STANDARD TWO: RESOURCES AND CAPACITY

The development of Standard Two engaged 29 individuals as contributing writers, several groups as reviewers, and open processes that provided the opportunity for input from all members of the campus community.  The individuals, groups, and processes involved are detailed in Appendix 7.

Eligibility Requirements 4 through 21

4. Operational Focus and IndependenceNorth Seattle Community College’s mission, as stated on its website and in its publications, is Changing Lives through Education. The college’s vision states that “North Seattle Community College is a progressive educational resource, actively engaged with its community and known for innovation and responsiveness.” The college’s three core themes are Advancing Student Success, Excelling in Teaching and Learning, and Building Community.

Since 1967, North Seattle Community College (also referred to in this document as North Seattle or the college) has operated as a community college and maintains continuous accreditation with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Its governance structure supports its efficacy in fulfilling its mission with a leadership and administrative team that allow independent operation with final accountability to a district chancellor, Board of Trustees, State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, and state legislature.

5. Non-discriminationAs one of three colleges within the Seattle Community College District (SCCD), North Seattle Community College is an Equal Opportunity Institution and adheres to district Policy 201 on non-discrimination:

The Seattle Community College District VI is committed to the concept and practice of equal opportunity for all its students, employees, and applicants in education, employment, services and contracts, and does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, color, age, national origin, religion, marital status, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or disabled veteran status, political affiliation or belief, citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States, or presence of any physical, sensory, or mental disability, except where a disability may impede performance at an acceptable level. In addition, reasonable accommodations will be made for known physical or mental limitations for all otherwise qualified persons with disabilities. Authority: WAC 132F-148-010, Public Law 101-336, American with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, 29 CFR Part 37.

The college’s website also states a similar non-discrimination policy.

6. Institutional IntegrityNorth Seattle Community College is governed and administered with high levels of integrity and respect for all individuals—faculty, staff, and students—according to district policies which respect the rights of individuals according to laws such as equal opportunity and non-discrimination/non-sexual harassment.

7. Governing BoardThe five-member Board of Trustees of the Seattle Community College District is responsible for the quality and integrity of the three colleges within the district.

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None of the board members is employed by the district, nor has any financial interest in the institution.

8. Chief Executive OfficerNorth Seattle’s president, Mr. Mark Mitsui, is appointed by the chancellor of the district under the authority of the Board of Trustees. He works full-time and solely for the college.

9. AdministrationThe college’s organizational structure and support services are designed to effectively meet the college’s educational mission. Three major units, instruction, student development services, and administrative services, are headed by vice presidents who report directly to the president. Each vice president has direct reports that include deans, directors, and managers.

10. FacultyIn Fall 2012, North Seattle Community College employed full-time, tenure-track faculty and 247 part-time faculty to teach its state-supported, credit-bearing courses. (This does not include faculty who teach exclusively Continuing Education non-credit courses.) Before being hired, each faculty member must demonstrate the appropriate qualifications to teach the classes for which s/he is hired. The Seattle Community Colleges 2012-2014 Catalog (pp. 331-336) lists the names and earned degrees of the college’s 82 full-time and 83 priority-hire part-time faculty.1 The listing documents the high qualifications of the faculty, with 85% having a master’s degree and/or a doctorate degree in philosophy, law, and/or medicine.

Faculty members, through involvement on committees and the program review process, are essential contributors to academic planning, curricular development and revision, student support services, and institutional governance. Faculty workloads are established through a negotiated Faculty Agreement between the Seattle Community College Board of Trustees and the American Federation of Teachers Seattle Community Colleges, Local 1789 (AFT Seattle) that support the college’s mission. Included in the Faculty Agreement is financial support from the Seattle Community College District (SCCD) for professional growth and curriculum development.

11. Educational ProgramNorth Seattle Community College offers the following transfer degrees: an Associate of Arts (AA), Associate in Business (AB), three Associate of Science degrees (AS General, Option One, and Option Two), and an Associate of Fine Arts in Art (AFA) which transfers to The Evergreen State College. Professional-technical students can choose from 20 Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees and 64 certificates. Three of the Associate of Applied Science degrees have transfer options (AAS-T). The AAS-T degrees are designed for the dual purpose of immediate employment and as preparation for the junior year in a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS).

All courses are reviewed and approved by the college’s Curriculum and Academic Standards (CAS) Committee for their ability to identify, teach and assess learning outcomes, transferability, and academic quality and rigor. Specific professional-technical programs, such as the college’s Nursing, Medical Assisting, Nursing Assistant-Certified, Emergency Medical Technician, and Pharmacy Tech, have specialized accrediting bodies which review and approve their programs.

1Priority-hire part-time faculty are those who have been employed an average of 50% time or more for nine of twelve quarters with satisfactory evaluations. These faculty receive priority over other part-time faculty when classes are assigned.

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As noted in an earlier section of this report, the college has been awarded candidacy status by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities to develop a Bachelor of Science Degree in International Business. In May 2013 the proposal will be presented to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, where approval is expected. The program anticipates enrolling its first cohort of students in Fall Quarter 2013.

12. General Education and Related InstructionAll degrees—transfer and professional-technical—require the general education and related instruction to meet this Eligibility Requirement. Transfer degrees consist exclusively of general education courses with the exception that the Associate of Arts Degree allows up to 15 credits of professional-technical coursework. (See table within Standard 2.C.9.) Professional-technica1 associate degrees (Associate of Applied Science degrees) require 20 credits of related instruction in communication, computation, human relations and diversity. Professional-technical certificates of 45 credits or more require a minimum of three credits in each of the related instruction areas of communication, computation, and human relations taught as separate courses aligned with program outcomes and industry needs. The criteria for related instruction courses are established by the college’s Curriculum and Academic Standards (CAS) committee and in some cases by one of its subcommittees, for example Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning (QSR).

13. Library and Information ResourcesThe college’s library and its learning resources are a central part of the college’s instructional programs. Available to all faculty, students, and staff, the library supports learning whether through on-campus courses, online courses and electronic databases. The library’s “liaison” system pairs a librarian with an instructional division to support each division’s unique needs for informational resources and support.

14. Physical and Technological Infrastructure The college campus houses all instructional programs on campus with some English as Second Language (ESL), continuing education, and parent education courses offered off-site at neighboring elementary schools and community centers. Contract training programs are also offered off-campus at contracting business sites. The college’s technological infrastructure is connected to the Pacific Northwest Gigapop network, which provides reliable high-speed access for all locations of the campus.

15. Academic FreedomThe Washington Administrative Code, WAC 132F-121-020, provides a definition of Academic Freedom under Student Rights, Freedoms, and Responsibilities.

The current Faculty Agreement, Article 6.9, clearly defines and supports intellectual freedom and independence for both students and faculty:

This institution is based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind. Here, we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate error so long as reason is left free to combat it.

To achieve this end, academic freedom is viewed as the freedom of speech guaranteed to all citizens by the First Amendment. Free inquiry and free discourse shall not be abridged, whether directly or indirectly, by statute or community pressure.

We reaffirm our support of academic freedom because of a sense of obligation to the community which needs our services and because of our professional responsibility for free inquiry.

Academic freedom implies not only the unconditional freedom of discussion in the classroom, but also the absence of restriction upon the faculty's teaching method. Every faculty is presumed competent and responsible until specific evidence is brought forward to the contrary. No suspicion concerning either the judgment or the goodwill of the faculty should find any place in our administrative regulations or customary procedures.

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16. AdmissionsAs stated on the Seattle Community College District policies website (Policy 305), “Seattle Community College District operates on an open door admission policy.” This district-wide policy applies to each of the three colleges comprising the district. The specific admissions procedures and steps are posted on the college website and are also included in quarterly class schedules and the Student Handbook.

17. Public InformationThe college uses the district’s website, the college’s website, the quarterly schedule, and Student Handbook to publish information about its mission, core themes, admission requirements and procedures, grading policy, information on academic programs and courses, names, titles and academic credentials of administrators and faculty, rules and regulations for student conduct, rights and responsibilities of students, tuition, fees, and other program costs, refund policies and procedures, opportunity and requirements for financial aid, and the academic calendar.

18. Financial ResourcesNorth Seattle Community College’s financial base is stable which includes a balanced budget and a reserve. Approximately 50% of its funding comes through the Washington State legislature with the remaining from both in-state and out-of-state tuition as well as grants, contracts, and customized training.

19. Financial Accountability As a public institution and an agency of the State of Washington, all college funds are subject to audit by the State Auditor’s Office (SAO). The SAO schedules colleges for on-site visits periodically instead of each year. However, the SAO, in accordance with the U.S. Office of Management and Budget circular A-133, audits the state yearly as one entity, rather than each agency separately. The results of this audit are reported publicly and available online. When a college is not scheduled for an on-site financial statement audit, its financial activities are audited in conjunction with the annual audit of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the State of Washington. These reports are available online.

The SAO also performs an independent accountability audit for the fiscal year to determine if colleges waived tuition in accordance with state law and their policies and procedures. Results of this report can be found online at the Washington State Auditor’s Office. North Seattle Community College was audited this year and a report letter is on file in the Business Office.

In FY 11-12 the college added a Fiscal Compliance Officer to the Business Office in order to improve oversight and monitoring of fiscal compliance on campus.

20. DisclosureNorth Seattle Community College, in preparation for its Third Year Report, has accurately prepared and disclosed all information, documents, and materials to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities in order to carry out its evaluation and accreditation functions.

21. Relationship with the Accreditation CommissionNorth Seattle Community College accepts the standards and related policies of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and agrees to comply with these standards and policies. The college agrees that the Commission may make known the nature of any action, positive or negative,

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regarding the institution’s status with the Commission to any agency or members of the public requesting such information.

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Standard 2.A Governance

Delineation of roles & responsibilities (2.A.1)Seattle Community College District (SCCD) VI was established in 1967 when the Washington State legislature passed the Community College Act and created a new state system of community colleges independent of local school districts (WAC 132K-995-990). The college began at a single site in downtown Seattle, but in July 1970 the district Board of Trustees designated three separate colleges within its jurisdiction—North Seattle, Seattle Central, and South Seattle Community Colleges. Thus, although part of a three-college district governed by one board, North Seattle Community College is an autonomous, independently-accredited college.

The college and district are part of a statewide system that includes 34 separate community and technical colleges within 30 districts. The system is governed by the nine-member, governor-appointed Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) whose roles and responsibilities are described in Revised Code of Washington (RCW 28B.50).

Washington Administrative Code 132F-01-010 empowers a five-member, governor-appointed Board of Trustees for Seattle Community College District VI, giving it authority to “operate all existing community and technical colleges in its district” and invests it with “the appointing authority for employees of the district.” This section of the code describes the delegation of authority by the district’s Board of Trustees to the district chancellor and from the chancellor to the three college presidents.

Board duties described in policy sections 100 and 400 include hiring a district president (chancellor), enforcing rules and regulations prescribed by the SBCTC, and establishing policies for the district. By virtue of Policy 107.13, Policy 128, and Policy 401, the board is empowered to delegate any of its powers and duties to the chancellor or his/her designee.

The district chancellor reports to the Board of Trustees and oversees all three colleges. The chancellor is responsible for providing overall leadership for the district, for meeting with legislators and community leaders, for serving on boards and commissions both locally and nationally, for developing the district’s strategic plan, and for leading its fundraising efforts.

The president of North Seattle reports directly to the district chancellor, as do the presidents of the other colleges within the district. This reporting relationship, and that of other senior administrative positions within the district, is shown on this district-level organization chart. The chancellor meets weekly with the three college presidents. Issues that require board approval are brought to the Board of Trustees’ monthly meetings.

The faculty and classified staff negotiated agreements provide clarification of each group’s role and responsibilities with respect to governance. Exempt2 staff’s role in governance is established in their contracts which clarify reporting structures. Organizational charts (see Appendix 1) provide information on the reporting structure of the institution for exempt employees. Students’ role with respect to governance is articulated in the Associated Students Constitution.

2 North Seattle Community College and all of the community and technical colleges in Washington use the job category of “exempt” to refer to employees who are not included in the category of “faculty” nor are their positions covered by the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for “classified” employees. (North Seattle Community College classified employees are represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees, or WFSE). Thus our college employs these types of employees: faculty; classified; exempt; and part-time hourly. Part-time hourly employees become represented by the WFSE after 350 work hours in a year per the negotiated agreement.

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The College Council is the college’s primary form of participatory governance and provides the college’s executive leadership team with advisories on key issues. Council bylaws articulate its purpose:

The role of the College Council is to ensure that the constituents of the college will have the opportunity to participate actively and collaboratively in the development of policies and procedures of the institution. Individuals and constituencies shall have ample opportunity to submit and provide input on proposals related to the development of campus-wide policies and procedures.

By involving the College Council in such matters, the college administration seeks to foster and support an institutional climate of openness, trust, and collaboration by all constituencies in the institution’s decision-making processes.

The composition of the College Council reflects all campus stakeholders, i.e. classified, exempt, faculty, and students. In Fall 2012, two changes were made to broaden council membership. One change was to increase the number of student representatives to equal that of other constituencies. The second change was to add non-voting members to the council from key campus committees as a way to keep the council apprised of those committees’ work, to inform that work with the council’s perspective, and to tie all committee work more closely to the college’s strategic plan.

In addition to the College Council, a number of other committees provide faculty, staff and students access to decision-making and information. Many of these committees are also listed on the college’s website:

Assessment Committee – This committee provides leadership and a centralized venue where assessment information is collected, analyzed, and submitted as recommendations to the college and the vice president for instruction for future actions regarding student learning.

The Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) – The Budget Advisory Committee represents a cross-section of the campus community. The Committee reviews and advises the president and the Executive Team (E-Team) on the practicality and feasibility of the proposed budget. A member of the BAC attends College Council meetings and provides input on budget matters.

College Readiness Committee – The College Readiness Committee focuses on student progression and transition to college level work.

Curriculum and Academic Standards Committee – The Curriculum and Academic Standards Committee (CAS) meets bi-weekly and serves as the college governance committee responsible for curriculum and academic standards.

Diversity Advisory Committee – The Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) supports and advocates for the vision and values around diversity by providing ongoing learning, discussion, dialogue, and understanding about diversity by all members of the campus community.

International Advising Committee – Members provide input from instruction, student services, and international programs on issues related to international students.

Program Review Committee – Members include faculty and instructional administrators who provide leadership for designing, implementing, and evaluating the program review process.

Safety Committee – The Safety Committee helps ensure a safe learning environment for all employees and students. The safety committees meetings are required by Washington Administrative Code WAC 296-800-130.

Student Administrative Council (SAC) – The Student Administrative Council is the college’s student government. SAC advocates for the student body and works with faculty, staff, and administration to ensure that student needs and concerns are addressed. To further ensure that student voices are heard in campus decision-making, SAC recruits and supports students to serve on numerous campus committees.

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STARS Committee – STARS is an authorized, representative committee of classified staff which acts as a liaison between classified staff and the president, and as a conduit between classified staff and representatives to college shared governance committees and other college committees.

Sustainability Committee – The sustainability committee is comprised of faculty, staff, and students who are passionate about sustainability. The focus of the committee is to infuse sustainability in all areas of the campus.

Roles in Governance (2.A.2)Policy 200: District Operations clearly outlines the division of authority and responsibility between the system and the institution:

The Seattle Community College District Board of Trustees will operate this multi-campus District as a single comprehensive, legal entity under the administrative direction of a chief executive officer who is called the chancellor.

Under the District leadership of the chancellor, each campus of the District shall have a chief unit administrator who shall be designated president/vice chancellor.

Appropriate administrative, advisory, and other governance mechanisms shall be an operational responsibility of the appropriate unit administrator in charge of a particular operational entity.

The chancellor shall be responsible for the overall management of the District administrative structure.

District-wide policies and procedures to which all colleges adhere are delineated within seven areas of operations: Board of Trustees, Operations, Student Services, Personnel, Instructional, Financial, and Public Information.

Compliance with Standards for Accreditation (2.A.3; Eligibility Requirement 4)The Seattle Community College District 2012-2014 Catalog, page 2, accurately reflects the accreditation status, using the following language supplied by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities:

The Seattle Community Colleges are public state supported institutions, individually accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the US Department of Education.

The accreditation status is reported to the Board of Trustees through the president’s reports, including any recommendations and commendations.

North Seattle has two collective bargaining agreements in force: one with the Washington Federation of State Employees Association (WFSE) for classified staff, and another with the Seattle Community Colleges Federation of Teachers, Local 1789 for faculty. Any changes proposed to these agreements during open negotiations are reviewed to ensure they support accreditation requirements.

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) legislative relations staff provides information and support to colleges on legislative actions that may relate to accreditation standards and requirements. Legislative action over the past two biennia decreasing funding to community and technical colleges has impacted the college’s ability to replace full-time faculty and offer other support services for students. Mindful of Accreditation Standards 2.B.1 and 2.B.4 about employing a sufficient number of qualified faculty and staff to achieve its mission, the college has funded some positions on a temporary basis, and has developed an approach to replacing full-time faculty and other key positions as funding allows, prioritizing those that are most “mission critical” and most closely aligned with core theme objectives.

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Functioning Governing Board (2.A.4)The RCW 28B.50.100 stipulates that each community college district shall have a “board of trustees . . . composed of five trustees, who shall be appointed by the governor.” A single five-member board governs North Seattle Community College and the other two colleges within the Seattle Community College District (SCCD) which include Seattle Central Community College and South Seattle Community College.

As of March 2013, the SCCD board members and their terms are as follows: Mr. Jorge Carrasco (Chair), October 2009-September 2016 Mr. Albert Shen, October 2010-September 2015 Ms. Carmen Gayton, October 2012-September 2013** Ms. Courtney Gregoire, October 2012-September 2014** Mr. Steven Hill, October 2012-September 2017*

* Require state senate confirmation** Completing unexpired terms of former board members

The board has adopted policies in accordance with RCW 28B.50.100: Policy 100 identifies the legal basis of the board as the Community College Act of 1967; Policy 101 specifies that trustees serve by appointment of the governor who “will consider

geography as well as the interests of labor, industry, agriculture, the professions, and ethnic groups in making trustee appointments.”

Policy 102 stipulates that board members must be “qualified electors living within the boundaries” of the district.

Policy 103 states that no board member may be an employee of the district or of local educational organizations, or of the state legislature.

Policy 107 describes the situations in which the local board may act only with approval of the SBCTC (e.g. establishing new facilities, borrow money and issue revenue bonds, receive gifts), and stipulates that the local board “shall enforce the rules and regulations prescribed by the SBCTC for the government of community colleges.”

The current board represents the ethnic and racial diversity of the district and the college. It reflects a balance of younger and older members of the community with experience in several different sectors of the local business and community. Board members are active in the statewide trustees’ association, The Trustees Association of Community and Technical colleges (TACTC).

Board Actions (2.A.5)SCCD Policy 128 makes it clear that “the Board of Trustees exercises collective authority based upon decisions made by majority vote (minimum of three) in regular or special meetings.” Except by specific authorization of the board as a whole, no member may make statements on behalf of the board. Policy 131 encodes a code of ethics for board members. Article 11 of Policy 131 states that individually the board members “have no legal authority outside the meetings of the Board.”

Board Review of Policy (2.A.6)SCCD Policy 108 describes authority that the board delegates to the district chancellor. The same policy makes clear that certain powers cannot be delegated, but reside exclusively with the Board of Trustees. Among these is the authority “to adopt every declared ‘policy’ of the district,” including Section 100 of those policies that pertain to the board itself.

In 2007, the college received a recommendation that board policies should be reviewed more regularly. Because this is a district-level (versus college-level) responsibility, the recommendation was referred to the chancellor who in turn charged the vice chancellor with developing a schedule for periodic review of

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all policies and procedures. An inventory was conducted of all policies, and those that needed updating were brought to the board for their action.

Since that time, a total of eighty-one policies were reviewed by the Board of Trustees. The following table demonstrates that the review covered several different policy areas.

