency: Students will be able to demonstrate information literacy skills in library research that have been acquired through library instruction.

In order to measure information literacy skills of students who had taken at least one class in library research skills, the librarians developed a simple assessment tool. Beginning in Fall

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2004 and continuing every semester, a pre-test with ten questions testing knowledge of basic information literacy skills are given to two English 100 classes and a similar pre-test with five questions are given to two English 22 classes just before library instruction. At the end of the semester, these same students take a post-test with similar questions. The results have been mixed but promising; scores improve in the post-test for most questions, but go down for one or two questions each semester. Librarians use the results to change instructional emphasis and teaching strategies. The tests have not been tested for validity or reliability, so these results are not statistically significant, but provide one beginning strategy to assess Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for information literacy skills (Library Program Review – Appendix 32 – Information Literacy).

The same ten-question quiz was given to all students who had a library instruction session in fall semester 2004. They were not given a pre-test, but there was a marked difference in scores for students who had had more than one instructional session in library/information literacy skills. Students in Nursing 153, Science 121 and Micro 130 not only had multiple instructional sessions, but also had to complete a research exercise. Their average test scores were considerably higher than other students who had only one session (Library Program Review – Appendix 21). This points to a correlation between higher scores and time spend on learning and using information literacy skills, but again this was not a statistically valid study and the research design needs to be improved.

During the Fall 2005 semester, three KCC faculty members incorporated the new LILO tutorial in their courses. Two instructors in the Nursing program and one instructor in English introduced LILO and had students use it to learn how to progress through the research process to find and evaluate information for papers and projects. Statistics showed that KCC had the second highest number of students using the tutorial in the UH System. 414 students in the UH System used LILO with 75 students from our campus using it. 68 percent of the KCC students using LILO agree to the statement: “The LILO tutorial has helped me to improve my researching skills” (Library Program Review – Appendix 26).

The UH Libraries Information Literacy Committee (UHLILC) is currently developing a rubric to assess the student journals generated by the LILO tutorial. The skills in the LILO tutorial have been mapped to ACRL Information Literacy Standards and will be used to assess student answers to research questions in the tutorial. The rubric will provide a systemwide tool to measure the impact of LILO and library research instruction on Student Learning Outcomes related to information literacy/competency.

The Learning Center

The Spring 2005 Faculty Morale Survey was favorable to TLC (Exhibit II-50: Faculty Morale Survey). Faculty members were asked whether TLC and the Library were responsive to their requests. The mean average score of 31 respondents was 4.52 out of a possible 5. The score of 5 was equivalent to “strongly agree.” In fact the mode for the responses was a

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5. Both TLC and the library received the highest scores from the faculty in both categories (Learning Center Program Review and the Library Program Review – Appendix 28). Results of a Spring 2003 TLC user evaluation indicate a favorable view of TLC by students. Out of 63 completed surveys, 35 (56 percent) rated the TLC excellent, 25 (40 percent) noted it as good, and 3 (4 percent) gave a fair rating. No one gave TLC a poor rating (Learning Center Program Review).

In the retention and classroom performance study “Learning How to Learn” sessions were provided to 10 (Group A) of the 22 surveyed classes and were compared with the retention and classroom performance of students in the remaining 12 classes (Group B). The class retention rate in Group A was 4 percent higher than Group B. Class success rate of Group A was 8.5 percent higher than Group B. TLC loosely assumes that its efforts in teaching students how to learn efficiently and effectively make a difference in the retention and class performance of students.

Currently, TLC is being reorganized to integrate the College Success Program and as a result, the future services of these divisions are in development. At this point, it is tentatively planned that the Learning to Learn Program will be replaced by services offered in workshops, individual and group tutoring, the Writing Lab and math/science lab, and interdisciplinary studies curriculum developed by the College Success Program, including its new course, IS 103 (Introduction to College). Although the Spring 2003 TLC user evaluation was positive, some students suggested having more computers and a color printer in the Lab, having more tutors, extending hours, and opening on weekends. TLC has not acted on these suggestions since they require funding that is not available. This evaluation’s result is representative of those in past years.

College Success Program

The College Success program is still being defined through formal cross-campus conversations. Assessment tools to measure the impact of its services on student learning outcome have not been formally developed. An initial analysis of the impact of the focus groups developed to support students in traditionally challenging courses in the Spring and Fall 2005 semesters shows a positive impact of the labs on student success rates (Exhibit II-22: Focus Labs Summary – Fall 2005, History 151, Spring, 2005, History 152 and Focus Labs Summary – Fall, 2005, Micro 130).


The program measures its impact on student learning using student retention rates in the courses it supports. “The average percentage decrease (compared to the previous calendar year, i.e. F04/F05, S04/S05) in student non-completion in classes served by the program

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(Exhibit II-51: Peer Assistant Program Performance Indicators, Effectiveness Measures, Expected Outcomes).

University Center

The University Center (UC) used student surveys and grade analysis to evaluate the impact of their services on student success. One measurement of success is whether or not the educational experience met student goals. In an attempt to gauge goal attainment the UC conducted an informal phone survey of 42 graduates out of a pool of 75. Graduates were polled as to whether the education they pursued via the UC met their goals. Thirty-nine of the 42 (93 percent) said that their goals were met. All of the respondents were working, 55 percent found jobs related to their degree and 31 percent of the respondents said that they got a promotion after receiving their degrees (University Center Program Review, Appendix J).

Planning Agenda

The Library will work with the KCC Assessment Committee, and with members of the systemwide committee of instructional librarians, the UHLILC, to develop more specific Student Learning Outcomes (SLOS) and will work with the Institutional Researcher and the UHLILC to develop valid and reliable assessment instruments to measure the impact of the Library and information literacy instruction on SLOs related to information literacy skills.

All learning support programs will work with the KCC Institutional Researcher to develop valid and reliable assessment instruments to measure the impact of their services on SLOs.

The Library and other learning resource support services will administer faculty and student surveys on a regular basis.

The Library will continue to promote campus-wide use of LILO to meet student information literacy needs.

The college will research the need to provide more computers, a color printer, new software and equipment, more tutors, and more hours in The Learning Center.

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Standard II Resource Documents

2003-2009 UHPA and UH BOR AgreementAccounting articulation agreementsADA Newsletter, Exhibit II-21Administrative Services Full Program ReviewAdmissions and Records Program Review APRU GuidelinesArticulated CoursesArticulation Agreements, Exhibit II-29Assessment CommitteeAssessment Committee Action PlanAssessment Committee Convocation Presentation Power Point, Exhibit II-25Assessment Workshop, Exhibit II-26Associate Degree Nursing Program Systematic Evaluation Plans for 2002-2005,

Exhibit II-15BOR Policies and Bylaws, Chapter 5Business Articulation Agreements CAFCAF HandbookCase Management DocumentCCCM 2600CCCM 6004CCSSE Reports, Exhibit I-8Chancellor Memo 9/20/03, Exhibit II-1 College Success Program 2004-2005 Performance Data, Exhibit II-6COMPASS Scores, Fall 2002-Spring 2006, Exhibit II-17Computer Services APRUComputer Services Program Review Computer Services websiteConvocation Handouts, Exhibit I-21Course Completion ReviewCourse Completion to Spring 2005Course Enrollment HistoryCourse SLOs, Exhibit I-17Course Tracking FormCTE Advisory Committee Meeting minutes, Exhibit II-28Curriculum Committee Meeting Minutes, Exhibit I-18Curriculum Committee Process for Handling System Articulation Agreements, Exhibit II-30Data from HED, dated 10/11/05, Exhibit II-39Deans letter, March 2006, Exhibit II-48Developing the Multi-Year Plan, Exhibit II-16 Disability flyers, Exhibit II-46

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http://www.kauaicc.hawaii.edu/Accred/Course%20&%20KCC%20Data/Course%20Completion%20to%20Spring%202005/CourseCompletion%20ALL_S05.pdf


http://kauai.hawaii.edu/poidog/index.htm










http://kauai.hawaii.edu//atf/atf_2/ACActPlan.doc


http://www.hawaii.edu/ovcaa/academics/articulation_courses.htm








Distance Committee Minutes for 12/14/05 and Memo to the Curriculum Committee,dated 1/10/06, Exhibit II-2

Distance Learning Library websiteDistance Learning PlanDistance Learning websiteDocument from Admissions and Records, dated 10/24/05, Exhibit II-38Email from Assistant Dean of Instruction, April 17, 2006, Exhibit II-23Email data from Ken Curtis, dated 11/7/05, Exhibit II-36Email from Kimo Chun, dated 10/27/05, Exhibit II-34Email from Kimo Perry, dated 11/7/05, Exhibit II-37 EMSI, Exhibit II-3Enrollment HistoryExecutive Policy E5.209 - Student Transfer and Inter-campus ArticulationFaculty Morale Survey, Exhibit II-50Fall 2002 to Fall 2005 Early Admit Majors, Exhibit II-42Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 Course Tracking spreadsheetFocus Groups, Exhibit II-11Focus Labs Summary, Exhibit II-22Food Services Mini-Program ReviewFull or mini-program reviewsHawai‘i EPSCORHawai‘i Workforce InformerHawai‘i’s Department of Labor and Industrial RelationsHawaiian Studies Program ReviewHighlights of Outcomes for Brush-Up Workshop, Exhibit II-5HOPE Advisory Committee Minutes, Exhibit II-10Imua Hawai‘i EPSCOR document dated, Sept. 2005, Exhibit II-35Increasing Number of CTE Students w/Disabilities, Exhibit II-18Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher EducationInstitutional Research Office, Management and Planning SupportInstructional Technology Program ReviewIT websiteKaua‘i Economic Development Plan/Comprehensive Economic Development StrategyKCC CatalogKCC Library Surveys, Exhibit II-49KCC Mission Statement KCC Strategic PlanKCC Summer Bridge Activities Booklet, Exhibit II-47KCC WebsiteKCCM 1-6KCCM 1-7, Exhibit II-9KWIB Industry Survey, Exhibit II-12Learning Center Program Review

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http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.htm

http://kauai.hawaii.edu/admin/gov/progreview/documents/06HWSTFullRev.doc

http://hawaii.gov/labor/rs/


http://www.epscor.hawaii.edu/project/pubwebProj.asp?id=32&memID=19


http://www.kauaicc.hawaii.edu/Accred/Program%20Reviews/Mini%20Reviews/04%20FSERV%20Mini%20Revised.doc




http://kauai.hawaii.edu/dlearn.htm

http://kauai.hawaii.edu/admin/gov/dlcommittee/dl_plan.htm

http://kauai.hawaii.edu/library/DLWeb/index.html



Library APRULibrary Mini-ReviewLibrary Program Review Library websiteLILOLILO Flyer, Exhibit II-13links to servicesMAPSMedia Services Program ReviewMinutes/agendas of ongoing Semester/Course Offering Meetings with the Dean of

Instruction, counselors, and division chairs and Multi-Year Plan of Offerings (MYPO) for each instructional program, Exhibit II-4

Multi-Year Plan of Offerings (MYPO)Noel-Levitz Institutional Summary, Exhibit II-32Noel-Levitz Report 2002, Exhibit II-24Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Summary, Exhibit II-43Non-Trad Inc. Project Completion Report, UH System Committee, 2006, Exhibit II-19Nursing Program overviewOCET Course EvaluationOn Course Coordinator Job Description, Exhibit II-7One-Stop Plans, Exhibit I-7Online Student Evaluation of Instructiononline tutorials Peer Assistant Program Performance Indicators, Effectiveness Measures, Expected

Outcomes, Exhibit II-51PHIProfessionalism and Business EtiquetteProgram Review Action Plans and Resource AllocationsProgram Review CalendarProgram ReviewsProgram Reviews and APRUsProgram SLOs Result for UHCC e-Learn Online SurveyRunning Start Enrollment 2002-2005, Exhibit II-41Schedule of Classes, Exhibit II-31Schedule of Classes ProceduresScheduling Process and TimetableScheduling Process and Timetable Part 1Scheduling Process and Timetable Part 2Scheduling Process and Timetable Part 3Scheduling Process and Timetable Part 4Scheduling Process and Timetable Part 5Scope of Services, Exhibit II-33

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http://www.kauaicc.hawaii.edu/Accred/Office%20of%20the%20Dean%20of%20Instruction/Scheduling%20Process%20and%20Timetable/Part%20Five%20Scheduling%20Process

http://www.kauaicc.hawaii.edu/Accred/Office%20of%20the%20Dean%20of%20Instruction/Scheduling%20Process%20and%20Timetable/Part%20Four%20Scheduling%20Process


http://www.kauaicc.hawaii.edu/Accred/Office%20of%20the%20Dean%20of%20Instruction/Scheduling%20Process%20and%20Timetable/Part%20Two%20Setting%20the%20Spring%20Schedule




http://moosurvey.kcc.hawaii.edu:2222/125/global_results#third

http://kauai.hawaii.edu/admin/gov/progreview/mgsc.htm







http://kauai.hawaii.edu/library/DLWeb/rsrch_tutorials.html

http://moosurvey.kcc.hawaii.edu/e-learn/eval/faq.html


http://kauai.hawaii.edu/nursing/hed/program_overview.htm





http://kauai.hawaii.edu/resources/lc/wwwlinks.html


http://kauai.hawaii.edu/library/index.htm


http://www.kauaicc.hawaii.edu/Accred/Program%20Reviews/Mini%20Reviews/04%20LIB%20Mini%20Revised.doc

http://kauai.hawaii.edu/admin/gov/progreview/documents/06APRULibrary.doc



Self Study Survey, Standard IIService Learning at Kaua‘i Community College, Spring 2004 to Fall 2005, Exhibit II-44Sign-in Sheets, Exhibit I-14SLO Matrices, Exhibit II-27Student Academic Grievance ProcedureStudent and Peer evaluation forms, Exhibit II-8Student Conduct CodeStudent Learning OutcomesStudent Services Professional Development List of Conferences/ Workshops Attended

Since 2002, Exhibit II-45Student Services Program ReviewStudents with Special Needs form, Exhibit II-20Tips for Minimizing CAF ChangesTLC websiteTransfer to a UH CampusTransfer, Enrollment and Performance UHCC AA GraduatesUCA policiesUHCC e-LearnUHCC Strategic PlanUniversity Center Program ReviewUniversity of Hawai‘i System Strategic Plan, 2002–2010User’s Guide for the NATEF End of Program Examinations, 2005, Exhibit II-14Wellness Center Flyer, dated 10/11/05, Exhibit II-40Workshops, Exhibit I-22

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http://www.hawaii.edu/uhcc.e-learn/

http://www.hawaii.edu/vpaa/system_aa/uca.html


http://www.hawaii.edu/academics/admissions/transfers.html

http://kauai.hawaii.edu/resources/lc/





http://kauai.hawaii.edu/admin/stugriev.pdf




STANDARD III: RESOURCES

The institution effectively uses its human, physical, technology, and financial resources to achieve its broad educational purposes, including stated Student Learning Outcomes, and to improve institutional effectiveness.

Standard III.A. Human Resources

The institution employs qualified personnel to support student learning programs and services wherever offered and by whatever means delivered, and to improve institutional effectiveness. Personnel are treated equitably, are evaluated regularly and systematically, and are provided opportunities for professional development. Consistent with its mission, the institution demonstrates its commitment to the significant educational role played by persons of diverse backgrounds by making positive efforts to encourage such diversity. Human resource planning is integrated with institutional planning.

III.A.1. The institution assures the integrity and quality of its programs and services by employing personnel who are qualified by appropriate education, training, and experience to provide and support these programs and services.

III.A.1.a. Criteria, qualifications, and procedures for selection of personnel are clearly and publicly stated. Job descriptions are directly related to institutional mission and goals and accurately reflect position duties, responsibilities, and authority. Criteria for selection of faculty include knowledge of the subject matter or service to be performed (as determined by individuals with discipline expertise), effective teaching, scholarly activities, and potential to contribute to the mission of the institution. Institutional faculty plays a significant role in selection of new faculty. Degrees held by faculty and administrators are from institutions accredited by recognized U.S. accrediting agencies. Degrees from non- U.S. institutions are recognized only if equivalence has been established.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College employs qualified administrators, faculty and staff (civil service) and APT (Administrative, Professional, Technical). Employees in all categories must meet the minimum qualifications for their positions. Board of Regents policy Chapter 9 establishes the various executive and managerial classifications and sets the general qualifications for these positions and does the same for APT positions (Executive Policy E9.205, Qualification Requirements for Academic Positions in E/Ms; and Administrative Procedure A9.620, Recruitment and Reassignment of E/M Personnel). There is also an online position description generator for APT positions, which standardizes the process across the University of Hawai‘i System. State civil service rules and regulations govern the remaining

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staff positions. Position descriptions for administrative and staff positions are located in the HR Office. A chart of minimum qualifications for all faculty positions is maintained by the Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges (Exhibit III-1: UHCC Minimum Qualifications Chart). Generally, a master’s degree in the discipline to be taught is required in academic areas. Career and technical fields and support positions may also allow a bachelor’s degree plus three years of related work experience. Trade and technical areas may allow an associate’s degree and five years of experience, or 15 college credits, journey worker status and seven years of relevant experience. Board of Regents policy Chapter 9-2 contains the faculty classification descriptions and expectations of all faculty positions. The vacancy announcements for faculty list the duties and responsibilities of the specific position. All criteria, qualifications and procedures for the selection of personnel are available in the Human Resources Office. Policies and procedures for the recruitment and selection of personnel are in the University of Hawai‘i Administrative Procedures Information System, which may be accessed via the web. All instructional divisions form Division Personnel Committees (DPC) at the beginning of each academic year. These committees generally form the screening and interview committees for faculty positions. The Division Chair also serves on the screening and interview committee. If a position has cross-divisional responsibilities, as is often the case for academic support personnel, a screening interview committee is formed by the appropriate dean or director to reflect the constituents to be served by the position.

Self Evaluation

The college recently established a new procedure to fill vacant positions. Based on the division/unit’s program review, the appropriate dean or director requests the filling of a position by submitting the Position Request Form (adopted 11/18/05) (Exhibit I-12: Request to Fill a Position Form), stating justifications as they relate to the college’s plans, goals and objectives. The request is reviewed by the College Council whose members include administrators, division chairs, and representatives from each bargaining unit and student government. The College Council then reviews the request and makes a recommendation to the chancellor, who makes the final decision.

Job vacancy announcements for Board of Regents positions are placed at the University of Hawai‘i Work at UH website; in the Honolulu Star Bulletin (statewide newspaper); and The Garden Island (local Kaua‘i newspaper). Division chairs/unit heads may also request publication in a national arena, such as the Chronicle or Community College Times or professional newspapers or journals. Some division chairs will also email notices to colleagues on professional email listservs. Executive and management positions must be advertised in national educational publications as well as the normal channels. Applicant pools are generally small, which results in limited hiring choices. One factor is that national exposure for available positions usually is limited to an announcement on the UH website, and many potential applicants may not be aware of this source of employment information.

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Other advertising avenues, such as notices in the Honolulu Advertiser (a larger statewide newspaper), and national education publications, might garner wider applicant pools for many positions.

Vacancy announcements for civil service positions are processed through the UH Office of Human Resources (OHR) at Manoa. Internal vacancies are announced via the Rainbow of Opportunities. Only University of Hawai‘i civil service employees may apply for vacancies announced via the Rainbow of Opportunities. OHR forwards applications of those who meet the minimum qualifications for a particular position to appropriate departments and campuses. If no one applies for the position, the announcement is forwarded to the Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD) and they send it out to other state agencies. If there are no internal applicants, a Certificate of Eligibles is requested from the DHRD. The candidates listed on the certificate meet the minimum qualifications for that position and can be scheduled for interviews. In the case where there are no candidates on this list one can advertise beyond the state agencies.

The EEO/AA Coordinator forwards the Hiring Procedures and Responsibilities (Exhibit III-2: Hiring Procedures and Responsibilities) memo to the administrator or division/unit head, outlining the responsibilities of the unit head, EEO/AA Coordinator, screening committee chair, screening/interview committee members, unit secretary, and Human Resources Office in the recruitment process. For instructional positions, the screening/interviewing committee is made of the DPC and division chair and faculty members in the discipline that is hiring. For non-instructional positions, the screening/interviewing committee is made up of the home unit representative and representatives from units with which the new hire will collaborate. The screening/interviewing committee forwards the interviewing questions and rating criteria (based on the minimum and desirable qualifications posted on the job description) to the EEO/AA Officer and Human Resources for approval before the committee can look at applications. After rating criteria and questions are approved, the committee ranks applicants and decides whom to interview. At the interview, all applicants are asked the same questions. Committee members then fill out candidate rating sheets and make recommendations about suitability for hire. The chancellor then reviews these recommendations and has the authority to make all appointments for faculty and staff positions.

Kaua‘i Community College follows the UH systemwide faculty minimum qualifications and salary placement guidelines established for all faculty positions. The duties/responsibilities and desirable qualifications are derived from the program/unit.

The faculty plays a significant role in the selection of new faculty by having input in the vacancy announcement and by serving as members of screening and/or interview committee(s).

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An applicant/candidate with a degree from a non-U.S. institution is responsible for providing a credential evaluation report to establish U.S. equivalency.

Overall, the hiring procedure is effective and consistently applied. However, in some instances, the person recommended for hire might not be the person appointed. This can occur for a variety of reasons, many of which are beyond the college’s control. For example, the person selected may have perceived the hiring process as too lengthy and subsequently accepted employment elsewhere, or the candidate reconsidered relocation to Kaua‘i.

Planning Agenda

Establish a definite timeline for each stage of the hiring process. Change the APRU due date to fall semester.

Increase methods of advertising positions, including more comprehensive national exposure.

III.A.1.b. The institution assures the effectiveness of its human resources by evaluating all personnel systematically and at stated intervals. The institution establishes written criteria for evaluating all personnel, including performance of assigned duties and participation in institutional responsibilities and other activities appropriate to their expertise. Evaluation processes seek to assess effectiveness of personnel and encourage improvement. Actions taken following evaluations are formal, timely, and documented.

Descriptive Summary

Guidelines for evaluating all personnel are established. The formal processes vary, depending upon the employee’s bargaining unit and union contract. Classified staff members are evaluated by their supervisors. Faculty evaluation is governed by the terms of the collective bargaining agreement between the Board of Regents and the University Professional Assembly (UHPA). (Exhibit III-3: Collective Bargaining Agreements) The probationary period for tenure-track faculty is five years, with two contract renewal periods within that period at the second and fourth years. BOR policy Chapter 9-2, pages 38-44 details the faculty classification plan for community colleges. These constitute the guidelines for evaluation. The UHCC System issues a yearly tenure and promotion and contract renewal guideline based upon the process as defined in the current contract and the faculty classification in BOR policy. Each division also has a Division Personnel Committee guideline that provides additional guidance to the faculty member. The division, appropriate dean, and chancellor evaluate non-tenured faculty. Tenured faculty have post-tenure evaluations every five years to ensure that they are meeting the duties and responsibilities of their rank. Their constituents evaluate administrators annually. Division chairs, while not

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subject to a formal evaluation process, are elected by their division members based upon job performance.

Self Evaluation

Objective criteria used in employee evaluations include whether the individual has met expectations and successfully completed duties as assigned. While an assessment of effectiveness is in many ways subjective, there are a number of objective criteria noted on formal evaluation instruments which, when considered in sum with other evidence, indicate relative degrees of employee effectiveness. These criteria include peer and student evaluations, and the faculty’s participation in professional development activities and opportunities. Affective criteria – including an assessment of the manner in which faculty interacts with colleagues, staff, and students – also are evaluated. Evaluative criteria are described in BOR Policy 9-2 Community Colleges Classification Plan and Compensation Policy and listed in Guidelines for Tenure and Promotion, University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges, 2005-2006 (Exhibit III-4: Guidelines for Tenure and Promotion, University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges, 2005-2006). BOR Policy 9-2 is being revised and the latest draft includes a statement about responsibility for designing learning outcomes. Procedures for evaluation by faculty are in the appropriate Division Personnel Committee Procedures that are created and updated by each division (Exhibit III-5: DPC Procedures). The college has also instituted a campus process to provide feedback to faculty in the first and third years of probation, when no contract renewal is done. That process is described in the Guidelines for First and Third Year Evaluation (Exhibit III-6: Guidelines for First and Third Year Evaluation). The College Council and division chairs reviewed this document and had several opportunities to have input into its development. Among the expectations are:

First- and third-year faculty need to submit, as part of the administrative review, a brief self-reflection of their management of primary duties, how they are using information about Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) to improve performance of instruction or other primary duties and how they have demonstrated attention to campus and unit strategic goals and outcomes.

The VP for Community Colleges and the Council of Community College Chancellors have drafted proposed changes to the BOR faculty classification document, which incorporate language about Student Learning Outcomes in the faculty evaluation process. Those changes are presently in the consultation process with the faculty union.

