APPLICATION FOR REAFFIRMATION OF ACCREDITATION

INSTITUTIONAL SELF EVALUATION REPORT

July 2014

Submitted in Support of Reaffirmation of Accreditation

to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges

By College of the Canyons

26455 Rockwell Canyon Road

Santa Clarita, California 91355

Table of Contents

Foreword i

Introductory Materials 1. Certification of the Institutional Self Evaluation ....... 1

2. History and Description of the College .. 3

3. Community, District and Student Demographics and Data ... 7

4. Off-Campus Center: Canyon Country . 29

5. Organization of the Self Evaluation . 33

6. Institutional Organization 37

7. Certification of Continued Compliance with Eligibility Requirements ... 55

8. Compliance with Commission Policies ... 59

9. Responses to Prior Recommendations . 65

Standard I: Institutional Mission and Effectiveness Standard I.A: Mission . 74

Standard I.B: Improving Institutional Effectiveness ... 88

Standard II: Student Learning Programs and Services Standard II.A: Instructional Programs ... 110

Standard II.B: Student Support Services ... 152

Standard II.C: Library and Learning Support Services 184

Standard III: Resources Standard III.A: Human Resources 196

Standard III.B: Physical Resources ... 230

Standard III.C: Technology Resources ..... 248

Standard III.D: Financial Resources . 264

Standard IV: Leadership and Governance Standard IV.A: Decision Making .. 298

Standard IV.B: Board and Administrative Organization ... 330

Summary of Planning Agendas 2014 Actionable Improvement Plans 353

2008 Planning Agenda Accomplishments . 357

Master List of Evidence .. 371

List of Major College Websites ... 411

Glossary . 413

Foreword

i

On behalf of the faculty, staff, administrators, Board of Trustees,

and students who make up College of the Canyons, I am pleased to

submit the Colleges 2014 Accreditation Self Evaluation.

The review of our Accreditation coincides with the Colleges 45th

anniversary of service to the Santa Clarita Valley. In fact, the anni-

versary of our first day of classes falls on September 22, 2014, just

one week prior to the arrival of the visiting team.

Undergoing the institutional review inherent in the Accreditation

process and at the same time engaging in the reflection that accom-

panies anniversaries give us a unique perspective on our College and

what makes us successful in our mission: Offering accessible and

enriching education that enables students to obtain their goals and

succeed in their chosen pursuits.

College of the Canyons is a student-centered institution focused on

meeting the needs of the community. Because of our commitment

to innovation, planning, and partnerships, we have established a 45-

year history of helping our students fulfill their goals. Their suc-

cesses speak to our success, and we are proud of what we have ac-

complished on their behalf.

The guiding principle behind my 26 years of leadership as the CEO

of College of the Canyons can be summed up in the phrase, If you

can dream it, you can do it. Through the past two-and-a-half dec-

ades, we have continued the tradition on which the College was

foundedwe have created a culture of possibility that attracts tal-

ented, innovative, and creative leaders who fuel our continued

growth and development. They embrace teamwork and embody the

ideal that we can accomplish more by working together across de-

partments than by staying isolated in silos. Regardless of job clas-

sification or department, the employees at College of the Canyons

are characterized by determined optimism, relentless enthusiasm,

and a can-do commitment to supporting student success and meet-

ing the changing needs of our dynamic community. The team makes

the difference. Accordingly, this report demonstrates that our atti-

tude, teamwork, mindset, and leadership result in continuous im-

provement that enables our College to better serve the community.

While our College has benefitted from its location in a fast-growing

community, that now has the third largest population of any city in

Los Angeles County, our success is more than the result of circum-

stance. What we have achieved during the past 45 years is the direct

result of our commitment to careful planning and strategic growth.

The theme that guided us through the 2012-13 academic year said it

best: Dream. Think. DO!

Planning is central to the culture of our College. We engage in sys-

tematic, annual planning processes at the department level, incorpo-

rating current data, and including careful evaluation of external

forces and trends. The results of department plans are incorporated

into college-wide strategic plans, and inform our Educational and

Facilities Master Plans. Inherent in our planning is a sense of flex-

ibility and adaptability. We recognize that change often comes

quickly and unpredictably, bringing with it unique opportunities that

we can make the most of, if we are willing to respond in a timely

manner.

Planning made the difference in how our College responded to the

economic downturn that affected every California community col-

lege in recent years. We did not lay off a single employee, imple-

ment furloughs, eliminate any academic programs or student ser-

vices, nor upset the momentum we built in prior years to meet our

communitys needs. With the funding made available by Proposi-

tion 30, we have so far restored our enrollment by 13 percent, from

its low point during the recession.

Since our last Accreditation evaluation in 2008, we have secured

$6.1 million in outside funding through our Foundation, generated

$34.8 million in grant revenue, and expanded our facilities space by

more than 270,000 square feet in completed and soon-to-be finished

buildings. And, according to the State Chancellors Office Student

Success Scorecard, our transfer rate of 46 percent exceeds the

statewide average (39 percent) and is among the highest in Los An-

geles County. At the same time, we secured $8.6 million in contract

education and economic development grant revenue to support local

business and industry and enhance our economic impact on the com-

munity.

Along with planning, we are equally committed to partnering. We

recognize we can accomplish more for the benefit of our students by

working with other agencies than if we simply go at it alone.

Whether its city and county governments, local school districts and

community-based organizations, business and industry, or non-

profit organizations, we pride ourselves on our ability to collaborate

Foreword

ii

and create innovative opportunities for our students, while produc-

ing desired outcomes for our partners as well.

The campus community embraced the compilation of the Self Eval-

uation as an opportunity to both reflect on the excellence inherent in

our College, and consider where changes could be made that would

enhance the educational experiences of our students. The yearlong

process yielded a comprehensive picture of our institution that illus-

trates our commitment to:

Providing the highest quality education in alignment with our Mission Statement

Strategic organization, along with consistent evaluation, planning, and improvement

Implementation, evaluation, and modification of student learning outcomes

Collaboration, regular dialogue, and collegial decision mak-ing

Institutional integrity

In addition, this report reflects our Colleges commitment to inclu-

sivity. More than 120 individuals thoughtfully assembled it, repre-

senting every employee classification, students, and every depart-

ment and office at the College. They served on Standards Commit-

tees and spent countless hours researching, discussing, writing, re-

vising, and compiling evidence. Others assumed leadership for spe-

cific facets of the production, and it is with pride that I acknowledge

their individual contributions:

Dr. Jerry Buckley, Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Instruction, served as the Accreditation Liaison Officer,

ensuring we remained on task, and on deadline, as we com-

piled the report;

Dr. Daylene Meuschke, Dean of Institutional Research; Mr. James Glapa-Grossklag, Dean of Education Technology,

Learning Resources and Distance Education; Mr. John Mak-

evich, Director of Distance and Accelerated Learning; Ms.

Alicia Levalley, Research Assistant; and Ms. Mindy Albee,

Distance Learning Coordinator, expertly identified, located,

and cataloged the more than 1,000 individual pieces of evi-

dence cited in the report;

Dr. Jennifer Brezina, Dean of Humanities, served as our in-ternal editor, reviewing initial drafts to ensure the Standards

were thoroughly addressed and consistent in style and tone;

Ms. Sue Bozman, the Districts retired Vice President of Communications, Marketing and External Relations, who

played a key role in the 1990, 1996, 2002, and 2008 Accred-

itati