Policies Reviewed by Board of Trustee: 2008-2012Section Title Number of Policies Reviewed100 Board of Trustees 7200 General Operations 11300 Student Services 18400 Personnel 11500 Instructional 7600 Financial 27

Many of the policies were re-affirmed without changes. When changes were made, it was to ensure that they remained consistent with new case law precedents, to provide greater clarity with respect to governance roles, or to reflect new understandings such as when the affirmative action statement was amended to include “gender identity.” In Winter 2012, a database was created to monitor the review status of all policies and their accompanying procedures. This database is used to guide the ongoing process of policy review. Each vice chancellor is responsible for ensuring that policies within his/her area of responsibility are reviewed on a rotational basis.

Board Selection and Review of Chief Executive Officer (2.A.7)SCCD Policy 107 lists the powers and duties of the Board of Trustees, the third of which stipulates that the board “shall employ, for a period to be fixed by the board, a district president, whose working title shall be chancellor.” The board hired the current chancellor, Dr. Jill Wakefield, in January 2009. Dr. Wakefield had served as the president of South Seattle Community College for five years before assuming the chancellor’s position. The chancellor’s evaluation is held annually either in an executive session or at a board retreat. Chancellor Wakefield’s most recent evaluation occurred in October 2012.

Board Evaluation (2.A.8)The Board of Trustees conducts regular evaluations of its performance. Over the past six years, the board has completed five self-evaluations. The most recent evaluation took place in October 2012 as part of the state-wide Governance Institute for Student Success (GISS) for all community and technical college trustees.

Effective System of Leadership (2.A.9)The college leadership/management structure is organized into four major administrative units:

President’s Area : Led by the president, this unit includes grants, contracts, customized training, fundraising, international student programs, institutional effectiveness, marketing and public relations, diversity & retention, human resources, and the college’s partnership with the Opportunity Center for Employment and Education3.

3 Located on campus, the Opportunity Center for Employment and Education (OCE&E) is a partnership among the college, two state agencies (the Department of Social and Human Services, and the Employment Security Department), and multiple community based organizations. As such, it is recognized as a national model for providing integrated services. The Preface section of this report provides additional information about the center.

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Instruction: Overseen by the vice president for instruction, this unit includes five instructional divisions, workforce education, the library, eLearning, continuing education, and tutoring services.

Student Development Services : The interim vice president for student development services leads this unit that includes outreach, admissions, testing, registration and records, financial aid, advising, counseling, disability services, veterans’ services, women’s programs, athletics & wellness, student leadership & multicultural programs, and child care.

Administrative Services : Under the leadership of the interim vice president for administrative services, this unit consists of information technology services, facilities & grounds, safety & security, food services, bookstore, business operations, and fiscal compliance.

The president and vice presidents, along with other senior administrators, form the Executive Team (E-Team). Members of that team and their areas of responsibility are shown in the following table.

Executive Team MembershipTitle Incumbent

President Mark MitsuiVice President for Instruction Mary Ellen O’KeeffeVice President for Student Development Services Marci Myer*Vice President for Administrative Services Orestes Monterecy*Executive Dean, Workforce Education Bill McMeekin*Executive Dean, Grants, Contracts & Customized Training Steve MillerExecutive Director, Education Fund Anne ZacovicDirector, Marketing & Public Relations Judy KitzmanDirector, Institutional Effectiveness Jack BautschDirector, Diversity and Retention Wade ParrottHuman Resources Officer David Bittenbender* Denotes interim appointment.

Under the president’s leadership, the Executive Team is responsible for managing the overall operations of the college and for implementing strategic plans and policies to accomplish core theme objectives and fulfill the college mission. With input and recommendations from campus constituencies, the president and Executive Team identify the core theme objectives and key performance indicators that serve as priorities and guide decision-making—including budgeting and staffing decisions—throughout each accreditation cycle.

Each team member is responsible for providing leadership within his/her area with respect to traditional management functions (planning, budgeting, decision-making, organizing, staffing, directing, and evaluating) and for aligning activities within his/her unit with the overall goals and directions set by the Executive Team as a whole. Each member is also responsible for disseminating information from E-Team meetings to constituent groups, bringing forward information from constituent group meetings, and advising the president on matters related to his/her specific area.

In addition to providing leadership to the Executive Team and the college community, the president has these responsibilities within the broader community:

Providing district-wide leadership in the role of vice chancellor for contract and customized training

Working with the state legislative delegation, keeping them apprised of the college’s needs and its contributions to the community

Building relations and partnerships with the external community

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Participating in the statewide community and technical college presidents’ group and serving on key committees within that organization

Together with the executive director of the North Seattle Community College Education Fund (also referred to in this document as the Education Fund), creating a strong donor base and fund-raising capacity.

Qualifications of Chief Executive Officer (2.A.10)In July 2010, Seattle Community College chancellor Dr. Jill Wakefield named Mr. Mark Mitsui as the 13th president of North Seattle Community College. In assuming the position, President Mitsui brought a twenty-two year history of progressively responsible experience within the state’s community and technical college system in the areas of institutional leadership, budgeting, strategic planning, supervision, external relations, student success and development, and diversity.

In his former positions, President Mitsui: Held a faculty position at Renton Technical college where he taught for seven years (1988-1995),

received tenure, earned an Outstanding Faculty award in 1994, served on the faculty union executive committee, served as the lead faculty on accreditation, and participated on several tenure review committees

From 1995-2002, served as manager and later director within Student Development Services at North Seattle Community College

Was an assistant dean of student services at Green River Community College (2004-2006) where he received an Exemplary Leadership Award from the Chair Academy

Served as vice president of student services at South Seattle Community College (2006-2010).

President Mitsui earned his M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (EDLPS) from the University of Washington in 2003. He is currently a doctoral candidate in the University of Washington’s Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program.

Since arriving at the college in 2010, President Mitsui has consistently pursued the development of the core themes of the college: Advancing Student Success, Excelling in Teaching and Learning, and Building Community by aligning the themes with the strategic plan and budget development process. In addition, he has actively engaged in initiatives that align with the college themes on a local, regional, statewide, and national level including:

Presenting at national convenings on student success and diversity. Serving on the Washington State Community and Technical college presidents’ group; Acting as the liaison to the Washington State Student Services Commission. Serving as Education Services Committee vice chair and presidential representatives on the

Student Achievement Task Force. Joining the board of The Association of Community and Technical college Administrators Serving on the aerospace presidents group and the Puget Sound Caucus (a group of K-12

superintendents and community and technical college presidents who are dedicated to improving college readiness and attendance among secondary students)

Serving as vice chancellor for customized training and corporate partnerships; Instituting the college’s Opportunity Council to engage the college in increasing educational,

economic, and social opportunity in the north end of Seattle Serving as a member of the Council on Asian American Pacific Islanders (API) in Higher

Education, board chair of the Asia American Pacific Islander Association of Colleges and Universities, and research member, Board of Directors of the National API Caucus Board Chair.

President Mitsui has full-time responsibility for the institution and does not serve on the Seattle Community College District Board of Trustees.

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Administrative Qualifications and Evaluation (2.A.11)North Seattle’s administrators are highly qualified for their leadership positions. The following table displays the educational background, total years of relevant experience, and years at North Seattle for administrators who provide leadership within each of the major units of the college.

Administrative Leadership and Qualifications

Title Incumbent DegreeExperience

(through 2012)Total NSCC

President Mark Mitsui Ed.D. (c)+ 24 10Executive Dean, Grants, Contracts and Customized Training

Steve Miller M.P.A. 27 5

Executive Director, Education Fund Anne Zacovic B.A. 13 2Executive Director, International Programs Mari Acob-Nash Ed.D. (c)+ 24 6Director, Diversity and Retention Wade Parrott B.A. 10 1Director, Grants Jennie Dulas B.A. 8 <1Director, Institutional Effectiveness Jack Bautsch Ed.D. 38 9Director, Marketing & Public Relations Judy Kitzman B.A. 23 <1Human Resources Officer David Bittenbender M.P.A./M.S.W. 42 11Integration Manager, OCE&E Wendy Peterson M.Ed. 14 5VP for Instruction Mary Ellen O’Keeffe Ed.D. 25 10Executive Dean, Workforce Education Bill McMeekin* M.A. 28 <1Dean, Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Alison Stevens Ph.D. 25 1Dean, Business, Engineering & IT Terry Cox Ed.D. 11 2Dean, Health and Human Services Steven Thomas Ph.D. 4 <1Dean, Math &Science Peter Lortz M.S. 20 18Dean, Library & Teaching & Learning Center Sharon Simes M.L.I.S. 40 8Director, Continuing Education Heidi Stuber B.A. 10 4Director, Strategic Initiatives Gary Gorland M.Ed. 40 3Director, Workforce Education Bill McMeekin* M.A. 28 5Associate Dean, Basic & Transitional Studies Kim Chapman M.A. 16 10Associate Dean, e- Learning Tom Braziunas Ph.D. 22 18VP for Student Development Services Marci Myer* M.S. 38 15Dean, Enrollment Services VacantDean, Student Services VacantAssociate Dean, Student Success Alice Melling M.Ed. 28 20Director, Advising* Peggy Sharp* Ed.D. 8 <1Director, Disability Services Sarah Nagpal B.A. 17 <1Director, Enrollment Support & Outreach Susan Shanahan B.A. 25 26Director, Financial Aid Brianne Sanchez B.A. 9 6Director, Student Leadership & Multicultural Programs

Jeffrey Vasquez B.S. 13 12

Director, Wellness Center/Athletics Carianya Napoli B.A. 15 12Manager, Child Care Center Kathy Soldat M.A. 28 22Manager, Testing Center Therese Quig B.A. 30 18Interim Assistant Registrar Jane Stom-Strebe A.A. 33 13Lead Counselor^ Lydia Minatoya Ph.D. 32 26VP for Administrative Services Orestes Monterecy* Ph.D. 40 5Director, Business Operations Dennis Yasukochi M.B.A 18 15Director, Facility Operations VacantDirector, Information Technology Services Peter Lortz* M.S. 20 18

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Administrative Leadership and Qualifications

Title Incumbent DegreeExperience

(through 2012)Total NSCC

Manager, Capital Projects Orestes Monterecy* Ph.D. 40 5Manager, Food Services Amanda Lopez-Castanon Certificate 20 2Fiscal Compliance Officer Yan Zhang B.A. 3.5 <1Supervisor, Safety & Security Darryl Johnson* H.S. 12 1+ Denotes doctoral candidacy status * Denotes interim appointment. ^ A non-administrative, faculty coordinator position

Since 2010, in light of budget reductions, adjustments have been made to two senior administrative positions. The dean of student development services position has been vacant since January 2010 when the incumbent was named interim vice president for student development services. Duties associated with the position were distributed to others within the Student Development Services (SDS) unit. Although the dean of enrollment services position became vacant in January 2013, it is expected to be refilled during the current academic year.

When the long-term vice president of administrative services transferred to the district office in 2011, the capital projects manager was named to the vice president of administrative services and capital projects manager position on an interim basis. Upon the retirement of the director of facilities, the interim vice president of administrative services assumed the duties of that function and left the director’s position vacant. In order to save resources, responsibilities were apportioned to three senior staff members within the facilities unit who showed professional growth potential and capacity to accept greater responsibilities. The intent of the interim vice president has been to build up the understaffed facility staff through strategic use of resources and the development of existing staff talent.

Other changes have been made to provide greater equity in workload. For example: The Math, Science and Social Science Division was reconfigured with several faculty moved to

the Humanities Division. The faculty-administrator load became more equitable as a result. The college’s previous president had designated the executive dean of workforce education as a

lead on special projects, thereby reducing the time available for the more traditional duties of the position. The current president developed a new revenue-generating department for customized training and transferred the former executive dean onto a non-state account to fill the leadership for that position.

In conjunction with this change, the president authorized a part-time replacement for the workforce dean position. The new part-time workforce dean supports new program development while the new revenue-generating department will produce needed revenue for the college and expand partnerships within various segments of the community.

While these efficiencies have increased the workload somewhat for administrators, steps have been taken to enhance collaborative efforts among administrators, particularly in the area of strategic objectives. For example, administrators in both Instruction and Student Development Services now have joint planning meetings and the Executive Team invited Instructional and Student Development Services deans to the annual E-Team retreat to jointly finalize the strategic measures.

To support its leadership team, the college has focused on providing leadership training to exempt staff, including:

Sponsoring several members of the campus leadership team to participate in the statewide leadership development program called the Washington Educational Leadership Association (WELA)

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Encouraging participation in The Association, a statewide training association for mid-level managers in the community and technical college system

Holding a management team retreat in 2011 that focused on diversity, and from that impetus initiating a Training of Facilitators program to prepare a cadre of employees to conduct cultural competency activities

Supporting administrators and managers to participate in national leadership development programs such as the American Council on Education Fellowship program, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Future Leaders Institute, the AACC “Breaking the Stained Glass Ceiling” project for aspiring community college leaders of color, and the Chair Academy

In fall 2012, enrolling its first cohort of employees (faculty, classified staff, and exempt staff) in a year-long Leadership Development Initiative (LDI) training.

Academic Policies (2.A.12)Faculty and administrators and staff with responsibilities related to academic policies have both written and online access to the different policies:

The Faculty Agreement, Article 6, which addresses teaching, service, scholarship, research, and artistic creation

The district website, Section 500 which lists the instructional policies related to the instructional calendar, instructional programs, district personnel standards, college-awarded credit, and use of human subjects.

Faculty policies are clearly set out in the Faculty Agreement. Evaluation of full- and part-time faculty is clearly communicated in Section 6.10 (full-time faculty), Section 7 (probationary faculty), and Sections 10.7 and 10.8 (part-time faculty). Article 11 (Operational Policies) covers faculty workloads. The library keeps a copy on reserve of the most current Faculty Agreement.

Quarterly new faculty orientations, conducted by the Teaching and Learning Center, communicate academic policies to both part- and full-time faculty, and a quarterly “all faculty” email from the vice president for instruction ensures all faculty are informed of academic policy information. The academic divisions also provide orientations for new faculty. The district’s “Part-time Faculty Handbook” is available on the Teaching and Learning website.

Students have access to pertinent academic policies through the college’s website and in the Student Handbook, an online and printed resource updated annually and distributed the first week of the quarter as well as at all orientations.

Course syllabi include relevant academic policies for students including, grading policy and plagiarism.

Seattle Community College District’s Credit Hour Policy: The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) has defined the credit hour as “…the unit by which an institution measures its course work. The number of credit hours assigned to a course is defined by the number of hours per week in class and the number of hours per week in out of class preparation.” The Seattle Community College District supports this policy, and uses the SBCTC’s rules to establish credit for its course offerings, as follows:

Lecture/discussion: 1:1; one credit hour equals one hour of direct teacher instruction in lecture/discussion per week, and approximately two hours of out-of-class student work (time spent on studying, working on assignments, etc.). For example, a 5-credit course would involve five hours of in-class direct instruction and approximately 10 hours of additional work by students outside of the classroom per week.

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Laboratory/applied learning: 2:1; one credit hour equals two hours of laboratory work per week under the supervision of the instructor and approximately one additional hour for out-of-class student work on assignments.

Work site educational experience: 3:1; one credit hour equals three hours of work under the intermittent supervision of the instructor, and includes working with professional practitioners; includes a required one-hour-per-week seminar or discussion group activity.

Library and Information Resources Policies (2.A.13)The policies and guidelines for the use of the library and information resources are available in print and on the library’s website. The different policies, guidelines, and enforcement actions are reviewed regularly at staff meetings as well as at district quarterly meetings and are updated as needed. Collection development policies related to library and its media services and copyright receive regular review.

Through a collaborative effort of the librarians from the district’s three campuses, the three vice presidents for instruction, and the district’s chief financial officer, the Seattle Community College District now has a district-wide Copyright Policy (395). The library provides overall direction and support to students, faculty, staff, and administrators regarding copyright use.

Transfer-of-Credit Policy (2.A.14) Students within the community and technical college system of Washington State are supported in multiple ways to facilitate their mobility between institutions of higher education. These policies and procedures follow a clearly-stated transfer-of-credit policy and are widely published, including the following resources:

The State Board for Community and Technical colleges’ website provides a detailed overview and history of transfer within Washington State, including:

Common course numbering Inter-college Reciprocity Policy , designed to assist students in transferring courses between

community or technical colleges within Washington State Prior Learning Assessment of Credit The “Washington 45” , a list of selected general education courses students can transfer and apply

for a maximum of 45 quarter credits toward the general education requirement(s) at any other public and most private higher education institutions in the Washington State.

At North Seattle, students can find information about the transfer-of-credit policy in various locations: The Credentials page of the college’s website outlines the formal and informal requirements for

students wishing to apply credits towards a degree, certificate, or prerequisites. The Student Handbook, page 8, informs students of how to obtain a transfer credit evaluation. The district Catalog, pages 10 (“Transfer Policy and Processes” including the Reciprocity

Agreement) and 42 (“Transferring Credits from Other Colleges”).

Students’ Rights and Responsibilities (2.A.15)Students can access the policies and procedures relating to their rights and responsibilities in multiple places and in both online and print formats:

Seattle Community College Districto The district website lists 19 policies in Section 300 relate to student services, including

academic honesty (Policy 375; WAC 132F-121-110); appeals and grievances (Policy 370, Procedure 370); and accommodations for persons with disabilities (Policy 387).

o Also included are web pages for current students entitled “Student Right-to Know/Rules” and “Students w/ Disabilities.”

North Seattle Community College

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o The college website provides a web page for an overview of the different policies affecting students.

o A college web page covers the appeals policy for students taking the English and math placement tests.

o The college web page covers the Disabilities Services Policy.o The college web page covers student conduct, including academic honesty.o North Seattle Community College Student Handbook, which is updated annually, is

distributed the first week of the quarter as well as at all student orientations. o The handbook covers students’ rights, responsibilities, and procedures for the appeals

process.

Admission and Placement Policies (2.A.16)The college’s quarterly class schedule, both online and in print, guides students through the admission and placement policies and processes.

Current information relating to admission, placement, appeals, and readmission policies for students is widely published through multiple venues, both print and online:

The district’s biennial Catalog (available online and in print) provides admission, placement, and readmission information.

District Policies 305 and 306 provide students with information related to admission and testing policies.

The college’s quarterly class schedule (available online and in print) provides entering students with admission and placement information.

The college’s website lists Admissions and Placement Policies . The college’s website covers the Student Conduct policies (including links to District Policy 375

(“Student Conduct”), SCCD 375 Procedure , and the Washington Administrative Code 132F-121 . The college’s web page delineates the “Steps to Admissions and Enrollment” for entering

students. The Student Handbook covers student conduct, misconduct and the various disciplinary actions.

Co-Curricular Activities (2.A.17)District Policy 360 and Procedure 360.01-40 cover student leadership programs and co-curricular activities. The district’s “Student Right-to-Know” web page refers students to the state’s current Washington Administrative Code (WAC 132F-121) that lists official student policies and procedures applicable to all students in the Seattle Community College District. Section 132F-121-040 covers journalistic freedom and responsibility. At this time, the college does not have a student newspaper, although some students contribute to the New City Collegian, an independent, volunteer-run news blog covering the Seattle Community College District and surrounding communities from a student perspective.

The Student Handbook, pages 13-15, encourages student participation in the college’s co-curricular activities including the Art Gallery, Phi Theta Kappa Honorary Society, Stage One Theatre, Student Leadership & Multicultural Programs, and Licton Springs Review, and includes a website link for each club or activity. Human Resources Policies and Procedures (2.A.18)The district’s website lists the human resources policies and procedures, Section 400, that pertain to all employees in the district. The college’s website lists the federal, state, and other policies and procedures that pertain to all employees, including student workers. In addition, the college has two collective bargaining agreements with its employees (faculty and classified staff) that are accessible online.

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These policies and procedures are regularly reviewed, updated, and maintained by the district following the criteria of consistency, fairness, and equitability for employees and students. Section 400 contains 44 policies, covering ethical conduct, leaves, work schedules, pay scales and salary schedules, employee performance evaluation, transfer/lateral movement/voluntary demotion, reasonable accommodation, work environment, and staff development. Rights and responsibilities are specified in the respective bargaining agreements for faculty and classified staff. Policy 409 states that all employees are evaluated on a regular basis. Performance evaluation processes and forms for faculty, classified staff, and exempt staff are provided in the district Intranet.