Classified employees also are evaluated on a routine and timely basis. Assessment of job performance is listed in the UH System guidelines regarding classified employment, which contain a standardized review procedure. The Employee Performance Appraisal Form (Exhibit III-7: Employee Performance Appraisal Form) is used for classified staff evaluations.

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Planning Agenda

Integrate SLOs as a component of the evaluation of human resources.

III.A.1.c. Faculty and others directly responsible for student progress toward achieving stated Student Learning Outcomes have, as a component of their evaluation, effectiveness in producing those learning outcomes.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College recently instituted college-wide Student Learning Outcomes . The college’s programs and divisions are continuing to document both program and course Student Learning Outcomes and assess student achievement of these outcomes. Currently, faculty evaluations do not contain a direct component regarding effectiveness in achieving those SLOs. However, as noted above, the campus has implemented a process at the first and third year of the probationary period, which does review how a faculty member uses the assessment of student learning to improve instruction. The current contract renewal guidelines include “a self-asessment of your teaching ability with respect to courses you have taught, including a discussion of your effectiveness, learning outcomes, students responses to your approach, etc.”

Self Evaluation

As above, Kaua‘i Community College’s programs and divisions are continuing an active and thorough process of refining and documenting Student Learning Outcomes. All instructional programs have established SLOs. Liberal Arts realized that their adopted program SLOs are too specific. As a result, they are working on revising them to be inclusive and more accurately reflect the goals of the program as a whole. The curriculum committee refined the Course Action Form (CAF) to make sure all course SLOs align with program and college SLOs.

A proposed modification of the BOR faculty classification plan is currently undergoing required consultation review before submittal to the BOR for approval.

Planning Agenda

Complete the process of establishing new and/or revised SLOs for all campus programs by the 2006-2007 school year as planned. When program and course SLOs are complete, they will be integrated as a component in evaluation procedures for personnel having direct responsibility for student progress toward achieving stated learning outcomes.

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III.A.1.d. The institution upholds a written code of professional ethics for all of its personnel.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua’i Community College’s faculty and staff uphold the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges Statement on Professional Ethics described in the University of Hawai‘i Community College Policy (UHCCP) 5.211 and Hawai‘i State Standards of Conduct – Chapter 84 the code of ethics for elected officials and public employees of the State of Hawai‘i.

Standards of behavior are also addressed in various ways in the collective bargaining agreements of both faculty and classified staff. For example, the faculty contract addresses ethical considerations in accepting outside employment. There is also a specific procedure for resolving allegations of breach of professional ethics. There is an annual self-review and report for conflicts of interest, which all faculty and professional staff fill out. Executive staff is required to file annual financial statements and gift reports.

Self Evaluation

As state employees, the college’s faculty and staff know that they are to follow guidelines in the state’s published document: Standards of Conduct. Upon hire, new employees are provided access to this information. However, this document is lengthy and can be general. The college needs to examine whether a code of ethics that is specific to Kaua‘i Community College within the University of Hawai‘i System should be created.

Planning Agenda

Survey faculty and staff to decide whether to adopt a written code of professional ethics specifically for Kaua‘i Community College.

III.A.2. The institution maintains a sufficient number of qualified faculty with full-time responsibility to the institution. The institution has a sufficient number of staff and administrators with appropriate preparation and experience to provide the administrative services necessary to support the institution’s mission and purposes.

Descriptive Summary

Overall staffing for the college has grown since 2000. The figures below are from the UH System MAPS Faculty and Staff Report for 2002 and 2003. The UH System official Faculty and Staff report for Fall 2005 is not available at this time.

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Classification 2000 2003Faculty 93 99FT Faculty 75 70

Lecturers 18 29

Administrative/Professional/Technical 16 16Executive/Managerial 7 6Civil Service 49 47TOTAL 165 168

MAPS Faculty and Staff Reports 2002, 2003

An analysis of the campus data for FY 2006 reveals further growth in staffing. The FY 2006 official position count is 144.5. Thirty-five lecturers were hired in FY 2006. Approximately seven faculty positions are vacant because of enrollment declines in particular areas, e.g., carpentry and office administration. Lecturers have been hired to teach required courses in those areas. Average class size has held steady at 15 or 16 for the past five years while overall enrollment rose in 2001 (1,185) and 2002 (1,224) but has declined in each year since, to 1,059 in Fall 2005. Program review data such as SSH per faculty, student majors per faculty and other measures demonstrate that there are sufficient FTE faculty to effectively deliver courses and services. The ratio of professional staff to clerical staff in the instructional units is 10.8:1 and the overall ratio of professional staff (including faculty, APT and administrators) to clerical staff is 3.48:1.

Self Evaluation

The Program Review and Annual Program Review Update processes provide opportunities for the college to assess efficient use of faculty resources. Although not all units have gone through the full program review process, our faculty and staff recognize the importance of the program review and how it will guide and inform the planning of human resources. In addition, the college has a system of regular peer evaluations, student evaluations, contract renewal, tenure, and promotion review processes in place to provide the opportunity for student, faculty, and administrative input on the use of faculty resources. Since we are a community college, faculty resources also must be assessed in terms of how they best serve the community. To this end, the college has several community advisory committees that provide input to the chancellor, administrators, faculty, and staff. These advisory groups offer important input about how well the college is meeting industry and other community needs.

Another planning tool which the college uses to review staffing requirements regularly is the Multi-Year Plan of Offerings (MYPO). The Rolling Plan of Offerings, compiled each fall semester, establishes the majority of courses to be offered during the following two-year period. Programs analyze factors such as course enrollment histories and community input to

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determine which courses should be included. The second part of the MYPO examines faculty resources, curriculum, facilities, and other factors affecting program delivery. The two parts of the MYPO help to inform the development of the program-level APRU. Besides past enrollment, we also should survey high school students to anticipate and determine the courses desired.

Kaua‘i Community College is classified as a “comprehensive community college”; yet with diminishing resources and comparatively low enrollment, it often is a challenge for the college to truly be comprehensive in the range of services it provides. The need for a strong liberal arts program must be balanced with the need for vigorous vocational/technical programs. Limited financial resources must be equitably divided. This often leads to hard choices, and limited offerings in some divisions and programs are the inevitable result. For example, due to enrollment issues, the college has had to limit the offerings of 200-level foreign language and art classes. One answer is distance learning. At Kaua‘i Community College, an active distance learning division helps to coordinate online, cable, and HITS (Hawai‘i Interactive Television System) course delivery. The college’s distance-learning division helps students to access all the resources of the UH System, from UH community college class offerings on other islands to upper-division university courses and degree programs.

The number of lecturers has increased significantly over the last five years, as has the number of courses they teach. Yet hiring more full-time faculty is not necessarily the answer. For a variety of reasons, it’s often difficult to retain full-time faculty. For example, in Fall 2003, a full-time math instructor was hired six weeks before school started. This instructor resigned at the end of the year. A lecturer took over a full load of courses for the next academic year. In Fall 2005, another full-time math instructor was hired; this person also resigned at the end of the year. A lecturer may end up teaching more courses if we cannot fill the position by the end of summer. In this case, we have tried, but thus far failed, to maintain the full-time position. Most frequently, resigning faculty cite the high cost of living on Kaua‘i and difficulty adapting to the island culture as prominent factors in their decision to leave. Similar incidents might be avoided in the future if candidates who have been recruited from a distance are more thoroughly informed about the unique challenges of island life.

Another issue regarding staffing hinges upon the college’s relatively low student population. Because of this, it’s often difficult to justify hiring full-time faculty for highly specialized, historically low-enrollment, and elective courses. In addition, faculty must be able to teach multiple courses within each discipline, and occasionally across disciplines. For example, the college currently uses lecturers only to teach art courses, since it would be difficult to recruit an art generalist qualified to teach multiple media. A similar situation exists in the social science division. This department consists of a sociologist and a psychologist. While some faculty members would like to see the addition of an anthropologist, our enrollment records do not justify it. As a small college, Kaua‘i Community College is challenged to rely upon lecturers and to use their services effectively. Lecturers who are actively employed in

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the field of expertise, such as a lawyer to teach business law, are also used to bring particular skills to the classroom.

An additional human resources challenge will occur when the college – along with colleges nationwide – begins to feel the impact of the large number of faculty who soon will be reaching retirement age. The college needs to plan for this wave of retiring baby boomers and adopt new recruitment strategies.

Planning Agenda

Continue Program Review/APRU processes in all programs.

Adopt a systematic procedure for informing candidate faculty about life on Kaua‘i.

Strengthen outreach efforts with the high schools and community to assess needs and increase enrollment, which in turn will strengthen our full-time faculty population.

Review assigned-time request procedures and make changes as needed.

Review current recruitment and retention strategies for new faculty/staff and devise new methods as needed.

III.A.3. The institution systematically develops personnel policies and procedures that are available for information and review. Such policies and procedures are equitably and consistently administered.

III.A.3.a. The institution establishes and adheres to written policies ensuring fairness in all employment procedures.

Descriptive Summary

The college follows systemwide procedures that are established to comply with Board of Regents policies. Personnel policies and procedures are available for review at the University of Hawai‘i’s website (Personnel Policies). Information also is available in the HR Office and through consultation with the EEO. Faculty and classified staff union contracts also clearly stipulate work expectations, salary schedules, and evaluations, and define grievance processes should problems arise. (Exhibit III-3: Collective Bargaining Agreements) The college’s personnel officer and personnel clerk and administrators are available to explain relevant policies and procedures. In addition, the Office of the VP for Community Colleges has system personnel with whom the college may consult on issues.

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Self Evaluation

The college adheres to the UH System guidelines for all employment and personnel policies and procedures and make these readily available to all employees at regular intervals,including at the time of hire, when evaluations are conducted, and at other times through access to the “CampusDocs,” the Kaua‘i Community College intranet. Information also is available in the HR Office regarding official grievance procedures.

The UH/UHPA Contract governs workload assignments. However, faculty often are asked to accept additional assigned time, due to the responsive nature of the college’s curriculum development process and varying needs within the disciplines. The two types of assigned time are explained in documents given to faculty each semester. The first is contractual assigned time, which provides the opportunity for faculty members who have workloads of 27 instructional credits for the academic year to carry out an additional assigned-time project. Projects are approved if they align with goals in the department’s Program Review Action Plan or APRU. Assigned time also may be allocated administratively. Administrative assignments include appointments to such positions as Faculty Senate Chair, Division Chair, and Curriculum Chair. Additional assigned time may be allocated for high-priority projects. A majority of instructional faculty receive assigned time. Assigned time requests and assigned time final reports are required to assess the effectiveness of the projects undertaken. Currently, assigned time requests are provided by faculty at the same time workload forms are submitted. However, it often takes several reminders to get assigned time reports, even though the process has been simplified, particularly for many administratively assigned projects.

Planning Agenda

Remind faculty and staff to check their union contracts for appropriate grievance procedures.

III.A.3.b. The institution makes provision for the security and confidentiality of personnel records. Each employee has access to his/her personnel records in accordance with law.

Descriptive Summary

Confidentiality is assured by a strict adherence to UH System policies, State of Hawai‘i civil services regulations, and federal guidelines. Hardcopy personnel files are kept in locked file cabinets in the Personnel Office. The Personnel Office is locked when unoccupied. Computerized records are kept on central UH Systems, which are secured by passwords and encryption.

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Self Evaluation

Official personnel files for BOR appointees, excluding executive and managerial, are kept in the Human Resources Office. Official personnel files for civil service employees and executive and managerial personnel are located in the Office of Human Resources at UH Manoa. The personnel officer and HR staff provide for the security and confidentiality of personnel records by limiting access to authorized personnel and formally outlining proper record handling and confidentiality rules and procedures to all individuals with authorization to access files and records.

Planning Agenda

None.

III.A.4. The institution demonstrates through policies and practices an appropriate understanding of and concern for issues of equity and diversity.

III.A.4.a. The institution creates and maintains appropriate programs, practices, and services that support its diverse personnel.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College complies with federal and state laws which prohibit discrimination in college programs and activities based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, marital status, and disability. The college also complies with federal and state laws which mandate equal employment/affirmative action and prohibit discrimination in employment – including, but not limited to, hiring, firing, upgrading salaries, training, benefits, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

An EEO/AA review is part of all faculty and APT hiring, while civil service regulations are followed for such positions. The personnel officer is the designated EEO/AA and 504 coordinator for employees. Workshops on such topics as sexual harassment are regularly scheduled.

Self Evaluation

To promote diversity the college provides the following services:

Workshops and training for faculty, administrators, staff and students on sexual harassment; hostile environment; disabilities; recruitment, selection and hiring; equal opportunity/affirmative action; and diversity.

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Programs specifically designed to assist women, minorities, veterans and individuals with disabilities – such as Bridge to Hope, child care programs and centers, and a variety of support services for students with disabilities.

An affirmative action program that complies with federal contractor requirements for data collection, workforce analysis, identification of problem areas, and placement goals or benchmarks.

An EEO/AA Coordinator on campus who oversees employment practices, including recruiting and hiring decisions; ensures compliance with the laws and policies and with the AAP (reviews job announcements, reviews for under-representation, monitors recruitment and the equitable treatment of applicants, coordinates diverse screening committees and EEO briefings); and receives, investigates, and resolves complaints.

A Disability Services Counselor who provides services to students with disabilities.

A Title IX Coordinator to coordinate campus efforts to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

Section 504 Coordinator to coordinate campus efforts to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

In a recent survey of staff and faculty members of the college, 51 percent of respondents felt that the institution creates and maintains appropriate programs, practices, and services that support its diverse personnel. Forty-one percent were neutral and 6.4 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed.

Although 51 percent is a majority, studying the minority opinion may provide great insight to the EEO/AA officer and professional development committee as they help to refine division action plans.

Planning Agenda

Conduct an annual focus group at the end of each academic year to highlight campus diversity issues. This focus group’s results will assist in the development of diversity workshops scheduled for the following year.

III.A.4.b. The institution regularly assesses its record in employment equity and diversity consistent with its mission.

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Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College has an Affirmative Action Plan (Exhibit III-8: Affirmative Action Plan) that complies with federal contractor requirements for data collection, workforce analysis, identification of problem areas, and placement goals or benchmarks. The plan is updated annually to identify problem areas of under-utilization and good faith efforts. The 2005-2006 AAP will be generated using Gerstco AAP software and 2000 Census data. The college’s EEO/AA Coordinator oversees employment practices, including recruiting and hiring decisions; ensures compliance with the laws and policies and with the AAP (reviews job announcements, reviews for under-representation; monitors recruitment and the equitable treatment of applicants; coordinates diverse screening committees and EEO briefings); and receives, investigates, and resolves complaints.

The tables on pages 18 and 19 of this document show diversity statistics on faculty and staff in the three areas of ethnicity, gender, and age. In terms of gender, there are twice as many males as females that make up the staff at Kaua‘i Community College while females make up about 46 percent of the faculty. This make-up has not changed in the past four years. Student data is about 40 percent male and 60 percent female. In 2005, the three largest ethnic groups among the staff were Japanese, Filipino, Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian. For the Faculty, the largest ethnic groups are Caucasian, Japanese, with other Asian and Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian groups being almost equal. Filipino, Caucasian, and Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian are the largest ethnic groups for students.

Self Evaluation

Job applications include a cover sheet asking for the voluntary disclosure of gender, age, and ethnic background. This completed sheet is removed from the application and forwarded to the EEO/AA officer. The officer screens for candidates belonging to under-represented groups, and may require interview committees to interview these candidates if they also meet minimum qualifications for the position.

In general there has been a slight rise in the hiring of Caucasian faculty which coincides with a rise in the same student group. The age of the faculty and staff has remained almost the same except for a marked drop in the 42-48 year old age group for faculty. The largest groups are in the 49-62 range and programs predict a decline in these groups due to retirement. Programs have action plans that deal with this issue as it is one of the college’s priority goals.

Planning Agenda

None.

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III.A.4.c. The institution subscribes to, advocates, and demonstrates integrity in the treatment of its administration, faculty, staff and students.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College uses a variety of policies and procedures to insure integrity in the treatment of its administration, faculty, staff, and students:

Administrative Procedures for Recruitment (A9.540)

Affirmative Action Plan (Exhibit III-8)

Collective Bargaining Agreements (Exhibit III-3)

Minimum Qualification Guidelines for Faculty Positions (Exhibit III-1)

BOR Policy Section 1-5 on Non-Discrimination and Affirmative Action Executive Policy E1.202 Policy Statement of Nondiscrimination and Affirmative

Action

Executive Policy E1.203 Policy on Sexual Harassment and Related Conduct

Administrative Procedure A9.920 Discrimination Complaint Procedures for Students, Employees

Guidelines for Applicants for Admission or Employment (Exhibit III-9)

Administrative Procedure A9.900 Policy and Complaint Procedures for Members of the Public Who Have Discrimination Complaints Regarding Public Accommodations or ADA Complaints Regarding Disability Access to University Services, Programs, and Activities (A9.900)

UH Community Colleges Policy and Procedures Relating to Sexual Harassment (needs revision – CCCM 2200)

UH Community Colleges Procedures and Guidelines Relating to Complaints of Discrimination (CCCM 2210)

Campus Statement of Policy on the Affirmative Action Program inserted in AAP (CCCM 2620)

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http://www.svpa.hawaii.edu/svpa/borp/borpch1.pdf

http://www.svpa.hawaii.edu/svpa/apm/pers/a9540.pdf



Self Evaluation

In a recent Self Study Survey, the Standard III committee asked faculty and staff, “Have you been assigned duties, not originally part of your job description, that you think take(s) up a good percentage of your workload?” Thirty-three faculty/staff members said yes and twelve said no. Out of those who said yes, 23 reported that they had been involved in determining their extra responsibilities, while eight had not. Fifty percent said this work was acknowledged during the evaluation process. There were no grievances filed on this issue, as reflected in the Human Resource Office – Grievance Record (Exhibit III-10: Human Resource Office – Grievance Record). As noted above, a well-documented process governs the assigned time process for faculty. The committee also asked, “Does the institution treat you fairly?” The results showed that 53 percent agreed or strongly agreed. Thirty-three percent were neutral. Thirteen percent disagreed or strongly disagreed. At our college conversation, some faculty members commented that non-tenured faculty members often feel that they cannot decline additional responsibilities and certainly cannot grieve. In the Faculty Morale Survey, Spring 2005 (Exhibit II-50: Faculty Morale Survey), 29 percent of respondents disagreed, and 32 percent strongly disagreed, to the statement, “the administration rewards faculty evenhandedly.” This indicates that the college should review this standard in more detail. Per the Faculty Senate Chair, the Faculty Senate will address this issue in the next year.

Planning Agenda

Conduct a focus group to find out why faculty/staff might feel that they are not being treated fairly and provide appropriate remedies for the situation.

III.A.5. The institution provides all personnel with appropriate opportunities for continued professional development, consistent with the institutional mission and based on identified teaching and learning needs.

III.A.5.a. The institution plans professional development activities to meet the needs of its personnel.

Descriptive Summary

There is a UH Community Colleges Policy and Procedures on Staff Development (CCCM 2080). It was prepared by Dewey Kim, a former Chancellor for the UHCC. Personal, professional, and organizational developments are the three priorities identified, with the faculty and staff recognized as the greatest asset to the successful functioning of the community colleges. And the college’s strategic goals include a priority for professional development.

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4.1 Foster faculty and staff currency of expertise in their areas of responsibility through support of professional development activities.

Self Evaluation

The institution has a full-time Professional Development Coordinator. The coordinator convenes the Professional Development Committee to assess and review professional development needs and plan activities. The representatives serve as liaisons from their respective units and divisions, communicating with colleagues and presenting reports at the meetings. The committee works to identify workshops, seminars, and other trainingactivities that address the college’s most urgent professional development needs. The committee meets regularly to develop an annual plan for the college. The Campus Council reviews and approves the plan.

Workshops are selected based on needs expressed in the Kaua‘i Community College Strategic Plan for Information Technology; All-Campus Council meetings; Division Chair meetings; unit staff meetings; and by members of the Kaua‘i Community College Professional Development Committee. For the past four years, the emphasis has been on workshops related to program review and assessment.

The campus has the Ed White Fund, a well-established foundation fund that was created to support faculty, staff and students. Each year, the chancellor has requested between $15,000 and $20,000 to support professional development activities for faculty and staff. In addition, the Professional Development Committee fundraises throughout the year. Those funds are available through the UH Foundation, Kaua‘i Community College Professional Development Account, which is managed by the Committee. Individuals may apply for funds to support their professional development, and the Committee also uses the funds for campus-wide workshops. In general, within this environment of learning, there are numerous efforts being made to promote professional development, including those not initiated by the Professional Development Committee. Grants provide monies for professional development, individuals initiate opportunities and activities, committees ascertain needs and respond by coordinating activities, colleagues provide suggestions on an informal basis, groups make requests, and special events are organized periodically to take advantage of the expertise of outside consultants and speakers. Our current Title III grant is funding a full-time faculty position to help faculty understand and begin to integrate the Skip Downing On Course curriculum across the curriculum. This curriculum was first introduced to the campus through a systemwide workshop, supported by the UHCC System Wo Learning Champions Fund, administered by Kapi‘olani Community College. The Nursing program then implemented it in their EPSCOR-funded Academy for Future Nurses. The dramatic, positive results of that pilot interested many other faculty on campus in the approach, so Title III funds were sought to support more training and awareness of the potential of its learning strategies.

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The campus recognizes its internal wealth as well. Faculty and staff both formally and informally learn from one another, and often accept requests to conduct workshops on their areas of specialization at Kaua‘i Community College, at other colleges within the UH System, and elsewhere. Faculty and staff also have the opportunity to enroll in UH System credit and non-credit courses through a tuition waiver program, after specific terms of their employment have been met.

Planning Agenda

None.

III.A.5.b. With the assistance of the participants, the institution systematically evaluates professional development programs and uses the results of these evaluations as the basis for improvement. Descriptive Summary

Evaluation is done at most major professional development activities. The Professional Development Committee uses the evaluations to plan and refine future activities.

Self Evaluation

Since SLOs are a campus focus, the Professional Development Coordinator is revising an assessment tool to be used at all professional development events to more closely examine the impact of these activities on student service. Participants will be asked, among other questions, if the activity met their own learning needs, and whether it will help them to meet student needs and achieve SLOs. The coordinator also is in the process of reviewing past professional development evaluations to see if they reveal connections between the activity and documented improvements in teaching and learning.

Once the coordinator and members of the Professional Development Committee have reviewed the qualitative and quantitative data of past evaluations, they use their findings to assess past professional development activities – to determine if these activities have had a positive impact on SLOs, and to formulate and enhance future professional development efforts. These determinations will be shared with the Campus Council and, where possible, the college community at large.

For the 2004-2005 academic year, assessment, technology training, and customer service were identified as primary themes. These themes were determined by needs expressed in the Information Technology Plan, the college mission statement, and from feedback obtained from the campus community. The coordinator consults with administrative leaders and special committees such as the Information Technology Committee to develop a calendar of activities for the current academic year.

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In addition, the coordinator is in the process of compiling a comprehensive folder of materials to document the history and evolution of professional development efforts on this campus.

Recent Kaua‘i Community College Self Study results show that 92 percent of our faculty and staff have participated in professional development activities on Kaua‘i within the last five years. Seventy-eight percent have gone to activities within the State of Hawai‘i and fifty percent have gone out of state for professional development.

Planning Agenda

None.

III.A.6. Human resource planning is integrated with institutional planning. The institution systematically assesses the effective use of human resources and uses the results of the evaluation as the basis for improvement.

Descriptive Summary

With the implementation of Program Review and Annual Program Review Updates, all programs are charged to assess – in a data-driven manner – the effectiveness of their use of human resources. The results of these evaluations are reflected in the programs’ planning agendas, establishing that assessment is being used as a tool to shape improvement.

As noted previously, the campus also now has a process that requires all programs to justify any request to fill a vacant position with data on need and expected outcomes. Self Evaluation

As noted previously the MYPO is an important planning tool which faculty use to annually assess staffing needs in the context of the scheduling process. This first analysis is used in the development of the Annual Program Review Update. Data such as enrollment trends, numbers of graduates, employment needs in the area, average class sizes, and SSH per FTE faculty are used in assessing staffing needs in instructional areas.

Program reviews for non-instructional areas consider such data as numbers of applications processed, numbers of students advised, ratio of students to advisers, wait time for various services, processing time for work orders, and other quantitative measures. In addition, customer satisfaction surveys help to identify any issues with services.

This kind of analysis has resulted in changes in staffing in some areas, as well as additional staffing requests in our biennium budget. For example, the Nursing department in their APRU presented an analysis of workforce needs and current instructional capacity,

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enrollment, and graduation statistics to determine their need for additional faculty. That request was reviewed by the College Council, which recommended a high priority for the request. The chancellor subsequently made it a high priority on the biennium budget request, which has been submitted to the UH System. In the library, the funding from a vacant position was reallocated to books, periodicals and electronic journals when the analysis of the workload indicated that the duties could be equitably distributed among other unit personnel.

