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WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE

INSTITUTIONAL SELF STUDYREPORT IN SUPPORT OFREAFFIRMATION OF

Submitted by

WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE9000 Overland AvenueCulver City, CA 90230

To

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

FEBRUARY 2006

<#> WLAC SELF STUDY

ACCREDITATION 2006

Date: February 2006

To: Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

From: West Los Angeles College, 9000 Overland Avenue, Culver City, CA 90230

This Institutional Self Study Report is submitted for the purpose of assisting in thedetermination of 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.

WLAC SELF STUDY <#>

CERTIFICATION OF THE INSTITUTIONAL SELF STUDY REPORT

Doris Pichon Givens, Ph.D.Interim President and Chief Executive OfficerWest Los Angeles College

Darroch F. Young, ChancellorLos Angeles Community College District

Sylvia Scott-Hayes, PresidentLos Angeles Community College DistrictBoard of Trustees

Eloise Crippens, PresidentWLAC Academic Senate

Sholeh Khorooshi, Chapter ChairCalifornia Teamsters Public, Professional andMedical Employees Union Local 911

Olga Shewfelt, WLAC Chapter ChairAFT Faculty Guild, Local 1521

Jo-Ann Haywood, WLAC Chapter ChairAFT Staff Guild Local 1521 A

Abel Rodriguez, RepresentativeSupervisory Employees’ Union Local 347

Joel Francis, PresidentAssociated Students Organization

Fran Leonard, ChairAccreditation Self Study Steering Committee

To: Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

From: West Los Angeles College9000 Overland Avenue, Culver City, CA 90230

We certify that West Los Angeles College continues to meet each of the 17 eligibilityrequirements for accreditation as established by the Commission, as enumerated in the August2004 edition of the Accreditation Reference Handbook, p. 6, as evidenced by the self studyhereby submitted. This certification is our assurance that the college continues to be in compliance with the terms and conditions of accreditation.

Signed:

Doris Pichon Givens, Ph.D. DateInterim President and Chief Executive OfficerWest Los Angeles College

Darroch F. Young DateChancellorLos Angeles Community College District

Sylvia Scott-Hayes DatePresidentLACCD Board of Trustees

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CERTIFICATION OF THE INSTITUTIONAL SELF STUDY REPORT

November 28, 2005

November 28, 2005

November 28, 2005

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTIONHistory of the Institution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Demographic Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Student Achievement Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Update on Last Comprehensive Visit Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19West’s Student Learning Outcomes Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Off-Campus Sites and Centers and Distance Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Audits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

THEMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

ABSTRACT OF THE REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

ORGANIZATION OF THE SELF STUDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

ORGANIZATION OF THE INSTITUTIONWest Los Angeles College Functional Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Los Angeles Community College District Management Organization Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59LACCD District Office, District-wide and College Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

RESPONSES TO RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

STANDARD I: INSTITUTIONAL MISSION AND EFFECTIVENESSA. Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105B. Improving Institutional Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

STANDARD II: STUDENT LEARNING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES A. Instructional Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127B. Student Support Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149C. Library and Learning Support Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

STANDARD III: RESOURCES A. Human Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173B. Physical Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185C. Technology Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193D. Financial Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

STANDARD IV: LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE A. Decision-Making Roles and Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213B. Board and Administrative Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

Fran Leonard, Faculty Chair of AccreditationAlice Taylor, Ph.D., Accreditation Liaison Officer

Steering Committee:Vice Presidents: David Follosco, Carey Roth, Paul Stansbury, Ed.D.Chairs of Standards: Eloise Crippens, Cathy Froloff, Fran Leonard, Yvonne Simone, Olga Shewfelt, Lloyd Thomas, Ph.D.

Editors:Doris P. Givens, Ph.D, Interim PresidentBetty Jacobs, Chair, Language Arts DivisionFran Leonard, Vice-Chair, Language Arts DivisionAlice Taylor, Ph.D., Instructor, Humanities

Information Scientist: Edward Pai, Ph.D.

Consultants:Darlene Pacheco, Ph.D.Julie Slark

Graphic Designer:Beverly A. Hall

Special Credit:Nick Dang, Manager, ITMarie Montour, StaffGeneat Walton, Staff

West acknowledges the contributions of time and effort from across the college from the following:

Kehinde Akintunji, Bonnie Blustein, Ph.D., Kabwe Chanda, Isabella Chung,Richard Flowers, Adrienne Foster, Judith-Ann Friedman, Ed.D., Rodney Gaylor, LaVonne Hamilton, Eric Ichon, Jackie Ireland, Ph.D., FranIsrael, Sheila Jeter-Williams, Ulla Lemborn, Christina Misner, Phyllis Morrison, Ph.D., Rod Patterson, Pat Siever, Yvonne Simone, Regina Surabian, Joyce Sweeney, Lloyd Thomas, Ph.D., Rebecca Tillberg, Jocelyn Towler, Ph.D. and all the members of the Standards’ Committees

Our apologies, as well as our gratitude, to those we may have left off this list.

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West Los Angeles Collegeoffers sincere thanks to the following for the production of this self study:

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West Los Angeles College, an urban center oflearning nestled on a bucolic hillside above CulverCity, California, opened its doors in February 1969.Together with its eight sister colleges in the LosAngeles Community College District, West servesone of the most ethnically and racially diverse popu-lations in the United States. According to the 2000United States Census, the 1,585,316 people in the col-lege’s extended service area, defined as the 42 zipcodes within a six-mile radius of the campus, wereidentified as 23 percent African American, 38 percentLatino/Hispanic, 44 percent white, seven percentAsian, one percent American Indian and 18 percentother. The average annual household income was areported $50,034. However, the difference in averagehousehold income between two adjacent zip codes,90056 and 90005, was more than $40,000. The mis-sion of West Los Angeles College is to provide eco-nomically and geographically accessible education inthis myriad of social and economic extremes.

Students may select from a variety of courses andprograms that will prepare them for vocations andtransfer to universities. They may also take coursesfor general interest. The students may earn certifi-cates of completion, skills certificates, associatedegrees and transfer associate degrees.

Leadership recently changed at both the college andthe District level. In the summer of 2000, FrankQuiamboa succeeded Dr. Evelyn Wong as Presidentof West. In August 2005, Dr. Doris Givens wasnamed Interim President succeeding FrankQuiamboa. Dr. Mark Drummond became DistrictChancellor in June 1999, and Peter J. Landsberger,Esq. succeeded him as Interim Chancellor in January2004. Darroch (Rocky) Young succeeded PeterLandsberger in July 2005.

During the first six years of the 21st Century, Westcontinued its transition from temporary to perma-nent buildings. A state-funded Humanities and FineArts building was dedicated in 2000. A ChildDevelopment Center opened its doors to West’syoungest students in 2004.

In 2001, Los Angeles County voters passedProposition A, which directed $1.245 billion in bondsto the nine Los Angeles Community colleges. In2003, the voters passed Proposition AA, providing anadditional $980 million in bonds. West’s share of thefunds will make it possible to construct a math andscience building, a general classroom building, a stu-dent services building and a parking structure, allnow in the design phase. In addition, the track hasbeen renovated to a state-of-the-art facility, and theathletic complex and the library are scheduled forrenovations. The progress of these projects isreviewed in Standard III.B.

The opportunity to rebuild the campus meshed withthe renewed determination to complete an IntegratedMaster Plan in 2003. Interlocked with this was the

HISTORY OF THE INSTITUTION

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codification of our participatory governance struc-tures, discussed in Standard IV. Using Proposition Amoney, West hired a consulting firm to assist the col-lege in writing its Integrated Master Plan, whichenvisages the college growing at four percent peryear, reaching an enrollment of 18,900 students in2022. The Integrated Master Plan is discussed inStandard I.

Our enrollment grew at approximately eight percentannually from 2000 to 2003, but then stalled anddeclined. In December 2002, the college suffered amid-year budget cut and ended the year with a$1,000,000-plus deficit. Since then, we have beenchallenged to reduce expenditures. Concurrently, thecollege has been pressed to meet enrollment targets,since our allocations are based on our enrollment.With careful scrutiny of the budget in 2003-2004, webalanced the budget and met enrollment targets, butin 2004-2005, the college failed on both counts. Inthat fiscal year, California increased student tuitionfrom $18 to $26 per unit, which doubtless con-tributed to the decline in our enrollment. Attemptsto increase enrollment by adding additional academ-ic sessions in the late spring added to our costs, andwe finished the year with a $570,479 deficit. West isexpected to repay its deficits to the District. In Fall2005, West led the District in the increase in enroll-

ment growth, with more than 8,200 students (undu-plicated headcount).

Our successes since 2000 permeate the college. Wehave transferred students to the University ofCalifornia, the University of Southern California,Loyola Marymount University, Harvard, SarahLawrence, Pepperdine University, Historical BlackColleges and Universities, the University of Judaismand California State University. Our nationallyacclaimed Dental Hygiene program has served as aplatform from which to begin to train independentpractitioners in dental hygiene and to develop a newAllied Health program. Our new division ofCinema, Entertainment and Media Arts is not onlyproviding training in these areas, but is also produc-ing the excitement of theater on campus. To bestprepare students for rapidly changing 21st Centurytechnologies, Computer Science established its owndivision, having separated from the BusinessDivision. Our Paralegal program has been approvedby the American Bar Association. West has been therecipient of Title III and Title V grants. In 2005, theFaculty Association of California CommunityColleges named English Professor Fran Leonard itsFaculty Member of the Year while President DorisGivens received the R.C. Ola Brown LeadershipAward from the National Association of UniversityWomen in November 2005.

HISTORY

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WLAC SELF STUDY 10

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WLAC SERVICE AREA BY GENDERSector Male Female Total

Central 177,620 47% 196,621 53% 374,241–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Northwest 130,599 48% 142,796 52% 273,395 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Northeast 242,972 50% 243,526 50% 486,498 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Southwest 57,776 50% 57,899 50% 115,675 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Southeast 160,478 48% 175,029 52% 335,507 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Total 769,445 49% 815,871 51% 1,585,316Source: http://factfinder.census.gov

HouseholdPopulation Households Size

Los Angeles County 9,519,338 3,133,774 3.04––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––City of Los Angeles 3,694,820 1,275,412 2.90––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––West LA Service Area 1,585,316 614,528 2.58Source: West Los Angeles College Data Book 2003

PERCENT OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE

Los Angeles County 72%–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––City of Los Angeles 73%–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––West LA Service Area 76%Source: http://factfinder.census.gov

SERVICE AREA SECTORSPopulation Households Household

Size

Central 374,241 146,918 2.55–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Northwest 273,395 129,276 2.11–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Northeast 486,498 179,877 2.70–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Southwest 115,675 55,158 2.10–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Southeast 335,507 103,299 3.25–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Total 1,585,316 614,528 2.54

Source: West Los Angeles College Data Book 2003

Ring of a radius of 6 miles

West Los Angeles CollegeInstitutional Research

WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE SERVICE AREA

Census 2000: http://factfinder.census.gov

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WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE SERVICE AREA (cont.)

ETHNIC DISTRIBUTION OF WLAC SERVICE AREA POPULATION (CENSUS 2000)

Service Black/ Hawaiian/ Some OtherArea African Asian American Pacific White Race (includes Two or Total

Sector American Indian Islander Hispanic) more races

Central 122,275 33% 30,997 8% 2,297 0.6% 628 0.2% 145,123 39% 54,014 14% 18,907 5% 374,241–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Northeast 90,557 19% 47,276 10% 3,703 0.8% 516 0.1% 192,060 39% 129,600 27% 22,786 5% 486,498–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Northwest 6,707 2% 30,012 11% 823 0.3% 258 0.1% 213,229 78% 11,027 4% 11,339 4% 273,395–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Southeast 140,041 42% 8,450 3% 2,323 0.7% 1,783 0.5% 73,318 22% 95,143 28% 14,449 4% 335,507–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Southwest 10,222 9% 8,076 7% 615 0.5% 318 0.3% 83,677 72% 7,392 6% 5,375 5% 115,675–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Total 369,802 23% 124,811 8% 9,761 0.6% 3,503 0.2% 707,407 45% 297,176 19% 72,856 5% 1,585,316 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

## %% ## %% ## %% ## %% ## %% ## %% ## %%

Note:The Census 2000 total population was comprised of the “One Race” category and the “Two or more races” category. The Census2000 Survey did not provide a category for Hispanics/Latinos to denote their race in comparison with the “One race” population, instead a category called “Some other race” was provided with a place to write in their race. See Census 2000 Briefs at thefollowing site: http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-6.pdf http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-3.pdf.

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WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE FULL-TIME STAFF

FULL-TIME STAFF BY GENDERMale Female

Faculty (n=110) 51% 49%––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––—–––Administrators (n=10) 60% 40%––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––—–––Classified (n=139) 52% 48%––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––—–Total (n=259) 134 125

Source: Extracted from http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds on October 4, 2005.

FULL-TIME STAFF BY ETHNICITY

Asian AmericanBlack Pacific Hispanic White Indian /

Islander Alaskan Total

Fulltime Faculty 24% 8% 6% 61% 1% 110Administrative––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––and Managerial 20% 40% 10% 30% 0% 10––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Classified 39% 15% 19% 27% 0% 138

Source: Extracted from http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds on October 4, 2005.

UNDUPLICATED FIRST CENSUS CREDIT ENROLLMENT

Source: Extracted from http://research.laccd.edu/enrollment-trends/census-credit-enrollment.htm on November 23, 2005.

Source: Fall 2004 data extracted from the DEC (RDB) tables on October 4, 2005 and is subject to changes thereafter.

Note: Decline to state and Unknown categories were omitted.American Indian included in “Other” category.

Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Source: Fall 2004 data extracted from the DEC (RDB) tables on October 4, 2005 and is subject to changes thereafter.Note: Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.College Credit/Non-Credit by Gender

Source: Fall 2004 data extracted from the DEC (RDB) tables on October 4, 2005 and is subject to changes thereafter.Note: Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

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COLLEGE CREDIT/NON-CREDIT BY ETHNICITY

Ethnicity Fall 2002 Fall 2003 Fall 2004

Asian 7% 8% 7%–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Black, African-American 49% 47% 46%–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Filipino/Pacific Islander 2% 2% 2%–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Hispanic 25% 26% 29%–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Other Non-white 3% 3% 3%–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––White 14% 13% 12%

COLLEGE CREDIT/NON-CREDIT BY AGE

Age Group Fall 2002 Fall 2003 Fall 2004

19 and below 1% 2% 8%––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––20 - 24 28% 36% 38%––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––25 - 34 36% 32% 29%––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––35 - 54 29% 25% 21%––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––55 % over 5% 5% 5%

Fall 1999 6,927————————————————Fall 2000 7,499————————————————Fall 2001 8,313————————————————Fall 2002 9,718————————————————Fall 2003 9,804————————————————Fall 2004 8,305

Gender Fall 2002 Fall 2003 Fall 2004

Male 37% 36% 36%——————————————————————Female 63% 64% 64%

WLAC ENROLLMENT TRENDS AND STUDENT CHARACTERITICS

ASSOCIATE DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES AWARDED

1999-2000 to 2003–2004

Associate Degrees Certificates

1998-1999 296 174—————————————————————1999-2000 288 165—————————————————————2000-2001 274 181—————————————————————2001-2002 235 310—————————————————————2002-2003 302 300—————————————————————2003-2004 342 292

Source:

Extracted fromhttp://misweb.cccco.edu/mis/onlinestat/awards.cfm on April 15, 2005.

RETENTION RATES

Fall 2000 – Fall 2004———————————————————————

Retention# Retained # Enrolled Rates

Fall 2000 15,952 19,287 83%————————————————————Fall 2001 20,275 23,843 85%————————————————————Fall 2002 18,509 22,266 83%————————————————————Fall 2003 18,900 22,709 83%————————————————————Fall 2004 15,965 19,378 82%

Note: Numbers represent duplicated enrollmentSource: Fall 2004 data extracted from the DEC (RDB) tables on October 4, 2005 and is subject to changes thereafter.Retention Definition:Student is retained (completed) in the course to the end of term with grade notation of: A, B, C, D, F, P, N, I.Retention Rate Formula:Number of students with A, B, C, D, F, P, N, I / Number of students with A, B, C, D, F, P, N, W, I.Note:Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

TRANSFERS TO UC AND CSU SYSTEMS

1999-2000 to 2003–2004

UC CSU

1999-2000 30 213—————————————————————2000-2001 28 204—————————————————————2001-2002 30 192—————————————————————2002-2003 44 168—————————————————————2003-2004 42 174

Source: Extracted from http://www.cpec.ca.gov/OnLineData/TransferPathwayChart on November 3, 2005.

COURSE SUCCESS RATES

Fall 2001 – Fall 2004

Success Rate Non-Success (A, B, C, P) (D, F, N, W)

Fall 2001 65% 36%————————————————————Fall 2002 66% 34%————————————————————Fall 2003 63% 37%————————————————————Fall 2004 63% 37%

Source: Extracted from http://research.laccd.edu/institutional-performance/documents/grade-distribution.xls Success Definition:Student succeeds in the course with grade notation of: A, B, C, P.Success Rate Formula:Number of students with A, B, C, P / Number of students with A, B, C D, F, P, N, W.Note: Small numbers of Incompletes and In-Progress grades are excluded from the calculation. Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT DATA

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BASIC SKILLS COURSE COMPLETION RATES

Fall 2001 – Fall 2004

Success Non-Success (A, B, C, P) (D, F, N, I)

Fall 2001 61% 39%——————————————————————Fall 2002 68% 32%——————————————————————Fall 2003 64% 36%——————————————————————Fall 2004 63% 37%

Source: Fall 2004 data extracted from the DEC (RDB) tables on November 14, 2005 and is subject to changes thereafter.

PERSISTENCE

Fall 2001 – Fall 2005

Fall to Spring Percent Reenrolling(Continuing Students)

Fall 00 to Spring 01 65%——————————————————————Fall 01 to Spring 02 36%——————————————————————Fall 02 to Spring 03 55%——————————————————————Fall 03 to Spring 04 59%——————————————————————Fall 04 to Spring 05 68%

Source: Extracted from http://albacore/laccd.edu/info_tech/reportsnstatistics on November 14, 2005.Note: Students enrolling in Spring who were enrolled in the previous Fall semester (continuing students).

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT DATA

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Key overarching recommendation 1 of the March2000 evaluation team:

The College should complete the master planning process assuring that program review, educational master planning, finacial planning and facilities planning are integrated.

In 2003, West formally adopted its Integrated MasterPlan, consisting of an Educational Plan, a FacilitiesPlan and an Information Technology Plan. TheIntegrated Master Plan identifies broad goals andstrategies in support of our educational mission,including a detailed plan for the build-out of thecampus now underway. It lays out a planning andbudget cycle, including annual program review,which the college has worked with since 2002, mak-ing incremental improvements with each annualcycle.

Key overarching recommendation 2 of the March2000 evaluation team:

The College should create a functioning structure for participatory governance.

With the signing of Shared Governance Agreementsin the spring of 2000, West completed the difficultand time-consuming task of reaching a formal con-sensus on its participatory governance structure. Wehave used these agreements, altering them as we rec-ognized the need. The Academic Senate led inrewriting the five agreements in a formal and delib-erative process extending from December 2002 toJune 2004. In the summer of 2005, an ad hoc collegecommittee revised the keystone agreement changingthe College Coordinating Committee, a bodydesigned for communication among constituenciesand the president, into the College Council, a morepowerful body charged with advising the president.This revision was accepted by the constituencies andthe president in Fall 2005.

Other recommendations of the March 2000 evalua-tion team:

The College should integrate research and evaluation of data into the various planning processes, and include a greater focus on outcomes, particularly with respect to persistence, transfer, occupational placement,and other measures.

Our annual planning cycle starts with the annualprogram review and unit planning process, whichwe have incrementally adjusted to focus more andmore on the evaluation of data and the measurementof outcomes. Moving from a six-year cycle to aannual program review, combining program reviewand unit planning, placing the relevant data withinthe instruments provided to chairs and managers,and creating a data stream between unit budgets andthe college budget are crucial steps we have taken tointegrate research and data evaluation into our unitplanning process. We have also begun a six-yearcomprehensive program review cycle, and theAcademic Senate has drafted a process to assess pro-gram viability. Key in all of these procedures is theanalysis of measures of student success such as per-sistence and transfer.

The College should develop and evaluate strategies to ensure the communication, use, and integration of existing and planned research and evaluation throughout the college community. This will further college efforts to develop a process where decisions are based on a culture of evidence.

The college has formed the Office of InstitutionalEffectiveness (OIE) to further integrate planning andresearch into the operation of the campus. OIEapplies the products of planning and research toincrease the effectiveness of the organization, reach-ing across institutional boundaries to create the effi-ciencies necessary to operate in an environment oflimited resources. The effectiveness of the college isto be measured by student success. Thus, assessingstudent learning outcomes is a key component ofOIE’s mission.

It is recommended that the college develop a plan for effective integration and coordina-tion of basic skills offerings in mathematics, English, and learning skills to meet the needsof under prepared students, improve retent-ion, and allow students to progress through the curriculum and achieve their educational goals.

The college has obtained two large federal grantsunder Title III and Title V to address changes neededto serve underprepared students. We have expandedtutoring, provided computer-assisted instruction tosupport math and English courses and linked basicskills classes with personal development classes.

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UPDATE ON LAST COMPREHENSIVE VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS

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UPDATE ON LAST COMPREHENSIVE VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS

In the absence of a student union or cafeteria,the college should provide appropriate space for students to interact and enjoy a sense of community.

New bond monies will pay for the construction of astudent services building including space for bothformal and informal student activities. The tempo-rary building used for the Associated StudentsOrganization has been refurbished and forms oneside of a courtyard with shaded seating, a food truckand vending machines.

The College should improve the coordinationof counseling services to better serve students in a timely and effective manner.

Orientation is now offered as part of the assessmentprocess. A new computer system in Student Servicesallows students to schedule their own appointmentsand provides data on student use of services. TheCounseling Division is using this data to develop itsstaffing plans.

The College should take the steps necessary to ensure the currency of the library collec-tion and other learning resources.

The addition of an e-book collection and other elec-tronic sources has updated our library. Librarianscollect data to identify developing needs and pur-chase new materials on a rotation which ensures thatdifferent fields receive particular attention each year.

The College should improve faculty participation on college committees and otherforms of wider service to the institution.

New language in the faculty contract makes it clearthat each faculty member must serve on at least onecollege committee, and chairs should consider serv-ice to the college in faculty evaluations.

Regular evaluation of all staff should be monitored and documented.

Each vice president’s division has systems to trackemployee evaluations. Please see Standard III.A.1.b.

An appropriate level of custodial services and physical plant maintenance should be identified and addressed.

Plant Facilities uses the unit planning process toidentify and schedule maintenance.

The governing board should undertake an evaluation of its practices and policies.

The Los Angeles Community College District Boardof Trustees conducted an ACCJC self study in 2000and now evaluates itself at annual retreats.

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WLAC SELF STUDY 22

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After a three-year process of conferences, commit-tee meetings, staff development workshops, andmuch discussion and revision, West has developedthe following institutional learning outcomes:

A. Critical Thinking: Analyze problems by differentiating fact from opinions, using evidence, and using sound reasoning to specify multiple solutions and their consequences.

B. Communication: Effectively communicate thought in a clear, well-organized manner to persuade, inform and convey ideas in academic, work, family and community settings.

C. Quantitative Reasoning: Identify, analyze and solve problems that are quantitative in nature.

D. Self-awareness/Interpersonal Skills: Apply self-assessment and reflection strategiesto interpersonal, work, community, career and educational pathways.

E. Civic Responsibility: Apply the principles of civility to situations in the contexts of work,family, community and the global world.

F. Technical Competence: Utilize the appropriatetechnology effectively for informational, academic, personal and professional needs.

G. Cultural Diversity: Respectfully engage with other cultures in an effort to understand them.

H. Ethics: Practice and demonstrate standards of personal and professional integrity, honesty and fairness; apply ethical principles in submission of all college work.

I. Aesthetics: Use multiple modes of inquiry and approaches to experience and engage with the arts and nature; develop and express personal creative visions through out all aspects of one's life.

Our goal in designing these SLOs is to improve thecollege’s effectiveness by aligning course skills andobjectives with relevant assessment in order to helpstudents reach these stated measurable outcomes.

Here is a brief timeline of West’s SLO planning andimplementation process:

• November 13, 2002 - West faculty and administra-tors attend a Student Learning Outcomes Workshop, led by the Research and Planning Group (RP Group).

• Spring 2003 - West forms its SLO Committee, which drafts nine institutional outcomes.

• October 24, 2003 -West faculty and administratorsattend a Student Learning Outcomes Workshop atLA City College led by Dr. Mary Allen from CSU.

• September 17, 2004 - West faculty and administra-tors attend a Workshop on Assessment of SLOs atHarbor College led by Dr. Mary Allen from CSU.

• October 22-24, 2004 - West faculty and administrators attend American Association for Higher Education Conference on SLOs.

• November 2004 - West’s SLO Committee drafts institutional SLOs.

• December 9, 2004 - West’s Academic Senate adopts these nine SLOs as a “working model.”

• June 10, 2005 - U.S. Department of Education approves West’s request to add an objective dealing with SLOs to its current Title V grant.

• July 14-15, 2005 - Professor Don Prickel from Oregon State University leads SLO workshop for 16 faculty representing all A-F graduation requirements, including English, math, art, music, chemistry, psychology, anthropology and administration of justice.

• October 27-28, 2005 - Don Prickel leads an SLO workshop for another 10 faculty from history, counseling, humanities and computer science.

• November 8, 2005 - West’s Academic Senate approves the nine institutional outcomes.

• Spring 2006 - Divisions will select and take responsibility for appropriate institutional SLOs according to the A-F graduation areas.

WEST’S STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES STORY

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES COMMITTEE WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE

WLAC SELF STUDY 24

• Fall 2007 - Division faculty develop and pilot-test assessment tasks - papers, performances, presen-tations - as appropriate in each graduation area. Interdisciplinary teams evaluate these assessmentproducts. This team’s report becomes part of the division’s program review document.

• Spring 2008 through Fall 2010 - Using Title V and other college funds, West supports continuedworkshops - in classroom-based assessment, student learning styles and out-comes-based assessment - to assist faculty in systematically improving the college learning environment through its focus on SLOs.

WEST’S SLO DIALOGUE BEGINS

In response to national and state conferences, reportsfrom the state and District Academic Senate andResearch and Planning Group and changes inaccreditation standards, West became activelyengaged in concerted efforts to develop studentlearning outcomes since 2002 through a variety ofactivities including workshops, conferences andmeetings. Initially, staff attended workshops spon-sored by the state’s Research and Planning Group onan individual basis to become knowledgeable aboutstudent learning outcomes. (Student LearningOutcomes Workshop, November 13, 2002, PasadenaHilton Hotel)

DR. MARY ALLEN FROM CSU

Subsequently, faculty, staff and students attended aworkshop on the new accreditation standards, whichincluded the concept of student learning outcomes(Accreditation Workshop on New Standards). Thisworkshop generated extensive discussion and amajor issue for the Accreditation Steering Committeethat was formed. As part of a district-wide effort tobecome knowledgeable about student learning out-comes, West Los Angeles College personnel attendeda workshop at Los Angeles City College (AssessmentWorkshop/ Student Learning Outcomes Workshopat Los Angeles City College October 24, 2003). Theworkshop, led by Dr. Mary Allen from the CaliforniaState University system, focused primarily on assess-ment of outcomes.

As a result of mutual need for a better understand-ing of student learning outcomes, about 20 partici-pants from West attended a workshop held at Los

Angeles Harbor College on September 17, 2004,again led by Dr. Mary Allen. This workshopaddressed some of the same topics relating to assess-ment discussed at the City College workshop, but italso addressed the development of outcomes morethoroughly. This work session engaged participantsin the initial drafting of SLOs.

LACCD AND ACADEMIC SENATE SUPPORT

Around the same time, the District Academic Senatesponsored a workshop on student learning outcomesat its annual retreat led by LACCD Associate ViceChancellor John Clerx and Chair of the DistrictCurriculum Committee Beverly Shue, which provid-ed more information on the development of learningoutcomes. As a result, the college community wasgaining greater understanding of student learningoutcomes and assessment on institutional, programand course levels.

AAHE AND WASC GUIDANCE

The workshops and previous efforts helped the col-lege community to understand the concepts, but acomprehensive approach to the articulation of thestudent learning outcomes at the institution, pro-gram and course levels needed to be developed. Toaddress this need for articulation at all levels, a coreteam of the West’s Accreditation Steering Committeerepresented by the Academic Senate, AcademicAffairs Office, Student Services, AdministrativeServices and Planning participated in a two and one-half day conference sponsored by the WesternAssociation of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and theAmerican Association for Higher Education (AAHE).The thrust of this workshop was developing process-es and mechanisms to assure improvement in stu-dent learning. A draft of institutional outcomes andan action plan for all levels were developed by thecore team.

COLLEGE PROGRESS ON SLOS

The Accreditation Steering Committee formed anSLO Committee, which has been meeting sinceSpring 2003. It spearheaded the action plan to adoptinstitutional learning outcomes, and, as a result,institutional learning outcomes were presented to theCollege Coordinating Council, the College PlanningCommittee and the Academic Senate for adoption asa working model. This model would be used in thedevelopment of program and course outcomes as the


units went through the planning cycle for the col-lege. As the college community’s awareness height-ened, modifications that needed to be made to theinstitutional learning outcomes as they went throughthe planning cycle were to be submitted for consider-ation in revising the learning outcomes. By Fall2004, the college had adopted the nine SLOs present-ed at the beginning of this document.

The SLO Committee developed forms that wouldhelp the programs to articulate program outcomes.To test their effectiveness, these forms were complet-ed for English and Dental Hygiene by the chair ofLanguage Arts and the chair of Dental Hygiene, bothof whom are members of the SLO Committee. Afterseveral revisions, the forms were provided to theunits for use in development of program outcomes.Consensus is that all units would develop programoutcomes for at least one discipline or activity withintheir area this year.

RUTH STIEHL’S OUTCOMES PRIMER

As more information became available from theLeague of Innovation and the Research and PlanningGroup, material was provided to the college commu-nity at Divisional Council meetings to assist in thedevelopment of the learning outcomes. Instructionaldivision chairs received Ruth Stiehl’s Outcomes Primerand Mapping Primer. Information about the develop-ment of outcomes was discussed and shared at everyDivisional Council meeting. The Student ServicesDivision developed learning outcomes for its units.

INCREASED STAFF DEVELOPMENT THROUGH

TITLE V GRANT SUPPORT

In the spring of 2005, in order to fund the staff devel-opment activities necessary to design and implementSLOs at the college, the vice president of AcademicAffairs and the Title V director asked the U.S.Department of Education to approve West’s requestto add a yearly objective about SLOs, program out-comes and classroom-based assessment to its currentTitle V grant—2005-2009. On June 10, 2005, thisrequest was granted.

On July 14-15, 2005, the college used the newly avail-able Title V grant funds to provide a SLO workshopfor 16 faculty members, who met with Professor DonPrickel from Oregon State University (who was rec-ommended to us by Ruth Stiehl) to write program

outcomes for administration of justice, anthropology,art, dental hygiene, chemistry, library science, music,mathematics, psychology, English and ESL. Thesefaculty revised the nine institutional outcomes aswell.

Don Prickel returned on October 27-28 to work withanother group of 10 faculty to design program out-comes for counseling, computer science, history andhumanities. These faculty again fine-tuned the insti-tutional outcomes for presentation to the AcademicSenate in early November and worked to align thecollege outcomes with their own courses.

SLOs are also a part of the annual program reviewand unit planning document used by academic divi-sions, Student and Administrative

Services and the President’s Office in their annualself study evaluations, which lead into planning forthe upcoming year. As West continues to providestaff development for its faculty, we will engage inan on-going cycle of design, implementation, pilot-testing, assessment and modification in order tostrengthen the college learning environment.

ALIGNMENT OF INSTITUTIONAL SLOS WITH

COURSES AND GRADUATION AREAS

Future plans include continued workshops to helpfaculty align course objectives and assessment taskswith program and institutional SLOs, as well asincorporating appropriate program and institutionalSLOs in all updated course outlines. Don Prickelwill return to West on April 27-28, 2006, to work onprogram outcomes with another set of faculty.

West’s goal is that each of the approximately 20courses a student takes in earning an AssociateDegree would help the student achieve one or moreof its related program outcomes (biology outcomesfor biology majors or liberal studies outcomes for lib-eral studies majors) as well as one or more of theinstitutional outcomes. Furthermore, this programoutcome would be assessed in a meaningful, meas-urable way by a research paper, project or presenta-tion.

In Spring 2006, we plan to work with each divisionand the Academic Senate to select institutional SLOsappropriate to each division according to the A-Fgraduation areas—A. Natural Sciences, B. Social andBehavioral Sciences, C. Humanities, D. Language

25 WLAC SELF STUDY


WLAC SELF STUDY 26


and Rationality, E. Health and Physical Education,and F. Mathematics 115 or 117-118--as well as Student Services. There will be considerable overlap,since all courses taken for an Associate Degree mustcontain institutional SLO A, “Critical Thinking.” Thechallenge will be to make sure that more difficultSLOs such as “Ethics” and “Aesthetics” are not over-looked.

PILOT TESTING OF ASSESSMENT TASKS

In Fall 2007, we will conduct workshops to help fac-ulty develop and pilot test assessment tasks—papers,performances, presentations—as appropriate in eachgraduation area.

Below is sample grid to illustrate how courses withineach Associate Degree graduation area (in Plan A) along with Student Services mightbe used to assess the college’s institutional outcomes:

Critical Thinking X X X X X X––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Communication X X––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Quantitative Reasoning X X X––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Self-Awareness X X X X––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Civic Responsibility X X––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Technical Competence X X––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Cultural Diversity X X X X––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Ethics X X X––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Aesthetics X X––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––This type of a grid could also be done using actual courses from each graduation area.

A. NaturalSciences 3units

B. Social andBehavioralSciences 9units

C.Humanities 3 units

D. Language andRationality(English,Math,ComputerScience, 12units

E. Health andPE 3 units

F.Mathematics115 or higher (3 units)

StudentServices,ASO,Counseling,Tutoring

27 WLAC SELF STUDY


Psych Psych Psych Psych Psych Outcome 1 Outcome 2 Outcome 3 Outcome 4 Outcome 5

Critical Thinking X X X–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Communication X–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Quantitative Reasoning–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Self-Awareness X–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Civic Responsibility–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Technical Competence–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Cultural Diversity X X X–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Ethics X–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Aesthetics

Psychology Program Outcomes:

1. Practice and demonstrate skills and knowledge regarding ethics and professionalism in treatmentand research.

2. Address social, behavioral, historical and culturalissues in treating and dealing with individuals and their adjustment in the workplace, family, community and the global world.

3. Apply critical thinking to investigate and interpret influences of heredity and environment in assessment, counseling, therapy and research.

4. Demonstrate and apply knowledge of biological issues as a major factor in psychology.

5. Read, evaluate and incorporate knowledge of research in assessment of new and old informa-tion in the field.

Since all college courses will cover several, if not all,institutional SLOs, the challenge will be to focus onone or two crucial SLOs that will be assessed by eachdivision. For students fully to achieve these SLOs,they would need the multiple opportunities provid-ed by several different classes focusing on the sameSLO in slightly different ways. In their annual pro-gram reviews, divisions will be expected to report ontheir success in helping students achieve.

An added benefit would be that outcome and pro-gram alignment enable students simultaneously tomeet institutional and program outcomes. Forinstance, students in Psychology 1, who wereassessed to see whether they met psychology pro-gram outcome # 1, “Practice and demonstrate skillsand knowledge regarding ethics and professionalismin treatment and research,” would also be meetingthe college institutional outcome, “Ethics.”

WLAC SELF STUDY 28


INTERDISCIPLINARY DIALOGUE

West’s goal is to increase the amount of communica-tion, trust and interdependence among divisions asthey engage in the SLO alignment and assessmentprocess. For example, Social and Behavioral Sciencefaculty will realize they cannot reach their assignedoutcomes unless their students have strong commu-nication and composition skills acquired across thecurriculum. We will encourage the formation of

interdisciplinary teams to help each division evaluate the success of its SLO efforts by monitoring theassessment products--papers, presentations and proj-ects--created by students in the achievement of theinstitutional SLOs. This evaluation will become partof the division’s program review and the basis for itsunit plan as it continually strives to improve the col-lege learning environment.

1. Student Learning Outcomes Workshop, November 13, 2002 Pasadena Hilton Hotel

2. Accreditation Workshop on New Standards 3. Assessment Workshop/Student Learning Outcomes Workshop at Los Angeles

City College October 24, 20034. “Seaside Colleges’ Student Learning Outcomes Workshop September 17, 2004,

at Los Angeles Harbor College5. AAHE “Assuring Improvement in Student Learning” Workshop October 22-24

in Glendale6. Seaside Accreditation Meetings7. Academic Senate Workshop on “Developing Student Learning Outcomes for

Programs” September, 2004, Marina Del Rey8. Development by Language Arts and Dental Hygiene of sample SLOs9. Distribution of literature on Student Learning Outcomes at Divisional Council

including the Outcomes Primer and the Mapping Primer by Ruth Stiehl and Les Lewchuk

10. Distribution of website by Janet Fulks on Assessment and SLOs11. Development by Divisions of SLOs12. Workshops by Don Prickel for Program Student Learning Outcomes

July 14 –15, 2005 and October 27-28, 2005.13. Student Learning Outcomes Committee meetings14. Program Review and Unit Planning instrument

RREEFFEERREENNCCEE MMAATTEERRIIAALL

29 WLAC SELF STUDY

WLAC SELF STUDY 30

31 WLAC SELF STUDY

OFF-CAMPUS SITES AND CENTERS AND DISTANCE LEARNING

West Los Angeles College has a single off-campuscenter, the Airport Center where West offers limitedart classes as part of the Hollywood CinemaProduction Resources training program. In addition,West offers credit classes at the Beverly Hills PublicLibrary and at Cedars Sinai Hospital. All classes areopen to any students, but these classes primarilyattract Beverly Hills city employees and employeesof Cedars Sinai. We offer non-credit classes at theCulver City Senior Center.

DISTANCE LEARNING

West offered its first distance learning courses viavideoconferencing in Fall 1999. Initial offeringsincluded courses in library science, music andSpanish. In Spring 2000, in addition to offeringHumanities 30 and Music 111 via videoconferencing,we offered our first online course, English 101. TheDistance Learning Program quickly expanded andWest now offers 100 online courses in accounting,administration of justice, art, business, computer sci-ence and information technology, dental hygiene,economics, English, ESL, fire technology, health, his-tory, humanities, Jewish Studies, law, learning skills,

library and information science, multimedia, math,music, personal development, political science, psy-chology, Spanish, speech communications, theaterand travel. Enrollments have grown significantlyover the last three years to over 2000 (duplicatedhead-count).

A Dean of Academic Affairs supervises the DistanceLearning Program. Distance Learning Program staffconsists of a part-time faculty coordinator, and twopart-time student workers.

The Distance Education Committee was establishedin 1999 to make recommendations to the AcademicSenate regarding distance education, to reviewadministrative procedures related to distance learn-ing and to evaluate new educational technologies,online course management systems and related top-ics. The committee also serves as a resource forinstructors and classified staff interested in distancelearning.

Online courses undergo a rigorous curriculumapproval process requiring a Distance EducationAddendum in addition to the comprehensive courseoutline. Instructors must complete specialized train-ing prior to teaching online.

WLAC SELF STUDY 32

Initially, online course development was driven byinstructor interests. As our online program matures,online course development is determined byDepartment or Divisional objectives, usually relevantto degree/transfer requirements. Academic Divisionchairs or their designees are responsible for schedul-ing online classes as well as hiring and evaluatingonline instructors.

Online students have access to an online orientationand technical assistance, which is provided 24/7online, via e-mail, by phone and on-campus. TheChancellor’s Office Fall 2004 survey of WLAC onlinestudents documents a high level of satisfaction withtheir online classes. According to survey results 90percent of our online students agree or stronglyagree that they would take another distance educa-tion course; 92 percent agree or strongly agree thatcommunity colleges should offer more distance

learning courses; 82 percent indicated that they weresatisfied or very satisfied with their own success inthe course, and 81 percent were satisfied or very sat-isfied with the extent to which courses helped themachieve academic/vocational goals. Sixty-three per-cent of the students responded that they agreed orstrongly agreed that the distance education coursewas more academically demanding than a typicalon-campus course, and the same percentage indicat-ed that the distance education course demandedmore time for lessons, activities and homework thana typical on-campus class. Seventy-four percentfound the method of instruction for distance educa-tion courses made the course more interesting.

Based on enrollment at census date and course com-pletion statistics from the College Research andPlanning Department, the overall retention rate forFall 2004 online students was 82 percent.

OFF-CAMPUS SITES AND CENTERS AND DISTANCE LEARNING

33 WLAC SELF STUDY

WLAC SELF STUDY 34

35 WLAC SELF STUDY

AUDITS

The Los Angeles Community College District

“Report on Audited Basic Financial Statements”

dated June 30, 2004 prepared by KPMG, LLP

reported that the “District complied, in all material

respect” with accepted accounting principles, state

compliance requirements and federal program

requirements. A copy is available in the team

room.

WLAC SELF STUDY 36

37 WLAC SELF STUDY

The college mission statement

“. . . to serve the students and the community by providing quality instructional and support services…”

guides West’s institutional actions. West’s commit-ment to our mission is demonstrated by four keyaccomplishments during the past six-year accredita-tion cycle.

1. INTEGRATED MASTER PLAN

As evidence of Institutional Commitment, West hasa fully completed Integrated Master Plan, consistingof an Educational Master Plan, a Facilities Plan andan Information Technology Plan. Designed in collab-oration with Moore, Iacofano, Goltsman, Inc., theIntegrated Master Plan guides West’s fulfillment ofits mission in a number of ways.

The Integrated Master Plan represents a process forbroad-based planning, sets measurable goals andprovides ways to decide among those goals. Italigns budget and planning and includes a frame-work for it own modification.

Broad-based planning begins with the annualLeadership Retreat, followed by program review andunit planning, which leads to vice presidents’ anddivisional review of unit plans including budget allo-cations. Next, these plans are submitted to thePlanning Committee, after which the PlanningCommittee meets jointly with the BudgetCommittee, followed by time for constituencygroups’ review of budget priorities. Then the plansgo to the President, who makes the final decisions.

West’s current $2.4 million Title V grant grew out ofour efforts to implement five key strategic goalsidentified in the Integrated Master Plan:

• S-1 Assess and orient every student to developcareer goals and educational plans

• S-2 Implement a first-year success program • S-3 Emphasize early math and English • S-4 Provide supplemental academic

enrichment activities • S-6 Increase support for the integration of

technology in the classroom

The Title V grant was designed to promote successfor both basic skills and general education students.It provides linked sets of academic and supportclasses, so that a cohort of students, with academic,counseling and technology support, successfullymoves through the educational pipeline towardstheir goals, starting with the basic skills curriculumand moving upward with each successive year of thegrant. And while the prior $1.7 million Title III grantwas received before completion of the IntegratedMaster Plan, its focus on revitalizing the LearningCenter, providing a Teaching Learning Center forfaculty and increased technology training for facultyalso dovetailed with the Integrated Master Plangoals. As further evidence of Evaluation, Planningand Improvement, when the college realized it need-ed more resources to design and implement studentlearning outcomes, the grant director asked for andreceived the U. S. Department of Education’s permis-sion to add a yearly objective about SLOs to West’sTitle V grant plan and program.

2. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Evidence of Dialogue, Integrity as well as Evalua-tion, Planning and Improvement is represented bythe adoption of nine institutional SLOs by theAcademic Senate on November 9, 2005, after twoproductive years of meetings and workshops. In thepast six months, 36 West faculty from a broad spec-trum of disciplines, including administration of jus-tice, mathematics, English, anthropology, humanitiesand fine arts, have attended intensive day-and-a-halfworkshops, which helped them write program out-comes and revise the college outcomes. This showsWest’s willingness to translate its academic inten-tions into outcomes related to the world beyond theclassroom. The SLOs will guide faculty as theyrevise curriculum and develop more robust assess-ment techniques. The nine institutional outcomeswill provide us with a better sense of how to fulfillthe promises of the mission statement. The fullaccount of West’s work with outcomes is told in“West’s Student Learning Outcomes Story” in theintroduction to this self study and in Standard II.

THEMES

WLAC SELF STUDY 38

3. THE PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE PROCESS

Through its annual Leadership Retreats, the collegehas fine-tuned its Organizational Structure andresponded to the need for change and efficiency.These retreats focus on the mission statement andthe Integrated Master Plan. The annual planningand budgeting cycle intends to link planning andbudgeting through collaboration, cross-divisionalreview and constituency review.

Working under the aegis of the newly approvedCollege Council, the College Planning and BudgetCommittees focus on implementing the IntegratedMaster Plan through a progression of college-wideand unit processes.

Conceived and informally agreed upon at the June2005 Leadership Retreat and formally approved bythe college in November 2005, the newly approvedCollege Council will provide centralized coordina-tion of all these efforts. The College Council is theresult of this continued Dialogue demonstrating thatWest’s participatory governance process promotesvital change to its Organization as well as showingWest can review and modify all parts of its planningcycle. We adopted a governance structure, grew torealize it was inefficient, and through our institution-al processes, created a better structure.

A reliable core of concerned faculty engage in con-structive Dialogue about all important college issueson a wide array of committees, including theAcademic Senate, the Curriculum Committee, theSLO Committee, the Basic Skills Task Force,Divisional Council, the Faculty PositionIdentification and Prioritization Committee, theWork Environment and the Technology Committees.

4. PROGRAM REVIEW AND UNIT PLANNING

The well-developed and effective annual programreview and unit planning cycle assures the close fitbetween intention and action, allowing divisions andall areas of the college to review data, renew theirfocus on the mission statement and student success,as well as giving divisions the flexibility to remedyany problems and launch new initiatives based ondemographic data as well as faculty and studentinput. We streamlined our process by merging pro-gram review with unit planning. We have also

reinstituted comprehensive program review alongwith a standing evaluation committee for specificacademic and college divisions. An active programreview process is also evidence of West’s commit-ment to Evaluation, Planning and Improvement. In addition, West has been awarded two large feder-al grants, a $1.7 million Title III grant (1999-2004) anda $2.4 million Title V grant (2004-2009). More recent-ly we have received a $3.5 million Title V Co-opera-tive grant, which also works through the programreview process, making sure that grant objectivesalign with the Educational Master Plan focus on stu-dent achievement.

These four accomplishments show West’s successfulmelding of all six themes in numerous, overlappingways.

• Institutional commitment to student learning through the Integrated Master Plan and institutional SLOs.

• Evaluation, planning and improvement by means of the Integrated Master Plan, program review and participatory governance.

• The development and implementation of SLOsthrough sustained professional development and dedicated grant support.

• Dialogue among all constituencies supported by a wide variety of functioning committees, professional development workshops and participatory governance.

• Organizational support and institutional integrity provided by the College Council and the participatory governance process.

THEMES

39 WLAC SELF STUDY

STANDARD I.A. MISSION

West is committed to fulfilling its mission statement“to serve the students and community by providingquality instruction and support services…” by pro-viding transfer education, career and occupationaleducation, general education, foundation skills pro-gram, economic development, continuing education,support services and student activities. We used theconsulting firm of Moore, Iacofano, Goltsman, Inc. tocomplete an Integrated Master Plan to guide us inserving our multicultural student body, which isapproximately 46 percent African American, 29 per-cent Hispanic, 12 percent white and nine percentAsian.

In fulfillment of its mission, from July 2004 until June30, 2005, West awarded 342 Associate Degrees and292 certificates for programs completed in two yearsor less. Recently approved programs in EmergencyMedical Services and Drug and Alcohol Studies, andonline courses for the Los Angeles County SheriffsDepartment provide additional opportunities for ourstudent clientele. The college has agreed upon ninecomprehensive SLOs that will help faculty fine-tunetheir curriculum and make our students more suc-cessful.

To assist evaluation, planning and improvement,West has thoroughly instituted a reliable programreview and unit planning cycle, which helps theentire college orient itself toward the mission state-ment. The Child Development Center, Library andLearning Resources, Administrative Services,Information Technology, the Business Office andPersonnel and Payroll are also working on compre-hensive program review reports.

The college’s Integrated Master Plan both includesand references the mission statement, provides aframework for planning and change, as well as forresponding to shifts in demographics and jobs, levelsof funding and staffing. The newly adopted institu-tional student learning outcomes along with plansfor their assessment will become an integral part ofthe program review process.

STANDARD I.B. INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

A product of the broad-based, participatory gover-nance practiced at West, the newly approved CollegeCouncil oversees the entire college planning processand includes the provision that all constituencies can

recommend to the President. This documents West’suse of systematic evaluation and planning as well asits ability to modify organizational structures tomake them more efficient. Well-established workingcommittees that promote self-reflective dialogue feedinto this process.

The College Planning and Budget Committees focuson implementing the Integrated Master Plan througha progression of college-wide and unit processes thathelp institutional members understand the college’sgoals and work towards their achievement. Thesesteps include the Leadership Retreat, programreview and unit planning, divisional planning, sub-mission of unit plans and budgets, review by VicePresidents, review by the College PlanningCommittee, joint review with the Budget Committee,review by constituency groups and recommenda-tions to the President. The annual process ends withthe President’s final decisions.

While an abundance of quantitative data on studentsuccess has become available, time needs to be takento analyze this data and act upon its implications.The formation of our Office of InstitutionalEffectiveness will facilitate this process.

STANDARD II.A. INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS

West offers and continually seeks to improve educa-tional programs to meet the varied needs of our stu-dents. West has a concentrated focus on basic skillsand, with the support of its Title V grant, has begunlinking basic skills math and English classes withcomputer-assisted instruction (CAI) and personaldevelopment classes. This has resulted in an upwardtrend for four years in student pass rates from reme-dial Math 112 to college-level Intermediate AlgebraMath 125. Also, as evidence of our commitment tomeeting the learning needs of our students, West hasdeveloped program and institutional SLOs to guidefaculty and increase student success both within andwithout the college. West is in the process of devel-oping a system of including SLOs in all course out-lines, as well as assessing program outcomes andcollege outcomes.

West has a well-run and supportive program reviewprocess to help divisions plan and monitor their suc-cess in helping students and make modifications ifnecessary. The mathematics discipline has used pro-gram review to steadily increase its use of supple-mentary CAI for its basic skills classes. In Spring

ABSTRACT OF THE REPORT

WLAC SELF STUDY 40


2005, English, ESL, Mathematics, Dental Hygieneand Counseling underwent a comprehensive pro-gram review, much more detailed than the alreadyvery thorough annual process.

While most students declare liberal arts majors, Westoffers 41 Associate Degrees, ranging from accountingto English, travel to biology and Spanish to physics,and state approved certificates in 14 disciplines. Forexample, in 2003-2004, 223 students took the liberalarts major, 23 majored in business and 16 in socialscience. In order to assure student progress and suc-cess, West will analyze all majors to see that eachclass required for a major also fulfills a graduationrequirement.

West offers vocational programs in paralegal studies,dental hygiene, travel, aviation technology and childdevelopment. These programs are licensed,approved or accredited by the appropriate outsideagencies. West’s dental hygiene students havescored in the top 10 percent of national exams everyyear since the inception of the program. The parale-gal studies program was given full approval by theAmerican Bar Association in Spring 2005.

To increase student success, West is steadily increas-ing its use of instructional technology, with CAI sup-port for math, English and music. Four classroomshave interactive whiteboards or smart boards, pur-chased through Title III and Title V grants.

The comprehensive district Revised Course Outlinerequires that faculty align course content with specif-ic learning objectives. Our program outcomes andinstitutional outcomes, together with ways to assessstudent learning, will also be included in the form.

The Academic Senate’s Curriculum Committeerequires that online classes submit a DistanceDelivery Strategies supplement that explains howdistance delivery strategies are used to help studentsachieve each course objective. All online instructorsmust pass an intensive, 20-hour online trainingcourse in ETUDES (Easy to Use Distance EducationSystem) before they can teach online.

While the college has developed program and insti-tutional outcomes, it recognizes that including thesein courses and assessing them, to insure that stu-dents become productive individuals and lifelonglearners, will take time.

The College Catalog and schedules are available inprint and online. The college works to make sure itsclasses transfer. When transfer issues arise, the artic-ulation officer, the chair of the CurriculumCommittee, the involved Division Chairs and facultymeet to address them.

The college has an Accelerated College Transfer pro-gram, which offers intensive eight- week sessionsdesigned to give students a fast track toward trans-fer. It offers a general education core, a university-specific pathway and preparation business and edu-cation majors.

To insure honesty and integrity among students andstaff, West’s catalog and schedule include specificstatements on “Standards of Student Conduct” and“Student Rights and Legal Protections.” TheFaculty Professional Standards pamphlet remindsfaculty to distinguish between their personal opin-ions and professionally accepted views within theirdisciplines. They present data and information fairlyand objectively.

STANDARD II.B. STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Student Support Services include a multitude ofimportant functions that support student learning.To assure that quality services are delivered to stu-dents, each area is in the process of developing waysto assess the nine institutional SLOs.

To increase our ability to serve our large contingentof students, West has purchased the StudentAccountability and Record System (SARS), an onlineand telephone-based system to provide studentswith more equitable access to counseling services, tohelp the college contact students and to track studentuse of important services.

The Child Development Center has moved into anew facility, and its licensed capacity has expandedfrom 48 to 72 pre-schoolers and from 28 to 42 school-age children.

Three federally funded grants, Upward Bound,Talent Search and Student Support Services, provideimportant services to local middle school and highschool students from diverse backgrounds who mayattend West. These programs target poor, at-risk orfirst-generation students and provide them with asupportive learning environment.

41 WLAC SELF STUDY

To celebrate the diverse backgrounds of our stu-dents, the Associated Student Organization sponsorscultural and civic enrichment activities, and the FineArts and Humanities Division sponsors art exhibitsand music concerts. Extended OpportunityPrograms and Services conducts workshops for stu-dent success and personal development and alsoprovides tutoring.

The college maintains a Student Equity Plan thatprovides analysis of student demographics and plansfor promoting diversity and insuring equal opportu-nity and access. Students are being assessed usingvalid, approved instruments.

STANDARD II.C. LIBRARY AND LEARNING

SUPPORT SERVICES

The Heldman Learning Resources Center offersinstructional programs and services. The 39,000square-foot building is scheduled for a remodel inOctober 2010. The second floor includes the libraryinstructional research lab equipped with 73 Internet-enabled computer stations. These offer individualaccess to an online catalog of 62,000 print books,1,500 e-books and 1,200 videos and to several full-text periodical and reference databases as well asword processing and printing services for students.Also on the second floor, the library instructionalresearch classroom is used for library instruction andis equipped with 23 additional computer stations,one reserved for the instructor. The reference librar-ian, instructional assistant-information technicianand student tutors support the instruction in libraryinstructional research lab. Videos are being close-cap-tioned, and one station is equipped for the visuallyimpaired.

Our strong library instruction program consists offor-credit classes offered online, information compe-tency workshops and library orientations.

The first floor of the Heldman Learning ResourceCenter, with 52 computers, houses learning skills,tutoring, the Joyce Jaffe Writing Lab and the foreignlanguage lab.

Even with some reductions of hours and staff, thelibrary and learning center continue to support thecollege curriculum with instruction and services. Inthe Spring 2005 Student Survey Results, 72 percent ofstudents strongly agreed or agreed that the library isavailable and open at convenient times. Sixty-three

percent strongly agreed or agreed that the library’scollection of books and magazines is modern andwell maintained. Fifty-seven percent stronglyagreed or agreed that tutoring services are adequateand available at convenient times.