Policy and procedures 400 have been regularly reviewed since 2007 and revised as needed. The Washington Federation of State Employees contract has been renegotiated twice since 2007 with training provided to members and managers/supervisors. The Faculty Agreement 2007-2010 was carried forward by mutual agreement. Current negotiations for the next faculty contract began in February 2012 and are ongoing as of March 2013.

Employee Rights (2.A.19)Job descriptions for all employees are stored electronically in NEO GOV, the college’s new online recruiting software. With the implementation of NEO GOV, this process is rapidly migrating to an online record for each employee. NEO GOV has been in use since 2011.

Employee rights and responsibilities for evaluation and termination are covered in district policy Section 400 and viewable on the district’s website. Criteria for promotion are developed and promotions managed at the level in the college appropriate for the position. Classified employees are managed per the collective bargaining agreement, and exempt employees, per district and state policies.In addition, both the college and district are making significant improvement to their new employee orientation programs. The new faculty orientation program offered each quarter to all new part- and full-time faculty has been well received with positive evaluations by attendees. The college is just beginning to implement a somewhat customized campus new employee orientation at the college level to welcome new classified and exempt employees and get them started successfully.

All new permanent employees are required to attend a new employee orientation at the district. Another significant improvement is that all new employees are now “on boarded” through the college’s human resource office. Initially this means they are entered directly into the payroll, benefits, and appropriate computer systems without the delay of sending paperwork to the district office. This also means that time-sensitive material is more readily available to the employee.

The college has made considerable progress to improve both the quality and timeliness of performance evaluations for all exempt and classified employees. The district is implementing an online performance evaluation tool to track timeliness and to serve as a platform for improved evaluation formats. Management is discussing performance evaluation and management with the faculty union as part of negotiations currently in process.

Security of HR Records (2.A.20)The official personnel file for each employee is maintained at the district human resources office. Paper payroll and personnel files are maintained in locked files. Computerized files are password protected with limited access to designated college and district personnel. When it is necessary for purposes of employee safety to maintain employee medical information, those files are secured at the college by the

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human resource administrator in a padlocked file cabinet accessible only to the administrator and a confidential administrative assistant.

The institution ensures the security and appropriate confidentiality of human resources records by following the provisions of state law described in RCW 42.56.590, which requires public notice whenever personal information in the form of social security numbers, driver’s licenses, and account numbers are breached.

Clear and Accurate Representation (2.A.21)The district Catalog is updated every two years with opportunity for checking accuracy by all college departments and programs. The production of the quarterly class schedule provides the opportunity for regular departmental review relative to enrollment, registration and student/campus services, and for instructors to review and update course descriptions prior to publication in print and online each quarter.

All external publications (rack cards, brochures, flyers, miscellaneous postcards) and advertisements are reviewed/approved (and most often produced) by the Marketing/Public Relations office, guaranteeing the accuracy, consistency, and appropriateness of material disseminated to the public.

Web content is updated by the web team content managers (marketing and IT staff members), who prompt departmental stakeholders to supply revised information. There is rapid turnaround on web updates and corrections, but also careful adherence to guidelines regarding Curriculum and Academic Standards (CAS) Committee and district approval before posting. Web team members are in regular dialogue with and responsive to campus stakeholders to assure that information is accurate and accessible via appropriate web pages.

Currently enrolled and applied-but-not-enrolled students receive periodic broadcast email messages to inform those individuals of upcoming registration information, graduation deadlines, advising issues, and so forth. Inquirers and prospective students who have applied but not enrolled also receive quarterly print schedules in the mail.

The North Star newsletter, periodically updating the public on the college’s accomplishments and activities, is mailed to 25,000 households in the north Seattle area and emailed to donors, Technical Advisory Committee members, and to community leaders and contacts on the development/president’s office lists. Combined annually with The North Star is the annual report for the Education Fund with donor report and news of the fund’s activities.

The North Seattle Community College Facebook pages carry announcements of events and college-related news for a mostly-student audience, with a total weekly reach of more than 3,400 viewers. The district website also provides district wide tools, resources, and policies viewable by students and the public.

High Ethical Standards (2.A.22)As a member of Seattle Community College District VI, North Seattle operates within the framework of the board policies and procedures that outline ethical standards and expectations for board members, faculty, staff, administrators, and students. These documents are communicated to students, the general public, and external organizations through the district’s public website and to employees on the district’s intranet site, a password protected website.

The Seattle Community College District (district) policies prescribe ethical standards of behavior for trustees, employees, and students:

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Trustees : District Policy 131 (“Code of Ethics for the Board of Trustees”) outlines board members’ moral and ethical responsibility to discharge their functions impartially and to vote with “honest conviction” on the basis of “all available facts.” It provides guidelines for holding closed (executive) sessions and describes the board members’ responsibility to keep the community informed about the colleges. The policy grounds the legal authority of the board in state law (RCW 28B.50.100), and clearly states that the “primary function of the board is to establish policies,” while delegating district operational responsibility to the chancellor and college staff. This policy was reviewed and amended in 2008.

Employees : The district policy for all employees regarding ethical conduct and conflict of interest standards is Policy 400.10 – 400.80. The policy addresses issues such as gifts and confidential information. Annual training is provided on ethics and the mandatory employee orientation also addresses this topic. Policy 404 asserts the college’s commitment to affirmative action. Policy 419 addresses sexual harassment. Policy 451 asserts that workplace violence or a hostile work environment will not be tolerated and requires that employees adhere to practices that are designed to make the workplace safe and secure. Policy 259 makes clear that electronic resources are the property of the district and should be used “only in a manner that supports the education mission of the district.”

Faculty : A number of these policies are available for faculty and are included in a printed and online document entitled Faculty Handbook, which requires a SCCD log-in to access. This handbook also contain policies prohibiting software piracy, protecting indoor air quality, and a hazard communication policy promising information and training regarding hazardous chemicals to employees who may contact such chemicals in the performance of their duties.

Students : The college’s position regarding academic dishonesty, falsification of statements, forgery, and other matters of student behavior is delineated in the student conduct and student misconduct sections of the college’s Student Handbook and provides links for students to view the different state laws. The Student Handbook also provides information on academic standards, indoor air quality, sexual harassment, smoking, and a student’s right to privacy under FERPA regulations. The handbook is widely distributed, free of charge, to students at the beginning of each quarter and is available in the college bookstore and student activities office. It is also available on the North Seattle website. The handbook is revised and updated annually and is frequently referenced by faculty, staff, and administrators in their interactions with students. Academic policy information is also communicated by broadcast email messages and frequently through the course syllabi.

Three policies govern the use of students as human subjects for research purposes. Policy 390 requires prior approval from the appropriate administrator for such research and asserts students’ right to choose not to participate. Policy 530 acknowledges the district’s “responsibility for protecting the rights, well-being, and personal privacy of individuals . . . where learning by students requires the use of human subjects as part of demonstrations or experiments.” The college’s Human Subjects Review Committee web page spells out in greater detail the conditions under which research involving students can be conducted and the results disseminated and students’ right to refuse or discontinue participation at any time.

North Seattle ethically and responsibly manages student and employee data. Employees are granted access to student data only if such access is required by their position and only after receiving training regarding the requirements of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects the confidentiality of student information. Each quarter, all employees receive a summary reminder of these regulations in an e-mail message from the vice president for student development services.

The processes for faculty, staff and student complaints and grievances are covered in the Faculty Agreement (Article 6.2 and Article 15.1-12), the classified staff agreement (Article 5.12), and the Student Handbook (“formal grade complaints”).

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Conflict of Interest Policy (2.A.23)Board Policy 103 mandates that “no trustee may be an employee of the community college system” or serve on the board of other educational institutions or be an elected official. Policy 131, the code of ethics for the board of trustees, includes this statement:

As member of the Board of Trustees…I recognize that [I must] avoid every temptation and outside pressure to use my position as a member of the board to benefit either myself or any other individual or agency apart from the total interest of the district.

Board Policy 152 requires that the board, when tendering and accepting gifts, refuse those that involve “any real or implied obligations derived from the acceptance of a gift and possible conflicts of interests which may result.”

District Policy 400 prohibits conflict of interest on the part of district employees. District Policy 410 defines conditions allowing employment of relatives (only when they are determined to be the best candidate) and prohibiting an employee being supervised by a relative.

Intellectual Property Policies (2.A.24)The 2007-2010 Faculty Agreement , page 53, contains clearly defined policies with respect to ownership, copyright, control, compensation, and revenue derived from the creation and production of intellectual property:

Instructional materials developed under grants, stipends, or other college or District funds, such as staff support or specialized equipment or software (not including faculty office computers), from the District and/or college by faculty for courses offered in the District shall become the property of the District for District-wide use. The District and individual faculty shall negotiate a development contract describing compensation and ownership conditions before development work begins. The right to retain, release, sell, lease, copyright, or loan the material for other purposes is subject to negotiation between the District and the faculty which will result in an individual written agreement prior to use. Instructional material not created under grants, stipends, or other District funds nor with the use of institutional resources such as staff support or specialized equipment or software (this does not include faculty office computers) from the District and/or college by faculty for courses offered in the District remain the property of the faculty. This section is subject to applicable statutes as now or hereafter amended. (Article 13.4)

The Seattle Community College District has a copyright policy which can be found on its website, in the online Faculty Handbook, page 13, and on the Teaching and Learning Center website. All copiers in faculty work rooms have a statement related to copyright policies.

Accreditation Status (2.A.25; Eligibility Requirement 20) The Seattle Community College District Catalog, page 2, accurately reflects the college’s accreditation status using the language supplied by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities:

The Seattle Community Colleges are public state supported institutions, individually accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the US Department of Education.

The Catalog also presents the accreditation status of specialized programs as appropriate including Medical Assisting, LPN-RN Ladder program, LPN & LPN-RN Ladder, Pharmacy Technician, Emergency Medical Technician, and Nursing Assistant-Certified.

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Contractual Agreements (2.A.26) Contract training at the college has historically been delivered through Continuing Education. Due to the growing volume of grant and customized training opportunities, this function has been shifted to the Office of Grants, Contracts & Customized Training. The scope of work delivered by this office is consistent with the mission, goals and academic standards of the college in that it builds community and is a source of alternative revenue. Grant, contracts, and customized training adheres to all policies and procedures in place at the college with the fiscal activity reviewed by the Business Office and course/program work reviewed by the Curriculum and Academic Standards (CAS) Committee.

If the curriculum used for customized training bears college credit, it goes through the same process as all credit curricula, reviewed and approved by the appropriate instructional department and division, the Curriculum and Academic Standards (CAS) Committee, and the vice president for instruction. If the curriculum used for customized training does not bear college credit, it is reviewed and approved by the appropriate instructional division whenever it is feasible to do so, and by the executive dean of grants, contracts and customized training.

Whenever possible, customized training is delivered by full-time and part-time faculty affiliated with the various instructional divisions within the college. If the program involves content that is either outside the scope of what is normally offered by the instructional divisions, or if full- or part-time faculty are not available, the executive dean of customized training determines whether the training is for college credit or not. If the training is offered for college credit, the credentials of the proposed instructor are reviewed and approved by the instructional division and the vice president for instruction. If the training is not for college credit, the executive dean of customized training validates the credentials of the person delivering training to ensure their alignment with the desired training.

Grant, contract, and customized training activities comply with the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation in that the primary purpose of all training is educational. The college maintains sole and direct control of the educational process. A contract is executed by the college that includes a well-defined scope of work and a timeline clearly establishing the responsibilities of all parties and contains enrollment and tuition policies as well as student recruitment guidelines.

Academic Freedom Policies (2.A.27; Eligibility Requirement 15) Faculty and the district administration are mutually committed to academic freedom as written in Article 6.9 of the negotiated Faculty Agreement. This article, entitled “Academic Freedom and Faculty Rights,” includes a statement noting that “Academic Freedom implies not only the unconditional freedom of discussion in the classroom, but also the absence of the restriction upon the faculty’s teaching method.” The article’s provision precludes “restraints, other than those required by the curriculum,” being placed on academic employees, censorship of library collections, and requirement of academic employees to join or refrain from joining any organization as a condition of employment or retention. The article also discusses the academic employees’ rights as citizens, the freedom of petition or silence, and the right to organize.

Student Academic Freedom (2.A.28)Students’ academic freedom is covered under district Policy 365, “Students’ Rights, Freedoms & Responsibilities” and is protected by Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 132F-121-020. The law states that “freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom.”

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The college’s commitment to the expression of opinions and exchange of ideas is also reflected in its stated value of diversity in its Strategic Plan, “We create a richer environment by embracing different cultures, ideas, perspectives and people.”

Accurate, Fair and Objective Scholarship (2.A.29; Eligibility Requirement 15)The spirit of academic freedom and respecting faculty rights is essential to the college’s mission and to its core theme of Excelling in Teaching and Learning. The Faculty Agreement, Article 6.9, covers classroom freedom, constitutional freedom, freedom of association, freedom of petition and silence, the right to organize, and library collection.

All members of the college community are expected to adhere to the provisions of the United States copyright law and to take responsibility for copyright compliance. Faculty and staff are informed of the copyright law through workshops and orientations for new faculty and postings near the copy machines. After comprehensive study and review, the district has adopted a district-wide Copyright Policy 395, which is available on the district’s website. It is also posted on the college library webpage.

Clearly-Defined Financial Policies (2.A.30)The college’s financial policies and procedures are listed on the district’s website, Section 600, and cover allocation and management of resources, financial records, cash control, student fees, accounting, purchasing, equipment inventory, reserve, grants and contracts, travel, internal control, and other related policies required by the state’s community and technical college system.

The three college presidents and the chancellor of the Seattle Community College District report quarterly to the Board of Trustees about the financial conditions of the district and its colleges. The district’s business and finance office submits monthly financial reports to the board.

The financial functions are centralized at the district level under the chief financial officer, with authorization for financial functions at the college level as appropriate.

Standard 2.B Human Resources

Staff Qualifications (2.B.1)As is true of community colleges throughout the state, North Seattle has faced budget challenges in recent years, one result of which has been to reduce staffing levels in several areas. Reductions have come not from layoffs, but rather from early retirement incentives and from leaving several vacant positions unfilled. Examples include full-time faculty, student services personnel, and facilities staff. The impact is feeling “stretched thin” in several areas. Through a combination of approaches—prioritizing work, realigning assignments, cross-training staff, using temporary funding to fill some positions, accessing non-state dollars to address needs, developing existing staff talent, and other efficiency strategies—the college has been able to carry out essential operations and continue to fulfill its mission.

Specific personnel policies and procedures are in place to ensure that the selection of each category of employees is conducted objectively and fairly to hire the most qualified persons. Job descriptions with clear duties, responsibilities, and authority as well as other related information, such as supplemental tests and application evaluation criteria, are reviewed by both the college’s human resources office and the district’s human resources office prior to issuing public job announcements. Administrators and staff review and update job descriptions as needed as a part of the regular evaluation process.

Recently the college began an effort to ensure that the new employee search process includes training for search committee members with regard to diversity and cultural competency. This process includes

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reviewing all job announcements to ensure that minimum qualifications and other requirements reflect our commitment to attracting culturally competent employees for all positions and that they do not serve as a barrier to candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Administrative and Staff Evaluation (2.B.2)Exempt and classified staff are evaluated regularly with regard to performance of work duties and responsibilities. Seattle Community College District Board Policy 409 requires regular evaluation of all employees. Performance evaluation processes and forms for faculty, classified staff, and exempt staff are provided in the district’s online Intranet (password protected). Administrative, managerial/professional, and classified staff are evaluated annually. The frequency of faculty evaluations depends on employment status. For example, tenure-track faculty are evaluated quarterly and post-tenure, and priority-hire faculty are typically evaluated every three years (see also Standard 2.B.5).

The college has made considerable progress to improve both the quality and timeliness of performance evaluations for all exempt and classified employees. The district implemented the NEO GOV performance evaluation module Summer 2012 to track timeliness and to serve as a platform for improved evaluation formats.

Professional Development (2.B.3)The college provides various professional development opportunities for its employees. For internal professional training, the college offers regular information technology training to faculty and staff. A key source of this training is through the college’s Teaching and Learning Center (TLC), where both full- and part-time professional staff receive training support. The eLearning Office provides support and training for faculty to deliver and enhance instructional pedagogies through technology such as Angel, Tegrity, and Quality Matters. The Classified Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) provides training for classified staff through annual retreats and workshops. The District Faculty Development office provides internal professional development workshops and funding for attending external professional conferences and meetings. The college also has a full-time faculty member on partial release time to support faculty development for North Seattle faculty. Funding for these activates comes through a number of sources such as the college’s Educational Fund, technology fee grants, departmental training funds, and grants.

In January 2012, the chancellor and chief human resources officer initiated a district-wide Leadership Academy for exempt employees. The first of these academies was offered at North Seattle in January 2012 with a second session in August 2012. Plans are being developed for sessions in spring and fall quarters 2013.

In fall quarter 2012, building on the experience of the district-wide program for exempt staff, President Mitsui initiated a leadership program exclusively for North Seattle’s employees and open to all employee groups: classified, faculty, and exempt alike. The intent of the program is to provide leadership and management skills to a cohort of classified, faculty, and exempt employees who either have self-identified as interested in management/leadership roles in the college or who have been referred by a college vice president.

North Seattle Community College’s “Leadership Development Initiative” (LDI) enrolled its first cohort of 40 participants for a program that began in November 2012 and extends through June 30, 2013. The first cohort includes classified staff (54%), full- and part-time faculty (23%), and exempt/managerial personnel (23%). The series addresses important leadership topics/skills, including leadership and management, the supervisory relationship, problem solving, change management, and professional development.

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Another significant professional development initiative is in the area of training for cultural competency. The college’s Office of Diversity & Retention works in collaboration with the Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) to provide professional development trainings, workshops, and events focused on increasing cultural competency with the intent of fostering a welcoming campus climate, promoting diversity awareness and cross-cultural respect, and working to decrease achievement disparities within the college’s student population. To this end, in 2011 the college initiated the “Training of Facilitators” (TOF) to develop a cadre of employees with skills in facilitating diversity awareness, forging strong cross-cultural relationships, and promoting opportunities for respectful dialogue and collaborative problem-solving across campus.

In addition to TOF, the Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) provides quarterly diversity trainings and workshops in a variety of formats for all faculty and staff. Ongoing workshops include quarterly DAC-sponsored campus-wide book reads, “courageous conversations” discussion groups, and a yearly diversity speakers’ series offered through the Student Leadership Department. Furthermore, the college’s Office of Diversity & Retention, in collaboration with the Women's Center, provides awareness, inclusion, and cultural competency with respect to serving the LGBT and other diverse student populations.

Faculty Qualifications (2.B.4; Eligibility Requirement 10)In Fall 2012, North Seattle Community College employed 78 full-time tenure-track faculty and 251 part-time faculty members, each with the appropriate qualifications to meet the college’s instructional obligations. Faculty members, through involvement on committees and the program review process, provide important contributions to academic planning, curricular development and revision, student support services, and institutional governance.

Regarding qualifications of faculty, the 2012-14 Seattle Community College District Catalog lists terminal degrees of 164 full-time and priority-hire faculty* showing approximately 83 percent of the faculty have the credentials of doctoral, JD, or master’s degrees.

Terminal Degrees of Full-Time Tenured and Priority Hire FacultyTerminal Degree Number PercentageDoctoral 31 19%Master 105 64%Bachelor 19 12%Professional Certificates 9 5%Total 164 100%

*Priority-hire faculty are those faculty who have been employed at an average of 50% time or more for nine of the last twelve quarters, excluding summer quarter, and who have received satisfactory evaluations (Section10.7, Faculty Agreement).