Planning Agenda

Complete Program Review process for all programs as scheduled.

Standard III.B. Physical Resources

Physical resources, which include facilities, equipment, land, and other assets, support student learning programs and services and improve institutional effectiveness. Physical resource planning is integrated with institutional planning.

III.B.1. The institution provides safe and sufficient physical resources that support and assure the integrity and quality of its programs and services, regardless of location or means of delivery.

III.B.1.a. The institution plans, builds, maintains, and upgrades or replaces its physical resources in a manner that assures effective utilization and the continuing quality necessary to support its programs and services.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College is located on a 200-acre site in Puhi, Kaua‘i. The campus consists of 42 buildings totaling approximately 238,800 square feet of building space. Major buildings include a Library/Learning Resource Center; Performing Arts Center; Campus/Student Center; Faculty Offices/Wellness Center/Computer Classroom; and classroom/laboratory/shop facilities for Natural/Physical Sciences, Nursing, Business Education, Fine Arts, Social Sciences, Auto Body, Automotive, Carpentry/Electricity, Welding, Machine Shop and Electronic Technology. The college also has four tennis courts and a weight/exercise room. In addition, the college supports three small off-campus learning centers; a HUD and State of Hawai‘i Office of Hawaiian Affairs-funded after-school classroom building for community members at Anahola on Hawaiian Homelands; a Rural Development Program-funded computer classroom (leased) in Waimea; and a Koke‘e property leased from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources for use as a field site for botanical and other studies as well as for retreats and workshops. The Anahola and Koke‘e facilities have not been used for scheduled college classes.

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Kaua‘i Community College began serving students at the Puhi campus in the fall of 1976. The Puhi campus was designed to accommodate an enrollment of 1,500 FTE credit students based on the 1973 Facilities Master Plan/Long Range Development Plan for the college. In 1999, the LRDP was updated to reflect current population projections for the island of Kaua`i and resulted in a Facilities Master Plan/LRDP (Exhibit III-11: Facilities Master Plan/LRDP) for a maximum student enrollment of 3,000 FTE. Kaua‘i Community College’s Fall 2004 and Fall 2005 FTE credit enrollments were 613 and 592 respectively.

Since the 2000 accreditation visit, the college has continued to improve its facilities by retrofitting its air conditioning plant with energy-efficient chillers and a computerized energy management system and by installing energy-efficient lighting campus-wide. The college also received funds to expand its Culinary Arts and Ceramic Laboratory facilities; to build a Wellness Center and an Electronic Technology Center; and to renovate building entrances, restrooms, and the college’s fire alarm system to meet standards under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). In response to the 2000 AACJC Commission’s recommendation to reassess its space for serving students at Student Services, the college gave highest priority to its plans for a “One-Stop Center” to expand space for Student Services and the University Center, and to co-locate the Business Office with other administrative offices to make services more convenient for students (Exhibit I-7: One-Stop Plans). The OSC, which is scheduled for completion in Spring 2008, will enable students to conveniently receive counseling and financial aid services, take placement exams, register, and pay fees. It will also have a career counseling center and additional space for expansion of University Center services.

Self Evaluation

The physical resources of this institution, in general, provide an environment that ensures the integrity and quality of its programs and services. Program reviews/Annual Program Review Updates (APRU) are now being used to determine the need for physical resources and in planning and budgeting for financial resources. In preparation for the Fiscal 2007-2009 biennium budget, programs assessed their need for equipment, space for classrooms, labs and offices, new facilities, and funds for facilities and equipment maintenance. Each program was given an opportunity to present its need for resources before the Campus Council. Members of the Council then ranked each request based on the following six criteria: alignment with the college’s goals, outcome expected, evidence, need, collaboration and impact. There were nine APRU requests that related to physical resources.

Based on the APRUs, the majority of current programs appear to have sufficient space and equipment to accomplish their program goals. APRU plans for Culinary Arts, Nursing, and Early Childhood Education indicate that growth in those programs are projected to require additional classroom/lab and office spaces as well as equipment.

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Kaua‘i Community College has a small operating budget to cover the cost of maintenance for the air conditioning plant and elevators. Ongoing inspections are done by the Facilities Manager, and repair work within the scope of the college’s maintenance personnel are usually done promptly. The self study survey results indicate that Maintenance Services has generally been able to complete work orders on a timely basis, although there is an indication that there needs to be an assessment of the work-order process (Self Study Survey, Standard III, no. 7). For facilities improvements projects that are beyond the college’s available funding, the Director of Administrative Services, with input from the Faculty Senate’s Building and Grounds Committee, has prioritized funding requests for facilities improvement projects (Exhibit III-12: Facilities Improvement Projects). Major repairs, such as re-roofing of buildings, are funded through minor capital improvement funds, allocated through a consensus-driven process managed by the University of Hawai‘i Community College System’s Office.

The self study survey indicated a desire for better-equipped classrooms with multimedia workstations for instructors. The Media Services APRU and the question-and-answer portion of the survey reinforced this desire. Making better use of existing facilities was also mentioned. The college included a request for an equipment replacement and IT replacement/upgrade budget in the 2005-2006 supplemental budget request. That item was funded and the college will use the Information Technology Strategic Plan and the program review/APRU priorities to allocate the newly available funding.

Kaua‘i Community College is fortunate that major crimes have not occurred on campus (Exhibit III-13: Campus Crime Report). Nevertheless, in response to concerns for additional security service and lighting, the college has increased its security guard services during the evening hours and installed additional lighting.

Planning Agenda

A comprehensive and continuous risk management and maintenance schedule needs to be developed and implemented. This was noted in the (Administrative Services Program Review , page 6).

Develop a facilities use study to better utilize existing facilities.

Study the work-order process to assess timeliness of response and provide data for physical plant repair and maintenance needs.

III.B.1.b. The institution assures that physical resources at all locations where it offers courses, programs, and services are constructed and maintained to assure access, safety, security, and a healthful learning and working environment.

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Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College and its off-campus sites, with the exception of the Koke‘e property, are all constructed and maintained to meet ADA and health and safety standards. As noted above, no regularly scheduled classes take place in the Koke‘e facility which has been used to support field trips for natural science classes and retreats for college and system personnel. The Koke‘e site does not have a ramp to accommodate wheelchairs. In addition, only the Anahola off-campus site has security service. The off-campus site at Anahola is maintained by the community users. The college staff maintains the Koke‘e and Waimea facilities. The Waimea classroom is used by participants in the Rural Development Projects, and the Anahola classroom is used by grade school students in the community’s after-school program and other community users, as determined by the community board. Under the terms of the grant that funded the Anahola facility, the college is working to establish a 501(c) 3 community entity to take over ownership and management of that facility. The Koke‘e site is used primarily for ethnobotany field studies and retreats. All facilities at the Puhi campus are ADA-compliant and maintained with the goal of achieving a healthy learning and working environment. The college has a security service contract that provides two guards during the evening class hours. In terms of health and safety, the college receives support from the Community College’s Environmental Health and Safety Officer who provides semi-annual training and inspections on hazardous-materials safety and injury prevention. The Kaua‘i Fire Department inspects the campus annually for potential fire hazards and the Kaua‘i Fire Protection Company inspects all of the college fire extinguishers once a year. Government inspectors also inspect the college’s elevators and air compressors annually.

Self Evaluation

This institution has placed health and safety issues at the forefront as clearly indicated by its listing and completion of improvement projects (Exhibit III-11: Facilities Master Plan/LRDP). Especially noteworthy are the modifications for the physically challenged such as improving access to restrooms and building entrances. In 2005 environmental concerns led to the upgrading of fume hoods in the science laboratory and the retrofitting of several air handlers and fan coil units. The institution expended funds to improve its fire hydrant system and fire alarm systems and will complete the construction of an automotive auto wash system during the summer of 2006. The Kaua‘i Fire Department conducts annual fire inspections. In 2004 the Associated Students of Kaua‘i Community College lobbied the University of Hawai‘i and the state legislature for additional security services and lighting. According to the Kaua‘i Community College self study survey, a majority of the faculty and staff felt safe walking to their cars at night. However, students who take night classes were not surveyed, and this safety issue needs to be addressed. Also, safety for the entire campus at night needs to be assessed. The contract service hours for the security guards have been doubled. The US Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education statistics report that there were no arrests, hate offenses, or criminal offenses on or off campus from 2001 through 2004

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(OPE Campus Security Statistics Website). However, from time to time there are some instances of student disagreements or disruptive behavior that may require law enforcement officers, but these happen at the average rate of once every two years.

The college’s Wellness Center has responded to students, faculty and staff requiring first aid. Nursing faculty have made the campus safer by providing first responder training and training on the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). The college has an AED located at the Wellness Center, Cafeteria, and Performing Arts Center. The newly installed fire/emergency alarm systems are not yet fully operational.

Planning Agenda

Students should be surveyed pertaining to campus-wide safety at night.

III.B.2. To assure the feasibility and effectiveness of physical resources in supporting institutional programs and services, the institution plans and evaluates its facilities and equipment on a regular basis, taking utilization and other relevant data into account.

III.B.2.a. Long-range capital plans support institutional improvement goals and reflects projections of the total cost of ownership of new facilities and equipment.

Descriptive Summary

Capital improvement plans are based on the, Kaua‘i Community College Long Range Development Plan (Exhibit III-11: Facilities Master Plan/LRDP) which is updated on a regular basis, as scheduled by the UH System Office for capital improvements. The college’s LRDP was last updated in 1999. An outside consultant gathered relevant data on educational plans and activities and input from faculty and staff to develop the educational specifications. Based on that specification, the design consultants prepared the LRDP. Decisions, which were approved by the college’s governing body, were driven by factors such as the need for space, health and safety, and the usefulness of equipment and other physical resources. This process resulted in the construction of facilities such as the Performing Arts Center, Electronic Technology Center, Wellness Center, and Culinary Arts and Ceramics classroom expansion. The One-Stop Center was included in the LRDP and became the college’s top priority for additional funding after the 2000 accreditation recommendation.

Self Evaluation

The implementation of the Annual Program Review process has enabled programs at Kaua‘i Community College to review their physical resource requirements and participate in a planning process that is open and based on the college’s strategic goals. The process enables each program to evaluate the effectiveness of its physical resources in achieving program

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goals. Various programs identified deficiencies in their facilities and equipment and prepared requests for financial resources to correct these deficiencies. The Campus Council was then able to prioritize the requests and determine whether financial resources would be provided through reallocation or through the legislative funding-request process. The APRU process also provided the opportunity for programs to identify capital improvement projects that are needed to meet program demands. These recommendations were forwarded to the Building and Grounds Committee of the Faculty Senate for recommendations (Exhibit III-14: Campus Email, Budget Decisions from APRU/PR, April 2006).

Kaua‘i Community College’s Long Range (Capital) Development Plan/Educational Specification, which was made when the campus was built in 1975, and which was revised in 1999, is designed for a maximum enrollment of 3,000 FTE students. The plan, which was developed by the consulting firm PBR Hawai‘i, Inc. with input from the college’s faculty and staff, projects enrollment growth based on the population statistics. The plan focuses on the functional relationships between programs that can be viewed as a series of related, interconnected elements that will result in a unified, cohesive campus. The plan projects the cost of construction but does not consider the total operating cost of planned facilities, equipment or maintenance. The LRDP enables Kaua‘i Community College to request funding for new facilities as enrollment in its current programs grows. The college has included a request for an operational repair and maintenance fund as part of its current service base in the 2007-2009 biennium budget request to the Board of Regents. The 2006 legislature also funded a Repair and Maintenance CIP request for the UH System. The Director of Administrative Services attends an annual system meeting with other community college representatives to prioritize proposals for legislative appropriation. The current campus prioritization process offers our director a more comprehensive view of the campus priorities. The state legislature has to approve all funds for capital improvement. In recent years, there has been a greater emphasis on accountability for all legislative proposals and allocations. All plans for building are approved through the building permitting process, which assures compliance with building codes, as well as ADA and OSHA requirements.

Planning Agenda

The chancellor and College Council should continue to evaluate the APRU budgeting process and develop strategic plans in preparation for the next revision of the Long Range Development Plan / Educational Specifications. Total projected costs of operation and maintenance must be part of the facilities analysis.

III.B.2.b. Physical resource planning is integrated with institutional planning. The institution systematically assesses the effective use of physical resources and uses the results of the evaluation as the basis for improvement.

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Descriptive Summary

As described above, the program review process is the vehicle for programs to indicate their need for physical resource requirements to achieve program goals. The annual program review budget prioritization process has engaged all programs in understanding and evaluating campus priorities as they impact equipment, facilities, and physical resource planning. This process of resource allocation has completed its second full cycle.

Self Evaluation

To date, all programs have completed either annual updates or full program review and have twice developed proposals for funding based on an annual program review update. Upon reading the program review documents, it is evident that the campus has only begun to understand the task before us in terms of developing data supported analysis. In general, most of the program needs have filtered through the APRU process to become institutional concerns. Not all campus concerns have been reflected. Examples of issues not addressed are the “overcrowded” environment of the Learning Center and the Liberal Arts program concerns about available classrooms and furnishings. Other instructional concerns such as the Office Administration and Technology Program not having current software to meet industry standards is perhaps a Technology Resources issue, never-the-less, it indicates a need for an improvement of the assessment process and more thorough analysis by the programs to identify and justify requests to address program needs.

Planning Agenda

The Director of Administrative Services or designee needs to follow-up on the physical resource concerns which have surfaced in campus program self studies. A public record of the concerns and how they have been addressed would ensure timeliness and accountability. Appropriate committees, such as the Building and Grounds and ITAC, may determine the appropriate course of action to address these concerns. Health and safety needs must take precedence over general repair and maintenance needs.

Programs should include analysis of facilities concerns and needs in program reviews/annual review updates.

Standard III.C. Technology Resources

Technology resources are used to support student learning programs and services and to improve institutional effectiveness. Technology planning is integrated with institutional planning.

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III.C.1. The institution assures that any technology support it provides is designed to meet the needs of learning, teaching, college-wide communications, research, and operational systems.

In response to recommendation #6 of the 2000 Self Study accreditation report, the chancellor created the Information Technology Task Force (ITTF) and charged it with the responsibility of developing a technology strategic plan (Information Technology Strategic Plan) that is aligned with the college’s mission, goals, and Student Learning Outcomes. In developing this plan, the ITTF conducted a comprehensive study of the current status of information technology and outlined an implementation timetable from Summer 2004 through Spring 2007. This timetable was updated on April 3, 2006, (Information Technology Strategic Plan Update). Computers, networking, and other communication equipment are used for administrative and academic purposes and there is a large infrastructure that supports thistechnology. Technology planning in this area is integrated with institutional planning (College Council Meeting Notes, December 2, 2004). The College Council approves the budget developed by the Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC).

Specialized equipment and instrumentation (i.e. automotive diagnostic equipment) are utilized by various programs to support their learning programs. These resources in general have a longer useful life and do not face the rapid obsolescence characteristic of computers, their associated peripherals, and software. Due to their specialized nature and use each department maintains and replaces their equipment using departmental or grant funding.

III.C.1.a. Technology services, professional support, facilities, hardware, and software are designed to enhance the operation and effectiveness of the institution.

Descriptive Summary

Until the conception of the Information Technology Advisory Committee, the computer services department has been primarily responsible for the design, development and maintenance of the technology services, support, facilities, hardware and software for the campus. For the purpose of institutional effectiveness and efficiency, decisions were made to standardize the campus to a pc base using the Microsoft operating platform. Individual departments having individual hardware or software requirements are able to purchase equipment and software with or without the consultation of computer services. Support of these specific hardware and/or software is the responsibility of the purchasing department although computer services are often asked for support.

Student and faculty software support is provided through the phone, online and via walk-in assistance from our Instructional Technologist or Computer Services. Computer Services provides installation, maintenance and trouble-shooting of hardware, software, and network services.

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Self Evaluation

The Information Technology Strategic Plan, which was developed by the ITTF, details some of the complexities of information technology development at the college. One of the initial planning agendas was to create the Information Technology Advisory Council (ITAC). The ITAC is comprised of two faculty members (one from CTE and one from Liberal Arts), the Instructional Technologist, the head of Computer Services, and the head of Media Services. The ITAC was charged with integrating planning and making recommendations for future growth as computer technology advances. They began the task of incorporating feedback through focus group reports and surveys to further strengthen the operation and effectiveness of the campus. The ITAC gathered baseline data on the hardware and software used by the various departments on campus. The Information Technology Strategic Plan Update’s Goal I section details the steps taken to address the management of technology.

In the Fall 2005 semester, student and faculty focus groups were conducted along with faculty and staff surveys to gain baseline data on student technical competency and faculty and staff IT needs. The results of the Fall 2005 campus survey (Self Study Survey Results, Standard III Technological) indicated that a majority of faculty and staff respondents were satisfied with the “state of technology” (81.9 percent) and were also satisfied with the “support in the installation, operation, and maintenance” (82.3 percent). Those strongly agreeing comprised 22.8 percent of the population in both cases.

The survey also assessed the campus’ feeling for “adequate opportunities and funding in professional development.” Results of the survey showed that 79.5 percent of the faculty and staff expressed satisfaction with this, although in this case, only 12.8 percent of those strongly agreed. While the results demonstrate satisfaction with the quality of service at this point, continual improvement is necessary due to the rapid advancement of technology.

Further analysis of the initial faculty and staff survey indicated a need to develop and administer a more comprehensive follow-up survey in order to identify the specific software and hardware training that was needed. This second survey was administered in April 2006 under the guidance of the newly hired Institutional Researcher. A discussion of this survey can be found in Std III C.1.A.

A study of the various campus program review reports indicates a need for Information Technology development in relation to instruction. Specifically, in the Business Education, Hospitality, Business Technology, and Accounting programs. Since these instructional needs are important enough to be discussed in a program review report, they should be given priority consideration by ITAC, as these issues may not emerge in a campus needs survey.

The mission of Computer Services is to provide technology services “in the most responsive, accurate and cost-effective manner to support the college.” Specific goals deal with creating a reliable network, supporting the technology infrastructure, and addressing the computing

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needs of the campus. The latest Computer Services APRU indicates the status of their action plans toward meeting these goals; they have expanded the wireless network, continued to improve their online work-order system, upgraded faculty computers and wiring closets, and completed the ITAC focus groups. They are currently on schedule with most of their improvement plans.

Planning Agenda

The ITAC should consider and document information technology issues brought up in program review reports as they provide valid input for information technology budget considerations.

III.C.1.b. The institution provides quality training in the effective application of its information technology to students and personnel.

Descriptive Summary

The campus provides a wide array of computer technology courses. Business Education, Electronics, and Information and Computer Science offer credit courses. In addition, the Office of Continuing Education and Training (OCET) offers non-credit training, and free workshops are offered by The Learning Center. The Kaua‘i Community College Information Technologist provides individualized help.

Professional development in specialized areas of computer technology is funded by grants or by departmental funds.

Self Evaluation

The Fall 2005 Self Study survey results discussed in Section 1a indicate general satisfaction, but access to professional development opportunities in the technology area can be improved. The campus has provided workshops, for example the Windows XP workshop in Fall 2004, to enhance the skill of its personnel. But many faculty and staff members do not take advantage of these opportunities. One possible reason for low enrollment was thought to be the timing of workshops.

The April 2006 ITAC survey assessed the need for specific training requirements for faculty and staff. The three highest training needs for faculty are classroom-specific. These were: using Multi-media technology in the classroom, facilitating small group activities and teamwork, and using technology to address different learning styles. By comparison, the three highest training needs for staff were more broadly centered on communication and efficiency like using secure sites and compressed files, using spreadsheets, and doing desktop publishing software. There were three areas where faculty and staff needs were closely

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matched. These areas were Desktop publishing software, presentation packages, and using peripheral technologies (e.g. DVD’s and CD ROMs).

This survey also gathered information about the preferred training time. Both faculty and staff preferred half-day training sessions, and staff preferred trainings to be held on flex days more than did the faculty. Training topics need to be hands-on and relevant and conducted by an experienced outside trainer.

The college has a half-time Instructional Technologist position whose specific mission is “to enhance the use of educational technology and provide learning opportunities to acquire the skill sets necessary to effectively use educational technology” (Instructional Technology Program Review). The Kaua‘i Community College IT program review outlined four challenges that include lack of commitment, lack of a clear technology plan, lack of instructor time, and lack of incentives for instructor participation. These issues have been incorporated in the Information Technology Strategic Plan (ITSP) update. The ITAC committee will be assessing the effectiveness of the IT help station which was established in the Fall 2003 semester. Such data may help to justify the need for a full-time Instructional Technologist position or, as the April 2006 survey indicates, the hiring of training consultants to provide training.

ITAC is responsible for assessing campus needs for technology training. The Professional Development Committee is responsible for organizing these technology-training events (Information Technology Strategic Plan – Initiative 5). The Professional Development Committee is currently working on the new technology-training schedule for the upcoming year.

Planning Agenda

The ITAC should assess its success in achieving its prioritized goals; specifically the technology training needs of the campus and make recommendations to the Professional Development Committee for follow-up training (ITSP Implementation Plan).

III.C.1.c. The institution systematically plans, acquires, maintains, and upgrades or replaces technology infrastructure and equipment to meet institutional needs.

Descriptive Summary

The college currently has a four-year hardware replacement cycle and is allotted $50,000 a year for that purpose. There is a current system plan for software upgrades. However, ITAC is discussing a software upgrade schedule. There is no dedicated funding for these upgrades and therefore actual upgrades are not on a set replacement schedule. In addition, there is not

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a regular schedule for software releases and in general most upgrades do not make significant changes in features to justify upgrading with every release.

Self Evaluation

A software replacement policy is on the ITAC agenda. Software upgrades will have a significant impact on the limited budget. For example, upgrading the campus to the next level of Microsoft Office is estimated to cost between $35,000 and $50,000.

At this time, the hardware is more than adequate to run the current software packages faculty and staff are using. With the increasing number of computers being purchased, upgrading costs are also increasing. Disposal of old equipment is an additional cost.

Survey results discussed in Section 1.b indicate an interest by faculty and staff to gain computer expertise with various software applications. This may provide further cost items that have not been accounted in the plan to upgrade our Microsoft software. In the interest of institutional efficiency and effectiveness, specific software should be screened and selected by the Kaua‘i Community College-IT and/or the ITAC to supplement the Microsoft software. More specifically, standardized desktop publishing and multimedia (DVD and CD) standards could be developed for the college.

Planning Agenda

A policy of selective replacement and upgrades must be established to make more efficient use of the funding and available computer resources.

Kaua‘i Community College-IT and ITAC should assess the adequacy of the Microsoft programs in accordance with the campus needs as garnered through appropriate surveys.

The instructional technologist should familiarize himself with the campus software in

preparation for faculty and staff training.

III.C.1.d. The distribution and utilization of technology resources support the development, maintenance, and enhancement of its programs and services.

Descriptive Summary

All full-time faculty, administrators, and staff have a desktop computer or laptop provided by the college as indicated on the table of Campus Computer Labs below. Lecturers have ready access via shared lecturer offices and computer labs. Our base system consists of an Intel Celeron 1.6GHz processor, 256 MB Ram, network connection and a 17” Monitor. Users in the current 4-year replacement cycle have been upgraded to Intel Pentium 4 2.4+ GHz

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processor, and 512Mb Ram configurations. Everyone has access to either a laser or inkjet printer. Faculty and staff have access to Media Services’ high-volume copiers.

Standard OS/application software consists of Windows XP Pro and Microsoft Office 2000 Pro, along with standard web browser and reader packages. Network access is provided via a fiber-optic backbone and wired network within the buildings. In addition, access points provide 80 percent campus wireless coverage.

Table: Campus Computer Labs

Type of Lab Location Number of Computers

Public Access Labs

Library open area 10

Library Microfilm Room 8Student/Faculty Labs

Computer Resource Center 21

The Learning Center 19Business 110 23Business 111 17Library notebooks 10

Special Purpose Labs

English Writing Lab 21

Hawaiian Studies 12Culinary 15 notebooksElectricity 16Etro CAI 17Etro CT 17Cisco Lab 17Nursing Lab 8Nursing Student notebooks 42Physics Lab 8OCET Lab 1 16OCET Lab 2 15OCET Waimea Lab 16OCET Notebooks 20

Total: 192

See campus map showing distribution of computer labs.

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In addition to computers provided to the faculty, administrators, and staff, there are numerous computer labs distributed around the campus as shown here on the campus map.

Self Evaluation

The campus is adequately wire-networked, and with 80 percent of the campus able to receive wireless connection, the distribution of services is more than adequate. The limiting factor in utilization of services is the ability of the personnel to make effective use of available technology and information resources. According to the April 2006 ITAC survey, there is general interest of faculty and staff in developing a higher level of technological expertise. These individuals are afforded the opportunity for training with the assistance of the professional development committee and Kaua‘i Community College Instructional Technologist.