All course outlines have been updated, and plans toassess student learning outcomes will be developed.The library and learning center will also work withdiscipline faculty and the Office of InstitutionalEffectiveness to develop more systematic ways ofevaluating its programs and services.

STANDARD III.A. HUMAN RESOURCES

West manages its employees under a network ofpublished documents, including the policies of theLACCD Personnel Commission, Board Rules, collec-tive bargaining agreements and the State EducationalCode. These documents govern our maintenance ofsecure, confidential records, and determine theprocess by which we hire and evaluate staff, facultyand administration.

Evaluation of faculty, most staff and most adminis-trators follows procedures defined in collective bar-gaining agreements. The college President evaluatesthose employees not covered by such agreements,and the LACCD Chancellor evaluates the President.These evaluation processes all have the potential totake student learning outcomes into account as wedevelop and deploy them.


The Academic Senate policy on ethical and profes-sional standards applies to the faculty, and all collegeemployees are held to ethical and professional stan-dards by the college compliance officer. The code ofethics for all employees, with the exception of thefaculty, is in the process of being submitted to theLACCD Board for approval. The District AcademicSenate is currently working on a code of ethics forfaculty. We assess our diversity and strive to improveit in hiring, and we have funds to increase efforts inthis area.

We are creating professional development opportuni-ties despite severe cuts to the state funds which usu-ally support them. Federal Title III and Title Vgrants have been of great assistance in this area.

Human resource planning is integrated into the col-lege planning cycle, with additional scrutiny of facul-ty hiring by the Faculty Position Identification andPrioritization Committee. The college is consideringa similar committee to prioritize staff positions.

STANDARD III.B. PHYSICAL RESOURCES

Through its Facilities Master Plan, West fulfills a keyinstitutional commitment: planning, building, main-taining and upgrading or replacing its physicalresources to assure effective use and continuing qual-ity to support student learning. Through key strate-gic planning processes such as program review andunit planning, dialogue that occurs in the WorkEnvironment Committee and meetings betweenarchitects, designers, and stakeholders on new facili-ties, West evaluates and addresses the sufficiency ofits facilities.

With the passing of Propositions A and AA bondmeasures, the college is making progress towardconstructing a mathematics and science building, anew classroom building to house Language Arts andthe Behavioral and Social Sciences Divisions, a park-ing structure and a student services center for coun-seling, student government and clubs, which willbecome a hub for students to network and connectwith campus life. The new student services centerwill also house EOPS, DSPS, Financial Aid, theHealth Office and the Transfer Center. Evaluation, akey component of the college’s planning process, hasresulted in the upgrading of computer equipment inthe library and learning resources building, the mathlab and the creation of a Teaching Learning Centerfor faculty and staff use as well as a lab and training

rooms for child development classes – all of whichsupport student learning. Four smart classrooms,two with interactive white boards and two withSympodiums, technologically enhance student learn-ing.

Maintaining a healthful learning and working envi-ronment is key to the college’s mission. To prioritizethe many needs across the campus, Plant Facilitieswill create a timeline for facilities upgrading andrepairs. Establishing clear space utilization processeswill greatly enhance assigning of available rooms.Evaluation as a process of planning will also help thecollege address crucial challenges such as increasingcost of utilities.

Part of the dialogue about improvement includesresults from the West Los Angeles College 2005 Self-Study Questionnaire. Ninety percent of respondentsagree and strongly agree that the work environmentis pleasant. Eighty-nine percent agree and stronglyagree it is safe, and 87 percent agree and stronglyagree it is conducive to working.

STANDARD III.C. TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

The Los Angeles Community College District’sInformation Technology Department centralizesadministrative systems for human resources, studentinformation and financial services. A committee rep-resenting the district office and colleges guides theselection and implementation of these systems.

The district has converted administrative systems toa SAP enterprise resource application, with the finan-cial services portion activated in July 2002. InSummer 2005, the human resources system known asMAESTRO was implemented. A new student infor-mation system is in the works. Advisory committeeshave been established for both the financial servicesportion and MAESTRO.

At West, college-based technology services and sup-port are provided through the InformationTechnology Department (InfoTech) headed by a man-ager who reports to the Vice President ofAdministrative Services. A Technology Committee,chaired by the Vice President of Academic Affairs,makes recommendations on the prioritization ofprojects to be carried out by InfoTech. It also offersadvice about the website, college applications andfaculty and staff needs.

WLAC SELF STUDY 42


The college’s existing buildings are connected to cen-tralized servers via high-speed fiber optic cables.Administrative and faculty offices and all classroomsfeature Internet access. InfoTech maintains the col-lege website, college email system, telephone voice-mail system as well as an inventory of computerhardware and software. A Windows-based telephonevoicemail system, installed in September 2005,allows for easier updates and fewer layers in themenu tree.

Infrastructure to support specific learning objectiveshas been developed for these academic areas: mathe-matics, fine arts, music, aviation, business, computerscience and English. Computer facilities open to allstudents are maintained by the Heldman LearningResources Center.

Federal Title III and Title V grants and the CaliforniaTelecommunications and Technology InfrastructureProgram funded the Teaching Learning Center forstaff and faculty and converted four classrooms intosmart classrooms.

In 2003, as part of the Integrated Master Plan, Westdeveloped an Information Technology Plan on thepremise that funding would be available fromProposition A/AA for the technology infrastructure.The college is studying where best physically tolocate the information technology unit and also themost effective network system.

West exceeds the stated standards as mandated inthe Telecommunications and TechnologyInfrastructure Program; however, with the reductionof these funds, maintaining computers and keepingsoftware and hardware up-to-date becomes increas-ingly difficult. In order to reduce redundant emailsand an occasional lack of courtesy, an email policyhas been approved by the Academic Senate.

Coordination of equipment acquisition needs to beaddressed through careful planning.

West provides a variety of computer literacy classesto students. Training on the enterprise resource pro-gram and other applications used district-wide isprovided by the District Information TechnologyOffice. Those who receive training then train otherson campus.

Faculty and staff require training as new administra-tive and instructional systems are brought online.The need for more classes in network technology,website development and computer security have

been documented. The Teaching Learning Centerprovides training for faculty, staff and administratorsthrough extensive on-going classes as well as drop-inconsultations. A Faculty Support Center providesadjunct faculty access to the college network.Foothill College provides online training for instruc-tors developing online and hybrid courses.

The Spring 2005 Student Survey Results indicate thatstudents feel that West maintains an up-to-date tech-nology infrastructure. Consistent with the technolo-gy portion of the Integrated Master Plan, PropositionA/AA projects will include updating and expandingthis infrastructure.

Centralizing all technical support for computingfacilities will help the college allocate its resourcesmore efficiently. The college intends to revise thetechnology plan to incorporate overall coordinationand maintenance of technology resources on campus.

To assess the effective use of technology resources,the program reviews and unit plans for all unitsinclude technology resources necessary to accom-plish stated objectives. In 2005, the manager of col-lege information technology position was createdand filled, based on recommendations in theTechnology Plan. Establishing an unambiguousorganizational hierarchy will further improve thecollege’s technology resources efforts.

STANDARD III.D. FINANCIAL RESOURCES

West relies upon its mission and goals as the founda-tion for financial planning. The college’s annualplanning and budgeting cycle, in keeping with thedistrict process, is outlined in the Integrated MasterPlan, directly linking planning and budgeting. Theproduct of its participatory governance structure,West’s operational plan is based upon division goalsset forth in the program review and unit planningprocess. The college regularly assesses resourceavailability and expenditure requirements basedupon a Monthly Projection Report that reflects a real-istic assessment of the college’s financial profilebased on the latest budget data. The college has runa deficit in two of the last three years because of mid-year reduction, cost increases and enrollmentdeclines.

In the WLAC 2005 Self Study Questionnaire, 39 per-cent agree, and 15 percent strongly agree thatresources and funding are allocated in a fair manner.

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With changes in our government structure, we willbe using our planning and budget processes toaddress the large swings in revenue and expendi-tures. The college will also be integrating studentlearning outcomes into the planning and budgetprocess.

An external independent auditor conducts an annualaudit of the college’s financial statements and relatedbudget and accounting policies and procedures.These annual reports for the last three years validat-ed that West has managed its financial resourceswith integrity. The audit for the year ending June 30,2004 was conducted by KPMG, LLP.

West’s financial resources derive from state appor-tionment, which is affected by California’s economicclimate. The college’s revenue allocation comes fromthe District’s allocation mechanism, which is prima-rily based on the state funding formula. In thisprocess, funding for District-wide expenses and theDistrict Office are subtracted from the District totalbefore money is allocated to the colleges. In addi-tion, the college receives funds and administers anumber of categorical programs and specially fund-ed programs awarded through federal, state andlocal agencies, all helpful in recruiting and retainingstudents

West is one of nine colleges within the Los AngelesCommunity College District, which maintains a 3.5percent reserve. The district is self-insured for up toof $500,000 for each workers’ compensation claimand $100,000 for each general liability claim. Fundsare allocated to meet risk management potential lia-bilities at the district-wide level.

STANDARD IV.A. LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

West is committed to participatory governance, andagreements have been in effect between thePresident and the constituent groups since 2000.West recognizes many constituent groups includingmultiple unions, the Academic Senate and theAssociated Student Organization.

West has recently changed the governance structureto create a stronger central forum. The motivation forthis change was to streamline and consolidate theconsultation process and to provide clarity to thecommittee structure. A new College Council was

proposed at the Leadership Retreat in June 2005 andapproved in November 2005. This new process hasjust started, and it will be evaluated and refined toensure that its goals are reached.

West’s Master Plan was completed in 2001 and hasbeen evaluated and refined each year. The currentIntegrated Master Plan was adopted in 2003. Itdefines a planning process that includes programreview, unit planning, budget analysis, constituentfeedback and a leadership retreat to evaluate goalsand to plan and implement new goals.

STANDARD IV.B. BOARD AND ADMINISTRATIVE

ORGANIZATION

The Los Angeles Community College District has aseven-member Board of Trustees elected for four-year terms; a student member is elected for a one-year term. The Board delegates the implementationof its policies to the Chancellor at the District Officeand the Presidents of the nine colleges. The Districtand the Board oversee all aspects of the colleges’educational programs through policy setting, estab-lishing standards and detailing faculty roles.Decentralization of authority to the local colleges hasbeen implemented in faculty hiring and in curricu-lum and program approval processes.

The Board’s Educational Programs and StudentSuccess Committee monitor the accreditation selfstudy process and reviews the final self studyreports. The Board also ensures that past recommen-dations are addressed effectively. The Board and theDistrict have taken a proactive role in the accredita-tion process by providing workshops and sharingbest practices across the district.

The Board uses a process of self-evaluation to meas-ure its effectiveness. The Board selects and evaluatesthe District Chancellor. The Board and theChancellor hire the college President and evaluatethe President’s performance.

The interim college President supports the process ofplanning and collegial consultation; together, theconstituents and the President are working in a posi-tive and collegial manner to strengthen campus dia-logue and enhance student learning outcomes.

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45 WLAC SELF STUDY

Organization of West’s self study included the fol-lowing processes and timelines:In October 2003, the Los Angeles CommunityCollege District coordinated a workshop at LosAngeles City College to introduce the new standardsof accreditation to the three colleges that werepreparing for the site visitation in Spring 2006. Allself study chairs and representatives from adminis-trative services and student services were invited toattend.

During that same month, the college Presidentassigned the Dean of Planning and Research to bethe Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) for West.That Fall, a steering committee made up of all divi-sion Chairs and all program directors of studentservices and administrative services came together tobegin the self study process. The steering committeemet every other week for the first year. In the fall of2004 the college President and the Academic Senateagreed on recruitment of a self study faculty chairand the provision of reassigned time for this respon-sibility. A description of the position and its dutieswere emailed to the college community andappeared in the President's Bulletin. Applicantswere asked to submit a letter of interest.

The primary duties of the Accreditation Self Studyfaculty chair consisted of:

Working with the Accreditation Liaison Officer tofacilitate the self-study process between the campusand the Commission.

• Facilitating the development and production of the self-study report.

• Attending and facilitating self-study workshops and campus-wide symposiums.

• Coordinating with Standard Chairs in prepara-tion for the self study report.

• Promoting a campus culture that is concerned about accreditation.

• Promoting a campus culture that focuses on student learning outcomes.

• Facilitating distribution of the self study report.• Facilitating the team visit.• Facilitating follow-up with the Commission.• Staying informed about Commission policies,

procedures and activities.• Acting as an archivist for the institution’s

accreditation documents.• Fulfilling other duties relating to the implemen-

tation and coordination of the self study report.

Candidates had to be full-time faculty who pos-sessed both good organizational and writing skills.They also had to knowledgeable about the accredita-tion process. This original assignment began with a.2 release time starting in Winter 2004. This wouldincrease to .6 release time beginning Summer 2005through Spring 2006.

A subcommittee interviewed the sole applicant onFebruary 20, 2004; the faculty chair assumed herduties that month.

Once the faculty chair was on board, a team of foursubcommittees, one for each standard, was formedto begin drafting the self study. Chairs for each com-mittee were identified and held responsible for gath-ering data to address for their standard. All chairswere required to attend all steering committee meet-ings and both on and off-campus workshops on howto collect data, create evidence and write the report.

Spurred by the new standards with their emphasison student learning outcomes, the college hadformed an SLO Committee composed of division fac-ulty chairs, vice presidents and program directors ofboth Student Services and Administrative Services.The committee developed the nine student learningoutcomes and measurable outcomes that wouldapply to all academic programs. Each representativeof the committee worked closely with their respec-tive constituents to obtain agreement. After develop-ing the nine SLOs, the college decided that each edu-cational program within Academic Affairs, StudentServices and Administrative Services focus on twodisciplines within their divisions to establish fullSLOs. West’s SLO Story contains the progress madeby the college in this endeavor.

In 2004, the Los Angeles Community College Districtcreated a consulting position whose primary respon-sibility was to streamline communication and towork with the District in assuring that all collegespreparing for accreditation adhered to the standardsof the accreditation. This liaison scheduled meetingswith the three colleges scheduled for March, 2006visits–Los Angeles Harbor College, Los AngelesSouthwest College and West, also known as theSeaside colleges. The colleges’ ALOs met on severaloccasions to share their college’s structure and time-lines and to discuss best practices.

On Friday, September 17, 2004, at a hands-on work-shop, faculty of the three colleges of the districtundergoing accreditation in this cycle (referred to as

ORGANIZATION OF THE SELF STUDY

the Seaside colleges), division chairs, and administra-tive staff obtained more information about: 1) stu-dent learning outcomes and learner-centered teach-ing, 2) developing learning outcomes for specificcourses and course sequences, 3) exploring the use ofassessment rubrics and embedded assessment, and4) discussing a variety of assessment strategies.

On March 26, 2004, West Los Angeles College hostedan accreditation workshop led by Barbara Beno andDarlene Pacheco. Relevant handbooks were distrib-uted to participants.

As chairs of each standard committee worked withtheir respective committees and presented their self-study draft reports to the steering committee, thesteering committee reviewed the report to assureaccuracy and continuity. This process was seamlessfor some committees and challenging for others.Only two of the standards were able to keep up withthe timeline, which called for the completion of a fulldraft, including documentation, by June 14, 2005. InAugust 2005, a new interim president was on boardwho was concerned about the production of thereport and, as a result, reorganized the structure andappointed both a new full-time faculty chair and anew accreditation liaison officer. Both assumed theirduties at the end of August.

The new structure included full participation of thepresident in the self-study process, and a full-timeassignment was given to the new faculty chair whowas also an English professor. Two English facultywere also charged with editing the report.

Since the end of August, when these changesoccurred, the self study chair, standards chairs, steer-ing committee members and others from all seg-ments of the college community have met weekly,and sometimes even more often as needed. A con-certed effort to apprise the college of the importanceof accreditation and its fine points included a varietyof strategies:

• CDs of the draft self study report were given to all faculty attending opening Flex Day meeting on September 1, 2005. The faculty chair reportedon the upcoming efforts to address the gaps in the report and to revitalize the college communi-ty’s energies for the intense work ahead.

• The faculty chair reported in writing and in person at almost all Academic Senate and College Planning Committee meetings throughout the fall semester and attended a Student

Services meeting to brief this division and field questions on accreditation efforts.

• To keep the college community informed of all developments, accreditation updates appeared ineach weekly President’s Bulletin. Wide dissemi-nation of the report to encourage reading of the drafts included making binders containing hard copies of the draft report available at the ReserveDesk of the library and in the Accreditation Office. Working together, the Accreditation Officeand Infotech posted the report on the college website.

• Emails on “How to Read the Self Study Report,” the accreditation themes and what self-reflective dialogue means were part of the ongoing efforts to communicate key concepts to the institution’s members.

Dr. Darlene Pacheco, recently retired from theACCJC, and Julie Slark, Assistant Vice Chancellor,Educational Services, Rancho Santiago CommunityCollege District, have helped the college through aseries of meetings to check that the report respondsto the standards, references evidence and documentsand is consistent across the standards. Intensivewriting, revising, rethinking, rewriting and editingcontinued throughout Fall 2005, including numerousweek-end work sessions with teams of writers,thinkers and editors from across the organization.The work remained organized, focused and produc-tive. As we worked, the self reflective dialogue con-tinued – about the process, about observations, aboutwhat we have learned to do, and not to do, andabout how our own expectations, standards andawareness – personal and institutional – have beensharpened through the process itself.

The Interim President also established the Office ofInstitutional Effectiveness, which will help the col-lege in the transformative process begun with thewriting of the self-study report. Because so muchneeded to be done since the end of August, staff, fac-ulty and administrators from all areas of the collegehave been engaged in self-reflective dialogue andwork sessions. These sessions, combined with theresearch and planning functions, are serving toenhance participants’ perspectives on mission-related issues, all aimed to increase institutionaleffectiveness.

As part of this effort, in October 2005, West hired aresearch analyst, a trained information scientist, whohas been instrumental in checking the accuracy ofdata and formulating a research agenda that ties

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47 WLAC SELF STUDY

planning, evaluation and assessment to betteraddress the institution’s effectiveness. Evidence and documentation is provided in each of the fourstandards.

The self study report went to the Board’sEducational Programs and Student SuccessCommittee, chaired by Trustee Sylvia Scott-Hayes,on Dec. 14, 2005.

Participants agree that like the college’s IntegratedMaster Plan, the self study report has become a liv-ing document, which we will use to enrich West’son-going efforts in planning, evaluation andimprovement. The college is committed to the trans-formation that is already underway in a truly collab-orative effort.

The timeline for the accreditation self study reporthas been adjusted at several points in the process:


June 3, 2005 Leadership Retreat: SLO information presented, Standards’ Action Plans discussed

June 14 Draft Self Study including documented evidence due

June–August Compiling and editing of Self Study Draft

August 25 New self study chair appointed

September Discussion/input from college constituencies Continue compiling evidence/organize

September 1 Presentation on Accreditation. Self Study Draft distributed on CD (Flex Day)

September 6 Timeline revised

September 12 Dr. Darlene Pacheco consults with standard chairs

October 25 Academic Senate approves Self Study

October 27 Consultations with Julie Slark (continued Nov. 5, 15 and 21)

November 8 The Academic Senate voted to accept the report and authorized the Senate President to sign it

November 30 Self Study signed and forwarded to Board

December 14 Report presented to the Board’s Educational Programs and Student Success Committee

March 21, 2006 Visit of Evaluation Team

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FUNCTIONAL CHART BY DIVISION

Overview

P. StansburyV. P. Academic

Affairs

D. FolloscoV.P. Student

Services

C. RothV. P.

AdministrativeServices

DeanInstitutionalEffectiveness

(Vacant)

L. WoodsCompliance

Officer

A. FarkasDean, AcademicAffairs (Acting)

I. ChungAssociate V. P.,Administrative

Services

A. HansenDirector of

CollegeFacilities

Assoc. DeanStudent Services

(Vacant)

G. SchenkFinancial Aid

Manager

L. Jarmon,Dean,

Admissionsand Records

J. TowlerDean Student

Services

R. MonroeOperationsManager

L. PackhamCollege

EnterpriseManager

D. MullerAssistantBookstoreManager

N. DangManager, College

InformationSystems

L. EddinsSheriff Contract

B. FriedmanEducational Info

Specialist

E. PaiResearch Analyst

L. HamiltonResearch

Analyst (Prov.)

M. MateoDean, Academic

Affairs

S. KhorooshiAssociate Dean

D. GivensPresident(Interim)

WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE (FY 05-06)

WLAC SELF STUDY 52

PRESIDENT’S OFFICEFUNCTIONAL CHART

D. GivensPresident

• Affirmative Action• Compliance• Ombudsperson• Sexual

Harassment• Title IX• Student Equity

• Research• Marketing• Master Planning• Publications• Accreditation• Grants / Programs Archives

P. StansburyVice President

Academic Affairs

D. FolloscoVice President

Student Services

C. RothVice PresidentAdministrative

Services

Dean InstitutionalEffectiveness

(Vacant)


L. WoodsCompliance Officer

53 WLAC SELF STUDY

ACADEMIC AFFAIRSFUNCTIONAL CHART


• Basic Skills Task Force• Divisional Council• Enrollment Management

Committee• TTIP (Telecommunications

Technology Infrastructure Program)• Technology Committee• Title V

• Aviation / Travel - C. Wilder• Communication, Entertainment,

Media Arts (CEMA) - J. Jordan• Health / Physical Education -

J. Witucki• Language Arts - B. Jacobs• Contract Education• Hollywood Cinema Production

Resources• Jumpstart and Tech Prep• Schedule of Classes• Outreach Classes• Public Employer Partnerships• Title V - Strengthening

Institutions• VTEA• Westside Extension - B. Sloan

• Allied Health - U. Lemborn• Business - V. Nichols• Computer Science - M. Levy• Distance Education - E. Ichon• Humanities / Fine Arts -

C. Ramos• Library / Instructional Media -

C. Froloff• Learning Resources - C. Froloff• Math - M. McMaster• Science - J. Connor• ACT Schedule of Classes -

P. Siever• Workforce Development Center

- J. Friedman- CalWORKs, GED- TRiO (Talent Search and EOC) - K. Walton- TRiO (Upward Bound) -

M. Gavarra- TRiO (SSS) - J. Friedman

• Curriculum• Graphic Arts• Catalog• Articulation Liaison -

E. Crippens• Behavioral / Social Science -

B. Stapleton• Probation Program• Child Development• Sheriff’s Department

University

S. KhorooshiAssociate Dean

M. MateoDean, Academic

Affairs

A. FarkasDean, Academic Affairs

(Acting)

P. StansburyVice President

Academic Affairs

WLAC SELF STUDY 54

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICESFUNCTIONAL CHART


C. RothVice President

Administrative Services

I. ChungAssociate V. P.

Admin. Services

R. MonroeOperations Manager

D. MullerAssistant Bookstore

Manager

Lead Support Services Assistant

(Vacant)

L. BolbecherPurchasing Aide

H. TsaiAdmin Analyst/

SPOC

N. DangManager, College

Information Systems

L. EddinsSheriff

• Plant Facilities Operations

• Plant Facilities Maintenance

• Parking

• Bookstore• Food Services• Civic Center Permits

• Business Office Operations

• Budget

• Safety and Security

• Resource Management

• Purchasing• Information Technology

• Personnel

• Reprographics• Mailroom

L. PackhamCollege Enterprise

Manager

A. HansenDirector of College

Facilities

55 WLAC SELF STUDY

STUDENT SERVICESFUNCTIONAL CHART


D. FolloscoVice President

Student Services

• Marketing• Recruitment• Health Center• Student Discipline

• CARE• EOP&S

• Admissions and Records

A. GambleTransfer Center

P. BandayMatriculation

Director

J. TowlerDean, Student

Services

S. Rouzan -ThomasCounseling Chair

C. CaminitiAthletic Director

WLACFoundation

ASO

S. FeinermanInternational

Students Director

Assoc. DeanStudent Services

(Vacant)

L. JarmonDean, Admissions

and Records

Y. SimoneChild

DevelopmentCenter

A. FosterDSPS Director

G. SchenkFinancial Aid

WLAC SELF STUDY 56

PLANNING AND RESEARCHFUNCTIONAL CHART


Dean InstitutionalEffectiveness

(Vacant)

• Accreditation• Master Planning• Marketing

• Marketing/Advertising

• Master Calendar• Public Information

• Institutional Research

G. WaltonAdministrative

Assistant

E. PaiResearchAnalyst

L. HamilitonResearch Analyst

(Provisional)

B. FriedmanEducational Info

Specialist

57 WLAC SELF STUDY

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MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION CHARTPrepared by the Personnel CommissionNovember 2005

ControllerJeanette Gordon

InformationTechnology

Chief InformationOfficer

Anthony Tororice

Educational SupportServices

Assoc. Vice ChancellorJohn Clerx

Human Resources Sr.Assoc. ViceChancellor

Dr. A Susan Carleo

Pierce CollegePresident

Thomas Oliver*

West L.A.College PresidentDr. Doris Givens*

City CollegePresidentDr. StevenMaradian

SouthwestCollege

PresidentDr. Audre Levy

Valley CollegePresident

Dr. Tyree Wieder

East L.A. CollegePresident

Ernest Moreno

Trade-TechCollege PresidentDr. Tom Harris*

Harbor CollegePresident

Dr. Linda Spink

Mission CollegePresident

Dr. Jose Leyba*

Diversity ProgramsDirector

Gene Little

Facilities Planning andDevelopment Executive

DirectorLarry Eisenberg

Exec. Asst. to ChancellorDaphne Congdon

General CounselCamille Goulet

LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

Senior Vice ChancellorDr. Adrianna Barrera

ChancellorDarroch Young

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WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE - 2006

West Los Angeles College presents this compre-hensive Self Study with full confidence that the insti-tution meets or exceeds the prescribed standards forreaffirmation of accreditation and hereby attests thatthe institution has remained in continued compliancewith all of the Commission’s eligibility requirementsas set forth below.

1. AUTHORITY

West Los Angeles College (West) is a public two-yearcommunity college operating under the authority ofthe State of California, the Board of Governors of theCalifornia Community Colleges and the Board ofTrustees of the Los Angeles Community CollegeDistrict (LACCD). The 1967 Legislature authorized aBoard of Trustees for the Los Angeles CommunityCollege District. The college’s authority has existedsince 1969 with accreditation status renewed regular-ly. The college awards 41 Associate Degrees.

2. MISSION

The mission statement of the Los AngelesCommunity College is included in the Board Rules(Board Rule 1201). It was last amended in October1997. A copy of West’s current mission statement, inkeeping with the District’s mission statement, maybe found in the 2004-2006 Catalogs as well as in the

Volume 1, the Educational Master Plan of the Integrated Master Plan. The mission statement wasreaffirmed by the Board of Trustees in March 8, 2000,as part of the Integrated Master Plan.

The mission statement was last reviewed by the col-lege community at the leadership retreats in Spring2005. The college plans to review its MissionStatement in 2006 for revision and updating.

3. GOVERNING BOARD

The governing board of the LACCD consists of sevenmembers, elected by voters, to be responsible for thequality and integrity of the institution. A studenttrustee is selected by the Associated StudentOrganizations of the nine colleges. The Board is anindependent, policy-making body, in accordancewith the California Education Code. The minutes of

the regularly scheduled Board meetings reflect pub-lic and constituent interest in activities and decisionsfor the district’s nine colleges.

The board adopted a “Statement of Ethical Valuesand Code of Ethical Conduct” in October 2005,which establishes principles to which the individualmembers of the Board will adhere (Board Rule2300.10). The Board also has a Conflict of InterestCode in accordance with the Political Reform Act,government Code Section 8100 et seq. to ensure theBoard is an “independent policy-making body capa-ble of reflecting constituent and public interest inboard activities and decisions.”

4. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

The Chief Executive Officer of Los AngelesCommunity College District is the Chancellor,Darroch (Rocky) Young, who has served in thiscapacity since July 1, 2005. His full-time responsibili-ty is to the institution and to administering the LosAngeles Community Colleges District with its ninecolleges in accordance with board policies and rules.

The chief executive officer of West Los AngelesCollege is Interim President Dr. Doris Givens, whocommenced her duties and responsibilities in Augustof 2005. As interim president, Dr. Givens’ primaryresponsibilities are to provide effective leadership tocomplete the self-study process, balance the collegebudget, increase enrollment and administer theProposition A/AA bond construction projects. Shehas defined her leadership goals for the year in termsof four “I’s”: Information – data in the applied form;Integrity – the intent behind interpretation and appli-cation of information; Inclusion – developing a colle-gial environment and Impact – positive, progressive,successful student learning outcomes.

Neither Darroch Young nor Dr. Givens serve as thechair of the governing board.

5. ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY

West Los Angeles College has sufficient staff, withappropriate preparation and experience, to providethe administrative services necessary to support itsmission and purposes. Certificated administratorsmeet minimum qualifications in a discipline andqualifications defined for specific positions as devel-oped by the college and approved by Human

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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCREDITATIONCERTIFICATION OF CONTINUED COMPLIANCE

Resources in the District Office. Classified adminis-trators are hired through the Personnel Commissiontesting process and meet appropriate qualificationsfor the position.

Since the last self-study in 2000, West has had twopresidents, three vice presidents of AdministrativeServices, re-organized its administrative staff toinclude a dean of Admissions and Records, moved adean from Student Services to Academic Affairs, andmoved a dean of Planning and Research to StudentServices. West is also planning to hire an associatedean of EOPS. To support these positions, additionalclassified staff have been added.

6. OPERATIONAL STATUS

Since its beginning in 1969, the college has been incontinuous operation offering degrees and certifi-cates. Over the past five years, West has grown inenrollment – first census credit enrollment – from7,499 in Fall 2000 to a high of 9,718 in Fall 2002.Since then, enrollment was 8,305 in Fall 2004 withenrollment up again by one percent in Fall 2005.

West offers day, evening and Saturday classes in avariety of lengths to better accommodate students’needs:

Fall and Spring semesters – 15 weeks Late start – 1st 8 weeks and 2nd 8 weeksWinter intersession – 6 weeksEarly start summer, both 6 and 8 weeksLate start summer, both 6 and 8 weeks

Students were enrolled full and part time in creditprograms with females constituting 64 percent andmales 36 percent. In addition, students enroll in fee-based community service classes through WestsideExtension. All courses offered on the main campusare listed in the schedule of classes and are posted onthe college’s website. Community education classesare published in a separate class schedule and arealso posted on the website.

7. DEGREES

West’s 2004-2006 Catalog lists 41 associate degrees,14 certificates of completion and 26 skill certificates.It also details graduation requirements – unit, schol-arship, competency, residence and course.Additional information regarding transfer, majordepartmental requirements and California State University general education and the Intersegmental

General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)courses that satisfy lower-division general educationrequirements at any California State University andUniversity of California campus are included.

In fulfilling its mission, from July 2004 until June 20,2005, (according to the Integrated PostsecondaryEducation Data System (IPEDS), West awarded 342associate degrees and 149 certificates for programs ofat least one year but less than two years, as well as143 certificates for programs of less than one year.Transfers to California State University ranged from 213 in 1999-2000 to 174 in 2003-2004 while transfersto the University of California increased from 30 in1999-2000 to 42 in 2003-2004.

8. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

West offers a wide variety of educational and voca-tional programs for both credit and non-credit students.

For credit students, West offers general education,transfer, vocational programs, and certificates consis-tent with the missions of the college, the LACCDBoard of Trustees and California CommunityColleges. The degree programs are two years inlength. The names of the degree programs, certifi-cates and skill certificates are listed in the college catalog.

West’s courses adhere to levels of quality and rigorappropriate to the degree offered. The courses meetrequired minimums in keeping with Carnegierequirements for credit units offered. Vocational pro-grams meet requirements of the agencies responsiblefor oversight of these programs such as the FederalAviation Administration for the aviation mainte-nance program. The college has identified institu-tional student learning outcomes (SLOs) and studentservices and continues to develop SLOs for programsand courses, including how to assess these.

Valid articulation agreements with state and privatefour-year institutions result from associate degreesthat meet high standards.

9. ACADEMIC CREDIT

The college catalog clearly describes institutionalpolicies and transfer requirements as well as theawarding of credit.

West awards credits based on the Carnegie formula.

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10. STUDENT LEARNING AND ACHIEVEMENT

West’s Integrated Educational Master Plan, 2002-2008, includes both the annual and comprehensiveprogram review processes, which are part of the reg-ular, systematic assessment of programs.

Programs and courses are designed with timely com-pletion of students’ educational goals. Efforts

continue in developing student learning outcomesand how to assess these, aligning SLOs to bothcourse outlines and class syllabi and to programsand services. Outcome and program alignment enables studentssimultaneously to meet institutional and programoutcomes. West’s goal is to increase the communica-tion, trust and interdependence among divisions asthey engage in the SLO alignment and assessmentprocess.

Establishing the Office of Institutional Effectivenessin Fall 2005 will help administrators, faculty and staffwith evidence and data to assess student achieve-ment in specific programs and also institutionally forspecific student learning outcomes.

11. GENERAL EDUCATION

West’s mission and vision, coupled with the institu-tional student learning outcomes, ensure that stu-dents achieve educational breadth and depth and arein keeping with the general education requirementsof Board Rule 6201.14 on General EducationRequirements and the Accreditation Standards ofII.A.3.

Proficiencies in reading, writing, computationalskills, oral communication, plus technological aware-ness and competency are required of students receiv-ing an A.A. degree. In meeting the GeneralEducation Requirements for the Associate Degree,students may choose from Plan A – for studentswhose majors as described in the catalog require lessthan 36 units – or Plan B – for students whose majorsrequire 36 or more units. Plan B requires 18 units ofGeneral Education requirements. The A.A. degreerequires a minimum of 60 units.

Students completing these courses must earn a “C”(2.0) grade point average or better in all workattempted. Degree credit reflects the level of qualityand rigor appropriate to higher education, with sixareas designated for general education courses:

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Natural Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences,Humanities, Language and Rationality, Health andPhysical Education and Mathematics.

West maintains articulation agreements with UC andCSU systems and private institutions of higher learn-ing across the United States.

12. ACADEMIC FREEDOM

LACCD Board’s Educational Philosophy states that “We further recognize thatacademic freedom is essential to excel-lence in education.” (Board Rule 1200).This statement ensures that the collegemaintains an atmosphere where intellec-tual freedom and academic independ-ence prevail. Faculty and students arefree to examine and test knowledgeappropriate to disciplines, according tothe general academic community evenas the Board recognizes “the necessity toadapt to the changing educational needsof the Los Angeles Community Colleges’communities and to the growing diversi-ty among students.”

This information is posted at the District’s website.

13. FACULTY

West’s full time faculty number 110 with more than20 hired within the last five years in critical areassuch as math, administration of justice, dentalhygiene, history, counseling and English as a secondlanguage. Each tenure-track faculty member meetsthe teaching and minimum qualifications for the dis-cipline they teach and area they serve. More than300 adjunct faculty also provide key instructional,library and counseling support.

Orientation for newly hired and adjunct facultyoccurs in the fall semester. Faculty has primaryresponsibility for curriculum – developing, review-ing and assessing. The Academic Senate policy onethical and professional standards applies to the fac-ulty and provides a guide to ethical behavior.

14. STUDENT SERVICES

Student Services provides a multitude of importantservices including counseling, matriculation, admis-sions, financial aid, EOPS, DSPS, health services andchild care to support student learning. Each area has

developed its service-specific SLOs and ways toassess these to further assure quality.

Enhancements to student services includes the pur-chase of the Student Accountability and RecordSystem (SARS), an on-line, telephone-based system,which provides students with an equitable way toaccess counseling services, help the college contactstudents and track student use of important services.

To better meet the needs of West’s predominantlyminority student body, four federally funded TRiO

and two Title V grants were sought andobtained to provide a supportive learn-ing environment for economically disad-vantaged, at-risk, first generation stu-dents.

A Student Equity Plan provides analysisof student demographics and plans forpromoting diversity and insuring equalopportunity and access. Student assess-ment relies on valid, approved instru-ments.

To celebrate the diverse backgrounds ofWest’s students, the Associated Student

Organization sponsors cultural and civic enrichmentactivities. Extended Opportunity Programs andServices conducts workshops for student success andalso provides tutoring. Art exhibits and music con-certs sponsored by the Humanities and Fine ArtsDivision further enhance the collegial experience forour students.

Plans for a Student Services building, which willhouse counseling, matriculation, EOPS, DSPS, healthservices, student government, clubs and dining serv-ices, has completed the design phase and is movingtoward review by the state architect.

15. ADMISSIONS

The Dean of Admissions and Records oversees thecollege’s admissions policies and ensures that theseare consistent with Board Rule 8100, West’s missionand appropriate for the college’s programs. Personswho possess a high school diploma or its equivalentmeet the basic eligibility requirement for any publicCalifornia two-year community college. Personswho do not possess a high school diploma or itsequivalent, but who are 18 years or older who canprofit from instruction may also apply for admission.Other requirements may be applied to those in highschool or international F-1 Visa students. Admission

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“We further

recognize that

academic freedom

is essential

to excellence

in education.”

of elementary and secondary students in grades K-12follows Board Rule 8100.01.

The college catalog clearly identifies admissions eli-gibility and provides clear instructions of how toprepare for proper placement and registration.

16. INFORMATION AND LEARNING RESOURCES

West provides access to information and learningresources and services through an automated library

system, offers research and periodical databases, ane-book collection and the District-wide online cata-log. West has, despite limited resources, continuedto provide service to support the educational pro-gram. A strong instruction program consists of for-credit classes – offered online – and informationcompetency workshops. The Library InstructionalResearch Lab (LIRL) is equipped with 73 Internet-enabled computer stations that offer access to anonline catalog of 62,000 print books, 1,500 e-booksand 1,200 videos. A Library Instructional Researchclassroom, equipped with 23 computer stations withone reserved for the instructor, provides libraryinstruction, including orientations to online research.

To accommodate students with disabilities, videosare being close-captioned, and one station isequipped for the visually impaired.

The first floor of the library houses Learning Skills,tutoring, the Writing Lab and the Foreign LanguageLab.

17. FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Financial planning and information is in keepingwith the allocation mechanism of the District, theDistrict’s budgeting process and West’s planning andbudgeting cycle. The 2005-2006 Final Budget andWest’s 2005-2006 Operational Plan are available inthe team room.

18. FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

The Los Angeles Community College District“Report on Audited Basic Financial Statements”dated June 30, 2004 prepared by KPMG, LLP report-ed that the “District complied, in all materialrespect” with accepted accounting principles, statecompliance requirements and federal programrequirements. A copy is available in the team room.

19. INSTITUTIONAL PLANNING AND EVALUATION

West completed an Integrated Master Plan with anEducational Master Plan - Vol. 1, a Facilities MasterPlan – Vol. 2 and an Information Technology Plan –Vol. 3. In the Integrated Master Plan, the annualplanning and budgeting cycle is prescribed with anannual program review and unit plan process. Thisprogram review and unit plan process is conductedof all units and is the basis for program planning andimprovement to student learning and achievement of goals. The college is integrating the institutional,program and course student learning outcomesdevelopment and assessment into this process.

As part of its planning and evaluation of the process-es, the college has adopted a change in the gover-nance structure to have a College Council which willbe the main body to make recommendations to thePresident. The Academic Senate has purview over“academic and professional matters” while bargain-ing units deal with contract labor matters. The col-lege will be integrating the planning and budgetingcycle with this change in the governance structure.

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20. PUBLIC INFORMATION

The college provides a printed catalog with therequired information. The catalog is also availableon the college’s website. This information may alsobe contained in the other sources such as the sched-ule of class, on various parts of the college’s website,and literature available to the students such asFinancial Aid publications and Student GrievanceProcedure pamphlets.

21. RELATIONS WITH THE ACCREDITING COMMISSION

West adheres to eligibility requirements and accredi-tation standards as indicated in this self-study. Itmaintains integrity, as reported in the self study, indescribing itself to all accrediting agencies and com-municates changes in its accredited status. Westagrees to disclose information required by theCommission to carry out its accrediting responsibili-ties. Further, the college will comply withCommission requests, directives, decisions and poli-cies, and makes complete, accurate and honest dis-closure.

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RESPONSES TO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE

MOST RECENT COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION

The evaluation team that visited West Los AngelesCollege in March 2000 began its report with two“key overarching recommendations”:

1. The college should complete the master planning process assuring that program review, educational master planning, finan-cial planning, and facilities planning are inte-grated.

2. The college should create a functioning structure for participatory governance.

The Commission required an interim and a midtermvisit, both of which focused on these two recommen-dations. In 2001, the interim evaluation team report-ed that progress was being made on both counts buturged the college to continue to focus on planning,budgeting and governance. In accepting the report ofthe 2002 midterm evaluation team, the Commissionwrote to West: “The college is commended for itsvigorous response to addressing planning concernsand for strengthening its structure for participatorygovernance.” West is proud of what we have accom-plished in the interlocked areas of planning and gov-ernance. Faculty, staff and administration are nowworking together to continue strengthening our insti-tution.

We discuss our Integrated Master Plan and its role inongoing planning and budgeting in Standard I; ourparticipatory governance structures are covered inStandard IV. In both standards, we note our system-atic, continual work on making our structures morefunctional.

The 2000 report contained 10 more recommenda-tions. Two dealt with research and evaluation:

The College should integrate research and evaluation of data into the various planning processes, and include a greater focus on outcomes, particularly with respect to persistence, transfer, occupational placement, and other measures.The College should develop and evaluate strate-gies to ensure the communication, use, and inte-gration of existing and planned research and evaluation throughout the college community. This will further college efforts to develop a process where decisions are based on a culture of evidence.

The key area in which we have made strides in inte-grating data into the college planning processes hasbeen the ongoing development and use of the pro-gram review and unit planning instruments. Asindicated in Standard I, these two parts of the plan-ning process have been streamlined and made moreuser-friendly. In 2000, we had a very demanding,discipline-level program review intended to be doneevery six years, plus an annual division-level unitplan. In 2001, program review was revised as anannual process covering academic divisions, all stu-dent services and administrative service areas. In2005, unit planning and program review weremerged into a single process, making it easier forchairs and managers to complete. At the same timethat these adjustments were being made, more andmore data were being provided within the unit plan-ning and program review documents. A facultymember preparing a program review in 2000 faced alengthy document requiring data to be retrievedfrom a printout. The chair now receives a documentalready displaying two years’ worth of data, whichranges from average class size to current budgetinformation, to the goals the former chairs had set inpast years. All full-time faculty in a division sign theunit plan and program review, ensuring that the dataas well as the proposals based on the data are widelyknown. The Academic Senate receives copies of thecompleted documents.

Now that West has mastered annual programreviews, we are instituting a comprehensive programreview process, which will require in-depth analysisof each academic discipline and service area everysix years, according to a series of measurable bench-marks. By June 2005, validation of comprehensiveprogram reviews for dental hygiene, English, Englishas a second language, math and counseling had beenforwarded to the College Planning Committee by theProgram Review Evaluation Subcommittee. A sub-committee of the Academic Senate has drafted aProgram Viability Process.

West is also employing data to facilitate studentlearning: the Assessment Subcommittee of theMatriculation Committee regularly evaluates studentassessment scores against grades and curriculum toprovide better course placements. Counseling usessoftware that not only helps students to scheduleappointments, but also allows counselors to track astudent’s progress from the time the assessment testis taken to the completion of the student’s education-al goals at West. Academic Affairs analyzes enroll-

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RESPONSES TO RECOMMENDATIONS

ment patterns to determine course offerings.Program review evaluates the data on persistenceand attrition. The college has acquired sophisticatedsoftware to track classes that need to be offered insequence, so that students may complete programsin a timely fashion.

We are developing new sources of data: using focusgroups, a marketing research study funded by theLos Angeles Community College DistrictChancellor’s Office was conducted in September2005 to investigate and quantify issues prevalent inthe geographic region served by West. The data col-lected from focus groups and surveys will help Westimprove services to students. In 2005, each studentservices unit developed specific measurable studentlearning outcomes. Many academic disciplines alsowrote SLOs. Student Services plans to develop andadminister a “point-of-service” student survey toassess effectiveness and efficiency.

New forms of data are becoming available to help usallocate resources more effectively. The District isimplementing an information system that will even-tually make up-to-date data more readily available.The computer program “Class Tracks” plots sched-ules and detects conflicts in the assignment of roomsand classes.

In Fall 2005, the college established an Office ofInstitutional Effectiveness (OIE). Among OIE’s dutiesare: research, producing publications, marketing,staff planning and other resource allocation commit-tees, providing regular and ad hoc reporting, con-sulting with various campus constituencies to identi-fy research and evaluation needs and generating webcontent for the campus, including a campus “databook.” OIE is in the process of identifying a campusresearch agenda in an effort to create a more system-atic and comprehensive approach towards researchand assessment in all of the college’s functions.

It is recommended that the college develop and implement a plan for effective integration and coordination of basic skills offerings in mathe-matics, English, and learning skills to meet the needs of underprepared students, improve reten-tion, and allow students to progress through the curriculum, and achieve their educational goals.

In Standard II.A.1.a. and II.A.1.b., we discuss ourprogress toward an ideal program of basic skillsofferings, including supplementing math and

English courses withComputer-Assisted Instructionand expanded tutoring, andlinking basic skills English andmath classes with a personaldevelopment class. We havebeen able to progress by effec-tively using grants, such asour Title III and Title V federalgrants and special funds suchas those provided by EOPSand Upward Bound.

In the absence of a student union or cafeteria, the college should provide an appropriate space for students to interact and enjoy a sense of community.

Los Angeles voters passed bond initiatives that arefunding a Student Services Building, currently in theplanning phase that will provide space for studentsto congregate and feel at home in the college com-munity. In the meantime, the temporary structureused for the Associated Students Organization (ASO)has been painted and refurnished. The collegeassigned ASO an additional venue, A1, and addition-al modular furniture has been provided for ASO. Thedeployment of the food truck, which serves the cam-pus in lieu of a cafeteria, located opposite the ASObuilding, helps draw students to the area, whereshaded seating is appealing in our many months ofdry weather.

The College should improve the coordination ofcounseling services to better serve students in a timely and effective manner.

In our Integrated Master Plan, we set the goal ofhaving every student complete a StudentEducational Plan. Matriculation developed an orien-tation that students watch when they are assessedfor English and math, which frees up counselor time.In its recent program review, the CounselingDivision identified the need for automated systemsto increase efficiency, and the adoption of theStudent Accountability and Record System (SARS)has validated that assessment. SARS allows studentsto schedule their own appointments with counselors,it provides data on student use of services and itincludes a system to call students with importantmessages. Counseling is developing a staffing planto assure that counselors are always available athours of peak demand.

WLAC SELF STUDY 102


We have been able toprogress byeffectively

using grants...

The College should take the steps necessary to ensure the currency of the library collection and other learning resources.

Up to 2000, a lack of funds had been the main obsta-cle to maintaining an up-to-date library collection.Although finances have not improved, the addition

of an e-book collection and electronic periodical andresearch databases have mitigated the problem.Librarians have also developed systems to determinematerials needed by documenting student requests,librarian observations and faculty suggestions.Purchases are made on a rotating basis, so that somefields receive extra attention each year. These sys-tems are described in Standard II.C.1.a.

The College should improve faculty participa-tion on college committees and other forms of wider service to the institution.

Division Chairs have been encouraged to considerservice to the college in their evaluations of faculty.This has been hampered by vague language in theAFT contract that made it possible to interpret thegrading of student course work as service to the col-lege. This language has been thoroughly clarified inthe new contract. Heightened collegiality in manycommittees has encouraged more participation. Asnew tenure-track faculty are hired, part of the men-toring process will include introducing the new hiresto committee work and the advising of clubs.

Regular evaluation of all staff should be monitored and documented.

Each Vice President’s division now has systems totrack whether employees are being evaluated. Thisis described in Standard III.A.1.b.

An appropriate level of custodial services and physical plant maintenance should be identified and addressed.

The Facilities Master Plan volume of the IntegratedMaster Plan addresses the maintenance of the col-lege. Plant Facilities now completes an annual pro-gram review and unit plan, evaluating its activitiesand its plans vis a vis the goals of the IntegratedMaster Plan.

West Los Angeles College’s campus has receivedconsiderable attention since the 2000 visit. TheHeldman Learning Resources Center, which housesthe library, was altered to increase classroom space,was painted and new flooring was laid. Alterationsand improvements were made throughout the Abuildings and all of the B buildings. The exteriors of60 percent of campus buildings were painted.Aggregate was spread to level and stabilize a tempo-rary overflow parking lot that had recently been cre-ated. Other parking lots were treated with slurrycoat to improve driving areas. Improvements inlandscaping included an overhaul of the sprinklersystem. A total of 11 computer training labs wereremodeled and supplied with new equipment, andtraining rooms were added.

These subjects are addressed in Standard III.B.

The governing board should undertake an evaluation of its practices and policies.

The Los Angeles Community College District Boardconducted its own ACCJC self study in 2000 andnow conducts self-evaluations at annual retreats. Italso conducted a more formal self-evaluation ofBoard effectiveness in Spring 2005. Standard IV.B.3.g.discusses the Board’s systematic evaluations of gov-ernance and decision-making structures.

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WLAC SELF STUDY 104

105 WLAC SELF STUDY

STANDARD I INSTITUTIONAL MISSION AND EFFECTIVENESS

The institution demonstrates strong commitmentto a mission that emphasizes achievement of stu-dent learning and to communicating the missioninternally and externally. The institution usesanalyses of quantitative and qualitative data andanalysis in an ongoing and systematic cycle of eval-uation, integrated planning, and implementation,and re-evaluation to verify and improve the effec-tiveness by which the mission is accomplished.

I.A. Mission

The institution has a statement of mission thatdefines the institution’s broad educational purpos-es, its intended student population, and its commit-ment to achieving student learning.

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

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY:

West Los Angeles College’s Mission Statement says:

“The mission ofWest Los Angeles College

is to serve the students and the community by providing

quality instructional and support services including programs,

facilities, and open access for allwho can benefit from instruction.”

The college, as an institution of higher learning, iscommitted to an environment that reflects respect forall students. The college provides an educationalexperience that is challenging and inclusive of theneeds of its diverse student body. The collegeaffirms the belief that multiculturalism contributes tothe success of all students as they learn to value thediversity of the college and society. West LosAngeles College’s mission is founded upon a com-mitment to assist each student in developing an edu-cational success strategy. The college implements itsmission through:

“Transfer Education to provide general educationand major preparation for those students who planto continue their studies at a four-year college or uni-versity.

“Career and Occupational Education providing cer-tificate and associate degree programs to meet theneeds of those students preparing for employment ina changing, globally-centered society, and those cur-rently employed who wish to retrain themselves orupdate their skills to meet the growing demands ofincreasingly interdependent societies.

“General Education to introduce students to thehumanities, the arts, the social and natural sciences,allowing them the opportunity for personal, intellec-tual and cultural growth; while providing oral andwritten communication, mathematics, critical think-ing skills and international perspectives necessary tosucceed in life.

“Foundation Skills Program to provide studentswith the necessary capabilities in mathematics, ver-bal and written language skills, and study skills tosuccessfully complete a certificate, a degree, or trans-fer program.

“Economic Development to develop educationalpartnerships with business, industry, labor and gov-ernment in order to offer programs for the workingadult or those preparing for work, recognizing thatthe nature of work grows increasingly internationalin content and global in scope.

“Continuing Education to meet, where possible,educational needs of the community not otherwiseserved by regular college programs.

“Support Services to assist students in defining andachieving their educational goals.

“Student Activities to involve students more fully inthe college experience.”

“The college promotes and encourages the continu-ous and timely examination of college programs andservices to assess their effectiveness and ensuremaintenance of academic excellence.” (I.A-1 pp 9-10)

West Los Angeles College’s (West’s) MissionStatement defines the college’s multi-faceted educa-tional purposes in terms of serving “the students andthe community by providing quality instructionaland support services, including programs, facilities

WLAC SELF STUDY 106

and open access for all who can benefit from instruc-tion.” Since we are an open-enrollment institution,our students’ backgrounds and preparation for col-lege are quite diverse; we are committed to servingeveryone who comes to us seeking education on acollege level. Gauging, developing, instituting andmaintaining appropriate pro-grams and services for a broadand ever-shifting student pop-ulation is a challenge we facewith a variety of tools. Weseek to identify the needs ofour current and future stu-dents, and to optimize our use-fulness to our community, bothof which require our commit-ment to and focus on studentlearning. In fulfillment of itsmission, from July 2004 untilJune 30, 2005, West awarded342 Associate Degrees and 292certificates for programs com-pleted in two years or less.

To fulfill its mission as a public California communi-ty college and to focus its commitment to studentlearning, West employs a variety of measures,including environmental scans, surveys and focusgroups to measure student and community needs.The focus groups held in Fall 2005 by the DavisResearch LLC clarifies the educational goals ofWest’s students, “[West] services a considerablenumber of part-time students who have diverse rea-sons for attending community college in general and[West] specifically. Many of these students areattending to further career or vocational goals.”Further study of the report’s findings will help thecollege in its marketing efforts.

In 2002, the environmental scan conducted by theconsultant firm Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc. pro-jected that “Demographic trends indicate that in thecoming years the Los Angeles area will be predomi-nantly young and Latino.” West’s Latino populationhas grown from 2000 to 2004, from 23 percent to 28percent, according to the Los Angeles CommunityCollege District’s Research Office. To better meet theneeds of these students, West sponsored two work-shops in late November and early December 2005 on“Who are generation 1.5 students?” based onresearch findings that note, “An increasing numberof U.S. high school graduates enter college while stillin the process of learning English. Referred to asgeneration 1.5 because they share characteristics of

both first-and-second generation immigrants,(Rumbaut & Ima, 1988), they do not fit into any ofthe traditional categories of nonnative English speak-ers enrolled in college writing courses.” It noted thatthe college’s service area “has a larger proportion ofpeople over 18…is one-third white and one-thirdLatino. African Americans comprise the next largest demographic group” although “…the proportion ofAfrican Americans and whites in the service areashas declined in recent years.” Core industries on theWestside included: aviation and aerospace, entertain-ment, airport and airport area services, hospitalityand travel and technology and Internet services.(I.A-2) (I.A-3, p. v-6)

Efforts to meet the needs of a predominantly minori-ty student body resulted in specific plans and pro-grams, including the Summer 2002 SummerImmersion Program (SIP), through the University ofCalifornia Los Angeles’ Center for CommunityCollege Partnerships. Chosen from a competitivepool of applicants, 20 of West’s students lived on theUCLA campus for two weeks and completed anintensive university-level course in African-American History. Most SIP participants, approxi-mately one-quarter of whom were African-Americanmales, have successfully transferred to a UC. Inaddition, events on campus celebrate important his-torical and cultural events, such as Cinco de Mayo,the Multicultural Festival of Spring 2005, and thecommemoration of Mrs. Rosa Parks, scheduled forDecember 1, 2005, which included an essay and anart contest. (I.A-3)

Entertainment and service industries remain promi-nent employers in the area. Computer science jobopportunities waned for a period but as of Fall 2005are rebounding while real estate has swelled becauseof the scarcity of affordable housing in the highlypopular and populated residential location of theWestside of Los Angeles. Recent additions to the col-lege’s educational offerings include Allied Health,which encompasses Emergency Medical Training(EMT), Drug and Alcohol Studies and the taking ofonline courses by employees of the Los AngelesCounty Sheriff’s Department who wish to preparefor transfer to four-year universities.

The “intended student population,” according to theMission Statement is “all who can benefit frominstruction.” West’s current student body includesmore women than men; ethnically diverse immigrantstudents, for whom English is not their primary lan-guage; under-prepared students from feeder high

INSTITUTIONAL MISSION AND EFFECTIVENESS

We seek toidentify the

needs of our currentand future

students, andto optimize

our usefulnessto our

community...