Although the number of full-time faculty has diminished since the 2007 Self Study, the existing full-time faculty remains committed to the college’s mission and are highly active in college and district initiatives. Faculty, both full- and part-time, continue to be involved in committees and initiatives that cut across all areas of college life, leading to greater effectiveness in the academic life of the college as these areas are all carefully integrated.

The president, vice president for instruction, and other members of the Executive Team are in agreement that rebuilding the ranks of the full-time faculty is a high priority. To that end, the vice president and instructional deans developed a prioritized list of seven full-time faculty positions to be funded during the winter-spring 2013 budget process, for hiring effective Fall Quarter 2013. If future funding allows, the college expects to add additional full-time positions over the next several years.

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Faculty Workload and Responsibilities (2.B.5)Faculty members, through involvement on committees and including the program review process, provide important contributions to academic planning, curricular development and revision, student support services, and institutional governance. Faculty workloads are established through a negotiated Faculty Agreement (Article 11) between the Seattle Community College Board of Trustees and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Seattle Community Colleges that support the college’s mission including:

an instructional year of 165 instructional days and seven non-instructional days totaling 172 annual work days

a weekly teaching workload ranging from 15 hours for general lecture; 18-25 hours for programs that require labs; 20 hours for special programs (for example, ABE and ESL), and 30 hours for counselors and librarians

office hours of up to five hours per week depending on weekly contact hours.

Section 6.8 in the Faculty Agreement covers faculty’s professional obligations for all faculty and specific additional obligations for full-time faculty. Section 6.9 in the Faculty Agreement covers faculty rights. The college’s Faculty Senate works in collaboration with administration to ensure active faculty membership on all of the college’s standing committees.

Faculty Evaluation (2.B.6)All faculty are evaluated in a regular systematic, substantive, and collegial manner at least once within every three-year period of service. The Faculty Agreement outlines the evaluation process for all groups of faculty including timelines and instruments to be used by the administration. In addition to the scheduled evaluations, the Faculty Agreement describes, through a “Performance Review” process, the ways in which concerns can be addressed between regularly scheduled evaluations. In all of these evaluations, professional improvement plans are encouraged and often required when concerns arise in the faculty’s performance. The professional improvement plans are developed in concert with the faculty and administration, and serve to address the specific areas of concern.

More specifically, the systematic evaluative processes differ by groups of faculty. As mentioned above, the detailed processes below are described in varying detail in the Faculty Agreement.

For full-time tenure-track faculty (pages 32-37): This process is the most completely described of the evaluative processes in the Faculty Agreement, and will briefly be described here. Once a new full-time tenure-track faculty member has been hired, a tenure review committee is created to help and evaluate the faculty probationer through the three year tenure process. The committee is composed of three faculty peers, one student and the unit administrator all as voting members. The extensive process includes quarterly meetings in which the committee and probationer review the results of classroom observations by all committee members, the student evaluations for all classes, and the probationer’s development plan. Each year, the committee members vote to continue the process or not, and ultimately the probationer is recommended to the vice president for instruction, president, chancellor, and Board of Trustees.

For post-tenure full-time faculty (page 29): Student evaluations are conducted for each class taught, and the results of one of those are submitted directly to the unit administrator for review. Additionally, every three years, there is a comprehensive administrative evaluation of the faculty member. This evaluation includes a review of student evaluations, a classroom observation, and review of the faculty member’s other professional obligations as defined by the Faculty Agreement. Any concerns or issues that are raised by this evaluative process may involve either the vice president for instruction or the formation of a performance review process as defined by the Faculty Agreement.

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For part-time faculty, not on the priority-hire list (pages 103-104): Part-time faculty not on the priority-hire list conduct student evaluations for each class they teach. After the results are compiled, the student evaluations are returned directly to the unit administrator who reviews them and responds directly to the individual part-time faculty member with summative comments. It is also “the intent of the administration to conduct evaluations of non-priority faculty as early as possible” (p. 103 of the Faculty Agreement). This typically involves a classroom observation with the results discussed between the Unit Administrator and the individual Faculty member.

As a part-time faculty member approaches the seventh quarter of employment, the unit administrator conducts a more formal evaluation which includes another classroom observation. The purpose of this evaluation is in part to determine if the faculty member will be allowed to continue teaching and potentially become a priority-hire part-time faculty as defined by the Faculty Agreement.

For priority-hire part-time faculty (pages 43-45): Part-time faculty who have attained priority-hire status will continue to conduct student evaluations for each class that they teach. One set of these student evaluations will be returned directly to the unit administrator upon compilation of the results. The unit administrator reviews the student evaluations and returns them along with summative comments to the individual faculty member. In the event of unsatisfactory student evaluations or for other evaluative reasons, a performance review process may be established for any priority-hire faculty member as well as a professional development plan if applicable.

2.C Education Resources

Appropriate Academic Content and Rigor (2.C.1)The college fulfills its mission of Changing Lives through Education through its educational degrees and certificates, which include six transfer degrees, 20 professional-technical degrees, and over 60 certificate programs. North Seattle’s three core themes—Advancing Student Success, Excelling in Teaching and Learning, and Building Community—offer a framework to ensure that programs have appropriate rigor and content with each core theme having identified benchmarks, measurable goals, and indicators (see Chapter One).

The Curriculum and Academic Standards (CAS) Committee reviews all course offerings for content and rigor and makes recommendations to the vice president for instruction. There are subcommittees of CAS that focus on special course areas such as eLearning, Global Studies, U.S. Cultures, Qualitative and Symbolic Reasoning, and Integrated Studies. All CAS subcommittees work closely with the faculty to ensure academic rigor of course content before submitting to CAS for final review.

In 2009, the college adopted a set of Essential Learning Outcomes (ELOs) that identify institutional learning outcomes that pertain to instructional programs taken as a whole. The ELOs represent a revision of General Education Learning Outcomes that the faculty had originally developed and adopted in the early 1990’s. Modeled on work led by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the ELO’s identify essential learning that will prepare students “for twenty-first-century challenges.”

In addition to the overarching ELOs, each instructional degree and certificate program has identified program-specific learning outcomes (program learning outcomes, or PLOs). Beyond this, within the college transfer components of the curriculum, outcomes have also been identified for disciplines (e.g. history, chemistry) or for clusters of related disciplines (e.g. life sciences such as biology, health, and nutrition; or behavioral sciences such as sociology and psychology, etc.). The Program Review Process, recently revised to parallel the seven year accreditation cycle, provides program faculty a structure and a

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process to ensure that their program is aligned with the college’s mission, that it assesses students’ achievement of student learning outcomes, and that it leads to collegiate-level degrees and certificates.

In the college’s professional-technical programs, Technical Advisory Committees (TAC) provide feedback regarding the content and rigor of the programs related to job skills training and employment requirements.

Course, Program and Degree Learning Outcomes (2.C.2)Beyond the broad Essential Learning Outcomes, the college also identifies learning outcomes for individual courses, and for programs or degrees. Course-level outcomes and ELOs are listed in each course’s Master Course Outline (MCO) which is on-file within each instructional division and in a central online database maintained by the district office. They are included in course syllabi distributed to students at the first class session.

Outcomes for each degree and certificate program are posted online through the college’s website. Outcomes have also been identified for groupings of transfer courses (“areas of study” such as biology, chemistry, history, social science, English, math, etc.) which are part of the distribution requirements transfer degrees. These too are posted on the college website under instructional programs. In a 2011-12 revision of the Master Course Outline form, a section was added for identifying relevant program-level outcomes, complementing the sections that were already in place for identifying course-level and institution-level outcomes that the course addresses.

Awarding Credit and Degrees (2.C.3)District policy 515, available on the district’s website, specifies the different ways that a student may be awarded college credit:

as a result of successful completion of prescribed courses or units of instruction approved transfer of credit from another regionally accredited college or university recognized

international college or university, or post-secondary institution adequate performance on a challenge exam or standardized advanced placement exam relevant prior experiential learning (work experience) other recognized educational experience such as military training or training approved by the

state, industry, or a professional association.

The policy states that there is an upper limit of approved transfer credits (75 credits) of a 90 credit degree as long as residency and degree requirements are met. Completion of the Associate of Arts degree requires earning 90 credits of college-level courses (numbered 100 or greater) with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better, including grades transferred from other colleges. At least 15 credits from courses numbered 100 or greater must be earned from North Seattle Community College.

In November 2012, the NWCCU expanded Standard Two to include a requirement that colleges adopt a credit hour policy in compliance with the federal definition as promulgated July 1, 2011. Historically, the college has followed the State Board’s credit hour policy which itself complies with the federal definition. In response to NWCCU’s directive, the college has drafted a credit hour policy that mirrors that of the State Board, NWCCU and the federal government. The policy will be presented to the Board of Trustees for their approval in late March 2013. A copy of the proposed policy is included as Appendix 8. (See related discussion in Standard 2.A.12.)

Student orientation sessions include an explanation of what constitutes a “credit hour,” including the number of hours per week spent in-class and the number spent in out-of-class study and preparation. Many course syllabi convey the same information. When new courses are established, the Curriculum

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and Academic Standards Committee ensures the correct credit-hour-to-clock-hour ratio as part of its approval process.

Degree Programs (2.C.4; Eligibility Requirement 11)Degrees are based on a combination of the requirements for transfer and/or success in the workforce, and reflect the major knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to excel in the field of study. Degree content is designed by subject-matter experts and is approved by the Curriculum and Academic Standards Committee. Professional-technical programs are further reviewed by professional in the field and approved by the SBCTC.

The college offers these transfer degrees: Associate of Arts Degree Associate of Science Degrees (General, Option 1, and Option 2) Associate of Business Degree Associate of Fine Arts Degree in Art that is accepted by The Evergreen State College and some

other colleges with transfer agreements similar to those of the AA degree.

In terms of professional-technical curricula, twenty Associate of Applied Science Degree s are offered, along with 61 certificates.

All degree programs meet the standards of both North Seattle Community College and the guidelines of the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, and other educational partners. The college’s degree programs have received attention in several ways:

The college has continued to maintain the course equivalency process or successful employment in its degrees, including responding to adaptations in transfer rules or input from the Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) and industry employers.

Faculty and administration have refined both the entrance and completion requirements in the degree programs when necessary.

The entrance and graduation requirements for all degree programs are published in the district’s catalog and on the college’s website, including specialized programs like the Watch Technology program and Running Start.

Additionally, North Seattle has developed its Essential Learning Outcomes (ELOs) which are a rethinking and reframing of “General Education Outcomes” first developed in the early 1990’s. The ELOs are now a part of all degree programs and have been incorporated into the college at all levels.

Three programs have external accreditations: Medical Assisting , is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education

Programs (CAAHEP). Nursing is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). Pharmacy Technician is accredited by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists

(ASHP).

These bodies review the existing curriculum to ensure that the programs maintain curricula of appropriate scale and scope against standards for the professions. The faculty regularly engages with these organizations to stay current in their fields and appropriately amend the curricula.

Admission to all instructional programs and graduation requirements are clearly defined and published in the district Catalog (admission page 30; graduation page 40) and on the college’s degree and certificate web pages.

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Faculty Responsibilities for Curriculum, Faculty Selection and Assessing Learning Outcomes (2.C.5)Faculty are the originators and authors of all curricula and thereby exercise a major role in the design, approval, implementation, and revision of all courses and programs of study. Newly designed courses are developed by the appropriate faculty and then submitted to their division for review and revision as needed. Once division approval has been received, the course and/or program of study is submitted to the Curriculum and Academic Standards (CAS) Committee for review. When appropriate, additional input and approval is sought first from the various subcommittees of CAS (for example, eLearning) and Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) for professional-technical programs.

Articles 6.5a and 6.5b in the Faculty Agreement cover the significant involvement of full-time faculty in the selection of their full-time faculty peers, including being “involved in the development of the job description, screening criteria, and the selection process.” Faculty coordinators work with their deans to hire part-time faculty.

Teaching faculty are involved, both individually and collectively, in the assessment of student achievement of course, program, and institution-wide learning outcomes through various methods:

Assessment Loop Forms: each year, each faculty member documents one instance of using evidence of student learning to guide a course-level modification, and then assessing the impact of that modification on subsequent student learning. In most cases, this is an assessment that each faculty member completes individually.

There are several ways in which faculty work collectively to assess student learning. Collective assessment projects are termed “Faculty Inquiry Groups” (FIGs) and as described in our Focused Interim Report of April 2010, involve faculty groups of any size holding “focused conversations involving inquiry and reflection upon student learning . . . describing what is happening in the learning of our students, reflecting upon what it means, documenting changes in practice, and assessing the impact of those changes.”

o Classroom Assessment FIGs: This occurs when groups of faculty who teach the same course collectively investigate learning within that course and make revisions accordingly.

o Program Review FIGs: The newly revised program review process requires that departmental faculty collectively design and implement an assessment of a program learning outcome or of an ELO taught in common across classes in the program.

o Essential Learning Outcome FIGs: Each year, faculty who teach a common Essential Learning Outcome conduct an assessment of that outcome and develop a set of findings and recommendations based on that assessment.

Integration of Library and Information Resources into Curriculum (2.C.6)Information literacy is now an Essential Learning Outcome which supports communication between discipline faculty and faculty librarians for course resources such as books, media, and other resource purchases.

Faculty integrate research and information literacy into their courses and work closely with library faculty who provide students with research assistance, subject guides, and useful resources for specific classes through an online research tool called LibGuides. Currently the college offers six classes focusing on information literacy and the research process. These classes include:

INFO101 Ethics in the Digital World LIB101 Introduction to Information Resources LIB140 Internet Information Resources LIB150 Research in the Electronic Environment

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LIB180 Research for the 21st Century SSC101 Introduction to Information Resources for the Social Sciences

In recent years, reductions in the number of librarians have limited the number of times these classes have been offered.

Library faculty are assigned as “liaisons” to specific divisions to ensure better communication about the need for specific and timely information resources for students. To ensure that library faculty are notified of a new class and given sufficient time to purchase any materials needed by the instructor, a librarian’s signature is required on the Course Transmittal Form, the form used by faculty when creating a new course.

Credit for Prior Experiential Learning (2.C.7)Credit for Prior Experiential Learning guidelines are established for the college and across the district, and are updated periodically.

Standards for Credit for Prior Experiential Learning are district-wide policies. The District Policy 515 and Procedures 515.05-15 were created to comply with accreditation standards and to create consistency across the district. Students access prior work experience information on the college’s website where they are informed about their options for receiving college credit for knowledge gained outside the classroom. Students have the option to create a Prior Experiential Learning Portfolio (PELP) or have work experience reviewed for credit. The student must work with the faculty in their program of study and provide appropriate documentation to show that their experience is comparable to what is learned in the college-level program.

The college offers a variety of ways in which students may transfer in non-traditional credits for its professional-technical programs. The process for applying equivalencies via these options can be found on the college’s website which explains how students can apply for the eight different credit transfer options:

1. Recognized International Colleges or Universities (IC)2. Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Exams (AP & IB)3. Military Training (MT)4. Credit by Exam (CE)5. Nationally Accredited Post-Secondary Institutions (NA)6. Prior Experiential Learning Portfolio (EL) 7. State, Industry or Professional Association Approved Training (CC)8. Work Experience (WE)

The college has designated a full-time faculty member with considerable experience in Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) to work with faculty in other disciplines when a PLA process is requested by a student.

In limited instances, the college provides opportunity for students to challenge certain courses that demonstrate knowledge and skills equivalent to a course offered at North Seattle. The college’s web page provides students with information about credit by exam.

Transfer Credit (2.C.8)

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North Seattle continues to maintain the necessary requirements and components for successful transfer into the college. Students work with academic advisors, credential evaluators, and faculty to transfer into the college with as many credits as possible.

Students who transfer credits for different college transfer programs must request an evaluation of their coursework after transcripts from other institutions are received by the college. For graduation, students must request their transfer credit be evaluated no later than three weeks prior to the start of their final quarter.

Students are not limited in the number of approved transferred credits as long as their residency and degree requirements are met. However, some restrictions apply. For example, the college does not award credit for the following:

non-credit courses or workshops remedial or college preparatory courses courses taken at colleges or universities that are not regionally accredited sectarian religious studies.

The transfer standards are upheld via the Intercollege Relations Commission (ICRC) and the State Board for Community & Technical Colleges’ guidelines for all transfer credits and professional-technical general education credits. For professional-technical credits, faculty coordinators follow the methods to transfer in credits detailed on the college’s credentials web page.

General Education Learning Outcomes (2.C.9; Eligibility Requirement 12)The definition and rationale for general education were reaffirmed by the Curriculum and Academic Standards (CAS) Committee in 2005. Both the CAS website and the district’s Seattle Community Colleges 2012-14 Catalog (page 4) provide a definition and rationale for general education:

DefinitionGeneral education is college level course work that introduces students to the content and methods of major areas of knowledge including humanities and fine arts, the natural sciences, mathematics, and the social sciences. General education emphasizes the following outcomes:

attitudes necessary to function as a citizen and lifelong learner, intellectual skills required for college level inquiry and competence, and knowledge and awareness of the complex world in which we live.

RationaleThe purpose of general education is to provide educational depth and breadth through development of essential skills in reading and writing, research and information literacy, in-person (in-person communication refers to interpersonal, group, organizational, and intercultural communication) and media-based communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, understanding individuals and cultures, creative expression, and quantitative and scientific reasoning. These transferable skills support students as they continue in higher education, move forward in careers, and continue the process of lifelong learning.

As shown in the following table, all transfer degrees offered by North Seattle Community College require a substantial core of general education in the arts and humanities, social sciences, and math/science. Our college uses terminology consistent with the University of Washington (our primary receiving four-year institution) to designate the three areas of knowledge: Visual, Literary and Performing Arts (VLPA), Individuals, Cultures and Societies (ICS), and The Natural World (TNW).

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The following table shows the required credit distribution within each of the areas as well as specific required courses for each degree. Figures in parenthesis refer to the number of credits. Note that three different options are available within the Associate of Science degree: (1) The general degree is transferrable, but has no special focus, (2) Option 1 focuses on the biological sciences, environmental science, chemistry, geology, and earth sciences, and (3) Option 2 focuses on engineering, computer sciences, physics and atmospheric science.

Transfer Degrees: Required Courses and Areas of Knowledge DistributionDegree Required Courses Distribution

RequirementsVLPA ICS TNW

Associate of Arts Degree Intermediate Algebra proficiency ENGL101, 102 (10) Quantitative/Symbolic Reasoning (5) Integrated Studies (8) US Cultures (5) Global Studies (5) Communication (5)

15* 15* 15*

Associate of Fine Arts Degree: Art ENGL101, 102 (10) MATH107 or BUS116 or ACCT101 (5) Specified art courses (45)

Art (25)Not art (5)

5 5

Associate in Business DTA/MRP Degree

ENGL101, 102 (10) Specified MATH (10) ECON201, 202 (10) ACCT201-203 (15) Specified BUS or MATH (10)

15* 5 10

Associate of Science Degree: General ENGL101, 102 (10) Specified MATH (5) Specified computer science (5)

15* 15* 40>

Associate of Science Degree: Option 1 ENGL101 (5) MATH 151, 152 (10) Pre-major: specified CHEM & MATH

courses (23) Major: specified science courses by

intended major (30-38)

5-10 5-10

Associate of Science Degree: Option 2 ENGL101 (5) MATH151, 152 (10) Pre-major: specified CHEM, MATH,

PHYSICS courses (25-26) Major: specified science and engineering

courses by intended major (25-50)

5-10 5-10

* From at least two different disciplines within this knowledge area> From at least three different disciplines within this knowledge area

Associate of Applied Science Degrees (AAS degrees, aka professional-technical or applied degrees) require five credits each of “related instruction” in the areas of communication, computation and quantitative/symbolic reasoning, human relations, and US Cultures or Global Studies for a minimum of twenty credits.

The college also offers three Associate of Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) degrees in Communication, Business & Media, Nanotechnology, and Nursing. These degrees require twenty transfer credits: five in English composition, five of college-level math, and ten credits in humanities or social sciences of which five credits must be in the area of human relations.