Planning Agenda

The ITAC should continue to gather data to assess training needs as outlined in the Prioritized Goals and Action Plans for Fall 2004 through 2007 and the update to those plans. This data should be used by the Kaua‘i Community College Instructional Technologist and the Professional Development Committee to develop training programs for the campus community.

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III.C.2. Technology planning is integrated with institutional planning. The institution systematically assesses the effective use of technology resources and uses the results of evaluation as the basis for improvement.

Descriptive Summary

The Information Technology Task Force (ITTF) was established in the Summer of 2004 and was representative of each unit across the campus. This group worked on a comprehensive Information Technology Strategic Plan that outlines its mission, vision for the future and strategic initiatives. Specific strategic objectives outlined are:

Effectively and efficiently manage information technology across the campus employing sound fiscal practice.

Effectively use technology to improve the quality of instruction and services delivered to students, staff, and faculty through a centralized, multi-disciplinary plan.

Efficiently provide all members of its community with standardized, secure, reliable technology services of appropriate capacity to support instruction, research and administration.

One of the primary initiatives that the plan outlined was to develop an entity called the Information Technology Advisory Council (ITAC). The ITAC reports to the College Council with recommendations (College Council Meeting Notes, December 2, 2004). The ITAC developed an implementation document called Prioritized Goals and Action Plans for Fall 2004 through Spring 2007 (ITSP Implementation Plan). The College Council approved this plan in March 2005, revisited and updated in April 2006 (Information Technology Strategic Plan Update).

Self Evaluation

The Information Technology Strategic Plan Update, which was completed in April 2006, outlines the current status of planning and action initiatives that the ITAC committee has been working on. Specific action items address the three strategic objectives established in the Information Technology Strategic Plan at the College Council meetings.

The ITAC has initiated two surveys to gather baseline data and follow-up data that centered on the training needs for the campus. As the campus strengthens its program review process, more information to improve program development should flow from the Campus Council or Administration to the ITAC for consideration. At that point a two-way communication will be established rather than the current reporting mode between the ITAC and College Council.

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Planning Agenda

The College should continue work towards goals established in strategic plan.

Develop a timeline to re-evaluate plan.

Standard III.D. Financial Resources

Financial resources are sufficient to support student learning programs and services and to improve institutional effectiveness. The distribution of resources supports the development, maintenance, and enhancement of programs and services. The institution plans and manages its financial affairs with integrity and in a manner that ensures financial stability. The level of financial resources provides a reasonable expectation of both short-term and long-term financial solvency. Financial resource planning is integrated with institutional planning.

III.D.1. The institution relies upon its mission and goals as the foundation for financial planning.

Descriptive Summary

In response to recommendation number one of the AACJC recommendations from the 2000 accreditation process, the college reviewed and revised its mission statement and outlined six strategic goals: Access, Teaching and Learning, Workforce Development, Personal Development, Community Development, and Diversity. These six goals are incorporated in Kaua‘i Community College’s Strategic Plan, which serves as the framework for institutional and financial planning. Each program has utilized these campus goals as an outline for their program review. These goals serve as a context for program analysis and financial planning for the campus.

The college’s strategic goals and the elements of the Program Review process are keyed to the elements of the mission. Institutional planning is driven by these goals and decisions are prioritized and shaped by how well a program’s plans can achieve these goals. All resource requests must demonstrate how the proposed expenditure will help the program achieve one of the strategic goals, improve student learning, or otherwise move the campus toward accomplishing our mission.

Self Evaluation

Kaua‘i Community College has instituted a structure that aligns the college mission and goals with program planning and financial resource planning processes. The college has completed three years of the program review five-year cycle. The college relies on the program review and APRU processes to align program financial resource allocations with the

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established college mission and goals (KCCM 1-6). This structure assesses and supports the strength of individual programs in relation to campus goal achievement. The process is participatory in design and is used in developing the annual operating budget and the biennium and supplemental budgets. For example, in order to fill a vacant position, a program must complete the Request to Fill a Position form, which asks for an explanation of the relationship between the position and the strategic goals. (Exhibit I-12: Request to Fill a Position Form).

The final step of the Program Review/APRU process is the review of action plan items and resource requests by the College Council. The Council evaluates and rates the various requests using a set of criteria (Program Review Action Plans and Resource Allocations). The criteria are:

1. Is the action plan aligned with the college mission and priority strategic goals?

2. Is the outcome of the action well defined, measurable and aligned with the college’s (or the UHCC System’s) performance outcomes?

3. Is the proposed action based on an analysis of evidence in the Program Review? In an APRU, has additional data been used to refine or develop new action items?

4. Is the action item responsive to community need or workforce demand?

5. Does the action plan provide for collaboration with other programs?

6. What is the size of the impact anticipated? (Impact might be measured in terms of the number of students impacted, the size of the improvement in service anticipated, the urgency of the workforce need, etc.)

7. If no additional resources are requested, does the program propose a reallocation of funding internally?

At its last College Council meeting on April 27, 2006, the Council made several recommendations for improving the process, including streamlining the rating process.

Planning Agenda

The college will continue to refine and improve the process of assessing the outcomes of financial planning decisions on student success and student learning and use that assessment to improve decision making.

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III.D.1.a. Financial planning is integrated with and supports all institutional planning.

Descriptive Summary

On March 22, 2005, Kaua‘i Community College Policy 1-7 (Exhibit II-9: KCCM 1-7) established the College Council, which serves as both a representative forum for stakeholder dialogue on college issues and as advisory to the chancellor on major planning, policy, and budget issues. Members of the Council therefore serve as both representatives of their constituent groups and as campus leaders.

The College Council is the primary forum, which assures regular and in-depth dialogue among all stakeholders on campus about our mission, strategic planning, priority setting, policy development, and budget development. The composition of voting members of the College Council includes representation from administration, faculty, staff and students. The chancellor convenes the Campus Council and is a non-voting member. The Council’s role is to make recommendations to the chancellor who has final decision making authority according to Board of Regents’ policy. The chancellor reports to the Council and explains her reasons anytime she declines to accept their recommendation.

The college has developed an infrastructure for program planning based on the college’s strategic planning process. To date, all programs have completed either a mini or full program review (Program Review folder). During the Spring 2005 semester, the College Council went through the first budget prioritization process to develop the college’s supplemental budget request. Programs assessed their need for equipment, space for classrooms, labs and offices, new facilities, and funds for facilities and equipment maintenance based on their annual program review update (APRU). Each program is given an opportunity to present their need for resources before the Campus Council. Members of the Council ranked each request based on the following six criteria: alignment with the college’s goals, outcome expected, evidence, need, collaboration and impact.

During the Spring 2006 semester, the College Council completed their second budget prioritization process in preparation for the 2007-09 biennium budget request.

Self Evaluation

Spring 2005 was the college’s first full implementation of the new program review/APRU process to formally integrate financial planning with institutional planning. The process resulted in the ranking of budget requests for the FY 2006-07 Supplemental Budget request by the council members (APRU Budget Requests), who reviewed and ranked requests based on community needs, program reviews, and the strategic planning process in (Program Review Action Plans and Resource Allocations). The chancellor shared that her budget priorities and recommendations were consistent with the sentiments of the group.

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During the Spring 2006 semester, the College Council went through a second resources prioritization process, which resulted in budget requests for the FY 2007-09 biennium as well as requests for the FY 2006-07 operating budget. While the process produced the desired budget requests, some members of the Council felt that the process could be streamlined. In addition, the quality and thoroughness of the APRU/PR presentations to the Council was uneven, with some programs including a full array of requests while others presented no requests. In a campus memo, the chancellor provided a summary of prioritized requests and a cover letter informing the campus community that the Council will be analyzing and seeking ways to further improve the college’s integrated planning and resource allocation process.

Planning Agenda

Additional professional development is needed to improve the use of evidence to clearly support program review documents as well as the general quality of the action plans.

In line with the KCCM, the Council should encourage collaboration across program and unit lines.

During the first council meeting in the fall semester, the Statement of Purpose in KCCM 1-7 should be read in order to remind members of their responsibilities to their constituency.

Council members should continue to improve communication with their respective constituencies.

III.D.1.b. Institutional planning reflects realistic assessment of financial resource availability, development of financial resources, partnerships, and expenditure requirements.

Descriptive Summary

Each program and division at the college is involved in institutional planning and receives information about the college’s current general fund allocation, projected tuition and fees revenues, and anticipated fiscal commitments. This budget information is disseminated at the College Council at the beginning of the fiscal year and updated after the spring semester revenues are received. This information reflects the college’s base budget, which is also used in developing the biennium and supplemental budget requests. Each division has an opportunity to express its budget concerns and share plans for resource development, potential partnerships and funding requirements.

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In addition, the UHCC System Budget Office produces financial planning information on current and projected resources for use in the development of operating budget as well as the biennium and supplemental budget requests. For example, in preparing for the 2007-2009 biennium budget request, the system office distributed a spreadsheet with projected tuition revenues and required setasides for collective bargaining and financial aid (TFSF Projection - Amend 7 - Final TW and Faculty CB2). This information was incorporated into the preparation of both the operating budget for FY2007 and for the biennium budget request.

In preparing the operating budget for the next year, the Director of Administrative Services prepares a budget requirements projection, which incorporates whatever additions to the state funded current service base may have been granted, projected collective bargaining impact on salaries and wages, projected overhead costs such as utilities, and known recurring costs such as printing the schedules. The chancellor and deans and directors review this budget projection in the light of spending priorities determined through the program review process. They determine which of the various priorities might be funded by increased revenues, savings, or reallocations and identify items appropriate for grant requests, e.g., for Perkins improvement funds.

Funding priorities are established in March, after each program completes its Annual Program Review Update (APRU) and resource proposals. The campus relies on program review to establish its resource needs and priorities. An explanation of the criteria used by the Council in reviewing the requests was posted in CampusDocs and emailed to the campus in February 2005. Additional guidelines for developing the APRU were posted in CampusDocs on January and February of 2006. The guidelines ask for a one-page discussion of general improvement plans along with analysis of the program health indicators. The document also asks for a table of program resource needs in the areas of personnel, equipment and facilities with an explanation of the outcomes anticipated from the action as well as the program goal addressed by the action.

Self Evaluation

The campus has begun the task of developing the infrastructure for responsible financial allocation utilizing a shared leadership approach. Program review and self study are two of the primary forces working to shape the process. The college has created a new Kaua‘i Community College Memo (KCCM) section 1-7, which established the College Council. This section also created a budget allocation process, which is based on program review. On February 22, 2005 a document entitled, Program Review Action Plans and Resource Allocations, was developed for the Council in preparation for the March 2005 APRU budget prioritization process. This document established the criteria for the council members to rank each request based on the following six criteria: alignment with the college’s goals, outcome expected, evidence, need, collaboration, and impact.

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The policy describing the APRU process is located in KCCM 1-6, and guidelines to assist in developing APRU resource proposals were written in 2006 (CampusDocs). Some found it difficult to follow the connections between the guidelines and the criteria that the College Council adopted to prioritize funding proposals.

Evidence of various programs becoming more sophisticated in their use of program review to garner a larger piece of the resource pie has been illustrated in the March 2006 resource proposal prioritization process, e.g., a total of thirteen of the forty proposals considered came from the Culinary Arts program. There must be careful attention paid to those programs that have not responded as readily to the mini and full-program review process. In a system built on the ideal that program review allows for self-improvement, the entire campus may be adversely impacted by programs which do not see the need for change. Although it is not mandatory for programs to participate in the program review analysis, the chancellor has been very clear that resource requests must work through the program review process. The program review committee is presently analyzing the process for improvement and recommendations. The Dean of Instruction, in particular, plays a pivotal role in encouraging academic programs in developing their program review and responding to program review reports.

Planning Agenda

The Administration and the College Council need to examine the program review process. The guidelines to develop APRU reports should include the criteria on which program funding proposals will be evaluated.

III.D.1.c. When making short-range financial plans, the institution considers its long-range financial priorities to assure financial stability. The institution clearly identifies and plans for payment of liabilities and future obligations.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College implemented a planning process in 2005 that reviews the impact of short-range financial plans that could result in future obligations. This process pertains primarily to the filling of vacant appropriated positions, which could result in a long-term financial obligation for the college. Personnel costs make up about 80 percent of Kaua‘i Community College’s budget and carry long-term obligations. Growth in facilities also results in future financial obligations and requires careful planning for operational costs such as utilities and maintenance. Financial planning documents such as the Tuition and Fees and Special Funds (TFSF) projection referenced above are used to analyze future obligations as well as projected funding.

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Self Evaluation

Kaua‘i Community College has no long-term liabilities in the form of loans or bond issues. Other future financial obligations, which are taken into consideration in budgeting, are the projected requirements to fund a portion of the collective bargaining costs for facultywhich is estimated to reach $254,722 in FY2009and the commitment to increase financial aid through 2012 to ensure access for low-income students.

Another form of future liability is the annual system assessments against all campuses to fund essential system functions, including assessments for UH Foundation operations, risk management and the central student information system, Banner. These assessment amounts are “taken off the top” in determining the tuition and fees fund allocation for each campus at the start of each fiscal year.

Kaua‘i Community College’s enrollment has ebbed and flowed over the past ten years. Short-range financial plans take into account possible increases and decreases in enrollment as well as the financial commitments noted above. The college has set aside funds for ongoing maintenance and service contracts and must continually seek ways to conserve energy to control the escalating cost of electricity. The Position Request Form (Exhibit I-12: Request to Fill a Position Form) process ensures that due consideration is given to any additional personnel obligation to ensure that the expenditure is aligned with college goals and program plans.

Planning Agenda

The college will continue to refine and improve its analysis of financial impact and incorporate that analysis into the data presented to the College Council.

III.D.1.d. The institution clearly defines and follows its guidelines and processes for financial planning and budget development, with all constituencies having appropriate opportunities to participate in the development of institutional plans and budgets.

Descriptive Summary

As described in the sections above as well as in Standard I.B, the college has developed a framework for financial planning and budget development which utilizes program review as the basis for financial planning and budget development.

Through a collective, collaborative process, Kaua‘i Community College has established its mission statement and accompanying strategic goals. These documents form the foundation of the Strategic Plan. Faculty, staff, students, and administrators, with input from community, county, and business advisory groups, took part in the development and revision of the mission and goals. The College Council selected four of the college’s goals for

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priority budget considerations. Goal selection was based on data such as declining enrollments, workforce demands, and faculty demographics, as well as feedback from UHCC systemwide budget discussions.

One of the key elements of this process has been the organization of the College Council, which provides the platform for participatory governance. KCCM 1-6 and KCCM 1-7 clearly define the program review process and the ways in which the College Council and program faculty and staff are actively involved in the planning and decision-making processes. The document, Program Review Action Plans and Resource Allocation Decisions, which was emailed to all faculty and staff and placed in CampusDocs, further explains the process for budget priority setting and the key role of the College Council in that process.

Self Evaluation

As discussed in the sections above, the college has taken steps to develop the processes for institutional planning where all stakeholders have opportunity to participate. As per the memo on the APRU priorities issued by the chancellor during the Spring 2006 semester, there is a need for the College Council members to assess the process. The ability to provide input and gain better understanding of the responsibilities of the College Council and its role in budget development would help all stakeholders own the process and fulfill the purposes outlined in KCCM 1-7 (Exhibit II-9: KCCM 1-7). It may also help to align the APRU format and guidelines more clearly with the criteria for evaluation used by the College Council.

All programs need support to strengthen their use of reliable data in their own decision making when developing Program Review/APRU action items and budget requests. The existing process expects all campus constituents to participate in campus budget planning and, more importantly, program planning and development through program review. More in-depth understanding of the processand how to interpret and use the quantities of data on student and community needs we havemay help stakeholders to use the process more effectively.

On a more philosophical level, the campus needs to ensure a cooperative and supportive environment lest the nature of the prioritization process become purely competitive and political. There are never sufficient resources to fund everyone’s requests. The prioritization of those requests must remain focused on the mission, goals, and ultimately, student learning.

Planning Agenda

See action items in sections above.

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III.D.2. To assure the financial integrity of the institution and responsible use of financial resources, the financial management system has appropriate control mechanisms and widely disseminates dependable and timely information for sound financial decision making.

III.D.2.a. Financial documents, including the budget and independent audit, reflect appropriate allocation and use of financial resources to support student learning programs and services. Institutional responses to external audit findings are comprehensive, timely, and communicated appropriately.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College’s budget document reflects the five major programs of the college: Instruction, Public Services, Academic Support, Student Services, and Institutional Support. The budget also accounts for funding and expenditures by programs within the major programs. Each of the five programs supports student learning. The bulk of the budget is allocated to those areas of the college which directly support students, i.e., Instruction, Academic Support, and Student Services.

Kaua‘i Community College is currently a part of the University of Hawai‘i's A-133 consolidated financial audit, which is required by the federal government. However, beginning with the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005, the university’s audit contract with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, will include a presentation of a combined balance sheet and income statement of Kaua‘i Community College.

The college has provided timely corrections to audit exceptions and management advice resulting from the A-133 financial audits. In the past few years, concerns have been identified in the financial aid audits, and these concerns have been promptly addressed. For example, timely return of Title IV refunds has been a concern. Changes to the Banner System to streamline processing, as well as improved communication between the Financial Aid Office and the Business Office have been some of the campus responses to this issue.

Self Evaluation

The bulk of the campus budget is allocated to personnel and such overhead costs as utilities. The campus relies on the program review process and the College Council funding prioritization process as the mechanisms to ensure appropriate financial resources are allocated to support the mission. Program managers and fiscal personnel who have authorization to expend funds are responsible for assuring that all funds received by the college are spent in accordance with their intended purpose, ultimately supporting student learning programs and services.

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Staffing in the Financial Aid Office was recently increased with the addition of a professional staff person with many years of experience with computerized financial aid systems. Planning Agenda

Review FISAP report for quality control with the new APT employee to eliminate reporting errors and keep ongoing communications with the Banner financial aid group.

Continue to actively collaborate with Principal Investigators and program managers

to prevent incorrect charges and decrease journal voucher adjustments by 10 percent. Collect data on document processing.

III.D.2.b. Appropriate financial information is provided throughout the institution.

Descriptive Summary

The focus of the college’s financial information has been on the two main sources of funds (general funds and Tuition and Fees Special Fund) for its operating budget. The college also shares funding information on facilities repairs and maintenance projects and Capital Improvement Program projects during Convocation at the beginning of each academic year. Reports on the progress of major grants, such as the HEA Title III grant, are also presented at fall or spring convocation.

Instructional division chairs and non-instructional unit heads are given a yearly budget, primarily for supplies and equipment. Fixed or generally predictable areas of the budget, such as salaries for permanent positions and overhead costs such as utilities, consume the major part of the budget. Individual programs, grant program managers, and administrators have access to current fiscal information through the University of Hawai‘i’s Financial Management Information System (FMIS) computerized system and may keep track of their expenditures and balances via the system. The chancellor also receives the quarterly Board of Regents BLS Report, which tracks variances from projected expenditures and revenues.

The chancellor shares other financial information such as legislative actions and budget development processes on the system level with the deans, directors, and the College Council in meetings and with the entire campus via email or by posting information on CampusDocs. Announcements about major private gifts are dependent upon the wishes of the donor. Generally, the college makes very good use of those announcements in the public media.

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Self Evaluation

Few of the division chairs make full use of FMIS reports. Training sessions with division clerkstenos were held to go over the directions to access the reports. However, the chairs themselves need more training to interpret the reports and use them more effectively.

Financial information is shared at College Council meetings but meeting handouts are not necessarily available.

Planning Agenda

A series of workshops will be set up for division chairs and other appropriate personnel to increase their ability to effectively use the FMIS reports.

College Council handouts should be made available on CampusDocs.

III.D.2.c. The institution has sufficient cash flow and reserves to maintain stability, strategies for appropriate risk management, and realistic plans to meet financial emergencies and unforeseen occurrences.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College’s major source of funds is from the State of Hawai‘i general funds and tuition and fees. Other funds from revenues generated through program activities such as non-credit course offerings, culinary operations, early childhood educational services, and grants are restricted to supporting the activities which generated the funds or for which they were granted. Funding from the state provides the necessary stability for the college during a given fiscal year but must be returned to the state at the end of the fiscal year if not spent. The college can maintain a cash balance for working capital and emergencies by reserving cash from tuition and fees and special funded program. The college is covered by the State of Hawai‘i’s self-insurance program and may secure additional insurance in cases where hazardous conditions increase the probability of loss (Executive Policy E8.207).

Self Evaluation

The University of Hawai‘i Community College System has established a reserve target of 3 percent for the community colleges. Kaua‘i Community College has maintained a reserve of 9 percent as of June 30, 2005 (Exhibit III-15: BLS Report).

The college participates in the University of Hawai‘i’s risk management program to limit liability for personal injury and property damage. The college has processed three tort claims over the past five years. The cost of the claims was paid by the State of Hawai‘i.

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Planning Agenda

The college will continue to adhere to the minimum 3 percent reserve target.

III.D.2.d. The institution practices effective oversight of finances, including management of financial aid, grants, externally funded programs, contractual relationships, auxiliary organizations or foundations, and institutional investments and assets.

Descriptive Summary

A principal investigator or program manager manages all funds received by the college with fiscal oversight by the Fiscal Officer and the Director of Administrative Services. These funds must be properly accounted for under the University of Hawai‘i’s Financial Management Information System (FMIS). Externally funded grants may also use the services of the Research Corporation of the University of Hawai‘i (RCUH).

The University of Hawai‘i Foundation is the private fundraising arm of the institution and supports the various accounts of the Kaua‘i Community College Fund. It has a separate accounting system, and used for the purpose for which they are granted, appropriated or donated.

Principal investigators, program managers, and fiscal officers also provide oversight for contracts and college assets. The University of Hawai‘i Bookstore operations oversees the bookstore at Kaua‘i Community College.

Self Evaluation

The Financial Management Information System (FMIS), supported by the UH Information Technology Services (ITS), is the institution’s transactional and management information system. The system is designed to provide checks by an approving authority and Fiscal Officer for the commitment of funds.

The University of Hawai‘i’s Office of Research Services reviews and approves proposals for research and training grants from federal and other external agencies to assure that terms and conditions of the granting agency are met. To verify compliance with federal mandates, an A-133 Single Audit is performed annually for the University of Hawai‘i. The Financial Aid, Business, and Admissions and Records offices meet to review audit findings and develop processes to improve tracking. All audit findings for financial aid and other federal programs have been fully addressed by the college.

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Planning Agenda

The Dean of Students and Director of Administrative Services will direct the progress in addressing concerns established in the Financial Aid audit.

III.D.2.e. All financial resources, including those from auxiliary activities, fund-raising efforts, and grants are used with integrity in a manner consistent with the mission and goals of the institution.

Descriptive Summary

The University of Hawai‘i has policies and procedures to assure that all financial resources are properly used and accounted for. Kaua‘i Community College uses various sources of funds to achieve its mission and goals. General funds, which make up the bulk of the college’s operating funds, are received from the state in the form of legislative appropriations. Federal funds are received for financial aid, and as awards for various specific grant proposals. Special funds are derived from self-supporting activities such as the college’s non-credit instructional program. Also available for the college’s use are Agency and Trust funds to account for monies received and earmarked for very specific purposes. Kaua‘i Community College has only one trust fund and that is the Leeward Plantation Trust Fund. Ed White and Vidinha are Foundations monies, not agency or trust. Bond funds are used by the University of Hawai‘i System to account for the proceeds of general obligation bonds issued by the state and revenue bonds issued by the university, which are earmarked for specific uses, such as construction projects. All such expenditures are handled by the UH System Fiscal Office and not by the college.

As noted above, the UH FMIS and RCUH computerized funds management systems handle transactions and reporting of fiscal operations. Various approval levels are built into the process, and generally accepted accounting principles are followed in all business office procedures. While signing authority for requisitions is granted to division chairs, program managers, and principal investigators, the Fiscal Officer must countersign as to fund availability. Expenditures are also reviewed at the UH System procurement level and, for external grants, by the Office of Research Services.

In addition, the UH Foundation (UHF) handles all gifts and expenditures to and from the Kaua‘i Community College Fund accounts. Oversight is also provided from the Kaua‘i Community College Fund Board of Trustees, who must approve all requests for funding from the general development fund, the only unrestricted Kaua‘i Community College Fund account. The board is made up of a group of 16 community supporters, a faculty member, and a student member. A formal written request must be submitted for board approval at one of their regularly scheduled meetings. Requests coming in at other times of the year may also be reviewed electronically. Other Kaua‘i Community College Fund accounts are restricted according to the specific wishes of the donor(s), e.g., scholarships, professional

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development or specific programs such as Culinary Arts. The University of Hawai'i Foundation follows national standards of best practice, which can be seen on its website.