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schools; students who are returning to educationafter a hiatus because of jobs and other responsibili-ties; and students seeking to upgrade their currentskills for job promotion or to change careers.

The implications of this for instructional programsand classroom instruction are clear: study skills, time management, reading comprehension, clear andeffective writing and quantitative skills present veryreal challenges for the majority of our students,many of whom aspire to well-paying, secure jobs in ahighly competitive, shifting job marketplace. Westrecognizes and continually strives to provide highquality instruction to meet the needs of its diversestudent body. Recognizing the growth in its Latinostudent population, English as a Second Languagefaculty have focused on fine-tuning the rigor of bothreading and writing in their classes. Workshops inDecember 2005 focused on the 1.5 Generation, so-called because they straddle both ESL and English.

Student learning at West begins with determiningstudent need and effective support. Although stu-dents come to West with a very wide array of goals,the majority seek an education that will eitheradvance their careers or allow them to transfer to afour-year university; many pursue both goals simul-taneously. Our discussion here focuses on the align-ment of our programs and services with these twolarge parts of our mission.

The Computer Sciences Division’s IndustrialAdvisory Committee, cited in III.C.1.b, has recog-nized the need for more narrowly focused and tech-nical classes in network technology, website develop-ment and computer security. Such input informscurriculum planning by faculty in the ComputerScience discipline.

Another method of providing student support isthrough the college faculty dialoguing with facultyfrom the University of California, Los Angeles; it alsorecruits adjuncts in English from university writingprograms, such as those at Loyola MarymountUniversity and the University of Southern California.This assures that transfer students’ preparation isrigorous and comparable to lower division classesfor the baccalaureate level. Articulation agreementswith the California State University and theUniversity of California systems in addition to localindependent colleges also help students transfer.

Whether enrolling in a co-requisite to the EnglishFundamentals course or a mathematics workshop

“to increase comprehension of all levels of mathe-matics utilizing tutorial assistance from a mathemat-ics instructor,” non-traditional students find theneeded encouragement and support they require.

West Los Angeles College is neither big nor small insize. Being mid-size affords students unique oppor-tunities. In addition to classes that feature interactionamong students and faculty, smaller “learning com-munities” prosper.

West’s Transfer Honors Program and its honors soci-ety, Alpha Gamma Sigma, offer highly motivatedtransfer students additional educational avenues.The honors component enhances basic curriculumrequirements with more intensive study. Studentsprepare for and lead class discussions. They maydesign writing prompts or conduct additionalresearch under the guidance of their instructor.Honors society members engage in a range of com-munity services.

The Associated Students Organization takes the leadin publicizing a host of scholarships each spring.Students involved in student government learn lead-ership skills and travel to Sacramento or Washington,D.C. to lobby on behalf of public community col-leges. They also plan, organize and sponsor theMulticultural Festival to celebrate the richness ofWest’s multiethnic student body.

Further efforts to fulfill the mission are evident inWest Los Angeles College’s establishment of thesecollege student learning outcomes (SLOs): criticalthinking, communication, quantitative reasoning,ethics, self-awareness/interpersonal skills, techno-logical awareness, civic responsibility, cultural diver-sity and aesthetics. Widely discussed in specialworkshops, at various committee meetings and viaemail, then endorsed by unanimous vote of theAcademic Senate on November 8, 2005, these SLOsreflect West’s educational philosophy that “affirm(s)the principle that individuals should have opportu-nities to develop to their full potential.” While not allSLOs apply to every student in every learning situa-tion, they are meant to describe the multi-dimension-al aspects of learning that occur across disciplinesand programs. Their application is not limited tocourse work. For example, all segments of StudentServices have developed specific SLOs and are fine-tuning how they are assessed. The integration ofSLOs throughout the college is evidenced by docu-ments that include SLOs, such as the Official Outlineof Record for courses, program review and unit

planning documents. The SLOs also routinelyappear on committee’s agendas and minutes. (I.A-1,p. 9) (I.A-4)

Through its classroom instruction and services, WestLos Angeles College commits itself to “providing themeans for fulfilling the promise of open access.” (I.A-1)

SELF-EVALUATION:

West continually balances its multiple missions as aninstitution of higher learning that provides “qualityinstructional and support services and open access.”To better serve our diverse students, this missionnecessarily encompasses a changing array of curricu-la and services. Since such a balance is especiallychallenging when fiscal resources are tight, Westrelies on its planning cycle processes to help the col-lege focus on annual goals related to the IntegratedMaster Plan to ensure student learning. [The plan-ning cycle is discussed below, at point I.B.]

As we have developed SLOs in the last two years,many of the faculty have become excited by theopportunity to better serve our mission by focusingexplicitly on the skills that our students need to takeaway from West. In light of the new accreditationstandards, the college has identified a need to revisitthe mission statement to address student learningoutcomes.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Planning Committee has begun to review the Mission Statement and will schedule an annual review thereafter.

• Beginning in 2006, the Vice President of Academic Affairs together with the Student Learning Outcomes Committee will direct the integration of measurable student learning outcomes that align with the college’s institutional SLOs throughout courses, syllabi and academic programs.

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


The current mission statement was approved by theLACCD Board of Trustees in March 2000. It is pub-lished in the college catalog and in the IntegratedMaster Plan and also appears on the college website.(I.A-5)

SELF-EVALUATION:

Since the college community, and especially stu-dents, may not focus on the mission statement whileusing the schedule of classes and the catalog, itwould be useful to present it in other contexts.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• In 2006, the Dean of Academic Affairs who is in charge of the production of the schedule will publish the mission statement in the Schedule of Classes, and the Vice President of Student

Services will post the mission statement in appropri-ate places.

I.A.3. Using the institution’s governance and deci-sion-making processes, the institution reviews itsmission statement on a regular basis and revises itas necessary.


In the 2000-2002 preparation of the Integrated MasterPlan, the mission was discussed extensively. It hassince been evaluated and reviewed, together with thecollege’s values, by participants at the annualLeadership Retreat held off-campus in June and co-sponsored by the Academic Senate and the College

Planning Committee. The3rd Annual LeadershipRetreat, held June 11, 2004included as part of theagenda, “Evaluating theMission and Values of theCollege,” and “Status of theCollege Master Plan 2003-2004 Goals with Projectionsfor 2004-2005.” The collegere-affirmed its currentMission Statement at this

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Retreat. Since then, however, discussions at theStudent Learning Outcomes Committee (SLO) meet-ings as well as in the College’s Planning Committee(CPC) point to a need to reconsider the mission state-ment to better integrate and articulate student learn-ing outcomes as a relevant part of the college’s mis-sion and values. (I.A-6)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The college has formulated institutional SLOs and ismaking good progress in establishing course andprogram SLOs. In Fall 2005, the college voted on arevamped college council, one with recommendingpower to the college President. The AcademicSenate voted unanimously on a proposed CollegialConsultation Policy between it and the President atits October 11, 2005 meeting. These changes willnecessitate a review of the mission statement. TheCollege Planning Committee has begun to review theMission Statement and will schedule a review annu-ally thereafter

The college meets the standard.

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


West Los Angeles College’s comprehensive missionis central to and informs institutional planning anddecision making. The college’s Integrated MasterPlan, which includes and references the mission andprovides a framework for planning and change, isresponsive to shifts in demographics and jobs, levelsof funding and staffing.

Seven strategic directions as outlined in the IntegratedMaster Plan inform planning and decisions: studentsuccess, educational program and service develop-ment, human resources and organizational develop-ment, information technology, facilities, marketingand outreach and financial health. (I.A-3)

West’s Integrated Master Plan is an expansion andarticulation of its mission. Annually, all chairs andmanagers participate in a program review and unitplanning process. One of the stated goals of the pro-gram review process is to “provide an assessment ofeffective application of college mission and goals.Each unit plan should reflect and implement the master plan.” The New Initiatives Proposal form, which is the initial step in proposing a new program,

project, partnership or grant, asks that those submit-ting the form, “state the proposal’s goals anddescribe how it is consistent with WLAC’s missionand master plan.” (I.A-7)

West has recently established a College Council (CC)that replaced the former College CoordinatingCouncil (CCC) to seek consensus and make writtenrecommendations to the President on issues that“have college-wide impact” with respect to “the col-lege vision and mission statements.” “Annual collegestrategic and operational plans” and “long rangestrategic planning” inform these recommendations.Short and long-term planning issues are discussedand acted on in committees, including: the CollegePlanning Committee, the Program ReviewSubcommittee of the Planning Committee, theBudget Committee and the Work EnvironmentCommittee. (I.A-8)

Participatory governance as practiced in consulta-tions between the college President and theAcademic Senate, in committees such as the WorkEnvironment Committee, Matriculation, FacultyPosition Identification and Prioritization (FPIP) – allcontribute to policy and decisions that are collabora-tive and focus on implementing the collegeIntegrated Master Plan, the principle means bywhich the mission is realized.

Well-established, working committees focus on avariety of charges which give shape and meaning tothe college’s mission - basic skills, curriculum, trans-fer, technology, distance education, strategic enroll-ment management, SLOs. In each of these, the col-lege works collaboratively toward fulfilling its mis-sion. In these committees, as well as the CollegePlanning Committee, agenda items focus on imple-menting the Integrated Master Plan’s ActionObjectives to promote and support student learning.Chairs and members of key committees participatein the college’s annual Leadership Retreat, and it isat this conference that constituent groups re-examine, re-adjust, and re-affirm their purposes inlight of the College’s Mission, Values and IntegratedMaster Plan. (I.A-3)

In these and other forums throughout the college,goal setting and decision-making consider and refer-ence the college’s mission.

SELF-EVALUATION:


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STANDARD I.A. DOCUMENTATION:

I.A-1 West Los Angeles College Catalog 2004-2006I.A-2 West Los Angeles Community College vs. Two Major Competitors Final Report October 2005I.A-3 West Los Angeles College Integrated Master Plan, vol. 2 I.A-4 West’s Student Learning Outcomes StoryI.A-5 LACCD Board Action, March 8, 2000.I.A-6 Leadership Retreat ReportsI.A-7 Unit Plan Guide 2004-2005 for 2005-2006I.A-8 West Los Angeles College Council

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I.B. IMPROVING INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

The institution demonstrates a conscious effort toproduce and support student learning, measuresthat learning, assesses how well learning is occur-ring, and makes changes to improve student learn-ing. The institution also organizes its key process-es and allocates its resources to effectively supportstudent learning. The institution demonstrates itseffectiveness by providing 1) evidence of institu-tion and student learning outcomes and 2) evidenceof institution and program performance. The insti-tution uses ongoing and systematic evaluation andplanning to refine its key processes and improvestudent learning.

I.B.1. The institution maintains an ongoing, colle-gial, self-reflective dialogue about the continuousimprovement of student learning and institutionalprocesses.


Participation in committees is the principle way thatfaculty, administration, staff and students engage indialogue to improve West Los Angeles College. Inthe College Participation portion of the West LosAngeles College 2005 Self-Study Questionnaire,Preliminary Results, 68 percent of respondentsagreed or strongly agreed that West “maintains aself-reflective dialogue about the quality of its servic-es.” (I.B-1)

Self-reflective dialogue that includes listening to oth-ers and reaching a decision to improve learning andits processes is an ongoing activity that occurs inmany different venues. Recent evidence of this focuson student learning includes decisions to sponsor aseries of SLO workshops to guide faculty in under-standing and integrating measurable SLOs into theircourse outlines. The college has also decided towork closely with community entities such as theProbation Department and now the Sheriff’sDepartment in offering courses central to the trainingand continuing education of their personnel.Improving student learning is central to much of thedialogue that occurs at West. (I.B-2) (I.B-3)

The Divisional Council comprised of the chairs ofacademic divisions, meets bi-monthly and is chairedby the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Its agen-

das focus on the chairs’ concerns, such as the sched-uling of courses in a year-round mode, for example.Decisions to expand online course offerings derivefrom evidence that enrollment in these classes hasincreased. Deans work closely with academic divi-sion chairs on details relating to instruction, such asthe contract-mandated evaluation of faculty and thestaffing of classes, critical to the on-going mainte-nance of quality. (I.B-4)

Faculty chairs meet with their academic divisions onFlex Day as well as during the academic year toaddress issues such as ways to discourage plagiarismby designing very specific essay topics or develop-ments in collaborative learning and technology in theclassroom. The English as a Second Language disci-pline is sponsoring two workshops to acquaint col-leagues with studies on special populations such asGeneration 1.5, students defined as students who“share characteristics of both first-and second-gener-ation immigrants.” “They do not fit into any of thetraditional categories of nonnative English Speakersenrolled in college writing courses, nor have theybeen the focus of much research on students learningto write in English as a second language.” (quoted inI.B.5)

At the regular meetings of the Student ServicesDivision, chaired by their vice president, an agendaitem might be the comprehensive program reviewevaluation recommendations or unit planning items,SLOs and how to measure these or how to increaseoutreach to feeder high schools in West’s servicearea. (I.B-6)

Other committees meet on a regular or as-neededbasis. The advisory committee for dental hygiene,the Senate’s Curriculum Committee, the FacultyPosition Identification and Prioritization Committee,the Work Environment Committee, the TechnologyCommittee, the Facilities Committee, the CollegePlanning Committee, the Budget Committee, theCollege Coordinating Council provide numerousopportunities for participation by representativesfrom all constituencies of the college community.(I.B-7) (I.B-8) (I.B-9)

In these settings, participants meet to address sub-stantive issues directly related to improvement ofstudent learning. The Curriculum Committee focus-es on the updating of courses while highlighting

SLOs and their assessment in this process. It alsoscrutinizes new course submissions for their qualityand academic depth and rigor. This scrutiny is beingapplied to a growing area, distance education. Thenew Distance Education Addendum, now requiredof online courses, insures academic rigor and is evenmore demanding than what is asked of traditionalon-campus classes. The Staff DevelopmentCommittee is looking at ways to improve committeeparticipation among faculty, for example, to enhanceinvolvement beyond the classroom but with directimpact on learning. Meetings of the President’sCabinet, the Academic Senate, the College Counciland College Planning Committee and the AmericanFederation of Teachers local chapters all provideforums for dialogue about institutional processes andhow to improve these. (I.B-9) (I.B-10) (I.B-11) (I.B-12)

Student leaders and members of the AssociatedStudents Organization (ASO) are encouraged andinvited to take part in these dialogues. They aremembers of key committees such as the CollegePlanning Committee. The Academic Senate meetingagenda specifies time for the ASO President or hisdesignee to address the Senate on student issues.Through this process, students have voiced their con-cerns, for example, their frustration with the risingcost of textbooks. (I.B-10)

To promote collegial discussion, more meetings arebeing conducted according to “ground rules” estab-lished early and agreed to by participants. Thisworked particularly well in the meetings of two adhoc committees that produced both the West LosAngeles Council and the proposed West Los AngelesCollege Academic Senate Collegial ConsultationPolicy. Both committees grew out of discussions atthe 2005 Leadership Retreat. The ad hoc committeeshad 30 days in which to draft these proposals thatwould address problems with consultation and rec-ommendations to the president. Work proceeded,and the timeline was met, in part because membersadhered to the agreed-upon ground rules. (I.B-13)

A brown bag/idea/think tank session took place onNovember 17, 2005, where participants were asked,“If everything were right with West, what would youlike to have done at the college and what would ittake to implement these ideas?” (I.B-14)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The 2005 Accreditation Survey reports that 70 per-cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed thattheir participation “will help improve” the college.

Seventy-five percent agreed orstrongly agreed that “Meetingswork toward the overall mis-sion of educating students.”With regard to whether“Participation… result[s] infavorable outcomes,” 66 percentof respondents agreed orstrongly agreed. Seventy-twopercent of respondents feel that“Staff strives for excellence intheir work.” Furthermore, 75percent agreed and stronglyagreed that the college “meet-

ings work toward the overall mission of educatingstudents,” and 79 percent agreed or strongly agreedthat the college’s instructional programs “providequality instruction to students.” From these surveyresults as well as the work of numerous committees,it is clear that the college offers rich opportunities forself-reflective dialogue that lead to improvement.(I.B-1)

Too often, though, the same individuals serve onmultiple committees. The Staff DevelopmentCommittee recognized this in a recent meeting.Reasons for this may lie in the decreasing number ofstaff and faculty caused by retirements and exacer-bated by the hiring freeze enacted when mid-yearcuts occurred to community college funding in 2002.The committee discussed ways to encourage morefaculty to serve on at least one committee. In fact, the2006-2008 American Federation of Teachers FacultyGuild Agreement requires each full-time facultymember to serve on at least one committee. Thisshould widen and deepen dialogue and therebyincrease communication and awareness among moremembers of the college community.

An observation made by the facilitator of the 2005Leadership Retreat noted that West has a culture of“a lot of talk,” followed by “more talking, more dis-agreement, more discussion,” with “little action.”She noted that taking action involves taking respon-sibility for that action, and it is much easier just todiscuss.

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Seventy-twopercent of

respondentsfeel that

Staff strivesfor excellencein their work.

Action-oriented agendas that emphasize studentlearning will help in this regard as will the setting ofground rules for more efficient and effective commit-tee meetings. Posting committee minutes on the col-lege website is enhancing communication andawareness.


I.B.2.The institution sets goals to improve its effec-tiveness consistent with its stated purposes. Theinstitution articulates its goals and states the objec-tives derived from them in measurable terms sothat the degree to which they are achieved can bedetermined and widely discussed. The institution-al members understand these goals and work col-laboratively toward their achievement.


In our 2002 Integrated Master Plan, West LosAngeles College identified an extensive, interrelatedset of more than 25 goals. According to theIntegrated Master Plan, we conceived of the plan “asa spur to innovation and creativity…a framework ofgoals and potential strategies for problem solvingand development of initiatives for the college as awhole, divisions and units. Most importantly, theplan serves as a common framework of shared goalsfor the institution.” At the same time, we recognizedthat “many of the challenges and opportunities ofthe college are long-term and complex.” Thus, werequired plans that “create[d] a flexible frameworkthat can change with changing circumstances, whilekeeping the College on track for achieving itsvision.” Indeed, we have focused on the identifiedgoals, which seemed both more attainable and mostimportant to our mission, such as the following:

• Assess and Orient Every Student to Develop Career Goals and Educational PlansWest now assesses and orients considerably more students than we were doing in 2000. Thenumber of students with completed Student Educational Plans has increased by nearly tenfold over the last four years, from approximately200 to more than 2,000. The matriculation pro-gram has developed a student tracking data-base (the Student Accountability and Record System – SARS) and implemented a computer-ized assessment program. An orientation video

has been developed so that all students who take an assessment test can be offered the opportunity to complete orientation at the sametime. (I.B-15)

• Strengthen Educational PartnershipsThe Dental Hygiene Program has had close ties with UCLA for many years, and the recently established Allied Health Division has expand-ed those ties to teach emergency medicalservices in a program that combines work on

our campus and at UCLA. West also has an Upward Bound program, which seeks to prepare local high school students to transition to college.

• Enhance Unit PlanningThe Planning Committee and the Program Review Committee undertook this work. They pared down the planning instruments used by managers and chairs to plan for the upcoming year and to provide a clearer focus on data and on specific measurable outcomes. A key step was the combination of the unit planning with the annual program review, so that managers and chairs are now asked to review their unit’s successes in the year just completed and adjust their plans for the year underway before articu-lating new plans. The fact that unit plans are the source for all additions to the budget (with very limited exceptions) has reinforced the importance of unit planning in the minds of campus leaders. Representative examples of unit plans include the following from September 2005:

From the Humanities and Fine Arts Division,“Architecture Program Requirements expandto include cross-disciplinary studies in the Art Department,” and “The strategy of tradi-tional (foundation) courses combined with coursework with direct vocational applica-tion has been identified…to be presented to the Curriculum Council September and October 2005.”

From Distance Education: “Work with Title VGrant Coordinator to develop online coun-seling and tutorial services,” and “Provide online students with additional technical support via a web-based Help Desk.” (I.B-16)

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• Implement Budget ImprovementsIn its ongoing evaluation of its instruments, the Program Review Subcommittee determined thatits planning structure needs to be strengthened, particularly with respect to its impact on the college budget. In 2005, Administrative Servicescoordinated with the chair of the Program Review Subcommittee to revise the unit plan-ning document. By providing unit managers and chairs with detailed data on their budgeted items for the previous fiscal year and for the fiscal year currently underway, the revised document will ensure that chairs are fully aware of their budget status as they do their program review and unit plans, and that the information they provide will feed directly into the deliberations for the next budget. The revisions are under consideration by the College Planning Committee and the Budget Committee. (I.B-17)

• Improve Campus CommunicationsIn 2005, the college created and filled the posi-tion of Information Technology manager. One of this individual’s major contributions to the functioning of the campus has been the devel-opment of the college website and campus internet. On the college website, students can access the Schedule of Classes and Catalog, findcampus directory information, learn about campus programs and services and link to the District to check their grades. Computers on campus have access to the intranet which is designed to increase communications between

the different parts of the campus by providing acentral and accessible space for the work of the campus. Examples include committee agendas and minutes and faculty and staff for specific resources, such as problem reporting, meeting room management, training and administrative information.

• Enhance the College's Research FunctionRecognizing the need for a more systematic approach to the planning process, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) has been organ-ized to centralize the functions of research, planning, marketing and publications. The mission of the OIE is to assess and increase the effectiveness of the institution through the college’s cycle of evaluation and planning. ADean of Institutional Effectiveness is being hired to lead the effort to assure the effectivenessof West’s planning and resource allocation

processes. As part of its commitment to improvement, OIE is currently staffed by a research analyst, an administrative assistant andtwo student assistants.

One of the central responsibilities of the recentlyreorganized Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) is the college’s research function. OIE has the responsibility for identifying the research and evaluation needs of the college, collecting the appropriate data, analyzing that data and presenting the results in usable form to the various campus constituencies. OIE provides

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support to virtually all college committees and activities and through this support, identifies the needs of those constituencies. Research on the campus has taken many different forms, including extraction of operational data, such asenrollment or student performance; generation of new data through surveys, process analysis or environmental scans; or the collection of secondary data through literature reviews or peer analysis. These data are analyzed and presented to the campus in ways that facilitate the use of that data for the evaluation and modification of programs and objectives, thus creating a more systematic approach to improvement and institutional effectiveness.

• Develop PartnershipsWest has developed many community partner-ships since 2000. In partnership with the Los Angeles Institute of Architecture and Design, we offer the general education courses required to transfer to Cal Poly Pomona in architecture. Students studying in the entertainment crafts industries at Hollywood Cinema Production Resources can get college credit for their work by enrolling in West’s classes. The largest part-nerships by far, however, are in the field of Administration of Justice, where we train Los Angeles County probation officers and Los Angeles County sheriff deputies. We also have an active fire technology program.

• Establish a comprehensive Information Technology training and orientation program for staff and faculty.As the District has transitioned from its legacy system to comprehensive data systems providedby SAP, staff have made progress in acquiring comprehensive training in key computer appli-cations. The District Information Technology Office provides training on the Enterprise Resource Training for SAP and for other appli-cations used District-wide, such as Business Warehouse, Protocol and eRPA, As the new Human Resources portion of SAP has come online, the District has initially trained technicaland key staff who are expected to train others on campus.

Through grant monies, West is addressing faculty information technology needs.

The Title III grant supported the establishment of a Teaching-Learning Center to provide com-puter training for faculty, staff and administra-tors, including extensive on-going classes and drop-in consultation. A refurbished Faculty Support Center is available for adjunct faculty’s computing needs, including accessing the college network. Online course development management and training is provided by Foothill College for instructors developing online or hybrid courses. Online instructors arealso encouraged to take advantage of courses inonline pedagogy such as those offered by the Cyber Teacher’s Institute. Faculty and staff are also encouraged to attend conferences on Information Technology. The Math Division received a grant to train instructors in the Educo math lab, a computer-assisted compo-nent for basic math classes.

The Integrated Master Plan also identifies CampusPlanning Principles and Building Design Principles,which will be used as our building program pro-ceeds.

SELF-EVALUATION:

West is aware of how far we have to go in imple-menting the goals set in our Integrated Master Plan;in fact, one of the advantages of having such a docu-ment is that it can guide us in further work.

Responses to the question, “To what degree does thecollege adhere to the master planning process?”reflects the staff who are aware of the master plan of

the college. Eight-five percent of the respondentshave varying degrees of awareness that there is amaster plan. Seventeen percent of the respondentsbelieved there was not a systemic planning processbeing implemented; 37 percent believe that there issome systematic planning process that is beginningto take shape; 30 percent believe that there is a sys-tematic planning process that the college follows; 17percent believe that there is a clearly defined plan-ning process. (I.B-1)

West is aware of the critical need to implement thegoals set forth in our Integrated Master Plan and isdiligently working to incorporate the IntegratedMaster Plan in all facets of our operation. We are

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using the document as a guide for our planningprocesses and to create more operational measures ofour effectiveness. More importantly, there is growingawareness on campus of our mission statement andmaster plan. Ninety percent of all staff surveyed areaware of the mission statement; 85 percent are awareof the master plan. Forty-seven percent of those sur-veyed feel that there is a systematic planning processthat the college follows; 37 percent believe that thereis a systematic process that is beginning to takeshape. (I.B-1)


I.B.3. The institution assesses progress towardachieving its stated goals and makes decisionsregarding the improvement of institutional effec-tiveness in an ongoing and systematic cycle of eval-uation, integrated planning, resource allocation,implementation and re-evaluation. Evaluation isbased on analyses of both quantitative and qualita-tive data.


West Los Angeles College has an ongoing andincreasingly systematic cycle of evaluation and plan-ning that assists the college in using its limitedresources wisely and more effectively. The systemrelies on analyses of both quantitative and qualita-tive data through its Master Planning cycle compo-nents including program review and unit planning,its budget and planning prioritization process andthe New Initiatives Letter.

In addition to the mission statement, the college’sIntegrated Master Plan with its annual cycle of plan-ning and resource allocation provide the basis for aneffective learning organization. (I.B-18)

The college relies on the quantitative data providedto every academic division, program, service andoffice that completes program review reports.Among the data provided are full-time equivalentstudents, retention and persistence, degrees and cer-tificates – and other measures such as the Spring

2005 Student Survey Results Los AngelesCommunity Colleges West Los Angeles College, the2005 West Los Angeles College 2005 Self-StudyQuestionnaire Preliminary Results the West LosAngeles Community College vs. Two MajorCompetitors Final Report October 2005 or strategicenrollment projections, trends in curricula and fund-ing and recommendations from accreditation. Thecollege researcher, responsible for setting theresearch agenda in collaboration with those needingand requesting data, works closely with key commit-tees and groups to provide up-to-date, reliable infor-mation to assist the college with key decision-mak-ing processes.

Data are provided on a regular and ad hoc basis.Among the data provided are operational data, suchas enrollment or student performance; new data gen-erated through system and local surveys, processanalysis or environmental scans; the collection of sec-ondary data through literature reviews or peeranalysis; strategic enrollment projections; trends incurricula and funding; and recommendations fromaccreditation. Much of this information is availablethrough the West Los Angeles College Data Book orthrough the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE)website. OIE is responsible for setting the researchagenda in collaboration with all members of the cam-pus and works closely with key committees andgroups to provide up-to-date, reliable information toassist the college with key decision-making process-es. OIE is a member of the College PlanningCommittee and provides direct support to theCollege Council. (I.B-19)

Under the authority of the College Council, theCollege Planning and Budget Committees focus onimplementing the Integrated Master Plan through aprogression of college-wide and unit processes.These processes promote institutional consensus onkey issues and strategies that foster the principle thatplanning drives budget decisions.

The following chart is a refinement of the one foundin the Integrated Master Plan to show how the time-line for the process has changed.

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119 WLAC SELF STUDY


The major steps in the process now are the1. Leadership Retreat, which brings together

administrators, academic division chairs, committee chairs, deans, program directors, staff and student government officers to conduct a review of the academic year that is just ending and to look ahead to the coming academic year. Outcomes of this day-long meeting include a list of potential issues, oppor-tunities and priorities for the coming year.

2. Program Review and unit planning workshops utilize a Unit Plan Guide, developed after the Leadership Retreat, which lays out the process steps and timeline for the annual planning and budgeting cycle. Unit managers and chairs receive individualized program review docu-ments in which their objectives for the previous year are listed together with the measurable outcomes. They must then identify their accomplishments and areas to improve. This

self-study feeds directly into unit planning. To many, the budget request is the heart of unit planning since, with rare exceptions, no increasesin budget can be considered unless they have been introduced in the unit plan.

3. Each unit submits its Draft Annual Unit Plan and Budget to its respective vice president.

4. Each vice president reviews the unit plans and identifies a consensus plan for the division. Each vice president then develops a document representing the proposed initiatives and budgetallocations for the coming fiscal year.

5. The vice presidents meet and compare their plans and budgets in order to develop a comprehensive plan for each division.

6. The Planning Committee reviews the draft Divisional unit plans and provides feedback.

7. The College Planning Committee meets jointly with the Budget Committee to rank budget initiatives within the scope of the projected allocation.

Process Step Original Timeline Current Timeline—————————————————————————————————————————————————Leadership Retreat May May or June—————————————————————————————————————————————————Distribution of Annual Planning and Budgeting Guidelines August August/September (now Program

Review and Unit Planning workshops)———————————————————————————————Initial Planning Session of Major Divisions August/September—————————————————————————————————————————————————Completion of Unit Plans Late October Late October—————————————————————————————————————————————————Vice Presidents’ Review and Synthesis November November—————————————————————————————————————————————————Cross-Divisional Information Sharing November November/December—————————————————————————————————————————————————Planning Committee Review November: Selected issues, as and Feedback November introduced by Vice Presidents—————————————————————————————————————————————————Divisional Review and Priority Setting December/January December—————————————————————————————————————————————————Planning Committee Review and Feedback February February—————————————————————————————————————————————————Constituency Review February Largely replaced by general oversight

of the process—————————————————————————————————————————————————Joint Planning-Budget Committee Priority Setting March March/April—————————————————————————————————————————————————Constituency Review April Largely replaced by general oversight

of the process—————————————————————————————————————————————————Final Plan and proposed College Budget May May

8. Constituency groups review the budget priori-ties and submit their recommendations to the president.

9. The president makes final decisions on the budget priorities and communicates these to theconstituencies.

This system derives from the one in the IntegratedMaster Plan. The major change has been the foldingof program review and unit planning into oneprocess. Each step in this process helps institutionalmembers understand the college’s goals and work,especially in key committees.

The well-established institution-wide programreview and unit planning process is West LosAngeles College’s mechanism for ongoing and systematic self study. Through this process, academicdivisions, student services, programs, offices andother services engage in an annual self-evaluation tied to the college’s mission,vision and Integrated Master Plan thatfocuses on improvement. Programreview and unit planning workshops areheld every August for academic areaswith the workshop for Student andAdministrative Services and thePresident Office scheduled in September.At these workshops, participants receivea packet that includes their previousyear’s program review goals and objec-tives, the most recent unit plan objectivesand relevant data provided by the collegeresearcher. For example, in 2005, the dataconsisted of enrollment, retention, certifi-cates and degrees from 1998 to 2004,demographics, survey results such as the StrategicGoals Survey, the West Los Angeles College 2005 Self-Study Questionnaire, Preliminary Results, and Spring2005 Student Survey Results Los Angeles CommunityColleges West Los Angeles College.

At the workshops, participants are oriented to andbegin the self study program review process. Theyare then encouraged to take their initial work back totheir divisions, disciplines and offices for input andfeedback from colleagues in a collaboration thatyields a complete in-depth report. The programreview instrument flows directly to the unit plandocument so that planning and improvement are based on and grow out of data-supported evalua-

tion. This, in turn, points to modifying instructionand services as needed to accomplish program goals. Integrated Master Plan goals of student success,human resources and organizational development,

marketing and outreach and financial health are builtinto the program review and unit plan. A column ofthe form asks for measurable outcomes.Improvement is emphasized in the section that asksfor “Specific strategies and tasks to achieve objectiveand to implement solutions to program review find-ings.” These strategies and tasks vary widely acrossthe campus. Many involve the redirection of effortto new areas; some, but by no means all, are depend-ent on the identification of new resources. (I.B-20)

Program review reports are central to the FacultyPosition Identification and Prioritization process,which is the mechanism through which tenure-track

faculty positions are ranked for resourceallocation. Requests for financialresources must appear in unit plans,which derive from the ongoing, system-atic program review process and analy-sis of key data. (I.B-21)

Thus, program review and unit planninglead to goal setting based on evaluationof previous objectives with an emphasison addressing concerns and strategiesfor improvement.

Through the work on establishing stu-dent learning outcomes at the institu-tional and course levels, West’s focusnow shifts to how best to assess student

learning, which will add another important compo-nent to measurable objectives that now includeenrollment targets in addition to a plan to addressstudent retention. (I.B-2)

The next step in producing the annual plan andbudget is in the hands of the vice presidents whoshould review all the plans from areas under theirauthority, produce a consolidated, prioritized planfor their division and work with the other vice presi-dents to coordinate the plans of all three divisions.

Finally, the College Planning and BudgetCommittees hold joint meetings to prioritize requests for additional funding. They apply the following

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Program reviewreports are central tothe Faculty Position

Identification and Prioritizationprocess, which is the mechanismthrough which

tenure-track facultypositions are

ranked for resourceallocation.

criteria such as successful transfer, completion ofdegrees/certificates and a rubric designed to objec-tively determine the degree to which each initiativewill rank according to how well they are rankedwithin their divisions; meet key indicators of theIntegrated Master Plan and have completed and metthe goals of their program review are factors takeninto account in the prioritizing process. (I.B-22)

One way that Administrative Services is attemptingto clarify our planning and budgeting process is byproviding detailed budget information at each stepof the planning process. These figures can be aggregated into draft budgets as the fiscal plan forthe upcoming year is developed in the BudgetCommittee.

Another mechanism which the college relies on toassess progress toward its stated goals through ourplanning and budgeting cycle is the Letter of Intentfor New Initiatives. As a communication tool and amethod of insuring that all the appropriate bodiesare involved in the planning process from the outset,the Letter of Intent must note the Integrated MasterPlan goals that the initiative addresses and the pro-posal form requires citing “both qualitative andquantitative support for the need” for the initiative.It also asks the applicant(s) to “Describe your evalua-tion process and what measures you will use.” Therating system used assigns points to assess the“degree to which the initiative best addresses one ofthe campus goals – based on the Integrated MasterPlan – student services, human resources, marketingand outreach and financial health. It also referencesthe college’s Mission Statement, West’s “capability toundertake the partnership or initiative,” and askswhat “facilities and offices and units” will be affect-ed. Also accounted for are implementation, long-term planning for funding the operations and main-tenance of the effort. Each proposal must also spellout the benefits to the college and costs, both directand indirect. All proposed programs, projects, part-nerships and grants must follow this process. (I.B-23)

An example of a recent New Initiatives Proposal,submitted June 12, 2005, to the College PlanningCommittee is the Geriatric Care Technician Programto be included as part of the Allied Health Division.Using quantitative factors such as information fromthe District’s Research Office that “the fastest-grow-ing segment of the population in West’s service area

is the over-50 group,” and qualitative factors, includ-ing this statement: “In approximately 2000, whenWest developed its partnerships with Culver CitySenior Center, Claude Pepper Center, Beverly HillsCenter, and West Hollywood Senior Center, eachidentified…recruiting the growing 50-65 age groupand increasing their services to the growing 75+group.” This, coupled with the fact that “California ranks 47th in the number of nursing aides, orderliesand attendants per 100,000 population in 2000,according to the Bureau of Health Professions” bol-sters the need for this proposal. The proposal will beevaluated using the criteria described in the previousparagraph. (I.B-24)

We have recognized that our planning process needsmore longer-focus mechanisms to augment the effec-tive annual cycle. The Academic Senate has formed acommittee to draw up a process that will detail howprogram vitality and viability are to be assessed.

In addition to the annual program reviews, a six-yearcycle of comprehensive program reviews of academ-ic disciplines has been instituted. The ProgramReview Evaluation Subcommittee of the CollegePlanning Committee reviews the comprehensive pro-gram reviews and forwards its commendations andrecommendations to the College PlanningCommittee for action. Here again, West’s goal ofimproving student learning is the focus of collegeefforts.

English, English as a Second Language, Math, DentalHygiene and Counseling completed their reports,and the commendations and recommendations bythe Program Review Evaluation Subcommittee wereendorsed by the College Planning Committee inSpring 2005. The Dental Hygiene program, for exam-ple, was commended for its long-term proactiveefforts to increase the diversity of its applicant pool.Math was commended for strengthening studentretention through its grant applications to supportand fund its lab and provide staff development forinstructors in the use of the Educo software.Recommendations emphasize actions leading toimprovement in instruction and services. Among therecommendations Counseling received were todevelop a process and procedure to notify studentsimmediately of the latest changes to articulation withfour-year universities, the curricula and programs to support students’ success with transfer. (I.B-26)

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The Child Development Center, Library andLearning Resources, Administrative Services,Information Technology, the Business Office andPersonnel and Payroll are currently working on theircomprehensive program review reports. These self-study reports, in their depth and breadth, supportprogress toward program goals.

SELF-EVALUATION:

West Los Angeles College has an effective programfor systematic and cyclical evaluation, planning andresource allocation efforts that lead to improvedinstitutional effectiveness. The annual planning andbudgeting cycle intends to link planning and budget-ing through collaboration and cross-divisional andconstituency review. This program is campus-wide,but through careful evaluation, the college has recog-nized the need to strengthen the linkage betweenplanning and resource allocation. Strengthening thiskey link (for example, through providing moredetailed and comprehensible budget data in the pro-gram review instrument) will further improve analready well-established, functioning program.

The college continues to struggle to meet timelines,resulting in not enough attention paid to long-termplanning. The College Planning Committee, itsProgram Review Subcommittee and the Office ofAdministrative Services are working together to alle-viate this problem.

In addition, the college continues to struggle withthe communication and adoption of the IntegratedMaster Plan goals by all college constituencies.Efforts continue to make planning a central part ofthe college culture and the implementation of writ-ten documents and processes continues to evolve.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The College Council will, by the end of Spring 2006, examine ways to coordinate all steps in the planning and budgeting cycle so that long-term planning can occur according to timelines.

I.B.4.The institution provides evidence that theplanning process is broad-based, offers opportuni-ties for input by appropriate constituencies, allo-cates necessary resources, and leads to improve-ment of institutional effectiveness.


Planning processes at West are broad-based, collegialand inclusive. They begin with program reviewreports required across all segments of the college:academic divisions, Student and AdministrativeServices and the President’s Office. This well-estab-lished, college-wide effort has been improved uponeach successive year and includes participants fromevery part of the campus. Program reviews lead tounit plans, which eventually are prioritized by theirappropriate division and then forwarded to theCollege Planning Committee.

Our Self Study Survey asked several direct questionsabout participation and outcomes of the planningprocess. Seventy percent of faculty and staff feel that“my participation will help improve WLAC”; 66 per-cent believe that their participation results in “favor-able outcomes.” Further, more than 80 percent ofrespondents believed that the “college community”had “some involvement” to “major involvement” inthe decision making process in planning and budgetreview; more than 70 percent felt the same aboutbudget and academic decisions.

The College Planning Committee and BudgetCommittee, whose members represent key con-stituencies - representatives from the AcademicSenate, classified staff units, student government, theAmerican Federation of Teachers, the Vice Presidentsof Academic Affairs, Student Services andAdministrative Services and resources like the collegeresearcher - meet jointly in the spring semester tolook at the priorities of the three major divisions ofthe college – Academic Affairs, Student andAdministrative Services – and the President Office, todetermine how resources will be allocated. Reportsfrom the representatives of the College PlanningCommittee and the Budget Committee are presentedat meetings of the constituency bodies, such as theAcademic Senate and the Classified Forum.

Although our planning process does involve theentire campus through the representation of all theconstituencies, as well as by program review andunit planning, the campus is not uniformly aware ofour processes. The West Los Angeles College 2005Self-Study Questionnaire, Preliminary Resultsreveals that 54 percent of the college faculty, staff andstudents know about the Integrated Master Plan.

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123 WLAC SELF STUDY


When asked, “To what degree does the collegeadhere to the master planning process?” 84 percentof the respondents have varying degrees of aware-ness that there is a master plan. Seventeen percent ofthe respondents believed there was not a systemic planning process being implemented; 37 percentbelieve that there is some systematic planningprocess that is beginning to take shape; 30 percentbelieve that there is a systematic planning processthat the college follows; 17 percent believe that thereis a clearly defined planning process.

Details provided in the Descriptive Summary ofI.B.3. above attest to progress made in improvinginstitutional effectiveness.

SELF-EVALUATION:

West has many hard-working committees rangingfrom the Student Learning Outcomes Committee, the Basic Skills Committee to the Faculty PositionIdentification and Prioritization Committee, theFacilities Committee, the Work Environment andTechnology Committees. Although committee min-utes can now be posted on the college website, com-munication across committees can still be improved.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The College Council as part of the new governance structure will immediately examine and implement ways to improve communicationand coordination among its many committees.

I.B.5. The institution uses documented assessmentresults to communicate matters of quality assuranceto appropriate constituencies.


The college compiles and reports assessment resultsto communicate quality assurance to its constituen-cies. The newsletter from matriculation reports ongraduation and retention rates, WorkforceDevelopment informs faculty, staff and studentsabout the assessment process and its results and theLearning Resource Center reports on collection forthe library. (I.B-25) (I.B-26) (I.B-27)

SELF-EVALUATION:

Included in these are assessment results required by different entities. The Federal AviationAdministration provides quarterly figures of stu-dents who have passed the written exam within aspecified period after completing the AviationMaintenance Technician certificate. West’s studentsgenerally score above the national norm. The

Paralegal Program, like Dental Hygiene, submitsextensive reports to the appropriate accreditingagency. Matriculation, EOPS/CARE, Title III andTitle V must submit assessment results to complywith regulations. Matriculation, for example, com-piles data on “Students enrolled in the remedialEnglish and math programs and the ESL program”to track “the rate of completion of higher levels ofEnglish, Math and ESL” and reports these to theState Chancellor’s Office in Sacramento. (I.B-28) (I.B-29) (I.B-30)

Financial Aid, DSPS, EOPS may be subject to audits.Reporting on the Title V grant is mandated by thefunding agency, the federal government. (I.B-32)


I.B.6.The institution assures the effectiveness of itsongoing planning and resource allocation processesby systematically reviewing and modifying, asappropriate, all parts of the cycle, including institu-tional and other research efforts.


Ever since the planning cycle was codified in the2003 Integrated Master Plan, West has reviewed andmade incremental improvements. The cycle is predi-cated on the idea of all plans arising from the unit

plans written in the fall. Since opportunities arise atunexpected intervals, one of the first changes wasthe development of an emergency track. ThePlanning Committee in creating this document sought to balance the need for open, timely commu-nication with the need to respond quickly to changing conditions. The document requires a justi-fication for considering a proposal outside the nor-mal planning cycle. This track was used more fre-quently in the first years of West’s planning process,suggesting that the community has learned to usethe established system.

Program review also called for revision. Since 2000,the college has moved from a comprehensive reviewdone every six years to one done yearly and from a45-page instrument to a 10-page one. In addition,program review and unit planning have been com-bined into one process since 2001. Having had expe-rience in gathering data in this manner, West hasfound it possible to return to the comprehensive pro-gram review done every six years. The processbegan in 2004 with six academic areas. The compre-hensive program review instrument has been adjust-ed to better evaluate Administrative Services andStudent Services. Validation of comprehensive pro-gram reviews in the period up to 2000 had beenproblematic because of the difficulties establishing aseparate validation committee for each program. Asubcommittee of the Program Review Subcommitteenow validates the self-studies and has given com-mendations and recommendations to the six academ-ic areas and is preparing to review AdministrativeServices and Student Services.

The Academic Senate has recognized the need toestablish processes for considering program viability,and an ad hoc committee has developed a draft pro-posal to be presented to the Senate in December.

The Faculty Position Identification and PrioritizationCommittee also assesses its instruments and policieson an annual basis when the committee is active. The Chair of this committee met with the Chair of coun-seling in order to address concerns about the ratio ofcounselor-to-students used in the committee’s ratingsystem.

West Los Angeles College has designed a cycle forplanning, implementation and evaluation. As part of

this cycle, the College Planning Committee andBudget Committee meet jointly to draw up a list ofpriorities for resource allocation. However, theCollege Planning Committee has noted that what is currently missing is a re-evaluation step in whichboth committees revisit the previous list of prioritiesto assess what was implemented and how and whether the list needs to be modified because ofchanges.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Efforts continue to make planning a central part ofthe college culture, and the implementation of writ-ten documents and processes continues to evolve. Ina number of ways, West is addressing the need tosystematically review its planning processes. Whilesome steps are clearly spelled out in the planningcycle, in actuality, important steps are missing.Recognizing this, the College Council and its CollegePlanning Committee is now engaged in reconfigur-ing its planning cycle and establishing a planningand budgeting timeline with built-in review.

This can happen in a number of ways. For example,vice presidents can examine at their division levelhow funding can be moved within their unit to facil-itate resource allocation to identify priorities. Inaddition, at the weekly senior staff meetings, thethree Vice Presidents, with the college President, candiscuss cross-divisional resource needs to be funded.

Recognizing the need to strengthen our planningprocesses, the former Research and PlanningDepartment have been combined and reorganizedinto the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) tocentralize the functions of research, planning, mar-keting and publications. The mission of OIE is toassess and increase the effectiveness of the institutionthrough its cycle of evaluation and planning. A Deanof Institutional Effectiveness is being hired to leadthe effort to assure the effectiveness of West’s planning and resource allocation processes. One ofOIE’s major tasks has been supporting the accredita-tion process. Beginning with a Self Study Survey inthe Spring of 2005, OIE continues to work with all ofthe constituencies on campus to identify the researchneeds of the campus and to collect the data necessaryto support the operation of institution. This work hasincreased the visibility of OIE on the campus andgiven OIE a measure of validation.

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PLANNING AGENDA:

• By the end of spring 2006, the College Council will determine ways to coordinate all steps in the planning/budget cycle so that long-term planning can occur according to timelines.

I.B.7.The institution assesses its evaluation mecha-nisms through a systematic review of their effec-tiveness in improving instructional programs, stu-dent support services, and library and other learn-ing support services.


The use of verifiable data at all levels is an ongoingconcern. One of the goals of the reorganization of theOffice of Institutional Effectiveness is to review theexisting evaluation mechanisms on campus in orderto identify best practices and facilitate their adoptionthroughout the campus. In combination with theProgram Review Committee and the CollegePlanning Committee, OIE works to improve theprocesses that result in increased student success.Staffing changes, including the projected hiring of anew dean for Institutional Effectiveness, as well asthe development of a comprehensive research agen-da that includes evaluating the evaluation mecha-nism, serve to strengthen these efforts.

With regard to research, the college hired a provi-sional research analyst in January 2005 after the pre-vious college researcher retired. In October, Westhired a permanent research analyst and concurrentlyestablished the Office of Institutional Effectiveness,reorganizing and re-tasking the former Office ofPlanning and Research. The analyst is currentlydeveloping a comprehensive research agenda whichwill incorporate the data needs for matriculation, program review, grants, state and federal reportingand enrollment management. Establishing aresearch calendar, which will also incorporate timelyand systematic assessment of this function toenhance institutional effectiveness, further strength-ens this crucial area.

Program review is one of the key evaluation process-es at West. The Program Review Committee evalu-ates its forms every year, and has made significantadjustments in the questions asked, the data provid-ed and in its timelines. Combining program reviewwith unit planning was a major improvement, as it

has further articulated the connection between evalu-ating what we have done and planning what we willdo. (I.B-17)

Another example of improvement resulting fromsystematic review of evaluation mechanisms is theFaculty Position Identification and PrioritizationCommittee which is charged with prioritizingrequests for faculty probationary tenure-track posi-tions. This committee, which engages in annualreview of its instrument and processes, adjusted itsscoring in order to account for benchmarks estab-lished for counselor-to-student ratios. The impetusfor this refinement came from academic divisionchairs.

Surveys, such as the West Los Angeles College 2005Self Study Questionnaire and the Spring 2005Student Survey Results, Los Angeles CommunityColleges, West Los Angeles College, also play a rolein evaluating the college’s academic programs andstudent support services. West’s research analystand the District’s Research Office use standard statis-tical methods to ensure that validity and reliabilityfall within acceptable levels. (I.B-1)

A series of focus groups convened in September 2005provided additional qualitative information to evalu-ate the effectiveness of college evaluation mecha-nisms. This is particularly useful when coupled withquantitative assessments.

SELF-EVALUATION

Recognizing the need to further develop planningand research, by combining them with marketing, grants, publications, publicity and the college web-site, the interim President designed the Office ofInstitutional Effectiveness. While there is a signifi-cant amount of data available, the analysis and inter-pretation of that data was not adequate to assist deci-sion-making. This is now being addressed moredirectly. The use of data to assist decision-making isthe most important aspect of reviewing our evalua-tive mechanisms.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Office of Institutional Effectiveness will begin implementing the centralization of plan-ning, research, marketing, grants, publications,publicity and the college website immediately.

125 WLAC SELF STUDY


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STANDARD I.B. DOCUMENTATION:

I.B-1 West Los Angeles College 2005 Self Study Questionnaire, Preliminary ResultsI.B-2 West’s Student Learning Outcomes StoryI.B-3 Probation Dept. and Sheriff’s Dept. informationI.B-4 Divisional Council MinutesI.B-5 Generation 1.5 Workshop handoutsI.B-6 Comprehensive Program Review Evaluation Committee reportsI.B-7 Minutes of the Faculty Position Identification and Prioritization CommitteeI.B-8 Minutes of the Work Environment CommitteeI.B-9 Minutes of the College Planning CommitteeI.B-10 Minutes of the Academic SenateI.B-11 Minutes of the College CouncilI.B-12 Minutes of the AFT Chapter meetingsI.B-13 West Los Angeles College CouncilI.B-14 Think Tank Session #1 November 17, 2005 ReportI.B-15 Student Accountability and Record System (SARS)I.B-16 Unit Plans September 2005 (Humanities, Distance Education)I.B-17 Program Review instrument draft changesI.B-18 West Los Angeles College Integrated Master PlanI.B-19 West Los Angeles College Office of Institutional Effectiveness website (http://www.wlac.edu/oie/)I.B-20 Unit Plan Guide 2004-2005 for 2005-2006I.B-21 FPIP Process for Prioritizing Faculty PositionsI.B-22 Priority Lists from Joint College Planning Committee and Budget Committee MeetingsI.B-23 Letter of Intent for New Initiatives I.B-24 Geriatric Care Technician ProposalI.B-25 Matriculation newsletterI.B-26 Workforce Development newsletterI.B-27 Learning Resources Center newsletterI.B-28 Paralegal Program reportI.B-29 Title III Final Performance Report – USDE (ED 534B)I.B-30 Title V Report – 2005 Interim Title V Report for Current Grant – Emphasis on Linked Basic Skills Math,

English, CAI and Personal DevelopmentI.B-31 EOP&S (Care) Status Report


127 WLAC SELF STUDY

STANDARD II STUDENT LEARNING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

The institution offers high-quality instructionalprograms, student support services, and library andlearning support services that facilitate and demon-strate the achievement of stated student learningoutcomes. The institution provides an environmentthat supports learning, enhances student under-standing and appreciation of diversity, and encour-ages personal and civic responsibility as well asintellectual, aesthetic, and personal developmentfor all of its students.

II.A. INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS

The institution offers high-quality instructionalprograms in recognized and emerging fields ofstudy that culminate in identified student out-comes leading to degrees, certificates, employment,or transfer to other higher education institutions orprograms consistent with its mission. Instructionalprograms are systematically assessed in order toassure currency, improve teaching and learningstrategies, and achieve stated student learning out-comes. The provisions of this standard are broadlyapplicable to all instructional activities offered inthe name of the institution.

II.A.1.a. The institution identifies and seeks tomeet the varied educational needs of its studentsthrough programs consistent with their educationalpreparation and the diversity, demographics, andeconomy of its communities. The institution reliesupon research and analysis to identify studentlearning needs and to assess progress towardachieving stated learning outcomes.


In Fall 2004, just more than 8,300 students enrolled atWest Los Angeles College, an urban community col-lege nestled on 72 acres of a bucolic hillside inCulver City, California. Sixty-four percent femaleand 36 percent male, our students hail from as closeas Culver City, Inglewood and West Los Angeles andas far away as Russia, Poland, Nigeria and India.Serving a diverse population that is 46 percentAfrican American, 29 percent Hispanic, 12 percentwhite, and 9 percent Asian/Pacific Islanders, the col-lege is dedicated to fostering an environment con-ducive to an appreciation of diversity. (II.A-1)

To serve this diverse student population, the collegehas a one-stop Matriculation Center that boasts vali

dated computer-based assessment instruments usedto place students in mathematics, English andEnglish as a Second Language courses in which theyhave the best chance of success. Students take theassessment tests, attend orientation, meet with acounselor to receive their assessment scores and getguidance about which classes to take and then regis-ter for classes.

West has extensive offerings in Learning Skills,including many courses for those with learning dis-abilities. A learning disability specialist is a memberof the faculty.

Enrollment patterns are used to determine courseofferings. Program review also gives faculty theopportunity to evaluate the data on persistence andattrition. Each year, Mathematics has used the pro-gram review cycle to steadily increase supplemen-tary Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) for itsbasic skills math students and has seen its pass ratessteadily improve from Spring 2002 to Spring 2005.The college has invested in “Class Tracks” software,a sophisticated program, which will track classes thatneed to be offered in sequence, so that students maycomplete programs in a timely fashion. “ClassTracks” plots schedules and course sequences anddetects conflicts in the scheduling of rooms andclasses. (II.A-18)

Academic Affairs has requested that at least one dis-cipline in each division establish program-basedSLOs. The English, music and dental hygiene disci-plines have produced these. We have also developedprogram outcomes in the divisions or disciplines ofmathematics, social and behavioral sciences, anthro-pology, administration of justice, language arts,humanities and fine arts, music, dental hygiene,library science, chemistry, health and psychology.(II.A-2)

To meet the needs of our students, West offers voca-tional programs in child development, paralegal, avi-ation, dental hygiene, a program commended for itsefforts to attract diverse students, travel and admin-istration of justice. West is beginning a fire technolo-gy program. We have also submitted an applicationto the State Chancellor’s Office for a drug and alco-hol studies certificate. In addition, to meet the needsof the emerging marketplace in health care, we havean Allied Health Division that offers courses in emer-gency medical services and will soon offer coursesthat will prepare students for careers as geriatric caretechnicians. The majority of these programs haveadvisory boards that meet at least once a year to

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STUDENT LEARNING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

monitor their relevance and quality. (II.A-2) (II.A-3)(II.A-4) (II.A-5) (II.A-6) (II.A-7)

Typical of most California community college stu-dents, ours shoulder many personal responsibilities.Life complications often cause too many of them todrop out of classes or fail them.