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Transfer Associate Degree Learning Outcomes (2.C.10)In 2009, the college revised and adopted a new set of Essential Learning Outcomes (ELOs) to replace General Education Learning Outcomes first developed in the early 1990s.  The revised outcomes reflected the faculty’s re-envisioning of the overarching knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students in the college’s six transfer degree programs, 20 professional-technical degrees, and certificates of over 45 credits need in order to become “more effective learners and to prepare them for a productive life of work, citizenship, and personal fulfillment.”  Although faculty are not required to include or assess all of the ELOs in their courses, these meta learning outcomes encompass basic knowledge, skills, responsibilities, and applied learning in the humanities, arts, social sciences, mathematical, and natural sciences.   Each instructional program has identifiable program-level learning outcomes which incorporate relevant ELOs, and Master Course Outlines identify which ELOs are addressed in each course. Program learning outcomes for the Associate of Arts transfer degree were established in collaboration with faculty from all three colleges within the district.  Program learning outcomes for the Associate of Science, Associate of Business, and Associate of Fine Arts degrees were established at each college respectively, as were the learning outcomes for the professional-technical degrees and certificates. These learning outcomes are published at the district in the annual Catalog and at the college in print and on the college’s web site.  

The Essential Learning Outcomes can be assessed at three different levels. At the level of individual courses when faculty assess the ELOs associated with a particular course; at the program level when program faculty work together on an assessment project that targets a particular ELO within their program; and at the institutional level when cross-disciplinary groups of faculty teaching the same ELO conduct a common assessment, review the results, and develop a set of best practices and recommendations based on the assessment.  This latter assessment is facilitated by the Assessment Committee, and involves a focus on one or two ELOs each year. The Bachelor of Applied Science in International Business, for which the college is currently awaiting final approval from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, will have the same ELOs as the associate degrees. In addition to its ELOs, the BAS degree has identified the following program learning outcomes:

Analyze and broadly assess management, marketing, and complex legal situations related to international business operations.

Demonstrate an understanding of international operations management and supply chains, manufacturing processes, and international project management.

Demonstrate an understanding of international finance and money markets and exchange systems.

Demonstrate how environmental factors such as politics, demographics, technology, geography, and culture affect the business climate and business operations.

Demonstrate the ability to make ethical, culturally competent business decisions in an international business environment.

Integrate learning in real-world international business and language immersion experience through a practicum and internship.

The ELOs are published in the college’s quarterly class schedules and on the college website, and are prominently displayed in classrooms and in common areas around campus.  The ELOs support the college’s mission (Changing Lives through Education) and are reflected in its core themes, especially Core Theme One: Advancing Student Success and Core Theme Two: Excelling in Teaching and Learning. 

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Related Instruction Learning Outcomes (2.C.11) In 2006 to ensure consistency of related instruction, the executive dean of workforce education created three different templates for professional-technical programs: degrees, certificates with 45 credits or more, and certificates under 45 credits. In Spring 2006, the executive dean met with all faculty coordinators to review each program’s “Scope and Sequence” document to ensure that each consistently displayed and clearly communicated the program’s requirements for general education/related instruction, core requirements, and electives. These templates are available on the college’s Curriculum and Academic Standards (CAS) Committee website for faculty convenience and course consistency. Templates have been revised and updated as needed.

All applied degrees at North Seattle Community College address general education-related instruction requirements. In addition, all students who seek a certificate of 45 credits or more must complete a minimum number of nine credits of related instruction: three credits each in communication, computation, and human relations taught as embedded content or as separate courses aligned with program outcomes. The curricular scope and sequence for each professional-technical certificate and degree identifies courses that fulfill the related instruction requirements. Program and department faculty members, technical advisory committee members, division administration, and CAS members have all reviewed and accepted these degrees. The CAS approved minutes document all revisions and updates.

Stand-alone/non-embedded general education and related-instruction classes are taught by qualified faculty members in their specific discipline.

Graduate Programs (2.C.12-15) North Seattle Community College does not offer graduate programs.

Credit and Non-Credit Class Compatibility with College’s Mission and Goals (2.C.16)Continuing Education (CE) offers a variety of professional development and personal enrichment opportunities to North Seattle Community College students and North Seattle community members. The Continuing Education program is primarily self-sustaining and is committed to the college’s mission of Changing Lives through Education. Continuing Education’s department mission is to enrich lives through education by expanding horizons, serving the community, and offering opportunities for lifelong learning. Continuing Education sets annual goals for growth and program improvement, outlined in the annual Continuing Education Business Plan, that support the college’s core theme of Building Community.

Continuing Education at North Seattle is one of the largest CE programs among the state’s community and technical colleges, and is a leading provider of enrichment education in Seattle. CE enrolls over 3,300 individual students each year in a variety of high-quality classes. Continuing Education offers short-term, skill-based classes that are open to the general public. The CE program has a reputation for quality programming and instruction in the arts, fitness, language, professional skills, and computer training. Most courses are face-to-face, but CE’s delivery method options also include online training with recognized training partners. Continuing Education also hosts periodic special assignments, such as the annual Summer Reading Institute for K-12 students and the launch of free classes for North Seattle community members in 2012. In 2011-12, CE enrolled 3,380 unique students in 502 different classes, with total enrollments in excess of 5,000.

Continuing Education Enrollments 2011-12

CategoryNumber of

Classes Enrollment Average Students/ClassArts 145 1,588 11.0

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Fitness 95 879 9.3Computers 89 568 6.4Language 57 673 11.8Home 52 567 10.9Professional 47 681 14.5Enrichment 17 209 12.3Total 502 5,165 10.3

Continuing Education consistently provides high-quality enrichment education targeted to community members. Eighteen percent of those students took multiple classes over the course of the year for a total of 5,165 class registrations. CE has been a growing program since 2010 with continued growth projected through 2016. From quarterly surveys distributed to registered students, Continuing Education instructors receive high marks in professional expertise and the vast majority of CE students indicate that they would return to North Seattle Community College for additional classes.

Continuing Education is primarily self-support, funded with revenue collected from Continuing Education classes and partnerships. Based on cost shifts undertaken in the 2011-12 fiscal year, CE is now funded with 93% self-support funds and 7% state funds. Continuing Education is growing at a steady rate and its growth will enable CE to better support the college and fully fund its own operations. CE is absorbing more administrative costs over time and is working with the college to be funded completely with self-support revenue by 2016. Continuing Education contributes indirect funds based on its operations that support the Seattle Community College District office and contribute to North Seattle’s general operating fund.

Continuing Education is vital to the college’s core theme of Building Community. The majority of Continuing Education students are not initially enrolled in any other types of classes at the college and the CE program is their touch point with the college. However, many CE students are first introduced to North Seattle through a Continuing Education class and their positive experience leads to future enrollments in credit classes for themselves or family members. Continuing Education serves the North Seattle community by offering the majority of classes on campus. Some off-campus classes are also offered at Magnuson Park, Greenwood Senior Center, and at the private studios of some instructors throughout north Seattle, allowing a wider diversity of community members to attend. Continuing Education leads to greater brand awareness for the college as a whole and has a positive impact on community relations.

To ensure a direct link with the academic side of the institution, the director of continuing education is a member of the Instructional Council and actively participates in decision-making and leadership with other instructional leaders.

Academic Quality of Continuing Education (2.C.17)Continuing Education maintains high academic quality for all its classes. CE employs over 100 part-time instructors who are highly qualified in their field of study. Many work in their discipline, either as an active professional or as a full-time teacher. Some do work in another profession but teach a subject they are passionate about and very experienced in as an enthusiast. Continuing Education instructors are published authors, recognized artists, successful business people, experts in their field, and professional presenters.

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All Continuing Education programs and course offerings undergo an application review process. New instructors are interviewed prior to employment unless they are already working for and recommended by a partner CE department in the Seattle Community College District. Personal interviews ensure that instructors possess a significant depth of knowledge in their field that is based on experience, training, or education. CE instructors are also screened and regularly evaluated based on their knowledge of their subject matter, their professionalism, their organization of the course content, and their ability to engage students. The director of continuing education reviews course content, instructor qualifications, and financial viability of all CE classes before offering the classes to the community.

All Continuing Education courses are evaluated for quality by students on a quarterly basis. Students are emailed a standard course evaluation after the completion of the class and over 30% of CE students normally complete the evaluation. Student surveys are monitored by CE staff throughout the year and the CE program addresses policy changes and special issues related to student satisfaction as needed. Instructors who continually perform poorly as judged by student surveys are replaced to ensure that the quality of the program is maintained. The Continuing Education office is also evaluated by students for customer service and ease of registration. All student evaluations are combined on an annual basis to determine overall program quality. The high-quality of the CE program is reflected in the data below from the 2011-12 student evaluations.

Continuing Education Student Survey Results 2011-12Evaluation Item Percent “agree” or “strongly agree”“The instructor demonstrated subject matter expertise.” 95%“I would take another Continuing Education course at North Seattle.” 94%“I was satisfied with the course overall.” 91%“The instructor was organized and prepared for class sessions.” 90%“The atmosphere supported student learning.” 88%“I would recommend this course and/or instructor.” 88%

To broaden the perspective on program quality, the CE staff recently implemented in-person course and instructor evaluations. Launched in 2012-13, the goal is to visit all core classes on a three-year cycle. The in-person evaluations will be used to provide instructor feedback and better market the CE courses. In addition to quarterly class surveys and in-person evaluations, CE is launching a random annual survey to ensure student satisfaction with overall program quality and customer service. The survey will poll CE students with the goal to average a rating of 4+ on a 5 point scale for both quality and service. Continuing Education has gone through several changes in recent years to ensure the quality of the program. The director of continuing education joined the staff at North Seattle in 2008 and has been followed by a new program specialist and two new program coordinators. The staff is re-organizing and being trained to successfully spearhead CE’s programming, marketing, and operations functions. The CE program participated in a Learning Resources Network (LERN) Program Review in May of 2012. The program review identified CE at North Seattle as an extremely successful community education program and identified accomplishments, challenges, and opportunities to improve the program. The CE staff is taking action to implement the recommendations in the program review and taking advantage of additional training through LERN. The CE program is focused on providing the highest quality programming and service while also increasing the fiscal sustainability of the program.

Granting of Credit (2.C.18)Continuing Education maintains it offerings of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for all CE courses in accordance with the guidelines from the International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET). The Continuing Education program awards one continuing education unit (CEU) for every ten hours of instruction for courses taught by instructors employed by the college.

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Students initiate the CEU process by returning a CEU Reporting Form to the Continuing Education office. Instructors verify that the student has attended all class sessions and has satisfactorily completed the course by signing the CEU Reporting Form. Once the CEU Reporting Form is returned to the Continuing Education office with instructor verification, a letter of completion is prepared and mailed to the student.

In addition to offering CEUs, the Continuing Education department also offers Clock Hours for Washington state teachers for all CE courses. Clock Hours are awarded on a 1:1 basis with one hour of instruction equaling one Clock Hour. Compliance with state regulations is ensured on an annual basis with the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Maintaining Records (2.C.19)Continuing Education student records are maintained in the college’s Student Management System (SMS) and Financial Management System (FMS) according to the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations and established protocols. The college maintains enrollment, payment, and other student records for all Continuing Education courses, including assigning appropriate course identification and fee codes.

In addition, Continuing Education has an ongoing relationship with a database software vendor, Campus CE, where course history, instructor information, and student enrollment records are cataloged. The majority of Continuing Education registrations are initially processed through Campus CE’s online registration system and then transferred into SMS and FMS through a proprietary system. As part of the ongoing contract with the college, Campus CE agrees not to disclose any information in accordance with FERPA and all records are maintained in accordance with college and state regulations.

Continuing Education maintains a record of CE department policies and procedures in regards to processing student records and other departmental tasks in a Continuing Education Training Manual.

2.D Student Support Resources

Support of Student Learning Needs (2.D.1)North Seattle Community College provides a variety of student support resources to create effective learning environments including admissions, orientation, registration, financial aid, advising, counseling, career services, testing, and student leadership as well as special services for early entrance high school students (Running Start), women, veterans, students with disabilities, former foster youth, students who need academic assistance, senior adults, and international students.

The Student Instructional Media Production Center (SIMPC), located in the library, provides students with a Collaboration Studio where they can practice their presentations using an interactive whiteboard, which may be videotaped and saved as downloadable files or burned onto a DVD. Cameras, digital video recorders and tripods are available for students to check out. In addition, the SIMPC lab offers students a large graphic table where they can create their media presentations. In addition, the library offers seven group study rooms which are heavily used by students throughout the academic year.

North’s eLearning Support Center (NeLSC) provides logistical, technological and pedagogical resources and support, online and onsite, for faculty, staff and students using educational technologies in online, and hybrid and onsite learning environments. The college requires the successful completion by faculty of a five-week modular online training course designed and facilitated by NeLSC for instruction using the ANGEL – and soon Canvas – online learning management system in distance and campus classes. The

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training course is followed by approximately 10 hours of individualized, in-person assistance in NeLSC’s state-of-the-art facilities to finalize virtual classroom development and instructor preparation to teach using a suite of pedagogically-sound tools. The college has endorsed a set of standards for use of eLearning technologies, and faculty are provided with multiple workshops and collaboration sessions focused on research-based high-quality best practices including official Applying the Quality Matters Rubric (APPQMR) training in use of the “Quality Matters Rubric” for course design. NeLSC provides responsive help and trouble-shooting for all students through email, phone, and onsite service including periodic tutor-run orientation sessions and through immediate walk-in support by staff and student mentors. NeLSC maintains websites with extensive resources for faculty and for students.

In 2011, the Media Services unit, which had previously been managed in the Library, was transferred to become part of the IT Services Department. The latter now supports all of the audio and visual needs of the campus, including:

Managing the inventory that supports the audio/visual portion of classrooms, lecture halls, meeting rooms, teleconference spaces, as well as repairing and maintaining the devices.

Supporting the Student Leadership & Multicultural Programs Department with hardware, setup, tear-down, and personnel for their events, lectures, and other functions that support our diverse student, staff, and communities.

Coordinating audio/visual services for rentals of the college’s facilities, including support of several eLearning classes and programs for partner organizations: Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, Opportunity Center for Employment & Education (OCE&E), and other college partners.

Safety and Security (2.D.2)The mission of the college’s Safety & Security department is to provide a safe and secure learning and working environment for students and employees. On the staff are three full-time and eight part-time security officers. All full- and part-time security officers receive the same comprehensive training during the first 40 hours of orientation. The Safety and Security department maintains records of incidents and crimes in compliance with the Campus Security Act and works closely with the Seattle North Precinct located one block from the main campus.

Crime statistics for the college are accessible on the U.S. Department of Education’s website under Seattle Community College North Campus. Campus community members are notified via electronic e-mail, text message or other methods if violent incidents or incidents that may be an imminent threat to the campus community occur on or near campus.

Required policies, both federal and state, are included in Section 200 of the district Policies andProcedures, and cover both physical security and the security of the online environment. The district 2012-14 Catalog, pages 44-45, also provides security information including emergency phone numbers, safety and security, campus crime data, accidents, alcohol and drugs, firearms, workplace violence/hostile work environment, sexual harassment, smoking, traffic laws, and disciplinary action.

The college has an Incident Action Plan that is updated as necessary by the college’s Executive Team, at least quarterly as part of district-wide emergency preparedness efforts. The college’s Incident Action Plan includes detailed information on the incident command system, evacuation procedures, emergency procedures, and crisis response team. The Incident Action Plan is not electronically posted so as to prevent those who may do harm against the college from having that information. The plans are available to select individuals on a website called Prepared Response and require a password. The Incident Action Plans are also kept in printed versions and available to the president and selected administrators. General emergency procedures are posted on the campus security website.

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North Seattle Community College security also coordinates the campus threat assessment protocols by encouraging the campus community to report all incidents of harassment, threats (substantive or transient) stalking, domestic violence, or other potentially threatening behavior and documenting that behavior. College Security then follows the Threat Assessment Protocols to investigate and notify effected individuals and select members of the Threat Assessment Team. Several campus employees are part of the Threat Assessment Team including campus security, vice president for student services, human resources representative, and others as needed. Reporting instructions for the Threat Assessment Protocols are integrated into the college’s Security Incident Reports, follow up reports, and the Threat Assessment Notification report. Threats determined to be substantive generate a matrix of mitigation efforts that are detailed in the Threat Assessment documentation. The Threat Assessment Protocols are available in the Campus Security office.

Admissions, Orientation, Graduation, and Academic Transfer (2.D.3; EligibilityRequirement 16)Consistent with its mission, North Seattle Community College admits students who have graduated from high school or are at least 18 years old. District Admission Policy 305 was updated in 2011 to include the following admission exception:

The College does not desire to replace or duplicate the functions of the local public schools; however, persons may request special admission on a course-by-course basis, provided they have attained at least high school junior standing. Criteria for granting admission are: competency at an appropriate academic, artistic, and/or technical talent level and the maturity to participate in an adult learning environment.

The institution recruits and admits students with the potential to benefit from its educational offerings. It orients students to ensure they understand the requirements related to their programs of study and receive timely, useful, and accurate information and advising about relevant academic requirements, including graduation and transfer policies. After students have applied to the college, they attend orientation either in-person or online. The in-person orientation is coordinated by Advising, in collaboration with other college staff. At orientation, students receive an overview of the college’s programs, resources, and services, as well as important policies and procedures. At orientation, students also have the opportunity to meet with an academic advisor and plan their first quarter schedule. Students are assigned to an advisor and become part of that advisor’s cohort of students. Advisors follow up with these students for future academic planning. Advisors are knowledgeable and equipped to advise students for the college’s programs, including college transfer, career training, pre-college (i.e., Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language, and High School Completion). For business, engineering, and IT (BEIT) programs, advisors work with students. Faculty coordinators advise students in their programs on career/industry related concerns and questions, whereas academic advisors assist students with educational planning and course scheduling to ensure they meet degree or certificate requirements. The college also has special admission procedures for some of its healthcare programs. Once admitted to the college, students interested in these programs work directly with the department to ensure they fulfill specific and/or additional program requirements.

Students who have met course prerequisites at other institutions must have their unofficial transcripts reviewed by an advisor or admissions/registration staff member prior to registration in order to verify that

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the identified pre-requisites have been satisfied at other colleges. Advisors and counselors are knowledgeable about program and graduation requirements and about transfers to in-state four-year institutions, as well as out-of-state institutions that have articulation agreements with the college. Counselors also assist students with academic and personal issues.

Although the college does not have a formal recruiting program, it does employ an outreach director who does traditional recruiting in area high schools and community groups.

Since the opening of the Opportunity Center Employment and Education (OCE&E) building in May 2011, Student Services has taken advantage of two of their programs to increase its capacity to support North Seattle students: Career Counseling and College 101, both non-credit classes. For students new to the college and who are on a professional technical track, College 101 is a free six-week course that covers important topics such as how to enroll, fill out a financial aid form, pick a program, navigate the college, and explore career options. College 101 also provides students with several quarters of case management with its goal to help students complete their community college program. To alert new students of these services, students now automatically receive an electronic message encouraging them to check out these two resources when they apply online. Students also receive the same electronic message when applying for an application for graduation. The College 101 program also provides stand-alone workshops each quarter for any potential or current student who wants to attend.  They do not need to be enrolled in the College 101 program to participate. During its first year of operation (2011-12), 32 students enrolled in College 101 and 139 students participated in the stand-alone workshops.

As a planning strategy to ensure seamless integration of services for students, Student Services now includes the manager from OCE&E in its weekly staff meeting.

Program Elimination or Significant Change in Requirements (2.D.4)The protocol for program elimination was put in place in 2007. In the case of program elimination, appropriate arrangements are provided to ensure that students can complete their program with a minimum of disruption. Students are given ample time to complete their program. Advising staff are regularly updated throughout this process. The administrative process to determine program elimination is the Program Viability Analysis.

When professional-technical programs have been eliminated due to low enrollments (for example, mechanical drafting), academic advisors direct students to the program coordinators to work out the details of completing a program. In such instances, students are either able to complete their programs with existing classes; or they are offered an independent study, a reasonable substitute, or a similar class offered at another school.