Self Evaluation

Kaua‘i Community College relies on its principal investigators, program managers, Fiscal Officer, and Director of Administrative Services to review all financial resources for alignment with its mission and goals and in accordance with the University of Hawai‘i’s Administrative Procedures A8.200 for procurement. The college has had minor audit findings such as charges to incorrect accounts and expenditure codes, which have been corrected. There have been no findings that any of its financial resources have been used in a manner that is inconsistent with the mission and goals of the institution. The UH System Office of Research Services monitors compliance for federal grants such as Title III, Rural Development Program, and HUD (Housing and Urban Development).

It has been suggested that grant proposals be submitted to the College Council for review regarding alignment with the college mission, goals and priority actions as identified in program review plans. However, the logistical reality of grant deadlines would make such a review difficult to implement. Because the college does not have a dedicated grant writer, faculty and administrators often become aware of grant opportunities only a short time before due dates. Well-developed program review action plans would greatly facilitate the quick development of solid grant proposals which are aligned with program review results.

Planning Agenda

The college will continue to follow applicable regulations and procedures to ensure that funds from all sources are expended appropriately and in support of the Kaua‘i Community College mission and goals.

III.D.2.f. Contractual agreements with external entities are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution, governed by institutional policies, and contain appropriate provisions to maintain the integrity of the institution.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College enters into contractual agreements with external entities through purchase orders, formal procurement contracts, real property lease agreements, memoranda of agreement, and memoranda of understanding. Purchase orders and formal procurement contracts are used to acquire goods and services required by programs to achieve the institution’s mission and goals. Lease agreements are used by the college to rent college property or property owned by an external entity. Memoranda of agreement and memoranda of understanding are used by the college to express the terms and conditions of the working relationship (partnership) between the external entity and the college.

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All contractual agreements are reviewed through the UH procurement process. Contracts over $25,000 must go through an open bid process. Memoranda of agreement follow a general format, as approved by the Office of Risk Management or the Office of Research Services (Exhibit III-16: Risk Management Templates).

Self Evaluation

Kaua‘i Community College’s contractual agreements with external entities are consistent with the mission and goals of the college and follow the University of Hawai‘i’s procurement and risk management policies and procedures. The college has small purchase agreements for instructional and other supplies and formal agreements for contracts that extend beyond a year such as service contracts for elevators, the air conditioning system, and security. These contracts all support the mission and goals of the college.

Contracts with external entities for Capital Improvement and Facilities Improvement projects are administered by the University of Hawai‘i’s Office of Procurement and Real Property Management. These projects address critical program and health and safety needs of the campus.

Planning Agenda

The college will continue to adhere to university policies and procedures regarding contractual agreements.

III.D.2.g. The institution regularly evaluates its financial management processes, and the results of the evaluation are used to improve financial management systems.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College uses the University of Hawai‘i’s Financial Management Information System (FMIS) to manage its financial resources. FMIS was implemented by the University of Hawai‘i on July 1, 1996, and currently utilizes nine modules: General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Contracts and Grants, Budget Level Summary (BLS), Payroll Inquiry, Purchasing, Accounts Receivable, Departmental Checking, and Fixed Assets. Managers of FMIS have enhanced the system by adding a web-based requisition process, web-based financial accounting screens, payroll information, and budget-related improvements.

In 2004, the UH Business Process Council recommended that the University of Hawai‘i System participate in the Kuali Financial Management Information System. The Kuali Financial System is a proven financial system used by Indiana University. It has a base system of Chart of Accounts, General Ledger, Transactions, Reporting and Workflow, as well as Accounts Receivable, Budgeting, Capital Assets Management, Endowment,

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Enhanced decision Support/Reporting, Labor Distribution, Purchasing/Accounts Payable, and Pre- and Post- Award Research Administration. The base Kuali System for the University of Hawai‘i is scheduled for release in 2006.

Self Evaluation

The University of Hawai‘i is transitioning to a financial management system that the college anticipates will be user friendly and efficient in processing the necessary procurement and accounting transactions and financial reports.

Planning Agenda

Review campus processes to identify issues to be addressed in the new system.

III.D.3. The institution systematically assesses the effective use of financial resources and uses the results of the evaluation as the basis for improvement.

Descriptive Summary

The college has developed a process to tie program resource planning to resource allocation. With the development of the Request to Fill Position process, program review now impacts decisions about current service base allocations as well as requests for new funding (Exhibit I-12: Request to Fill a Position Form). The review format also asks programs to consider internal reallocation of resources from services or activities which are no longer needed to new initiatives or expanding services (KCCM 1-6, APRU Guidelines).

The program review process begins with the examination of data on program effectiveness such as completion and graduation rates, enrollment trends, and efficiency measures such as SSH/FTE faculty. Non-instructional programs have also defined various measures of effectiveness and efficiency applicable to their areas of responsibility, e.g., time to process work orders, numbers of students served by the College Success Center. The programs are then asked to analyze how well they are doing in accomplishing the strategic goals of the college, which are derived from the mission. For example, to respond to the goal of Access, programs are asked to describe outreach efforts and tie that to the data on enrollment. From this analysis, the programs are to develop their plan of action and any resource reallocations or requests for new resources. The APRU focuses on the status of the action plans, including how the projected outcomes materialize.

Self Evaluation The college has completed the third year of the five-year program review cycle; the next cycle will start in 2009. In each iteration we have identified improvements that are needed,

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such as changes to the data being made available, the need for deans and directors to meet separately with each program under their authority, and the general need for professional development on using data for better decision making. A few programs have begun to look seriously at internal reallocation. The Academic Support unit reallocated funds from a vacant position to increase funds available for books, journals, and electronic databases. Student Services also elected to reallocate funding in order to upgrade a clerical position to a professional or APT position to improve enrollment services in Admissions and Records. Finally, the Chancellor’s Office has reallocated and relocated a clerical position that reportedto the chancellor’s secretary to report to the Dean of Instruction to assist with the development of the schedules, catalog, and student advising sheets and with tracking curricular actions.

Not all programs are systematic in following the APRU format to analyze the program health indicators, measures of demand, efficiency and effectiveness. The guidelines for the APRU are not as explicit about measuring alignment with college goals and the importance of outcomes measures and data as the criteria the College Council uses to determine priority. The College Council may want to analyze these criteria to create a clearer connection between the demonstration of successful use of current resources and requests for future resources.

There have been concerns raised in program reviews about the filling of instructional positions. The APRU deadlines in the spring semester do not leave sufficient time to recruit for positions, which are approved before faculty depart for the summer. In response to those concerns the College Council decided to move the due dates of the APRU up to the fall semester.

Planning Agenda

See action steps for sections III.D.1.a-c

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Standard III Resource Documents

Administrative Procedures A8.200Administrative Procedures for Recruitment (A9.540)Administrative Procedure A9.620Administrative Procedure A9.900 Policy and Complaint Procedures for Members of the Public Who Have Discrimination Complaints Regarding Public Accommodations or ADA Complaints Regarding Disability Access to University Services, Programs, and Activities Administrative Procedure A9.920 Discrimination Complaint Procedures for Students, EmployeesAdministrative Procedures Information SystemAdministrative Services Program Review Affirmative Action Plan, Exhibit III-8APRU Budget RequestsBLS Report, Exhibit III-15BOR Policy Section 1-5 on Non-Discrimination and Affirmative Action CAFCampus Crime Report, Exhibit III-13Campus Email, Budget Decisions from APRU/PR, April 2006, Exhibit III-14 Campus Statement of Policy on the Affirmative Action Program inserted in AAP (CCCM 2620)Chapter 9-2Collective Bargaining Agreements, Exhibit III-3College Council Meeting Notes, December 2, 2004Community Colleges Statement on Professional EthicsComputer Services APRU DPC Procedures, Exhibit III-5Employee Performance Appraisal Form, Exhibit III-7Executive Policy E1.202 Policy Statement of Nondiscrimination and Affirmative ActionExecutive Policy E1.203 Policy on Sexual Harassment and Related ConductExecutive Policy E9.205Executive Policy E8.207Facilities Improvement Projects, Exhibit III-12Facilities Master Plan/LRDP, Exhibit III-11Faculty Morale Survey, Exhibit II-50Guidelines for Applicants for Admission or Employment, Exhibit III-9Guidelines for First and Third Year Evaluation, Exhibit III-6Guidelines for Tenure and Promotion, University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges, 2005-2006, Exhibit III-4 Hawai‘i State Standards of Conduct – Chapter 84Hiring Procedures and Responsibilities, Exhibit III-2Human Resource Office – Grievance Record, Exhibit III-10Information Technology Strategic Plan

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http://kauai.hawaii.edu/Accred/Curriculum/CAF%20Form%20Feb%202005

http://www.svpa.hawaii.edu/svpa/borp/borpch1.pdf

http://kauai.hawaii.edu/Accred/Budget/06%20APRU%20Budget%20Requests.doc









http://www.svpa.hawaii.edu/svpa/apm/pers/a9540.pdf

http://www.hawaii.edu/apis/apm/a8200.html



Information Technology Strategic Plan UpdateInstructional Technology Program ReviewITSP Implementation PlanKCCM 1-6KCCM 1-7, Exhibit II-9Media Services APRUMulti-Year Plan of Offerings (MYPO)One-Stop Plans, Exhibit I-7Online position description generatorOPE Campus Security Statistics WebsitePersonnel PoliciesProgram Review Action Plans and Resource AllocationsProgram Review folderRequest to Fill a Position Form, Exhibit I-12Risk Management Templates, Exhibit III-16Self Study Survey, Standard III, no. 7Self Study Survey, Standard III Technological Standards of ConductStudent Learning OutcomesTFSF Projection - Amend 7 - Final TW and Faculty CB2UH Community Colleges Policy and Procedures on Staff Development (CCCM 2080)UH Community Colleges Policy and Procedures Relating to Sexual Harassment (needs revision – CCCM 2200)UH Community Colleges Procedures and Guidelines Relating to Complaints of Discrimination (CCCM 2210)UHCC Minimum Qualifications Chart, Exhibit III-1University of Hawai'i FoundationWork at UH website

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http://ope.ed.gov/security/InstList.asp



http://www.kauaicc.hawaii.edu/admin/gov/progreview/PRandAPRU.htm







STANDARD IV: LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

The institution recognizes and utilizes the contributions of leadership throughout the organization for continuous improvement of the institution. Governance roles are designed to facilitate decisions that support student learning programs and services and improve institutional effectiveness, while acknowledging the designated responsibilities of the governing board and the chief administrator.

Standard IV.A. Decision-Making Roles and Processes

The institution recognizes that ethical and effective leadership throughout the organization enables the institution to identify institutional values, set and achieve goals, learn, and improve.

IV.A.1. Institutional leaders create an environment for empowerment, innovation, and institutional excellence. They encourage staff, faculty, administrators, and students, no matter what their official titles, to take initiative in improving the practices, programs, and services in which they are involved. When ideas for improvement have policy or significant institution-wide implications, systematic participative processes are used to assure effective discussion, planning, and implementation.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College’s leaders collaboratively work to create an environment of empowerment, innovation, and institutional excellence, which facilitate decisions that would support student learning programs and services and improve institutional effectiveness.

Kaua‘i Community College, as the only public institution of higher education serving the County of Kaua‘i, has goals (Goals) that acknowledge its continuous commitment to excellence to both the diverse student population it serves as well as to the college faculty and staff. The commitment to strive for and promote excellence is recognized by a continuous, ongoing and cyclical process used in the college, program, and course-level assessments, and in decision making, planning, and implementation of services. Both internal and external constituencies are part of the dialogue in this process. This process is manifested in both the learning and teaching realm whether it is in the areas of outreach, enrollment management, placement and scheduling, support services for access, articulation, curriculum, remedial and developmental education, Student Learning Outcomes, academic support, faculty and staff development, facilities and financial resources.

The “Assessment Concept Map” - Kaua‘i Community College Strategic Plan 2003-2010, page 11 (KCC Strategic Plan) - is a graphic representation of this continuous planning and assessment processes or cycle that is tied to the campus’ mission and goals.

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The traditional organization chart on pages 3 and 4 of this document is intended to ensure optimal vertical, two-way transfer of data from the executive level via the intermediate decision-advising entities to the divisions/faculty, and vice versa. In addition, the Campus has dedicated two other channels to facilitate staff commitment to institutional goal achievement, namely communication and contribution. The communication channel offers many staff role-understanding opportunities to encourage discussion, planning, and implementation. These opportunities include twice-yearly convocations (Exhibit I-3: Convocation Agenda) and Campus Conversations (Exhibit IV-1: Campus Conversations) – both of which include college-wide participation, various workshops (Exhibit I-22: Workshops), the All-College Hour (Exhibit IV-2: All-College Hour), Campus Bulletins/Newsletter and Websites (CampusDocs and Institutional Effectiveness), and routine email contact. There is also a contribution channel which is comprised of the Selection and Tenure Review processes, Program Review, and individual staff participation in teaching and service award selection, and the development of both the Strategic Plan and the Accreditation Self Study.

The KCC Strategic Plan 2003-2010 and the ACCJC Letter of 6/28/05 to Peggy Cha both mandated that institutional performance evaluations should be made available to all staff. There are two primary venues created by the Administration for the convenient access by constituencies, namely, the Institutional Effectiveness website, and the intranet storage area, CampusDocs. Whereas the subjects detailed in the Institutional Effectiveness websites are mentioned above, here is a representative list of folders contained in CampusDocs: Curriculum, Course Data, Multi-year Plans, Scheduling Information, Developing System Policies, Emergency Plan, KCCMs, Program Reviews, Self Study, ACCJC Response, College Council, Faculty Senate, Conferences, Title III, Award Docs, Information Technology Advisory Council and Reorganization Discussion.

Kaua‘i Community College provides several conduits for input and recommendations to improve the practices, programs, and services.

A primary conduit is the College Council (Exhibit II-9: KCCM 1-7) which was established to assure regular and in-depth dialogue among all stakeholders about KCC’s mission, strategic planning, priority setting, policy development, and budget development. The Council serves as an advisory body to the chancellor and is charged with specific oversight of the development and updating of key college plans and policies to ensure that college actions are aligned with the mission and strategic goals. The Council votes on specific recommendations to be sent to the chancellor, such as recommendations for budget allocations (e.g. equipment and new positions). This widely inclusive forum also encourages and supports collegial collaboration and the campus-wide, two-way flow of information to improve student learning and the college’s responsiveness to community workforce needs. The composition of the College Council includes administrators, directors, academic support, faculty, student government, classified staff, ex-officios and foundation representatives.

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A second method is conducted through the Faculty Senate (Faculty Senate Charter) whose mission is to provide a formal, independent voice through which the faculty can participate fully in the determination and development of college policy, and promote communication and mutual understanding among the faculty, students, administration, Board of Regents, and the community (Faculty Senate Charter and ByLaws). The Faculty Senate also functions as the policy-recommending advisory body and a position-stating unit of the college faculty and works on areas such as the nature and scope of its educational curricula; standards of teaching, scholarship, and services; personnel policies, academic freedom, and professional ethics; community relations; academic policies; and campus environment. Members are composed of a Chairperson, three representatives elected at large, and a representative from each academic division or unit.

Third, the faculty and staff can present their ideas for improvement through five academic divisions: Science and Math; Business Education; Language, Arts and Humanities; Health Education; and Trade and Technology. KCC faculty and staff are also encouraged to propose new or revise KCC curriculum through their respective academic divisions. A CAF Handbook was created in February 2005 to set forth some of the foundations to design and re-design curricula to bring optimal teaching and learning experiences to students. It serves as a resource for anyone adding, modifying, reviewing or deleting a course or program by clarifying each section of the new Course Action Form (CAF), supplying resource information (including useful supplemental handouts and contacts), and giving examples or model responses where appropriate.

In addition, faculty and staff participate through bargaining units that have established evaluative processes that provide mechanisms to develop ideas for improvements in areas of responsibilities. The units are: Unit 7-University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly (UHPA); Unit 8-Administrative, Professional, Technical (APT Evaluation); Unit 1and Unit 3-Hawai‘i Government Employment Association (HGEA) and United Public Workers (HGEA and UPW Evaluation); and Executive and Managerial (E and M Evaluation). Students have opportunities to voice their opinions through the Associated Students of Kaua‘i Community College and the College Council (Exhibit IV-3: ASUH-KCC Constitution). Faculty and staff can give their input in division meetings, in the Faculty Senate (Faculty Senate Charter), in College Conversations and in College Council meetings. Individuals may also give input through the KCC Self Study and Faculty Morale Survey (Exhibit II-50: Faculty Morale Survey) or other campus surveys.

Furthermore, faculty, staff members, and students are encouraged to participate and are apprised of professional development opportunities that may help to develop ideas. Information is sent via email or hardcopy to respective committees or individuals, or placed on the agenda for discussion with the College Council, Faculty Senate, or student government. The accreditation self study process also serves these functions for input and recommendations to improve the practices, programs, and services.

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Self Evaluation

The campus and individual divisions/units review programs on a regular basis for effectiveness, efficiency, and alignment with community and student needs. The results of the review process guide the changes and improvements needed to strive towards the goal of excellence.

The college’s mission statement which is directly linked to the college goals, is reviewed every two years. At the October 13, 2005, College Council meeting, council members were requested to initiate - at their respective unit level - a topic of conversation to review the current mission statement and to provide feedback to the council (See Standard I.A.). Input from campus units supported the position that at this time there should be no changes in the mission statement. Any substantive changes in mission would require review and approval by the Board of Regents.

There are several KCC Self Study Survey and Faculty Morale Survey items which speak to the issue of institutional performance:

KCC Self Study Survey (n=79)

Survey Statement Strongly Agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

Item - 1: I am familiar with and I do understand current institutional goals and values.

19.2 44.9 24.4 10.3 1.3

Item - 2: I can clearly describe my role in helping the institution achieve its goals.

21.8 51.3 16.7 9.0 1.3

Item - 3: In matters of institution-wide significance, the administration presents what needs to be done in a clear and unambiguous manner.

6.5 32.5 31.2 23.4 5.2

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Item - 4: In matters of institution-wide significance, the administration has procedures and a timetable to facilitate closure.

7 39.4 32.4 14.1 7

Item - 9: The faculty and staff exercise a substantial voice in matters related to institutional policies.

6.7 29.3

34.7 22.7 5.3

Item -10: The College establishes governance structures, processes, and practices to facilitate effective communication among the institution’s constituencies.

4.0 37.3 36.0 14.7 6.7

g) Item - 11: The role of leadership is regularly evaluated and the results are widely communicated to all stakeholders.

2.6 10.4 39.0 36.0 18.2

Item -12: The decision-making structures and processes are regularly evaluated and the results are widely communicated to all members of the college community.

1.3 17.1 40.8 25.0 13.2

Item -14: I am well informed about decisions made/announced at College Council meetings.

11.5 34.6 23.1 20.5 10.3

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KCC Faculty Morale Survey (n=31)



Item -10: I know why and how decisions affecting the campus come into being, e.g. requirement of “communications” focus in all syllabi.

0 26 23 29 29

Item -11: I am informed about #10-typed (above) decisions in a timely manner.

0 29 23 29 19

Item -18: Administration’s justification of decisions as coming from the Campus Council is always legitimate.

0 6 58 23 13

Item - 32: I am informed of topics and decisions of the Campus Council in a timely manner and have a chance to give my input.

6 35 6 32 19

Item - 40: I know the role and scope of authority of the Campus Council.

0 13 26 39 19

The institution has established clearly defined mechanisms for faculty, staff and student input; however, evidence of the effectiveness of these mechanisms is at this point inconclusive. The KCC Self Study Survey data presented in this document are results of the first survey to measure employees’ perceptions of institutional effectiveness. Although the responses are slightly more positive than those of the KCC Faculty Morale Survey, together they suggest the need for improvement. Whether faculty and staff feel that their ideas or contributions are taken into consideration and are implemented in a timely manner could be determined in future self study surveys.

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The availability, access, and clarity of institutional data of staff and students are not available.

Planning Agenda

The mission statement should continue to be reviewed in the next several years. The College Council should also evaluate whether the Campus Strategic Goals are being met.

The college should administer the KCC Self Study Survey annually and results should be summarized by the subsequent convocation and published.

The KCC Self Study Survey should be refined to:

1. Identify the employee’s affiliation (faculty, staff, administration)2. Use a more user-friendly format3. Eliminate the ambiguity of the “neutral” value4. Incorporate segments of the Faculty Morale Survey (eliminate

a separate survey) to reduce redundancies

All administrators should measure the pulse of the campus by participating in all facets of the campus: sitting in classrooms, holding one-on-one conversations with faculty, staff, and students in an informal environment, i.e. “walking in their shoes.”

Evaluate the purpose and effectiveness of the “All-College Hour.”

The institution should continue to encourage the entire campus community to be involved in the decision-making processes.

Written proposals for institutional improvement shall result in a timely written response.

Applicable data analysis should be written with each major constituency in mind. Otherwise, translation from what is often administrative language into faculty and student languages will be necessary.

The institution should continue to encourage the entire campus community to be involved in the self study decision-making processes, as it is for the good of the institution as a whole. To ensure that the entire institution understands the decision-making roles and processes, the institution’s leadership should provide opportunities for all to learn about it, either through training sessions or written communications prior to the self study or decision-making process.

Another suggestion is an invitation for faculty, staff, and students to openly chat with the chancellor and other administrators on an informal basis to participate in a

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running dialogue about ideas for improvements, concerns, suggestions, and accolades.

IV.A.2. The institution establishes and implements a written policy providing for faculty, staff, administrator, and student participation in decision-making processes. The policy specifies the manner in which individuals bring forward ideas from their constituencies and work together on appropriate policy, planning, and special-purpose bodies.

IV.A.2.a. Faculty and administrators have a substantive and clearly defined role in institutional governance and exercise a substantial voice in institutional policies, planning, and budget that relate to their areas of responsibility and expertise. Students and staff also have established mechanisms or organizations for providing input into institutional decisions.

Descriptive Summary

KCC’s College Council is the primary forum for dialogue about the College’s mission, strategic planning, priority setting, policy development, and budget development. The Council serves as an advisory body to the chancellor, who, as the chief academic officer, makes all final decisions. The Council’s purpose, composition, responsibilities, and meeting information are described in Establishment of the College Council (Exhibit II-9: KCCM 1-7).

College Council members include the administrators and representatives from the various campus units and committees.

Administrators Chancellor (non-voting) Dean of Instruction Dean of Student Services Director of Office of Continuing Education and Training Director of Administrative Services Director of University Center/Assistant Dean for Academic Support

Faculty Faculty Senate Chair Budget Committee Representative (non-voting for budget items) Building and Grounds Committee Representative (non-voting for facilities items) Curriculum Committee Chair Division Chairs

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Student Government Representative

Classified Staff Unit 1, Facilities Representative Unit 3, Clerical Representative Unit 8, APT Representative

Ex-Officio (non-voting) Development Officer, UH Foundation Institutional Researcher Professional Development Coordinator Assessment Committee Chairs

Representatives from the Budget Committee and the Building and Grounds Committee attend Council meetings on an as-needed basis when budget or facilities items are on the agenda.

KCC’s policies and procedures are outlined in Kaua‘i Community College Memorandums (Exhibit IV-4: KCCMs). Procedures that apply to all of the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges are referred to as Chancellor for the Community College Memorandum (CCCM) which originated from the former Office of the Chancellor for Community Colleges. Currently these CCCMs are being transformed into University of Hawai‘i Community College Policy (UHCCP) which are policies created under the tenure of the present Vice President for Community Colleges.

The Faculty Senate, Academic Divisions, and ASUH-KCC meet regularly to discuss campus issues. The Curriculum, Professional Development, and Assessment committees meet regularly but do not necessarily discuss College Council issues. The classified staff, Units 1, 3, and 8, have no unit meetings.

Self Evaluation

Since the College Council is the primary forum for campus planning and dialogue, a survey of Council members was taken to evaluate the group’s function and effectiveness.

The College Council appears to be an accepted forum for giving and receiving input. Although 65 percent of the members feel that they are able to represent their units well, the KCC Self Study Survey shows that only 40.3 percent of faculty and staff feel they are adequately represented (Self Study Survey, Standard IV, Question No. 15). Also, half of the survey participants feel that the “advisory-only capacity” of the Council is not an acceptable/effective form of governance.

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Planning Agenda

Outcome-oriented agenda items should be published and posted one week prior to College Council meetings to allow unit representatives to get timely feedback/input from faculty and staff before discussion. Minutes should be published and posted in a timely manner to keep the college campus informed of decisions.

The college should consider establishing an electronic chat room or other forum to discuss issues of interest, announce changes in policies and personnel, and celebrate birthdays, retirements, and special awards. This would minimize channels through which information now flows, promote communication, and strengthen working relationships among campus personnel.

The college should explore the possibility of scheduling monthly all-campus informational sessions to assure a more current and comprehensive flow of communication.

Make use of a Suggestion Box to solicit ideas for improving services and boosting morale.