Based upon the results of the Spring 2005 StudentSurvey Results, 45 percent of the respondents workpart-time or full-time, 27 percent work 40 hours ormore, 28 percent work 20-39 hours, and 11 percentwork 10-19 hours. Of these students, only 27 percentcome from a home where the annual family incomeis over $37,741, and 87 percent reported that theyreceive some type of public assistance. (II.A-8)

In a further effort to meet the needs of its students,West’s Basic Skills Task Force, a sub-committee of theSenate, meets on the first Wednesday of each month,where it focuses on budget planning to allocatefunds for tutors. It also discusses and makes recom-mendations on curriculum in basic skills mathemat-ics and English, and it tries to leverage grant fundsto serve basic skills students. This committee hasbeen instrumental in fostering computer-assistedinstruction (CAI) supplements to crucial basic skillsEnglish and math courses that often present chal-lenges to non-traditional students. (II.A-10) (II.A-11)

SELF-EVALUATION:

Title III workshops for faculty focused on the need toaddress students’ differing learning styles and theneed to include active learning in all classes. Thecurrent Title V grant, by encouraging basic skills stu-dents to also enroll in Personal Development 5,College Survival Skills, seeks to help students devel-op study and time management skills that can helpthem succeed. The faculty recognize that there aremany reasons students are unsuccessful in classes.Their personal obligations can interfere with classattendance, the completion of assignments andstudying for exams. The many personal burdensplaced on students was one of the topics covered inthree Title V-sponsored workshops held in Spring2005 where a group of full-time and adjunct facultyalso explored SLOs and the course sequence ofEnglish beginning with basic skills and leading tothe transfer composition class. (II.A-9)

The college needs to accentuate its role in helpingstudents succeed by encouraging them to pursuecounseling, tutoring, learning skills courses andtransfer information. The college realizes it mustaccelerate its support of these services to the fullestextent possible. In fact, the college applied for andreceived a Title V grant in order to provide suchservices for its students.

The Chairs of the Mathematics and Language ArtsDivisions together with the counselors are urgingstudents to lay a foundation of skills in reading, writ-ing, critical thinking and quantitative analysis beforetaking other courses. Many students bypass counsel-ing and self-enroll in classes that do not have pre-requisites but would better be taken when one pos-sesses the appropriate skills. Some students overloadthemselves in a rush to earn a degree or transfer,only to discover that the overloading forces them towithdraw from some classes and unsuccessfullycomplete others. Language interference preventssome students from being successful in classes.These students need classes in English as a secondlanguage but are often reluctant to enroll in them.

As part of West’s efforts to sponsor the first fourIntegrated Master Plans strategic goals of S-1 Assessand orient every student to develop career goals andeducational plans, S-2 Implement a first-year successprogram, S-3 Emphasize early math and English, andS-4 Provide supplemental academic enrichmentactivities, Title V is sponsoring a linkage between thebasic skills English and math classes and a personaldevelopment class, College Survival Skills, taught bya counselor. The plan is to guide a cohort of 100 stu-dents through the Math and English fundamentalsclasses with every support service not only availablebut formally offered to these students. (II.A-12)

According to the college Office of InstitutionalEffectiveness, basic skills course completion rates (A,B, C or Cr) have risen slightly from 61 percent in Fall2001 to 64 percent in Fall 2004. The overall persist-ence rate of re-enrolling students has risen signifi-cantly from 2001 to 2005. (II.A-13)

PLANNING AGENDA:

• By 2007, the Basic Skills Task Force in conjunc-tion with the Office of Institutional Effective- ness will develop a basic skills research agenda that will monitor and track student progress.

II.A.1.b. The institution utilizes delivery systemsand modes of instruction compatible with theobjectives of the curriculum and appropriate to thecurrent and future needs of its students.


West is in the forefront of utilizing a variety of deliv-ery systems and modes of instruction. We offeralmost 100 classes in distance education and havefound that many of these classes draw far moreenrollment than their on-campus counterparts, asthey offer convenience to working and homeboundstudents who want to save time driving, not missmeals, not have to arrange for child care and cantake our classes even if they live in another part ofLos Angeles County, out of the state or out of the

country. These classes must rigorously follow theofficial course outlines. (II.A-14) (II.A-15) (II.A-16)

On campus, we use computer-assisted instruction(CAI) for basic skills English and math. There is amandated co-requisite Learning Skills 50 computer-assisted instruction grammar course for all studentsenrolled in basic skills English 21, EnglishFundamentals. A CAI math lab serves students inbasic skills Math 105, Arithmetic for CollegeStudents and 112 Pre-Algebra. (II.A-17)

The chart below shows the pass rates (a grade of A,B or C) in percentages of students in math andEnglish classes between Spring 2002 and Spring2005. Percentages have been rounded off to the near-est whole number. (II.A-18)

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PASS RATE DATA FOR ENGLISH AND MATH CLASSES—————————————————————————————————————————————————Classes--Category Spring 2002 Spring 2003 Spring 2004 Spring 2005—————————————————————————————————————————————————English 21 “English Fundamentals”--basic skills 48% 57% 50% 45%—————————————————————————————————————————————————English 28 “Intermediate Reading and Composition” -- needed for AA degree 57% 62% 51% 50%—————————————————————————————————————————————————English 101 “College Reading and Composition” 59% 51% 58% 58%—————————————————————————————————————————————————Total English Students Total 1,116 Total 1,227 Total 1,155 Total 1,279—————————————————————————————————————————————————

Math 105 “Arithmetic for College Students--basic skills 46% 44% 44% 45%—————————————————————————————————————————————————Math 112 “Pre-Algebra”--remedial 35% 46% 44% 49%—————————————————————————————————————————————————Math 115 “Elementary Algebra”--needed for AA degree 39% 39% 41% 48%—————————————————————————————————————————————————Math 117 “Basic Elementary Algebra I”--needed for AA degree 32% 49% 34% 40%—————————————————————————————————————————————————Math 118 “Basic Elementary Algebra II”--needed for AA 50% 65% 60% 58%—————————————————————————————————————————————————(Math 117 + 118 = Math 115)—————————————————————————————————————————————————Math 125 “Intermediate Algebra”--needed to transfer 22% 31% 34% 27%—————————————————————————————————————————————————Total Math Students Total 1,226 Total 1,408 Total 1,481 Total 1,389

No clear trend emerges from the English data, andthe English discipline will hold further discussionson how to improve student learning in basic skillsclasses. But, for mathematics, the percentages inboldface indicate an upward trend over four yearsand appear to show that the computer-assistedinstruction supplements may help students passthese important basic skills math courses. Before thestart of the 2004 and 2005 fall semesters, Math 105and 112 faculty were encouraged to attend work-shops designed to familiarize them with the Mathlab. The Math chair meets individually with thesefaculty to discuss how they can utilize Math lab sup-port. The effort to use computer-assisted instructionto supplement and support basic skills students hasbeen built into the Math Division’s program reviewprocess.

Music also uses computer-assisted instruction in theform of macGAMUT software for Music 101,Fundamentals of Music for Non-Music Majors, offer-ing students practice in melodic and rhythmic dicta-tion. For the Music 200, 201, 202 and 203 theorysequence, the software program entitled Finale,which is used by professional musicians, enhancesstudents’ study by familiarizing them with softwarecurrently used in the music industry as well as offer-ing them practice in writing harmonic structure.

Funded by Title III and Title V grants, Smart boardapplications, which allow Internet access as well asallowing information written and drawn on whiteand black boards to be saved, are being used in threeEnglish classrooms in the B5 building and one histo-ry classroom, CE-203. (II.A-12) (II.A-19) (II.A-20)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The college continues to research effective deliverysystems to meet the objectives and appropriate needsof its students. English 21, English Fundamentalsand Math 105, Arithmetic for College Students andMath 112, Pre-Algebra make use of Computer-Assisted instruction to supplement traditional classinstruction. All students who enroll in EnglishFundamentals must take a co-requisite of LearningSkills 50, a half-unit computerized grammar course.Math students in basic math classes are encouragedto enroll in the Educo math lab located in B3-101,which runs software compatible with their textbooks.In 2004, math faculty used Title III money to conducttwo half-day staff development workshops thathelped them use their math lab effectively. In addi-tion, the Title V grant is working with a cohort of 100

basic skills students who are also enrolled inPersonal Development 5, College Survival Skills, tolearn time management and study skills.

English faculty used Title III funds to design twohalf-day workshops in collaborative learning androle-playing activities to help faculty assist studentsfrom a variety of cultural backgrounds. As theseefforts indicate, our faculty continue to seek effectivedelivery methods for basic skills students.


II.A.1.c. The institution identifies student learningoutcomes for courses, programs, certificates, anddegrees; assesses student achievement of those out-comes; and uses assessment results to makeimprovements.


In 2004, the college developed an SLO Committeecharged with establishing student learning outcomesfor the institution. As the committee examined theIntegrated Master Plan, the college mission and thestandards of accreditation, West identified nine insti-tutional SLOs to be fully implemented in the nextfive years throughout all areas of the college.Approved by the Senate in Fall 2005, these out-comes--critical thinking, communication, quantita-tive reasoning, self-awareness/interpersonal skills,ethics, technical competence, diversity, aesthetics andcivic responsibility--can be found in the CurriculumFolder. (II.A-2)

Student learning objectives at the course level arebuilt in to the new Revised Course Outline. Adoptedtwo years ago, the new district-authorized RevisedCourse Outline is used for all new courses, additionsto existing courses and course updates. It includes alengthy section that asks faculty to identify the con-tent and the learning objectives for the course theyare proposing. The form features a table of active-learning verbs from Bloom’s taxonomy designed toencourage faculty to write their objectives in measur-able terms. The new Revised Course Outline alsorequires faculty to identify required texts, supple-mentary readings, writing assignments, representa-tive outside assignments, assignments that demon-strate critical thinking, methods of evaluation andmethods of instruction. (II.A-16)

In Spring 2003, a series of monthly workshopsexplored the relationship between student learning

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outcomes and the newly adopted Revised CourseOutline. Information and examples are available onthe college Local Area Network (LAN). However, in2003, we really did not understand the distinctionbetween learning objectives and student learningoutcomes. In fact, we used the terms interchange-ably.

But, after substantial SLO workshops on July 14-15,2005, and October 27-28, 2005, faculty are beginningto have a much clearer understanding of SLOs. TheRevised Course Outline form has been modified sothat institutional and program SLOs with assessmenttasks can be added into a two-column table thatimmediately follows the content and objectives page.Faculty will begin using this new form in December2005. (II.A-16) (II.A-21) (II.A-22)

Furthermore, the annual cycle of program reviewand unit planning guides division faculty as theyassess the achievement of student learning objectives(as well as pass rates) and make improvements intheir course offerings. For example, when the pro-gram review process detects an area that needs to beimproved, the division’s unit plan must enumeratesteps to meet that goal. (II.A-23) (II.A-24) (II.A-25)(II.A-26)

It was through the program review process thatDental Hygiene split from Physical Education andbecame the nucleus of the new Allied HealthDivision. Since the re-alignment, the dental hygienefaculty have greater opportunity to participate in thecollege governance process. They have a representa-tive on the Academic Senate, the Chair participatesin Divisional Council, and faculty participate inmany committees. In addition, the Science chair saysrecent program review cycles have helped that divi-sion acquire outside storage bins for incoming andoutgoing preserved specimens, have their autoclaverepaired, obtain increased custodial services and per-suade the administration to transfer $40,000 directlyto reprographics instead of drawing it away fromdivisional supply budgets. (II.A-27)

SELF-EVALUATION:

West is in the beginning stages of implementingSLOs at the program and institutional level and hasnot yet begun formally assessing how studentsachieve them. Working toward this goal by usingTitle V funds, the Language Arts Division held twoworkshops in May 2005 to align course objectives

with course outcomes, incorporate various modes ofassessment and anticipate potential obstacles thatkeep students from meeting course objectives.

The Title V grant also funded two SLO workshopson July 14-15, 2005 and October 27-28, 2005, whichclarified the difference between learning objectivesand more global course, program and institutionallearning outcomes. These institutional and programoutcomes are in the Curriculum Folder. The Title Vdirector has created a sample grid, included in“West’s Student Learning Outcomes Story,” indicat-ing how courses within each of the A-F AssociateDegree graduation areas might assume responsibilityfor assessing one or two of the college’s institutionaloutcomes.

Student Services has defined all student learningoutcomes as they relate to its units. Through unitplanning, each area has operationally defined SLOsand has developed strategic plans and specific out-comes to measure success. Administrative Services isbeginning to operationally define SLOs.

We need to learn to act on data to make improve-ments.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Office of Institutional Effectiveness will work with faculty to help them interpret data and make instructional choices that will improve student learning and achievement of our SLOs by Fall 2006.

• The faculty will initiate the alignment of studentlearning outcomes and course assessment in 2006.

• Beginning in 2006, the Academic Senate in conjunction with Academic Affairs will conduct student learning outcomes workshops in which at least three teaching and three non-teaching faculty will participate.

II.A.2. The institution assures the quality andimprovement of all instructional courses and pro-grams offered in the name of the institution,including collegiate, developmental, and pre-colle-giate courses and programs, continuing and com-munity education, study abroad, short-term train-ing courses and programs, programs for interna-tional students, and contract or other special pro-grams, regardless of type of credit awarded, deliv-ery mode, or location.

II.A.2.a. The institution uses established proce-dures to design, identify learning outcomes for,approve, administer, deliver, and evaluate coursesand programs. The institution recognizes the cen-tral role of its faculty for establishing quality andimproving instructional courses and programs.


Academic Affairs, the Academic Senate, theCurriculum Committee, the College SLO Committee,the academic division chairs and faculty all takeresponsibility for the inclusion of measurable studentlearning outcomes in all courses. The campus-wideStudent Learning Outcomes Committee identifiednine specific Student Learning Outcomes at the insti-tutional level, which are discussed in “West’sStudent Learning Outcomes Story.” Each academicdivision has been asked to apply these nine SLOs toat least one discipline. Dental hygiene, English andmusic have completed this. (II.A-24) (II.A-25) (II.A-26)

Course quality and improvement are also ensured bythe faculty evaluation process discussed in StandardIII.A.

In addition, the college evaluates quality through itsannual program review process institutionalizedsince 1997, which asks divisions to self-monitorprogress in achieving agreed-upon goals and SLOsand to identify areas to improve as well as new ideasand actions. The unit plans, which are developed inresponse to this self-evaluation, set forth strategies toremedy weaknesses and plans for the implementa-tion of new ideas. One third of the college goesthrough an even more comprehensive programreview each year. In 2004-2005, English, English as asecond language, mathematics, dental hygiene andcounseling underwent this comprehensive programreview process, including evaluation of their find-ings in Spring Semester 2005. The Language Artscomprehensive program review is included in theCurriculum Folder. Two faculty members arereleased from teaching one class to direct the pro-gram review process.(II.A-24) (II.A-25) (II.A-26)

The 2004-2006 Catalog lists Associate Degrees avail-able in 41 traditional academic disciplines rangingfrom accounting to English, from travel to biology,from French to physics. Featured are the recentlyAmerican Bar Association-approved ParalegalStudies program and the nationally acclaimed

Dental Hygiene program. West also offers state-approved certificates of completion in 14 disciplinesincluding computer application and office technolo-gy, computer science information and real estate.Specialized locally designed Skill Certificates may beearned in 26 fields including Jewish Studies andcommunication entertainment media arts. A com-plete list of Associate Degrees, State-approvedCertificates and Skill Certificates can be found onpages 71-73 of the 2004-2006 Catalog. (II.A-28)

West also offers its students an opportunity to studyabroad. A professor of Spanish whisked students offto study Spanish in Spain in 2005 and is leadinganother group to Mexico in 2006. This course followsthe official course outline. Whether students takebuses, cars or airplanes to arrive at West’s classes,they will receive the same content, based on measur-able student learning outcomes, evidenced by thecollege’s updated curriculum.

This also applies to students who log on to theInternet to attend the almost 100 classes offeredonline, either in the full semester or eight-week for-mats. Students who sign up for the eight-week accel-erated classes offered in the Accelerated CollegeTransfer (ACT) format will also be taught accordingto SLO-driven official course outlines.

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A dedicated, hardworking and professional full-timeand adjunct faculty are entrusted with the teachingof West’s classes. The current catalog indicates that atotal of 24 full-time faculty and administrators haveearned a doctorate degree. As stipulated by the con-tract between the Los Angeles Community CollegeDistrict and the American Federation of Teachers(AFT), full-time faculty attend a minimum of 30hours of staff development activities in their fieldsevery year, and adjunct faculty attend staff develop-ment activities equivalent to the number of hoursthey teach in a week. These activities generally con-sist of a mix of individual research and group ordivision workshops. See the list of workshop titlesfunded by Title III and Title V grants in the evidencefolders. (II.A-12) (II.A-19) (II.A-20)

Since 2001, 20 full-time faculty have been hired ortransferred to West. In 2001, when the largest cohortof faculty was hired, there was a New FacultyOrientation from A to Z workshop attended by eightnewly hired faculty. The session included three two-hour sessions on topics such as “Active and EffectiveParticipation in the College,” “An Overview ofStudent Services” and “How to Facilitate andParticipate in a Productive meeting.” In addition, atwo-hour orientation for adjunct faculty is held everysemester. (II.A-34)

To substantiate course quality and improvement, theProgram Review Evaluation Subcommittee hasestablished a series of measurable benchmarks,including updated course outlines, a close look athow learning is achieved and the data required toaccomplish this. Based on careful reading of the pro-gram review reports, question-and-answer sessionsand discussion and additional fact-finding, the sub-committee forwards its recommendations to theCollege Planning Committee for its review andaction – commendation, recommendations and vali-dation.

SELF-EVALUATION:

As of June 2005, validation of dental hygiene,English, English as a second language, math andcounseling has been forwarded to the CollegePlanning Committee by the Program ReviewEvaluation Subcommittee. Six of the 52 programsand services, including instruction, student andadministrative services, undergo a comprehensiveexamination requiring more in-depth analysis.

West is making good progress toward the process ofincorporating SLOs in all programs and courses. Thecampus is now aware of the emphasis placed onthese SLOs. Now, each discipline has been asked todevelop program outcomes. The Vice President ofAcademic Affairs has given academic division chairsa matrix to help them apply SLOs across their disci-plines at the course and program levels. The collegealso purchased Ruth Stiehl’s The Outcomes Primerand The Mapping Primer for all deans and academicdivision chairs and plans to hold workshops toexplore Stiehl’s ideas.

Furthermore, on July 14-15, 2005, division chairs andtheir representatives from all six of the AssociateDegree graduation areas met for one and a half daysat an SLO conference on campus to discuss and writeprogram outcomes for their areas. This Title V-fund-ed workshop was led by Dr. Don Prickel, a professorat Oregon State University and a colleague of RuthStiehl.

As a result, the college developed institutional stu-dent learning outcomes that reflect our mission-based philosophy for college operations and masterplanning. Eleven disciplines developed a compre-hensive student learning outcome model that pro-vided instructors with a guideline to follow that willassist students in developing skills in the nine areasof student learning. These program outcomes can befound in the Curriculum Folder. (II.A-2)

PLANNING AGENDA:

• Beginning in 2006, the Academic Senate, the Student Learning Outcomes Committee and the Office of Academic Affairs will direct the devel-opment and integration of measurable student learning outcomes that align with the college’s institutional SLOs throughout courses, syllabi and academic programs.

II.A.2.b. The institution relies on faculty expertiseand the assistance of advisory committees whenappropriate to identify competency levels andmeasurable student learning outcomes for courses,certificates, programs including general and voca-tional education, and degrees. The institution regu-larly assesses student progress towards achievingthose outcomes.

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West’s faculty must meet the minimum qualificationsset by the state of California and the Los AngelesCommunity College District, which typically requirea minimum of a Master’s Degree for academic areasand professional certification for vocational areas.Faculty identify student competency levels by evalu-ating essays, exams, student speeches and otherdemonstrations of requisite skills. Entry skills andexit skills are identified for course sequences withprerequisites--as in core mathematics as well as theESL and English courses--which lead students frombasic skills to transfer level classes.

With regards to SLOs, key faculty in a range of disci-plines have attended workshops both on and offcampus to help them identify discipline-specific out-comes and ways to measure how well students havemastered learning. (II.A-2)Paralegal Studies, which was recently awarded fullapproval by the American Bar Association, DentalHygiene, Travel and Child Development, have sub-mitted lists of their advisory committees, whichshould be convened at least once a year. These listsare available in the Advisory Committee Folder.(II.A-2) (II.A-3) (II.A-4) (II.A-5) (II.A-6) (II.A-7)

SELF-EVALUATION:

A dean assumes responsibility for administeringthese vocational programs. For all vocational andacademic courses, the Curriculum Committee chairhas identified courses that need to be updated andhas reported these to the Academic Senate.

Beginning in December 2005, divisions will berequired to include selected institutional and pro-gram outcomes in their course updates. Title Vsponsored workshops in Spring 2006 will begin theprocess of helping faculty develop assessment strate-gies for evaluating student achievement of these pro-gram and institutional SLOs. We recognize that thisis an incremental process and may take several years.But we have made great progress in Title V-spon-sored workshops facilitated by Professor DonPrickel.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• Beginning in 2006, the Vice President of Academic Affairs will ensure that faculty in every vocational program convenes annual meetings of its advisory board and files minutesand committee rosters.

II.A.2.c. High-quality instruction and appropriatebreadth, depth, rigor, sequencing, time to comple-tion, and synthesis of learning characterize all programs.


The comprehensive process through which facultyare hired, evaluated and given tenure is described inStandard III. All faculty are instructed to distributeto students a syllabus accurately reflecting the learn-ing outcomes included in the official course outlineof record on file in Academic Affairs. In the 2005Student Survey Results, 89 percent strongly agreedor agreed that “Course outlines are provided and arefollowed.” A workshop before the beginning of eachFall semester covers Recommended Elements of aCourse Syllabus, included in the Faculty ProfessionalStandards booklet in the Standard II.A EvidenceFolder. (II.A-8) (II.A-21) (II.A-22)

The entire curriculum review process including fac-ulty design and/or revision, department review,technical review, curriculum committee review andrecommendation to the Academic Senate, as well asAdministrative sign-offs assures “appropriatebreadth, depth, rigor, time to completion, and syn-thesis of learning.” The Curriculum Committeemakes sure that all courses with a pre-requisite or co-requisite submit the appropriate content reviewpages, specifying the entering skills, methodologiesand exit skills necessary for each course. SampleEnglish, math and biology outlines (all with pre-req-uisites) are included in the Evidence Folder. (II.A-17)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The two sets of workshops led by Oregon StateUniversity Professor Don Prickel have helped at leastone discipline in every division develop programoutcomes. Faculty must now develop ways to assessstudents’ achievement of those outcomes.

It should be noted that some disciplines do not haveupdated course outlines for all of their courses. TheAcademic Senate in Fall 2005 voted not to permitany division to present new courses to theCurriculum Committee until all its courses wereupdated. This provision allows divisions to focus alltheir energies on updating curriculum, and it pre-vents the Curriculum Committee from being floodedby new courses at the same time that it is attemptingto review all updated courses. In addition, West will

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use the Class Tracks software to offer courses inorganized sequences aiding students to efficientlyprogress in meeting their goals.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• Beginning in 2006, the director of the Title V grant will work with the Academic Senate to convene workshops to facilitate each division’s development of measurable program outcomes, their inclusion in course outlines and their assessment. Division Chairs and faculty will report results in their annual program review documents.

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


Both basic skills courses in English and mathematicsemploy CAI to supplement in-class work. All stu-dents who enroll in English Fundamentals must takea half-unit grammar co-requisite. Students takingbasic math courses are encouraged to enroll in theEduco math lab, which runs software compatiblewith their textbooks.

Beginning in Fall 2005, as part of the college’s Title Vgrant, 100 of these basic skills students have beenadvised to co-enroll in Personal Development 5,College Survival Skills, which carries two units ofCSU (California State University) transfer credit. Itwill be determined whether linking classes in thisway helps improve student success. (II.A-10) (II.A-11) (II.A-12)

West has invested in interactive white boards in fourclassrooms and trained faculty in their use. Two aresmart podiums, which enable instructors to incorpo-rate multi-media. Two combine white boards andchalk boards that enable an instructor to save every-thing written on them and transmit the material viaemail. One history professor quite candidly saysthat students “dig” the Smart Board’s capabilitiesand that the student response is “overwhelminglyenthusiastic.” With the Smart Board, the professor isable to present maps, photos, cartoons, comic strips,magazine covers and charts as dynamic, vividimages that allow students to visualize the events

they are studying. Through the use of this technolo-gy, history comes alive for students and stimulatesthem to study more.

As part of the college’s recently ended Title III grant,the Language Arts Division devoted two half-daystaff development sessions in May 2005 to develop-ing lessons sensitive to gender and ethnicity. (II.A-9)

Each semester, Math faculty who teach basic skillsclasses are encouraged to attend a math lab orienta-tion led by the division chair to acquaint faculty withthe ways in which the math lab can assist their stu-dents.

The college utilizes an early alert system built intothe exclusion roster, allowing faculty to notify stu-dents that they may need extra help and tutoring.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Although the four faculty who have Smart Boards orinteractive whiteboards in their classrooms areenthusiastic about their instructional possibilities,many other faculty who are eager to use new tech-nologies need proper training and time to incorpo-rate smart board technology and Internet resourcesin their classes.

Online classes represent another powerful deliverymode. On May 24, 2005, the Academic Senate’sEducational Policies and Standards Committee madeseveral recommendations designed to improve disci-pline oversight and college procedures for approvingdistance education/online courses. In the past, thecollege followed district procedure in separatelyevaluating each online course brought to theCurriculum Committee. However, the EducationalPolicies Committee wanted to explore a more thor-ough review of the way in which online courses“adhere to the course objectives and cover the coursecontent.” The result was a Distance DeliveryStrategies supplement, which all updated onlinecourses must now add to their official course outline.Faculty who have evaluated online instruction, forexample in English, judged the level of academic dis-course to be at an exceptionally high level. (II.A-15)

Before any instructor at West is allowed to teach anonline course, they must pass an ETUDES (Easy toUse Distance Education Software) 20-hour trainingcourse or prior online teaching experience.

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PLANNING AGENDA:

• Beginning in 2006, Academic Affairs will offer workshops to help faculty identify and teach students who have different learning styles.

• Workshops offered by Academic Affairs will train faculty in the use of instructional technologybeginning in 2006.

II.A.2.e. The institution evaluates all courses andprograms through an on-going systematic review oftheir relevance, appropriateness, achievement oflearning outcomes, currency, and future needs andplans.


The program review process requires divisions toevaluate their programs against objectives stated inthe Master Plan. The first objective is “StudentSuccess.” The second objective is “Financial andHuman Resources” of the discipline. The unit planmust present remedies for any weaknesses identifiedin the program review process. In addition, the unitplan can present ways of improving the program.Please refer to II.A. 1.c. for examples of how the pro-gram review process specifically helped the Scienceand Allied Health Divisions. (II.A-23) (II.A-24) (II.A-25) (II.A-26) (II.A-27)

Faculty members in each division are supposed toreview and rewrite official course outlines every sixyears. While not every course in every division hasbeen updated in a timely manner, the most common-ly offered courses have been updated. Divisions mayalso archive courses that are no longer needed. Thenew Revised Course Outline adopted two years agofeatures two parallel vertical columns, one for con-tent and the other for learning objectives. The secondcolumn needs to be filled out using action verbsfrom the Bloom’s Taxonomy table. While this is notan instructional panacea, it does require faculty tothink about how they are helping students encounterthe content of their courses and consider what activi-ties might help the students take intellectual posses-sion of it. The cycle of program review and unitplanning gives faculty the opportunity to fine-tunetheir offerings by specifically analyzing their objec-tives, citing measurable outcomes, listing accom-plishments and identifying areas to improve coupledwith specific steps to realize those improvements.(II.A-15) (II.A-16) (II.A-23) (II.A-30)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The Curriculum Committee is deluged with paper-work. Its members spend hours correcting errors insyntax, grammar, spelling and spying omissions insubmitted outlines and other documents. TheCommittee relies on divisions to monitor the qualityof instruction in each class. Much of our instructionis dependent on adjunct faculty, the best and bright-est of whom often leave for tenure track positions atother colleges. Unable because of budget constraintsto build our own full-time faculty, we are constantlyorienting new adjunct faculty. The Academic SenateEducational Policy and Standards Committee willcontinue to provide criteria to evaluate quality andprovide a systematic process to measure programvitality.

The Curriculum Committee has created a completedatabase containing 895 courses. This databaseincludes modules and honors sections, so that a sin-gle course title might appear several times. Forexample, Psychology 16, Intimacy, Marriage andFamily Relationships, appears three additional timesas the following modules: Psychology 16, Love andMarriage A, Psychology 16, Love and Marriage B,and Psychology 16, Love and Marriage C. In thedatabase, it would count as four courses needing tobe updated. Bearing this possible redundancy inmind, as of November 22, 2005, a total of 424 coursesin West’s curriculum database need to be updated.This is the major reason why in Fall 2005 the Senatepassed a resolution stating that there would be nonew courses or course additions until all existingcourses were updated. The database will alsoinclude a column indicating which of the nine insti-tutional outcomes each course proposes to addressand assess. (II.A-30)

PLANNING AGENDA:

• Beginning immediately, the Curriculum Committee will ask faculty to revise paperwork for course updates and new courses at the Technical Review stage and insist that it be resubmitted to Technical Review before being presented to the full committee.

• Beginning Fall 2006, the Vice President of Academic Affairs, in cooperation with the Curriculum Committee and the Academic Senate, will annually notify academic chairs of courses requiring updates and will use informa-tion on course updates as part of the chair’s evaluation.

II.A.2.f. The institution engages in ongoing, sys-tematic evaluation and integrated planning toassure currency and measure achievement of itsstated student learning outcomes for courses, cer-tificates, programs including general and vocation-al education, and degrees. The institution systemat-ically strives to improve those outcomes and makesthe results available to appropriate constituencies.


West boasts a very efficient annual college-wide pro-gram review and unit planning process, which wasestablished in 1997. A printed Unit Plan Guide navi-gates faculty through the process. When problemsare cited in the program review, the unit plan seeksto remedy them and identifies resources needed tosolve the problem. The unit plan also serves as aspringboard for ways to grow programs. (II.A-23)(II.A-24) (II.A-25) (II.A-26)

The college’s response to the rapid growth of onlineclasses illustrates its careful evaluation process. Someinstructors are concerned about the possibility ofonline cheating. Others are concerned that adjunctonline faculty have no one to supervise them. Almostall of West’s online classes are being taught by verywell-trained and experienced faculty. In the Fall2005 Schedule of Classes, of the almost 100 onlinesections listed, 36 are being taught by full-time Westfaculty, two of whom are administrators. Severalother online classes are being taught by faculty whoare full-time at other colleges in the Los AngelesCommunity College District. The majority of theremaining online classes are being taught by adjunctfaculty who have been teaching on-campus classes atWest for several years. (II.A-14)

As additional evidence to its commitment to evalua-tion, each spring, faculty, administrators, staff, stu-dent leaders and committee representatives partici-pate in a Leadership Retreat where they evaluate thepast year and plan for the next. Approximately 50officers and representatives of the Academic Senate,division Chairs, college administrators, staff supervi-sors, union representatives and student governmentleaders attended the annual retreat held June 3, 2005.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The program review process has been thoroughlyinstitutionalized, not only for academic disciplinesbut also for Student Services and AdministrativeServices. It is connected to the annual planning

processes in the college, which drive both the Budgetand Planning Committees. The two faculty membersin charge each receive one class reassigned time.

The Curriculum Committee has designed and theAcademic Senate approved, a Distance DeliveryStrategies supplement, which must specify specificdistance delivery strategies for each course objectiveto be added to the regular course outline. (II.A-15)


II.A.2.g. If an institution uses departmental courseand/or program examinations, it validates theireffectiveness in measuring student learning andminimizes test biases.


The Mathematics Division administers departmentalfinal exams, which count for one-third of a student’sfinal grade, in both Elementary Algebra, which isrequired for an AA Degree, and IntermediateAlgebra, which is needed for transfer. TheMathematics chair explains the process as follows.The division continually evaluates the effectivenessof the exam. The final exam score is correlated withthe student’s semester cumulative grades. Generally,

137 WLAC SELF STUDY


there is a very high correlation indicating the exam isaccurately measuring the material learned through-out the semester. The exam is studied to determine ifany particular question is missed by a significantnumber of students. In 2004, the test was revised forthis reason. Two questions were removed because ofpoor overall performance on them and possibly alack of in-depth explanation of them in the text. Thetest questions are generated by a test bank furnishedby the textbook author. Therefore, the wording is thesame as the students have read in their textbooks allsemester. Teachers also hand out sample final examsto study. Most instructors also make their last testalmost identical in format to the final exam, so thatstudents will be familiar with the style.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Math reports that they are maintaining standards,and those students who take math at other collegesoften have trouble when they enroll in the next high-er class at West. Our math faculty have a grasp of thelearning outcomes they know students must attain.The chart in II.A.1.b. containing pass rates fromSpring 2002 to Spring 2005, shows improved passrates of between 5 to 14 percent for math studentsacross the range of basic skills and college-level mathclasses and supports this claim. (II.A-18)


II.A.2.h. The institution awards credit based on student achievement of the course’s stated learningoutcomes. Units of credit awarded are consistentwith institutional policies that reflect generallyaccepted norms or equivalencies in higher educa-tion.


West is in the beginning process of including institu-tional and program outcomes in course outlines. Tobe sure, official course outlines include detailedlearning outcomes that are aligned with course con-tent. In addition, the college follows the CarnegieRule and Title 5, Section 55002, which sets forth min-imum standards of one unit equals one hour lectureper week with two hours of homework per week;OR two hours per week of lab with homework; ORthree hours of lab per week without homework.This Carnegie Rule is explained on every course out-line. A typical three-unit class will have 54 hours of

lecture. Lecture also includes discussion and/ordemonstration hours. Laboratory includes activityand/or studio hours. The number of units is statedin the college catalog, the official course outline andthe syllabus. (II.A-16)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The Curriculum Committee reviews each course pre-sented to ensure that the Carnegie Rule and Title 5are followed. Faculty have the power and flexibilityto change the allotment of lecture and lab hourswithin courses. For example, at the October 20, 2005,Curriculum Committee meeting, Computer Sciencechanged Computer Science 972, Introduction toCisco Network Fundamentals, from three lecturehours to two lecture hours and added a two hour labrequirement with homework, still keeping it a three-unit course, but re-allocating the number of lectureand lab hours. This was done to meet CiscoSystems, Inc., the leading supplier of networkingequipment and network management for theInternet requirements advocating more actual hands-on practice in the class—hence the addition of thetwo lab hours. In this way, the college followed theCarnegie Rules and modified the course to make itreflect current employment demands on students.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• Beginning immediately, division chairs will ensure that their divisions send full-time faculty representatives to the monthly meetings of the Curriculum Committee so the representatives can be made aware of the need to include institutional and program outcomes in all updated courses.

II.A.2.i. The institution awards degrees and certifi-cates based on student achievement of a program’sstated learning outcomes.


Degree and certificate requirements as well as majorrequirements and general education requirementsare clearly stated in the college catalogue. Since Westis still developing an explicit statement of individualprogram outcomes, students achieve a degree or cer-tificate based on completing required courses as list-ed the college catalog. (II.A-28)

WLAC SELF STUDY 138


139 WLAC SELF STUDY


SELF-EVALUATION:

Using Title V funds, the college held an SLO work-shop on July 14-15, 2005, attended by 16 faculty rep-resenting all six of the Associate Degree’s graduationareas: Humanities, Language and Rationality, Socialand Behavioral Sciences, Natural Sciences, Healthand Physical Education and Mathematics.Participants refined the existing college institutionallearning outcomes and wrote program outcomes foreach division that was represented: mathematics,psychology, anthropology, administration of justice,music, library science, chemistry, English and health.The next step is to align these outcomes with specificcourses taught in each division and to developassessments to ensure that students have achievedthe stated outcomes. (II.A-2)

PLANNING AGENDA:

• By Spring 2007, the Academic Senate in conjunc-tion with Academic Affairs will align program outcomes with specific courses taught in each academic division and develop assessment plans to determine that students achieve them.

• The Program Review Committee by 2007 will include in the program review process an improved research method for measuring student learning outcomes.

II.A.3. The institution requires of all academic andvocational degree programs a component of generaleducation based on a carefully considered philoso-phy that is clearly stated in its catalog. The institu-tion, relying on the expertise of its faculty, deter-mines the appropriateness of each course for inclu-sion in the general education curriculum by exam-ining the stated learning outcomes for the course.

General education has comprehensive learning out-comes for students who complete it, including thefollowing:

a. An understanding of the basic content and methodology of the major areas of knowledge: areas include the humanities and finearts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences.

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.

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 responsi-bilities locally, nationally, and globally.


This standard is met in the institutional SLOs thatalign with the college Mission Statement. Althoughthe college is in the process of implementing SLOs atthe program and course levels, course outlines andcurricula need to identify which institutional out-comes are specific to the courses. The Associate ofArts Degree requires students to take courses in theNatural Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences,Humanities, Language and Rationality, Health andPhysical Education and Mathematics. Under Plan A,students whose majors require fewer than 36 units,must take a minimum of 30 units of general educa-tion courses. Under Plan B, students whose majorsrequire 36 units or more must take a minimum of 18units of general education courses. An AssociateDegree requires a minimum of 60 units. (II.A-2)(II.A-28)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The July 14-15, 2005 workshops helped 16 lead facul-ty understand how properly stated institutional andprogram outcomes can help students and facultyconnect classroom performance to the world ofwork. All academic divisions have been made awareof the importance of incorporating SLOs into theircurriculum. Please see the Institutional Outcomes inthe Curriculum Folder. (II.A-2)

One continuing concern is that the allocation ofcounseling resources needs to be evaluated to ensurethat counselors are available to students during peakhours of peak days of the year. This was one of theeight recommendations made by the ProgramReview Evaluation Subcommittee in Spring 2005. Ifstudents are not able to receive timely advice aboutwhich courses satisfy graduation requirements fromcounselors, it delays the students’ educationalprogress.

Title V money is providing a more supportive, user-friendly counseling website that will allow studentsto informally tally their units and their progresstoward a degree. The website should encourage stu-dents to make appointments with counselors as soonas possible. It is crucial that courses taken for anAssociate Degree are aligned with majors and trans-fer requirements.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• Academic Affairs and the Academic Senate will require all educational course outlines, pro-grams and services to incorporate appropriate measurable SLOs at the course, program and institutional level into all unit plans by 2010. Division chairs and deans will review all received course outlines and syllabi for clarity and congruency with the college mission.

II.A.3. (repeated for continuity in responding tosub-points a, b, and c below). General educationhas comprehensive learning outcomes for the stu-dents who complete it, including the following:

II.A.3.a. An understanding of the basic content andmethodology of the major areas of knowledge:areas include the humanities and fine arts, the nat-ural sciences, and the social sciences.

Please see the Descriptive Summary, Self-Evaluationand Planning Agendas in II. A.3 above. The collegehas developed program and institutional outcomesfor these specific areas that will be woven into allcourses in a five-year cycle beginning 2005.

The Associate Degree requires students to take cours-es in the Natural Sciences, Social and BehavioralSciences, Humanities, Language and Rationality,Health and Physical Education and Mathematics. Tomeet the Associate of Arts Degree requirements, stu-dents must pass Intermediate Reading andComposition with a minimum grade of “C.” Thestate Academic Senate is discussing whether to raisethe requirement to Freshman Composition.

They must also pass an elementary algebra, highermath, or statistics class with a grade of “C” or high-er; or achieve a score of 15 or higher on the DistrictMathematics Competency Examination (Board Rule6201.12/6201.14).

The California State University certification andIntersegmental General Education TransferCurriculum (IGETC) transfer requirements forbreadth and depth require even stricter standardsthan those needed for the Associate Degree.

West provides the courses and programs necessaryfor transfer to California State University and theUniversity of California systems. It should also benoted that we have had students transfer to Harvard,Sarah Lawrence, Loyola Marymount University,University of Southern California, Johns Hopkins,Berkeley and the University of Judaism. Recently,one West alumnus completed the first year of a doc-toral program in history at Yale, one of only six grad-uate students admitted to the Yale program in 2004.

In addition, West has a Transfer Honors Program forhighly motivated students who have earned a 3.0 orbetter Grade Point Average and who are eligible forWest’s English 101, College Reading andComposition 1, freshman composition. These stu-dents may earn guaranteed priority admission to 14prestigious universities in Southern California. Thosewho are eligible enroll in approved transferable gen-eral education courses that provide honors compo-nents via contracts arranged with the instructors.Sections of anthropology, art, biology, chemistry,English, geology, geography, history, humanities,music, oceanography, psychology and Spanish alloffer the option of more enriched intensive study.(II.A-14)

These crucial general education and transfer coursesare also scheduled in an efficient manner allowingstudents to progress through the educational

WLAC SELF STUDY 140


pipeline in a timely way. In the 2005 Student SurveyResults, 70 percent Strongly Agreed and Agreed that“Enough sections of General Education courses areoffered so that I am able to take the courses I need inthe semester of my choice.” Sixty-one percentstrongly agreed and agreed that “All advancedcourses required for my program are offered fre-quently enough to let me complete my programwithout delay.” (II.A-8)

SELF-EVALUATION:


II.A.3.b. A capability to be a productive individualand life long learner: skills include oral and writ-ten communication, information competency, com-puter literacy, scientific and quantitative reasoning,critical analysis/logical thinking, and the ability toacquire knowledge through a variety of means.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Please see the Descriptive Summary, Self-Evaluationand Planning Agendas in II.3. The college hasdeveloped program and institutional outcomes forthese specific areas that will be woven into all cours-es in a five-year cycle beginning in 2005.

II.A.3.c. A recognition of what it means to be anethical human being and effective citizen: qualitiesinclude an appreciation of ethical principles; civili-ty and interpersonal skills; respect for culturaldiversity; historical and aesthetic sensitivity; andthe willingness to assume civic, political, and socialresponsibilities locally, nationally, and globally.


With a population of over 46 percent African-American students and 29 percent Hispanic studentsin Fall 2004, West is one of the most diverse collegesin the Los Angeles Community College District. InFall 2005, in addition to the eight sections of Politicaland Social History of the United States I and foursections of Political and Social History of the UnitedStates II, the college offers two sections of TheMexican American in the History of the UnitedStates, as well as three sections of The AfricanAmerican in the History of the United States I andtwo sections of The African American in the Historyof the United States II. In English, The Literature of

American Ethnic Groups and American-JewishLiterature provide students additional choices fortransfer. These courses stress the interdependence ofall the cultures in the United States. The institu-tional SLOs include Civic Responsibility andCultural Diversity, and these will be aligned withand assessed in specific courses. In addition, the col-lege relies upon the Associated StudentsOrganization to provide cultural activities on campus. (II.A-14)

SELF-EVALUATION:

Please see the Descriptive Summary, Self-Evaluation,and Planning Agendas in II.3. above. The collegehas developed program and institutional outcomesdealing with these specific areas that will be woveninto all courses in a five-year cycle beginning 2006.

II.A.4. All degree programs include focused studyin at least one area of inquiry or in an establishedinterdisciplinary core.


Please see II.3. above. To earn an Associate Degree,students are required to take courses in the NaturalSciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Humanities,Language and Rationality, Health and PhysicalEducation and Mathematics. These courses introducethem to a wide range of knowledge and also allowthem to more deeply probe those areas in which theyare especially interested. (II.A-2) (II.A-28)

SELF-EVALUATION:

While the college offers a variety of majors for theAssociate of Arts Degree, most students earn degreesin liberal arts. In 2003-2004, the college awarded 223liberal arts degrees, compared to 23 in business andmanagement and 16 in social sciences. The inclusionof the college’s nine institutional SLOs would makethese classes much more interdisciplinary. (II.A-31)

PLANNING AGENDA:

• Beginning in 2006, Academic Affairs and the Curriculum Committee will facilitate dialogue about interdisciplinary study as a part of the process leading to the systematic inclusion of institutional and program outcomes in course outlines.

141 WLAC SELF STUDY


II.A.5. Students completing vocational and occupa-tional certificates and degrees demonstrate techni-cal and professional competencies that meetemployment and other applicable standards andare prepared for external licensure and certification.


The annual meetings of the advisory committees ofAviation, Dental Hygiene, the American BarAssociation-approved Paralegal Studies Program,Child Development and Travel assure that these pro-grams prepare students for their vocational careers.Many students such as the graduates of the DentalHygiene Program, who consistently earn top scoreson national certification exams, land well-paying jobsupon graduation. (II.A-3) (II.A-4) (II.A-5) (II.A-6)(II.A-7)

Deans in charge of vocational programs, togetherwith vocational education division chairs and facul-ty, are responsible for complying with all profession-al accreditation guidelines and mandates.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The Vice President of Academic Affairs has directedthe Dean of each vocational program to call annualmeetings of its advisory committee, as well as to fileminutes and committee rosters with AcademicAffairs.


II.A.6. The institution assures that students andprospective students receive clear and accurateinformation about educational courses and pro-grams and transfer policies. The institutiondescribes its degrees and certificates in terms oftheir purpose, content, course requirements, andexpected student learning outcomes. In every classsection students receive a course syllabus that spec-ifies learning objectives consistent with those inthe institution’s officially approved course outline.

II.A.6.a. The institution makes available to its stu-dents clearly stated transfer-of- credit policies in order to facilitate the mobility ofstudents without penalty. In accepting transfercredits to fulfill degree requirements, the institu-tion certifies that the expected learning outcomesfor transferred courses are comparable to the learn-ing outcomes of its own courses. Where patterns of

student enrollment between institutions are identi-fied, the institution develops articulation agree-ments as appropriate to its mission.


These policies are clarified in the college catalog andrely upon the cooperation of the articulation officer,the Academic Affairs Vice President, deans and staff,the Academic Senate and the CurriculumCommittee. The articulation officer and the collegeresearcher monitor the comparability of transfer cur-ricula. (II.A-28)

The West Los Angeles College Catalog and Scheduleof Classes pass through a series of checkpoints tomake sure they contain the most recent and accurateinformation on courses. A dean and office assistantdraft galleys, which, in turn, are reviewed by aca-demic division chairs. The articulation officer makessure students can access the most recent informationabout transfer of credit policies. Instructors aredirected that they should distribute syllabi, whichcontain student learning outcomes, on the first dayeach class meets. Syllabi are submitted to the chair ofeach academic division and then filed in AcademicAffairs.

The 2004-2006 Catalog details both the GeneralEducation Certification Criteria for transfer toCalifornia State University (CSU) system and alsothe Intersegmental General Education TransferCurriculum for transfer to the University ofCalifornia system or the CSU system.

The Transfer Center and its director arranges for rep-resentatives from four-year colleges and universitiesto meet with students, coordinates an AnnualTransfer Day where representatives from surround-ing universities set up booths and visits classes toshare transfer information.

In order to boost the number of West students whotransfer to the University of California, the collegepartnered in Summer 2002 with UCLA’s Center forCommunity College Partnerships (CCCP) to createthe Summer Immersion Program (SIP). Chosen froma competitive pool of applicants, 20 West studentslived on the UCLA campus for two weeks and com-pleted an intensive university-level course inAfrican-American History. Most SIP participants,approximately one-quarter of whom were African-American males, have successfully transferred to aUC school.

WLAC SELF STUDY 142


SELF-EVALUATION:

The Schedule of Classes should contain the require-ments for transfer. During Spring 2005, English facul-ty worked very diligently with the articulation offi-cer and curriculum chair to create a DistanceDelivery Strategies supplement for key transfercourses whose articulation had been postponedbecause the University of California system request-ed additional information on distance delivery tech-niques. This supplement has been approved by theSenate and is now required of all new online classes.

In cases where a few of our online courses were notaccepted for UC (University of California system)transfer, a warning about the non-transferabilityappeared by each class in the online classes sectionof the schedule. Online faculty clarified their courseoutlines and quickly met with the curriculum chairand the articulation officer to reapply for transfercredit. For example, online Freshman Compositionhad to be adjusted to meet the UC transfer require-ment. In Spring 2005, UC agreed to approve theclass. In Summer 2005, English faculty worked onrevising Critical Thinking and Composition andWomen in Literature in order to meet UC’s requestfor additional information. The African-Americanhistory course is in the process of being revised tosatisfy transfer requirements.

There is concern among some faculty that transfer isnot being supported or emphasized enough, and thatthere is insufficient transfer counseling. In the cur-rent Title V grant (2004-2009) and in the newlyawarded Title V Co-op grant, funds have been allo-cated to provide support for a transfer director. Theindividual Title V grant provides $16,000 for a trans-fer specialist beginning in 2007, and the Title V Co-op provides $40,000 for the transfer specialist begin-ning immediately.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• Beginning in 2006, each semester, Academic Affairs will establish a computerized checklist todetermine which syllabi have been submitted and which are missing.

• The college will publish the transfer require-ments in the Schedule of Classes beginning in Fall 2006.

• The Curriculum Committee will, beginning in 2006, ensure that the Distance Education Addendum is submitted for all new online classes.

II.A.6.b. When programs are eliminated or programrequirements are significantly changed, the institu-tion makes appropriate arrangements so thatenrolled students may complete their education ina timely manner with a minimum of disruption.


At its December 12, 2006, meeting West’s AcademicSenate formally approved an “Instructional ProgramViability Review Policy.” This process includes theformation of a special Senate Viability ReviewCommittee to oversee the gathering of qualitativedata (such as breadth of curriculum, faculty develop-ment in classroom techniques such as addressingalternative learning styles, completion of learningoutcomes, and student satisfaction) and quantitativedata (such as declining enrollment trends, low reten-tion, persistence, lack of demand in the workforce,etc.) (II.A -35).

SELF-EVALUATION:

One example of West’s efforts to address mainte-nance of academic integrity was the Spring 2004 rec-ommendation to eliminate the Program forAccelerated College Education (PACE) and replace itwith the Accelerated College Transfer (ACT), a for-mat that offers groups of transfer courses in intensiveeight week sessions. While this change resulted insome loss of enrollment to the college, maintainingacademic integrity took precedence. AcceleratedCollege Transfer represents an improvement overProgram Accelerated College Education because itfeatures more faculty control and maintains morerigorous academic standards.

The ACT story supports the following:• Periodic and systematic assessment of services

and processes through program review• Evidence of a well-defined decision-making

process that facilitates planning and institutionaleffectiveness

• Evidence the process is inclusive, i.e. the transi-tion from PACE to ACT required coordination among faculty and Student Services in the areas of scheduling, admissions and counseling. Dialogue was broad-based

• Goals and objectives linked to the needs of this student population

• Evaluation used in planning and resource allocation, i.e. the elimination of PACE freed a entire program budget

• Recognition of the need for both qualitative and quantitative data

143 WLAC SELF STUDY


PLANNING AGENDA:

• In 2006, the Academic Senate will begin to implement its “Instructional Program Viability Policy.”

II.A.6.c. The institution represents itself clearly,accurately, and consistently to prospective and cur-rent students, the public, and its personnel throughits catalogs, statements, and publications, includingthose presented in electronic formats. It regularlyreviews institutional policies, procedures, and pub-lications to assure integrity in all representationsabout its mission, programs, and services.


Every edition of the catalog and each semester’scourse schedule features “Important Things toKnow” pages, which include such things as how toadd classes, how to get a bookstore or fee refund,how to obtain grades, which courses have beenapproved for credit by examination and whichcourses will be accepted for credit/no credit. (II.A-28)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The process works well and will work even better asthe college adapts to new software to help design thecatalog and schedules. In the Student Survey, 80 per-cent strongly agreed and agreed that “College publi-cations clearly and adequately reflect the college’spractices (catalog, schedule of classes and website).”(II.A-8)

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Office of Institutional Effectiveness, begin-ning in 2006, will oversee all publications to assure integrity in all representations about the college’s mission, programs and services.

II.A.7. In order to assure the academic integrity ofthe teaching-learning process, the institution usesand makes public governing board-adopted poli-cies on academic freedom and responsibility, stu-dent academic honesty, and specific institutionalbeliefs or world views. These policies make clearthe institution’s commitment to the free pursuitand dissemination of knowledge.

II.A.7.a. Faculty distinguish between personal con-viction and professionally accepted views in a dis-cipline. They present data and information fairlyand objectively.


These policies are clarified in the college catalog, theschedule of classes and the campus website. In addi-tion, the Senate has a standing committee on Ethicsand Educational Policy, which discusses and makespolicy recommendations on these issues. See“Faculty Professional Standards” Pamphlet in theCurriculum Folder. (II.A-28 (II.A-14) (II.A-32)

Adjunct faculty are given sample course outlines andsyllabi so they can help students meet agreed-uponstudent learning outcomes. Division chairs cautionfaculty to present material objectively and in a man-ner that is free from bias. Students who feel that fac-ulty are presenting a prejudiced opinion or that theyhave been treated unfairly may protest through thestudent grievance process.

In the Spring 2005 Student Survey Results, 78 per-cent strongly agreed or agreed that “Instructorsencourage me to explore different viewpoints,” 91percent “Strongly agreed or agreed that “Instructorstreat me with respect and dignity,” and 81 percentstrongly agreed or agreed that “Students are treatedfairly at this college, regardless of gender or ethnici-ty.” (II.A-8)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The teaching of critical thinking calls for probing his-torical and contemporary issues in the social sci-ences, speech communication courses and English. Itis likely under these circumstances that an instruc-tor’s convictions as a feminist, a vegetarian, a propo-nent of racial justice, a champion of lower communi-ty college tuition or an opponent of high taxationwill be exposed. However, no class should be drivenby an instructor’s political or social philosophy.Respectful dissent should be encouraged and wel-comed.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• Beginning in 2006, the Academic Senate will review the Faculty Ethics Statement at the bi-annual orientations for adjunct faculty and the annual orientation for full-time faculty.

WLAC SELF STUDY 144


II.A.7.b. The institution establishes and publishesclear expectations concerning student academichonesty and the consequences for dishonesty.


Pages titled “Standards of Student Conduct” and“Student Rights and Legal Protections” explainingthe college behavior code are included in each classschedule as well as in the 2004-2006 Catalog. At thebeginning of each academic year, during the AugustFlex Week, the college sponsors a workshop titled“Revise Your Syllabus to Include Student LearningOutcomes.” The facilitator stresses the need for theinstructor to clearly explain classroom expectationsand to include a statement referring to the Standardsof Conduct page in the current Schedule of Classes.(II.A-14) (II.A-28)

The Los Angeles Community College District hasstipulated that a plagiarized assignment may receivean “F” on the plagiary, but the student may not bepenalized for the entire course.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Many instructors maintain that the penalty for pla-giarism isn’t tough enough and cite nearby collegedistricts that allow an instructor to fail a student whoplagiarizes. However, a recent state of California rul-ing stipulates that the practice of assigning an “F” toa plagiary but not to the entire course based on thatplagiary will stand statewide. There is also concernthat when a student cheats, the information isn’t cir-culated, as happened in 2004 when a student whoplagiarized in an advanced English class received ascholarship.

Based upon the Spring 2005 Student Survey Results,81 percent of the respondents agreed that policiesand penalties for cheating are provided and are fol-lowed. (II.A-8)

Each year the compliance officer and the VicePresident of Student Services lead a workshop onThe Student Grievance/Discipline Procedure, whichfocuses on the processes and procedures governingissues of disruptive classroom behavior and plagia-rism. Language Arts devoted its entire October 7,2004 meeting to watching and discussing an ABC“Primetime Live: Cheating Crisis in America’sSchools.” Then, on November 5, the division ran afollow-up plagiarism workshop to which the entire

faculty were invited, where the division exchangedideas for designing assignments that would be asplagiarism-proof as possible.