College Catalog (2.D.5, Eligibility Requirement 17)The Seattle Community College District publishes a multi-college biennial district catalog in hard copy and online. The catalog covers college transfer and professional-technical programs, continuing education, distance learning, pre-college, international student programs, and worker retraining. The catalog contains combined course descriptions, lists of faculty and administration, and information shared among all colleges in the district, as well as sections on services and instructional programs offered specifically at North Seattle Community College (pages 85-124). Other important elements found in the catalog include:

Institutional mission and core themes (page 85) Entrance requirements and procedures (pages 30-40) Grading policy (page 41)

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Information on academic programs and courses, including degree and program completion requirements, expected learning outcomes, required course sequences, projected timelines to completion based on normal student progress, and the frequency of course offerings (pages 85-124)

Names, titles, degrees held, and conferring institutions for administrators and full-time faculty (pages 321-345)

Rules, regulations for conduct, rights, and responsibilities (pages 43-44) Tuition, fees, and other program costs (pages 37-38) Refund policies and procedures for students who withdraw from enrollment (pages 38-39) Opportunities and requirements for financial aid (pages 32- 34) Academic calendar (inside back cover).

Handbook OnlineA student handbook, available in print and online, provides similar information to students, as do the college’s website and quarterly class schedules. Additionally, four times each quarter an email is sent to all registered students with information about withdrawal deadlines and refund amounts and on the 8 th day of every quarter students receive an email with information about their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Licensure Requirements (2.D.6)The district catalog, program brochures located in division offices and program web pages on North Seattle’s website inform students of the national and/or state requirements for licensure or entry into the profession. At North Seattle, the following programs have licensure requirements: Medical Assisting : Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

licensure Pharmacy Technician : The program is approved by the State of Washington, Department of Health,

Board of Pharmacy Emergency Medical Technician : State of Washington, Department of Health, Office of Emergency

Medical and Trauma Prevention Nursing Assistant-Certified: Aging and Disability Services Administration and Nursing Care Quality

Assurance Commission, Washington State LPN & LPN-RN Ladder : Nursing Program Approval Panel (NPAP)-Nursing Care Quality

Assurance Commission, Washington State.

Student Records (2.D.7)The Admissions, Registration, Records and Credentials Department (ARRC) is the primary custodian of student academic records at North Seattle. Records are stored in a secure, lockable room and in secure, locking file cabinets. Access and file maintenance are controlled by authorized personnel only. Student data is stored electronically both on a district and state server. All critical documents are scanned through the Hershey System and stored on the district’s server.

The college adheres to the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations, and follows district Policy 380 (Student Records) and the Washington State’s General Records Retention Schedule for Washington’s Community and Technical College System (CTC) published on the State Board website.

The district Catalog (pages 43-44) covers Student Rules: Responsibilities and Right to Know and the district website publishes Student Right To Know Rules. The college’s website covers student confidentiality on its Policies web page.

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Each quarter, registered students receive an email from ARRC explaining their rights as defined by FERPA.

Financial Aid Program (2.D.8)In 2011-12, the college’s Financial Aid (FA) Office provided federal, state, and local grants, and work-study programs in excess of $6.3 million annually. In addition, it processes more than $2.1 million in scholarships and outside agency accounts. The college’s veteran population continues to grow. In 2010-2011, veterans received $534,965 in Chapter 33 (post 911) funding.

The college’s website contains information for students and families regarding the types of financial aid as well as guides, forms, instructions and links to the FAFSA and scholarships. The Financial Aid office continues to have forms and guides in print and online for students who inquire looking for information and support.

The process for filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has shifted such that virtually all students file a FAFSA application online via the Department of Education website. The financial aid staff provides numerous workshops to assist students with this process.

Between 2006-07 and 2011-12, the annual number of financial aid applications increased by 49%, from 1,904 to 2,843. The financial aid office continues to make changes and improvements to the file review and awarding process. As of April 2012, students can use the online financial aid portal to check their application status, look up their award information and submit documents online. The office communicates with students via email for higher efficiency.

In Summer 2012, the district signed a contract with Higher One and students now can obtain a Seattle Colleges Card providing them with three options to receive their financial aid refund:

disbursed directly to a student “OneAccount” automatically deposited into an existing bank account issued as a paper check and sent by mail.

The Financial Aid staff is available for numerous workshops on- and off-campus. The faculty often requests a staff member to visit their classroom to discuss the financial aid process. The English as a Second Language (ESL) faculty work closely with the FA office to ensure that the students who are transitioning from ESL to college-level coursework are informed of the financial aid process.

The FA office collaborates with the Opportunity Center for Employment and Education (OCE&E) which provides integrated educational, vocational, employment and supportive services. The OCE&E and Financial Aid staff meets regularly for information sharing and cross-training in order to assist OCE&E students with college funding.

Financial Aid Repayment (2.D.9)Financial Aid students are sent repayment notices in the mail regarding any funds they may owe to the institution or the U.S. Department of Education due to dropping their classes. “Blocks” are placed on their records to prevent them from re-enrolling and getting academic transcripts until debts are paid in full. Student accounts are referred either to the U.S. Department of Education for collection or to the district office and then assigned to an outside collection agency.

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A small amount of Perkins funds are awarded to students who are not eligible for federal grants and who are second year students. Annually the college gives approximately $31,000 a year in Perkins funds. Students meet with the Perkins Loan Officer for an “Exit Interview” in which the student is informed of his/her rights and responsibilities in terms of the Perkins loan. (If a student is unable to meet with the Loan Officer, an “Exit Packet” is sent to the student.) Information regarding repayment, deferment, and interest rates are shared with the student. The college utilizes an outside billing agency which then notifies students of repayment dates and collects the loan payments from the students. The Perkins Loan Officer is responsible for tracking these repayments and is notified electronically from the billing agency of repayments, deferments, and requests for hardship deferments. The college has not participated in the Direct Loan Program (Stafford Loan Program) since 1993. However, the college and district are discussing the possibility of re-entering the program in the upcoming academic year.

Academic Advising (2.D. 10)North Seattle has a director of advising, eight full-time and one part-time academic advisors who are knowledgeable about curricula, program/degree requirements and four-year admission and college major requirements. Advisors guide students during the entry process, including understanding test results and orientation to the college’s programs, resources, and serves to providing assistance in selecting courses for completing degrees and planning their transfer. Students have access to advisors by appointment or “drop-in” advising. Information on which advisor to see based on student program, and how to see an advisor is provided on the college’s advising webpage. A variety of degree planning worksheets and advising resources are available on the college’s transfer webpage.

To support greater advising communication and coordination between multiple departments, the college’s Workforce Education and International Student Programs offices now each fund one advisor who is located in the Advising/Student Success department and acts as a specialist working with their respective student populations and a generalist working with all students.

Advising evaluates the effectiveness of its program in several ways: Students complete and submit surveys following advising appointments which are collected and

analyzed each quarter. Several programs within advising also offer surveys as a means of assessment, including Progress

Check, New Student Orientation, and Running Start. The Ready, Set, Transfer! program geared towards students intending to transfer to a Science,

Technology, Engineering, or Math major additionally conduct focus groups and include as part of the evaluation a section focused on how students feel they understand and have been advised regarding the transfer planning process.

Advising defines, publishes, and makes available its resources and services by communicating with students in multiple ways:

The advising webpage provides detailed information on programs of students, how to access advising, what advising provides, and contact information for individual advisors and the department.

Twice each quarter Advising sends out important information via broadcast messaging from the college’s Public Information Office.

Advising hosts a newsfeed where students may subscribe for important updates and information. Advising frequently posts updates to the college’s Facebook page.

Co-Curricular Activities (2.D.11)Students’ co-curricular activities are the responsibility of Student Leadership and Multicultural Programs (SLMP). Since 2007, SLMP has realigned its programming with the college’s mission, vision, and core themes. For example, SLMP has led several campus-wide initiatives to promote students’ academic

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progress and success including an ESL Welcome, Student Convocation, and Winter Connections event. Each of these events involved hundreds of students and was developed collaboratively with faculty, student development professionals, staff and students. Student leaders were able to support the student body’s interest in sustainability by creating and funding a new sustainability coordinator position. In addition, student leaders have also funded a student programs coordinator position to support the tremendous growth of engaged student leaders on campus.

Beginning in 2007 Student Government began a transformation to restructure itself so that the interests and concerns of the student body would be more effectively heard and acted upon. Student leaders conducted research, attended conferences, consulted with peer student leaders at other campuses, and talked to North Seattle students to help develop, shape, pilot, and refine a new structure for student leadership that would allow more students to participate in North Seattle’s shared governance and more effectively advocate for the general student body. Under the former traditional Student Government, eight students were elected by less than 2% of the student body. Their work was primarily focused on event planning and organizing fun activities to engage students in campus life. Today the new structure, called the Student Administrative Council, supports approximately 50 students serving in a variety of roles working side-by-side with faculty, staff, and administration to help make decisions, manage programs, and advocate for the student body on important issues that impact all students.

The Student Administrative Council’s work is closely aligned with the college’s efforts to promote policies and practices that advance student success. This team of ten students oversees the daily participation of nearly forty students who serve in a variety of roles:

More than a dozen student leaders represent the interests of the student body on college standing committees.

A team of seven to nine students serve on the Student Fee Board allocating more than $1.5 million dollars in student fees to student programs, projects and technology needs.

The Research and Advocacy Committee administers surveys, focus groups, and other activities to identify student concerns which they then use to shape their advocacy work.

Eight student leaders collaborate with campus and district policy makers to organize strategies and action plans that help them campaign with our state legislators on maintaining higher education funding.

The Arts and Lectures Activity Board plans and implements festive and educational programs exposing students to a rich array of pop and cultural music, lectures, and programming that works to foster a rich intellectual learning environment.

North Seattle students have received praise from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges as well as from the college’s district legislators for their persistent and effective advocacy efforts.

Auxiliary Services (2.D.12)Auxiliary services for students at North Seattle Community College include Food Services and a Bookstore. The college does not provide housing for its students.Food services at North Seattle include a cafeteria and espresso lounge, both of which are highly used as student study areas and faculty-student conversations. Although the cafeteria is closed for dinner, students and faculty in evening classes can find sandwiches, soup, and other snacks at the espresso lounge which stays open until 8:30 pm. Feedback and suggestions for improvement are encouraged from students, faculty, staff, and administrators through signage in the cafeteria, and by phone, email, or in person.

North Seattle’s bookstore, operated by Barnes & Noble since 2001, serves the campus community by providing textbooks (new, used, rental and e-textbooks), educational supplies and materials, and appropriate student merchandise. The recent renovation of the bookstore in 2012 provides students with

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the most current academic supplies and accessibility. The college’s Bookstore Advisory Committee, comprising faculty and staff, meets quarterly to respond to any faculty/student concerns. The Barnes & Noble manager attends those meetings.

Intercollegiate Athletic and Other Co-Curricular Programs (2.D.13)The 2012 Student Administrative Council voted to discontinue using Service & Activity fees and fees from the Wellness Center to support the district’s intercollegiate basketball team. This decision became effective with the 2012-13 academic year. The same amount of funding (approximately $41,000), previously allocated for the intercollegiate basketball teams serving 24-30 students per academic year, will now be available to serve all of the students who utilize the services of the Wellness Center.

Although the intercollegiate basketball program no longer exists for students, the Wellness Center continues to offer its drop-in fitness classes, basketball, and volleyball with plans to add walking, dodge ball, and badminton in the near future. In addition, a new position was added in November 2012 to develop and coordinate an intramural sports program as an added recreational activity for students and other members. With the collaboration of student leadership, student clubs, international programs, and diversity programs, the intramural program is expected to grow rather quickly within a short period of time. The Wellness Center currently averages 5,300 student visits per month and is now poised to expand its services to benefit a more diverse and broader segment of the college’s student population.

Identity Verification for Distance Learning (2.D.14)Student enrolled in distance education courses and programs verify their identity in the college’s online learning management system through their unique user login names and passwords. Students must present their student identification cards (or other picture IDs) before taking proctored exams on campus. The college requires approval of proctors in other locations and requires that they check students’ picture IDs before proctoring exams as well. The college is piloting the use of Tegrity webcam technology as a remote proctoring tool providing another valid, faculty-supported safeguard against identity fraud in remote student work, especially high-stakes examinations. Such technology-driven approaches are potentially applicable to other types of remote student tasks as well such as homework and take-home exam completion in all class modes (face-to-face, hybrid, and online). Lastly through its faculty training program, the college promotes the use of active assessments other than high-stakes multiple-choice tests to discourage student cheating.

2.E Library and Information Resources

Access to Resources (2.E.1; Eligibility Requirement 13)The library services, collections, and instructional programs directly support the educational mission of the college by providing additional resources to enhance understanding of coursework and assist the library to stay current with emerging fields. The college places student learning at the center of what it does, as the library does efficiently with a staff of two full-time tenured librarians and 3.30 full-time staff as shown by the following table.

Number of Librarians, Staff Support and Hours of OperationItem 2009 2010 2011 2012

Faculty Librarians 4 4 2 2Part-time Librarians 3 3 3 3FTE Staff 3.30 3.30 3.30 3.30Hours Open 70 hours 68 hours 60 hours 60 hours

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Besides the traditional onsite library services and resources, students can also access the library’s rich assortment of online databases, reference tools, and reference support such as QuestionPoint, an online 24/7 reference help-desk service, all accessible on the library’s website. Flyers in the form of bookmarks are refreshed quarterly and available to inform the students of the library’s offerings and essential information such as hours open. Another creative online tool called LibGuides provides subject guides that enable librarians to create high quality research information that is content rich and can include web 2.0 multimedia. All of the LibGuides are mobile-phone accessible.

The continued acquisition of online databases is another example of how the library supports the college’s core themes. When faculty in the social sciences expressed a need for a high-quality, interdisciplinary periodical database, the library purchased JSTOR, a full text searchable archive database. The funding help from several of the instructional divisions enabled the library to maintain the curriculum needs of the health medical and science programs. Collaborative purchases with the other district libraries made it possible to add fifteen more databases and eReference resources since 2007. Current databases are accessible online through the library’s website.

In 2007, the library added the Student Instructional Media Production Center (SIMPC), which offers students a place to complete their media presentations and get help staying current with emerging technologies in the workplace. The SIMPC is an effective multimedia resource center for interdisciplinary, cross-cultural learning.

Recently exhibits have become an effective way to promote the library’s collections to students, faculty, and staff. Several exhibits were constructed within a multicultural framework with displays and promotional material to reflect the diversity of the campus, including:

A Civil War exhibit with a genealogist and author donating a black civil war display Black History and Japanese Day of Remembrance Display An Ethiopian Exhibit with banners donated by the NW African American Museum and the

Ethiopian Community Center A quilt exhibit by the Pacific Northwest African American Quilters.

Forms were available at some of the displays for students to add their comments.

The library also partners with other departments at the college to offer educational events. For example, the library partnered with the college’s counselors and the Student Administrative Council to hold the “Day of Remembrance” featuring the author Mary Matsuda Gruenewald.

Providing access to computers in the library and providing technical and tutoring support to students continues to be key library services. With funds from eLearning and Student Leadership, two computer tutors were hired for a total of 32 hours a week. The tutors rove between the Library and the Loft Tutoring Center, which co-manages this service. Workshops on essential computer skills are also provided.

The library’s instructional programs help students become information literate, which fosters success across the curriculum. Resources are available in a variety of formats and a shift toward more digital formats is taking place.

With regard to the new baccalaureate degree (BAS in International Business), the library recognizes that serials, periodicals, and reference materials play a major role in resources for upper division courses. The college has an adequate book collection for lower-division courses and will fund the necessary books and reference materials to meet the needs of junior and senior level students. Similarly, the periodicals and serials will be improved and upgraded to reflect the depth necessary for exploration and research.

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Finally, databases such as Global Market Information will be renewed annually in addition to adding LexisNexis. 

The library is a member of a district-wide consortium, so many of the databases are covered. Some of the databases and resources that the college utilizes are due to this partnership. These shared databases include ABI/INFORM Trade Industry, CultureGrams, and ProQuest. 

Finally, the director of library services at North Seattle is developing a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Washington libraries for onsite access. (Unfortunately, there is no remote access to the databases.) This MOU will help ensure that students and faculty in the baccalaureate program have the appropriate information resources, subject matter experts, and facilities to support the currency, depth and breadth of the degree.

Library and Information Resources Planning (2.E.2)Library planning takes place on several levels, through both formal and informal process. The library dean participates in the Instructional Council made up of all instructional deans and led by the vice president for instruction where instructional needs, including library and information resources, are discussed. The library dean also actively participates in the deans’ meetings.

Librarians develop relationships with faculty from specific programs. Librarians serve on a variety of college, district, and statewide committees that contribute to institutional planning. Departmental meetings are held quarterly to discuss problems, find solutions, and plan for the future. Librarians continue to gather usage data and use it to guide acquisitions to provide more materials relevant to student needs. The table below illustrates the move from print resources to a heavier reliance on e-resources.

Usage Statistics for Print and Non-Print ResourcesMedia 2008 2009 2010 2011Books checked out 5,846 6,765 7,091 7,066Books used in-house 5,430 7,224 6,475 6,146Media 2,420 3056 2644 2669Periodicals 550 563 492 385Periodicals used in-house 5,074 5,740 4,215 2,798Source: Statistics for databases and a portion of ebooks

Before resources such as periodicals are removed often due to cost, faculty are first consulted to ensure that instructional programs will not be jeopardized.

Librarians meet weekly to strategize creative ways to negotiate budget constraints that affect library resources. Having regular meetings also assists with the planning and troubleshooting of daily issues and challenges that confront the library program. A solution that emerged from these meetings was to hire student computer tutors and develop online LibGuides. LibGuides are used to provide research assistance, subject guides, and useful resources for students in particular classes. The LibGuides are accessible online by students.

Librarians from all three colleges – South Seattle, Central Seattle and North Seattle – meet quarterly. Together they support and promote consortium purchasing of e-resources. Besides planning on joint purchases at these meetings, much time is spent dealing with the administration of Voyager, the district’s integrated library system.

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In 2011-12 the library developed a strategic plan with input from all library faculty and staff. The strategic plan, which includes a mission statement, goals, and indicators, aligns with the college’s three core themes. Input from both students and faculty was solicited through surveys regarding various library planning needs. For example, in 2011, a student survey helped the library determine the hours that best met students’ needs given the library’s limited resources. The library plans to re-administer a student survey in April 2013. In 2012 the library conducted a faculty survey to determine the library resources required by faculty for their different classes.

The library has used the surveys, both in-house and through a statewide initiative (Washington Library Snapshot Day), to help inform library planning. At staff meetings, the various survey findings are discussed and appropriate responses put into the overall planning process. Continuing with the planning process, the library plans to hire a full-time librarian in 2013 with 50% responsibility designated to the resource needs of the new BAS program.

Information Literacy Support (2.E.3)Since 2005, resources available through the federal Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) have played a vital role in linking faculty and librarians together as teaching partners for Information Literacy outcomes and assessments. North Seattle faculty and librarians have collaborated on several projects sponsored by LSTA: Authentic Assessment Project in 2010 and Rising Juniors—IL for Transfer Student in 2011. In July 2011, Dipping into Immersion, another statewide LSTA event, provided professional development for faculty, librarians, and administrators from across the state, including North Seattle Community College. This conference helped jump-start the library’s Two Year Information Literacy Plan.

Participation in LSTA programs has a persistent influence on the delivery of information literacy at the college. Information literacy instruction and the resources to support this program continue to drive the efforts and energy of the librarians, who continue to offer a variety of delivery modes. Currently six classes are available both online and hybrid (combination online and face to face) to students focusing on information literacy and the research process. These classes include:

INFO101 Ethics in the Digital World LIB101 Introduction to Information Resources LIB140 Internet Information Resources LIB 150 Research in the Electronic Environment LIB 189 Research for the 21st Century SSC101 Introduction to Information Resources for the Social Sciences

One way of evaluating effectiveness and efficiency in using library and information resources that support the college’s programs and services is through the use of librarians as liaisons who are assigned to each of the major instructional divisions. By working closely with the instructional division faculty, the librarians can closely gauge information and resource needs of the discipline faculty as well as work collaboratively on information literacy projects. The library strives to support one of the college’s core themes of Excelling in Teaching and Learning. The library also plays a key role in supporting information resources through the Teaching and Learning Center and the work with the Diversity Advisory Committee’s college-wide “book reads” by creating LibGuides that add instructional support to the “book read” program. The LibGuides are an example of how the library uses information resources to support the programs and services of our administration and staff.

