Year Seven Report NWCCU Pilot of Revised Standards and Process Pilot 20082010/WVC Year 7 Report.pdf · The Associate of General Studies degree is a general two-year degree that does

Year Seven Report

NWCCU Pilot of Revised Standards and Process

September 2010

Table of Contents

Introduction

Institutional Context ........................................................................................................ 1

Preface ............................................................................................................................ 2

a. Institutional Changes Since Last Report ........................................................... 2

b. Topics Requested by the Commission ............................................................. 4

c. Date of Most Recent Review of Mission and Core Themes .............................. 8

Chapter One: Mission, Core Theme, and Expectations .................................................. 9

Section I: Standard 1.A ....................................................................................... 9

Mission Statement ......................................................................................... 9

Interpretation of Fulfillment of the Institution’s Mission ................................ 9

Articulation of an Acceptable Threshold or Extent of Mission Fulfillment ... 10

Section II: Standard 1.B .................................................................................... 11

Transfer/Liberal Arts Core Theme ............................................................... 11

Workforce Education Core Theme ............................................................... 13

Basic Skills Core Theme .............................................................................. 15

Continuing Education Core Theme .............................................................. 16

Student Diversity/Access Core Theme ......................................................... 17

Responsiveness to Local Needs Core Theme ............................................... 18

Cultural Education and Enrichment Core Theme.......................................... 19

Chapter Two: Resources and Capacity ......................................................................... 21

Standard 2.A: Governance ................................................................................. 21

Standard 2.B: Human Resources ........................................................................ 30

Standard 2.C: Education Resources ................................................................... 32

Standard 2.D: Student Support Resources .......................................................... 40

Standard 2.E: Library and Information Resources ............................................. 47

Standard 2.F: Financial Resources ..................................................................... 48

Standard 2.G: Physical and Technical Infrastructure .......................................... 51

Chapter Three: Planning and Implementation ............................................................... 57

Standard 3.A: Institutional Planning .................................................................. 57

Chapter Four: Core Theme Planning, Assessment, and Improvement ........................... 62

Section I: Transfer/Liberal Arts Core Theme ..................................................... 62

Standard 3.B .......................................................................................... 62

Standard 4.A .......................................................................................... 63

Standard 4.B .......................................................................................... 65

Section II: Workforce Education Core Theme.................................................... 66

Standard 3.B .......................................................................................... 66

Standard 4.A .......................................................................................... 67

Standard 4.B .......................................................................................... 68

Section III: Basic Skills Core Theme ................................................................. 69

Standard 3.B .......................................................................................... 69

Standard 4.A .......................................................................................... 70

Standard 4.B .......................................................................................... 70

Section IV: Continuing Education Core Theme ................................................. 70

Standard 3.B .......................................................................................... 70

Standard 4.A .......................................................................................... 71

Standard 4.B .......................................................................................... 72

Section V: Student Diversity/Access Core Theme ............................................. 72

Standard 3.B .......................................................................................... 72

Standard 4.A .......................................................................................... 73

Standard 4.B .......................................................................................... 74

Section VI: Responsiveness to Local Needs Core Theme .................................. 75

Standard 3.B .......................................................................................... 75

Standard 4.A .......................................................................................... 76

Standard 4.B .......................................................................................... 77

Section VII: Cultural Education and Enrichment Core Theme .......................... 77

Standard 3.B .......................................................................................... 77

Standard 4.A .......................................................................................... 78

Standard 4.B .......................................................................................... 79

Chapter Five: Mission Fulfillment, Adaptation, and Sustainability ............................... 81

Standard 5.A: Mission Fulfillment ..................................................................... 81

Standards 5.B: Adaption and 5.C Sustainability ................................................. 82

Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 85

Addendum: Response to Recommendation from Spring 2008 Focused Interim Visit ..... 89

Wenatchee Valley College

Year Seven Report Introduction

Wenatchee Valley College (WVC) was founded in Wenatchee in 1939 as a private college, with

funds to hire the first teaching faculty guaranteed by community members. After a period of

affiliation with the public K-12 school system, WVC became a public community college in

1967 with the passage of the Community College Act by the Washington State Legislature. The

counties of Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan were designated as WVC’s service district. This

area covers over 10,000 square miles and currently has a population of more than 152,000.