The Vice President of Student Services, in 2004-2005,cited 53 discipline incidents for violations such ascheating two, plagiarism six, classroom disruption24, dishonesty one, forged transcripts three, falseinformation two, threatening behavior nine, badchecks four, robbery (cell phone) one and shoplifting(bookstore) one. (II.A-33) These resulted in the fol-lowing actions:

Actions Number

Counseling 27——————————————————————Probation 7——————————————————————Suspension (less than 1 semester) 2——————————————————————Suspension (1 semester) 3——————————————————————Suspension (2 semesters) 8——————————————————————Permanent Expulsion 6

The Academic Senate Educational Policy andStandards Committee circulated a “FacultyProfessional Standards” Handbook, which includes astatement on “Faculty Professional standards”(adopted June 10, 2003), “Elements of a CourseSyllabus” and “Class Management Guidelines.” Inaddition, a comprehensive “Best Teaching Practices:A Faculty Guide” is on the Local Area Network(LAN). (II.A-21) (II.A-22)


II.A.7.c. Institutions that require conformity to spe-cific codes of conduct of staff, faculty, administra-tors, or students, or that seek to instill specificbeliefs or world views, give clear prior notice ofsuch policies, including statements in the catalogand/or appropriate faculty or student handbooks.

Not Applicable.

II.A.8. Institutions offering curricula in foreignlocations to students other than U.S. nationals oper-ate in conformity with standards and applicableCommission policies.

Not Applicable.

145 WLAC SELF STUDY


STANDARD II.A. DOCUMENTATION:

II.A-1 WLAC Enrollment Trends and Student CharacteristicsII.A–2 SLO Outcomes Workshop -- List of faculty who attended July 14-15, 2005 and October 27-28, 2005.

Together with Institutional SLOs and Sample Program Outcomes. II.A–3 Accredited/Approved ProgramsII.A–4 Advisory -Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee MembersII.A–5 Advisory -Dental Hygiene Committee—Definitions, Purposes, FunctionsII.A–6 Advisory -Paralegal Advisory Board – BylawsII.A-7 Advisory –Child Development Advisory CommitteeII.A-8 LACCD 2005 Student SurveyII.A-9 Working Backwards: Shepherding Students From Basic Skills to Transfer. May 19 and 26, 2005 English

Outcomes WorkshopII.A-10 Minutes of Basic Skills Committee—September 2004-May 2005 MinutesII.A-11 Recommendations for Title V Grant Proposal (Hunter Boylan)II.A-12 Title V Report --2005 --Interim Title V Report for current grant – “Your Ticket to Success” --

emphasis on linked basic skills Math, English, CAI and Personal Development II.A-13 WLAC Office of Institutional Effectiveness website (http://www.wlac.edu/oie/research)II.A-14 West Los Angeles College Schedule of ClassesII.A-15 English 239 – Complete Course Outline with Distance Delivery Strategies.II.A-16 Combined Course Outline – Template from the LACCD II.A-17 Sample English, Math, and Biology Outlines with pre-requisitesII.A-18 WLAC Institutional Research Six Year Trend Study - Pass Rates for Math and English—

Spring 2000-2005II.A-19 Title III. Final Grant Performance Report – USDE (ED 524B)II.A-20 Title III. Year Five Faculty Assignments - a list of Instructional Development Grants to revise

curriculum and lesson plansII.A-21 Recommended Elements in a Syllabus – 2005 Flex Day Workshop HandoutII.A-22 Staff Development webpage sample: “WLAC Best Teaching Practices: A Faculty Guide” and

“What are learning outcomes?” (http://www.wlac.edu/wportal/Committee/StaffDevelopmentCommittee/)

II.A-23 Unit Plan Guide 2004-2005 for 2005-2006II.A-24 Program Review and Unit Plan for Dental Hygiene - includes Outcomes AssessmentII.A-25 Comprehensive Program Reviews for EnglishII.A-26 Comprehensive Program Reviews for Math II.A-27 Email from Science ChairII.A-28 West Los Angeles College Catalog 2004-2006II.A-29 Spring 2005 Student SurveyII.A-30 Curriculum Committee Minutes –September 2004- May 05 (Includes charts of courses to be

updated by year)II.A-31 West Los Angeles College Awards, Degrees and CertificatesII.A-32 Faculty Professional StandardsII.A-33 Student Discipline Incidents – Tally from VP of Student ServicesII.A-34 “New Faculty Orientation from A to Z” --October 2001 Orientation for FacultyII.A-35 Instructional Program Viability Review Policy

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147 WLAC SELF STUDY

WLAC SELF STUDY 148

149 WLAC SELF STUDY

The institution recruits and admits diverse stu-dents who are able to benefit from its programs,consistent with its mission. Student SupportServices address the identified needs of studentsand enhance a supportive learning environment.The entire student pathway through the institution-al experience is characterized by a concern for stu-dent access, progress, learning, and success. Theinstitution systematically assesses student supportservices using student learning outcomes, facultyand staff input, and other appropriate measures inorder to improve the effectiveness of these services.

II.B.1.The institution assures the quality of studentsupport services and demonstrates that these serv-ices, regardless of location or means of delivery,support student learning and enhance achievementof the mission of the institution.


West Los Angeles College Student Support Servicesprovides its more than 8,200 students who comefrom diverse backgrounds a comprehensive set ofservices that helps them navigate through their col-lege careers.

Admissions & Records – Women and men from allbackgrounds either come to West’s AdmissionsOffice or register online or by telephone during the

many academic sessions the college offers. At thisoffice, they can also retrieve transcripts and apply forgraduation. (II.B-1)

Assessment and Matriculation – Students new tothe college are referred to the appropriate step in thematriculation process. The first step is taking place-ment exams in mathematics, English or English as aSecond Language. When students arrive to taketheir placement tests, they watch a video and aregiven an accompanying booklet on effective ways totake the exam. Proctors supervise and offer assis-tance as needed. Once students have completed thetest(s), they must complete orientation by accessingit on a computer at the Assessment Center or on thecollege website. Upon completion of the orientation,the student is given a matriculation folder that con-tains a College Catalog, a Schedule of Classes, trans-fer requirements for the California State University(CSU) and the University of California (UC) systemstogether with General Education criteria for West LosAngeles College. The student receives A Passport toSuccess receipt that indicates successful completion.Students are then eligible to pick up test results froma counselor who will guide them in selecting courses.

The chairs of Mathematics and Language Arts andan English as a Second Language instructor meetwith the matriculation coordinator to review place-ment models, assessment messages, cut scores andchanges in curriculum that might require revampingof a test.

STANDARD II. B. STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

WLAC SELF STUDY 150

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s University hasapproached West for off-campus assessment forEnglish and mathematics disciplines to accommo-date their students who because of their work sched-ules are interested in alternative delivery instruction-al methods such as distance education and West’sAccelerated College Transfer (ACT). Matriculation ispiloting electronic scoring of test results and feed-back. If this pilot is successful and the counselingcomponent developed, West will launch off-campusassessment in the high schools. (II.B-2)

Counseling – Our counselors, utilizing StudentEducational Plans and assessment tests, help stu-dents plot attainable academic and vocational goalsin addition to helping them prepare for transfer tofour-year colleges and universities. Computerizedsoftware for student appointments and student edu-cational plans have enhanced the counseling’s capa-bilities to track and collect critical data on students.

Example -9/1/2000—8/31/2001 Total SEP Recorded = 2249/1/2001—8/31/2002 Total SEP Recorded = 1,9709/1/2002—8/31/2003 Total SEP Recorded = 1,1189/1/2003—8/31/2004 Total SEP Recorded = 2,2809/1/2004—8/31/2005 Total SEP Recorded = 2,135———————————————————————

Total 7,727

The above data shows West’s increasing ability toprocess more Student Educational Plans.

A computerized scheduling and reporting systemprovides students with an equitable process toschedule counseling appointments. The system alsoallows for student follow-up, tracking a student’sprogress from assessment to completion of the edu-cational goals. Counselors serve in specialized areassuch as Disabled Students Programs and Services,California Work Opportunity and Responsibility forKids (CalWORKs), International Students, theAccelerated College Transfer Program, ExtendedOpportunity Programs and Services, VeteransAffairs, the Transfer Center and Financial Aid. (II.B-3)

Disabled Students Programs and Services – Thisprogram provides disabled students access to thecollege. While the number of disabled students hasdeclined from 2002-2003 to 2003-2004 from 412 to328, over the past two years, the number of hearingimpaired students has increased. This increaseresulted in the need to contract for services with appropriate agencies for sign language interpretersand captioning. (II.B-4)

International Students Services – This programmarkets the college to international students byinterfacing with Los Angeles-based English languageschools and foreign academic advisors located over-seas. Approximately 100 non-immigrant studentsinternationalize the campus community. To complywith U.S. immigration law and HomelandSecurity/Student and Exchange Visitor InformationSystem Rules and Regulations, InternationalStudents Services is required to maintain F-1 Visastudents in status. (II.B-5)

Accelerated College Transfer - Counselors help stu-dents determine whether they should take classes inthe Accelerated College Transfer, which compresses16-week classes into eight-week sessions of pre-designed course of study. (II.B-6)

Extended Opportunity Programs and Services –EOPS assists economically and educationally disad-vantaged students above and beyond the scope ofother college services. Staff collaborated with theLanguage Arts and Mathematics Divisions toimprove its tutoring services. EOPS coordinateswith Matriculation, Counseling, Admissions,Financial Aid and the Transfer Center to secure everypossible benefit for its students. This service alsosolicits scholarship donations from outside sources tohelp students who excel academically. (II.B-7)

151 WLAC SELF STUDY

Veterans – Students who have served in the UnitedStates military may visit the college’s Veterans’Affairs Office to determine their eligibility for bene-fits, to prepare educational plans and, if they havedisabilities, to assess whether they are eligible forvocational rehabilitation programs. A counselor certi-fies courses required for certificate programs and for-wards names of those who earn degrees to theUnited States Department of Veterans’ Affairs. (II.B-8)

Transfer Center – Students who intend to transfervisit this center where they meet representativesfrom four-year colleges and universities. It is partic-ularly engaging for students when the TransferCenter hosts West alumni who represent theUniversity of California system, the University ofSouthern California, the California State Universitysystem and Loyola Marymount University. (II.B-9)

Transfer Honors Program – Counselors recommendto qualified students enrolling in this program,which offers contract honors components ofapproved transferable general education courses.Students who complete at least 18 units in the pro-gram receive priority consideration for admission toUCLA as well as to other major public and privateuniversities. Approximately 60 students took anaverage of the 35 classes that offered honors compo-nents in Spring 2005. (II.B-10)

Child Development Center – One hundred andtwenty-two of West Los Angeles College’s youngestlearners climb, sing, slide and color in the mostenchanting place on campus, the Child DevelopmentCenter. The new facility was dedicated onNovember 19, 2003, providing child care servicesavailable to students who are parents of childrenranging in age from two to 14 years of age. TheCenter is licensed for 104 children and serves a largerpopulation on a staggered schedule basis. The pro-gram depends on four funding sources, three ofwhich are earned income grants. Two earned incomegrants base funding on an annual projection of childattendance and modify the funding in the followingyear according to verified attendance. The thirdearned income grant is a partnership withCalWORKs (California Work Opportunity andResponsibility for Kids) program. CalWORKs child-care funding accounts for 23 percent of the fundsthat come to the college based on the number of theCollege’s Board of Governors Grant recipients. Thisgrant also uses daily child attendance for accounting.Funding resources include: Half-day State Preschool

Grant 20 percent, full-day State Preschool Grant 13 percent, CalWORKs 29 percent, CaliforniaCommunity College Childcare Tax Bailout 30 per-cent, parent fees one percent, college contributionseven percent (parent fees and college contributionare packaged with the Tax Bailout funds (II.B-11).

Associated Students Organization – The ASO repre-sents the interests of students to the faculty andadministration and organizes social and culturalevents for the campus at large. The group plansgraduation, scholarship receptions, the Dean’s Tea, amulticultural festival, Club Day and orientation fornew students. The ASO organizes the awarding ofscholarships and supports a variety of campus clubs.Students can go to the ASO office to copy docu-ments, log on to computers and send facsimiles. TheASO publishes a newsletter, “The Student Voice.”(II.B-12)

Scholarships – Students may apply for approximate-ly 40 scholarships awarded through a collaborationof Student Services units as well as the West LosAngeles College Foundation. An English professorconducts workshops on how to write the requiredapplication essay. (II.B-13)

Athletics – College athletes play basketball and foot-ball and run cross country and track. (II.B-14)

Financial Aid – Over the past three years, FinancialAid has increased the number of Pell Grants andenrollment fee waivers awarded to students. As thetable below indicates, an increasing number ofWest’s students are economically challenged, placinggreat demands on the Financial Aid office. (II.B-15)

——————————————————————Unduplicated Count of Fee Waiver Recipients:

00-01 4,538—————————————————————01-02 4,622—————————————————————02-03 5,565—————————————————————03-04 10,499—————————————————————04-05 not available yet—————————————————————

-Board of Governors Fee Waiver Report.(II.B-15)


Health Center – To tend to West’s students healthissues, one nurse practitioner, who is in constantelectronic communication with a contracted physi-cian, staffs the Center. Services range from first aidand TB testing to handing out free condoms and pre-scriptions for birth control pills, from providingover-the-counter medication for allergies andheadaches to referrals for gynecology testing andweight control. In addition, a licensed social workeris available for psychological counseling three timesa week, addressing student concerns such as daterape, domestic violence, family conflict, substanceabuse, stress and depression. Students who maybenefit from long-term therapy are referred to out-side agencies. Students are occasionally referred forpsychological counseling as part of the student disci-pline process. The Health Center also assists in plan-ning and implementing the annual Health Fair. (II.B-16)

SELF-EVALUATION:

West Los Angeles College’s annual program reviewprocess provides an on-going self study of studentpopulation trends and needs within all of the sup-port services to better serve our diverse studentbody. Student Services, together with the rest of thecollege, is shifting from a goals-oriented plan to onethat features student learning outcomes (SLOs), andthis year, each Student Services unit has developedspecific SLOs and ways to measure them. TheStudent Services Council, comprised of the unit man-agers, is working toward development of commondivisional goals with SLOs. (II.B-17) (II.B-18) (II.B-19)

Several Student Service units, i.e., Admissions,Extended Opportunity Programs and Services(EOPS), Financial Aid, the Child DevelopmentCenter, Athletics and Disabled Students Programsand Services undergo State and the Los AngelesCommunity College District audits and reviews byoutside agencies. (II.B-8)

A marketing research study funded by the LosAngeles Community College District Chancellor’sOffice was initiated in September 2005 to investigateand quantify current and underlying issues preva-lent in the geographic region that inhibit potentialstudents from attending West. Data collection fromfocus groups and surveys resulted in the final reporttitled “West Los Angeles Community College vs.Two Major Competitors.” Many of the resultsaffirmed our understanding of the learning support

needs of our students. The report stated our stu-dents found the college’s registration process easyand satisfactory. Our students indicated thatimprovements in counseling would better aid themin program/class decision-making and understand-ing transfer requirements. The students alsoexpressed concern regarding the limited availabilityof counseling services and especially noted limitedcounseling for evening students. There is a need tolook at Counseling’s infrastructure for improve-ments. (II.B-20)

From the Spring 2005 Student Survey Results, weconfirmed that 93-95 percent of West’s studentsagreed or strongly agreed that Registration andAdmissions and Records were available when need-ed. More than 90 percent of the students agreed orstrongly agreed that the staff of those services wereknowledgeable and helpful and considerate. In gen-eral, West’s students have a very positive view ofStudent Services: however, there are significant num-bers of students who have not used or are not awareof specific services, such as Health Services; 45 per-cent answered “Don’t know.” When asked about theTransfer Center, 42 percent answered “Don’t know.”It is clear that improved visibility and communica-tions about West’s student services should beaddressed in order to assist students in achievingtheir educational goals. (II.B-21)

The college has observed an increase in student useof online and phone registration; however many stu-dents still wait until the start of each session to regis-ter in person. In the face of budget cuts, it becomesimperative for every service to utilize its existingstaff in the most efficient ways possible, for exampleby staggering hours to reduce the registration linesthat snake out of the building.

The major gap in matriculation has been research,which is needed to satisfy State Chancellor’s Officemandates in the areas of content validity and dispro-portionate impact. This research agenda is presentlybeing addressed.

The inauguration of the Student Accountability andRecord System (SARS), whose need was highlightedin Counseling’s program review, has provided stu-dents a more equitable way to access counselingservices. It has also provided hard data to assist inforecasting the need for staffing. SARS, an on-callsystem, reminds students of appointments, deadlinesand workshops. In Spring 2005, the Program Review

WLAC SELF STUDY 152


Evaluation Subcommittee of the College PlanningCommittee agreed that the staffing reductions in Counseling impact service to students. (II.B-2) (II.B-3)

The increased number of hearing-impaired studentscalls for additional services. The Disabled StudentsPrograms and Services faculty are now affiliated andmeets with the Counseling Department, enabling thecoordination necessary to assist disabled students.

West continues to serve International Students.

The Child Development Center’s (CDC) programand staff have transitioned into the new facility,which has a licensed capacity expanded forpreschoolers, from 48 to 72 and from 28 school age to42. Licensing capacity will be expanded, when fund-ing is available in the 2005-2006 year, with 12 infantsand toddlers.

Student-parents and CDC staff report high satisfac-tion with the new facilities designed specifically forchildcare purposes and student-teacher training.Current goals focus on expanding services whenfinancially possible.

The Associated Students Organization (ASO) reportsthat it is challenged by one-year terms for its electedofficers. At the point that the officers have learnedtheir jobs, their terms are over. Efforts to establishand maintain student clubs had been handicappedby the lack of a student center with adequate meet-ing space, so reserving facilities and inadequatemeans of publicizing events challenged the group.This problem was recently solved when A-1 wasturned into a temporary Student Center. The WestLos Angeles College Student Services Building,which is in the pipeline of proposed buildings, willbegin construction in 2007-2008. This facility will

include a student dining hall, resource and recre-ational space for the ASO, conference rooms andoffices. (II.B-22)

While West provides numerous scholarship opportu-nities, these can and should be better publicized.(II.B-13)

West needs full-time faculty to be assigned as headcoaches for its athletics program. Currently, the col-lege has only one full-time faculty member assignedas the women’s basketball head coach. Revenuegenerated from the lease of West’s athletic facilitiesshould be earmarked to support the college’s athleticprograms.

The program review reports for Financial Aid showbetter service to the evening students, which can beattributed to the hiring of evening staff. In 2004,

automating the book loan program improved deliv-ery of books and repayment options for students. In 2004-2005, the TRiO grant, which consists of threefederally funded programs that serve low-incomeand first-generation students - Upward Bound whichserves high school students; Talent Search, whichserves middle and high schools; and StudentSupport Services, which serves college students -Extended Opportunity Programs and Services andCalifornia Work Opportunity and Responsibility forKids, all improved the delivery of financial grants tostudents. (II.B-7) (II.B-17) (II.B-23)

The California State Legislature passed a bill thatwill require all students to pay health fees. West’sHealth Center, which is being subsidized withreserved funds, will have to re-evaluate services. Astudent health center survey has been administeredto identify student health needs. (II.B-16)

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WLAC SELF STUDY 154


PLANNING AGENDAS:

• “Point of Service “ student surveys will be developed by each Student Services unit in conjunction with the college researcher during Spring 2006. Surveys will be conducted duringthe 2006-2007 academic year.

• The Vice President of Student Services will include in the division’s unit plan the goal of a concerted institutional effort to increase the number of and to support students obtaining Student Educational Plans (SEPs) for the 2006-2007 academic year.

• The Student Services Council will address and plan improved communication to students about available services in Spring 2006.

II.B.2. The institution provides a catalog for its con-stituencies with precise, accurate, and current infor-mation 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• Sexual Harassment• Refund of Fees

All the above items may be found within the CollegeCatalog and Schedule of Classes. (II.B-24) (II.B-25)(II.B-26) (II.B-27)

II.B.2.d. Locations or publications where other poli-cies may be found.


The West Los Angeles College Catalog contains allthe information enumerated in the standard.Reviewing the Catalog and the Schedule of Classes isan ongoing process to ensure that they contain accu-rate information. (II.B-24) (II.B-25) (II.B-26) (II.B-27)

The Academic Senate is discussing the issue of aca-demic integrity; however, a policy or statement spe-cific to academic honesty has not yet been adopted.LACCD Board Rule 9803.12, addresses cheating, orknowingly furnishing false information to colleges.(II.B -29)

Since January 2005, the Vice President of StudentServices has been a member on a District AcademicIntegrity Taskforce. (II.B-28)

Other policies may be found in the Los AngelesCommunity College District’s Board Rules.(II.B-29)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The increasing number of academic sessions and reg-istration periods has made an error-free CollegeCatalog and Schedule of Classes increasingly chal-lenging. The Vice President of Student Services anda Dean of Academic Affairs, who is assigned thisspecific task, work to ensure the accuracy of thesedocuments.


II.B.3. The institution researches and identifies thelearning support needs of its student populationand provides appropriate services and programs toaddress those needs.

II.B.3.a. The institution assures equitable access toall of its students by providing appropriate, com-prehensive, and reliable services to studentsregardless of service location or delivery method.


A range of student support services is provided toenable every student to meet his or her potential as alearner. Whether it is a disabled student who bene-fits from services provided by the Disabled StudentsPrograms and Services or a mother relying on publicassistance who accesses the Workforce Development

155 WLAC SELF STUDY


Program or the beneficiary of financial aid or veter-ans’ services, all students are welcomed and support-ed by Student Services.

Even students who cannot come to campus may logon to the college’s website (www.wlac.edu) and theLos Angeles Community College’s District’s website(www.laccd.edu) to access student support services.At these websites, students are able to access infor-mation such as the phone numbers of various servic-es and offices, financial aid, grants, upcoming collegeevents, how to apply online and register into the col-lege, the College Catalog and Schedule of Classes,certificates and degrees, the college calendar andmuch more. A student can access Financial Aid andwithin its site, a student may obtain information onhow to apply for the different grants and the formsnecessary to apply. Students may submit emailinquiries on any subject, which are viewed regularlyby the Vice President of Student Services and for-warded to the appropriate unit manager forresponse. (II.B-26) (II.B-27)

Part of the student assessment process, an online col-lege orientation, provides information concerningcollege programs, student services, student rightsand responsibilities. Once assessed, a student can godirectly from our homepage to the online orientation.At the conclusion of viewing the orientation, stu-dents are prompted to complete an orientation quiz.The quiz can be emailed or faxed to our AssessmentCenter. Once the orientation quiz is on file in theAssessment Center, a Passport to Success is issued tothe student. The student must present this passportto the Counseling office to receive results. TheSpring 2005 Student Survey Results indicated that astrong majority of students agreed or strongly agreedthat Assessment Services were available and helpful.(II.B-2) (II.B-21)

The online/distance learner accesses student servicesthrough the district and college websites. A pilotassessment program for the Los Angeles CountySheriff’s Department has been developed and suc-cessfully used by this group of students. A counsel-ing component is being developed to add to theonline assessment services. The college is lookingforward to adding this online set of services for allWest’s students. (II.B-2)

The Student Accountability and Record System(SARS) is a helpful tool for Assessment, Counseling,Transfer Center, EOPS and other student services,because it allows students the ability to make assess

ment and counseling appointments online, receivereminder phone calls regarding appointments andreceive information about college events, i.e. TransferDay. This resourceful technology provides StudentServices staff a very good student tracking system.(II.B-2)

Student Services, together with other divisions oncampus, has a systematic approach to the planningprocess which relies on research data collected by theDistrict Office and the college researcher. The collegeresearcher regularly provides demographic informa-tion for the program review and planning cycle toidentify emerging trends, workforce and populationneeds and services needed by students to supporttheir learning and educational goals. With this infor-mation, Student Services unit managers are betterable to plan for their units. During the month ofSeptember, a program review and unit planningworkshop is provided specifically for student servic-es to initiate its planning for the year ahead. Eachunit reviews the past year’s program review andunit plan and assesses relevant data, i.e. Spring 2005Student Survey Results. Unit managers evaluatewhich goals and objectives for the year were met ornot met and document why. Unit managers thendevelop or delete goals/objectives for the yearahead. With this process, Student Service unit man-agers are better able to track and plan for their units.Through this process, we are identifying additional

data needs of StudentServices. (II.B-17) (II.B-21)

The Spring 2005 StudentSurvey Results confirmedthat overall West’s studentsagreed or strongly agreedthat Student Services wereavailable and helpful, givingparticularly high marks (90-93 percent) for Registrationand Admissions and Records.In general, West’s studentshave a very positive view of

Student Services; however, there are a significantnumber of students who have not used or are notaware of specific services. For example, when asked,“Do you agree that the following services are avail-able when you need them?” 45 percent answered“Don’t Know” about the Health Center, and 42 per-cent answered “Don’t Know” about the TransferCenter. This indicates that Student Services mustimprove visibility and communications to betterassist students in achieving their educational goals.(II.B-21)

In general, West’s students

have a very positive view

of StudentServices...

During Spring 2005, West’s Student Services unitsdeveloped SLOs. In Fall 2005, each unit identifiedsome assessments by which to evaluate their SLOs.Also during Fall 2005, a sub-committee of theStudent Services Council was formed and viewedeach unit’s SLOs and drafted common SLOs for thedivision. This review and development of divisionalSLO’s will continue through the Spring 2006 semes-ter. (II.B-18) (II.B-19) (II.B-30)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The college does provide a variety of student servic-es to support student learning. Student Serviceshave been accessible online through the District andcollege websites. West’s website is student-friendly,informative about the college and assists students inbeing knowledgeable about available services to sup-port their educational progress. SARS has been usedby several Student Services units and has proved tobe a positive resource. (II.B-2) (II.B-26) (II.B-27)

The newly formed Office of InstitutionalEffectiveness is developing a research agenda inclu-sive of the needs of Student Services. Analysis ofboth the “West Los Angeles Community College vsTwo Major Competitors Final Report” and the Spring2005 Student Survey Results are being used for plan-ning and program development within StudentServices. (II.B-20) (II.B-21)

West provides access and appropriate services to itsstudents. Policies to inform and protect students areprinted in every Schedule of Classes (II.B-25).

PLANNING AGENDAS:

• Each Student Service will determine an assess-ment strategy for its SLOs in the Spring 2006 semester.

• During 2005-2006, the Student Services Council will determine a common core of SLOs for the division.

II.B.3.b. The institution provides an environmentthat encourages personal and civic responsibility,as well as intellectual, aesthetic, and personaldevelopment for all of its students.


The college has developed core institutional StudentLearning Outcomes: critical thinking, communica-tion, quantitative reasoning, aesthetics, self-aware-ness/interpersonal skills, civic responsibility, techni-cal competence, diversity and ethics. StudentServices have developed student learning outcomesrespective to the core institutional SLOs. StudentServices has moved forward to develop commondivision SLOs. These SLOs, together with annualprogram reviews and unit plans, will be used to planappropriate activities to broaden the college experi-ence for all students. (II.B-18) (II.B-19) (II.B-31)

Example - Student Services draft SLOs:• Students will contribute and participate in the

college environment through collegial activities to meet their personal interests/goals.

• Students will demonstrate respect and civil conduct when interacting with the college staff or fellow students.

Listed in the Fall 2005 Schedule of Classes are sixpersonal development classes taught by theCounseling Division. The content ranges from col-lege survival, career development, educational plan-ning, students with disabilities, personal evaluation,testing and assessment, instruction in use of thelibrary, time management and more. These coursesassist students in understanding themselves, identi-fying their personal and educational goals and helpstudents succeed. (II.B-25)

Social, cultural and civic enrichment activities aresponsored by the Associated Students Organization(ASO), including new student orientation, black his-tory, Asian and Latino months, the multicultural fes-tival, film night, political forums, pep rallies and theannual Health Fair. ASO campus clubs include thePhi Theta Kappa (PTK) and Alpha Gamma Sigma(AGS) honor societies, the Current Events Club, thePolitical Club and others which sponsor a variety ofeducational and community-service activities. (II.B-12)

The Fine Arts and Humanities Division sponsors artexhibits and music concerts. The Division ofCommunication Entertainment Media Arts stagesperformances. (II.B-32)

WLAC SELF STUDY 156


Extended Opportunity Programs and Services/Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education(EOPS/CARE) conduct a series of workshops on stu-dent success and personal development. EOPS, incooperation with the Transfer Center and TRiO’sStudent Support Services, take students on field tripsto universities. Counseling offers credit classes inpersonal development. The Transfer Center coordi-nates the annual College Transfer Day. The collegehas also held the Fall Festival, Law Enforcement Day,a Mayoral Candidates Forum, Baldwin HillsConservancy Forums and a forum sponsored by theLeague of Women Voters and Remembering Mrs.Rosa Parks. (II.B-7) (II.B-9) (II.B-23) (II.B-32)

SELF-EVALUATION:

Student Services Division developed SLOs for eachunit and for the entire division, a positive step. Weare in the process of developing assessment instru-ments to measure each unit’s achievement of theirSLOs and provide feedback for refinement.

PLANNING AGENDAS:

• Student Services will develop a master calendar of college events for 2006-2007.

II.B.3.c.The institution designs, maintains, andevaluates counseling and/or academic advising pro-grams to support student development and successand prepares faculty and other personnel responsi-ble for the advising function.


In Spring 2005, the Counseling Division completedthe comprehensive program review as part of the on-going cycle of unit planning and program review ofthe college. As a result of the validation committee’sreview, recommendations were made and forwardedto the College Planning Committee for acceptanceand then to the Academic Senate for adoption.Recommendations from this review will be incorpo-rated into the Counseling Division’s upcoming unitplans and program reviews as goals and objectives.(II.B-3)

All counselors meet the minimum qualifications fortheir positions. Permanent and adjunct counselorsare routinely evaluated by their peers, students andadministration as specified in the AmericanFederation of Teachers’ Contract. (II.B-33)

Numerous venues and professional developmentopportunities are provided to the counseling staff tohelp them upgrade their knowledge and skills.Some of the activities have included:

• California State Universities and University of California Counselors Conference

• Ensuring Transfer Success Conference• State Academic Senate Sessions• Division meetings and workshops• Title V Grant training workshops on technology

and student learning outcomes

Information from these activities and research fromthe marketing research study conducted in Fall 2005and student surveys will be used to develop andrestructure the Counseling Division.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Over the past six years, counselors have been reas-signed to other areas on campus as well as beingreleased for committee and participatory governanceresponsibilities. While there are 12 full-time equiva-lent counselors including the ExtendedOpportunities Programs and Services on campuswith one 1.0 vacancy, there have been 4.6 equivalentcounselors available for general counseling for thestudent body. As of Fall 2005, 1.6 counselors havebeen reassigned back to general counseling. There isa need for reviewing the structure of Counseling andthe delivery of services. This was also a finding inthe West Los Angeles Community College vs. TwoMajor Competitors/F’05 report. (II.B-3) (II.B-20)

When trained counseling interns are available, theyhave been utilized, under supervision, inCounseling. There is close collaboration betweenthe academic division chairs, especially when seek-ing appropriate student placements in courses.

PLANNING AGENDAS:

• By Spring 2006, Counseling and the Vice President of Student Services will develop an assessment plan to determine the best allocation of counseling resources.

II.B.3.d. The institution designs and maintainsappropriate programs, practices and services thatsupport and enhance student understanding andappreciation of diversity.

157 WLAC SELF STUDY



The college maintains a Student Equity Plan that wascompleted in September 2005, which includes collegegoals, activities, budget and timelines to insure thatWest is providing equal opportunity to all groups atthe college and within its service area. The planincorporates analysis of student demographics. (II.B-34)

The Associated Students Organization supportssocial and cultural enrichment activities throughoutthe academic year, such as the two-day MulticulturalFestival held in late spring during 2004 and 2005.Alpha Gamma Sigma encourages cultural diversityand sensitivity in an academic honors club. OnDecember 1, 2005, the college featured aRemembering Mrs. Rosa Parks Day. (II.B-12) (II.B-32)

The institution’s outreach component and studentambassador program visits 10 local feeder highschools throughout the academic year. In addition,Financial Aid and EOPS participate in recruitmentfairs specifically targeting middle schools and highschools that serve traditionally low income andunder-represented populations. (II.B-7) (II.B-9) (II.B-15)

Another example of West’s efforts to design, main-tain and support and enhance student understand-ing and appreciation of diversity is its UpwardBound Program, which encourages academic successamong high risk students. The Abstract for this pro-gram cites the target area for Upward Bound to be apopulation of approximately 250,000, “almost 75 per-cent of whom are minorities”…in “high poverty neighborhoods”…that “abut Beverly Hills and otherwealthy enclaves, creating a stark contrast betweenthe ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots.” (II.B-23)

To address the needs of this population, West haspartnered with two large, urban target high schoolsthat serve the poorest and least educated of all theseneighborhoods: Dorsey and Crenshaw High Schools.This project is designed to develop skills and motiva-tion in 60 low-income, potential first-generation stu-dents to complete secondary education and succeedin postsecondary education.

SELF-EVALUATION:

At West, sensitivity to its diverse student body isreflected in the college faculty and staff.Question #30 of the Spring 2005 Student SurveyResults report states that when students were askedto respond to the statement “Instructors encourageme to explore different viewpoints,” approximately90 percent agreed or strongly agreed. Also, approxi-mately 90 percent of students responded that theywere treated fairly at our college regardless of gen-der, ethnicity or sexual preference. Just to reiteratewhat was stated in another part of this document,students held a positive view of Student Services andits staff. Students found the staff helpful and consid-erate, which speaks to students feeling supportedand appreciated. These are indicators of the college’senvironment. While we must continue our efforts toidentify barriers to access, it also appears we have acollege atmosphere that promotes diversity andaccess. (II.B-21)

West makes a concerted effort to draw a diverse stu-dent population to the college as demonstrated bythe TRiO grants, recruitment efforts of EOPS,International Student Services, Financial Aid and theStudent Ambassador Program. (II.B-5) (II.B-7) (II.B-9)(II.B-23)

The Associated Students Organization plans severalstudent activities attempting to capture the interestsof this diverse population. A frequent student com-ment is the need for more campus life. More collegeinvolvement in campus and community activities isneeded.

PLANNING AGENDAS:

• The Dean of Student Services responsible for theAssociated Students Organization will work with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness to develop an instrument to determine the kinds ofactivities that will draw students.

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II.B.3.e. The institution regularly evaluates admis-sions and placement instruments and practices tovalidate their effectiveness while minimizing biases.


The California Community College StateChancellor’s Office (CCCCO) allows each college toselect an assessment instrument of their choice andto follow its specific guidelines, according to theinstrument they have chosen. West has selected theACT Compass Computerized AssessmentInstrument, which has been approved by theCCCCO as having met specific assessment stan-dards. This assessment instrument is currently onthe approved list of assessment instruments testingstudents in English, English as a Second Languageand math. (II.B-2)

According to the California Community CollegeAssessment Standards documents (3/01) the follow-ing campus research responsibilities reside with thecolleges using the test instruments on the approvedlist:

Content Validity:Content Validity is item-by-item analysis comparingeach test item to each course prerequisite.Cut Score Validation:Cut Score Rationale--the initial setting of cut scoresby either the judgmental or the empirical approach.Disproportionate Impact:Disproportionate Impact monitoring for variousdemographic groups every three years.ADA Accommodations: Accommodations provided. (II.B-35)

The Matriculation Advisory Committee developedthe Matriculation Assessment Sub-committee to han-dle the supervision of assessment services to stu-dents. Members of the Assessment Subcommitteeare: the chair of the Math Division, the chair of theLanguage Arts Division and an English as a SecondLanguage faculty member, the assessment seniorproctor, the matriculation coordinator, theInformation Technology supervisor and the directorof the Assessment Placement Management System(APMS). This committee serves to monitor assess-ment practices and employs the judgmentalapproach to evaluate assessment cut scores eachsemester. Committee members are in constant com-munication trouble-shooting and problem-solvingassessment issues throughout the academic year.(II.B-36) (II.B-37)

SARS Grid (Student Accountability and RecordSystem) is a multi-user scheduling system that isbeing used by the following departments:Assessment, Counseling, Extended OpportunityPrograms and Services, Disabled Students Programsand Services, Transfer Center, Financial Aid andWorkforce Development. Using the SARS Gridmakes it easy to schedule an appointment, printappointment reminder slips and view reports. SARSTrak is an automated student check-in/check-outsystem for measuring students’ use of school servic-es, such as appointments, library and labs. SARSCall is an automated telephone confirmation notifica-tion system that integrates with the SARS Gridscheduling and appointment system. (II.B-2)

SELF-EVALUATION:

Students are being assessed using valid, approvedinstruments. The utilization of the StudentAccountability and Records System (SARS) hasproved to be a valuable tool in tracking and commu-nicating with students. The SARS Grid has been suc-cessfully used in seven areas of student services andat least one area in Academic Affairs. In 2004-2005Assessment had 3,902 appointments made by SARS.Counseling had 1,745 30-minute appointments and6,599 brief walk-in counselor contacts. A total of1,925 students went through orientation. The calltotal for SARS is 85,351. This data shows that thetechnology supports the above named departmentsto efficiently reach out to West’s students. (II.B-2)

Currently, a research agenda is being developed tosupport the needs of Assessment and address thedata requirements for the “disproportionate impact”component.

PLANNING AGENDAS:

• The Matriculation coordinator in conjunction with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness will complete a research agenda with specific timelines in Spring 2006.

II.B.3.f. The institution maintains student recordspermanently, securely, and confidentially, with pro-vision for secure backup of all files, regardless ofthe form in which those files are maintained. Theinstitution publishes and follows established poli-cies for release of student records.

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The Admissions and Records Office has a policy andprocess for student access to records, which is listedin the College Catalog. To maintain security andconfidentiality, the Admission and Records Officefollows a policy and process for student access torecords that requires a current photo I.D. (II.B-1)(II.B-24)

Transcripts from other institutions are kept on-site.Transcripts and related records from West are main-tained in the District database, which is updatednightly.

Admissions now has an imaging system to scan inall incoming documents. Admissions staff will betrained to use the system.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Admissions and Records continues to seek appropri-ate and adequate facilities for student records stor-age. Student records need to be scanned into the newimaging system.

The planned Student Services Center building sched-uled for construction in 2007-2008 will includeappropriate storage and a fire-proof vault for studentrecords. (II.B-22)

PLANNING AGENDAS:

• The Vice President of Student Services and Deanof Student Services will supervise the scanning of backlogged documents in 2006-2007.

• The Vice President of Student Services will explore with the LACCD the security of student records in the event of disasters.

II.B.4. The institution evaluates student supportservices to assure their adequacy in meeting identi-fied student needs. Evaluation of these servicesprovides evidence that they contribute to theachievement of student learning outcomes. Theinstitution uses the results of these evaluations asthe basis for improvement.


The Student Services units participate in the institu-tion’s systematic annual program review and unitplan process to assure they are meeting identifiedstudent needs. For example, in Spring 2005, theProgram Review Evaluation Subcommittee of theCollege Planning Committee reviewed and evaluat-ed the comprehensive program review forCounseling. It forwarded commendations and rec-ommendations to the College Planning Committeefor action, which the College Planning Committeeendorsed. The findings will be reviewed by thenewly formed Program Viability Committee.International Students and the Child DevelopmentCenter are currently conducting comprehensive pro-gram reviews. Mentioned before in the Spring 2005Student Survey Results, which measured student sat-isfaction and perception of the college, these findingsare being analyzed and addressed within units andprogram reviews. (II.B-3) (II.B-17) (II.B-21)

Measurable student learning outcomes were devel-oped during Spring 2005 by each Student Servicesunit. In Fall 2005 semester each unit identified theassessment measures for the unit’s student learningoutcomes and in 2006 will measure these outcomes.Student learning outcomes are now being insertedinto the program review and unit planning cycle.Two counselors participated in the Title V StudentLearning Outcomes workshops on July 27-28, 2005.A Student Services Council agenda item, to be devel-oped during 2006, is that of student learning out-comes for the division with overarching goals. Somedraft examples of SLOs are:

• Students will be able to navigate student services and college processes for a successful college experience.

• Students will be able to use /navigate telephoneand computer technology to access/ use studentservices.

Some Student Services units administer programspecific surveys to obtain feedback regarding effec-tiveness of the program-specific service. Examples -Health Center Survey, WLAC Student - ParentSurvey for the Child Development Center. (II.B-11)(II.B-16) (II.B-18) (II.B-19) (II.B-30)

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SELF-EVALUATION:

Subject to student demand, the wait time to see ageneral counselor can be one hour for walk-in.Appointments must be made several weeks inadvance. There are also concerns regarding theavailability of transfer services and career develop-ment assessment and counseling services.

Annual program reviews for all areas of StudentServices have yielded a number of needed changesin operations for improvement. For example, theProgram Review Evaluation Subcommittee madeeight recommendations for Counseling, one of whichis that the administrator in charge create “a dailyschedule with the counselors so that there wouldalways be at least one counselor on staff during‘peak’ hours.”

In the 2005 Student Survey Results, when asked “Doyou agree that the following services are availablewhen you need them?” 21 percent said “Don’tKnow” about Financial Aid, 36 percent said “Don’tKnow” about the Transfer Center, and 41 percentsaid “Don’t Know” about the Career Center. Thisindicates a need to publicize these services in a moreeffective manner. (II.B-21)

Other areas of Student Services are rated quite highlyby the students who have used them. A total of 69percent agree or strongly agree that Assessment andPlacement services are available when needed. Atotal of 85 percent agree or strongly agree thatAdmissions and Records services are available whenneeded. (II.B-21)

PLANNING AGENDAS:

• Counseling will address recommendations from the comprehensive program review evaluation through the 2006-2007 program review and unit planning cycle.

• With the assistance of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, each Student Services unit will develop and administer a “point-of-service” student survey to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of services.

• The Student Services Council will identify division goals and student learning outcomes during the 2006 academic year.

• In Spring 2006, the Student Services Council willaddress and plan improved communication to students about available services.

STANDARD II.B. DOCUMENTATION:

II.B-1 Admissions and Records FolderII.B-2 Assessment and Matriculation Folder

a. Matriculation Folderb. Student Accountability and Record System (SARS)

SARS GridSARS CallSARS Trak

c. “Pilot” Assessment Servicesd. ACT Compass

II.B-3 Counseling FolderComprehensive Program Review for Student Services & Administrative Services Program: Counseling

II.B-4 Disabled Students Program and Services FolderII.B-5 International Students Services FolderII.B-6 Accelerated College Transfer FolderII.B-7 Extended Opportunity Programs and Services FolderII.B-8 Veterans Folder II.B-9 Transfer Center Folder

Student Ambassador ProgramII.B-10 Transfer Honors Program FolderII.B-11 Child Development Center Folder

a. California Community College Childcare Tax Bailoutb. WLAC Student-Parent Survey for the Child Development Center

II.B-12 Associated Students Organization FolderII.B-13 West Los Angeles College and WLAC Foundation Scholarship and Awards

Application Booklet II.B-14 Athletics FolderII.B-15 Financial Aid FolderII.B-16 Health Center Folder

Student Health Center Survey/Fall 2005II.B-17 West Los Angeles College Program Review/Unit Plan - Student ServicesII.B-18 Student Services Units’ Student Learning OutcomesII.B-19 Student Services Division Student Learning Outcomes II.B-20 West Los Angeles Community College vs. Two Major Competitors Final

Report October 2005II.B-21 Spring 2005 Student Survey Results II.B-22 West Los Angeles College Student Services Center Building Plans II.B-23 TRiO Grants/Summaries

Upward BoundTalent SearchStudent Support Services*

II.B-24 West Los Angeles College Catalog 2004-2006II.B-25 West Los Angeles College Schedule of Classes (Fall 05)II.B-26 West Los Angeles College website (http://www.wlac.edu)II.B-27 Los Angeles Community College District website (http://www.laccd.edu)II.B-28 District Academic Integrity TaskforceII.B-29 LACCD Board Rules 9803 Standards of Student Conduct

http://www.laccd.edu/board_rules/documents/Chapter IX/Ch.IX-Article VIII.doc. (Campus Life / Conduct on Campus)

II.B-30 Student Services Council / Agendas and MinutesII.B-31 West’s Student Learning Outcomes StoryII.B-32 President’s BulletinsII.B-33 Agreement between the Los Angeles Community College District and the Los Angeles College Faculty

Guild Local 1521, CFT/AFT, AFL-CIOII.B-34 West Los Angeles College Student Equity Plan 9/05II.B-35 California Community College Assessment Standards Document 3/01II.B-36 Matriculation Advisory Committee / Agendas and MinutesII.B-37 Matriculation Assessment Sub-Committee / Agendas and Assessment

Placement Maintenance System File

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II.C. LIBRARY AND LEARNING SUPPORT SERVICES

Library and other learning support services forstudents are sufficient to support the institution’sinstructional programs and intellectual, aesthetic,and cultural activities in whatever format andwherever they are offered. Such services includelibrary services and collections, tutoring, learningcenters, computer laboratories, and learning tech-nology development and training. The institutionprovides access and training to students so thatlibrary and other learning support services may beused effectively and efficiently. The institution sys-tematically assesses these services using studentlearning outcomes, faculty input, and other appro-priate measures in order to improve the effective-ness of the services.

II.C.1. The institution supports the quality of itsinstructional programs by providing library andother learning support services that are sufficientin quantity, currency, depth, and variety to facilitateeducational offerings, regardless of location ormeans of delivery.

II.C.1.a. Relying on appropriate expertise of facultyincluding librarians and other learning supportservices professionals, the institution selects andmaintains educational equipment and materials tosupport student learning and enhance the achieve-ment of the mission of the institution.


Predicated on the supposition that research availablethrough a variety of print and electronic sources isimperative to a quality instructional program, WestLos Angeles College librarians work closely with thefaculty in other disciplines to support student learn-ing and enhance the achievement of the mission ofthe institution whether it is transfer, career or basicskills education. The librarians employ a variety ofstrategies to gather information about the studentlearning needs in different subject areas in order toinform selection of library resources, both print andelectronic.

The collection development librarian is a permanentmember of the Curriculum Committee. As a member,she signs all course outlines that have been submit-ted for updating and those proposing new courses tobe offered by the college. The Course Outline form,which was adopted two years ago, includes a library

signoff, which signifies that the faculty member hasmet with the librarian to review library collectionsand periodical databases and determined that thecontent and age of the collections are relevant to thetopics covered in the proposed new or updatedcourse. The collection development librarian alsohappens to be one of the coordinators of the campusprogram review process. Through working withindividual faculty on their program review reports,she has become more familiar with the needs of eachdiscipline. (II.C-1)

Every year, the collection development librariansends a flyer to all faculty asking for a prioritizedrecommended list of book purchases. Once a list oftitles in subject areas is compiled from book reviewsfrom academic review sources, faculty, staff, and stu-dent input, it is sent out to the discipline faculty fortheir approval. After books arrive in the library, sub-ject bibliographies of all new arrivals are preparedand rerouted to discipline faculty. (II.C-2)

The Library provides research material in both printand electronic formats. It supports the studentsenrolled in the growing Distance Education Programby providing remote access to the online catalog, ane-book collection and online periodical and researchdatabases. To assess the effectiveness of the library’scollection in terms of quantity, quality, depth andvariety, several tools are used. Circulation figuresare used to allocate an approximate amount of fundsfor each discipline. The Daily Reference Desk Loghelps identify subject areas that students need fortheir academic studies. It also asks reference desklibrarians based on their daily reference desk activityto identify subject areas that need replacements,deletions or additions-outdated titles, titles that arenot on the shelf-possibly stolen. This list alsoincludes requests from students. One major order isgenerated per academic year. This allows the collec-tion development librarian to select the best in thediscipline, something that can only be ascertainedafter a period of time has been devoted to readingbook reviews in academic sources. Additional small-er orders are sent out during the year to fulfill emer-gency requests. (II.C-3) (II.C-4)

Over the last three years, the periodicals budget forhardcopy subscriptions has decreased by 45 percent,from $15,150 to approximately $8,500. The additionof electronic-format books and periodicals expandsthe bank of sources, providing many more books,journals and magazines than the library can offer inprint. The periodicals librarian evaluates and selects

electronic periodical, research and book databasesand collections. This is usually accomplishedthrough a state consortium, but often titles notoffered through the consortium are reviewed as well.Requests from instructors for such titles as well asfor individual periodical subscriptions are usuallyhonored if they do not impact the budget. Electronicdatabases are purchased through Telecommunicationsand Technology Infrastructure Program (TTIP) funds.

Our Library’s goal here is to choose material thatwill help students learn to think critically, succeed intheir courses and become life-long learners. Ourdepartment wants our students to learn how tosearch and locate information in print and electronicformats, and analyze and synthesize it into accurate,coherent, well-supported essays and research papers.The collection development librarian purchases newmaterials on a rotation which ensures that differentfields receive particular attention each year. (II.C-5)

The sale of donated books adds approximately$1,500 per year to the library’s book budget. Variousprograms serving defined student populations bringadditional funding to the Library to buy materialsfor those students. For example, books on career andvocational guidance and how to achieve academicsuccess were purchased for students in theEducational Opportunities and Talent SearchPrograms. The Library also has worked withStudent Services staff in California WorkOpportunity and Responsibility for Kids (CalWORKs)and the Workforce Investment Act to purchaselibrary materials to support students with job prepa-ration and job search. By making these purchases,the Library is enhancing student achievement forlow income, first-generation college students.

Although librarians have identified gaps in the bookcollection, many resulting from theft as a result ofseveral years of a non-functioning book detectionsystem and non-alarmed exit doors, the CollectionDevelopment librarian, through a strategy of takingadvantage of sales, prioritizing and rotating fundsamong a list of “needy” disciplines and using sup-plementary state grants, has managed to satisfy theimmediate needs of the college curriculum.

Learning skills courses taught in the Learning SkillsLab employ computer-assisted instruction (CAI) toempower students to master the skills necessary toachieve learning outcomes in their college courses.Learning skills classes both complement and serve aspreparation for basic mathematics, pre-algebra,

beginning and intermediate algebra, grammar, punc-tuation, spelling, reading, writing, political scienceand chemistry. The College Catalog lists learningskills courses that help students overcome math anx-iety and solve word problems.

Learning skills instructors serve on the Basic SkillsCommittee and work with Language Arts,Mathematics and other academic divisions to inter-pret and apply district-wide and college-wide man-dates and student needs. Faculty in this area inter-pret data relevant to student success and transferrates, particularly as they are impacted by all basicskills classes. They generate student preparednessand attitude instruments, coordinate learning goalsamong learning skills and the academic areas, andgenerate protocols for enabling the greatest numberof students, especially those who are under-pre-pared, to maximize their opportunities for success.(II.C-6)

One full-time instructor teaches 12 sections of sevenlearning skills courses related to English. Twoadjunct instructors teach learning skills courses sup-porting chemistry, political science and mathematics.These instructors also supervise the learning skills lab.

Many students need assistance in writing essays andresearch papers, and they need help with all levels ofmath and science. General subject and Writing Labtutoring are available for many courses offered oncampus. The district regulates qualifications and hir-ing protocols for tutors. Potential Writing Lab tutorsmust pass a grammar test, and all tutors must have

WLAC SELF STUDY 166


successfully completed the courses they plan to tutorwith grades of “A” or “B” and must present letters ofrecommendation from instructors in the disciplines.The tutor supervisor trains each tutor individually.Underwritten by Title III, tutors, in collaborationwith UCLA, wrote a Writing Lab Tutor’s Manual.Most tutors assist students in at least four subjects.Fourteen general subject tutors help students in 20disciplines, and four Writing Lab tutors, workingunder the supervision of the Writing Lab directorwho is a staff member of Language Arts, assist stu-dents with any on-campus writing assignments.New tutors are paired up with senior tutors so theycan observe the variety of methods employed.Tutoring is offered on a first-come, first-served basis,and when more than one student in a particularcourse appears, a tutoring group is formed. (II.C-7)

SELF-EVALUATION:

Although librarians and learning center faculty feelthat the library’s collection and instructional equip-ment are not adequate, 63 percent of the respondentsin the Spring 2005 Student Survey agreed that thelibrary’s collection of books and magazines are mod-ern and well maintained; 72 percent agreed that thelibrary is available and open at convenient times;and 68 percent agreed that the computers are avail-able for use on campus when they need them.Another 66 percent agreed that computers and soft-ware on campus are up-to-date, and 62 percentagreed that instructional equipment in the labs issufficient and up-to-date. (II.C-8)

In the WLAC 2005 Self-Study QuestionnairePreliminary Results, of those staff, students, facultyand administrators who responded, 79 percent ratedthe library to be effective or very effective. (II.C-9)

The quantity and quality provided by electronic peri-odical and research databases have been judged tobe adequate and relevant to college curriculum. Forexample, Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe supportsthe paralegal studies program and provides exten-sive newspaper coverage for the social sciences,speech and English curricula. The Library hasordered two new e-book collections, delivery ofwhich is expected as this self-study is being written.While the Library will have no statistics to supporttheir use until the e-book collections are used, othercolleges in the District have vouched for the qualityof these collections.

A primary challenge for learning skills is to keep thelab open with a sufficient number of instructor hoursassigned, especially since the college operates year-round. The Library is not open on Fridays at thistime. In addition to the cut in hours, a $40,000 peracademic year learning skills tutor budget was elimi-nated in late Spring 2003. As a result, learning skillstutors must qualify for Federal Work Study support.It has been difficult to find qualified learning skillstutors who have achieved high levels of math andEnglish and who qualify for the federal money. AUCLA Fund for the Improvement of PostsecondaryEducation (FIPSE) grant concurred that adequateaccess to tutoring services is necessary. (II.C-10)

It would be more efficient to identify one librarianresponsible for library systems work, which isbecoming increasingly complex and time consumingas the use of technology increases in the Library.However, the need to service reference and instruc-tion makes this impossible at present.

In the 2005 student survey, more than half of therespondents agreed that the tutoring center is avail-able and open at convenient times, and that tutoringservices are adequate to meet their needs. (II.C-8)

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Library and Learning Resources Division will begin to work in Spring 2006 with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness to evaluate the print and electronic collection, technology and tutoring services to determine how effec-tively they support student learning outcomes inacademic disciplines.

II.C.1.b. The institution provides ongoing instruc-tion for users of library and other learning supportservices so that students are able to develop skillsin information competency.


With the infusion of state grants, the Library hasbeen able to create and maintain a library instruc-tional research lab and a library instructionalresearch classroom. The library maintains referencedesk coverage to help students search the online cat-alog and the library subscription databases anddepends on an instructional assistant in informationtechnology and student tutors to help students dealwith any problems they encounter printing andusing Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

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The Library provides an ongoing instructional pro-gram for students, enabling them to develop skills ininformation competency, which is the ability to rec-ognize how to locate, evaluate and effectively useknowledge. Our instructional program includes aseries of for-credit library science classes, library ori-entations, and information competency workshops,thereby covering the areas of information needsassessment, search, retrieval, evaluation, organiza-tion and documentation.

All Library classes listed below are offered for credit.

Library Science 101 – Library Research Methods (1 Unit) – online version

Library Science 102 – Internet Research Methods(1 Unit) – online version

Library Science 103 – Information Literacy (2 Units)

Library Science 104 – Advanced Internet Research (1 Unit)

Library Science 88 – Business and the Internet (1 Unit) – online version

Library Science 117 – Online Legal Research (1 Unit) – online version being developed

Library Science 130 – Travel and the Internet (1 Unit) – online version being developed

Our library offers information competency work-shops throughout the year, which were originallydeveloped in collaboration with UCLA and othercommunity colleges with support from Fund forImprovement of Instruction (FII), and Fund forStudent Success (FSS). The workshops serve two to15 students per session on a walk-in basis. Topicsinclude: formulating the questions and critical evalu-ation of information, outlining, catalog searching,periodical search, database search, Internet searchstrategies, printed materials and Modern LanguageAssociation style. These topics adhere to theAssociation of College and Research Libraries’ stan-dard as defined at the Information Competency inCalifornia Community Colleges website: http://www.topsy.org/infocomp.html.

Each semester, instructors bring an average of about25 students per class from approximately 30 classesin a range of disciplines such as English, history,anthropology, health, speech, dental hygiene andparalegal studies to the library for orientations.