In the fall of 2011, the library sponsored an open house that highlighted the diversity of resources available to all of the North Seattle community. The library continuously provides on-site exhibits (not in the library) for college-sponsored events such as a recent Veteran’s Day program called “Leadership in Uniform and Beyond: How the Military Service and Moral Leadership of WWII Era 442nd Veterans,

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Tuskegee Airmen, and other Excluded Americans Led to Civil Rights.” To provide additional in-depth information on this topic and to enhance lifelong learning for students and staff alike, the library created a subject guide on its website for the college community to explore. Besides the traditional onsite reference desk delivery of one-on-one instruction, another mode of delivery exists through an online 24/7 reference help desk service called QuestionPoint, which is partially funded by Washington’s State Board of Community and Technical Colleges and is accessible on the library’s website.

Many faculty and librarians work together to design library workshops for students related to specific research assignments and courses. A collaboration involving faculty and librarians from both North Seattle and Seattle Central created INFO110, an online information literacy course that provides additional language support for non-native speakers of English.

Evaluation of Library and Information Resources and Services (2.E.4)Much evaluation is done during the planning process described in 2.E.2. For example, the library received data from student and faculty surveys, student focus groups, and the Community College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CCSEQ) administered in 1999 and again in 2005. A full program review of the library was begun in 2012 and will be completed in 2013.

The library continues to assess the quality, adequacy, and utilization of its resources and services through institutional planning, departmental planning, and student and faculty surveys. Statistics on usage of print and electronic resources, reference services, and the library (gate count) are gathered and analyzed on an ongoing basis.

Quantifying usage for electronic resources is done with the aid of a software tool. Some of the statistical data from surveys provides enough information to change practices. For example, because the library tracked the amount of computer and technology questions from students, the evidence was sufficient to hire computer tutors. Input from student surveys also has resulted in finding ways to maintain valued service despite budget constraints. For example, in response to student need for more hours from the “Library Hours Survey,” the decision was made to remain open on Sundays. Serving online classes is an area that continues to challenge the library faculty as they strive to provide instruction, information resources, and services to all.

Security and safety are a central issue at the library which has improved since the installation of a video- monitor security system in the spring 2011.

2.F Financial Resources

Financial Stability (2.F.1)Through prudent financial steps the college has developed a formal reserve of 5.2% to support its programs, even as its state support has been reduced since the last full-scale Self Study in 2007. The further reduction in state support has motivated the college to look for more grant, self-support, and contract funding. While actively pursuing new funding, the college also maintains a solid footing in established sources of funding.

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In the self-support area, the college offers a growing continuing education program (see 2.A.16) primarily located on campus and is developing contract training for businesses (see 2.A.26). These programs have supported the mission, core themes, and goals of the college while providing funds to support its operation.

The operating budget for North Seattle includes a line item covered by indirect cost recoveries. Although the state has reduced the college’s base funding, North Seattle has expanded its International Student Program (ISP), which is now an important revenue source for the college. The Running Start (RS) program and other enterprise programs have also contributed to the financial stability of the college. The ISP and RS programs also contribute to the college’s mission and core themes through their direct support of the operating budget in an annual amount of approximately two million dollars.

The college has no internal debt at this time but it does support external debt of a District Certificate of Participation (COP) of $20 million issued as part of the funding structure of the Opportunity Center for Employment and Education (OCE&E) facility that was recently built on campus. Capital outlay requests are developed under the State Board for Community & Technical Colleges’ (SBCTC) biennial process. This debt is supported by approved 20 year leases with the Employment Security Department and Department of Social and Health Services which will retire the debt payment on the COP, minimizing any risk or exposure to the college’s resource base.

Since FY 2002, the college has actively identified, cleared, and closed existing deficit accounts in all non-operating funds. This was done in response to District Board Policy 608 which states:

Seattle Community Colleges will establish and maintain a reserve of 5-10% of the aggregate total of each fund’s annual expenditure budget. Excluded are trust and capital funds. The reserve will be established from existing balances or by creating surpluses by generating more revenue than expenditures in a fiscal year. Non-operating budgets with deficits at the end of any fiscal year must be zeroed out by the end of the next fiscal year. Deficit balances may not be carried forward beyond one fiscal year without specific approval of the Chancellor.The creation of a District operating reserve will ensure sufficient funds available for working capital, be available to deal with fluctuations in revenue or expenditures, and provide opportunities to fund non-recurring expenses, such as program start-up costs or equipment purchases. The status of the District reserve will be reported to the Board of Trustees on a quarterly basis as a part of its financial statements.

The policy and its procedures targeted budget deficits with specific instructions and a timeframe for accomplishing the tasks identified. The college has been successful in implementing that policy. This deficit reduction effort continues with the college submitting updates to the chancellor and Board of Trustees on an annual basis.

In related efforts, the college has grouped together the accounting for non-instructional programs whenever possible. In some instances where an accumulated deficit is too great and/or the underlying operating circumstances are too complex to be alleviated within a single fiscal year, the college has submitted and received board approval for plans to eliminate the deficit condition in three to five years.

In maintaining fiscal stability, the college implements transfers between funds as part of its normal operating procedures. These transfers are planned, appropriately approved, and budgeted to follow the district and the college’s budget development policies and procedures. Examples include the utilization of International Student Program revenues, Running Start program revenues, and indirect cost recoveries in support of the college’s instructional and general operations each year.

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In terms of risk management, the college’s financial stability is now sufficient to allow flexibility with regard to incidental transfers that it may find prudent and necessary during the course of a given fiscal year. The college continues to seek to expand sources of funding while maintaining the stability of its existing relationships. As an example, the college has a long standing relationship with the State Board of Community and Technical College (SBCTC) Office of Workforce Education. This relationship enables the college to provide programs in several Workforce Education target areas, including Worker Retraining, Workfirst, Workforce Development, and the Job Skills Program (JSP). All these programs are funded by state board grants through Workforce Education, with the exception of Worker Retraining, which is supported by the state general fund. In several instances, the college has succeeded in augmenting state board funding. Since its last Comprehensive Self Study Report in 2007, the college has successfully secured over $16,000,000 in grant funding to support innovative programs and curriculum design (reference: Grants and Contracts 2007-2012).

Examples of realistic development of additional financial resources are an undertaking in contract training effort that has already had successes the expansion of the Food Services scope to include an espresso bar and a catering function an increased campus facility rental efforts.

As a public institution and an agency of the State of Washington, the college’s funds are subject to audit by the State Auditor’s Office (SAO). The college’s audit reports are included in the audit of the Seattle Community College District. As indicated in Financial Accountability Requirement #119, when an on-site audit is scheduled by the SAO, the intent is to determine the college’s compliance with state laws and regulations and the district’s policies and procedures. The SAO is also responsible for reporting the college’s compliance with federal assistance programs and the adequacy of the college’s internal controls. In FY 11-12 the college added a fiscal compliance officer to the business office in order to improve oversight and monitoring of fiscal compliance on campus.

With the economic climate in the State of Washington, the college is concerned about potential issues (two recent 12% increased tuition increases and the potential loss of international students due to global financial conditions) but has protected its liabilities and risks through the development of adequate reserves and broader expansion into other potential revenue areas. For example, reserves have been built to protect the International Student Program’s operating budget contribution for two fiscal years in the event of an international or catastrophic weather/political event that can remove the college’s international student revenue source for an extended period of time.

Resource Planning and Budget Development (2.F.2)The college’s annual operating budget development process for the upcoming fiscal year traditionally begins in October and concludes with a balanced budget submitted to the district in June. The final budget is the result of a collaborative and public financial planning process. The budget is implemented on the 1st of July. At its July meeting, the Board of Trustees (BOT) generally passes a continuing operations resolution that carries financial operations through October. At its October meeting, the board approves the final budget. The college projects both state and self-support revenues and expenditures in order to plan for long-term program changes. The capital budget requests are developed under the State Board for Community and Technical College’s (SBCTC) biennial process.

In 2002-03 a Budget Planning Team (BPT) was given the following charge by the president:

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Working with the College Council, the president and vice presidents, and using the Strategic Plan as a guide, the committee will help plan for the anticipated budget reductions … by developing recommendations that will lead to the creation of a budget that is both balanced and in alignment with the college’s Strategic Plan.

The budget alignment strategy increased dependency on the college’s non-state funded resource base particularly in the International Student Program (ISP), the Running start program, grants management, and development of non-state funded revenue resources like the facilities rental program during the recent reduction in state funded resources. Conservative budgeting, fiscal austerity, and developing resource contingencies provided a non-state funded buffer to react to fiscal emergencies, opportunities and budget reductions cycles.

As the economy deteriorated and support for higher education began to drop precipitously, the challenge was to preserve consistency with the strategic plan and to prevent the college from being hollowed out by reductions and eliminations of programs and positions.

The roles of the BPT and the College Council became more focused relative to the budget reduction issues during the last few years. In fiscal FY 2012, the BPT was reduced in size to a Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) comprised of seven fiscal technicians from throughout the campus who focus on the analysis of proposed budget options as being realistic, practical, or feasible. The size and attendance record of the previous BPT made it difficult to maintain a consistent focus on current fiscal issues.

Focusing on consistency with the strategic plan and analysis of the proposed options are still the primary input from the College Council. Beginning in 2012-13, the BAC has a representative on the College Council meetings to increase communication and understanding of technical budgetary issues.

Meeting mandated enrollment targets has also become a significant challenge for the district, given the impact of double digit increases in tuitions during the last two years. Program efforts were proposed that increased FTE and were consistent with the college’s strategic plan and core themes. An example was the adding of an additional Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) cohort.

The Strategic Enrollment Management Committee (SEM) historically focused on coordinating enrollment strategies between the Marketing and Public Information Office (PIO), Outreach, Student Development Services (SDS) and the Instructional Division. In the fall of 2010, the SEM committee was asked to develop an inventory of student success strategies in order to establish a baseline level of institutional effort in this area. The chair of the committee surveyed the college and developed a repository of practices across the campus that helped identify specific gaps. 

After this groundwork was laid, the Seattle Community College District received a large grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The project was titled Pathways to Completion and was designed to be a district-wide initiative. Campus leads were selected across the district and brought together to begin planning the project. The Pathways to Completion project is intended to be a systems change effort impacting the entire district. Due to the nature of this project, the college leadership determined that it would be best to put a hold on planning campus-specific student success initiatives until the final form of the Pathways project was completed. At this time the SEM group resumed focusing on enrollment strategies and the E-Team assumed the role of student success task force. 

At the current time, the E-Team reviews and analyzes student success data, establishes institutional benchmarks regarding student success, solicits the campus for strategies to meet these benchmarks and makes decisions about which ones to fund. For its part, SEM continues to focus on enrollment management and recently received funding to engage a consultant to complete an environmental scan

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which will include trends and changes in local job markets, demographics, patterns of residence, and emerging sectors. This scan will provide a foundation for long term planning of programs and enrollment. 

North Seattle has two non-profit fundraising organizations working to provide support for the college: the North Seattle Community College Foundation and the North Seattle Community College Education Fund (formerly a part of the Foundation). Each has increased its support of the college through private funding. For planning purposes, the North Seattle Community College Foundation has committed to providing a minimum of $250,000 a year for scholarships. The income to the Education Fund has consistently been increasing, with nearly one million dollars in 2011-12. It is also increasing funding from private foundations. In-kind donations for classroom equipment have increased from $5,607 in 2008-2009 to $85,000 in 2011-12, and a projected $100,000 in 2012-13. Each organization consistently provides funding for scholarships, faculty and staff development, equipment, emergency assistance, and special projects.

The ability to accurately predict awards is getting more difficult given the competition for these resources as the chart below indicates the unreliable pattern for grants (G) and contracts (C). However, when combined with a more reliable the International Student Programs (I) pattern, a healthy planning buffer develops.

Revenue from Grants, Contracts and International Student ProgramsDESCRIPTION FY 07-08 FY 08-09 FY 09-10 FY 10-11 FY 11-12

G&C TOTAL REVENUE including IP college level

$6,316,200 $7,930,772 $7,907,213 $8,419,054

$9,257,155

G&C TOTAL REVENUE without IP college level

2,932,844 3,750,070 3,336,863 4,736,812 3,609,554

IP College Level Total Revenue 3,383,357 4,180,702 4,570,350 3,682,243 5,647,601

Financial Planning and Budget Development Policies and Guidelines (2.F.3)The district policies and guidelines for financial planning and budget development are outlined in Section 600 of the district’s website. Multiple opportunities for input from faculty, staff, students and administrators are included in the financial planning and budget development process, including:

The college’s annual budget is developed at the department level, reviewed by the Budget Advisory Committee, and discussed at the College Council, and then sent forward for revision and review by the Executive Team and final approval by the president.

Currently all-college budget presentations are held throughout the process to inform the college of the pending and final budget decisions and to answer questions. Budgets are balanced with total resources equaling the total expenditures.

In fiscal 2006, the college initiated a dual budget request process.  Each macro budget unit was asked to submit a detailed budget request to be covered by “permanent” and normal “temporary” funds.  This first track of the dual system resulted in continued balanced operating budget, utilizing normal funding sources.  As a second track, each macro unit was also asked to submit a prioritized list of one-time, non-recurring “unmet needs.”  Given the severe fiscal reductions during fiscal 2011 and 2012 the “unmet needs” track was not utilized.  In fiscal 2013, with relief from further state revenue reduction, the process was reactivated.  These lists were evaluated through an open process that culminated in a college-wide prioritized list of needs, to be funded as resources became available (reference: Unmet Needs Form). For fiscal 2014, the unmet needs process has been retained, but has been renamed the Temporary Funding Request.  It will occur simultaneously with the Operating Budget Request process. The Temporary Funding Request is linked to proposed strategic initiatives put forward by the college community to help the

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institution achieve the college benchmarks (see Budget Development Process for 2013-14). In another change, all budget requests must show a clear connection to and positive impact on the college’s core themes, objectives, and benchmarks. (See examples of an Operating Budget Request and a Temporary Funding Request.)

A budget calendar is shared with the college to facilitate awareness and input opportunities on the resource allocation process.

Numerous public all-college meetings, which include students, are held throughout the budget process to provide information and input options into the decision making activities.

The president meets regularly with student government and other college committee leadership constituencies to keep them informed and provide opportunities input into the fiscal process.

The president has taken an active role in the financial planning process and works collaboratively with the vice presidents and the college community to create an open and transparent progression on the allocation of resources. A bottom-up budget process is followed which provides greater transparency.

Accurate and Timely Financial Information (2.F.4)North Seattle Community College follows federal and state laws, rules, regulations, and the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The college’s budgets and accounts are in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the Washington State Legislature, the Office of Financial Management (OFM), the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB), the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), and policies established by the district’s Board of Trustees (Section 600). The college uses a financial reporting system that is common to all of the state’s community and technical colleges and is GAAP compliant. All funds for financial aid and other specific programs not subject to governmental audit are audited annually by the Washington State Auditor’s Office.

The college added a fiscal compliance officer position in fiscal 2012. The employee is a former auditor from the Washington State Auditor’s Office. This position provides fiscal checks and balances and serves as a key fiscal control function at the college. An example is an internal audit process for department credit cards.

Capital Budgets (2.F.5)The process for funding capital projects in Washington State occurs every two years. This process serves as a mechanism requiring a master plan review on a similar schedule. The college’s capital budget requests include aligning capital requirements for facilities with future educational changes and facility conditions needs.

In May 2011 the college successfully completed a $21 million, 45,000 square foot facility: the Opportunity Center for Employment and Education (OCE&E), which integrates educational, vocational, employment, and supportive social and health services through a partnership of multiple community-based agencies and community colleges. A second major capital project request was funded by the legislature in fiscal 2012. The projects are consistent with the college’s 2007 Long Range Campus Plan. The second project, a $25 million, 50,000 square foot Allied Health Technology Building Renewal project, is currently under construction. The Allied Health project is funded through state general obligations bonds and does not become a debt burden to the college. The project is targeted for completion in fiscal 2014.

Debt for capital projects follows a process different from that of the operating budget. The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) directs the process for capital requests on a biennial basis. The SBCTC has received accolades from the legislature for a fair and thorough capital budget request process. The Office of the State Treasurer in the State of Washington carefully controls this debt. The 1989 state legislature passed a law providing financing for both real and personal property through

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the use of financing contracts. These contracts include general obligation bonds (GO) and certificates of participation (COPs). The college has no internal debt at this time but it does support external debt of a District Certificate of Participation (COP) of $20 million issued as part of the funding structure of the OCE&E project. This debt is supported by formal state-approved 20-year leases with the Department of Employment Security and Department of Social and Health Services. The agencies’ rents retire the debt payment on the COP. No other capital expenditures debt exists, and capital drains on educational resources are avoided.

Financial Relationship between General Operating and Auxiliary Enterprises (2.F.6)All of the college’s auxiliary enterprise programs, principally Food Services (FS) and Facilities Rentals are expected to be self-sustaining, even revenue-producing. The college has made significant strides in its ongoing effort to exercise prudent, balanced, and effective financial management of its auxiliary enterprise operations. The college made a concerted effort to identify, clear, and close existing deficit accounts in all non-operating funds. Food Services continues to be monitored closely and has made significant improvement in reducing its yearly operating deficit.

In addition, the college has initiated efforts to further refine processes and procedures to improve efficiency and maximize revenue-generating capability in its Facilities Rentals and Food Services operations. Accounts are now managed to maintain specific retained earnings’ balances, portions of which may be incorporated into the overall planned funding matrix that supports the educational and general operation of the college, and are given proper identification and approval under the college’s budget development process.

Food Services has received support in the past from International Student Programs (ISP) to offset yearly deficit closures. However, in fiscal 2012, FS has shown signs of a near positive closure due to expanded activity in the catering side and better coordination with rental operations that require the inclusion of food services when possible. The facilities-rental program supports various portions of facility and security positions within the operations budget.

Of particular note is the new source of revenue from the rental program. The rental rates have nearly doubled over the last several years. Also a requirement was put into place whereby any group that rents campus facilities and includes food as part of its event must give the college’s Food Services the right of first refusal. This requirement holds true whether the group is from within the college community or external to the college.

External Financial Audit (2.F.7; Eligibility Requirement 19)As a public institution and an agency of the State of Washington, all college funds are subject to periodic audits by the State Auditor’s Office (SAO). (See 2.F.1 above.) During scheduled on-site SAO audit visits, issues noted in the audit report, whether exit conference items, management letter items, or formal audit findings (the most severe), are addressed at the exit conference with the Board of Trustees chair and executive management team members at the conclusion of the audit.

In FY 2012, the Business Office added a fiscal compliance officer to its staff. This position is held by an auditor with three years of experience in the State Auditor’s Office working on community college audits. This hands-on experience and additional oversight has been quite successful in preventing and correcting auditing problems. (See 2.F.1) The college’s fiscal compliance officer in the Business Office ensures that adequate internal controls are in place. When exceptions to controls are discovered, the Business Office fiscal compliance officer works with the department to see if there are compensating controls.

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All financial aid funds, including North Seattle Education Fund scholarships, are a part of SAO audit reviews. Copies of audit reports are available in the college’s Business Office and at the district’s Accounting Office. North Seattle’s financial aid programs (grants-in-aid, scholarships, and student employment) have had no audit findings or management letters.

Each of the college’s two non-profit fundraising organizations—the Education Fund and the Foundation—is audited annually by an independent certified public accounting firm. Copies of audit reports are available in both the college’s Business Office and Education Fund office.