Though the area is primarily rural with widely scattered communities, the greater Wenatchee

area has grown to a population of over 50,000.

WVC’s main campus is on a 52-acre site in central Wenatchee. It includes 10 buildings with

classrooms and offices; a library/media center with interactive television classrooms; a

gymnasium; a student center with dining area and bookstore; and athletic fields for baseball,

softball, and soccer. Wenatchi Hall, the first new building on the campus in nearly 20 years, was

opened in August 2007. It houses student services and administrative offices; an academic

testing center; classrooms and a computer lab; four science laboratories; and teaching and

simulation facilities for the nursing and radiologic technology programs. A new residence hall

was completed in summer 2009 and provides on-campus housing space for 75 students.

In 1972, a satellite center was established in Omak, 100 miles to the north of Wenatchee, to

better serve the residents of Okanogan County. These programs and services have grown to

become WVC at Omak with a campus in the city center that includes classrooms, laboratories,

offices, and a library. In 2007-08, the WVC at Omak Foundation assisted with the purchase of

property adjacent to the college, providing additional office and meeting space in the short term

and land for eventual campus expansion.

In 2009-10, WVC served more than 10,000 students. Over 6,900 individuals enrolled in credit

or basic skills programs, representing 2,546 FTEs (full-time equivalent students). Nearly half of

this group (43 percent) is enrolled in transfer/liberal arts and sciences courses; 37 percent are

enrolled in professional/technical education; 11 percent of enrollments are in pre-college

(developmental) courses; and nine percent are in adult basic skills. More than 1,600 people

enrolled in non-credit continuing education and training courses. About 84 percent of enrollment

is at the Wenatchee campus and 14 percent is at Omak. The student population is about 30

percent Latino and 4 percent Native American. The majority of Native American students are

enrolled at WVC at Omak, which is adjacent to the reservation lands of the Colville

Confederated Tribes.

In this report, WVC updates its response to Standards One through Four and presents Standard

Five for the first time. It reflects WVC’s participation as a pilot college for NWCCU’s revised

accreditation standards and process and its efforts to demonstrate institutional quality and

effectiveness under this new framework.

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Institutional Context

WVC operates as a publicly funded comprehensive community college. It is one of 34

institutions under the governance of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical

Colleges (SBCTC). The statutory mission defined in Revised Code of Washington (RCW)

28B.50 establishes community colleges as open-access institutions that provide workforce

education, preparation for university transfer, adult basic skills and community education.

As the only higher education institution based within its three-county service district, WVC takes

seriously its responsibility to provide access and education to the residents and communities of

this area. The population in WVC’s district has low overall levels of educational attainment;

about 16 percent of residents in Douglas and Okanogan counties and 22 percent in Chelan

county hold bachelor’s degrees, compared to the statewide average of 28 percent. The district

has significant populations of Latino and Native American residents. With a prime climate for

growing tree fruit (apples, pears, and cherries), the region’s economy has long been based in

agriculture; nearly one-fifth of all migrant and seasonal farmworkers in Washington state are

employed in WVC’s district. In recent years, the diversity of the economic base has increased

with the development of Wenatchee into a regional medical center, a growing recreation and

tourism industry, and the implementation of infrastructure such as fiber-optic communications to

support data centers and other technology-based services.

WVC currently offers over 15 different Associate of Technical Science degree programs in fields

such as allied health, accounting and business, business information and computer technology,

early childhood education, automotive technology, criminal justice, environmental systems and

industrial maintenance. Allied health programs have the highest enrollment, representing about

36 percent of the total; 21 percent of enrollment is in business and technology programs, and 14

percent in agriculture, trades, and industrial programs (Spring 2010). Most of these programs

have one-year certificate options. The Associate of Arts and Sciences degree is recognized by

the Washington Intercollege Relations Commission (ICRC) under the direct transfer agreement;

degree recipients are granted junior standing upon acceptance at 22 public and private colleges

and universities in the state. Three other transfer degrees are offered for students who are

intending to major in music, business, or sciences. The Associate of General Studies degree is a

general two-year degree that does not meet university requirements for transfer.