On a daily basis, students come to the reference deskto ask questions about their research projects.Librarians offer a series of bibliographic aids devel-oped by the bibliographic instruction librarian. (II.C-11)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The Library’s information competency workshops allfeature measurable student learning outcomes devel-oped in June 2005. The bibliographic instructionlibrarian will also be contacting instructors in otherdisciplines to determine their perceptions of howstudents benefit from the workshops, i.e. bettergrades.

Feedback from discipline faculty on the effectivenessof the library orientations and the need for improve-ment has been passed on to librarians.

The Library faces a challenge in covering the refer-ence desk because the college has moved to a year-round calendar, but additional staff have not beenhired for the winter and multiple summer sessions.

The Library Education Department of CaliforniaState University San Francisco has commended theonline version of Library Science 101 for its educa-tional quality. (II.C-12)

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Library and Learning Resources Division, inSpring 2006, will begin to work with discipline faculty to evaluate the effectiveness of informa-tion competency services and set goals for improvement.

II.C.1.c. The institution provides students and per-sonnel responsible for student learning programsand services adequate access to the library andother learning support services, regardless of theirlocation or means of delivery.


The Library is open Monday through Thursday 7:45a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.The multimedia department has been moved into theLibrary and an instructional media assistant pro-vides audiovisual equipment and materials for class-room instruction. (II.C-13)

Remote access to the library’s online catalog and sev-eral research and periodical databases is provided toall registered students including those who takeonline classes. A server has been identified forLibrary use; remote access will finally be availablefor the database, Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe.

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Two e-book collections have also been purchased toprovide access to the students in the DistanceEducation program starting September 2005.Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint are also avail-able for students to prepare their class assignments.

As the Math department’s Educo lab is billeted atanother campus location and is only open duringday hours, the Library plans to install updatedEduco math software into 20 computers. One stationin the library instructional research lab has been des-ignated for the visually impaired. The Library Chairwrote a successful grant to close caption videos usedin the Distance Education program that will helpmeet the compliance standards set by the Americanswith Disabilities Act. (II.C-14)

The Learning Skills Lab, which houses 52 computers,located on the first floor of the Heldman LearningResources Center, is open 8:00 am to 8:00 pmMonday through Thursday and 9:00 am to 1:00 pmFridays and Saturdays to access the foreign languagelab and tutoring. A library webpage that willdescribe services and hours is being developed. (II.C-13)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The hours and the staff of the Library havedecreased since 2000 even as the college has movedto a year-round calendar. Library hours have beenreduced from 62 hours to 52 hours weekly. In Fall2003 it was determined to close the Library onFridays since it was the lightest day in terms of stu-dent use. Learning skills hours have gone from 65 to56 hours a week. In order to support the growingdistance education program, a librarian was reas-signed from a .4 assignment in audiovisual.

Although hours have been reduced, 72 percent ofour students strongly agreed or agreed that “Thelibrary is available and open at convenient times.”Fifty-seven percent strongly agreed or agreed thattutoring services are adequate and available at con-venient times. It is crucial that a variety of fundingsources to increase tutoring be explored.(II.C-8)

It is important that library and learning skills servic-es be marketed to the campus community. TheLibrary webpage is being developed to help in thisregard.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• In Summer 2006, the Library and Learning Resources Division Chair will work in conjunc-tion with the Office of Institutional Effectivenessto evaluate staffing levels to determine how effectively they support student learning outcomes in academic disciplines

II.C.1.d. The institution provides effective mainte-nance and security for its library and other learningsupport services.


The book detection system and door alarms of theHeldman Learning Resources Center have notworked for several years. All periodicals have beentaken down from open display and must be request-ed at the circulation desk. Two e-book collectionshave been added to stem some of the losses in thisarea and to provide access to online students.

Surveillance cameras were installed to thwart contin-ual robberies of equipment. Three of the cameras areno longer working, but robberies have ceased.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Because of a non-functioning book detection systemand non-alarmed doors, the Library has identified inone academic year $18,000 worth of books as missingfrom the collection. When the book detection systemand to all the exit doors alarm system are function-ing again, current periodicals will again be on openshelving.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• During Spring 2006, the Library will restore open shelving for current periodicals.

II.C.I.e. When the institution relies on or collabo-rates with other institutions or other sources forlibrary and other learning support services for itsinstructional programs, it documents that formalagreements exist and that such resources and serv-ices are adequate for the institution’s intended pur-poses, are easily accessible, and utilized. The per-formance of these services is evaluated on a regularbasis. The institution takes responsibility for andassures the reliability of all services providedeither directly or through contractual arrangement.

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The Library is a party in a district-wide contract thatprovides an online library system incorporating theonline catalog, circulation and cataloging. Anyissues regarding these services are discussed andresolved at meetings of the district-wide LibraryAutomation Committee, the membership of whichconsists of one to two librarians from each of thenine colleges. In addition, certain key librariansserve as liaisons with the automation library vendor.Recently, the vendor was bought out by anothercompany, and all nine libraries in the district are inthe process of migrating to a new platform for theautomated library system. All migration issues withthe new vendor were handled and resolved by theChair and members of the Library AutomationCommittee.

The acquisitions librarian has negotiated a better dis-count with the book vendor. The periodicals librari-an has recently switched periodicals vendors withthe promise of better service including instantaneousupdate and lower cost. The periodicals librarianworks with the California Community CollegeConsortium, which provides quality periodical andresearch databases at an affordable price. UsingTelecommunications and Technology InfrastructureProgram (TTIP) funds and through the substantialdiscounts offered by the Consortium, the Library isable to provide several electronic databases. Theyare Proquest, Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe,McGraw-Hill AccessScience, CQ Researcher,Facts.com, CountryWatch and AcuWeather/APMultimedia Archive.

Learning skills has a yearly service contract withPlato Learning Systems, its primary coursewaredelivery program, which allows for upgrades andtechnical support.

SELF-EVALUATION:

All problems with the automation have beenresolved through the district-wide automation com-mittee and attendance at various vendor-sponsoredworkshops. Librarians have been able to negotiatemore cost-effective contracts with book and periodi-cal vendors. Through TTIP funds and substantialdiscounts offered by the California CommunityCollege Consortium, the Library is able to providequality periodical and research databases to students.


II.C.2. The institution evaluates library and otherlearning support services to assure their adequacyin meeting identified student needs. Evaluation ofthese services provides evidence that they con-tribute to the achievement of student learning out-comes. The institution uses the results of theseevaluations as the basis for improvement.


Librarians have developed and distributed studentevaluation surveys for library instructional researchlab use and for pedagogical effectiveness. Recently,these evaluation efforts have been expanded toinclude faculty evaluation of orientations and infor-mation competency workshops. Data on learningskills completion provided by the Title III grant hasrevealed that students completing learning skillsclasses are successful. (II.C-15) (II.C-16 )

The Library has used the annual program reviewand unit planning instrument to evaluate and planfor improvement of library services. By reading pro-fessional literature, attending conferences and visiting other libraries, West librarians have kept pacewith all the latest currents in library and learningsupport and have used that information to improveservices and curricula, for example, by instituting the

library instructional research lab, the library instruc-tional research classroom and the information com-petency workshops. (II.C-17)

The library instructional research lab, which pro-vides students access to the online catalog and onlineperiodical and research databases and word process-ing tools like Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPointto complete their classroom assignments, has contin-ually increased the number of stations. The libraryinstructional research classroom where all library ori-entation and instruction occurs has also installedupdated computers.

Two factors were critical to the development of theinformation competency workshops: the library sci-ence classes had low enrollments, and the librariansdetermined the one-hour library orientations did notoffer sufficient time for students to acquire adequateinformation competency skills. These workshopsgrew from collaboration with UCLA and other com-munity colleges. Curriculum and assessment testsmeasuring student learning outcomes have beendeveloped for each workshop. The bibliographicinstruction librarian will be contacting instructorswho have sent their students to information compe-tency workshops in order to verify the benefits of thesessions. (II.C-11)

Updated course outlines for the entire instructionalprogram in the Library, Learning Center andTutoring are tools used to monitor and evaluatecourse instruction. All course outlines are scheduledfor update by the end of Spring 2006. (II.C-18)

An automated attendance system, Red Canyon, wasinstalled in the Learning Center in Fall 2005 to trackstudents who are tutored. Data provided will beused to evaluate whether tutoring promotes studentsuccess. An additional course outline for tutoring isbeing developed. Students completing any learningskills class in math or language arts are asked tocomplete a Student Evaluation Survey. Studentsusing the Foreign Language Lab are required to com-plete a student performance report. (II.C-19)

SELF-EVALUATION:

Curriculum and assessment tests in the informationcompetency workshops have been developed.Library faculty continue their efforts to keep abreastof the latest currents in library and learning support. The Library faculty met in Fall 2005 to compareUCLA’s new core information competencies with

West’s library curriculum and the measurable SLOsdeveloped for our Information Competency work-shops. The bibliographic instruction librarian willcontact instructors who have sent students to thelibrary to collect their feedback and to find out whatgrades their students earned. (II.C-11)

The bibliographic instruction librarian attended aworkshop on program outcomes in order to evaluatethe SLOs that have been developed for the informa-tion competency workshops and to further developand apply them to the entire library instructionalprogram, including library science classes, libraryorientations and other services.

Updating all course outlines will contribute to theevaluation of library and learning center programsand services. A course outline for tutoring is beingdeveloped.

As a result of surveys and collaboration with instruc-tors in other disciplines, a co-requisite lab, LearningSkills 50, was set up for students taking EnglishFundamentals. The Learning skills surveys providedthe impetus for adding appropriate vocabulary andreading software.

Data in the Library and Learning Center have beencollected and used informally. The Library will bene-fit from the recent hiring of a college researcher andanalyst and the establishment of the Office ofInstitutional Effectiveness.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Library and Learning Resources faculty willwork with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness to develop more systematic methods of evaluating the effectiveness of its programs and services in addressing student learning outcomes by Summer 2007.

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STANDARD II.C. DOCUMENTATION

II.C-1 Combined Course Outline – Template from the LACCDII.C-2 Suggestions for Library Book PurchasesII.C-3 Circulation ReportII.C-4 Daily Reference Desk LogII.C-5 Acquisitions PolicyII.C-6 Learning Center Evaluative InstrumentsII.C-7 Writing Lab Tutor’s ManualII.C-8 Spring 2005 Student SurveyII.C-9 West Los Angeles College 2005 Self-Study Questionnaire, Preliminary Results II.C-10 Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) GrantII.C-11 Library Instructional Services ProgramII.C-12 OASIS Administration. “Re: Library Science 101.” E-mail to Cathy Froloff. 14 Nov. 2002.II.C-13 Library & Learning Center Webpage (http://library.wlac.edu)II.C-14 Closed Caption Award GrantII.C-15 Library Evaluative InstrumentsII.C-16 Title III. Final Grant Performance Report – USDE (ED 524B)II.C-17 Program Reviews for the Library & Learning Center II.C-18 Non Credit Course Outline for Learning Skills 1T- Supervised Learning Assistant –Tutoring;

Combined Course Outline for Library Science 130 Travel and Internet Research; Combined Course Outline for Library Science 101 Library Research Methods

II.C-19 Learning Center Evaluative Instruments

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The institution effectively uses its human, physi-cal, technology, and financial resources to achieveits broad educational purposes, including statedstudent learning outcomes, and to improve institu-tional effectiveness.

III.A. HUMAN RESOURCES

The institution employs qualified personnel tosupport student learning programs and serviceswherever offered and by whatever means deliv-ered, and to improve institutional effectiveness.Personnel are treated equitably, are evaluated regu-larly and systematically, and are provided opportu-nities for professional development. Consistentwith it mission, the institution demonstrates itscommitment to the significant educational roleplayed by persons of diverse backgrounds by mak-ing positive efforts to encourage such diversity.Human resource planning is integrated with insti-tutional planning.

III.A.1. The institution assures the integrity andquality of its programs and services by employingpersonnel who are qualified by appropriate educa-tion, training, and experience to provide and sup-port these programs and services.

III.A.1.a. Criteria, qualifications, and procedures forselection of personnel are clearly and publicly stat-ed. Job descriptions are directly related to institu-tional mission and goals and accurately reflectposition duties, responsibilities, and authority.Criteria for selection of faculty include knowledgeof the subject matter or service to be performed (asdetermined by individuals with discipline expert-ise), effective teaching, scholarly activities, andpotential to contribute to the mission of the institu-tion. Institutional faculty play a significant role inselection of new faculty. Degrees held by facultyand administrators are from institutions accreditedby recognized U.S. accrediting agencies. Degreesfrom non-U.S. institutions are recognized only ifequivalence has been established.


The responsibility of assuring the qualifications ofWest Los Angeles College’s personnel lies with thecampus selection committees for faculty and admin-istrators or, in the instance of classified staff, by theLos Angeles Community College District (LACCD orthe District) Personnel Commission.

“The Personnel Commission is the mainstay of themerit system. It is an independent body comprisedof three persons appointed for three-year staggeredterms. Commissioners are lay persons who must beknown adherents of the merit principle. ThePersonnel Commission is responsible for maintaininga merit system for classified employees of theLACCD and for fostering the advancement of acareer service for such employees. To execute theseresponsibilities, the California State Education Codeprovided that Personnel Commissioners shall classi-fy positions, prescribe rules, hear protests regardingthe selection process, and hear appeals of discipli-nary matters.” Criteria and qualifications for classi-fied staff positions can be found on the PersonnelCommission website and in job announcement bul-letins. Staff must pass qualifying examinations andinterviews prior to being placed on an eligibility listfor the job classification to be filled. When there is aclassified position to be filled, West’s personnel officereceives the names of the top three candidates on theeligibility list, who will then be interviewed. (III.A-1)

STANDARD III RESOURCES

When a faculty position is to be filled, a selectioncommittee of at least four voting members is formed.One must be a faculty member from the academicdivision/discipline where the vacancy exists. Thecommittee also includes a faculty member appointedby the Academic Senate, an administrator from theappropriate college division and a non-voting affir-mative action representative. (III.A-3)

The District decentralized faculty hiring processesJuly 1, 2004. West is now responsible for recruitingand verifying the qualifications of candidates for fac-ulty vacancies. The committee members meet anddevelop a position announcement including the posi-tion’s duties and responsibilities, minimum qualifica-tions, and desirable characteristics. Each candidatesubmits a comprehensive application package, whichincludes official transcripts, an assessment of aca-demic preparation, work experience and references(III.A-2) (III.A-3)

All members of the selection committee are requiredto adhere to the following fundamental criteria whenreviewing applications, conducting interviews orotherwise evaluating candidates: the extent to whichthe candidate has expertise in the discipline in whichshe or he will be employed; the candidate’s demon-strated ability or potential to become a skilledteacher, counselor or librarian; and the degree towhich the candidate will contribute to the diversityof the college, division and discipline in which she orhe will be employed. (III.A-3)

After interviewing qualified candidates, the commit-tee forwards two finalists for consideration by thecollege President and the appropriate vice president.The President makes the final decision. (III.A-3)

SELF-EVALUATION:

Because of budgetary constraints, no new tenure-track faculty have been hired since decentralization.West has not yet had the opportunity to experiencethe advantages or disadvantages of a decentralizedrecruitment and selection process.


III.A.1.b. The institution assures the effectivenessof its human resources by evaluating all personnelsystematically and at stated intervals. The institu-tion establishes written criteria for evaluating allpersonnel, including performance of assigned

duties and participation in institutional responsi-bilities and other activities appropriate to theirexpertise. Evaluation processes seek to assess effec-tiveness of personnel and encourage improvement.Actions taken following evaluations are formal,timely, and documented.


The performance evaluation process communicatesstandards and expectations to an employee and eval-uates the extent to which the employee meets thosestandards and conforms to the expectations.Procedures for evaluating the majority of employeesare mandated by and outlined in contractual agree-ments between the Los Angeles Community CollegeDistrict and:

• Los Angeles College Faculty Guild, Local 1521, AFT/AFL-CIO

• Los Angeles Community College District Administrators’ Unit represented by the California Teamsters Public, Professional, and Medical Employees Union Local 911

• Supervisory Employees’ Union Local 347• AFT College Staff Guild 1521A, CFT/AFT,

AFL/CIO• Los Angeles/Orange County Building and

Construction Trades Council• Los Angeles City and County School Employees

Union Local 99, AFL/CIO S.E.I.U

Confidential employees are unrepresented but areannually evaluated by the college President accord-ing to LACCD and LACCD Personnel CommissionRules.

The LACCD Chancellor evaluates the collegePresident’s performance. Informal evaluations serveto assist a President’s personal and professionalgrowth and development and are a routine aspect ofthe relationship between the Chancellor and the col-lege Presidents. Formal evaluations, basic or com-prehensive, are documented and occur at least annu-ally. The LACCD Chancellor has contracted a formerChancellor to conduct a two-day comprehensiveevaluation as specified in the Evaluation Procedurefor College Presidents. In 2001, 2003 and 2004, theLACCD Chancellor conducted a comprehensiveevaluation of the college President at West LosAngeles College in these categories: leadership skilland ability, administrative/managerial skill and abil-ity, communications skill and ability together withprofessional knowledge and expertise. Structured

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interviews with small groups of faculty, administra-tors, classified employees, students and communitymembers were conducted over a two-day period.(III.A-4)

Evaluations of faculty mandated by their contractseek to assess the instructor’s effectiveness and toidentify needs for improvement. These are conduct-ed by the division chair or his or her designee.Tenured faculty are evaluated every three academicyears. Every six years, tenured faculty receive a com-prehensive evaluation, which is carried out by acommittee, one of whose members visits the instruc-tor’s class, and all of whom examine syllabi, assign-ments and other materials presented in a formalportfolio. Probationary, that is, tenure-track, facultyare evaluated annually. Adjunct faculty are evaluat-ed before the end of the second semester of employ-ment and at least once every six semesters thereafter.All faculty are evaluated in the following areas:knowledge of subject area, effectiveness, perform-ance of responsibilities and professional growth.Membership of faculty evaluation committees isdefined according to the discipline or nature of theassignment. The evaluation process includes period-ic classroom visitations and conferences with the fac-ulty member. Prior to classroom visits, committeemembers are provided course outlines and any mate-rials requested for review. Mentoring relationshipsbetween senior instructors and new faculty areencouraged. (III.A-5)

The agreement with the Los Angeles City andCounty School Employees Union Local 99 providesan evaluation process for employee groups includingautomobile mechanics, electronics lab technicians,gardeners, instructional aides, instructional mediaspecialists, office machine technicians, offset machineoperators, physical education facilities assistants andpool custodians. Probationary classified employeesare evaluated during the third month and fifthmonth of the six-month probationary period. Thiscontract also calls for annual evaluation of perma-nent classified employees by all supervisors whenthe length of service under each supervisor is 90working days during the evaluation period. In addi-tion, the agreement provides forms for outstandingwork performance and unsatisfactory service. (III.A-6)

Article 11 of the agreement with the SupervisoryEmployees’ Union, Local 347, describes proceduresfor performance evaluations. This agreement coversemployees such as administrative analysts, admis

sions and records office supervisors, assistant book-store managers, carpentry supervisors, custodialsupervisors, electrical supervisors, financial aid man-agers, graphic arts designers, office supervisors,operations managers, senior accountants, seniormicrocomputer systems specialists, stock controlsupervisors and supervising accountants. Officialperformance evaluations are conducted once peryear by the manager or administrator with supervi-sory responsibility for the unit member. The evalua-tion cycle begins July 1 and ends June 30, and theevaluation must be completed within two monthsfollowing this period. Supervisory unit membersmay also receive informal, undocumented evalua-tions that enhance the unit member’s professionalgrowth. The evaluation addresses: attainment orprogress towards established annual goals; fulfill-ment of the responsibilities of the position; and pro-fessional skill and ability, including leadership, com-munication, administrative/managerial and profes-sional knowledge and expertise. (III.A-7)

The agreement with the Building and ConstructionTrades Council specifies the evaluation of carpenters,electricians, heating and air conditioning technicians,painters, plumbers, locksmiths, computer techni-cians, performing arts technicians and studio engi-neers. Probationary employees are evaluated duringthe third and fifth months of their probationary peri-ods by the appropriate supervisor. Permanentemployees are to be evaluated by their anniversarydate each year. Employees are evaluated on the fol-lowing performance standards: quality and quantityof work, work habits, personal qualities, relation-ships with others and, if applicable, supervisoryqualities. (III.A-8)

The agreement with the AFT College Staff GuildLocal, 1521A, CFT/AFT, AFL/CIO, covers account-ants, secretaries, admissions and records assistants,evaluation technicians, assistant administrative ana-lysts, bookstore assistants, cashiers, community serv-ices aides, computer and network support special-ists, examination proctors, financial aid assistants,instructional assistants, payroll assistants, pianoaccompanists, purchasing aides, student recruitersand student services assistants. Probationaryemployees are evaluated during the second andfourth months of their probationary periods by theirimmediate supervisors. Permanent employees are tobe evaluated annually. Staff Guild unit members areevaluated using the same form and standards as theBuilding and Construction Trades Council unit mem-bers. (III.A-9)

RESOURCES

SELF-EVALUATION:

The employee evaluation process is clearly definedin the collective bargaining agreements with the spe-cific unions. The evaluation criteria are sufficient tomeasure the effectiveness of an employee and givethe employee specific feedback on how to improvework performance. Seventy-five percent of collegeemployees agree or strongly agree that supervisorsprovide regular feedback on job performance.Eighty percent of employees agree or strongly agreethat the supervisor evaluates job performance usingobjective standards. The college’s evaluation track-ing systems have determined that some permanentemployees are not being regularly evaluated. (III.A-10)

PLANNING AGENDA:

• In Spring 2006, each Vice President will assure that all managers evaluate employees as speci-fied in the agreements.

III.A.1.c. Faculty and others directly responsible forstudent progress toward achieving stated studentlearning outcomes have, as a component of theirevaluation, effectiveness in producing those learn-ing outcomes.


West does not explicitly look at the effectiveness ofproducing student learning outcomes in its facultyevaluation process because this criterion is notincluded in the AFT evaluation forms.

SELF-EVALUATION:

West is developing and implementing measurablestudent learning outcomes for all programs andcourses. Academic divisions including DentalHygiene, Aviation and Language Arts have complet-ed their program SLOs and have included them inall updated course outlines. Faculty are in part eval-uated on their syllabi which are based on course out-lines, so as SLOs are incorporated into the outlinesthey can be considered in faculty evaluations.Measurable SLOs are being developed with partici-pation from administrators and faculty. The out-comes assessments are being developed in conjunc-tion with the establishment of SLOs.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Academic Senate in conjunction with Academic Affairs will guide the academic divisions, student services and other programs in the integration of student learning outcomes in faculty evaluations. (III.A-11)

III.A.1.d.The institution upholds a written code ofprofessional ethics for all of its personnel.


The Academic Senate published a policy on ethicaland professional standards that serves as a guide tofaculty and is distributed at the beginning of eachacademic year at the Flex Day Program. A writtencode of professional ethics for non-academic person-nel is being proposed for LACCD Board approval.Disciplinary action is warranted for an employeewho commits acts that are detrimental to the successof the college, such as instances of dishonesty, mis-use of college email, sexual harassment or frequentunexcused tardiness. Disciplinary action can resultin an unsatisfactory notice, a demotion, a suspensionor dismissal. (III.A-12)

West expects all personnel to treat its students andfellow employees with a high level of respect andprofessionalism. The college compliance officer hasthe duty of ensuring that professional ethics areupheld, and to investigate and respond to instanceswhere those ethics may have been violated.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Efforts to uphold professional ethics include an emailpolicy for the college that was developed collabora-tively, discussed and voted on in Fall of 2005. InDecember 2005, the college’s compliance officer con-ducted sexual harassment workshops for all man-agers, supervisors and division chairs. Staff haveexpressed interest in having these workshops sched-uled for them. This is being considered for Spring2006.


III.A.2. The institution maintains a sufficient num-ber of qualified faculty with full-time responsibili-ty to the institution. The institution has a sufficientnumber of staff and administrators with appropri-ate preparation and experience to provide theadministrative services necessary to support theinstitution’s mission and purposes.

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To support our enrollment of approximately 8,000students, West Los Angeles College employs 110 full-time faculty members, 12 administrators and 137support staff. The college is organized into threemajor divisions: Academic Affairs, Student Servicesand Administrative Services. Through the programreview process, which occurs every fall semester,each area evaluates its effectiveness in achieving itsgoals of the past year, indicates how it will addressareas of concern and evaluates whether it needsadditional staff to properly service the college com-munity. Program review feeds into unit planning forthe coming year. West has a Faculty PositionIdentification and Prioritization (FPIP) Committee,which prioritizes vacant faculty positions.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Budgetary constraints have forced many depart-ments to operate with a minimum of staff. At theClassified Forum, many reported feeling over-worked. While West has hired and trained 20 newfaculty since 2000, no new full-time faculty positionshave been filled in the past two years. Adjunct facul-ty are hired on an as-needed basis.

According to the 2005 Self-Study Questionnaire, 55percent of the full-time faculty, 40 percent of theadjunct faculty, 64 percent of the administrators and78 percent of the classified managers strongly dis-agree or disagree that there is adequate staff to suc-cessfully run their units. Nevertheless, in the Spring2005 Student Survey nearly all students report thatservices are available when they need them. (III.A-13) (III.A-10)


III.A.3. The institution systematically develops per-sonnel policies and procedures that are availablefor information and review. Such policies and pro-cedures are equitably and consistently administered.

III.A.3.a. The institution establishes and adheres towritten policies ensuring fairness in all employ-ment procedures.


Personnel policies and procedures consist of theLACCD Personnel Guides, LACCD Board Rules,LACCD Personnel Commission Laws and Rules, andcollective bargaining agreements. (III.A-12) (III.A-14)(III.A-15) (III.A-5 to III.A-9)

The State Education Code, the District PersonnelCommission, Board Rules, Personnel Guides and thecollective bargaining agreements that cover facultyand classified staff govern personnel policies.Agreements are negotiated between the Los AngelesCommunity College administrative staff and theunion representatives and are approved by the LosAngeles Community College Board of Trustees.Each agreement specifies procedures that employeesmay use to ensure compliance with the agreement.West Los Angeles College adheres to and imple-ments these personnel policies and procedures.

It is the duty of the college compliance officer toadvise, investigate and resolve conflict in areas suchas equal employment, hiring practices, disciplineadministration, sexual harassment prevention, gen-der equity, accommodation of the disabled andgrievance and complaint resolution.

SELF-EVALUATION:

All policies and procedures may be viewed on theDistrict website and the Personnel Commission web-site. Issues of adherence to policies and fairness inemployment procedures are communicated primari-ly to the compliance officer, who resolves themunder the supervision of the college President.


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III.A.3.b. The institution makes provision for thesecurity and confidentiality of personnel records.Each employee has access to his/her personnelrecords in accordance with law.


The official personnel files are maintained at theDistrict by the Division of Human Resources.Personnel records may be used by the District in anyproceedings that affect the status of the employee.The files contain an employee’s working history, theoriginal employment application, performance eval-uations, leave of absence requests, requests for trans-fers, notices of outstanding work performance, let-ters of commendation, notices of unsatisfactory serv-ice and the employee responses, resignations andreinstatement requests. Files may also includerecords of criminal convictions, privileged legal cor-respondence and working papers together with a listof materials that have been removed from the file. Asecond set of personnel files is maintained at thecampus personnel office, consisting of employeeleave of absence requests, documentation of discipli-nary action, performance evaluations and resigna-tions. No material whose origin cannot be identifiedmay be placed in the files. Derogatory material mustbear the name of the administrator who filed it, thedate of its filing, the employee’s signature signifyingthat the employee has been offered a copy, or if theemployee refuses to sign, the signature of a witness.

District policy provides that upon request, anemployee shall have the right at any reasonable timeto inspect the official personnel file. All personnelfiles are kept in a locked cabinet to insure their secu-rity. They may only be viewed by individuals otherthan the employee on a “need-to-know” basis,including, but not limited to, those employees at thecollege or in the District office who are responsiblefor maintaining the files, the supervisors and man-agers in the employee’s chain of command,Personnel Commission staff, union representatives,Office of the General Counsel, Office of LaborRelations and senior district administrators.Whenever files or portions of files are moved, or arein the possession of an authorized individual, or arephotocopied or microfilmed, or are transported ortransmitted, reasonable steps must be taken to insurethe security of the materials. Whenever materialsfrom the personnel file are permanently removed,administratively or at the request of the employee,they shall be destroyed.

SELF-EVALUATION:

District policies provide the necessary security andconfidentiality. Employee access is not a problem.


III.A.4. The institution demonstrates through poli-cies and practices an appropriate understanding ofand concern for issues of equity and diversity.

III.A.4.a. The institution creates and maintainsappropriate programs, practices, and services thatsupport its diverse personnel.


The college widely publishes its non-discriminationpolicy in such publications as the college catalog,schedules of classes, brochures and advertisements,and is committed to establishing and maintaining anatmosphere of harmony and mutual respect amongits administrators, faculty, staff and students withoutregard to racial, religious, cultural, ethnic or genderdifferences. The college plans activities related tosuch events as Black History Month, Cinco de Mayoand Women’s History Month. In spring 2005, theAssociate Students Organization sponsored a multi-cultural festival that celebrated the positive contribu-tions to our society by various ethnic and gendergroups. The college recently applied for a $10,000grant. Funds from this grant will be used for cam-pus-wide diversity training. We believe this type ofactivity instills pride and respect for each other.(III.A-16), (III.-A17), (III.A-18), (III.A-19).

SELF-EVALUATION:

West has completed its Student Equity Plan, whichsets goals, objectives and priorities for the delivery ofeducation, training and personal developmentopportunities to all WLAC students without regardto race/ethnicity, gender or disability. The planincludes research on student progress, including dataon student transfers, persistence, grades and othervariables that are connected to student achievement.


III.A.4.b. The institution regularly assesses itsrecord in employment equity and diversity consis-tent with its mission.

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The college has experienced minimal hiring activityover the last three (3) years. When hiring activityoccurs, the college compliance officer assists withoutreach recruitment activities and hiring commit-tees. The compliance officer provides hiring data tothe district office, which in turn analyzes the data toinsure that the pattern of hiring is in accord withstate and federal laws and does not indicate anyadverse impact against any racial or gender group.Members of the college faculty continue to serve asmentors to aspiring teacher interns from diversebackgrounds under the Los Angeles CommunityCollege District’s Project MATCH (Mentors Act toChange History) program. WLAC participates in anannual EEO Community College Job Fair in order topublicize the college’s EEO policies and attract a0diverse job applicant pool when positions are avail-able at the college. Equal Employment Opportunityfunds are used in support of Project MATCH and theannual EEO Community College Job Fair.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The Los Angeles Community College District andother college districts throughout California havebeen working in conjunction with the StateChancellor’s Office to develop a model Faculty andStaff Diversity plan that will meet current State ofCalifornia legal standards. The most current com-munication from the LACCD indicates the modelplan is still in the development stage. Pending thedevelopment of a state model plan, the WLACStudent Equity Committee, Chaired by theCompliance Officer, will develop a WLAC Facultyand Staff Diversity Plan by June 2006. Upon comple-tion of a model college diversity plan at the StateChancellor’s Office level, the WLAC Student EquityCommittee will review its plan to insure that theWLAC Faculty and Staff Diversity Plan meets stan-dards set in the model plan.


PLANNING AGENDA:

• The President will charge the Student Equity Committee with making recommendations in the areas of diversity and equal employment opportunity.

III.A.4.c. The institution subscribes to, advocates,and demonstrates integrity in the treatment of itsadministration, faculty, staff and students.


Employee evaluations include criteria designed toengage a discussion concerning each employee’sability to develop constructive working relationshipswith peers and students. The college employs feed-back mechanisms designed to address employee andstudent grievance procedures. Administrators andmanagers are required to be knowledgeable aboutthe collective bargaining agreements covering theemployees they supervise. All administrators andmanagers, supervisors are expected also to be famil-iar with LACCD Board Rules, Los AngelesCommunity Colleges Personnel Guides, LACCDRegulations, LACCD Administrative Regulationsand Procedures, Personnel Commission Laws andRules and the sexual harassment policy.

The chair of the Classified Forum invites all classi-fied employees to meet monthly. Agenda itemsrange from campus-wide issues to the concerns ofindividual offices: the college budget, class schedule,parking conflicts, Proposition A/AA facilities, workenvironment. The Forum was established to enhancecommunication between administrative and classi-fied staff. For example, the Classified Forum grap-pled with the problems that resulted when the lastdate that students could add classes was extendedbut support staff were not notified and gave studentsinaccurate information. Another example occurredin 2004 when Admissions staff were not informedthat the class schedule would not be available in anyform until after student registration began.

The District, Personnel Commission and West holdperiodic workshops covering various topics such assexual harassment, student grievance procedures,sexual assaults, violence in the workplace medicaland medical and retirement benefits. In addition, thecollective bargaining units, District, LACCD collegesand West publications include highlights of districtand college policies, budget status reports and soft-ware systems, all of which are important to employ-ees. Some unions hold monthly meetings to notifymembers about contract negotiations, benefits,changes in Board Rules and District regulations andpolicy in addition to other topical issues.

SELF-EVALUATION:

While our self study did not have a question thatdirectly asked about integrity, we can draw conclu-sions about West’s campus climate and treatment ofmembers of the campus community from other ques-tions in the survey. For example, 78 percent of

employees “feel comfortableasking the administration forhelp;” 83 percent feel that theyare “treated with respect;” 87percent feel the work environ-ment is “conducive to work-ing;” 96 percent feel that theirinteractions with colleagues“are positive;” 95 percent“enjoy the work” they do; 80percent would “recommendworking at WLAC to a friend.”


III.A.5. The institution provides all personnel withappropriate opportunities for continued profession-al development, consistent with the institutionalmission and based on identified teaching andlearning needs.

III.A.5.a. The institution plans professional devel-opment activities to meet the needs of its personnel.


The Staff Development Committee, which meets thethird Wednesday of the month, coordinates profes-sional development activities for faculty and staff.However, the state has not allocated a budget forstaff development since 2003, which limits fiscal sup-port to the Staff Development Committee.

Still, the committee has produced many workshopsusing other resources. The staff development com-mittee minutes can be obtained from the collegewebpage. (III.A-22) (III.A-23)

The Academic Senate also supports faculty atten-dance at conferences, workshops and seminars.Faculty, staff and administrators may apply fortuition reimbursement from the District. Classifiedstaff may receive released time to take courses relat-ed to their current position or to assist them inpreparing for advancement.

SELF-EVALUATION:

While the college has had no state money to spendon staff development, it has been able to use its 1999-2004 Title III grant, as well as its 2004-2009 Title Vgrant, to offer workshops in areas that specificallymeet grant objectives and performance indicators.Workshop participants had to submit revised lessonplans in order to receive modest stipends for attend-ing. Telecommunications and TechnologyInfrastructure Program provided funds for campusworkshops and conferences. (III.A-24)


III.A.5.b. With the assistance of the participants, theinstitution systematically evaluates professionaldevelopment programs and uses the results ofthese evaluations as the basis for improvement.


All faculty and staff are invited to attend staff devel-opment committee meetings to plan activities and tostate their requests for professional development.Requests are also made directly to the chair of theStaff Development Committee, who works closelywith the Academic Senate President to verify facultyrequests.

The Staff Development Committee wrote an evalua-tion survey in 2004. After each workshop sponsoredby the Staff Development Committee, attendees areasked to fill out workshop evaluation surveys, whichthey may access online. (III.A-23)

West conducted a detailed needs assessment in Fall2003 in pursuit of the college’s current Title V grant.On the basis of this assessment, the college used aportion of the grant to fund (III.A-25):

• Workshops on MS Word and Excel• Training in Easy to Use Distance Education

System (ETUDES) for faculty wishing to design and teach online classes

• Workshops on collaborative learning and diverselearning styles

• Computer-Assisted Instruction training for mathinstructors

• Workshops in July 2005 and October 2005 on student learning outcomes for programs

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...96 percentfeel that theirinteractions

with colleagues

“are positive;”

SELF-EVALUATION:

The online workshop evaluation survey waslaunched in November 2004, but participants are notrequired to fill it out at this time. A formal needsassessment for the staff development activitiesshould be developed to incorporate this and otherdata.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Staff Development Committee will develop a more systematic process to identify the profes-sional development needs of staff during 2006-2007.

III.A.6. Human resource planning is integratedwith institutional planning. The institution system-atically assesses the effective use of humanresources and uses the results of the evaluation asthe basis for improvement.


The college formally assesses the effective use of itshuman resources during the annual program reviewprocess. In program review, each organizational unitevaluates its ability to achieve its objectives in termsof the required human, financial and technologyresources.

Budget constraints in recent years have limited thecollege’s ability to fill vacancies. Only those vacan-cies that threaten the successful operation of the col-lege have been earmarked for staffing. However,despite the budget crisis, certain human resourcesneeds that have been identified in program reviewand unit planning have been met by reallocatingresources by reassigning people. For example, onefaculty member transferred from math to science tohelp the Science Division, and an evening biologytechnician was hired. An instructor in travel was re-assigned a portion of time in counseling. An admin-istrator was transferred to full-time teaching inEnglish.

The annual program review process has proven to beeffective in articulating a department’s humanresources needs. Permanent faculty hiring is guidedby the Faculty Position Identification andPrioritization (FPIP) process that relies on a disci-pline identifying its needs through its annual data-based program review and unit plan. Adjunct facultyare hired as needed to teach classes and staff thelibrary and counseling. (III.A.26)

Classified positions are usually filled when theappropriate vice president deems the need urgentand forwards the classified position request to thepresident for approval. For the most part, the col-lege-wide community is not involved in the decisionto hire a new classified employee. The CollegePlanning Committee is discussing a mechanism toprioritize classified positions to be filled.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The college bases human resources decisions on col-lege-wide and division-specific goals as outlined inthe Integrated Master Plan. We do this through theprogram review and unit planning process, whichfeeds directly into the FPIP process. We have not,however, developed such a clear linkage betweenprogram review, planning and the hiring of new staffand administrators.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The College Planning Committee will create an identification and prioritization process for staff positions.

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STANDARD III.A. DOCUMENTATION

III.A-1 Personnel Commission website (http://www.laccd.edu/PersComm/personnelcommission.htm)III.A-2 State Teaching Minimum Qualifications

(http://info.laccd.edu/acadjobs/jobs/docs/forms/min_quals.pdf)III.A-3 LACCD Faculty Hiring ProceduresIII.A-4 Evaluation Procedure for College PresidentsIII.A-5 American Federation of Teachers, Faculty Guild Collective Bargaining Agreement

(http://www.laccd.edu/collective_bargaining_agreements/AFT/aft.htm)III.A-6 Los Angeles City & County School Employees' Union, Local 99, AFL-CIO, S.E.I.U. Collective

Bargaining Agreement (http://www.laccd.edu/collective_bargaining_agreements/documents/local-99-2002-2005 contract.pdf)

III.A-7 Supervisory Employees' Union, S.E.I.U. Local 347 Collective Bargaining Agreement (http://www.laccd.edu/collective_bargaining_agreements/documents/local-347-2002-2005-contract.pdf)

III.A-8 Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council Collective Bargaining Agreement (http://www.laccd.edu/collective_bargaining_agreements/documents/crafts-unit-2002-2005-contract.pdf)

III.A-9 American Federation of Teachers, College Staff Guild, Local 1521A, CFT/AFT, AFL/CIO Collective Bargaining Agreement (http://www.laccd.edu/collective_bargaining_agreements/documents/aft-staff-guild-2002-2005-contract.pdf)

III.A-10 West Los Angeles College 2005 Self-Study Questionnaire, Preliminary ResultsIII.A-11 West’s Student Learning Outcomes StoryIII.A-12 LACCD Personnel Guides (http://www.laccd.edu/personnel_guides/alphabetical_index.htm)III.A-13 Spring 2005 Student Survey Results III.A-14 LACCD Board Rules (http://www.laccd.edu/board_rules/)III.A-15 LACCD Personnel Commission Laws and Rules (http://www.laccd.edu/PersComm/

personnelcommission.htm)III.A-16 West Los Angeles College Catalog 2004-2006III.A-17 West Los Angeles College Class Schedule III.A-18 Grievance PoliciesIII.A-19 Sexual Harassment Brochures (http://www.laccd.edu/diversity/sexual_harassment.htm)III.A-20 West Los Angeles College Student Equity PlanIII.A-21 District Diversity Programs (http://www.laccd.edu/diversity/)III.A-22 Staff Development ActivitiesIII.A-23 Staff Development Committee evaluation form http://www.szann.com/wwwlac/feedback.htmlIII.A-24 Title III Five Year Faculty Assignments – a list of Instruction Development Grants to revise

curriculum and lesson plansIII.A-25 WLAC Technology Tally, fulltimeIII.A-26 Title V Grant

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STANDARD III.B. PHYSICAL RESOURCES

Physical resources, which include facilities,equipment, land, and other assets, support studentlearning programs and services and improve insti-tutional effectiveness. Physical resource planningis integrated with institutional planning.

III.B.1. The institution provides safe and sufficientphysical resources that support and assure theintegrity 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 thecontinuing quality necessary to support its pro-grams and services.


Volume 2 of West Los Angeles College’s IntegratedMaster Plan is the Facilities Plan. The IntegratedMaster Plan predicts annual enrollment growth atfour percent, bringing our on-campus enrollment toapproximately 18,900 students by the year 2022.Based on an evaluation of community and labormarket needs, the Facilities Plan provides the frame-work for planning, building, maintaining, upgradingand replacing physical resources to assure effectiveuse and continuing quality in support of the college’s

programs and services. Plant Facilities completes theannual program review and unit plan, and in thisprocess assures that the goals of the Integrated

Master Plan and the ever-changing state of technolo-gy are addressed. Plant Facilities lists steps that arebeing taken to implement ideas and grapple withcurrent issues. (III.B-1)

The operations and maintenance of campus facilitiescontinue to be accomplished by skilled and knowl-edgeable staff. The Plant Facilities department ismanaged by a director, one operations service man-ager, an electrical supervisor (currently vacant), acarpentry supervisor, a gardening supervisor, a stockcontrol supervisor, a senior custodial supervisor andthree custodial shift supervisors. The remaining staffincludes one facilities assistant (currently vacant),one senior office assistant, one carpenter, one painter,one locksmith, one plumber, one electrician, twoheating ventilation and air conditioning technicians,one power equipment mechanic, two maintenanceassistants, three gardeners, one groundskeeper, 24custodians and one pool custodian.

A number of improvements and renovations havebeen made on campus between 2000 and 2005, andmore are being projected and planned for in the nearfuture. Maintenance is ongoing.

Plant Facilities has completed a number of projectsthat make the campus more welcoming. TheHeldman Learning Resources Center, which housesthe Library, was altered to increase classroom space,was painted, and new flooring was laid. Alterationsand improvements were made throughout the Abuildings and all of the B buildings. The exteriors of60 percent of campus buildings were recently paint-ed, and the physical education complex interior wasalso painted.

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Maintaining our beautiful hillside site requires ongo-ing attention. A shortage of facilities personnel, alack of energy efficient equipment and last year’sheavy rainfall has left West with scant landscaping insome areas. Corrosion and age caused the irrigationmain line control valves to fail throughout approxi-mately 30 percent of the campus. The old and cor-roded remote valves also needed replacing.Irrigation had to be completely shut down in orderfor repairs to be made because the college did nothave a sufficient number of shut-off valves to isolatesections. Corrosion caused numerous leaks, whichcaused water loss, which, in turn, caused extensivedowntime of the system, which hiked labor costs. Wecorrected this irrigation system failure by replacingirrigation mains and remote control valves and byadding more shut-off valves.

Some asphalt parking lots were treated with slurrycoat to improve driving areas. Aggregate was spreadto level and stabilize a temporary overflow parkinglot that had recently been created.

A total of 11 computer training labs were remodeledand supplied with new equipment, and trainingrooms were added.

Plant Facilities has implemented a number of inte-grated waste management programs to recycle whitepaper, cardboard, inkjet and toner cartridges, alu-minum cans and plastic bottles.

Keeping campus interiors comfortable has requirednew technology. Ever-increasing energy costs impactour already tight budget. A 20 percent increase inenergy expenditures is predicted within the nextyear. Heating fuel and gasoline costs are expected torise eight percent in the next year. One way the col-lege is meeting the challenge is by installing devicesin vending and other machines to reduce electricalusage.

The Heldman Learning Resources Center operateson R-11 Freon, a refrigerant banned by the SouthCoast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).The centrifugal chiller system is more than 26 yearsold and has failed on numerous occasions in the pastfive years. It is nonfunctioning. The college plans toreplace the existing air conditioning system; in themeantime, a temporary chiller has been rented. Thisproject is currently being reviewed under Title 24,and replacement is scheduled to begin in 2006.

The Los Angeles Community College District Boardof Trustees and West are considering selling our air-port campus, which consists of approximately fouracres adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport(LAX). The sale of the property, appraised at morethan $10,000,000, is expected to help finance the miti-gation measures required for campus build-out asmandated by the recently approved EnvironmentalImpact Report (EIR). (III.B-1)

To summarize, improvements include:• Renovation of the Heldman Learning Resources

Center, including expanded classroom space• Alterations and improvements to the Math lab,

B-3• Completion of a Teaching Learning Center for

staff computer training in B-6 • Campus “facelift” including painting exterior of

buildings, landscaping work and adding a slurrycoat to the asphalt on Parking Lots 1 and 2 and on A and E Streets

• Painting A-1, A-4, A-5, A-8, A-9, A-12, A-13 and all the B buildings

• Upgrading of the internal fire alarm system • Creation of overflow Parking Lot 9• Painting of the Physical Education complex

interior.• Improvements to Reprographics and Mail

Room, B-1• Overhaul of the campus sprinkler system• Remodeling and upgrading of computer training

labs in the CE building: 100, 106-B, 223, 224 and 225

• Addition of a lab and training rooms for child development classes in SC-107

SELF-EVALUATION:

Plant Facilities must grapple with crucial challenges.West is an aging campus. As it moves towards morepermanent structures and improvements, it must stillcope with the maintenance of 37-year-old “tempo-rary” buildings. In general, the college has done avery good job of maintaining the physical infrastruc-ture of the campus and supporting a productivelearning environment. More than 70 percent of stu-dents feel that classroom facilities are “clean andwell maintained,” and nearly 80 percent feel thatpublic areas are “clean and well maintained.” (III.B-2)

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The institution continually strives to provide safeand adequate facilities and resources to support stu-dent learning programs and services and to improveinstitutional effectiveness. Physical resource planningis integrated with institutional planning and assuresthis support. Plant Facilities’ efforts focus on priori-tizing the many needs across the campus.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• In Spring 2006, Plant Facilities will install energy-saving devices on existing vending machines to save on electricity.

• In keeping with the Facilities Plan, Plant Facilities will install low-maintenance and drought-tolerant landscaping as Bond projects .

• In March 2006 and annually thereafter, Plant Facilities will guide the college in purchasing more fuel-efficient equipment and supplies.

III.B.1.b. The institution assures that physicalresources at all locations where it offers courses,programs, and services are constructed and main-tained to assure access, safety, security, and ahealthful learning and working environment.


Plant Facilities personnel address issues of access,safety and security to provide a healthful learningand working environment.

The campus meets all current code requirements perCalifornia Title 24 State Code with the WLACEmergency Evacuation Procedures and DisasterPlan. The Facilities Plan features a security plan, andWest has maintained a high level of awareness andcommitment to upgrading its emergency responseplans. (III.B-1) (III.B-3)

The review of policies and procedures, such as theissuance of keys and entrance to the campus, are fre-quent agenda items in Facilities meetings. The col-lege’s Key Control Policy was just updated onNovember 9, 2005. (III.B.-4)

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department main-tains an office on campus staffed by three deputies,nine security officers and eight cadets who are stu-dents at West. The Sheriff’s office providesCommunity Emergency Response Training (C.E.R.T.)and a Clergy Council assistance program. The col-lege website features a link to the Sheriff’s office,where one can obtain information about crime statis-tics and safety information.

West has recently installed security surveillance cam-eras in strategic locations throughout the campus.The campus escort service, staffed by volunteer stu-dents majoring in fields related to law enforcement,has been operating for almost three semesters andhas increased visibility of the law enforcement oncampus. An internal fire alarm system was upgrad-ed, and we are in the process of upgrading exteriorlighting.

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Safety issues such as the deterioration of stairs on thesecond floor of the CE building caused by exposureto marine layers are being addressed. Designs fornew stairs are at the Division of the State Architect.This design is expected to go to bid and be complet-ed by April 2006.

The Scheduled Maintenance Plan, updated annually,guides facilities upgrades to meet safety standards,assuring that the college’s learning environment con-tinues to be safe, secure and healthful. (III.B-4a)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The college is addressing environmental concerns.The current domestic hot water and space heat boilersystems in the C-1 Athletics Building are no longer infull compliance with pollution standards set by theSCAQMD. The replacement project for the C-1Athletics Building boiler is currently in schematicdesign, and the project will be completed in early2006 to avoid the imposition of fines.

The college provides a safe, secure and healthfulenvironment. More than 70 percent of students feel“safe and secure on this campus.” At the same time,nearly 40 percent of students feel that there is notenough “adequate lighting after dark,” an area weare now improving. (III.B-2)


III.B.2.To assure the feasibility and effectiveness ofphysical resources in supporting institutional pro-grams and services, the institution plans and evalu-ates its facilities and equipment on a regular basis,taking utilization and other relevant data intoaccount.

III.B.2.a. Long-range capital plans support institu-tional improvement goals and reflect projections ofthe total cost of ownership of new facilities andequipment.


Approximately 60 percent of the campus facilities arepermanent; many classes are taught in facilities thatwere designated as temporary in 1969. The FacilitiesPlan predicts West should accommodate approxi-mately 18,900 students by the year 2022. The initialgoal to reduce temporary classrooms and increasepermanent structures on campus is being met. (III.B-1)

In order to secure state funding for campus facilities,West participates in a state-wide building planningprocess. We annually produce space inventory docu-ments and submit them to the State of California,contributing to the Los Angeles Community CollegeDistrict Facilities Planning and DevelopmentDepartment Space Inventory Report. In competitionwith other community colleges, West has successful-ly demonstrated the need for new buildings anddeferred maintenance funding. (III.B-5)

For example, the new Fine Arts Building and ChildDevelopment Center, both built with state funds,opened in the beginning of the 21st century. Statefunds paid for a $400,000 deferred maintenance pro-gram for the Heldman Learning Resources Centercentrifugal chiller. An additional $100,000 was grant-ed by the state from a Hazardous Materials fundingprogram for the C-1 Athletic Building boilerupgrade. The state also paid $300,000 for irrigationupgrades. State funding is supporting the repair ofthe stairs in the CE Building, which will cost$120,000 in scheduled maintenance.

The Los Angeles Community College District Five-Year Construction Plan is reviewed annually at theDistrict Office to update and meet current communi-ty needs. The major source of funding for West’scampus buildup is Los Angeles County BondMeasures A and AA. New classrooms, labs, officespace and renovation projects totaling $178,000,000are on the docket. Bond funds are earmarked for aparking structure, a science building, a general class-room building and a student services building, aswell as for the renovation of the Heldman LearningResources Center and related infrastructure improve-ments. (III.B-6) (III.B-7)

West used a portion of the Prop A/AA funds to sup-port the creation of its Integrated Master Plan,including a Facilities Plan that incorporates the newstructures into a complete campus vision supportingthe mission of the college. Facilities planning alsoincorporates the results of annual program reviewsand unit planning across the campus. (The fullIntegrated Master Plan and planning cycle are dis-cussed in Standard I.B.)

Regardless of the funding source, plans for newbuildings must be submitted for approval to theState Architect’s Office. At West all phases of design,from programming to final plans, are submitted tothe prospective users of the building, the FacilitiesCommittee and the Work Environment Committee.

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Working with the Facilities Committee,Administrative Services is integrating a total cost ofownership model into our building planningprocess. A Bond Citizens Oversight Committee,which holds quarterly meetings to assess theprogress of the Prop A/AA program at the college,was formed in May 2001. Plant Facilities periodicallyupdates and publishes a spread sheet tracking theprogress of the many projects now underway. (III.B-8) (III.B-9)

Football, arena foot-ball and track andfield are all beingplayed on our newstate-of-the-art facili-ty, bigger and betterthan its predecessor.The A/AA projectnearest completion isthe construction ofnew bleachers toenhance the track.These bleachers willaccommodate anincreased number ofspectators to athleticevents held on the

new track. Improvements such as this will generaterental income to the college.

A fire service road, utilities upgrade and recyclingcenter, which will greatly enhance a number ofnewly-integrated waste management programs thatare now utilized on campus, have gone to bid.

Level of Service (LOS) analysis has determined thatmajor intersections near the college are operatingwith acceptable conditions of traffic flow duringpeak hours, but this is expected to change signifi-cantly if the college continues to rely on one majoraccess road for entry and exit. The college has agreedwith the city of Culver City and local homeownersthat we will build a temporary construction roadbefore any further Prop A/AA construction. Beforewe occupy any of those buildings, we must install asecond access road. The projected cost of this road issignificant. Beyond elevated construction costs, weface the price of the property which must beacquired and the traffic mitigation fees agreed towith Culver City. Budget for the new buildings mustbe reduced to pay for this road. (III.B-1) (III.B-9a)

Plans for a new parking structure are returning fromthe Division of the State Architect where they arebeing reviewed for Title 24 compliance. Uponapproval, the structure will go out for public biddingin early 2006.

The construction documents for a new Math/Sciencebuilding have been finalized, and the project is readyto be submitted to the Division of the State Architectfor Title 24 review. The project should go to publicbidding by Summer 2006.

A new classroom building and a student servicesbuilding are both in the design and developmentstage with groundbreaking expected in 2007.

A solar voltaic farm that will offset future hikes inenergy costs will be installed above the parkingstructure and athletic field bleachers. Funded byA/AA, it is in the development stage. (III.B-7)

Using our planning process, including the annualprogram review and unit plan, West has decided tobuild a convenience store (C store), which is in thedesign and development stage, using monies earnedby the bookstore. The C store will provide faculty,students and staff with more fresh and nutritionalfood choices, while also offering a coffee/beveragebar. In addition to providing much needed serviceson the campus, revenues will be generated to sup-port the college.

SELF-EVALUATION:

West has committed to this scale of development inorder to support high quality programs of regionalsignificance, while maintaining a profile that fits thesurrounding neighborhood. The basic format for atotal cost of ownership program has been completed.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Facilities Committee with support from Administrative Services will implement a total cost of ownership program during the 2006-2007budget cycle.

III.B.2.b. Physical resource planning is integratedwith institutional planning. The institution sys-tematically assesses the effective use of physicalresources and uses the results of the evaluation asthe basis for improvement.

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WLAC SELF STUDY 190


A series of new projects that are now in the designand development phase were born out of institution-al planning both at the district and college level. AtWest, we have utilized the Facilities Plan as well asannual program reviews and unit planning conduct-ed across all divisions and offices of the college.Allocation of space devoted to classrooms, offices,storage areas and various operational units is deter-mined by the Facilities Committee.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The Facilities Plan, completed in April 2003, “sus-tains a commitment to the State of California MasterPlan for Education.” This, together with annual pro-gram reviews and unit planning, aids Plant Facilitiesin assessing the effective use of physical resources.(III.B-10)

Although West anticipates future growth in satellitelocations, these will be developed through later plan-ning processes.