Fundraising Activities 2.F.8The fundraising policies and activities have not changed substantially since the 2007 Self Study, with the exception of the North Seattle Community College Foundation, where the board has been expanded to 10 members. The Education Fund signed an updated agreement with the college in 2011. The Foundation has not altered its scope of work or relationship with the college and operates under the 2001 agreement

The fundraising that occurs for North Seattle Community College supports its mission, core themes, and strategic plan. Both non-profit organizations, the North Seattle Community College Foundation and the North Seattle Community College Education Fund, continue to provide financial support to the college in a professional and ethical manner. Each organization is a separate 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Each organization aggressively pursues private funding. Each organization consistently provides funding for scholarships, faculty and staff development mini-grants, equipment, emergency assistance, and special projects.

There are many strengths to each non-profit. The Education Fund has increased its assets by 50% since 2007, and has added several endowment funds. It is also increasing its presence in the community, becoming a resource for businesses and community leaders. The Foundation has become an active partner with North’s Opportunity Center for Employment and Education by providing financial literacy classes and on-site counseling. It has also taken a lead in the city of Seattle to support financial literacy. Both the Education Fund and the Foundation have aligned their strategic plans to support the goals of the college.

2.G Physical Infrastructure and Technological Infrastructure

Adequate Physical Facilities (2.G.1; Eligibility Requirement 14)North Seattle Community College’s campus was built in 1969, and during the last 44 years the college has maintained a growing and actively used facility complex in functional conditions, meeting the needs of the college community.

Since 1989, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) has directed that a facility condition survey be performed on all state-owned community college facilities every biennium. This is a method of identifying and budgeting capital repair needs by applying a uniform process to all community colleges state-wide. The SBCTC capital process is linked to consistency with campus strategic plans and the state board’s capital allocation process.

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The 2011 facilities condition survey rated six of the ten facilities as superior or adequate. However, the overall rating ranked the campus facilities in below-average condition and indicated that improvement is needed primarily through major renovations of selected buildings. The building in the worst condition is the Technology Building, which is currently undergoing a $25 million dollar renovation and addition.

The college has successfully implemented a process to increase staffing requirements in the physical plant. One of the factors leading to this commitment is the rate of utilization of the community college’s space. Recently the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges 2013-15 Operating Budget Maintenance Level Request points out the utilization burden to community colleges:

Community and technical colleges utilize their physical space well above the recognized standards. The 2003 House Capital Committee Interim Workgroup on Higher Education Facilities report compared Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) classroom seat use standard of 22 hours per week to the utilization rate of community and technical colleges. Two year colleges are using their space at a rate of 32 hours per week, substantially higher than other educational institutions in Washington State. When including Running Start and other student functions the utilization rate increases. Facilities experience heavy use from early morning to late evenings and weekends. This utilization level increases the demand for custodial and maintenance services in community college facilities.

The 2011 facilities condition survey indicated that the college has 651,334 gross square feet (GSF). The report further indicated that the 7.8 full-time equivalent (FTE) maintenance facilities staff for the college were each responsible for 83,504 gsf of space on campus. National standards from the International Facility Managers Association (IFMA) indicate that the average GSF maintained per FTE should be 57,471. In terms of comparison, the college maintenance FTEs are responsible for 45% more space than the IFMA standard. The number of FTE staff required for the size of physical plant maintained was approximately 33% less than the IFMA average. Essentially the college was three maintenance FTEs short of meeting the standard.

In spite of this situation, the college has managed to maintain the physical plant in a safe and secure condition. During the last two years, the interim administrative services VP and the president have been able to increase the physical plant maintenance staff by three FTEs. Currently the facilities department has achieved the IFMA standard of gross square feet per maintenance FTE.

The custodial unit has been reorganized; a day-time shift, and a swing shift have been added to the traditional nighttime shift and two additional custodian FTEs have been added. The custodial and facility maintenance staff strive to maintain and present a healthy learning and working environment and value the importance of “first impressions” provided by our physical plant and the conditions of public areas and classrooms. The filling of positions was accomplished by a combination of not replacing retiring middle level managers in facilities or the custodial units, getting support from the facilities rental income, developing internal talent within the units, and utilizing international student program revenue.

Technological Infrastructure : Consistent with the college’s mission, core themes, and characteristics, Information Technology (IT) Services operates, installs, maintains, and supports technology resources for the college. Areas managed by IT Services include data and voice networks, web servers and web accounts, electronic mail through Google Apps for Education, classroom technologies, including audio/ visual equipment, student computer labs, technology purchasing, software licensing, hardware and software maintenance, new technologies research, assistance to users in selecting and using hardware and software, all college software installation, and helpdesk services for faculty, staff, and students. Since 2011, IT Services has also provides all media services for classrooms, events, and rentals. The quality of IT support in the facilities rental program has significantly contributed to the continuation of facilities

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rental income. In addition, IT Services provides overall support for the OCE&E facility and coordinating network activities for three diverse state agencies in one building.

IT Services coordinates with the district office for Microsoft Exchange support and for administrative systems support through the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. IT Services staff consists of 13 permanent, six hourly employees, and a director (reference: IT Services Organization Chart).

Policies and Procedures for Hazardous or Toxic Materials (2.G.2)The college has developed and implemented a set of comprehensive plans to handle, store, and safely dispose of hazardous materials on campus. These plans include the Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP), Hazard Communication Program (HCP), Blood-Borne Pathogens Program (BBP), and the Respiratory Protection Program (RPP). These programs ensure that the college complies with federal, state, and county regulations associated with handling, storing, and disposing of hazardous materials on campus.

The CHP covers the storage, use, and disposal of laboratory chemicals. Personnel trained in chemistry also act as health and safety resources. Currently, the college’s Chemical Hygiene Administrator (CHA) is the lab technician supervisor. This person has the responsibility for the overall health and safety programs for laboratories. Also, the college’s Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) is one of the Instructional Technicians in the science laboratories. This person has the responsibility of maintaining the college’s Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) database and properly disposing of all hazardous waste on the campus.

The HCP also outlines the goals and procedures to protect staff and students from exposure to harmful substances on campus. The HCP includes information about labeling, MSDS, training, and informing contractors who work on campus of possible exposure issues. Hazardous waste is collected, managed, and shipped by employees who are trained and have received Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) certification for handling hazardous substances. They also receive yearly training updates in federal and state regulations and laws. All incoming hazardous substances are monitored by the shipping and receiving personnel who check to see that each shipment contains an MSDS. Shipments are held until a current MSDS is obtained.

Employees receive training online for a number of the health and safety plans as well as yearly updates of specific programs in a regular classroom setting.

College Master Plan (2.G.3)While the college had prepared the more common Master Plans in the past, the college’s first Major Institution Master Plan (MIMP) was developed in 1995. This was updated and resubmitted in 1998 as construction of a new building was proposed. Work on updating this MIMP was begun in 2004 and completed in 2007 and approved by the City of Seattle in 2010.

The City approved the MIMP for the college with no expiration date. This authorized the college to proceed with two buildings that had been planned without any conflict with the city ordinances as part of the 2007 Campus Plan. The Long Range Campus Plan incorporated the college’s strategic plan, mission, and values in its development.

The two major facilities identified in the Long Range Campus Plan were The Opportunity Center for Employment and Education (OCE&E) and the Allied Health Technology Building Renewal Project. The OCE&E was built and occupied by 2011, and the $25M academic facility—the Allied Health Technology

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Building—is currently under construction. Both of these facilities are consistent with the college’s strategic plan, core themes, and mission statement.

Sufficient Equipment (2.G.4)Equipment not paid through normal state-funded operational budgets is funded through the Universal Technology Fee (UTF), grant requests, a variety of other academic fee accounts, major capital projects or through Foundation resources.

Austere budgeting and conservative expenditures guided the college through recent difficult economic times. However, growth in the International Student Program facilitated the reactivation of the Unmet Needs Process in 2012-13 which provided funding for a broad variety of equipment needs totaling $163,141. The Unmet Needs Process was intentionally linked to the campus strategic plan, and all requests for equipment or other unmet needs had to directly support specific college core themes and mission. (Refer to these links for the Unmet Needs Request form and for a complete listing of Unmet Needs Allotment approved for 2012-13.) The equipment requests approved through this process are listed in the following table.

Equipment Requests Approved through 2011-12 Unmet Needs Process

Approved Equipment AmountSnow Blower $1,100Custodial Vacuums 3,000POS Cash Register 20,000Espresso Machine 12,200Kettlebells, gym 1,462Flatbed electric cart 10,000Color laser printer 1,700Various computers, printers, projectors 119,679Total $163,141

IT has instituted a computer four-year life cycle replacement plan for classrooms in order to keep front line student equipment quantity current and up-to-date. More is detailed in the Technology Infrastructure section below.

Facility infrastructure equipment update and modernization is supported through operational budget, state-funded capital accounts and is often supplemented by non-state-funded sources such as Facility Rentals and the Education Fund through mini-grants. Maintaining an aging physical plant with much of its systems reaching end-of-life cycle is constantly a challenge. In FY 2011-12 the Facility Rentals account provided resources for a much needed all-terrain vehicle (ATV) vehicle for grounds maintenance personnel and assorted vacuum cleaners to the custodial unit.

Technological Network Infrastructure (2.G.5)All North Seattle Community College employees have access to the administrative network via their NetID (user login). This provides network storage, including personal and shared web space. Network storage can be remotely accessed via secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) or Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPN access is provided for faculty and staff upon request. Collaboration tools and email are also provided via Google Apps for Education. Faculty and staff have access, via the new North Seattle Community College website, to a personal directory page that includes blog capabilities and a growing number of faculty portal applications that are in development.

Students have access to the instructional network (segregated from the administrative network for security

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purposes). Students log into the network with their NetID userIDs and have access to network storage, webspace, and shared drives. Student email and other collaboration tools are provided through Google Apps for Education.

North Seattle Community College’s technical infrastructure has appropriate and adequate systems to support the mission and core themes of the college. IT Services provides the academic and administrative and operations for all information technology functions. As part of the Seattle Community Colleges District, the college is connected to commodity Internet and high-performance Internet II, through the Pacific Northwest Gigapop at the University of Washington.

Internally, a fiber optic network (1 Gigabit per second) provides excellent bandwidth and reliable connectivity. IT Services employs a variety of technologies, vendors, and software to provide cost-effective, robust infrastructure to support the needs of the campus. The college operates 72 physical servers. The technical infrastructure is maintained and upgraded to keep up with changing needs.

The college’s network includes 113 switches connecting at 1 Gigabit per second to 870 student and 417 faculty and staff Windows workstations and 80+ student and staff Macintosh computers. IT Services also supports 115 college-owned laptops, both Windows and Mac. The district is fortunate to be able to offer higher speed network connections to the Internet than any of our sister institutions because of our relationship with the GigaPop.

Wireless network connectivity using a locally developed captive web portal is provided in all buildings on campus except the Opportunity Center for Employment & Education (OCE&E). In 2012 the wireless network was upgraded to 802.11.n (n signifies “next generation”—up to 150 Megabits per second) with funding from the Student Fee Board. This increase nearly tripled the theoretical maximum throughput of the older wireless network. Although there are some areas on campus where there is little or no signal, when the project is completed the college plans to blanket the entire campus from ground level to the third floor of each building.

All students and employees have Wi-Fi accounts using their NetIDs. Users without NetIDs can access college and district resources, but cannot access Internet sites outside of those domains.

Current IT infrastructure is described in detail on the IT Services website. Through a district-wide telecommunications project in 2011, telephones have been upgraded to voice over IP phones with Power Over Ethernet where wiring is adequate. Additional IP phones will be deployed as wiring is replaced during construction projects.

IT Service Delivery: The district provides e-mail for employees (Microsoft Exchange/Outlook). Administrative applications (Student, Payroll/Personnel, and Financial Management Systems) are statewide operations coordinated through the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. This system was recently updated to modern HP-UX technology managed from the state data center and will soon be upgraded to an Enterprise Resources Planning System: the state estimates two to five years for implementation.

The college’s IT Services provides software, hardware, and network support for classrooms, computer labs, and offices. IT Services provides a comprehensive helpdesk/call center. The helpdesk supports the objectives of providing high quality and effective teaching and learning and works closely with eLearning staff to encourage and support instructors in the use of technology for innovative instruction. Training in IT is offered through the Teaching and Learning Center, which is not a part of IT Services. IT Services supports the college’s core themes by providing college e-mail accounts and collaboration tools through

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Google Apps for Education at no cost to the college.

IT Services supports several internal applications (both vendor supplied and internally developed), including the Key Management system, a Testing Center with 30 workstations, Point of Sale system for Food Services, internally developed automated displays for screensavers and reader boards, campus alert client, a news aggregator, Tickettrak, document management, enrollment transactions, an International Student application, and other forms and workflow.

IT Services supports several ITV classrooms on campus, scheduling resources through KORRS, a K-20 network managed by the State Board for Community and Technical colleges to support classes, meetings, and other remotely accessed events. IT Services also provides a mobile ITV solution, not high definition, if faculty or staff need to attend remote meetings from spaces other than the pre-configured classrooms.

Instructional Computing: IT Services operates an open computer lab (see table below) and manages 16 multi-computer classrooms, including specialty classrooms. IT Services also manages the technology for four multi-computer labs. Ninety lecture classrooms contain Windows workstations for instructors, overhead projectors, and document cameras.

Open Computer Lab Equipment ProfileEquipment Type QuantityWindows workstations: 42MacIntosh workstations 5Printer (black & white) 1

IT staff are on duty to assist students in the use of the open lab equipment (see table below).

Open Lab HoursDays Open HoursMonday – Thursday 7:45 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.Friday 7:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.Saturday – Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Each computer classroom contains up to 32 student computers, a printer, and a data projector. The classrooms can be scheduled for a full quarter or for specific days. Some are regularly scheduled as rental spaces for outside parties. Scheduling of computer classrooms is handled through the Office of Instruction. Specialized labs, fully maintained and supported by IT Services, are scheduled and supervised by various departments. These include labs for nursing, pharmacy, CAD, medical assisting, and others.

As of 2010, all classroom computers, supported by the Universal Technology Fee (UTF), have been replaced on a four-year life-cycle plan. In 2011, the student fee board voted to add projectors to a similar life-cycle plan of approximately six years. This greatly improves both the quantity and quality of classroom equipment to support the college’s core theme of Excelling in Teaching and Learning.

Students also have access to a computer lab on the second floor of the library. This lab is open during library hours and is maintained by IT Services.

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Open Computer Lab Hours in LibraryDays Open HoursMonday-Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Faculty and Staff Computing: The college’s administrative computer network supports 500 faculty and staff desktop computers and laptops.

Training and User Support (2.G.6)Helpdesk staff members handle routine help requests. Problems requiring more time and expertise are referred to technical staff members. Those requiring more user support are referred to the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) staff. Technical support is provided by a team of IT specialists. Several of these specialists are dedicated to specific instructional areas. All team members have access to the entire database of helpdesk tickets and can provide assistance where needed.

Although funding for commercial training is limited, IT staff members are encouraged to enroll in appropriate technology classes as available. IT Services provides access to the full library of Lynda.com training materials available to any college employee through the TLC.

Student training and tutoring are handled in various labs and in the library by computer tutors funded by the student fee board or by specific programs or departments in which additional technical support is indicated.

eLearning: eLearning staff members support academic divisions, faculty, students, and staff use of educational technologies for on-campus, blended, and online classes. Web-based educational technologies licensed through third-party vendors that are administered, maintained, and supported by eLearning staff on campus include:

an online learning management system (LMS) to facilitate online classroom discussions, sharing of digital files, online assessment tools (e.g. quizzing) and an online gradebook

a web-based lecture-capture solution to enable easy recording, uploading and online delivery of course lectures

a web-based conferencing tool for synchronous meetings via webcam (e.g. class meetings, office hours) as well as real-time screen sharing and white board.

The eLearning staff administers these educational technologies by working with the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges staff and third-party software vendors to secure licensing agreements and to configure the tools for user authentication. Maintenance of these technologies includes creating user enrollments and passwords, working with software vendor technical support to troubleshoot problems, and manually creating archives of course materials to ensure that faculty maintain continuous access to their course materials.

Support services offered by eLearning staff include troubleshooting faculty and staff technical problems through phone, e-mail, and in-person consultations and alerting the campus of downtime due to infrastructure maintenance or repair. The eLearning staff also supports students through quarterly postage mailings and a routinely updated “Virtual College” website delivering information about registration for eLearning classes, online course orientations, technical requirements, and troubleshooting as well as bookstore and advising contact information.

The eLearning staff works closely with the campus Curriculum and Academic Standards eLearning Subcommittee to encourage and foster faculty review of and participation in the quality assurance of online instruction on campus. eLearning staff also develop and facilitate a tailored training sequence to support technological proficiency of faculty on campus. eLearning staff provide and maintain an informational web portal for faculty that is similar to the student “Virtual College” website.

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eLearning provides further support to faculty on campus through one-on-one orientations to campus electronic systems, quarterly workshops providing faculty hands-on practice with technologies and opportunities to share best practices, and a faculty loan program providing use and support of digital voice recorders, digital cameras, web cams, smartpens, books, and reference materials promoting pedagogically sound teaching via technology.

eLearning staff chair the campus Educational Technologies Advisory Committee fostering cross-campus communication, collaboration, coordination, and visioning on eLearning and use of educational technologies at the college. eLearning staff also attend regional and national conferences on teaching and learning with technology to foster innovation on campus and to ensure that the college remains competitive.

Teaching and Learning Center: The college’s Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) is a resource center for faculty and staff professional development. For the benefit of faculty and staff, the TLC offers

25 – 35 workshops and training opportunities per month A small number of cameras and laptops (four to six of each) for college-related short-term use Extensive one-on-one support for faculty and staff projects and HelpDesk referrals Six-seat computer “lab” with both Macs and PCs, scanners, and color and black-and-white

printers 12-seat computer classroom outfitted with specialty software not available in offices and

classrooms A small, presentation-ready conference room for faculty and staff use.

The TLC coordinates funding for and administers the college’s Lynda.com, a video tutorial subscription account, and is currently collaborating with other TLCs across the district. The TLC is also working with IT Services in a pilot program with Apple Computer called “THE (Tablets in Higher Education) Team” to explore the potential of iPads as instructional tools.

To meet the continuing challenge of equipment and software upgrades, the TLC has recently secured funding through the Unmet Needs Process for new computers and current version(s) of specialty software.

Library and Loft Writing Center Plus: Because of the large number of students with computer and software questions, the library staff partnered with The Loft Learning Center to apply for Student Fee Board funds to hire computer tutors. Because of the success of this program in assisting students with their computer inquiries, the college’s student government continues to fund this service to students. The library also circulates digital cameras and recorders that can be checked out at the library front counter.

IT Planning (2.G.7) Strategic planning for information technology is the responsibility of the IT Advisory Committee, the IT director, and the vice president for administrative services, in concert with the college’s overall strategic planning efforts. The IT Advisory Committee (ITAC) is chaired by the IT director and includes representation from all major divisions and departments. The college-wide Technology Plan is being modified in 2013 to reflect the college’s core themes and strategic plan. Progress and status are reviewed and updated annually.

The IT director reports to the vice president for administrative services. The director is also accountable to the IT Advisory Committee, which meets monthly and represents students, faculty, and staff from most divisions. This committee provides guidance, priorities, and communication to the college departments. In addition, all three of the IT directors in the Seattle Community College District work collaboratively with the district CFO/CIO to coordinate district-wide IT projects.

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Technology Update and Refresh (2.G.8)Student computers are replaced on a four year cycle. Funds from the Universal Technology Fee and Computer Lab Fee provide sufficient replacement coverage for student systems (reference: Classroom Computer Replacement 2012).

Projectors and other classroom AV equipment are replaced only when needed through state and one-time funds. Network infrastructure replacement also depends on one-time funding. Administrative workstations are replaced as necessary with departmental funding. For FY 2012-13, the college funded $119,679 under the Unmet Need Process to support the replacement of various faculty and staff computers that were over four years old. This covered approximately 25% of all admin/faculty computers (reference: Unmet Needs Allotment).

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