IV.A.2.b. The institution relies on faculty, its academic senate or other appropriate faculty structures, the curriculum committee, and academic administrators for recommendations about student learning programs and services.

Descriptive Summary

The chancellor and other administrators rely on the recommendations of the following bodies in regard to academic and professional matters:

Faculty Senate: The Faculty Senate functions as the policy-recommending advisory body and a position-stating unit of the college faculty in the areas of educational curricula; grading policies; standards of teaching, scholarship, and services; personnel policies, academic freedom, and professional ethics; community relations; and academic policies.

Curriculum Committee: The Curriculum Committee, a standing committee of the Faculty Senate, oversees matters pertaining to curriculum. The committee reviews and approves new and current courses and programs; reviews degrees and certificates requirements; looks at campus-wide pedagogical directions and recommends professional development related to curriculum and pedagogy; incorporates accreditation recommendations related to curriculum; and meets with the college’s Assessment Committee to review curriculum procedures relative to data and assessment. The Dean of Instruction also sits on the Curriculum Committee as an ex-officio member.

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Case Management and College Success Committees: The Case Management and the College Success committees were established to improve retention at the college.

Program Review Committee: The college originally established the Assessment Task Force (ATF) to develop processes for program review. The Program Review Committee now oversees the implementation of these processes.

Assessment Committee: The function of the Assessment Committee is to educate and train the campus in assessment practices and to aid in the implementation of assessment at the college, program and course level.

Academic Divisions: Individual academic divisions meet regularly to discuss curricular and personnel matters of their division.

Representatives from the above bodies have the opportunity to discuss issues regarding student learning programs and services at College Council meetings, as well as meet individually with an appropriate college administrator.

The Dean of Instruction meets regularly with the academic division chairs and program coordinators to develop strategic plans for curriculum, program enhancement, Student Learning Outcomes, student remediation, college student success, and to resolve academic issues. The dean, Student Services counselors, and academic division chairs meet frequently as a group to develop class schedules and multi-year plan of offerings.

Self Evaluation

The Curriculum Committee, Faculty Senate, academic divisions, and other unit structures seem to provide clearly defined mechanisms for input and action. However, the Kaua‘i Community College Self Study Survey (excerpts below) indicates that one-third of respondents agreed, one-third were neutral, and one-third disagreed with this statement. The high rate of neutral responses in the survey is an issue that needs clarification. Results of “Kaua‘i Community College Self Study Survey” (Excludes administrators)

To the statement, “The faculty and staff exercise a substantial voice in matters related to institutional policies:

36% agreed or strongly agreed35% were neutral28% disagreed or strongly disagreed

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To the statement, “The college establishes governance structures, processes, and practices to facilitate effective communication among the institutions constituencies”:


To the statement, “The administration provides strong leadership and clear direction for the campus”:


Results of “Survey of College Council Participants”

To the question “How satisfied are you with the format of College Council meetings”:

71% were somewhat or very satisfied30% were somewhat or very dissatisfied

To the question, “As a representative of your respective unit/program/committee, do you feel that the College Council provides a receptive forum for you to give and receive input on issues related to your unit/program/committee”:

77% felt the Council was somewhat or very receptive24% felt the Council was somewhat or very unreceptive

To the question, “Do you feel that the advisory-only capacity of the College Council provides and acceptable/effective form of governance?”

38% said “yes”50% said “no”13% were neutral

To the question, “How effective do you feel the College Council is in resolving campus issues?”

53% responded with somewhat or very effective47% responded with somewhat or very ineffective

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Planning Agenda

The college should continue to use the Faculty Senate, the Curriculum Committee, the faculty, and the administrators for recommendations about student learning programs and services and explore other possible external sources. It should also continue its efforts to make class scheduling a campus-wide effort. The institutional researcher should evaluate and re-design the KCC Self Study Survey to address the issue of a preponderance of neutral responses.

The college should pursue in-depth analyses of surveys that are already being used on campus.

IV.A.3. Through established governance structures, processes, and practices, the governing board, administrators, faculty, staff and students work together for the good of the institution. These processes facilitate discussion of ideas and effective communication among the institution’s constituencies.

Descriptive Summary

The overall governing body for the University of Hawai‘i System is the Board of Regents. Thus Kaua‘i Community College is subject to the policies of the Board of Regents.

The basic campus structure of the governance process involves input through various channels. Administrators are the Chancellor, Dean of Instruction, Dean of Student Services, Director of Office of Continuing Education and Training, Director of Administrative Services, and the Director of University Center/Assistant Dean for Academic Support. All units report to one of these administrators.

The faculty and staff are divided into divisions and units. There are five academic divisions; Business, Health Education, Language, Arts and Humanities, Science and Mathematics, and Trade Technology are under the Dean of Instruction. The counselors are faculty under the Dean of Students. The librarians and technical support are under the Assistant Dean of Academic Support. The faculty has the Faculty Senate to provide a forum for faculty-related issues both on campus and systemwide. Under the Faculty Senate are the Curriculum Committee, the Buildings and Grounds Committee, and a Budget Committee. Each unit conducts its own meetings to inform the members about campus activities and issues and to make decisions when needed. The staff is divided into three general units: clerical (Unit 3), maintenance (Unit 1), and APTs (Unit 8). Unit 1 is under the Director of Administrative Services. Unit 3 and Unit 8 are split according to their duties. The members of each unit are kept informed of campus issues primarily by email.

The students have a student government, the Associated Students of the University of Hawai‘i at Kaua‘i Community College (ASUH-KCC, formerly called ASKCC), which oversees student-related matters and includes eight active chartered student clubs.

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All of these groups send representatives to share ideas, concerns, and are involved in the decision-making process in the College Council headed by the chancellor (Exhibit II-9: KCCM 1-7). Each unit has representatives on campus-wide committees. However, there are some committees that are appointed by the chancellor. All campus governance policies are voted on by the College Council and are approved by the chancellor. All minutes of the College Council meetings are forwarded by email to all faculty and staff as well as to the student government which, in turn, is responsible for disseminating the information to the general student body. The minutes are also placed in CampusDocs, which is accessible to all units and students.

All faculty and staff are represented by unions which are responsible for assuring that the working conditions conform to the respective union contracts, as well as fair labor practices. The University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly (UHPA) represents the faculty. There are three UHPA faculty campus reps and a UHPA campus member on the Board of Directors. Staff belonging to Unit 1 are represented by the United Public Workers (UPW) and have one campus rep. Staff belonging to Units 3 and 8 are represented by the Hawai‘i Government Employees Association (HGEA) and have one campus rep for each unit. All union representatives are responsible for communicating union matters to the members.

Faculty, staff, and students are kept informed and are provided opportunities for input and interaction with other units at campus-wide meetings and activities. Notices for these activities are distributed by email, flyers, or through the online campus bulletin.

Self Evaluation

While all units are represented on the College Council, the participation of ASUH-KCC and Unit 1 has been sporadic (College Council Notes).

The accreditation self study process includes all units of the campus, administration, faculty, staff, and students. Participation in this process is informative and provides opportunities for input on institutional efforts to improve learning and to review the mission and the goals of the college.

Each unit is scheduled to do a program review and/or an annual program review update (APRU) and this involves all members of the unit (APRUs and Program Review Calendar).

New students are given a Student Handbook. All students belonging to ASUH-KCC are invited to participate at the ASUH-KCC meetings. Meeting notice flyers are posted throughout the campus. ASUH-KCC meeting minutes are posted on the ASUH-KCC bulletin board located at the Learning Center. ASUH-KCC is exploring the development of a website which would include its constitution and bylaws.

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Improving collegial communication and cooperation are priorities of the institution. Each constituent group has an avenue and means by which its comments and concerns are being heard (e.g., College Council and ASUH-KCC Meetings).

According to the Kaua‘i Community College Self Study Survey conducted on October 21, 2005:

54.4 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that, “Every effort is made to keep faculty, staff, students, and administrators informed of their respective roles.”

50.6 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that, “The staff at the college is given essential information about institutional efforts to achieve goals and improve learning.”

This indicates that about 50 percent of the respondents may feel that communication across the campus could be more effective.

Planning Agenda

The college generally meets the standard. However, improvement is clearly needed.

Each unit should explore the need for periodic meetings to further discuss campus issues. More time should be allowed in order that input from each unit is considered before the College Council makes any decision.

After analyzing the current survey results, the Kaua‘i Community College Self Study Survey questions should be re-evaluated. Thereafter, conducting an ongoing survey would be beneficial in collecting data for improvement.

For important issues, the following means of communication could be explored: general assembly for entire college with oral presentation of findings along with a hard copy and email sent to everyone so that those who are not present at the general assembly can also be informed. Whenever there is important news, information could be disseminated through these three means.

The college is exploring the possible reorganization of the operational structure to a more clearly defined responsibility. A Kaua‘i Community College Governance Manual could facilitate communication to all units of the campus. This manual should include all governance policies, duties and responsibilities of each unit, the schedule of deadlines, and flow charts that indicate chain of command and flow of information.

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IV.A.4. The institution advocates and demonstrates honesty and integrity in its relationships with external agencies. It agrees to comply with Accrediting Commission standards, policies, and guidelines, and Commission requirements for public disclosure, self study and other reports, team visits, and prior approval of substantive changes. The institution moves expeditiously to respond to recommendations made by the Commission.

Descriptive Summary

Kaua‘i Community College demonstrates honesty and integrity in its relationships with the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges in the Western Associate of Schools and Colleges through its actions and responses to Commission recommendations.

In October 2000, Kaua‘i Community College submitted its institutional self study to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The college was later visited by a seven-member team appointed by the ACCJC to conduct a comprehensive visit to validate the college’s self study report in relationship to the ten standards of accreditation, to evaluate the progress made on previous recommendations, and to provide additional recommendations to assist the college. The accreditation commission reaffirmed Kaua‘i Community College’s accreditation and required the campus to submit an interim report. The interim report was to address the seven recommendations made by the evaluation team.

In October 2002, Kaua‘i Community College submitted its Interim Accreditation Report addressing the seven recommendations made by the Accreditation Commission in 2000. Kaua‘i Community College was issued a warning and asked to correct the deficiencies noted. The warning was issued because the college did not show progress on the development of a comprehensive and formal program review process. Three other focus recommendations were also made.

In October 2003, Kaua‘i Community College submitted a Focus Midterm Report addressing all four of the focus recommendations and describing the progress made on all seven recommendations made in 2000. Although the college was able to satisfy some of the recommendations, the primary recommendation that triggered the warning was not adequately addressed. The warning status continued with recommendations for the UH System and Kaua‘i Community College.

In October 2004, Kaua‘i Community College submitted a Progress Report addressing Recommendation #4 (Program Review), Recommendation #6 (Technology Plan) and recommendation for the UH Community College System. After a visitation by an evaluation team, the Accreditation Commission accepted the progress report but continued the warning and asked the campus to address the deficiencies noted. Recommendations were made for the UH System on governance and the following three recommendations to Kaua‘i Community College: (#2) Dissemination of course frequency and anticipated time, (#4)

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Program Review, and (#6) A Technology Plan. Progress was made on Program Review but there is a need to refine the process to become more data rich and informative.In October 2005, Kaua‘i Community College submitted a Progress Report addressing the recommendations made by the Commission in 2004. The college addressed Recommendation #2 by developing a Multi Year Plan of Offerings. This format provides data that is useful in program review. The college addressed Recommendation #4 by completing the program reviews, engaging in Annual Program Review Updates, adhering to the schedule of reviews for 2004-2005 and using data from review in decision-making processes. The college addressed Recommendation #6 by fully implementing its technology plan. Systemwide recommendations were addressed. Upon review of the progress report and the recommendation of the evaluation team, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges removed the warning, with requirements that the college complete a progress report in October 2005.

The college conveys accurate information on institutional effectiveness and accreditation through its general catalog. On the college website under annual Institutional Effectiveness the college presents its mission, long-range plans, goals and Student Learning Outcomes. The website also contains the college reports submitted to the Accreditation Commission. The college’s Reports to the Accreditation Commission and the Accreditation Commission’s responses and recommendations are available in the college library for public viewing. There are also copies of the Accreditation Commission responses and recommendations on CampusDocs. Course offerings are presented in a schedule of courses published each semester in the local paper. General information about the college and its programs are also available in a campus view-book. In 2003, the college began using a website, kauai.hawaii.edu, to supplement and enhance printed documentation. Every effort is made to insure accuracy and timeliness of information provided to our students and the public.

Multiple reviews of the material by the division, Dean of Instruction, Curriculum Committee and Media Services are done to eliminate errors. The ability to amend errors found in electronic materials also provides for accurate and current information.

Title III funding program requires annual reports, budgetary readjustments and data analysis before the release of subsequent year allocations. Kaua‘i Community College was successful over the past five years in obtaining each year’s allocation (Exhibit IV-5: Title III Annual Report). Kaua‘i Community College was also successful in securing new Title III allocations under The Native Hawaiian Service Institution Program for another five-year period. The college is audited annually because it administers federal funds through the U.S. Department of Education. We have addressed findings in Institutional Corrective Responses (Exhibit IV-6: Kaua‘i Community College Audit and Corrective Responses).

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Self Evaluation

Kaua‘i Community College, through its efforts to comply and respond to the recommendation by the Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and its dealings with the U.S. Department of Education demonstrates integrity and its willingness to be open and honest.

In the past, some units of the college have had a difficult time with understanding the mechanisms and implications of the recommendation based on program reviews. Time was spent to define the parameters, develop the mechanism, change mindsets, and generate the result for program review. The campus now recognizes the importance of the program review process as revealed in a recent KCC self study survey where 58 percent of the campus agreed that program review has been useful, 28 percent were neutral, and only 10 percent were in disagreement. Enrichment and refinement of program reviews with more data that can be used by individual faculty will accelerate the use of program review information to make decisions on all levels.

The college makes every effort to provide accurate and timely information to its students. The college has been forthright with the public and students about accreditation and has provided them access to the appropriate documentation. The college website has increased in popularity among students; still, a printed version of the catalog is available at the KCC Bookstore. In a recent KCC Self Study Survey, 79 percent of the campus agreed that Kaua‘i Community College provides accurate updated class schedules, catalogs and promotional information on its website. The catalog lists all courses but not the frequency of offerings. Some courses have not been offered for several semesters. In addition, it is difficult to search the electronic catalog.

Kaua‘i Community College also demonstrates honesty and integrity with the US Department of Education through financial audits and annual reports.

Planning Agenda

The process of self evaluation is essential and integral to the institution’s ability to demonstrate integrity, effectiveness and quality. Kaua‘i Community College will continue to actively evaluate its programs through the program review process and continue to address recommendations by the Accreditation Commission that will improve our ability to meet the needs of our community.

The electronic catalog should be revised so that students can search directly by keyword or alphabet. The list of courses in the catalog should be revised to reflect the courses that are currently offered on the campus.

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The college will continue to demonstrate its fiduciary responsibility by audits of its handling of federal funds and continue to provide annual accounting and data analysis.

IV.A.5. The role of leadership and the institution’s governance and decision-making structures and processes are regularly evaluated to assure their integrity and effectiveness. The institution widely communicates the results of these evaluations and uses them as the basis for improvement.

Descriptive Summary

Historically, the self evaluation of most units of the college, including the governance and decision-making structures and processes, has been informal and based on soft evidence (i.e. personal direct and indirect communications). One formal venue for this form of evidence is the College Council (See Standard IV A.2.a for composition of the Council). The members of the Council represent their faculty/staff’s concerns and opinions in the college decision-making process, and meeting notes, including decisions made, are disseminated to all on campus via CampusDocs.

Following the ACCJC report and recommendations, leadership has emphasized the need for concrete data, seeking to instill “a culture of evidence” across the campus. Currently, most units of the institution are developing evaluation processes to assess and improve their effectiveness.

Self Evaluation

A faculty morale survey was administered in Spring 2005, and a Self Study survey of all faculty and staff in the fall semester of 2005. Both surveys included questions about governance and decision-making structures, and both yielded similar responses to those questions. Results of the faculty morale survey are still in draft form; those of the Self Study survey have been partially compiled and widely disseminated on campus. Results of the Self Study survey revealed the following themes (comments follow):

1. People feel they are adequately informed about events, issues, and opportunities at KCC.

Communication on campus about these subjects is effective.

2. There is a high percent of neutral response.

Despite the effective communication, response is generally ambivalent. This may be symptomatic of non-engagement or it may reflect ambiguously worded survey questions.

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3. There is a balance of agreement and disagreement with the statements of the Self Study survey.

This may reflect whether the respondents have been actively involved in the decision making and governance structures and processes.

4. Morale is reported to be low.

This statement reflects the faculty respondents’ opinion of the campus morale, not necessarily their own personal morale; nonetheless, it demands further investigation into the possible causes and cures.

Planning Agenda

The college will identify and document the current decision-making process on campus and the documents involved. The identification and location of these documents will be made widely known, and documents will be made easily accessible via CampusDocs. This process will be ongoing.

A tool to evaluate leadership and decision making will be developed based on the themes discovered from data. It will be an engaging, informative process that ensures faculty and staff involvement in improving decision-making processes. The tool will include a question to discover faculty and staff’s preferred medium for accessing information about decision making. It shall be administered regularly, the results will be made widely available, and responsive action plans shall be developed, implemented, and re-assessed for a continuous cycle of assessment and improvement.

All future surveys will be designed in consultation with the Institutional Researcher, utilizing an analysis of past survey questions and responses, to ensure an instrument that will provide more specific and useful information.

Self Study Survey Results:

To the statement, “In general, the current leadership of the college is effective,”


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To the statement, “I am personally kept informed with regard to events, issues, and opportunities to participate at KCC,”


To the statement, “The decision-making process at KCC is participative,”


To the statement, “The overall morale at KCC is high,”


To the statement, “The current formal shared governance system at KCC is effective,”


Standard IV.B. Board and Administrative Organization

In addition to the leadership of individuals and constituencies, institutions recognize the designated responsibilities of the governing board for setting policies and of the chief administrator for the effective operation of the institution. Multi-college districts/systems clearly define the organizational roles of the district/system and the colleges.

In 1907, the University of Hawai‘i was established on the model of the American system of land-grant universities created initially by the Morrill Act of 1862. In the 1960s and 1970s, the university was developed into a system of accessible and affordable campuses.

These institutions currently include:

A research university at Manoa offering a comprehensive array of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees through the doctoral level, including law and medicine.

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A comprehensive, primarily baccalaureate institution at Hilo, offering professional programs based on a liberal arts foundation and selected graduate degrees.

An upper division institution at West O‘ahu, offering liberal arts and selected professional studies.

A system of seven open-door community colleges spread across the islands of Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Maui, and Hawai‘i, offering quality liberal arts and workforce programs. In addition to the seven colleges, outreach centers are located on the islands of Molokai and Lanai (administered by Maui Community College), on the island of Hawai`i in Captain Cook (administered by Hawai‘i Community College), and in the Waianae/Nanakuli area of O‘ahu (administered by Leeward Community College).

Aside from the educational centers, three university centers exist at Kaua‘i Community College, Hawai‘i Community College, and Maui Community College to bring certificates, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees to the neighbor islands.

The University of Hawai‘i Community College System Office, led by the Vice President for Community Colleges, is located on the UH Manoa campus on O‘ahu.

The University of Hawai‘i System has undergone several administrative reorganizations since the 2000 comprehensive visit. The following briefly outline the major events:

University System Reorganization - 2002

As part of a university system administrative reorganization, the University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents (BOR) received a proposal in November 2002 that included the elimination of the Office of the Chancellor for Community Colleges and reassigned the functions of the office to various system-level vice presidential offices and to the community colleges. This reorganization proposal was approved by the BOR in December 2002. The reorganization changed the title of the college chief executive officer (CEO) and the reporting relationship between the CEOs of the individually accredited community colleges and the university system. Each newly titled community college chancellor assumed the responsibility and authority previously delegated to the Chancellor for Community Colleges (and within the scope of BOR and University Executive policies) which includes: making faculty and staff appointments, approving faculty promotions and tenure, approving out-of-state travel, approving campus budget requests and external grant applications, executing the campus annual expenditure plan, approving Certificates of Completion, approving internal staff and fiscal re-allocations, etc. UH Community College coordination was facilitated through designated community college associate vice presidents reporting to the UH System Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs and Administration.

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The reorganization created a Council of Chancellors reporting directly to the president. The council included the chancellors of each of the ten individual campuses within the UH System. Four additional key decision-making/consultative groups were established: president’s senior staff, The University Executive Council, the President’s Advisory Council, and the Council of Chief Academic Officers. Existing policy guidance provided to the campuses through the Community Colleges Chancellor’s Memorandum (CCCM) were to be evaluated by the Community Colleges Executive Council (composed of community college chancellors, vice chancellors and deans, and associate vice presidents) to determine which to continue so as to provide a core of common practices across the community college campuses.

The BOR-approved reorganization was sent forward to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) in compliance with the Commission’s Substantive Change approval process in January 2003. In Spring 2003, the ACCJC gave conditional approval to a Substantive Change Request.

Change in University System Leadership - 2004

As noted in the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities Special Visit (March 2004) to the UH System Office, the “relationship between the board and the president had deteriorated significantly, and in turn, had affected other elements of the university.” The BOR rescinded authority to the president in several areas related to budget and personnel. In the summer of 2004, the president resigned from the university and an interim president was named by the BOR.

University System Reorganization - 2004

The interim president requested, and the BOR approved, a reorganization of the President’s Office reducing the number of direct executive reports and re-describing other executive positions. The UH Council of Chancellors, which is not an administrative unit, continued to report directly to the president and met on a regular basis to provide advice on strategic planning, program development and other matters of concern. The Vice President of Academic Planning and Policy convened the Council of Chief Academic Officers, and the agenda included items of systemwide academic concern. The delegation of authority from the BOR to the president and the president’s designees that began immediately after the appointment of the interim president has continued.

Community Colleges System Re-established - 2005

In granting its approval with reservations to the 2002 reorganization of the University of Hawai‘i System, the ACCJC acted to require the UH Community Colleges to provide reports to the Commission in August and November 2003, and in April 2004. The November and April reports were followed by a team visit to validate the reports and examine the degree to which the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges had developed effective administrative

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systems to allow it to meet accreditation standards, and to insure the University of Hawai‘i System had adequate means to support the mission and operation of the community colleges. As a result of the series of reports and visits from the ACCJC, it became increasingly clear that the new organization presented significant challenges in the colleges’ ability to continue to meet the Commission’s standards in a number of areas.

Following a review of several alternative organizational models and discussion and consultation, the interim president recommended a reorganization that re-established a community colleges system administration.

In June 2005 the BOR approved a reorganization of the community colleges including the creation of a Vice President for Community Colleges who is responsible for executive leadership, policy decision making, resource allocation, development of appropriate support services for the seven community colleges, and also called for the re-consolidation of the academic and administrative support units for the community colleges (June 2005 President's System Level Reorganization -- Community Colleges ). A dual reporting relationship was created whereby the community college chancellors report to the Vice President for Community Colleges for leadership and coordination of community college matters, and concurrently report to the president for university systemwide policymaking and decisions impacting the campuses. The dual reporting relationship preserves previous BOR action which promoted and facilitated campus autonomy in balance with systemwide academic and administrative functions and operations. College chancellors retained responsibility and control over campus operations, administration, and management.

The June 2005 reorganization created no other organizational or functional changes to the systemwide offices. All ten chancellors continue to report to the president and collectively meet as the Council of Chancellors to advise the president on strategic planning, program development, and other matters of concern. The community college chancellors meet as the Council of Community College Chancellors to provide advice to the president and vice president for community colleges on community college policy issues and other matters of community college interest. BOR Committee Reorganization - 2005

At its September 16, 2005 meeting, the BOR enlarged the community college standing committee and clarified its duties to allow the BOR to address ACCJC standards without impacting the other business of the BOR in its governance of the university system and the baccalaureate campuses. The newly reorganized committee increased the number of members to six and adopted quarterly meetings independent of the full BOR meetings.IV.B.1. The institution has a governing board that is responsible for establishing policies to assure the quality, integrity, and effectiveness of the student learning programs and services and the financial stability of the institution. The governing board adheres to a clearly defined policy for selecting and evaluating the chief administrator for the college or the district/system.

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IV.B.1.a. The governing board is an independent policy-making body that reflects the public interest in board activities and decisions. Once the board reaches a decision, it acts as a whole. It advocates for and defends the institution and protects it from undue influence or pressure.

Descriptive Summary

Governance of the University of Hawai‘i is vested in a twelve-member BOR appointed by the Governor of Hawai‘i, with the approval of the state legislature. Membership on the BOR is controlled by state law (Chapter 304-3, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes - §304-3 Hawai ‘ i Statutes ). That statute states that the “affairs of the university shall be under the general management and control of the Board of Regents.” That statute indicates that the members of the BOR are appointed by the Governor of the State of Hawai‘i, and also indicates the size of the BOR, how the members are selected, their terms of office, when the BOR is expected to meet, and how they are compensated.