RESOURCES

STANDARD III.B. DOCUMENTATION

III.B-1 Volume 2, Facilities Master Plan and Environmental Impact Report, includes Level of Service Analysis

III.B-2 WLAC 2005 Self-Study Preliminary ResultsIII.B-3 Emergency Evacuation Procedures & Emergency Disaster PlanIII.B-4 Key Control PolicyIII.B-4a Scheduled Maintenance PlanIII.B-5 LACCD Facilities Planning and Development Space Inventory ReportIII.B-6 LACCD Five Year Construction PlanIII.B-7 Proposition A/AA listIII.B-8 Prop A/AA Bond Citizens Oversight Committee Meeting NotesIII.B-9 Spread sheets tracking building progressIII.B-9a Memorandum of Understanding, College President and Local Homeowners Associations, January 12,

2005, with attachmentIII.B-10 California Master Plan for Education

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STANDARD III.C. TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

Technology resources are used to support stu-dent learning programs and services and toimprove institutional effectiveness. Technologyplanning is integrated with institutional planning.

III.C.1. The institution assures that any tech-nology support it provides is designed to meetthe needs of learning, teaching, college-widecommunications, research, and operationalsystems.

III.C.1.a. Technology services, professionalsupport, facilities, hardware, and software aredesigned to enhance the operation and effec-tiveness of the institution.


The Los Angeles Community College Districtcentralizes administrative systems for humanresources, student information and financialservices through its Information TechnologyDepartment. A committee comprised of a broadcross section of personnel representing theDistrict office and colleges guides the selectionand implementation of these systems.

The District is in the process of converting lega-cy administrative systems to an SAP enterpriseresource application. The financial portion wentlive in July 2002. In summer 2005, the humanresources system on SAP known as MAESTROwas implemented. Plans for a new studentinformation system are in the works. From itsinception, the financial information system hadan advisory committee; one has now beenestablished for MAESTRO.

At West Los Angeles College, technology servic-es and accompanying professional support areprovided by college-based systems primarilythrough the Information TechnologyDepartment.

The Information Technology Department isheaded by a manager of college informationsystems who reports to the Vice President of

Administrative Services. The Technology Committee, chaired by the Vice President ofAcademic Affairs, offers advice about the web-site, college applications, and faculty and staffneeds, and the prioritization of projects to becarried out by the Information TechnologyDepartment.

High-speed fiber optic cables connect all exist-ing buildings to centralized servers. Existingnetwork cables support Internet access inadministrative and faculty offices and all class-rooms. Buildings constructed in the last tenyears feature network cabling to all rooms.Information Technology maintains the collegewebsite, college email system and the telephonevoicemail system in addition to an inventory ofcomputer hardware and software. A new tele-phone voicemail system was installed inSeptember 2005. Windows-based, it allows foreasier updates and fewer layers in the menutree.

Individual academic disciplines have developedinfrastructure to support specific learningobjectives. Mathematics, art, music, aviation,business, computer science and English all havespecialized computer facilities. These facilitieswere created by and are managed by facultywho teach the classes that utilize the hardwareand software on a daily basis. In addition, theHeldman Learning Resources Center maintainscomputer facilities open to all students.

Information obtained fromthe Spring 2005 StudentSurvey indicates that aca-demic technology needs arebeing met. Sixty-seven per-cent of responding studentsagreed or strongly agreedwith the statement that“Computers are available foruse on campus when I needthem.” Only ten percent ofresponding students dis-

agreed with that statement. Sixty-six percent ofresponding students agreed or strongly agreedwith the statement that “Computers and soft-ware on campus are up-to-date” and again,only ten percent of responding students dis-agreed with that statement. (III.C-1)

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“Computers and

software on campus

are up-to-date”

The Heldman Learning Resources Centeremploys three instructional assistants who helpstudents use the computers, and they assistwith the maintenance of the hardware and soft-ware; the Computer Science Division employstwo instructional assistants.

Federal Title III and Title V grants along withthe California Telecommunications andTechnology Infrastructure Program (TTIP) paidfor a Teaching Learning Center in B-6. Thesesame funds also allowed six classrooms locatedin B-5 and in the Career Education Building tobe equipped with computer projectors, comput-er control systems and electronic blackboardsconverting these rooms into smart classrooms.

TTIP together with the Instructional EquipmentBlock Grant from the State provided the finan-cial support to meet the approximately 43 stan-dards that delineate, for example, the ratio ofcomputers a college should have to administra-tors, faculty, students and staff. The ComputerScience Division has acquired the latest versionof computer software used in their program.With the reduction of the Telecommunicationsand Technology Infrastructure Program funds,Title V, the Instructional Block Grants and theVocational Technical Education Act will be theprevailing source of funds for new technology.(III.C-2)

In 2003, West developed an InformationTechnology, Plan Volume 3 of the IntegratedMaster Plan. The Plan was developed on thepremise that funding would be available fromProposition A/AA for the technology infra-structure. The most effective network systemfor the technology infrastructure and the loca-tion of the Information Technology Unit at thecollege are being studied. All Prop A/AA build-ings will include smart classrooms and networkconnections for all offices. The infrastructurewill allow wireless use of computers in class-rooms and laboratories. (III.C-3)

SELF-EVALUATION:

West exceeds the stated standards as mandatedin Telecommunications and TechnologyInfrastructure Program. However, with the lossof funds, West will find it increasingly difficult

to maintain its computers and keep the soft-ware and hardware up to date. PropositionA/AA funds will allow many areas to be updat-ed to state-of-the-art.

Because the planning and implementation ofhardware and software is conducted by the col-lege’s Information Technology Department forcampus administrative systems and by otherunits for specialized needs, no overall coordina-tion of equipment acquisition exists. For thecollege to the make the most effective use oftechnology, overall coordination and planningare required.

Lack of coordination raises issues of mainte-nance. Often there is no money budgeted torepair or upgrade computers.

Some labs are underutilized because there is nofunding for instructional assistants to monitorequipment usage when an instructor is notpresent.

Complaints about inappropriate use of emailand the website were aired in town hall andcommittee meetings. An email policy was rec-ommended by the Technology and PlanningCommittee to encourage effective use of email.As the volume of email grows exponentially, sowill the flood of messages and inappropriateuse of email which will expose the college tosystem risks. (III.C-4)

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PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Academic Senate and the Technology Committee will develop a plan to use tech-nology for improving campus communica-tion via the intranet, website and groupware.

• The Technology Committee will analyze thefeasibility of coordinating all technology resources on campus.

III.C.1.b. The institution provides qualitytraining in the effective application of itsinformation technology to students and personnel.


West Los Angeles College provides a variety ofcomputer literacy classes to students. TheComputer Science Division offers anIntroduction to Computers class that exposesstudents to word processing, spreadsheet anddatabase applications. Students can also enrollin Internet research and library research classes.In addition, the Heldman Learning ResourcesCenter has applications that develop computerliteracy.

The District Information Technology Office pro-vides training on the enterprise resource pro-gram for SAP and for other applications thatare used District-wide, such as BusinessWarehouse, Protocol and eRPA. The training forthe new HR SAP system has been initially madeavailable to technical and key staff, so they cantrain others on campus. The District encouragesfaculty and staff to use Business Warehouse toaccess data.

The Teaching Learning Center in B6 has beenestablished to provide training for faculty, staffand administrators. Extensive on-going classesand “drop-in” consultation are provided.Faculty and staff have also been encouraged toattend conferences on information technology.A Faculty Support Center was established forpart-time faculty so they could access the col-lege network. In addition, online course devel-opment/management training is availablethrough Foothill College for instructors who are

interested in developing online and hybrid courses. Online instructors are also encouragedto take advantage of courses in online peda-gogy such as those offered by the CyberTeacher ’s Institute.

Instructional Technology Department staffmaintain the Teaching Learning Center facultyresources center and the primary college web-site. The Online Classes website is maintainedby the Distance Education Program.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Technical staff has been trained in the new HRSAP, system but users of the information in var-ious units have not been trained. Plans arebeing made to train these units in the nearfuture. As new administrative and instructionalsystems are brought online, the need for morespecific faculty and staff training will increase.

There is a diminishing demand for traditionalcomputer science classes because students havebeen exposed to computer technology most oftheir lives. As a result, enrollments in introduc-tory computing classes have fallen significantly.Concurrently there is increasing need for morenarrowly focused and technical classes in net-work technology, web site development, andcomputer security. These needs have been doc-umented by the Computer Science Division’sAdvisory Committee. (III.C-5)

PLANNING AGENDA:

• Utilizing environmental scans and career projections, the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the appropriate Deans, in con-sultation with faculty, will identify information technology courses that will meet the needs of the 21st century marketplace.

III.C.1.c. The institution systematically plans,acquires, maintains, and upgrades or replacestechnology infrastructure and equipment tomeet institutional needs.

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West Los Angeles College has a centralizedInformation Technology Department staffed bya manager of college information systems, threemicro-computer specialists and a computertechnician. In addition, two instructional assis-tants work in the Computer Science/ComputerApplication lab, and three instructional assis-tants in the Learning Resources Center. TheInformation Technology Department reports tothe Vice President of Administrative Services;instructional assistants in the ComputerScience/Computer Applications lab report tothe chair of the Computer Science Division, andinstructional assistants in the HLRC report tothe chair of the Learning Resources Division.The Information Technology Department main-tains the campus-wide network infrastructure.HLRC and Computer Science/ComputerApplications labs maintain their own networkoperating systems but utilize the campus-wideinfrastructure for Internet access.

Consistent with the technology segment of theMaster Plan, the Proposition A/AA projects willinclude updating and expanding the technologyinfrastructure of the college. Each new build-ing and each refurbished building will integratethe technology standards incorporated in theFacilities Plan.

Previously, TTIP funds were used to plan,acquire, maintain and upgrade the technologyinfrastructure. West’s Information TechnologyDepartment conducted inventories of the tech-nology infrastructure assessing the capacity ofthe computers at each station together with theoperating system and software capabilities.This inventory was used to determine whetherthe college met the standards prescribed byTTIP. Specially Funded programs such asVTEA, Title III, Title V and the Block GrantInstructional Equipment money also supportedthe infrastructure; this became especiallyimportant when TTIP funds were discontinued.Units or activities not eligible for these fundshave been unable to upgrade their technology.

While the IT Department provides the lion’sshare of the support for the technology infra-structure, employees ranging from fine arts fac-ulty to instructional assistants also manage

technology resources, maintain equipment, andinstall and support network operating systems.

IT Department staff have provided appropriateback-up and security provisions for the college-wide network. Back-up and security in theother labs is provided by the instructional assis-tants.

SELF-EVALUATION:

There is a need for greater involvement of theIT department in the management and mainte-nance of all campus computing facilities.Educational needs in some areas will dictatespecific hardware/software requirements. Forexample, the Humanities Division uses Macs insome of its programs, and the ComputerScience Department has a highly specialized labthat utilizes Cisco and Microsoft certificationprograms. All these facilities require access tothe campus-wide network, all of them requiresimilar hardware maintenance, and all shouldhave adequate back-up and security.

Labs that do not employ instructional assistantscan only operate when instructors are present,limiting student access to technology. Eventhose labs that employ instructional assistantsare subject to closure if an assistant is out forany reason.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Technology Committee will develop a plan for centralizing all technical support for computing facilities.

III.C.1.d. The distribution and utilization oftechnology resources support the develop-ment, maintenance, and enhancement of itsprograms and services.


Special funds enabled West to replace its phonesystem and re-cable the network infrastructureto all buildings with fiber optics cable. Copperwas used in all classrooms and offices. In aburst of technology across the campus, sixclassrooms were developed into smart class-rooms featuring the latest in teaching learning

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technology, and the math computer laboratorywas launched, thanks to Minority Science andEngineering Program, Title III and Title Vgrants.

In February 2004, a design workshop was heldto establish guidelines for implementation ofthe network infrastructure recommended by theTechnology Plan, which had been approved inFebruary 2003. Funding from PropositionA/AA will provide for the initial technologyinfrastructure for all facilities on campus. Themaintenance and ongoing replacement of thetechnology depends on specially funded pro-grams. The general fund of the college containsvery limited funds for maintenance andenhancement of technology.

SELF-EVALUATION:

West Los Angeles College has made greatprogress in applying technology to the institu-tion’s educational goals. The development ofthe Information Technology Plan was an impor-tant and necessary first step in establishing aframework for making decisions about the useand distribution of resources. On-going activi-ties in cabling new and existing buildings arecreating a sound network infrastructure thatwill reliably support present and future instruc-tional and administrative needs.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The college will revise the technology plan to incorporate overall coordination and maintenance of technology resources on thecampus.

III.C.2 Technology planning is integratedwith institutional planning. The institutionsystematically assesses the effective use oftechnology resources and uses the results ofevaluation as the basis for improvement.


In February 2003, the college approved theIntegrated Master Plan, which included anInformation Technology Plan, the primaryobjective of which was to improve the IT deci-sion-making process. The plan states that, “TheCollege will establish a system that creates aclear line of authority and provides a templatefor unambiguous decision-making. An efficientorganizational structure will allow constituen-cies, administrators and managers to take aleadership role in evaluating and planning fornew technologies, IT staff to focus their effortson priority projects and general users to beginto understand the complexities of technologyimplementation at a large organization.” In2005, the manager of college information tech-nology position was created and filled, basedupon recommendations in the InformationTechnology Plan.

The Technology Committee reviews the col-lege’s compliance with state standards identi-fied in the Telecommunications and TechnologyInfrastructure Program. West does meet thestandards for the ratio of computers to stu-dents, faculty and staff. During the programreview and unit planning process, the contribu-tion of technology to organizational effective-ness is evaluated, and requests for additionaltechnology resources are included in unit plans.

SELF-EVALUATION:

With the establishment of the new position ofmanager of college information technology thedelineation of roles and responsibilities spelledout in the Technology Plan should now beaccomplished.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The college will establish an clear organiza-tional hierarchy in which oversight duties and responsibilities are clearly defined for the Planning Committee, the Technology Committee, the manager of college informa-tion technology and the IT staff.

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STANDARD III.C. DOCUMENTATION

III.C-1 Spring 2005 Student Survey Results

III.C-2 Telecommunications and Technology Infrastructure Program Standards

III.C-3 West Los Angeles College Integrated Master Plan

III.C-4 West Los Angeles College Email Policy Statement

III.C-5 Minutes of Computer Science/Office Administration Advisory Committee Meeting

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STANDARD III.D. FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Financial resources are sufficient to supportstudent learning programs and services and toimprove institutional effectiveness. The distri-bution of resources supports the development,maintenance, and enhancement of programsand services. The institution plans and man-ages its financial affairs with integrity and ina manner that ensures financial stability. Thelevel of financial resources provides a reason-able expectation of both short-term and long-term financial solvency. Financial resourceplanning is integrated with institutional planning.

III.D.1. The institution relies upon its missionand goals as the foundation for financial plan-ning.

III.D.1.a. Financial planning is integrated withand supports all institutional planning.


West has implemented a planning and budget-ing process to integrate institutional planningwith fiscal planning to support the IntegratedMaster Plan mission and goals. In this processthe educational plan drives the budget.Decisions affecting financial resource distribu-tion are to be derived from the collaborativeefforts of all constituencies. (III.D-1)

West’s financial planning process must followthe guidelines and timelines recommended bythe District Budget Committee as approved bythe Chancellor and the Board of Trustees. Thecollege’s annual planning and budgeting cyclein keeping with the district process and as out-lined in the Integrated Master Plan directlylinks planning and budgeting. Activitiesthroughout the year include:

• Leadership retreat • Program review and unit planning• Prioritization• Development of budget recommendations• Constituency groups’ input• Decisions by the President on priorities

and budget• Communication of decisions to the

constituencies. (III.D-2)

The College Planning Committee establishesand periodically reviews the goals and priori-ties of the institution; the Budget Committeemakes recommendations to the President con-cerning the proposed budget in support ofthese college priorities. The recommendationsof these committees had been distributedthrough the College Coordinating Council,which in Fall 2005 was replaced by the CollegeCouncil. The constituent groups provide theirinput to the President on these committee rec-ommendations. The President makes the finaldecisions. The college operational plan submit-ted to the district reflects this college planningand budget process. (III.D-3) (III.D-4)

To tackle the more than $700,000 in cuts neededto balance the 2004-05 budget, the collegeformed the Institutional Effectiveness TaskForce, which combined the planning and budg-et committees as one ad hoc committee. Thiscommittee was entrusted with the task of rec-ommending a prioritized list of reductions. Tobalance the 2005-06 budget, the college engagedin a similar process. (III.D-5)

The decision making process is complicated bythe high percentage of the college budgetexpended on salaries and benefits, whichrestricts the discretionary funds available, espe-cially when there are mid-year reductions andfee increases that affect enrollment.

The self study survey of the college communityindicates that 39 percent agree and 15 percentstrongly agree for a total of 54 percent whobelieve the resources and funding are allocatedin a fair manner. (III.D-6)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The college planning process is integrated withand supports institutional planning. Collegegoals have been identified at the LeadershipRetreat. Guides to unit planning have beenissued to all college entities to guide them onthe planning process and the timelines. Becausethe timelines are sometimes difficult to observe,many recommendations and decisions have tobe made late in the process. Because of mid-year cuts, large projected shortfalls and theurgency to balance the budget over the last fewyears, the budget and planning committees

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have met jointly in the Institutional Effective-ness Task Force. In order to address the effec-tiveness and timeliness of the planning andbudgeting process, especially in view of thenew governance structure, the process needs tobe reviewed. (III.D-7)

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The college will revise the planning and budget process to address the change in the governance structure and the issue of timeliness by concurrently developing unitplans and operating budgets. (III.D-8)

III.D.1.b. Institutional planning reflects realis-tic assessment of financial resources availabil-ity, development of financial resources, part-nerships, and expenditure requirements.


The majority of West’s financial resources ulti-mately derive from the state of California,which uses an allocation formula driven prima-rily by enrollment measured in full time equiv-alent students (FTES). The state sets a rate offunding for a prescribed population of students(the base), and usually determines a percentageof annual growth in enrollment which will alsobe funded, if it is reached. If a college exceedsits base-plus-growth allotment, additional rev-enue may be generated in basic skills enroll-ment. The allocation of the finite pot of basicskills monies depends on the ratio of the col-lege’s level of participation against that of othercolleges in the state.

The Los Angeles Community College Districtreceives the state apportionment and distrib-utes funds to the nine colleges, in general usingallocation formulae aligned with the state’s. Aportion of the state funds are retained forDistrict-wide expenses. (III.D-9)

In addition, the college receives funds andadministers a number of categorical programsand specially funded programs awardedthrough federal, state and local agencies, allhelpful in recruiting and retaining students.

Here are examples:

• State Instructional Equipment Funds and Telecommunications Technology, Infrastructure Programs (TTIP) funds enabled the college to maintain participa-tion in the statewide internet, purchase new equipment and to improve the technology infrastructure.

• The college successfully secured Title V funding from the federal government for more than $2.7 million over five years to address academic success, academic tech-nology infrastructure and faculty and staff development in technology use.

• Prop A and AA bond measures provided $178 million for renovation and new construction.

• The West Los Angeles College Foundation, a separate entity with its own governing board, continues to conduct fundraising activities. (III.D-10) (III.D-11) (III.D-12) (III.D-13) (III.D-14)

The college also generates dedicated revenue,which is income derived from ancillary activi-ties such as the leasing of campus facilities,traffic citations, two-percent enrollment fees,international student application fees, non-resi-dent tuition and transcripts. The amount gener-ated in 2004-05 was approximately $500,000.(III.D-15)

In the two years following the last accreditationvisit in 2000, West experienced significantincreases in both revenue and expenditures.The college was then caught in the grips ofCalifornia’s fiscal crisis. In December 2002,community colleges throughout the State werehit with cuts to funding for the year thenunderway. West was unable to control itsexpenditures trend quickly enough and endedthe fiscal year with a deficit of over $1,000,000.(III.D-16)

In 2003-04, the college took immediate action toaddress its fiscal crisis by prudently trimmingspending. In spite of further reductions in rev-enue, the college managed to end that year witha positive balance and did reach its enrollmenttarget. (III.D-17)

In the 2004-05 fiscal year, California hiked stu-dent fees from $18 to $26 per unit. Animproved economic climate meant more jobopportunities for potential students and thatled to a decrease in enrollment. At the sametime the college had a limited marketing budg-et, which also impacted enrollment. In the2004-05 academic year, enrollment fell belowthe projected revenue/enrollment target. Thecollege did not receive anticipated additionalgrowth and basic skills funds. The InstitutionalEffectiveness Task Force, which combined theplanning and budget committees, was estab-lished to make recommendations to address theprojected shortfall. A very large percentage ofthe college general fund budget (approximately95 percent) is earmarked for salaries and bene-fits, critically limiting any reduction in discre-tionary funds. The other grants and specialfunds are restricted and therefore can only beused for their targeted programs.Recommendations were made and action takento address the shortfall but they were not suffi-cient. The result was a $570,479 deficit in 2004-05. (III.D-5) (III.D-18) (III.D-19)

West is taking various actions to meet 2005-06FTES goals in order to capture available finan-cial resources. The Budget Committee is review-ing expenditures for possible reduction. TheStrategic Enrollment Management Committee isreviewing course enrollment and demand inorder to maximize the effectiveness of offerings.The Marketing Committee was merged with theStrategic Enrollment Management Committee,and the merged committees are addressing theresults of the Focus Group Marketing Study.

The next step is to develop a marketing plan inorder to assess the need for courses and pro-grams and how best to promote the college tothe community, which will help to develop real-istic assessments of revenue from enrollmentand budget needs. (III.D-20) (III.D-21)

West develops the annual operational budgetby following the guidelines provided by theDistrict through the college’s planning andbudget process. Each year the District providesa preliminary estimate of West’s allocation forthe coming year, based on best estimates of theas-yet-undetermined state budget. This conser-vative preliminary allocation typically wouldnot cover all expenses the college reasonablyexpects. Our budgeting must take into consid-eration growth requirements, collective bargain-ing union salary increases, step and columnincreases for personnel in addition to potentialhikes in benefit costs, utility rate increases andother items. West drafts an operational planwhich under-funds expected but flexibleexpenses such as salaries for adjunct faculty inthe Spring and Summer sessions. As the statebudget develops, the allocation usually increas-es, but the final allocation is not determinedbefore August. Funds for the under-fundeditems have to be identified during the course ofthe year. Furthermore, the college cannotknow its precise allocation for a given yearuntil that fiscal year is over and enrollmentshave been tabulated. If enrollment is not strongor if costs increase for salaries or other areas,securing funds during the course of the year isdifficult. (III.D-2) (III.D-22)

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SELF-EVALUATION:

West strives to live within its means. However,the college has had overdrafts of its budget intwo of the last three years, and the District hascovered them. Efforts to reduce shortfalls havebeen made through budget reductions using theplanning and budgeting process and theInstitutional Effectiveness Task Force.However, cost increases and the very large per-centage of the budget dedicated to salaries andbenefits, combined with enrollment decreases,have resulted in the college not being able tobalance its budget. Changes in enrollment havehad significant impact on the generation of rev-enue through the district’s allocation mecha-nism. The development and implementation ofa marketing plan will help but will not guaran-tee a matching of revenues and expenses, asthere will always be risks in projecting enroll-ment demand. As preliminary District alloca-tions are usually below the final allocation, thecollege should develop budgets for conserva-tive, probable and optimistic scenarios and planfor the probable budget, preparing prioritizedlists for reduction or addition depending on theactual allocation. With the funding levels uncer-tain and difficulty in reducing budgets once theyear has started, as evidenced by the college’soverdrafts, this approach would help the col-lege to have a more realistic assessment of thebudget at the beginning of the fiscal year.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Budget Committee will develop a budget plan with three scenarios: conserva-tive, probable and optimistic with regard to revenue and expenditures

• The Strategic Enrollment Committee will develop a marketing plan to assess demandand promote visibility of the college and our programs to our service area.

III.D.1.c. When making short-range financialplans, the institution considers its long-rangefinancial priorities to assure financial stabili-ty. The institution clearly identifies and plansfor payment of liabilities and future obliga-tions.


The District maintained its contingency reserveat three percent of its projected unrestrictedgeneral fund expenditures for fiscal year 2004-2005 as shown in the final budget adopted bythe Board of Trustees. In the 2005-2006 BudgetAllocation Mechanism, it is indicated that “theDistrict shall maintain a contingency reserve of3.5 percent of total unrestricted general fundrevenue.” The District is responsible for themanagement and repayment of all long-termobligated liabilities, such as refundingCertificates of Participation, General ObligationBonds, workers’ compensation claims andinsurance costs. These long-term and continu-ing costs are included in funds retained by theDistrict to support District operations. Longterm payments are made directly by theDistrict. (III.D-23) (III.D-24)

The college budget process follows the districtprocess and annually formulates our budgets.Colleges are mandated to balance their budgets.If a college experiences a deficit, the deficit willbe repaid by the college over a three-year peri-od starting one year after incurring the deficit.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The college budget and planning processaddresses the long term plans of the college.However, with the limited resources, increasingcosts and enrollment decline, the college hashad to establish the Institutional EffectivenessTask Force to develop recommendations onbudget reductions for the short term to balancethe budget. West has implemented various costsaving measures including a hiring freeze andminimizing expenditures not directly related toinstruction.


III.D.1.d The institution clearly defines andfollows its guidelines and processes for finan-cial planning and budget development, withall constituencies having appropriate opportu-nities to participate in the development ofinstitutional plans and budgets.

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The District has a Board-adopted budget alloca-tion mechanism to allocate funds to the col-leges, district office and district-wide accounts.The budget calendar and operational planinstructions are provided each year to collegeswith guidelines to develop their annual budg-ets. The District budget is developed each yearin extensive consultation with the DistrictBudget Committee. The college budget followsthe planning and budget cycle described in theIntegrated Master Plan. The calendar, instruc-tions and forms are included in the Unit PlanGuide. (III.D-1) (III.D-2) (III.D-7) (III.D-9)

The college’s operational plan, which is submit-ted to the District, is developed as part of thisplanning and budgeting cycle. The VicePresident of Administrative Services coordi-nates the budget preparation process for thecollege. This process begins with the VicePresident in conjunction with the BudgetCommittee developing parameters for prepar-ing a college operational plan following guide-lines set by the District. Administrators, facultyand staff have appropriate opportunities to par-ticipate in the planning and budget process.

Operational plan instructions together withbudget preparation worksheets are sent to theVice Presidents of each major division. Asexplained in Standard I.B.3, each of the col-lege’s units completes an annual programreview and unit plan. The Vice Presidents meetwith division chairs and department managersto discuss unit plans and determine divisionneeds in accordance with the college goals andobjectives established in the Integrated MasterPlan. Requests for additional resources shouldbe included in the unit plans. When the budgetpreparation worksheets become available, eachdivision compiles its requests and prioritizesthem. In the prescribed planning and budgetcycle, they are to be submitted to the BudgetCommittee, which meets jointly with theCollege Planning Committee to produce a sin-gle prioritized list. The constituencies thenprovide their input on the recommendations tothe President, who makes the final decision.The Operational Plan is submitted to theDistrict Budget Office based on the college pre-liminary allocation. (III.D-4) (III.D-25)

For the last two years we have asked an ad hoccommittee, the Institutional Effectiveness TaskForce, to review budget priorities and developrecommendations for expenditure reductions.These were distributed to the constituenciesthrough the College Coordinating Council. Wehave used our budget process, but the timelinesin the calendar have not always been met, andthere has been confusion on how the recom-mendations are distributed to the constituenciesas discussed at the Leadership Retreat.

Adjustments to the allocation may occur at thetentative budget and final budget stages. Thecollege operational budget will be adjustedaccordingly. The final budget is submitted tothe Board of Trustees for approval and adoptionin early September. The college will receive afinal budget after this Board approval. (III.D-26) (III.D-27)

SELF-EVALUATION:

In order to meet deadlines, an InstitutionalEffectiveness Task Force has been establishedthe last two years as an ad hoc committee. Theconfusion in the governance structure has beenaggravated by the turnover in the position ofthe chief budget officer; there have been threeVice Presidents of Administrative Services inthe last three years. With the changes in thegovernance structure, which clearly establishthe decision making process and opportunityfor constituency input, the Budget Committeeshould be able to accomplish its role. (III.D-28)

The Budget Committee with representativesfrom various constituencies is charged withestablishing fiscal priorities, monitoring finan-cial planning and making recommendations.The committee is taking a stronger role in thefinancial planning and management of the col-lege. (III.D-28)

The Budget Committee reviews the allocation ofresources and expenditures as part of budgetdevelopment to assess the appropriateness ofthe allocations and expenditures for programs.This Budget Committee will now need toinclude in this assessment student learning out-comes. The college has developed institutionallearning outcomes and is in the process ofdeveloping program outcomes for all programs.

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It is also developing an assessment plan toevaluate the achievement of these outcomes.The assessment plan should assist the BudgetCommittee in evaluating the appropriate alloca-tion of resources.

At the institutional level, the understanding,participation and competency of financial plan-ning and budgeting varies a great deal. Toencourage administrators, division chairs anddepartment managers to become more activelyinvolved in the development and managementof their departmental budgets, budget trainingworkshops will be scheduled for the 2005-06fiscal year.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Budget Committee will integrate the assessment of institutional and program outcomes in its allocation of resources

• Administrative Services will schedule budget training workshops for unit plan budget managers (administrators, division chairs and department managers) and constituency leadership to help them understand the process, expectations and timeline of the budget development cycle especially in view of the new governance structure.

III.D.2. To assure the financial integrity of theinstitution and responsible use of financialresources, the financial management systemhas appropriate control mechanisms and wide-ly disseminates dependable and timely infor-mation for sound financial decision making.

III.D.2.a. Financial documents, including thebudget and independent audit, reflect appro-priate allocation and use of financial resourcesto support student learning programs andservices. Institutional responses to externalaudit findings are comprehensive, timely, andcommunicated appropriately.


A new financial management system, Systems,Applications and Products (SAP), was imple-mented on July 1, 2002.The computerized sys-tem can be accessed by all college personnel.

SAP is being enhanced to provide better andtimely financial information on-line access.Information can be accessed through BusinessWarehouse (BW) reports available on theLACCD website.

Once the college operational budget is devel-oped and approved, it is installed into the SAPsystem, allowing division chairs and depart-ment managers to monitor their budgets on-line. Fiscal controls are in place that requireappropriate account numbers and sufficientfunds be established before documents can beprocessed. The system also features built-incontrol mechanisms that prevent account over-runs. The Vice President of Administrationreviews and approves all budget transfers andexpenditure transfers as well as documents thatobligate college funds.

The Controller ’s Office at District BusinessServices is responsible for the maintenance ofthe centralized financial system and for compil-ing financial and accounting external reportsfor all the colleges and the District. TheDistrict maintains an updated chart of accountsguaranteeing its compliance with the CaliforniaCommunity Colleges reporting requirements.The chart of accounts is accessible through theLACCD website. (III.D-29)

An external independent auditor conducts anannual audit of the college financial statementsand the related budget and accounting policiesand procedures. Copies of the audit reports aresent to the college and are available for review.The audit performed by KPMG, LLP for theyear ending June 30, 2004, confirmed that theyear ’s financial statements were fairly present-ed and conformed to accounting principles gen-erally accepted in the United States of America.(III.D-30)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The annual external audit indicated there were“no matters involving internal control and itsoperation that we consider to be material weak-nesses.” The development of an assessmentplan for the college will be important to ensureresources are allocated in keeping with institu-tional and program outcomes. (III.D-30)


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III.D.2.b. Appropriate financial information isprovided throughout the institution.


The District Financial Management System wasimplemented on SAP software July1, 2002.Procurement and accounts payable have beenautomated, and services have significantlyimproved. The District implemented HumanResources System in SAP for personnel andpayroll operations on July 1, 2005. The DistrictOffice Business Division periodically submitsreports to the Board, and each college updatesits financial plan on a monthly basis to theChancellor, who updates the District BudgetCommittee and the Board.

The District has also made available financial,instructional and human resource informationthrough the Business Warehouse application.Extensive training sessions have been providedto technical personnel, and training is nowbeing extended to other personnel. It is intend-ed that Business Warehouse will be the primarymeans for most employees to access districtinformation.

Financial information about specific areas of thecollege that emanates from the district office isshared with appropriate personnel on campus.It is also disseminated to various constituenciesthrough committee meetings.

In 2005, Administrative Services coordinatedwith the chair of the Program ReviewSubcommittee to revise the unit planning docu-ment. By providing unit managers and chairswith detailed data on their budgeted items forthe previous fiscal year and for the fiscal yearcurrently underway, the revised document willensure that chairs are fully aware of their budg-et status as they do their program review andunit plans, and that the information they pro-vide will feed directly into the deliberations forthe next budget. The revisions are under con-sideration by the College Planning Committeeand the Budget Committee.Budget and enrollment plan information includ-ed in the monthly closing report, monthly pro-jection and college financial plan and quarterlyreport is disseminated to the college communitythrough the Budget Committee, College

Planning Committee, College Council,Academic Senate, Classified Forum and at theadministrators’ meetings. (III.D-31) (III.D-32)(III.D-33)

SELF-EVALUATION:

These reports provide detailed and summaryinformation sufficient for the campus communi-ty to evaluate the college’s financial condition.The projected fiscal year financial status isrelayed to the campus via monthly reports.

This information is presented in several loca-tions including the Budget Committee, theCollege Planning Committee and the CollegeCouncil so constituencies have several opportu-nities to obtain it. Town Hall meetings havebeen held to brief the campus community onthe status of the budget. However, not all cam-pus personnel are able to attend.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The college will post Budget Committee minutes and financial information on the intranet website.

III.D.2.c. The institution has sufficient cashflow and reserves to maintain stability, strate-gies for appropriate risk management, andrealistic plans to meet financial emergenciesand unforeseen occurrences.


The District Controller ’s Office is the primaryentity responsible for maintaining District cashflow and reserves. A significant portion of theDistrict cash balance is invested with the LosAngeles County treasurer. The district alsoinvests its cash balances in U.S. governmentsecurities, certificates of deposit and otherinterest-bearing instruments.

The LACCD is self-insured up to a maximum ofup to $500,000 for each workers’ compensationclaim, $250,000 per employment practicesclaims, $100,000 for each general liability claimup to an amount aggregate of $300,000. Fundsare allocated to meet risk management potentialliabilities at the district-wide level.

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Historically, the District has maintained liquidi-ty at all times and has been able to meet alllong term obligations.

It is district policy to maintain a mandated min-imum three percent contingency reserve to meetemergencies. For FY 2005-06, the District setaside 3.5 percent, $16,152,932 as a contingencyreserve in the final unrestricted general fundbudget.

The District also maintains a comprehensive setof Board Rules, Administrative Regulations andbusiness procedures governing risk manage-ment practices. (III.D-34) (III.D-35) (III.D-36)

In the past three years, the college has beenoperating with limited resources. In FY 2002-03,the college incurred a deficit of $1,086,200.Through prudent spending and aggressive costsaving measures, West ended the following yearwith a surplus of $196,558. However, the 2004-05 FTES target was not achieved, resulting in aloss of additional growth funds and basic skillsmonies that had been included in the initialprojected total allocation for 2004-05.Consequently, the college ended the fiscal yearwith a deficit of $570,479. The college is devel-oping marketing plans to improve the enroll-ment projections and capture potential enroll-ment.

SELF-EVALUATION:

West does not have any contingency funds foremergencies. The college relies upon the districtcontingency fund to meet emergencies. Thedevelopment of a budget with different scenar-ios, marketing plan and assessment of potentialenrollment will assist in matching revenueswith expenditures. The college will still need tomodify revenue projections and expendituresbased on actual enrollments.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The college will develop a budget plan with different scenarios based on assump-tions of conservative, probable and optimistic outcomes with regard to revenueand its planned expenditures

III.D.2.d. The institution practices effectiveoversight of finances, including managementof financial aid, grants, externally funded pro-grams, contractual relationships, auxiliaryorganizations or foundations, and institutionalinvestments and assets.


The Board Rules and AdministrativeRegulations specify the delegation of certainauthorities and responsibilities and delineatethe individual person charged with theseresponsibilities. The District Business ServicesDivision ensures strict adherence to and com-pliance with the budget and accounting manualprepared by the California CommunityColleges. (III.D-34) (III.D-35)

The President is responsible for overseeing thecollege’s fiscal matters. Internal policies andprocedures are in place to maintain comprehen-sive financial records of all transactions. TheVice President of Administrative Services hasprimary responsibility to manage and controlthe fiscal resources of the college. Each divisionchair or department manager is responsible forthe accuracy and integrity of its financial trans-actions.

Financial aid enables eco-nomically deprived stu-dents to achieve their edu-cational goals. Theresponsibility for manage-ment of financial aid isunder the supervision ofthe Vice President ofStudent Services, and day-to-day operation is dele-gated to the financial aidmanager. Effective over-sight for student financialaid is provided throughthe collaborative effort of

the college and the District Central FinancialAid Office. An annual external audit of federaland state financial programs is performed byKPMG, LLP. In addition, an audit is performedevery four years by the California Student AidCommission for Fiscal Management of StateGrants and Loan Programs. These audit reportsindicate no instances of material non-compli-ance. (III.D-30)

Financial aid enables

economicallydeprived

students toachieve theireducational

goals.

All grants and specially funded programs aremanaged by program directors who report to asupervising administrator. The college has suc-cessfully applied for and obtained a number offederal, state and local grants including thecoveted Title III and Title V Grants from thefederal government. Program directors adminis-ter all of these funds in accordance with specif-ic guidelines. External audits have confirmedthat the college complies with all fundingrequirements. These programs augment collegeefforts to improve student retentions andrecruitment. (III.D-30)

The West Los Angeles College Foundation is anon-profit organization and is a separate entityfrom the college. The college President and theFoundation Board members are responsible forapproving all of the organization’s activities toensure that they are operating in compliancewith federal and state laws and regulations.The Foundation sponsors fundraising activitiesand awards scholarships. (III.D-37)

The Associated Students Organization (ASO) isa recognized entity of the Los AngelesCommunity College District and is funded bystudent fees. The group sponsors the annualstudent orientation, Multicultural Festival,Dean’s Tea and June graduation ceremony. TheASO fund is administered in accordance withprovisions of the California Education Codeand is subject to an annual audit by an externalCPA firm. (III.D-30)

Food services consist of a catering truck con-tracted through ASO, a convenience store oper-ated by Enterprise Services, the retail money-making arm of West, and vending machinescontracted through Enterprise Services. Theconvenience store is a self-supporting retailenterprise that generated net income of $14,653in 2004-05. (III.D-38)

The Bookstore is also operated by EnterpriseServices. In 2004-05, it covered all operatingexpenses and generated a net profit of $72,139.The Bookstore has carryover and reserve bal-ances of approximately $800,000 includingrestricted inventory and capital improvementbalances of approximately $500,000. (III.D-39)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The 2004 audit conducted by external inde-pendent auditors for financial aid and variousspecially funded programs were “unqualified,”which signifies that the auditors were satisfiedwith the financial statements and no instancesof material non-compliance were noted. (III.D-30)


III.D.2.e. All financial resources, includingthose from auxiliary activities, fund-raisingefforts, and grants are used with integrity in amanner consistent with the mission and goalsof the institution.


All monies provided to the college whetherthey come from the general fund, fromfundraising efforts or from grants are used tosupport the objectives of the Integrated MasterPlan. All funds are intended to help studentsachieve measurable student learning outcomes,those that are institutional and those that arespecific to individual academic programs andservices.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Our diverse population of students benefit fromthe increased instructional support, scholar-ships and other perks endowed by specialfunds. Please see III.D.2.d. for an explanation ofhow these funds are used with integrity.


III.D.2.f. Contractual agreements with externalentities are consistent with the mission andgoals of the institution, governed by institu-tional policies, and contain appropriate provi-sions to maintain the integrity of the institu-tion.


The President and Vice President ofAdministrative Services are authorized by theBoard of Trustees to execute short-term agree

209 WLAC SELF STUDY

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ments and purchase orders not to exceed $5,000. Contracts in excess of $5,000 areprocessed by a regional procurement specialist.Any contractual agreement that requires formalbidding is processed by the District ContractsOffice. (III.D-34) (III.D-35)

The District Contracts Office together with theOffice of the General Counsel have developedstandard contracts that incorporate terminationand amendment clauses insuring control overthe term and outcome of executed contracts.The Office of General Counsel serves as anavailable resource to interpret contractual poli-cies and regulations as set forth by Board Rulesand state and federal regulations.

For example, West has entered into contractswith the Los Angeles County ProbationDepartment for administration of justice class-es, and it has signed a contract with UCLA tooffer an Allied Health Program. A facilitieslease contract with the Los Angeles AvengersArena Football team for use of West’s new ath-letic field will generate $455,000 in additionalrevenue over a five-year term.

Specially funded programs are secured via con-tracts with the U.S. Department. of Education,the State of California and several Los AngelesCounty agencies.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Contractual agreements are negotiated and exe-cuted in accordance with federal, state and dis-trict policies and procedures. Each contract isdriven through layers of control at the collegeand district levels. All contracts must bereviewed, approved and ratified by the Boardof Trustees to insure compliance with laws andregulations.

The college has been in compliance with all cur-rent district contract rules and procedures.


III.D.2.g. The institution regularly evaluatesits financial management processes, and theresults of the evaluation are used to improvefinancial management systems.


Since the decentralization of the procurementfunction from the District Office to the campusin 2000 and the implementation in 2002 of theSAP financial system, the procurement andaccounts payable functions have been automat-ed, and services have significantly improved.Effective July 2005, the human resource/payrollsystem was implemented into SAP. This systemwill tie together the position control and pay-roll expenses with the financial system.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Anytime a new software system is implementedthere will be issues to resolve. West is workingto resolve several issues. Staff is being trainedin the new human resources system and contin-ues to increase proficiency. There is a steeplearning curve because there are many detailsto absorb. Staff members are reviewing existingpayroll practices to evaluate how best to workwith the new SAP system. The District provideslimited assistance and support resulting inproblems with inaccurate or missing paymentsthat have to be corrected on an individual basis.In some cases, it has taken several weeks ormore to resolve specific payroll issues becauseemployees have split assignments and might bepaid from multiple sources of funding. The col-lege has assigned an administrative analyst asthe single point of contact for employees withpersonnel and payroll problems.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The college will continue its effort to formulate a plan to balance the 2005-06 budget and fine tune the SAP HR system.

III.D.3. The institution systematically assessesthe effective use of financial resources anduses the results of the evaluation as the basisfor improvement.


The college is in the process of changing itsgovernance structure to further align planningand budgeting and to improve the use of finan-cial data and integrate the assessment of

WLAC SELF STUDY 210

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211 WLAC SELF STUDY

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institutional and program outcomes in resourceallocation. The College Planning Committeeand Budget Committee are now subcommitteesof a stronger central body, the College Council.These committees are overseeing the changes inbudgeting processes discussed throughout thisstandard. (III.D-3)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The change in the governance structure isintended to clarify and improve the financialdecision-making process. An annual review of

the process needs to be developed in order toensure the new process is working effectively.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• On an annual basis, the Budget Committee in conjunction with the College Planning Committee and College Council will review the current planning and budgetingprocesses, forms and fiscal management practices in order to improve the college fiscal management system.

STANDARD III.D. DOCUMENTATION

III.D-1 Integrated Master PlanIII.D-2 2005-2006 Budget Operational Plan InstructionsIII.D-3 West Los Angeles College CouncilIII.D-4 West Los Angeles College 2005-06 Operational PlanIII.D-5 West Los Angeles College Institutional Effectiveness Task Force Budget Reduction

RecommendationsIII.D-6 West Los Angeles College 2005 Self-Study Questionnaire, Preliminary ResultsIII.D-7 West Los Angeles College Unit Plan GuideIII.D-8 Proposed Annual Planning and Budgeting Timeline for 2006-07III.D-9 Los Angeles Community College District 2005-06 Final Budget Allocation MechanismIII.D-10 State Instructional Equipment Funds III.D-11 Telecommunication and Technology Infrastructure Program (TTIP)III.D-12 Title V Grant Award NotificationIII.D-13 Prop A and AA Bond Measures AllocationsIII.D-14 West Los Angeles College Foundation Annual Financial StatementIII.D-15 2004-05 Dedicated Revenue Status (Year End Final Closing)III.D-16 Unrestricted General Fund 2002-03 Open Orders and Ending BalanceIII.D-17 Unrestricted General Fund 2003-04 Open orders and Ending BalanceIII.D-18 2004-05 FTES AnnualIII.D-19 West Los Angeles College 2004-05 Final Year End Closing ReportIII.D-20 2005-06 Draft FTES Targets III.D-21 West Los Angeles Community College vs. Two Major Competitors Final

Report October 2005III.D-22 2005-06 Preliminary Budget Planning AllocationsIII.D-23 Final Budget 2004-05 III.D-24 Final Budget 2005-06III.D-25 Budget Preparation Memo to Vice PresidentsIII.D-26 2005-06 Tentative Budget AllocationIII.D-27 2005-06 Final Budget Unrestricted General FundIII.D-28 West Los Angeles College Implementation of Participatory Governance Agreement

Budget ProcessIII.D-29 LACCD District Website – Chart of AccountsIII.D-30 Los Angeles Community College District Report on Audited Basic Financial Statements

June 30, 2004III.D-31 West Los Angeles College Unrestricted General Fund Monthly Closing ReportIII.D-32 West Los Angeles College Monthly Projection III.D-33 West Los Angeles College Quarterly ReportIII.D-34 Los Angeles Community College District Board RulesIII.D-35 Los Angeles Community College District Administrative Regulations and ProceduresIII.D-36 Los Angeles Community College District Business ManualIII.D-37 West Los Angeles College Foundation By-lawsIII.D-38 LACCD Cafeteria Operating Statement (Fund 60006) July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005 III.D-39 LACCD Bookstore Operating Statement (Fund 80008) July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005

WLAC SELF STUDY 212

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213 WLAC SELF STUDY

The institution recognizes and utilizes the contri-butions of leadership throughout the organizationfor continuous improvement of the institution.Governance roles are designed to facilitate deci-sions that support student learning programs andservices and improve institutional effectiveness,while acknowledging the designated responsibili-ties of the governing board and the chief adminis-trator.

IV.A. Decision-Making Roles and Processes

The institution recognizes that ethical and effectiveleadership throughout the organization enables theinstitution to identify institutional values, set andachieve goals, learn, and improve.

IV.A.1. Institutional leaders create an environmentfor empowerment, innovation, and institutionalexcellence. They encourage staff, faculty, adminis-trators, and students, no matter what their officialtitles, to take initiative in improving the practices,programs, and services in which they are involved.When ideas for improvement have policy or signif-icant institution-wide implications, systematic par-ticipative processes are used to assure effective dis-cussion, planning and implementation.


At West Los Angeles College, we have come tounderstand that ethical and effective leadership isdemonstrated by, and indeed results from, a continu-al effort to solicit, receive, evaluate and implementthe contributions of the entire college, and to do so inan open, systematic and timely manner. We seek newideas that result in specific actions to improve stu-dent outcomes. Articulated governance documents,open meetings of constituent groups, various com-mittees and consultation among campus leaders arethe tools used to generate ideas as well as to evaluateand execute those ideas.

West’s planning mechanisms are based upon a cycli-cal process that includes program review, unit plan-ning, prioritization, budget analysis, constituencyfeedback and presidential approval. This system isdescribed in detail in Standard I.B.3.

Through its constituency representatives on commit-tees and in constituency leader consultation with thePresident, West has in place identifiable channels ofcommunication. All faculty, staff and administrators

at every level have the opportunity to provide inputinto their unit’s annual program review and unitplan to improve their respective service areas.(IV.A–1)

A Leadership Retreat has been held every year since2001 to evaluate the college’s effectiveness in imple-menting its goals and to identify newly targetedobjectives. The college’s commitment to communica-tions has been evident in the publication of theweekly bulletin, in missives sent by senior staff, attown hall meetings and in the President’s open-doorpolicy. Dialogue encourages innovation and problemsolving in all of these venues. (IV.A–2)

Ideas for improvement come to fruition via multipleavenues within the existing governance structure, asoccurred in introducing academic programs such asDrug and Alcohol Studies and Allied Health, and inmanaging the spectacular growth of online coursesto boost our enrollment and to meet the needs of stu-dents who because of family, work and other timeconstraints cannot come to the campus. Proposalsthat grow out of program review and unit plans,which often reflect employment demand in theregion, are submitted to the College PlanningCommittee for review. Courses introduced throughthose programs wend their way through theCurriculum Committee where they are scrutinizedfor their value to students, the community and pro-gram integrity together with “significant institution-wide implications” in each instance, constituent par-ticipation is paramount. (IV.A–1)

At the 2005 Leadership Retreat, the college formedtwo ad hoc committees charged with the task of reor-ganizing the governance structure. One committeedeveloped the timeline while the other drafted thereconfiguration. In a record 30 days, the committeesproposed a new college council empowered to makerecommendations to the President. (IV.A–2) (IV.A–3)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The college’s attempt to develop an inclusive andefficient system of governance has sometimes led tothe creation of a number of committees plagued byinefficient communication among them. This ineffi-cient communication hampered well-established,structures and processes such as the new initiativeprocess, program review and unit planning. In addi-tion, it has been discussed during our self-studymeetings that our governance structure was chal-lenged by the informal leadership style of the former

STANDARD IV LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

WLAC SELF STUDY 214

college President and its impact on the functioningof committees, including levels of participation byconstituencies. Further, the changing cast of seniorstaff members - for example, three Vice Presidentsfor Administrative Services have served the collegefrom 2000-2005 – was also a factor. West has usedthese experiences to renew its commitment to effec-tive governance with a clear set of governance docu-ments and the inclusion of all college constituencieswith the new College Council. (IV.A–3)

Important work is done in open committee meetings;however, a shortage of representatives to serve on allthe committees impacts the college’s ability to havebroad participation and to implement college goals.To reduce duplication of effort and/or lack of suffi-cient membership, the Program Review Committeewas absorbed into the Planning Committee. (IV.A–4)

The 2005 Self-Study question-naire reveals that the collegecommunity sees value in par-ticipating in governance andthat such participation leadsto favorable outcomes.Eighty-five percent of thosesurveyed agreed or stronglyagreed with the statement, “Ienjoy collaborating with mycolleagues.” Seventy-five

percent agreed or strongly agreed that, “Meetingswork toward the overall mission of educating stu-dents.” The study confirmed that faculty feels moreempowered to contribute to the well being of the col-lege than does the staff. Responding to the state-ment, “I feel it is my responsibility to be on at leastone committee,” 84 percent of the full-time facultyagreed or strongly agreed. Whereas 45 percent of theclassified support staff agreed or strongly agreedwith “I feel my participation will help improveWLAC.” The gap in responses to other related ques-tions was less pronounced, but the tendency is clear.The college continues to systematically evaluate col-lege-wide committees. (IV.A–5)


IV.A.2. The institution establishes and implementsa written policy providing for faculty, staff, admin-istrator, and student participation in decision-mak-ing processes. The policy specifies the manner inwhich individuals bring forward ideas from theirconstituencies and work together on appropriatepolicy, planning and special–purpose bodies.

IV.A.2.a. Faculty and administrators have a substan-tive and clearly defined role in institutional gover-nance and exercise a substantial voice in institu-tional policies, planning, and budget that relate totheir areas of responsibility and expertise.Students and staff also have established mecha-nisms or organizations for providing input intoinstitutional decisions.


Four main constituencies comprise the campus lead-ership and participate in the governance process.

• In accordance with state law, the Academic Senate is relied upon primarily for all academic and professional matters, while the American Federation of Teachers Faculty Guild AFT 1521 represents faculty in all bargaining and work environment issues. (IV.A–6) (IV.A–7)

• The Associated Students Organization repre-sents the students. (IV.A–8)

• Staff participates in a Classified Forum address-ing issues not covered in collective bargaining agreements. The AFT College Staff Guild 1521Arepresents the majority of classified staff, while the Service Employees International Union, SEIU, Los Angeles City and County School Employees’ Union Local 99 represents non-AFTstaff. (IV.A–9) (IV.A–10)

• Senior Administrators (Vice Presidents) do not have a specific constituency group, but partici-pate in governance as assigned by the college President. The Teamsters Public Professional and Medical Employees Los Angeles Community College District Administrators Unit Local 911 represents the Deans and Associate Deans. SEIU Supervisory Employees’Union Local 347 represents some supervisors. These unions have representatives on some committees. (IV.A–11) (IV.A–12)

In academic and professional matters, the AcademicSenate represents the faculty. The Senate, whichmeets twice a month, serves as a forum for facultydiscussion and resolutions. In addition, the Senateestablishes policies for faculty professional develop-ment activities and enunciates academic standards.The Senate leadership consults with the collegePresident once a month.

The Senate is comprised of the following elected offi-cers: President, Vice President, Secretary andTreasurer who are elected for two-year terms by the

“I enjoy

collaborating

with my

colleagues.”

LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

full-time faculty. The faculty also elects the six sena-tors-at-large every two years. Adjunct faculty havethe right to elect two representatives, and each aca-demic division elects a representative to theAcademic Senate. (IV.A–13)

The AFT Faculty Guild is the exclusive bargainingrepresentative of faculty, as defined in the bargainingagreement and state collective bargaining laws. Itrepresents more than 100 full-time and more than300 adjunct faculty at West. The union negotiates athree-year contract with the Los Angeles CommunityCollege District, which governs salaries, workingconditions, calendars, class size, assignments, intel-lectual property, leaves, benefits, retirement, evalua-tions, committee service and grievances. A completetext of the agreement can be found atwww.aft1521.org.

The AFT elects a chapter President and ExecutiveBoard representatives every two years. The chapterat West holds a general membership meeting everymonth during the academic year, and its ExecutiveBoard meets weekly. Meeting schedules and min-utes of these meetings are available at the AFT web-site at www.aft1521.org; click on colleges and thenWLAC.

The AFT participates in weekly meetings with theadministration and meets with individual facultymembers as necessary to make sure that the laborcontract is abided by and to inform the faculty of anymatters that may impact them.

The students, represented by the ASO, have specifiedareas of interest in which California law guaranteesthem the right to participate effectively: codes of stu-dent conduct, academic disciplinary policies, coursesor programs that should be initiated or discontinued,processes for institutional planning and budgetdevelopment, standards, student services planningand development, student fees within the authorityof the district to adopt, and any other district andcollege policy, procedure or related matter that thedistrict governing Board determines will have a sig-nificant effect on students. ASO recommendations inthose designated areas of interest receive every rea-sonable consideration by the college President.

ASO conducts annual elections for the offices ofPresident, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer andChief Justice. ASO meets biweekly. An administratoror a faculty member supported by re-assigned time,serves as the ASO advisor. The Academic Senate’smeeting agendas routinely accommodate reports

from the ASO. Regular participation by ASO leader-ship partially offsets a low level of participation fromstudents in general: 81 percent of the students sur-veyed did not participate in college-wide meetings.Thirty-six percent rarely or never participate and 45percent have no experience of participation in collegewide meetings. (IV.A–14)

SELF-EVALUATION:

Although the majority of the staff is represented bythe AFT College Guild, several other unions repre-sent from one to twenty staff members. They haverepresentation on some college committees, and theysubmit recommendations directly to the President forconsideration. The Classified Forum is intended toprovide the staff with a united voice, but it has to becareful not to encroach on union issues.