Board of Regents By-Laws and Policies define the duties and responsibilities of the board and its officers and committees. The BOR is responsible for the internal organization and management of the university, including, but not limited to, establishing the general mission and goals of the system and approving any changes to them; adopting academic and facilities planning documents for the system and the campuses; adopting broad policy that guides all aspects of university governance; appointing and evaluating the president; establishing the administrative structure and approving major administrative appointments; approving all major contractual obligations of the university; approving new academic and other programs and major organizational changes; reviewing all fiscal audits of university operations; and approving the university budget, long-range financial plans, and budget requests for state funding.

The BOR appoints and evaluates the president of the university and approves other executive appointments, including vice presidents, chancellors, and deans. In November 2000, the citizens of Hawai‘i approved a constitutional amendment to give greater autonomy to the University of Hawai‘i. Although the Constitution had previously granted the BOR of the university authority to manage the university, a clause “in accordance with law” had been interpreted to mean that the BOR could not take action unless legislation specifically permitted the action. The constitutional amendment removed that clause (Powers of the BOR). The BOR and administration are currently working with external and internal constituents to establish and carry out the principles that will guide the changed relationship the university seeks with the state.

The BOR elects its own officers and hires its own staff. Currently, the BOR has two professional staff members (the Executive Administrator and Secretary to the BOR and the Executive Assistant) and three secretaries. System administrative staff also provide support to the BOR as needed.

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BOR Policy Chapter 9, Part III, addresses recruitment and appointment of Executive and Managerial personnel. BOR Policy Chapter 2 details the evaluation of the president (BOR Policy Chapter 2).

In accord with the state’s Sunshine Law (Sunshine Law), all meetings are public, except those involving discussion of personnel and legal matters. Board of Regents By-Laws and Policies—as well as agenda and minutes of meetings—are publicly available at the BOR’s website (BOR).

Self Evaluation

The college meets this standard. The members of the Board of Regents are nominated by the Governor of the State of Hawai‘i, and then confirmed in the legislature by the Senate. The board has by-laws and policies which define its duties and responsibilities. BOR policy Chapter 9 addresses recruitment and appointment of the president while Chapter 2 describes the steps for evaluation of the president. A referendum to the state constitution gave autonomy to the University of Hawai‘i, which instituted greater board independence in the decision-making process (Powers of the BOR). As an example, the board has the authority to hire and review the top university administrators, independent from the executive and legislative branches of government. The various subcommittees of the board meet to discuss issues relevant to the whole and to bring recommendations forward to the wider committee. The State of Hawai‘i has a Sunshine Law that gives the public access to almost all of the board meetings providing a check against undue influences. Legislative processes are also subject to the Sunshine Law.

Planning Agenda

No action is required.

IV.B.1.b. The governing board establishes policies consistent with the mission statement to ensure the quality, integrity, and improvement of student learning programs and services and the resources necessary to support them.

Descriptive Summary

BOR policies are implemented through administrative policies and procedures and delegations of authority published and promulgated by means of the University of Hawai‘i systemwide Executive Policies and the University of Hawai‘i systemwide Administrative Procedures Manual. These documents are available on the UH website.

BOR Policy Chapters 4 and 5 (BOR Policy Chapter 4 and BOR Policy Chapter 5) detail BOR planning and evaluation policies. At the September 2005 BOR meeting, the board changed its committee structure to more fully address ACCJC’s concerns raised during the series of reports and visits from Commission staff following the 2002 reorganization. The

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reorganized and expanded Community College Standing Committee (BOR CC Committee) conducts quarterly meetings in addition to the full BOR meetings. The meetings are designed to focus on the following areas:

The broad community college mission (November 4, 2005) The financial health of the community colleges (April 21, 2006) Program review and assessment (July 21, 2006) Planning directions for the next year (August 25, 2006)

The University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges Strategic Plan 2002-2010, adopted by the BOR November 22, 2002, (BOR Meeting Minutes Nov 2002 and the UHCC Strategic Plan) states that within the overall mission of the University of Hawai‘i, the Community Colleges, have as their special mission:

Access: To broaden access to postsecondary education in Hawai‘i, regionally, and internationally by providing open-door opportunities for students to enter quality educational programs within their own communities.

Learning and Teaching: To specialize in the effective teaching of remedial/developmental education, general education, and other introductory liberal arts, pre-professional, and selected baccalaureate courses and programs.

Work Force Development: To provide the trained workforce needed in the state, the region, and internationally by offering occupational, technical, and professional courses and programs which prepare students for immediate employment and career advancement.

Personal Development: To provide opportunities for personal enrichment, occupational upgrading, and career mobility through credit and non-credit courses and activities.

Community Development: To contribute to and stimulate the cultural and intellectual life of the community by providing a forum for the discussion of ideas; by providing leadership, knowledge, problem-solving skills, and general informational services; and by providing opportunities for community members to develop their creativity and appreciate the creative endeavors of others.

Diversity: By building upon Hawai‘i’s unique multi-cultural environment and geographic location, through efforts in curriculum development, and productive relationships with international counterparts in Asia and the Pacific, UHCC students’ learning experiences will prepare them for the global workplace.

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Self Evaluation

The college meets the standard. Quality, integrity, improvement in student learning programs, services, and resources are ensured by board policies. In accordance with BOR policy (BOR Policy Chapter 5 -1.a.1 ), academic programs are approved or discontinued by board actions. All established academic programs at the community colleges are subject to review on a five-year cycle unless otherwise stipulated by the board (BOR Policy Chapter 5 - 1.b.1). In the establishment of new programs, all proposals must be high on the list of academic priorities as enunciated in its academic plan (BOR Policy Chapter 5 -1.a.2 ).

BOR Policy Chapter 1-2 indicates the primary duty of the board to determine the objectives of the university and to provide the budget to achieve them using a budgeting process outlined in BOR Policy Chapter 8-3.

Planning Agenda

No action required.

IV.B.1.c. The governing board has ultimate responsibility for educational quality, legal matters, and financial integrity.

Descriptive Summary

The descriptive summary for Standard IV.B.1.b. above described the BOR’s responsibility for educational quality. Regarding legal matters and financial integrity, the BOR is responsible for the internal organization and management of the university. Increased autonomy granted to the university by the legislature over the past decade guarantees that the university has the right to determine where budgets will be cut or reallocated when state appropriations are reduced. Implementation of BOR policies is the responsibility of the president and the executive and managerial team.

Upon approval by the BOR, the university’s operating and Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) budget requests are submitted simultaneously to the governor for review and incorporated into the executive budget request for the state and to the legislature for informational purposes. The executive budget request for the state is submitted to the legislature in December for consideration in the regular session of the legislature in January. Appropriations by the legislature (General or Supplemental Appropriations Act) are usually passed in May and transmitted to the governor for approval. Upon approval by the governor in June, allocation notices are transmitted to all state agencies, including anyrestrictions imposed on Legislative appropriations. The governor can impose restrictions at any time of the year based on economic conditions.

Legislative appropriations for operating funds are specifically designated by fund type for major organizational units (UH-Mānoa, UH-Hilo, West O‘ahu, Community Colleges, Systemwide Programs, etc.). State law allows the governor to withhold or restrict legislative

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appropriations. General fund allocations are made to each major organizational unit less any restrictions imposed by the governor. The president is authorized to determine distributions of general fund restrictions as well as reallocations between major organizational units. The Vice President for Community Colleges and the community college chancellors determine the general fund allocations to the individual community colleges, normally maintaining established levels of current service funding.

Due to declining levels of state funding support, it has become necessary to assess each campus a pro rata share of certain unfunded costs that are administered on a systemwide basis. These costs include the risk management program costs (including legal settlements), private fundraising costs, and workers’ compensation/unemployment insurance premiums.

In terms of financial integrity, external auditors audit the University of Hawai’i annually. The university’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and Government Accounting Standards (GASB) principles. In July of 2005, with changing auditing standards, the ACCJC accepted “…the presentation of a combined balance sheet and income statement of the community college system as supplemental information to the university’s consolidated financial statements with an opinion on such supplemental information in relation to the university’s consolidated financial statements taken as a whole …” as documentation of audit requirements for the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges.

Self Evaluation


Planning Agenda

No action required.

IV.B.1.d. The institution or the governing board publishes the board bylaws and policies specifying the board’s size, duties, responsibilities, structure, and operating procedures.

Descriptive Summary

The BOR maintains a web site on which the bylaws, policies, and meeting minutes are regularly posted. All of the policies mentioned in this Standard are published on this site (BOR website).

Self Evaluation

The college meets the standard. Currently, the Orientation Manual for new board members is only available in print format and is not available on the web site.

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Planning Agenda

The board should make public on its website the Orientation Manual and other documents as they arise.

IV.B.1.e. The governing board acts in a manner consistent with its policies and bylaws. The board regularly evaluates its policies and practices and revises them as necessary.

Descriptive Summary

The BOR conducts meetings and administers the business of the university system in accordance with the state Sunshine Law. BOR minutes are maintained and published following each meeting and are available on the web site. BOR policy does not include a system for evaluating and revising its policies on a regular basis. The administration submits recommendations for policy and policy revisions as necessary. The most recent comprehensive BOR policy review was conducted in October 2002.

In the October 2004 BOR self study workshop, the BOR suggested regular review of its own performance.

There are many instances of BOR actions that conform to this standard. The following are a few examples of such situations:

In October 2002 the BOR approved an amendment to its policies “in light of the university’s autonomy and to add clarity as well as to update the current BOR policies following the separation of the president and Manoa chancellor’s office” (BOR Meeting Minutes 10/18/2002).

In May 2005 the BOR approved a change in its policy regarding university employees working at the legislature. In particular, this new policy “provides that university employees working at the legislature shall comply with applicable Executive Branch policies” (BOR Meeting Minutes 5/19/2005).

When the BOR decides not to follow its own policies, they identify this as an exception to policy.

For example, on October 22, 2004 the BOR approved, as an exception to policy on graduate programs, the establishment of a College of Pharmacy at University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (BOR Meeting Minutes 10/22/2004).

Self Evaluation

The college partially meets the standard. The primary responsibility for implementing board policies rests with each individual campus. Input from each campus serves as the basis for

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the establishment or revision of existing policies and procedures. However, there are no formal mechanisms that regularly evaluate board policies and practices and revise them as necessary.

Planning Agenda

The board should develop procedures for establishing a regular review process of its policies and procedures by:

Working together with the college and the OVPCC to establish regular review of BOR policies and procedures, and

Working together with the college and the OVPCC to develop and distribute guidelines concerning evaluation and revision of BOR policies and practices.

IV.B.1.f. The governing board has a program for board development and new member orientation. It has a mechanism for providing for continuity of board membership and staggered terms of office.

Descriptive Summary

Governance of the University of Hawai‘i is vested in a 12-member BOR appointed by the Governor of Hawai‘i, with the approval of the state legislature. Hawai ‘i Revised Statutes - §304-3 Hawai`i Statutes sets the term of office as four years for all members (except the student member, whose term is two years). The statute does not specifically provide for “staggered terms of office” but it does ensure that new BOR members will be selected whenever a term expires.

That statue does not describe a program for “BOR development” or “new member orientation.” The president conducts an annual briefing for new regents. The briefing involves the UH System vice presidents and uses the BOR Orientation Manual, Nov 1, 2004, as the foundation.

At the September 2, 2004 regular meeting, the BOR was presented an overview of an “Orientation Manual” (BOR Meeting Minutes 9/2/2004). The developer of the manual explained to the BOR that the manual is primarily designed for new regents.

Self Evaluation

The college partially meets the standard. Although there is no provision made for staggered terms in the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, there have been no incidents where all past board members did complete their appointed terms of four years. The availability of an Orientation Manual is a positive first step in meeting the standard. A formal procedure in the orientation

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of new board members should be implemented as well as procedures for membership development.

Planning Agenda

The board should adopt a formal procedure that would incorporate orientation of new members and their development by:

Working together with the college and the OVPCC to formalize its orientation procedures for new regents, and

Working together with the college and OVPCC to make public on its website the

Training and Orientation Manual and other operating procedure documents as they arise.

IV.B.1.g. The governing board’s self-evaluation processes for assessing board performance are clearly defined, implemented, and published in its policies or bylaws.

Descriptive Summary

Although BOR policy does not appear to call for regular self evaluation, at its October 2004 self study workshop, the BOR agreed to self study on a three- or four-year cycle.

i http://www.Hawai‘i.gov/dbedt/census2k/dp1_2000_Hawai‘i_percent1.pdf, Race, One race percentages for State of Hawai‘i and Kaua‘i.

ii http://www.Hawai‘i.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seccf04.pdf, Table 3: Selected Characteristics of Credit Students, University of Hawai‘i, Community Colleges, Ethnicity, Kaua‘i.

iii http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seccf04.pdf, Appendix C4: Distribution of Majors, by Program, Gender and Ethnicity, Kaua‘i CC, Grand Total group.

iv http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?grccf01.pdf, Table 4D: Course Completion Ratios, Kaua‘i Community College.

v http://www.Hawai‘i.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seccs00.pdf, Table 4: Selected Characteristics of Credit Students, Kaua‘i, Registration status=Continuing;http://www.Hawai‘i.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seccs01.pdf, Table 4, as above.

vi http://www.Hawai‘i.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seuhs02.pdf, Table 7: Selected Characteristics of Credit Students, Kaua‘i, Registration status=Continuing;http://www.Hawai‘i.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seuhs03.pdf, Table 7, as above;http://www.Hawai‘i.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?seuhs04.pdf, Table 7, as above.

vii http://www.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/iro/maps?dgccy04.pdf, Table 1: Degrees and Certificates Earned, Kaua‘i CC, Certificates of Achievement and Associate Degrees.

viii http://www.ccsse.org/survey/public-profile.cfm?ipeds=141802&source=2004. Note: Public results do not include national mean on chart. Username and password are required to enter the members only results for Kaua‘i CC at http://www.ccsse.org/members/profiles/profile.cfm?ipeds=141802&source=2004.

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Self Evaluation

The college does not meet the standard. Although the basic framework for self study has been initially established, there is no evidence that the assessment of the board’s performance has been implemented.

Planning Agenda

The board should develop and implement a clearly defined process for the assessment of its performance by working with the college and the OVPCC. This process should be published.

IV.B.1.h. The governing board has a code of ethics that includes a clearly defined policy for dealing with behavior that violates its code.

Descriptive Summary

BOR By-Laws, Article X, and Hawai‘i Revised Statutes - Chapter 84 address the BOR’s stated process for dealing with unethical behavior.

At the November 4, 2005, meeting, the university’s general counsel stated that there may have been examples related to personnel matters and conducted in executive session. The general counsel stated that he would need to review the minutes for releaseability. Additionally he stated that BOR members recuse themselves as required.

Self Evaluation


Planning Agenda

No action required.

IV.B.1.i. The governing board is informed about and involved in the accreditation process.

Descriptive Summary

In response to ACCJC Recommendation No. 7 (for the UHCC System), the BOR expanded the Community College Standing Committee and adopted quarterly meetings. The Standing Committee will include training and information about the accreditation process at its quarterly meetings (See IV.B.1.c). At the November 4, 2005, meeting the BOR was provided a binder and presentations on the accreditation process. In addition, the Standard IVB workgroup (composed of representatives from all seven colleges and staff from the Office of

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the VPCC) in attendance at the meeting reviewed the standards and engaged in discussion with the BOR on the accreditation process.

Self Evaluation

The college partially meets the standard. Although the BOR Community College Standing Committee has held its first two quarterly meetings, further evidence is required to fully evaluate BOR involvement in the community college accreditation process. From the meeting held in November 2005, it was evident that members of the BOR did not have a full appreciation of ACCJC standards and issues facing the community colleges. At this point, it is difficult to gauge the commitment to becoming informed as required by the current ACCJC accreditation standards.

Planning Agenda

The college and the OVPCC should work with the BOR to assist the board in becoming more involved and informed with the accreditation process.

IV.B.1.j. The governing board has the responsibility for selecting and evaluating the district/system chief administrator (most often known as the chancellor) in a multi-college district/system or the college chief administrator (most often known as the president) in the case of a single college. The governing board delegates full responsibility and authority to him/her to implement and administer board policies without board interference and holds him/her accountable for the operation of the district/system or college, respectively.

In multi-college districts/systems, the governing board establishes a clearly defined policy for selecting and evaluating the presidents of the colleges.

Descriptive Summary

The President of the University of Hawai‘i System has full responsibility and authority for execution of the policies authorized and established by the BOR. BOR Policy Chapter 2 provides for the duties and evaluation of the President of the University of Hawai‘i System.

The BOR approves the appointment of the Vice President for Community Colleges who is evaluated by the president of the university system.

The BOR approves the appointment of each college chancellor who is evaluated by the Vice President for Community Colleges. As the chancellors have dual reporting to the President of the University of Hawai‘i, the president will also evaluate the chancellors.

Self Evaluation

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Planning Agenda

No action required.

IV.B.2 The president has primary responsibility for the quality of the institution he/she leads. He/she provides effective leadership in planning, organizing, budgeting, selecting and developing personnel, and assessing institutional effectiveness.

IV.B.2.a. The president plans, oversees, and evaluates an administrative structure organized and staffed to reflect the institution’s purposes, size, and complexity. He/She delegates authority to administrators and others consistent with their responsibilities, as appropriate.

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Descriptive Summary

The chancellor serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Kaua‘i Community College and is responsible for the overall administration management of the college’s instructional, student services, institutional support, academic support, and continuing education and training programs as well as vocational training programs and the University Center, Kaua‘i. This responsibility is stipulated in BOR Policy Chapter 1-2a(1c) and 1-10 and further detailed in the Position Description No. 89102, Chancellor, Kaua‘i Community College (Exhibit IV-7: Position Description No. 89102, Chancellor, Kaua‘i Community College). The chancellor has the primary decision-making responsibility and is held accountable for decisions rendered by members of the college administration, faculty, staff, and students. Evaluation and planning is conducted by the reliance of high-quality research and analysis on external and internal conditions. The chancellor directs periodic review and updates the long-range educational development plan, capital improvement plan and organization plans. The chancellor delegates authority and evaluates the following administrators consistent with their responsibilities as appropriate.

Dean of Instruction, Position No. 89045 Assistant Dean of Instruction and University Center Director, Position No. 89278 Director of Administrative Services, Position No. 89032 Director of Student Services, Position No. 89019 Director of Continuing Education and Training, Position No. 89178 Instructional Analyst, Position No. 80684

Division chairs for the academic divisions serve in a quasi-administrative role, linking academic and administrative areas. Kaua‘i Community College Policy, KCCM 4-2 outlines the process for the selection of the chairs. There are five academic divisions at Kaua‘i Community College: Business Education; Health Education; Language, Arts and Humanities; Science and Mathematics; and Trade Technology. A division chair who is given six credits reassigned time per semester and a stipend supports each division. The chancellor does not evaluate the division chairs but she does make the final selection between two chair candidates that are recommended by the divisions each year.

Non-academic units containing faculty do not have division chairs. They are directly led by administrators (i.e. Student Services is led by the Dean of Students; Academic Support is led by the Assistant Dean of Instruction and the Office of Continuing Education and Training (OCET) is led by the Director of OCET.

The chancellor meets weekly with a cabinet made up of all of the six top administrators. The College Council, a wider group of administrators and committee chairs, meets every other week during the fall and spring semesters. It is through these meetings that planning and policy are developed and transmitted.

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Self Evaluation

The college meets the standard. The position description of the chancellor encompasses planning, overseeing, and evaluating the administrative structure organized and staffed that reflects the institution’s purpose, size, and complexity. Delegation of authority and the evaluation of these administrators are part of the duties and responsibilities of the chancellor. The chancellor does not evaluate division chairs.

Planning Agenda

No action required.

IV.B.2.b. The president guides the institutional improvement of the teaching and learning environment by the following:

establishing a collegial process that sets values, goals, and priorities; ensuring that evaluation and planning rely on high quality research and

analysis on external and internal conditions; ensuring that educational planning is integrated with resource planning and

distribution to achieve student learning outcomes; and establishing procedures to evaluate overall institutional planning and

implementation efforts.

Descriptive Summary

The chancellor uses collegial processes to set values, goals, and priorities. Improvements begin with information-gathering processes; one process is to hold college-wide discussions (e.g. the Re-organization, Assessment, College Success). Another process is to solicit information from divisions via their representative on the College Council; another is to create a task force or committee to investigate issues; and yet another is to rely upon the skills of the Institutional Researcher. Once gathered, the information moves to the College Council for consideration. The Council, led by the chancellor, evaluates the information within the context of program needs, curriculum changes, and improvement plans that are detailed in program review documents. Priority goals are set within the Council and they guide resource planning. The prioritization process and the priorities themselves are reviewed each year.

The chancellor created a task force to develop the program review process (KCCM 1-6) supporting them with funding and time. Under her direction, a process for tying program review together with resource planning was developed and implemented by the College Council in Spring 2005. The documentation of that process in policy is being developed and will be presented to the College Council for their review in Fall 2006 (Exhibit IV-8: Amendment to KCCM 1-6 Draft).

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The chancellor is familiar with data and analyses; she communicates her knowledge during her Spring and Fall Convocation presentations and during College Council meetings. She makes data available to the campus on the college’s Institutional Effectiveness website and on the intranet, CampusDocs.

Self Evaluation

The college meets the standard. Various constituents of the campus are represented on the Campus Council. It is composed of all six administrators; the Faculty Senate Chair, the curriculum chair, and all the division chairs represent the faculty. There are three classified staff personnel representing bargaining units 1, 3, and 8 and a student representative from the ASUH-KCC. Non-voting members include: Development Officer, Institutional Researcher, Professional Development Coordinator, and Assessment Committee Chair. To meet its advisory role to the chancellor in establishing a collegial process that sets values, goals, and priorities, the College Council meets at least twice a month. To meet the standard, the College Council’s primary responsibilities include: communication, collaboration, planning, policy, and budget processes (Exhibit II-9: KCCM 1-7 and College Council Notes).

The chancellor relies on the Institutional Researcher to ensure that evaluation and planning is maintained at a high level on external and internal conditions. The Institutional Researcher reports directly to the chancellor but is engaged in all aspects of the campus community. The essential functions (Exhibit IV-9: Position Description No. 80684, Institutional Support) of this position include:

Directs the organization and implementation of the college-wide program review process for all vocational and academic programs, non-credit programs, and other college activities.

Independently performs complex assignments of broad scope in the area of planning and institutional assessment involving application of federal and state policies and regulations as well as policies of appropriate accrediting bodies.

Develops/defines, administers, and reviews strategies and procedures for the program review process for all instructional and support divisions and units of the college working with program faculty and staff as well as appropriate deans and directors.

Designs and produces a variety of internal and external documents to communicate the college’s progress toward achieving its strategic goals, Student Learning Outcomes and other activities to appropriate audiences.

Works with faculty and administrators in developing proposals and applications for external funding.

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Co-Chairs the campus assessment committee and serves as liaison to faculty governance groups with respect to planning and assessment activities.

Directs and supports all instructional divisions and support units in assessing and evaluating program performance in meeting division/unit goals, Student Learning Outcomes and campus strategic goals.

The primary vehicle in ensuring that educational planning is integrated with resources planning and distribution is formulated by the integration of program reviews, program review updates, and the budget development process on the campus and system levels (College Council Notes). There are 24 separate programs that submit their respective program review documentation on a five-year cycle (KCCM 1-6, 3/1/2004). Each program also submits annual updates which report on the status of action plans to improve the teaching and learning environment. The implementation of these initiatives is the driving force behind the overall institutional planning and implementation efforts.

The ability to plan, organize and assess institutional effectiveness is the key element necessary for effective outcomes in this standard. An online survey was conducted in Fall 2005 to measure the chancellor’s leadership. The percentages reflect a combined “strongly agree” or “agree” on effectiveness:

Planning 72.4%Organization 65.5%Assessing Institutional Effectiveness 68.9%

These percentages suggest that the campus leadership has been effective in establishing procedures for improving teaching and learning.

Planning Agenda

Establish an overall program review of institutional planning and implementation efforts, including an annual report to the community.

IV.B.2.c. The president assures the implementation of statutes, regulations, and governing board policies and assures that institutional practices are consistent with institutional mission and policies.

Descriptive Summary

The college’s policies and procedures (Exhibit IV-4: KCCMs) are aligned with Board of Regents policies, executive policies and administrative procedures, and UHCC policies. Fiscal procedures are governed by the UH System Administrative Procedures Manual and business circulars. The chancellor and deans and directors, particularly the Director of Administrative Services, monitor the implementation of college policies and processes.

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When campus-specific procedures are developed, they are based upon the relevant system policies and reference those policies (Exhibit IV-4: KCCMs).

The college mission statement and strategic goals are integrated into all planning, particularly through the program review and APRU processes. The review process is structured around questions on how the program is accomplishing the strategic goals of the college (Program Review template).