The college has tried to ensure that all classified staffare represented. The Classified Forum, a body of allclassified employees, was instituted to accomplishthis. Although not a bargaining unit, the ClassifiedForum serves as an informal voice of all staff at West.It has sometimes been able to represent all classifiedstaff in committees, but when contract issues arise,bargaining units must be consulted. In such cases,each staff union should have input. With so manysmall labor unions, it is often difficult to agree onhow much representation to reserve for these units.In most cases, the college has agreed to give equalrepresentation to each union. However, this some-times creates more conflict, making it difficult toreach consensus. Concerns about double representa-tion have been raised when staff members are repre-sented in governance by both their unions and theClassified Forum. (IV.A–15) (IV.A–16)

During a planning meeting on August 1, 2005 vigor-ous debate ensued over the selection of representa-tives for the committee on prioritization of staff posi-tions. Leaders of the AFT Staff, the SEIU and theClassified Forum caucused and unanimously votedto trade the place of the Classified Forum on thePrioritization Committee for representation of everystaff union. This is a step in the direction of stream-lining and creating a more effective and inclusivesystem of participatory governance. (IV.A–17)

With steady and concerted efforts over several years,West Los Angeles College has continued to improveour participatory governance structures. Each con-stituency works and participates within the scope ofits responsibilities, and now, with the establishment

215 WLAC SELF STUDY


WLAC SELF STUDY 216


of the College Council, constituencies are empow-ered to recommend positions on college-wide issues.


IV.A.2.b.The institution relies on faculty, itsAcademic Senate or other appropriate faculty struc-tures, the curriculum committee, and academicadministrators for recommendations about studentlearning programs and services.


West relies on faculty, the Academic Senate, academ-ic divisions and academic administrators for recom-mendations about student learning programs andservices.

Following California law, West relies primarily uponthe Academic Senate for all academic and facultyprofessional matters. Faculty are recognized as hav-ing particular expertise in “curriculum, includingestablishing prerequisites and placing courses withindisciplines; degree and certificate requirements;grading policies; policies for faculty professionaldevelopment activities; processes for programreview; faculty roles and annual reports; educationalprogram development; district and college gover-nance structures as related to faculty roles; processesfor institutional planning and budget development;standards or policies regarding student preparationand success; and other academic and professionalmatters as mutually agreed on by the President andAcademic Senate.” Thus, the administration has theduty to “consult collegially” with the AcademicSenate on these matters. The role of the AcademicSenate’s Curriculum Committee in ensuring facultyleadership in course development is described inStandard II.A.1. (IV.A–6)

In bi-weekly meetings of Divisional Council, aca-demic administrators and chairs of academic divi-sions grapple with a variety of issues. In Fall 2003, aStudent Learning Outcomes (SLO) committee com-prised of administrators and faculty was instituted;the SLO Committee identified nine student learningoutcomes, which it recommended be incorporatedinto curriculum, service programs and operations ofthe college. The nine outcomes are: critical thinking,communication, quantitative reasoning, self-aware-ness and interpersonal skills, civic responsibility,technological competence, cultural diversity, ethics,and aesthetics. (IV.A–18) (IV.A–19)

SELF-EVALUATION:

An example of the Academic Senate identifying aninstitutional value and improving a mode of deliver-ing instruction was the transition from Program forAccelerated College Education (PACE) to theAccelerated College Transfer (ACT). When concernsarose regarding academic integrity and non-compli-ance with state educational regualtions in the PACEprogram, the Senate directed its Educational Policiesand Standards Committee (EPSC) to conduct an in-depth analysis of the issues. The EPSC recommendedthat PACE follow the state guidelines as they relateto programs; thus was born ACT. Although noteveryone agreed with the revising of PACE into themore educationally sound program ACT, the processwas inclusive and broad-based. The metamorphosisof PACE to ACT occurred because of well-definedacademic college processes and required inclusiveand broad-based coordination among faculty, staffand student services. (IV.A–20)

During the term of the former President, a number offaculty were reassigned to performed semi-adminis-trative duties. This resulted in more adjuncts beinghired and students spending less time with full-timefaculty members. The Academic Senate formed atask force to study these reassigned time responsibil-ities. Based on the task force’s findings, the AcademicSenate recommended to the President that reas-signed time be given sparingly. The President reliedprimary upon the Senate’s recommendation andreassigned time was reduced to allow full-time facul-ty to spend more time in the classroom. (IV.A–20)

The Academic Senate is exploring methods to meas-ure program effectiveness in order to improve stu-dent learning outcomes and performance. Thesemethods will include setting a research agenda, iden-tifying the qualities of effective teaching and deter-mining criteria for reassigned time. The AcademicSenate has also established a viability committee thatwill develop a process to assess programs viabilityevery year. (IV.A–20)

With the appointment of our interim President andthe restructuring of our participatory governanceagreements, positive change is under way.

SELF-EVALUATION:


IV.A.3. Through established governance structures,processes, and practices, the governing Board,administrators, faculty, staff, and students worktogether for the good of the institution. Theseprocesses facilitate discussion of ideas and effec-tive communication among the institution’s con-stituencies.


From 2000-2002 the college enthusiastically wel-comed positive changes: we had completed a longstruggle to codify governance structures, we had anenergetic new President, and we had money tospend. But, in December of 2002 the state ofCalifornia experienced a budget crisis, and our fund-ing for the year already half over was cut by morethan five percent. Attempts to expand our enroll-ment failed as the state of California raised studentfees from $11, to $18, to $26 a unit. A freeze on hir-ing in many areas left employees doing more workwith fewer resources.

As discussed below (Standard IV.A.5), the collegehas made continual improvements to our gover-nance structures, clarifying, coordinating and stream-lining its committees to achieve the goals of theMaster Plan. The difficulties of aligning decisionswith written processes stand out with particular clarity in lean years. In a good year, the BudgetCommittee guides decisions on less than six percentof our budget (the rest being committed to salariesand benefits); since 2002, the Committee has focusedalmost exclusively on identifying budget reductions.In these circumstances, it is difficult for theCommittee to see itself as implementing IntegratedMaster Plan goals. In the last three years we haveresorted to emergency procedures to balance ourbudget. In Spring of 2004 and 2005, after the BudgetCommittee had produced a draft budget for the nextyear (the process is described in Standard III.D.1.d.)a task force was established to cut $1 million fromthe budget, and in 2005, the task lasted through thesummer. These circumstances also highlight the needfor reliable, readily-accessible research. With the hir-ing in October 2005 of a research analyst and theestablishment of the Office of InstitutionalEffectiveness, these needs will be addressed.

West has noted other strains in our governance struc-tures. Gathering college leaders at the CollegeCoordinating Council (CCC), but not allowing themto make recommendations to the President as a body,

proved frustrating, leading constituencies to act as separate entities rather than encouraging the spirit ofcooperation and team work. The CCC met and con-sidered issues in light of West’s written goals, butcould not arrive at group decisions; decision-makingwas to be left to the college President, who coulddepend on the CCC for input from the constituen-cies. As discussed below at Standard IV.B.2.b, the for-mer President did not always utilize the writtenprocesses that the CCC was to facilitate. The newly-instituted College Council does make recommenda-tions to the President as a college-wide body. (IV.A.3)

The goal of the CollegePlanning Committee is toensure that “PlanningDrives Budget.” Asdescribed below(Standard IV.A.5), thiscommittee has been veryactive in the past six yearsin developing mecha-nisms to meet this goal.In particular, the commit-tee has incorporated unitplanning and programreview into its work, sothat chairs and managershave come to see theimportance of completing

this yearly process. The Committee has assisted theProgram Review Committee in fine-tuning theinstruments for unit planning and program review,both to make them easier to complete, and to makethe resulting documents more significant. Since2003, sign-offs by faculty and staff affected by a unitplan and program review now demonstrate thedepth of involvement in this process. In spite of thedelays and interruptions to the planning timeline,the committee has been successful in prioritizing thebudget requests and initiatives. (IV.A–21)

The college President and senior staff, which consistsof the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the VicePresident of Student Services, the Vice President ofAdministrative Services and the Dean of Planningand Research have consulted twice monthly withleaders of the other college constituencies to discussoperational issues, to set operational priorities for thecollege and to work in concert on the overall plan-ning and implementation of decisions. The VicePresident of Academic Affairs presides over a bi-monthly meeting of Divisional Council, which bringsall the chairs together.

217 WLAC SELF STUDY


. . . sign-offs byfaculty and

staff affected by a unit planand programreview now demonstrate the depth of involvement

in this process.

In response to this, in Fall 2005, a committee com-prised of the Academic Senate President and VicePresident, the Vice President of Academic Affairs andthe Vice President of Student Services and the col-lege’s compliance officer worked on and completedthe Student Equity Plan, which has been signed offby the Academic Senate and forwarded to the StateChancellor’s Office. The AFT Faculty Guild Presidentwas also invited to participate in the writing of thisreport.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The college has governance structures and processesthat provide for the participation of all constituenciesin college governance for the good of the institution.The practice of governance has proven to be chal-lenging. West has struggled with several gover-nance issues: the communication and implementa-tion of the college’s planning goals, the proper andefficient role of the College Coordinating Committee,the regular availability of updated data and researchanalysis that facilitates communication and providesobjective criteria to decision-making bodies, and theeffective interfacing of planning and budget process-es. Many of these issues have been noted in regularself-evaluations by college governing bodies and arediscussed at IV.A.5. Some of these issues such as thereplacement of the College Coordinating Committeeby the College Council and the alignment of plan-ning and budget cycles have been recentlyaddressed.

In responding to the self study survey, 45 percent offull-time faculty said that they attended three orfewer meeting during the year. To the question “Ifeel it is my responsibility to be on a least one com-mittee,” 53 percent agreed or strongly agreed, where-as 47 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed. Thereis a clear need for more faculty, student and staff par-ticipation in college committees. Strategies toaddress this issue will be part of the agenda in anumber of venues, such as the College Council andthe Academic Senate.

Other committees seem to be functioning as intend-ed. The Academic Senate has played an importantrole in directing issues to appropriate committees,and in setting up its own ad hoc committees whennecessary. A recent example involves concernsamong some of the faculty about distance education.In response to these concerns, the Academic Senatereferred this to its Curriculum Committee, which developed an addendum to the course outline. Inthis document, the specific techniques used to ensureappropriate student learning outcomes in the onlinesection of a class must be spelled out. (IV.A–20)

Even with this amount of consultation, some facultyfeel that more is needed. One example of lack of con-sultation with faculty was the development of theStudent Equity Plan, which faculty were asked toparticipate in during the 2004/2005 holiday break.Faculty complained that this urgent task was pre-sented to them at the last minute. Instead, there

WLAC SELF STUDY 218


should have been adequate time allotted for a contin-uous, regular process to produce such an importantplan through a series of meetings with broader col-lege participation.

West’s students, many of whom have family andwork obligations, find it difficult to fit scheduledcommittee meetings into their daily activities. TheSpring 2005 Student Survey shows that 67 percent ofthe students have jobs and other responsibilities thattake precedence over college committees.Furthermore, Board Rules set the terms of ASO offi-cers at one year; they learn about their duties, getstarted on them and leave office in a condensed timespan. Several proposals are being examined toincrease student participation. One proposal is theadoption of two-year terms for the ASO officers.(IV.A–22)

In the classified arena, our self-study questionnaireindicates that many classified staff do not feelempowered to participate in college’s decision mak-ing. A few classified staff indicated that they would like to be included in the program review and unitplanning process. Aside from the problem of allot-ting representation to various unions (discussedabove at IV.A.2.a.), some staff have duties whichmake their attendance at a meeting very difficult.(IV.A–4)

In the context of the appointment of a new interimPresident for the college and the proposal to re-struc-ture our current shared governance agreements,there is a great deal of anticipation of positivechanges that can be made.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The Interim President and the Academic Senatewill work together to identify academic and professional issues and to address them outsideof the College Council.

• In Spring 2006, through its Budget and Planning Committees, the College Council will align the budget and planning cycles

• The College Council and the Academic Senate will adjust decision-making periods specified inthe Shared Governance Agreements in order to facilitate timely decision making.

• The Vice President of Academic Affairs will encourage division chairs to consider service to the college in faculty evaluations, as prescribed by the Agreement between the District and the AFT Faculty Guild.

IV.A.4. The institution advocates and demonstrateshonesty and integrity in its relationships withexternal agencies. It agrees to comply withAccrediting Commission standards, policies, andguidelines, and Commission requirements for pub-lic disclosure, self study and other reports, teamvisits, and prior approval of substantive changes.The institution moves expeditiously to respond torecommendations made by the Commission.


Since its last full accreditation visit, the collegemoved expeditiously to address recommendationsfrom the Commission. An Interim report and amidterm report were positive and addressed theAccrediting Commission’s recommendations.

West strives for honesty and integrity through sever-al college processes. The college undergoes periodicaudits and complies with federal and state guide-lines for programs such as EOPS/CARE, CalWORKs,Title III, Title V, TRiO and Upward Bound. Westdemonstrates integrity in its relationship with otherexternal agencies such as the American BarAssociation for the Paralegal Program, the AmericanDental Association for the Dental Hygiene Programand the Federal Aviation Administration program forthe Aviation Program. West has included in its col-lege Master Plan several value statements, onespecifically demonstrating integrity in the publicforum: “Practicing the values of respect, honesty,courtesy and fairness pursuing our goals with dedi-cation and commitment following through on com-mitments, encompass one of the processes of honestyand integrity.” (IV.A–20)

SELF-EVALUATION:

West’s efforts to be honest and to demonstrateintegrity extends to working well with the communi-ty. West makes every effort to include the public indecision-making that will affect the community. Forexample, the Environmental Impact Report was ajoint effort between the college and the communityand construction of a second access road was a majordecision made by the college and the community.


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IV.A.5.The role of leadership and the institution’sgovernance and decision-making structures andprocesses are regularly evaluated to ensure theirintegrity and effectiveness. The institution widelycommunicates the results of these evaluations anduses them as the basis for improvement.


Since our last accreditation in 2000, West has devotedsignificant time and energy to evaluating our deci-sion-making processes. Some committees periodical-ly evaluate themselves. Other committees undertakeself-evaluation in the course of addressing neededchanges. The 2000 Accreditation Self-Study processand the subsequent preparation of Interim andMidterm Reports spurred improvement in gover-nance and decision-making structures and processes.The Leadership Retreat, codified in the IntegratedMaster Plan, has become a venue for annual reflec-tion on governance. With the arrival of the interim President in 2005, the college is evaluating newmethods of assessing its governance and decision-making processes.

Following the 2000 accreditation visit, the collegePresident and Academic Senate President drafted theShared Governance Agreements that lay out ourmajor committees. The committees that prepared theInterim and Midterm Reports reviewed how theshared governance committees were functioning.The preliminary findings of the committee for theMidterm Report suggested the need to revise theagreements, and this was undertaken by thePlanning Committee and the College Coordinating Council, which established asubcommittee to propose language changes. All theagreements were painstakingly revised, with the lastof the five revisions adopted by June, 2004. (IV.A–21)(IV.A–22)

At the committee level, some processes are regularlyevaluated. The College Coordinating Council, whichhas been replaced by the College Council, broughtconstituency leaders to the same table to gatherinformation and track the integrity of the decision-making process. The newly adopted College Councilgives constituency members power to recommend tothe President as a body. Modifications to the CollegePlanning Committee charge and timetable werebrought before the Academic Senate regularly in2001-2003, as the committee oversaw the creation ofthe Integrated College Master Plan. The Program

review and Unit Planning Committee annually revis-es its instruments to fine-tune the process; one resulthas been the consolidation of the program reviewinstrument and unit planning instruments and theinclusion of SLOs. Program review and unit plan-ning, which feed into both planning and budgetdecisions, have been folded into the planning cycle,with the advice and consent of the Academic Senate.

The Academic Senate constantly evaluates new statelaws and regulations that affect its decision-makingcharge in academic and professional matters.Discussions about distance education, for example,occurred during Spring 2005 senate meetings

West’s Integrated Master Plan articulates an on-going cycle of self-evaluation and adjustment,designed to encourage thoughtful participation fromacross the college community. A key feature of theplan is an annual Leadership Retreat, a day set asideto consider how the college is working and to recom-mend changes. The Retreat is charged not only withidentifying “preliminary areas for focused planning in the fall,” but also to “provide each participantwith the knowledge of how the college deliberatesand comes to agreement on major decisions.” Theretreat gathers leadership from college constituencies- administration, faculty, staff and students - in theirvarious incarnations (for example, the AcademicSenate and the AFT Faculty Guild leadership bothrepresent faculty; classified forum and severalunions represent staff).

The 2001 Retreat identified five Master Plan StrategicDirections: student success, human resources andorganizational development, marketing and out-reach, financial health and technology. The resultwas the production in 2003 of an Integrated MasterPlan, which replaced the shorter Master Plan writtenin 2000. The yearly planning cycle agreed upon inthe college’s Educational Master Plan includes evalu-ation of the decision-making structures. The 2003Retreat featured a series of structured exercises thathelped the attendees understand the participatorygovernance structure, the planning-decision model and the implementation process. In 2004, a consult-ant helped the participants track the progress Westwas making in reaching goals established in theMaster Plan, evaluating the strengths and weakness-es of the college pertaining to the Plan, identifyingthe functions and roles of the campus committeesand making recommendations to streamline all com-mittees into effective functioning groups. (IV.A-23)

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Fifty-three members of the college communityattended the 2005 Retreat, where a consultant assist-ed them in understanding and learning about theworking styles, relationships and the interdependentnature of contributions in participatory governancefrom all constituencies. In addition, college leadersexamined the four standards of accreditation andrated what they considered to be the most pressing issues facing the college. The confusing governancestructure was rated as the top concern. The leadersagreed to charge an ad hoc committee with the taskof reviewing, streamlining and consolidating allshared governance agreements. Given a 30-daytimeline, the ad hoc committee completed its taskand issued a proposal that was presented for discus-sion and approval to college constituencies betweenFlex Day 2005 and September 27, 2005. The resultingCollege Council differed from its predecessor, theCollege Coordinating Council, in one important way:members make formal recommendations to thePresident. (IV.A–2) (IV.A–3)

In addition to these college-wide discussions thattake place at the annual retreats, various constituen-cy bodies and committees also engage in self-evalua-tion. The Faculty Position Identification andPrioritization (FPIP) Committee has established abiennial cycle to fine-tune its processes, documentingthe changes and seeking the approval of the adminis-tration and the Academic Senate for those changes.

The Program Review and Unit PlanningSubcommittee of the Planning Committee regularlyupdates its instruments, employing feedback fromthe users. In 2005, the Classified Forum decided tocede its place on a proposed Committee for thePrioritization of Staff Hiring in favor of representa-tion by all the unions representing staff. In 2003, theCurriculum Committee instituted a technical reviewbefore each committee meeting to assure that com-mittee time was devoted to substantive issues.(IV.A–18)

In 2005, the Planning Committee established aProgram Review Evaluation Subcommittee, chargedwith assessing the Comprehensive Program reviewreports of English, math, dental hygiene, English as a second language and counseling. This committee,comprised of representatives from the faculty andthe classified staff, developed an evaluation mecha-nism. It held interviews with those responsible forthe reports. Their findings, commendations and recommendations, were forwarded to the Planning

Committee for its review and endorsement. Thecommendations and recommendations from theProgram Review Evaluation Subommittee were distributed at an Academic Senate meeting.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The annual Leadership Retreats offered the college aonce-a-year opportunity to evaluate decision-makingprocesses. Self-reflective activities of committees andconstituency bodies, as well as by the accreditationself-study process itself, also afford opportunities forassessment that leads to improved effectiveness.The speed with which West managed to create a con-crete proposal to replace the CCC with a CollegeCouncil is also a welcome contrast to the lengthygestation periods for earlier agreements and theirrevisions.

Relying so much on the retreats needs to changebecause they are conducted in a very short period, aday. Instead, an ongoing process would assuregreater integrity and effectiveness.

PLANNING AGENDA:

• The college will explore alternative on-going methods to evaluate its governance, decision-making structures and processes.

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IV.A: DOCUMENTATION:

IV.A-1 Unit Plan Guide 2004-2005 for 2005-2006IV.A-2 Leadership Retreat ReportsIV.A-3 West Los Angeles College CouncilIV.A-4 CCC Presentation, September 13, 2004IV.A-5 West Los Angeles College 2005 Self-Study Questionnaire Preliminary ResultsIV.A-6 Defining And Understanding The Role Of The Academic Senate - Excerpts From Title 5

(http://www.academicsenate.cc.ca.us/Publications/Papers/ImplicationsBrownAct.htm#3)IV.A-7 Agreement between the Los Angeles Community College District and the Los Angeles College

Faculty Guild Local 1521, CFT/AFT, AFL-CIO (http://www.laccd.edu/collective_bargaining_agreements/AFT/documents/LACCD-AFTAgreement05-08.pdf)

IV.A-8 LACCD Board Rules - Student Organizations (http://www.laccd.edu/board_rules/documents/Chapter%20IX/Ch.%20IX%20-%20Article%20I.doc)

IV.A-9 Agreement between the American Federation of Teachers College Staff Guild Local 1521A, CFT/AFT, AFL/CIO and the Los Angeles Community College District (http://www.laccd.edu/collective_bargaining_agreements/documents/aft-staff-guild-2002-2005-contract.pdf)

IV.A-10 Agreement between the Los Angeles Community College District and the Los Angeles City & County School Employees Union Local 99, AFL-CIO S.E.I.U. (http://www.laccd.edu/collective_bargaining_agreements/documents/local-99-2002-2005contract.pdf)

IV.A-11 Agreement between the Los Angeles Community College District and the Los Angeles Community College District Administrators' Unit represented by California Teamsters Public, Professional and Medical Employees Union Local 911 (http://www.laccd.edu/collective_bargaining_agreements/documents/local-911-2002-2005-contract.pdf)

IV.A-12 Agreement between the Los Angeles Community College District and Supervisory Employees' Union S.E.I.U Local 347 (http://www.laccd.edu/collective_bargaining_agreements/documents/local-347-2002-2005-contract.pdf)

IV.A-13 Academic Senate ConstitutionIV.A-14 ASO Officers and Committee AssignmentsIV.A-15 WLAC 1st Classified ConferenceIV.A-16 The Classified Forum 2005IV.A-17 College Planning Committee, August 1, 2005IV.A-18 Minutes of the Divisional Council IV.A-19 West's Student Learning Outcomes Story IV.A-20 Minutes of the Academic Senate IV.A-21 West Los Angeles College Implementation of Planning Process, November 2003IV.A-22 Spring 2005 Student Survey ResultsIV.A-23 West Los Angeles College Integrated Master Plan Vol. 1, Educational Master PlanIV.A-24 Shared Governance Agreements, 2000IV.A-25 West Los Angeles College Campus-Wide Committees 2004-2005

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IV.B. BOARD AND ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION

In addition to the leadership of individuals andconstituencies, institutions recognize the designat-ed responsibilities of the governing board for set-ting policies and of the chief administrator for theeffective operation of the institution. Multi-collegedistricts/systems clearly define the organizationalroles of the district/system and the colleges.

IV.B.1. The institution has a governing board that isresponsible for establishing policies to assure thequality, integrity, and effectiveness of the studentlearning programs and services and the financialstability of the institution. The governing boardadheres to a clearly defined policy for selecting andevaluating the chief administrator for the college orthe district/system.

IV.B.1.a. The governing board is an independentpolicy-making body that reflects the public interestin board activities and decisions. Once the boardreaches a decision, it acts as a whole. It advocatesfor and defends the institution and protects it fromundue influence or pressure.


The Los Angeles Community College District com-prises nine related colleges, each of which is directlyanswerable to a seven-member Board of Trustees.LACCD Board members are elected by eligible voters to four-year terms. Trustee elections are heldon a staggered basis, with three or four seats beingfilled every two years. Board members elect aPresident and Vice President to serve one-year termsduring their annual organizational meeting. In compliance with Board Rules (available atwww.laccd.edu/board_rules), a student member iselected by students District-wide annually for a one-year term (Article X). (IV.B–1)

The independence of the Board of Trustees as a poli-cy-making body is guaranteed by the fact that itsmembership is elected at large across one of the mostdemographically diverse urban areas in the UnitedStates. Historically, the Board’s membership hasreflected the diversity of its service area, in terms ofgender, ethnicity, and geographic location. Heldboth at the District’s central office and at all nine ofthe colleges during the academic year, Board meet-ings are well-publicized and open to public partici-pation.

The Board delegates the implementation of its poli-cies to the Chancellor at the District office and to thePresidents of the nine colleges as noted in IV.B.1.j.

SELF-EVALUATION:

As an independent policy-making body that reflectsthe diversity of the District, the Board advocateseffectively for the institution.


IV.B.1.b. The governing board establishes policiesconsistent with the mission statement to ensure thequality, integrity, and improvement of studentlearning programs and services and the resourcesnecessary to support them.


The Board of Trustees exercises oversight of the col-lege’s educational programs by promulgating BoardRules and Administrative Regulations that establishstandards for graduation, set policies for curriculumdevelopment, and detail the faculty’s role in all educational matters. The Board Rules andAdministrative Regulations are available on the web, at www.laccd.edu/board_rules/ andwww.laccd.edu/adnim_regs/. Chapter VI of theBoard Rules articulates Board policies in relation to the curriculum approval process (10.2).Administrative Regulations E-64 (“Procedures forDevelopment and Approval of New Programs”)(10.3) and E-65 (“Curriculum Approval: Standardsand Procedures”) (10.4) further detail the Board’srole in ensuring the quality of the College’s academicofferings. In addition, Chapter VII of the BoardRules (“Academic Senate and Board of TrusteesShared Governance Policy”) (10.5) clarifies the cen-tral role played by the District and College AcademicSenates in relation to “all academic and professionalmatters,” including educational program and cur-riculum development, the establishment and mainte-nance of educational standards, and the supervisionof all academic courses and programs. The Board isalso directly responsible for guaranteeing theCollege’s institutional integrity and financial health.It does so by periodically reviewing and approvingthe College’s “Mission” and “Vision” statements andby requiring regular reports from each CollegePresident on the College budgets. Each year, an out-side agency makes an independent audit of theDistrict’s and each College’s financial statements and

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accounting practices. District administrative officesoversee compliance with all Federal, State, and localpolicies in relation to student financial aid and otherspecial fiscal programs, for which the Board is ulti-mately responsible. (IV.B–2)

During the past six years, district administrators, theCouncil of Academic Affairs, and the DistrictAcademic Senate have worked to streamline proce-dures for the approval of academic programs andcourses. As part of this effort, AdministrativeRegulation E-65 (“Curriculum Approval: Standardsand Procedures”) has been revised to decentralizethe curriculum approval process and to empowerlocal college faculty. A new policy on EmergencyEquivalencies has also been adopted to facilitate thehiring of adjunct faculty (Board Rule 10305 &Personnel Guide B 342). In addition, the District hasrecently adopted a series of new Board Rules man-dating program review, biannual review of vocation-al programs, program viability review, and programdiscontinuance processes at the college level (BoardRules 6801—6803.1).

SELF-EVALUATION:

These and other aspects of “decentralization” prom-ise to professionalize the local college faculty and tomake college academic programs more responsive tostake holders in their immediate service areas. Boardpolicies, consistent with the college’s mission state-ment, do support the quality, integrity and improve-ment of student learning programs and services.


IV.B.1.c. The governing board has ultimate respon-sibility for educational quality, legal matters, andfinancial integrity.


The Board of Trustees monitors the educational qual-ity of all LACCD programs through the activities ofits Committee on Educational Programs and StudentSuccess. This committee addresses all issues relatedto educational effectiveness, student achievementand educational program support. In addition, itoversees the accreditation process and reviews andcomments on college accreditation reports. The StateChancellor’s Office and District General Counselapprise the Board of its responsibility for all legalmatters associated with the operation of all nine

campuses, and the Board assumes responsibility for all of them. The District’s Budget Committee bearsresponsibility for monitoring all aspects of Districtand college finances.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The Board of Trustees takes full responsibility foreducation quality, legal matters and financial integri-ty of the institution.


IV.B.1.d.The institution or the governing boardpublishes the board bylaws and policies specifyingthe board’s size, duties, responsibilities, structure,and operating procedures.


The duties and responsibilities of the Board ofTrustees are defined externally by the StateEducation Code (Section 70902) and internally by theBoard Rules (Chapter II, Article III) (10.9). TheBoard Rules and Administrative Regulations arepublicized on at the District website.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Board by-laws, policies and procedures are published.


IV.B.1.e. The governing board acts in a manner con-sistent with its policies and bylaws. The board reg-ularly evaluates its policies and practices and revis-es them as necessary.


According to the District’s 2000 ACJCC Self Study,the LACCD’s own internal checks and balances havegenerally been effective in ensuring compliance withthe Board’s externally and internally defined dutiesand responsibilities. The Chancellor and GeneralCounsel also play an important role in this monitor-ing process.

The LACCD Chancellor’s Directive Number 70(“District-wide Internal Management ConsultationProcess”) outlines the process for the adoption ofBoard Rules and the Administrative Regulations thatsupport them.

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SELF-EVALUATION:

All Board Rules and Administrative Regulationsestablished under the auspices of this consultationprocess are subject to regular review and revision byDistrict administrative staff to ensure that theyremain appropriate and effective. Board Rule andAdministrative Regulation revisions are reviewedand considered for adoption during the Board’s reg-ular monthly meetings. The Board relies on theChancellor and the College Presidents to ensure thatall Board Rules and Administrative Regulations areimplemented uniformly and effectively across theDistrict. For example, working in collaboration withthe District Academic Senate, the Board has revisedDistrict hiring procedures by adopting the StateMinimum Qualifications for all faculty positions.The Board has also recently revised District-wide fac-ulty hiring policies in order to streamline proceduresand to give campuses direct control over their ownhiring processes.


IV.B.1.f. The governing board has a program forboard development and new member orientation.It has a mechanism for providing for continuity ofboard membership and staggered terms of office.


Over the past two years, the Board of Trustees hasinstituted through the Chancellor’s office an orienta-tion process for new members and has engaged in aseries of day-long retreats devoted to self-evaluationand agenda setting. Involving the Chancellor, otherkey District personnel, and, when appropriate, thecollege Presidents, these retreats are intended to aidthe Board in the process of strategic planning andinstitutional goal setting.

SELF-EVALUATION:

While there is no formal guarantee of continuity ofleadership within the Board, the staggering of Boardelections does provide some margin of coherence. In addition, the fact that Board incumbents are frequently re-elected to their positions provides ameasure of continuity to District governance. TheBoard’s odd-year election schedule guarantees thatBoard races enjoy prominence on the ballot, but also leads to lower voter turnouts. These programs andmechanisms for new member orientation work effec-tively.


IV.B.1.g. The governing board’s self-evaluationprocesses for assessing board performance areclearly defined, implemented, and published in itspolicies or bylaws.


The Board policies on self-evaluation include an 18-item self-evaluation “Checklist” periodically used toevaluate the overall Board effectiveness. In July, 2000,Board Members also participated in a special one-day self-evaluation retreat, during which theyworked with District administrative staff to clarifytheir goals and objectives and to discuss new direc-tions and evaluate current District practices. Futureself-evaluations will expand on this model and willincorporate additional feedback on the Board’s “per-ceived performance.” The most recent Board selfevaluation occurred in Spring 2005. At that time, theBoard reviewed its criteria and approach to self-eval-uation. (IV.B–3)

SELF-EVALUATION:

Board policies on self-evaluation are clearly definedand published; implementation is a priority.


IV.B.1.h. The governing board has a code of ethicsthat includes a clearly defined policy for dealingwith behavior that violates its code.


The Board of Trustees’ formal “Statement of Ethicsand Conduct” outlines specific principles that theTrustees must observe in relation to the fulfillment oftheir functions, including the need to serve the pub-lic interest, to represent the interests of all LACCDstudents, to avoid conflicts of interest, to maintain aninstitutional atmosphere that promotes open inquiryand debate and to respect the letter and intent of theRalph M. Brown Act. (IV.B–4)

SELF-EVALUATION:

The Board’s ethics statement provides a clearlydefined policy for behavior that violates its code.


IV.B.1.i. The governing board is informed aboutand involved in the accreditation process.


The Board of Trustees Educational Programs andStudent Success Committee monitors the accredita-tion self-study processes of the nine colleges andreviews their final self-study reports. Board mem-bers also meet directly with accreditation visitingteams and respond to their questions and concerns.In addition, the Board works through its EducationalPrograms and Student Success Committee to ensurethat past accreditation recommendations areaddressed effectively and appropriately at theDistrict and college level.

In spring 2000, the District completed its first SelfStudy as part of the Multi-College Pilot Projectundertaken in collaboration with the AccreditingCommission for Community and Junior Colleges(10.11). This District self study was subsequentlyrevisited and revised in 2002. One of the key issuesidentified in the self study was the need to clarifylines of accountability and authority within theDistrict; we address this issue and its impact on theAccreditation Self Study process below, at IV.B.3.a.

Since the initial Multi-Campus Pilot Project, theBoard has taken a much more pro-active role in thecollege accreditation process. In response to accredi-tation recommendations arising from the last round of “Seaside” (Harbor, West, Southwest) college site visits, the Chancellor created the position of Board

“Liaison for Accreditation” in 2000 to coordinateBoard activities and oversight in relation to all col-lege accreditations.

The Board’s Educational Programs and StudentSuccess Committee have also played a direct role incollege accreditation efforts by sponsoring severalDistrict-wide accreditation workshops for SteeringCommittees and Standard Chairs over the past sixyears. Drawing on the expertise of past accredita-tion self-study chairs and key ACCJC staff members,these day-long workshops have brought team mem-bers together from all campuses undergoing self-study to share information and discuss the chal-lenges they confront in the accreditation process.Accreditation Liaison Officers and Faculty Chairsfrom across the District have also met under the aus-pices of the Educational Programs and StudentSuccess Committee throughout the accreditationprocess to coordinate their efforts and to comparebest practices.

Over the past six years the Board of Trustees, theDistrict Administration and the Faculty Guild haveworked together to address past accreditation con-cerns related to college funding and to secure thefinancial future of the nine LACCD colleges. TheDistrict Budget Committee (DBC), for example, wasreconstituted in 2003 to assure broader faculty andstaff participation. Under its guidance, District allo-cation procedures and policies have been revised tomore accurately reflect the needs of each college’s educational programs. District, Board, and Guildcooperation has also resulted in positive ending

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balances and a growing District-wide contingencyfund over the past six years. The maintenance of asignificant contingency fund has allowed the Districtto minimize the impact of State budget cuts on localcollege programs, and it has also made it possible forsmaller LACCD colleges to seek additional fundingwhen needed to support educational offerings.Finally, two major bond measures passed in 2001have provided more than a billion dollars for capitalconstruction projects on all LACCD campuses thatwill directly benefit the District’s instructional pro-grams.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The Board’s proactive activities include the new liai-son for accreditation, created by the Chancellor in2000. This liaison coordinates accreditation activitiesacross the nine colleges, providing valuable assistance.


IV.B.1.j. The governing board has the responsibilityfor selecting and evaluating the district/systemchief administrator (most often known as theChancellor) in a multi-college district/system or thecollege chief administrator (most often known asthe President) in the case of a single college. Thegoverning board delegates full responsibility andauthority to him/her to implement and administerboard policies without board interference andholds him/her accountable for the operation of thedistrict/system or college, respectively.

In multi-college districts/systems, the governingboard establishes a clearly defined policy forselecting and evaluating the Presidents of the colleges.


In accordance with Board Rules, the Board ofTrustees bears primary responsibility for selectingand evaluating the performance of the DistrictChancellor. The Board shares responsibility with theChancellor for hiring and evaluating the perform-ance of District Vice Chancellors, College Presidentsand the General Counsel, in accordance with BoardRule 10308 and procedures outlined in the PersonnelGuide. Search committees for all of these positionsinvolve representatives of all relevant constituencies,including faculty, students and staff. Hiring commit-

tees for all CEO positions also include communityrepresentatives. In accordance with the Ralph M.Brown Act, contracts of employment and compensa-tion for these positions are approved by the Board inopen session. The Board evaluates the Chancellor’sperformance annually. The Chancellor conducts reg-ular evaluations of the College Presidents in accor-dance with Board Rules.

The selection process for the Chancellor and otherkey administrative positions typically involvenational searches conducted by hiring committeescomprising representatives of all stakeholder groups.

New hiring procedures implemented by the Board in2000 have increased community and faculty involve-ment in the selection of college Presidents. Thesechanges appear to have promoted greater stability incollege leadership across the District.

In the past, there has been some question about theconsistency and thoroughness of the evaluationprocess of District administrators and collegePresidents. However, a new process was adoptedfive years ago that mandates the hiring of an outsideconsultant to facilitate the evaluation of key adminis-trative personnel by means of interviews with rele-vant college constituency groups. West’s previousPresident was evaluated in this way in 2004.

SELF-EVALUATION:

This process appears to have worked well in somecases over the past few years and may be used inaddition to other proven evaluating tools to assessadministrative performance. A similar consultant-led process has also been adopted by the Board forthe periodic evaluation of the Chancellor.


IV.B.2. The President has primary responsibility forthe quality of the institution he/she leads. He/sheprovides effective leadership in planning, organiz-ing, budgeting, selecting and developing person-nel, and assessing institutional effectiveness.

IV.B.2.a. The President plans, oversees, and evalu-ates an administrative structure organized andstaffed to reflect the institution's purposes, size,and complexity. He/she delegates authority toadministrators and others consistent with theirresponsibilities, as appropriate.

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The Board delegates responsibility for West to itsPresident, and has strengthened lines of authorityand accountability since 2002 (as discussed below inIV.B.3.c)

In general, West has had a Vice President ofAcademic Affairs, a Vice President of StudentServices, and a Vice President of AdministrativeServices, but from 2001 to 2004, the former Presidentexpanded this roster to include a Vice President ofWorkforce Development, reflecting efforts to expand West’s vocational programs. This position was elimi-nated in 2004. Similarly, the President designated aDean of Planning and Research in response to devel-oping needs for data-driven decision making.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Over the past five years, West experienced a numberof changes in administrative personnel. The currentInterim President plans, oversees and evaluates cur-rent administrators and delegates authority as appro-priate. The college is engaged in the search for a per-manent president.


IV.B.2.b. The President guides institutionalimprovement of the teaching and learning environ-ment by the following:

• establishing a collegial process that sets values, goals, and priorities;

• ensuring that evaluation and planning rely onhigh quality research and analysis on externaland 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.


In the current evaluation cycle, West has had threePresidents: one retired in the summer of 2000. Thenext left for another job in July 2005, and a one-yearinterim President is now serving. For most of the cycle, we have had one President, and it is his tenure

that we focus on here. Well-liked as an individual bythe college and broader local community, he pos-sessed excellent social skills and was always avail-able to all constituencies. However, concerns aroseamong several constituencies regarding the effective-ness of his leadership.

The President prioritized planning and programreview as top goals for West. He supported the sys-tematization of West’s planning processes, (describedin section I.B.3) including the use of consultants indeveloping the Integrated Master Plan from 2000-2003 and appointing a Dean of Planning and Research. The President and the college constituen-cies focused on building trust, improving the campusclimate, boosting morale and discussing where eachconstituency fit into the college governance struc-ture. Constituencies seemed encouraged and request-ed participation in the governance processes.

By contrast, the President’s emphasis on entrepre-neurial flexibility sometimes confused participants incollege governance. It seemed as though significantdecisions were being made on the basis of verbalexchanges. For example, the Ice Hockey Programintroduced in 2001 had not appeared in long- orintermediate-range planning documents such as theMaster Plan or the Athletic Department’s unit plan.

Another example of this rush to action without qual-ity research and analysis was the establishment atWest of the Inglewood School District Honors HighSchool Program to meet the needs of InglewoodHigh students for advanced placement courses. Theplan was to enroll ninth graders in West’s classes,meeting both high school requirements and provid-ing college credit. Nevertheless, the program, highlypopular with Inglewood students and parents, hadto be discontinued after one year because the con-flicts that it presented with classroom usage andservices for West student. Other examples of thislack of planning and research analysis was the col-lege’s attempt to sign a contract with the Departmentof Defense and the actual signing of contracts withthe private English Language School and theAvengers football team.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The college constituencies and the interim Presidentare working in a positive and collegial manner to find creative, yet data-driven, and college-wideadopted processes and policies that help us to

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identify our weak areas and formulate sound solu-tions. A good example of this progress has been theadoption of the College Council Agreement in Fall2005. (IV.B-5)

PLANNING AGENDA:

• Through the new College Council, the college will continue to track college planning and implementation efforts to ensure that educa-tional planning is integrated with resource planning and distribution to achieve student learning outcomes.

IV.B.2.c. The President assures the implementationof statutes, regulations, and governing board poli-cies and assures that institutional practices are con-sistent with institutional mission and policies.


The interim President conforms to applicable statuesand regulations, including Board policies.

SELF-EVALUATION:


IV.B.2.d. The President effectively controls budgetand expenditures.


The current Interim President is helping West effec-tively address budget problems extending back tothe December 2002 mid-year budget cuts. West ranbudget deficits in 2002-2003 and 2004-2005. Budgetsurpluses of 2000-2002 had been invested in growth,and some of the projects did not bear fruit.

As noted in Standard III.D, the college has writtenagreements ensuring constituencies opportunities toprovide the President with detailed advice about thebudget, and there are mechanisms in place to trackactual expenditures.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The Interim President is working diligently with allconstituencies through the College Council to adoptbudget mechanisms to balance the budget. A districtVice Chancellor is assisting.


IV.B.2.e. The President works and communicateseffectively with the communities served by theinstitution.


West’s former Presidentreached out to the surround-ing community, attending themeetings of governing bodiesand civic organizations. Ournew interim President hascontinued the practice andhas expanded the college rela-tions with the surroundingcommunity. Brown bag thinktanks, begun in Fall 2005,afford all members of the col-lege community a collegialvenue outside of committeemeetings to address concernsby individuals and groups. In

Spring 2005, West’s surrounding communitiesapproved our Environmental Impact Report relatedto Prop. A/AA construction projects.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The brown bag think tanks further enhance commu-nication and have led to noticeable improvements inthe campus’ overall cleanliness and aesthetics.


IV.B.3. In multi-college districts or systems, the dis-trict/system provides primary leadership in settingand communicating expectations of educationalexcellence and integrity throughout the district/sys-tem and assures support for the effective operationof the colleges. It establishes clearly defined rolesof authority and responsibility between the col-leges and the district/system and acts as the liaisonbetween the colleges and the governing board.

IV.B.3.a.The district/system clearly delineates andcommunicates the operational responsibilities andfunctions of the district/system from those of thecolleges and consistently adheres to this delin-eation in practice.


The LACCD is comprised of ten operational centers(the District Office and the nine colleges). These

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Brown bagthink tanksafford all

members of the college

community acollegial venue

outside of committee meetings

operational centers have collective and individualareas of responsibility that are governed, both inter-nally and externally, through legislative parameters,the Education Code, Board Rules, Administrative Regulations, and current and past practices.

Since December 1999, the Board of Trustees has pur-sued a policy of partial administrative decentraliza-tion, which has had the effect of shifting additionalresponsibility and accountability for planning anddecision making to the local college level. The prin-ciple of administrative decentralization has becomethe basis for efforts by the District Office and the col-leges to clarify and delineate operational responsibil-ities. It is understood that while the decentralization philosophy is a work in progress that will requireperiodic review and change, it does serve to providea framework for understanding and implementation.

In addition, in 2000, the Los Angeles CommunityCollege District participated in a pilot programorganized by the Accrediting Commission forCommunity and Junior Colleges aimed at clarifyinglines of accountability and authority in districts withmultiple colleges. Known as the Multi-College PilotProgram (MCPP), this effort involved representativesfrom Los Angeles Valley College, Los Angeles PierceCollege and Los Angeles Mission College, all ofwhich participated in the self-study process duringthe 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 academic years. Overthis period, members of the steering committees ofeach college’s accreditation teams met independent-ly, and on occasion with ACCJC representatives, toexplore issues of District-wide authority andaccountability. These meetings led to the creation ofa “matrix” of 417 questions which was then submit-ted to the District Administration, the Board ofTrustees, the District Academic Senate and the lead-ership of the faculty bargaining unit. Answers tothese questions helped the colleges define lines ofresponsibility and to respond more effectively to spe-cific issues included in Accreditation Standards.

In the 2001-2002 academic year, the MCPP effort wascontinued by the next set of LACCD colleges to beinvolved in Accreditation self studies: Los AngelesCity College, Los Angeles Trade Technical Collegeand East Los Angeles College. AdministrativeLiaison Officers and Faculty Chairs from the threecolleges met repeatedly in the summer and fall of2001 to compare notes on their approaches to theAccreditation process, coordinate their activities andplan District-wide meetings dedicated to promoting

the quality of the Accreditation effort on their cam-puses. As the result of this District-wide collabora-tion, two inter-collegiate meetings on Accreditationwere held during the 2001-2002 academic year. Thefirst, held on November 30, 2001 at LATTC and fea-turing ACCJC’s Associate Director, offered steeringcommittee members an overview of the Accreditation process and a chance to review the “matrix” generat-ed during the original MCPP and the responses thatit solicited. The second meeting, held on March 15,2002 at LACC, featured presentations by formermembers of the original Multi-College Pilot Projectand invited steering committees to raise questions inrelation to the District’s role in Accreditation.

As a result of these District-wide coordination meet-ings, a “Functional Map” was developed to clarifyDistrict and College responsibilities. This documentdelineated responsibilities for all functions identifiedin the Accreditation Standards and identifiedwhether they pertain to the District (Administrationand Board of Trustees), the nine LACCD colleges(Administration or local Academic Senates), or aDistrict-wide body (the AFT, District AcademicSenate, or District-wide committees). Copies of these“Functional Maps” were reviewed and critiqued bymembers of the Accreditation Steering Committeesof each of the LACCD colleges involved in SelfStudies in the 2002-3 academic year, and the “Map”itself was adopted as an accurate representation ofDistrict lines of accountability by the DistrictAdministration and the Board of Trustees. Duringthe Fall of 2004, this draft document was circulatedagain among the District’s “Seaside” colleges(Harbor West and Southwest) to further refine the delineation of District/College functions in light ofthe new Accreditation Standards. In Spring 2005,key faculty and administrative staff from these col-leges met with District personnel to review this draftrevision and to finalize a new “Functional Map.”

SELF-EVALUATION:

Decentralization, and its attendant clarification anddelineation, continues and will require review andadjustments as needed.


IV.B.3.b. The district/system provides effectiveservices that support the colleges in their missionsand functions.

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The District Office’s primary purpose is to provideoperational and logistical support to the colleges. Inthis effort, the District Office offers an array of sup-port services to the colleges. The main services involve Instructional and Student Services Support,Institutional Research, Human Resources, BusinessServices, Financial Services, Legal Services, Publicand Marketing Relations and InformationTechnology services. Collaborative proceduresbetween the District and the colleges include theBudget Allocation Model, the Codes for StudentConduct and implementation of Board Rules. The District assesses its effectiveness through self-studyand audit reports.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The District provides support services consistentlyand equitably to all colleges. Each college, throughits funding allocations, determines specific opera-tional and educational priorities, which may varyfrom college to college.


IV.B.3.c. The district/system provides fair distribu-tion of resources that are adequate to support theeffective operations of the colleges.


Since West’s last accreditation in 2000, the Districthas revisited its budget allocation process. In 1998,the LACCD had accepted a revenue-based modelthat mirrored the State Community College funding

model. This model is consistent with Board policy,which prescribes that colleges receive revenue con-sistent with the manner that revenue is received bythe District.

Under the State “program based funding” model, theDistrict and, subsequently, the colleges, receive rev-enues based on “work load measures,” including faculty-student head count and full-time equivalentstudents (FTES). This model was adopted becausethe previous expenditure-based model did notencourage effective resource management or fiscalrestraint.

The District’s allocation model was developed by theDistrict Budget Committee (DBC), which is com-prised of the nine college Presidents, faculty repre-sentatives, the District Academic Senate, and collec-tive bargaining unit representatives. Periodically, theDBC reviews the allocation model and recommendschanges to the model when it perceives they are nec-essary; among these changes were changes to theway in which colleges receive growth money, basicskills money, the appreciation of budget targets andgrowth goals.

As part of the 2000 revision, the District BudgetCommittee (DBC) was restructured to include addi-tional faculty representation and to expand both AFTand Academic Senate participation. Furthermore,the allocation model was revised, adopting a “win-dow shade approach” to the allocation of growthdollars to insure that each college that grew to its“funded growth cap” would receive the dollars. Theprevious version of the model only insured that acollege would receive its percentage of total growthFTES generated by the District. Additionally, theDBC recommended the creation of growthtargets/ceilings. This mechanism was designed tohelp the District and the colleges maximize FTESgrowth and basic skills revenue, while protecting col-leges from expending resources to generate FTES forwhich they would not be funded.

In direct response to the situation of colleges such asHarbor, which ended 2002 in deficit, the DBC alsoinstituted “Allocation Grant” procedures. Underthese procedures, a college which ended the year indeficit can request the intervention of the DBC GrantAllocation Taskforce. The Taskforce, comprised ofadministrators, faculty and staff from other collegesin the District, first solicits a formal “GrantAllocation Proposal” from the college—a fiscal “self-study,” in which the college presents its assessment

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of the causes of its expected deficit. Following areview of the Grant Allocation Request, the Taskforcereviews all the pertinent college and District fiscaland other appropriate data, visits the college, meetswith administrators, faculty and staff, and subse-quently issues a set of recommendations to help thecollege reach financial independence. If the collegefollows these recommendations, a portion of the deficit is offset with District funds from the contin-gency reserves.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The Grant Allocation process appears to have been asuccessful venture. As the result of District interven-tion, Harbor College, for example, has seen its deficitreduced from $3M to $1M since the implementationof the Grant Allocation Taskforce’s recommenda-tions. West has not applied yet for an AllocationGrant to offset its deficits; the College has felt theloss of local autonomy in budgeting outweighed thefreedom provided by debt relief. Nevertheless, thebudget deficits we have been sustaining for the lastfew years merit a strong review of our budgetarychoices and processes.

Finally, in response to the suggestion that the FTESfunding base formula does not adequately provideresources necessary for colleges to serve their com-munities, the Senior Vice Chancellor convened anFTES Allocation Taskforce in Fall 2005. ThisTaskforce gathered geographic “service” areas aswell as data on student attendance by zip code.Additionally, it looked at attendance by “collegegoing age” students. After careful deliberation, thetaskforce concluded that the base allocation formulawas appropriate to the populations in their “service”area, and that it should be continued.


IV.B.3.d. The district/system effectively controls itsexpenditures.


Meeting on a monthly basis, the District BudgetCommittee, with administrative, faculty, and staffrepresentation from all nine LACCD colleges, moni-tors all college budgets and expenditures. Collegebudget projections, including reserve funds, aretracked from quarter to quarter, and District staffmeet with college administrators as needed to

address budget problems before they arise. As aresult of these procedures, the District has main-tained at least a 3% contingency reserve fund everyyear since the reform of the District BudgetCommittee and the allocation formula in 2000.

From an external standpoint, the District’s outsideauditor (Price/Waterhouse & Cooper) is the primarytool for the assessment of effectiveness of its financialmanagement systems. Internally, the primary role ofthe District-wide Budget Committee is as an advisorycouncil to the Chancellor and through the Chancellorto the Board. Additionally, the Board, Presidents,and public are provided with periodic updates andpresentations regarding the LACCD’s financial stateof affairs (past, present and future).

SELF-EVALUATION:

In the 2005-2006 Budget Allocation Mechanism, thecontingency reserve is increased to 3.5 percent. TheDistrict effectively controls its expenditures.


IV.B.3.e. The Chancellor gives full responsibilityand authority to the Presidents of the colleges toimplement and administer delegated district/sys-tem policies without his/her interference and holdsthem accountable for the operation of the colleges.


Since the adoption of administrative decentralizationas the current approach to District/college relations,Presidents have enjoyed additional freedom to makekey decisions and have also been held more directlyaccountable for their actions than they have been inthe past. College Presidents undergo regular con-sultant-administered evaluations, periodically con-ducted by the Chancellor’s office. Containing clear“grades” for their effectiveness in key areas, theseevaluations are reviewed and approved by the Boardof Trustees.

SELF-EVALUATION:

The Chancellor’s Office conducts biannual consult-ant-administered evaluations. The Board of Trusteesreviews and approves these evaluations.


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IV.B.3.f. The district/system acts as the liaisonbetween the colleges and the governing board. Thedistrict/system and the colleges use effective meth-ods of communication, and they exchange informa-tion in a timely manner.


Communication between the colleges and theDistrict Office is essential to the success of theLACCD and its colleges’ educational and operational responsibilities. The District provides variousreports pertaining to such areas a finance, personneland demographics to assist the colleges. There aredistrict-wide committees at various levels that facili-tate participation and sharing of information amongthe colleges and District, such as the Presidents’Cabinet, the Vice President of Academic AffairsCouncil, the Vice Presidents of AdministrativeServices Council, and the Chief Student ServicesOfficer Council. The Chancellor routinely visits thecolleges and conducts cabinet meetings and othermeetings and other related sessions involving theCollege Presidents and District Office staff as neces-sary. The mainframe computer database, or DEC,allows colleges personnel to access student and otherpertinent information related to college operationsand enrollment management. Information is alsoeasily exchanged through courier service, email, faxand telephone.

Additionally, representatives from the District’s vari-ous constituency groups have a seat at the “resourcetable” at every Board meeting, and their commentsare a standing item on each Board agenda.Representatives from the resource table also have theopportunity to take part in the discussion of anyitem that comes before the Board for a vote.Representatives at the resource table come from thefollowing constituencies: all collective bargainingunits (including the faculty, staff and administrativeunions), the District Academic Senate and students.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Administrative decentralization affords college presi-dents greater authority to make decisions andaccountability for these.


IV.B.3.g. The district/system regularly evaluates dis-trict/system role delineation and governance anddecision-making structures and processes to assure

their integrity and effectiveness in assisting the col-leges in meeting educational goals. The district/sys-tem widely communicates the results of these eval-uations and uses them as the basis for improvement.


The LACCD’s policy for “identifying, consideringand acting upon operation and policy matters” iscontained in the Chancellor’s Directive Number 70 –“District-wide Internal Management ConsultationProcess,” which was issued on October 26, 1995. Theform of Board Rules and Administrative Regulations(which are issued through the Chancellor’s Office)are addressed in this directive. The policy engagesthe LACCD’s three councils of Vice Presidents (theCouncil of Academic Affairs, the Council ofAdministration, and the Council of StudentServices), the Chancellor’s Cabinet (consisting of theChancellor and college Presidents) in the policydevelopment and review process. When appropri-ate, other district-wide committees and constituencygroups are consulted in this process as well – e.g. theDistrict Academic Senate, the AFT College Guild,and the Board’s Student Affairs Committee (com-prised of the Student Trustee, the nine AssociatedStudent Body Presidents and at least one BoardMember).

In addition, the delineation of district/college rolesand functions is reviewed and revised regularlyunder the auspices of the Board of TrusteesCommittee on Educational Programs and StudentSuccess as a regular part of the District’s on-goingaccreditation self-study effort. Over the past threeyears, for example, faculty and staff from all ninedistrict colleges have reviewed and revised the“Functional Map” that delineates District/collegeresponsibilities. Most recently, the Seaside collegesmet in Spring 2005 to revise the “Functional Map”and to discuss the integrity and effectiveness of keysupport and decision-making processes with districtpersonnel.

SELF-EVALUATION:

Through a number of mechanisms, both the Districtand West Los Angeles College evaluate district/sys-tem roles, governance and decision-making process-es and structures. Cabinet and committee meetingswidely communicate evaluation results and lead toimprovement.


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STANDARD IV.B. DOCUMENTATION

IV.B-1 LACCD Board Rules – Student Trustee (http://www.laccd.edu/board_rules/)IV.B-2 LACCD Administrative Regulations (http://www.laccd.edu/admin_regs/)IV.B-3 Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees Self Evaluation, September 2005IV.B-4 LACCD Board Rules – Meetings (http://www.laccd.edu/board_rules/)IV.B-5 West Los Angeles College Council

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