Self Evaluation

The previously described changes in the structure and relationships among the campuses and the UH System have ultimately resulted in a strengthening of the UHCC “system-within-a-system” by creating a direct line of communication between the chancellor and the president, as well as continuing the regular communication among the UHCC campuses, through the Council of Community College Chancellors, which meets regularly with the VP for Community Colleges. The chancellor’s responsibility and authority to implement policies and procedures also have been clarified. This structure ensures that the chancellor is able take the college’s mission and concerns to the table in the development of system policies.

Planning Agenda

The college will continue to adhere to appropriate regulations and policies in all institutional practices.

IV.B.2.d. The president effectively controls budget and expenditures.

Descriptive Summary

The chancellor has full authority on budget allocations and expenditures. The college has established an adequate annual reserve fund and is on a fiscally sound footing. Authority is further delegated to the appropriate dean or director and division chair, as appropriate. Various operational mechanisms help to track expenditures and budget balances, including the computerized fiscal system. Signing authority for requisitions and purchases are restricted to division chairs/unit heads. Budget development is integrated with the program review and APRU process, which ties evaluation of effectiveness to resource allocations (See Section I.B.6).

Currently in its initial review cycle, the 2003-2010 College Mission and Strategic Plan guides the overall planning process at the college, as well as provides policies and procedures for assessment of institutional effectiveness. Now in its second full year of implementation, the college has initiated scheduled, five-year cycles of program reviews, with annual reviews by each program (KCCM 1-6). Using qualitative and quantitative data and following a specific format, all program reviews include self-assessments, goals, action plans, and budgetary needs. Based on these reviews, program budget requests are submitted to the College

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Council, which prioritizes program needs based on defined goals and supporting evidence (Faculty Senate Minutes, and College Council Notes). Recommendations for resource allocations are then submitted from the Council to the Chancellor for final decision making and action. The program review process is an ongoing cycle of continuous self-assessment and planning.

Self Evaluation

The college is in satisfactory fiscal condition. The budget is adequate to meet the current needs of programs. Program review/APRU action plans determine budget priorities and resource allocations. The college has established overall goals, which can be used to assess the effectiveness of initiatives and actions. The Director of Administrative Services and the business office staff carefully monitor expenditures, especially at the end of the spring semester, before the close of the fiscal year.

Planning Agenda

The college will continue to improve the program review process to measure the effectiveness of allocation decisions.

IV.B.2.e. The president works and communicates effectively with the communities served by the institution.

Descriptive Summary

The chancellor serves on numerous boards, executive committees, and community associations. With each organization having its unique mission and goals, the chancellor provides and gathers input concerning the island’s higher educational component. These organizations provide current economic and industry trends which are a valuable source of data that is used for planning the college’s curriculum offerings. Working with diverse external organizations is key to communicating effectively and collectively. The chancellor’s current membership includes:

Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce (chair-elect) Kaua‘i Workforce Investment Board Kaua‘i Economic Development Board Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau Kaua‘i Planning and Action Alliance Kaua‘i Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies Committee Kaua‘i Tourism Strategic Plan Task Force Kaua‘i Community Indicators Project

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Kaua‘i Island Utilities Cooperative Organizing Board Kaua‘i Vision Group KCC Fund Board of Trustees High school advisory boards

Self Evaluation

The college meets the standard. The chancellor’s participation in these various community organizations has a reciprocal effect for the college, in that significant numbers of community members are available to act as resources to our planning processes and operations.

The college uses community planning documents, many of them produced by the committees and task forces on which the chancellor serves, as part of its own planning process. For example, the Kaua‘i Economic Development Plan/Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy plan was a significant resource in strategic planning. A College Conversation in November 2005 brought members of the community to present information about workforce and community needs (Exhibit IV-1: Campus Conversations). Programs benefit from partnering with community resources, e.g., the Electronics department has received numerous grants and equipment donations from industry partners such as Boeing Corporation, the International Testing and Evaluation Association, and other contractors with the Pacific Missile Range Facility.

Planning Agenda

The chancellor will continue to serve an active role in the community and will expand the opportunities for direct communication between faculty and staff and the communities served.

IV.B.3. In multi-college districts or systems the district/system provides primary leadership in setting and communicating expectations of educational excellence and integrity throughout the district/system and assures support for the effective operation of the colleges. It establishes clearly defined roles of authority and responsibility between the colleges and the district/system and acts as the liaison between the colleges and the governing board.

IV.B.3.a. The district/system clearly delineates and communicates the operational responsibilities and functions of the district/system from those of the college and consistently adheres to this delineation in practice.

Descriptive Summary

The University of Hawai‘i Community College (UHCC) System includes the seven community colleges. Colleges are located on the main Hawaiian islands of Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i,

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Maui, and O‘ahu. The islands of Lanai and Molokai are served by Education Centers staffed and operated by Maui Community College. The UHCC Office is located on O‘ahu at a central site independent of the seven colleges. The seven colleges of the system form an interdependent network that is nested within the ten-institution University of Hawai‘i System.

The BOR approved a reorganization of the University of Hawai‘i systemwide administration on June 21, 2005, (BOR Meeting Minutes 6/05) creating the position of Vice President for Community Colleges (VPCC, VPCC Position Description) and outlining the roles and responsibilities of the President of the University of Hawai‘i, the Vice President for Community Colleges, and the community college chancellors (June 2005 Reorganization Functional Statement). Community college chancellors have dual reporting to the President of the University of Hawai‘i System for university systemwide policy making and decisions impacting the campuses and to the Vice President for Community Colleges for leadership and coordinating of community college matters. The dual reporting relationship is designed to preserve BOR actions promoting and facilitating campus autonomy in balance with systemwide academic and administrative functions and operations. The reorganization responded to ACCJC concerns regarding the substantive change in 2002.

The Office of the VPCC functional statement and the position description for the VPCC include descriptions of the executive leadership work of the vice president, who provides primary leadership in setting and communicating expectations of educational excellence and integrity throughout the community college system and assures support for the effective operation of the community colleges with staff support. The functional statement also makes clear that the community college chancellor has full responsibility and authority to implement and administer delegated system policies and is accountable for the operation of the college. The 2005 organization expands the authority and responsibility of the chancellor (e.g. personnel decisions).

Through a series of meetings in Spring 2006, the VPCC, the seven Community College chancellors, and senior staff from the VPCC Office developed and agreed upon a functional roadmap delineating the operational responsibilities and functions of the University of Hawai‘i System offices, the UHCC System Office, the BOR, the State of Hawai‘i, and the colleges.

There also exists a number of UH systemwide committees/workgroups and UHCC systemwide committees/workgroups where discussion, information sharing, and consultation take place to advise/inform/recommend to the chancellors and vice president and the leaders of the system as appropriate.

At the February 2006 BOR meeting and in testimony presented before the Hawai‘i Legislative Higher Education Committee on March 30, 2006, the president outlined his Devolution Initiative, in which the system will work with the campuses to site more resources at the campuses, closer to the students we serve. As part of that initiative, all

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system-level positions and functions are being reviewed, from vice presidents on down, to assess which functions should be conducted at the system level, and which at the campus level (Devolution Initiative). On April 7, 2006, comments to the Council of Chief Academic Officers by the Associate Vice President of Academic Planning and Policy provided an update on the activity to evaluate the roles/functions and number of personnel at the system level in terms of cost-effectiveness, efficiency and consideration of system-versus-campus operations. UH System VPs were asked to review their own units and chancellors were asked to provide feedback to the system about the system VPs responses by early May 2006.

Self Evaluation

The UH System 2005 organization supported by the functional statement of the UH President, the Vice President for Community Colleges and the chancellors are more in line with current ACCJC standards. The 2005 organization is an improvement over the 2002 organization which did not give full responsibility and authority to the college chancellor to provide campus implementation. The Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges allows the community colleges to be heard as one voice rather than seven separate campuses. This one voice creates a united front for community colleges within the University of Hawai‘i System.

What remains to be seen is how the University of Hawai‘i System, the University of Hawai‘i Community College System, and the individual colleges follow the roles and responsibilities outlined in the functional roadmap. As the organization is new, an assessment of its effectiveness has not occurred.

Planning Agenda

The college and the OVPCC will continue to refine the functional responsibilities of the system and make the information public.

IV.B.3.b. The district/system provides effective services that support the colleges in their missions and functions.

Descriptive Summary

The Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges provides centralized support services in the areas of Administrative Affairs and Academic Affairs. The Associate Vice President for Community Colleges Academic Affairs (AVPCCAA) is responsible for providing leadership in internal operational policy making that has an impact on the development and implementation of community college systemwide academic plans, goals, objectives, and assessments. The office provides leadership, assistance, and coordination inthe areas of 1) Academic Support Services, 2) Academic Planning, Assessment, and Policy Analysis, 3) Career and Technical Education, 4) Student Affairs, and 5) Workforce Development (June 2005 Reorganization Functional Statement).

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The Office of the Associate Vice President for Community Colleges Administrative Affairs (AVPCCADA) is responsible for facilitation and coordination in all aspects of administrative affairs for community colleges including budget, human resources, facilities planning and management, and equal opportunity employment/affirmative action. The office provides leadership, assistance, and coordination in the areas of 1) Physical Facilities, Planning and Construction, 2) Budget and Planning, 3), Finance and Operations, 4) Human Resources, and 5) Equal Employment Opportunities/Affirmative Action. The University of Hawai‘i Capital Improvements Projects (CIP) is managed at the system level by the Office of Capital Improvements. The BOR established the Office of Capital Improvements in 2002 to manage major CIP projects on university campuses. Overall community college repair and maintenance and capital improvement are under the AVPCCADA. Colleges have the responsibility for routine maintenance, and health and safety issues. Colleges work with consultants to develop Long Range Development Plans (LRDP) which are used by the system to develop capital improvement plans (June 2005 Reorganization Functional Statement).

The VPCC is codifying best working practices into policy which is posted to the newly created community college website with links to meeting minutes, systemwide initiatives and other resources (UHCC System homepage).

Self Evaluation

The creation of the Office of the VPCC is viewed as a hopeful step in the right direction in terms of creating a system that can effectively provide services to support the Community Colleges in their missions and functions while maintaining the responsibility and accountability for institutional effectiveness and Student Learning Outcomes at the college.

Currently, there are no systematic assessments, other than individual personnel evaluations of administrators, that measure the effectiveness of offices in meeting their functional responsibilities. Findings from the current UH System Devolution Initiative have not yet been made public or acted upon.

Planning Agenda

The college will work with the OVPCC in developing methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the services provided by the UHCC System that support missions and functions at each campus.

IV.B.3.c. The district/system provides fair distribution of resources that are adequate to support the effective operations of the colleges.

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Descriptive Summary

In accordance with state law, the university submits a biennial budget request, program, financial plan, and program performance reports to the governor and legislature for consideration by the legislature when it convenes in regular session in every odd-numbered year. A supplemental budget request to amend any appropriation for the current fiscal biennium may also be submitted to the legislature for approval when it convenes in regular session in even-numbered years. Operating and Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) funds for the university are appropriated by major organizational units (UH Manoa, UH Hilo, UH West O’ahu, UH Community Colleges, Systemwide Support, etc). The statutes governing the State of Hawai‘i budget preparation process are primarily reflected under Hawai‘i Revised Chapter 37 of the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes.

The UHCC System Office coordinates the budget development and request process for the UHCC System, which is viewed as a single unit in the University of Hawai‘i budget. The budget process is grounded in the strategic plans of the University of Hawai‘i System, the UH Community College System, and the individual college strategic plan. The Community College Strategic Planning Council (SPC) is the primary body that assures systemwide participation in the UHCC strategic planning process. The membership of the SPC consists of the chancellor, faculty senate chair, and student government chair from each college, and the vice president and associate vice presidents for the community college. The SPC develops a planning context which identifies system budget request categories/clusters by UHCC Strategic Plan goals and objectives. The Community College Strategic Academic Planning Process is codified in UHCCP 4.101.

The development process of the college budget request is described earlier in the self study (See Standard III D.1.a.). At the UHCC System level, the seven Community College chancellors, with support from the associate vice presidents and their staff, collaboratively review, categorize, and prioritize the individual college budget requests. Although budget details are maintained at the individual college level, the Community College budget is summarized and consolidated at the University of Hawai‘i Community College System level.

All major organizational units participate in the university’s Stocktaking process and present budget proposals to the UH System Biennium Budget Advisory Committee (UH Biennium Budget Committee). The “Stocktaking” process provides periodic status and progress reports on the community colleges planning and budget development process. The VPCC and chancellors give a Stocktaking presentation that is designed to explain how the UHCC System/colleges are aligning their mission and strategic, academic, and budget plans. The presentations were requested to address four questions: How can you better meet state needs? How can you increase student participation and success? How will you know when you have succeeded? How will you fund new initiatives? 2007-2009 presentations are posted at (Stocktaking Presentations). The Biennium Budget Advisory Committee formulates and submits recommendations to the University Executive Budget Committee. The University Executive Budget Committee formulates a draft systemwide budget proposal,

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subject to consultation on a systemwide basis, and then submits a recommended biennium budget proposal to the president for consideration. The president reviews the budget proposal, and then submits the recommended budget proposal to the BOR for final approval. The university’s final BOR-approved budget is presented to the governor and legislature for consideration and approval. At their discretion, the governor and legislature may add budget items to address high-priority areas of concern of the state.

Although position counts and funding are appropriated by the legislature at the university’s major organizational level (Community College System), details on decisions related to individual campus budget requests are provided on legislative worksheets. The practice of the UHCC System has been to appropriate college funds in accordance with Legislative intent. While state general funds provide the most significant funding resource for the colleges, other funding resources (e.g. special funds, revolving funds, extramural funds, UH Foundation, etc.) are also generated and retained by each college.

The VPCC, in consultation with the Council of Community College Chancellors, has begun discussions on how to allocate UHCC System resources based on program review. In the current legislative session, the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges requested funds and positions to directly support accreditation program review/ assessment process at the campuses as well as flexible resources to differentially allocate across the colleges according to the needs identified in the program review process (UHCC Legislative Request Jan 2006). Although the request was only partially funded, it provided resources to consider a limited allocation of resources at the UHCC System level that will be based on a systemwide program review process.

The Vice President for Community Colleges has functional responsibility for providing a fair distribution of resources that are adequate to support the effective operations of the community colleges (June 2005 Reorganization Functional Statement). The vice president’s work is reviewed by the president for results and effectiveness.

Self Evaluation

The UHCC planning and resource allocation process has broad systemwide participation and is grounded in the various levels of strategic planning. While maintaining campus appropriations based on Legislative intent, the UHCC System is considering equitable process and alternatives for the allocation of limited resources based upon program review.

Planning Agenda

The Office of the VPCC, working with the Community Colleges Council of Chancellors, should develop a documented process outlining the allocation of resources based upon the results of each campus’s program reviews.

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IV.B.3.d. The district/system effectively controls its expenditures.

Descriptive Summary

The statutes governing the State of Hawai‘i budget execution process are primarily reflected under Chapter 37 of the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes (Hawai‘i Budget Preparation Statutes). As required by state law, the university implements the budget execution process as provided in the governor’s Budget Execution Policies (available in the Office of the VPCC). While the university is exempt from some of the special requirements set forth in the instructions, the primary fund allocation and control processes are maintained as required. The maintenance of allocations, ceilings, quarterly allotments, Form A-19 approval process, etc., provide appropriate monitoring, controls, and safeguards in the budget executive process.

The Financial Management Information System (FMIS) of the University of Hawai‘i was implemented on July 1, 1996, and provides the basic mechanism to monitor and control the financial resources of the University of Hawai‘i. FMIS assures observance of legal requirements, aids in the exercise of budgetary and management controls, and provides financial information pertaining to the various functions of the university. FMIS is designed to adhere to federal, state, and university requirements, address management information needs, and comply with accounting principles for colleges and universities (Administrative Procedures). The quarterly allotment (Form A-19) is programmed in FMIS to monitor and control campus/fund level. A separate extramural project based module is in place to administer other programs or projects. Other funds (e.g. endowments, agency, bonds, financial aid, etc.) are also maintained and controlled as appropriate under FMIS.

The VPCC has functional responsibility for ensuring that the community college system effectively controls its expenditures (June 2005 Reorganization Functional Statement). The vice president’s work is reviewed by the president for results and effectiveness.

Self Evaluation

The college meets the standard. The financial system and the policies and procedures in place sufficiently ensure that the system controls its expenditures.

Planning Agenda

No action required.

IV.B.3.e. The chancellor gives full responsibility and authority to the presidents of the colleges to implement and administer delegated district/system policies without his/her interference and holds them accountable for the operation of the colleges.

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Descriptive Summary

The 2005 reorganization of the President’s Office, the creation of the Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges, and the realigning of functions established a new organizational infrastructure for the University of Hawai‘i System of community colleges while retaining the integrity of the individually accredited colleges. In the June 2005 presentation to the BOR the president stated, “that the new Vice President for Community Colleges will be responsible for community college-related system policies, resource allocation within the community colleges, and central service and support for the seven community colleges.” When asked who would control the funding at each of the community colleges, the president responded that, “funding would be influenced by the vice president’s decision but campus operations and management would be the responsibility of the chancellors. The decision as to how the money is distributed to each of the campuses ultimately would rest with the university president”(BOR Meeting Minutes 6/05).

Community college chancellors have authority and leadership responsibility for the immediate operation, management, administration, and governance of their campuses within BOR governing and Presidential administrative policy (BOR Policy Chapter 4).

The position description of a chancellor (GE102) gives full responsibility and authority to the chancellor for all administrative and academic matters of the campus (Chancellor Position Description).

The Vice President for Community Colleges has functional responsibility ensuring that community college chancellors have full responsibility and authority to implement and administer delegated system policies without interference and holds the chancellors accountable for the operation of the colleges. The vice president evaluates community college chancellors (June 2005 Reorganization Functional Statement). The vice president’s work is reviewed by the president for results and effectiveness. Self Evaluation

The polices and procedures of the university give full responsibility and authority to the chancellor to implement and administer delegated district/system polices without his/her interference and holds him/her accountable for the operation of the college.

The current (2003) chancellor description (GE102) does not include the dual reporting to the president and VPCC reflecting the June 2005 Reorganization.

Planning Agenda

The college will work with the OVPCC to review and revise the chancellor position description to reflect the dual reporting to the president and VPCC.

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IV.B.3.f. The district/system acts as the liaison between the colleges and the governing board. The district/system and the colleges use effective methods of communication, and they exchange information in a timely manner. Descriptive Summary

The Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges acts as liaison between the community colleges and the BOR (VPCC Position Description and June 2005 Reorganization Functional Statement). The VPCC serves as an Administrative Representative to the BOR Community College Standing Committee. When presentations regarding the community college system are made to the standing committee or to the full BOR, it is the VPCC who speaks for the system (November 2005 and April 2006 BOR Standing Committee minutes, full BOR Meeting Minutes). Items forwarded to the BOR for approval, such as College Strategic Plans and College Self Study are forwarded under the signature of the VPCC. The functional roadmap provides more detail. The VPCC is a member of the President’s Executive Council as well as a member on the ten-campus Council of Chancellors. The VPCC convenes regular meetings of the seven-campus Council of Community College Chancellors (UHCC Council of Chancellors Minutes). In addition, the chief academic officers, chief student affairs officers, administrative affaires officers, and directors of continuing education and training on all campuses meet on a regular basis to work through system collaborations and to share information about campus activities. The Community College Faculty Senate chairs meet regularly with the VPCC and the All Campus Council of Faculty Senate Chairs, which includes representatives from all ten campuses, meet monthly with the UH President and VP for Academic Affairs. Another important system group is the Institutional Research Cadre, which meets monthly and is convened by the UHCC System IR Director.

Self Evaluation

By position description and functional organization, the Office of the VPCC acts as liaison between the community colleges and the BOR. The July 2005 organization is not reflected in all university policies and procedures. The operational mechanisms that are currently in place to facilitate communication are generally working well.

Planning Agenda

The college will work with the OVPCC and the UH System to review and revise written policies and procedures to reflect the 2005 Reorganization.

IV.B.3.g. The district/system regularly evaluates district/system role delineation and governance and decision-making structures and processes to assure their integrity and effectiveness in assisting the colleges in meeting educational goals. The district/system widely communicates the results of these evaluations and uses them as the basis for improvement.

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Descriptive Summary

The newly reorganized community college system is compiling best practices and processes into polices which are posted to the community college website (UHCC Policies). Written policies are aligned with BOR and system executive level polices and provide for regular review and assessment of the policies.

The VPCC and the chancellors have agreed to, and made public, a functional roadmap.One of the system’s first polices (UHCCP 1.102 Community College Council of Faculty Senate Chairs) delineates the role of faculty governance and defines its advisory role to the VPCC.

A draft policy on Strategic Academic Planning (4.101) is under review by the chancellors with final approval by the VPCC expected in June 2006. The policy provides for a process and establishes the community colleges Strategic Planning Council (SPC) as the primary body for assuring systemwide participation in the UHCC strategic planning process. The policy identifies roles and responsibilities and includes the relationship to, and responsibility of, campus academic planning. Self Evaluation

The current system is in the early stages of developing and defining role-delineation and governance and decision-making structures and processes to assure their integrity and effectiveness in meeting educational goals.

The development of systemwide policies, making the policies public, and the provisions for regular review and assessment of the policies are seen as good progress toward meeting the standard.

Planning Agenda

The college and the OVPCC will continue to develop, make public, and regularly review structures, policies, and procedures for improvement.

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Standard IV Resource Documents

ACCJC Letter of 6/28/05Administrative ProceduresAll-College Hour, Exhibit IV-2Amendment to KCCM 1-6 Draft, Exhibit IV-8APRUs and Program Review CalendarAPT EvaluationASUH-KCC Constitution, Exhibit IV-3BORBOR By-Laws, Article XBOR CC CommitteeBOR Meeting MinutesBOR Meeting Minutes 10/18/2002BOR Meeting Minutes 9/2/2004BOR Meeting Minutes 10/22/2004BOR Meeting Minutes 5/19/2005BOR Meeting Minutes 6/05BOR Meeting Minutes Nov 2002 BOR PoliciesBOR Policy Chapter 1BOR Policy Chapter 2BOR Policy Chapter 4BOR Policy Chapter 5BOR Policy Chapter 8-3CAFCAF HandbookCampus Conversations, Exhibit IV-1CampusDocsChancellor Position Descriptionclass schedulesCollege Council NotesConvocation Agenda, Exhibit I-3Devolution InitiativeE and M EvaluationExecutive PoliciesFaculty Morale Survey, Exhibit II-50Faculty Senate CharterFaculty Senate MinutesFunctional RoadmapGoalsHawai‘i Budget Preparation Statutes Hawai‘i Revised Statutes - §304-3 Hawai`i StatutesHawai‘i Revised Statutes - Chapter 37

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http://kauai.hawaii.edu/Accred/Office%20of%20the%20Dean%20of%20Instruction/














http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/bor/regular/minute/20041022.regular.pdf#page=2

http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/bor/regular/minute/20040902.special.pdf


http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/bor/archive/index.php

http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/bor/cc/

http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/bor/policy/bylaws.pdf






http://kauai.hawaii.edu/Accred/ACCJC%20Responses/2005%20Progress%20Report/2005%20Letter%20from%20ACCJC.pdf



Hawai‘i Revised Statutes - Chapter 84HGEA and UPW EvaluationInstitutional EffectivenessJune 2005 President's System Level Reorganization -- Community CollegesJune 2005 Reorganization Functional StatementKaua‘i Community College Audit and Corrective Responses, Exhibit IV-6Kaua‘i Economic Development Plan/Comprehensive Economic Development Strategykauai.hawaii.eduKCC Strategic PlanKCCM 1-6KCCM 1-7, Exhibit II-9KCCMs, Exhibit IV-4Multi-year plan of offerings Position Description Number 80684, Institutional Support, Exhibit IV-9Position Description Number 89102, Chancellor, Kaua‘i Community College, Exhibit IV-7Powers of the BORProgram Review templateSelf Study Survey, Standard IVStocktaking PresentationsSunshine LawTitle III Annual Report, Exhibit IV-5UH Biennium Budget CommitteeUHCC Council of Chancellors MinutesUHCC Legislative Request Jan 2006UHCC PoliciesUHCC Strategic PlanUHCC System homepageUHCCP 1.102 Community College Council of Faculty Senate ChairsUHCCP 4.101VPCC Position DescriptionWorkshops, Exhibit I-22

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http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/cc/index.html



http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eaur/govrel/briefings/2006/uoh800_cc_wam_fin_briefing_011206.pdf

http://www.hawaii.edu/vpaa/system_aa/cccc.html



http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/app/aa/

http://kauai.hawaii.edu/Accred/SelfStudy/Self-study%20archive/Surveys/Std_IV_A1%202-Complete.pdf














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