To expand access to higher education opportunities for district residents, WVC partners with

Central Washington University (CWU) to offer bachelor’s degree programs on-site at the

Wenatchee campus. CWU and Washington State University (WSU) also offer distance learning

opportunities for bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Heritage University also offers occasional

cohort-based degree programs in WVC’s service district. While Heritage and WSU had locally-

based staff members in the past, these outreach positions have been eliminated in recent budget

reductions.

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Preface

Institutional Changes

The most significant changes at WVC since the October 2009 Year Three evaluation have

resulted from reductions in state funding. Like all public community colleges in Washington,

WVC is dependent on legislative allocation for its public funding; there is no local taxing or

bonding authority. Funds are allocated to the SBCTC system from the state general fund. State

budgets are adopted biennially in odd-numbered years; a supplemental budget in alternate years

makes adjustments as necessary. Funding allocations to individual college districts are made

annually through SBCTC. State funds typically provide over 60 percent of WVC’s operating

budget.

WVC, and all state-funded community colleges in Washington, received a mid-year reduction in

November 2008 that had to be implemented before the end of the fiscal year in June 2009. The

2009-2011 budget process in the 2009 legislative session yielded further reductions for the 2009-

10 fiscal year. These cuts totaled $1.7 million, or 11.7 percent of WVC’s state allocation, and

are considered as reductions to base funding; they will carry forward until the legislature acts to

restore support.

WVC has responded to these cuts by seeking strategies that minimize impact on students and

instructional programs. Early actions included reducing spending on travel, goods and services,

and equipment; not filling vacant positions; eliminating two off-campus facility leases and

returning those activities to campus; using alternate funding sources where available; and

requiring additional levels of administrative approval before purchases. These actions were

important, but were not enough to cover the entire shortfall, and many of these were one-time

items. In order to absorb the cuts to ongoing funding, reductions in force were inevitable given

that over 70 percent of WVC’s operating budget was committed to salaries and benefits.

Effective January 31, 2009, the college eliminated 17 full-time classified and exempt staff

positions. Two were unfilled vacancies and 15 were layoffs; 14 were on the Wenatchee campus

and 3 positions were on the Omak campus. Of the 17, ten were exempt staff members and seven

were classified staff members. Job descriptions were examined to see where work could be

reassigned in order to make the layoff decisions. The overriding philosophy was to protect

critical offerings of the college and continue to fulfill WVC’s mission.

Exempt position reductions included two deans, one on the Wenatchee campus and one in Omak.

The Vice President of Instruction is directly overseeing Omak campus programs; he meets

weekly with the Omak Campus Coordinating Council, which includes representatives from

faculty, classified, and exempt staff. The President and other administrators also travel regularly

to Omak.

No full-time faculty positions were cut, but class offerings for winter quarter were reduced by

about 30 sections. Most of these cancellations resulted in reduced teaching assignments for

adjunct faculty during winter and spring 2010.

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The college also severely restricted the use of part-time hourly employees. Sixty-five part-time

hourly employees (58 in Wenatchee, 7 in Omak) were not retained. A few part-time hourly

assignments have been made for 2009-2010, most supported by grants or other designated

funding. All part-time hourly hires require Cabinet approval.

As the 2009 legislative session moved forward and it became clear that further cuts would be

implemented, WVC began planning for 2009-2010 and beyond. To create a balanced budget,

the Cabinet agreed to continue restrictions on travel and purchasing for the next fiscal year.

Vacancies created by retirements and resignations would not be filled. This affected seven

positions as of June 30, 2009; three full-time faculty, two administrators, one exempt staff

member, and one classified staff member. In alignment with state policies, the college also

created a separation incentive option for full-time faculty and exempt employees. One

administrator in the President’s Cabinet and seven full-time faculty opted to take advantage of

the separation incentive. These positions will not be filled for at least the current biennium.

Several existing positions were also moved to grant or private funding where appropriate.

The savings carried forward from these changes provided enough funds to offset just over half of

the additional 6.76 percent reduction in state funds for the 2010-11 fiscal year. To attain a

balanced budget, the college identified new efficiencies in facilities and operations, laid off one

exempt employee, and offered separation incentives, which were accepted by one faculty

member and two exempt staff, including the Vice President of Instruction. Staff members were

reassigned to cover these and other vacancies, and the college elected to fill one full-time faculty

position, the tenure-track English instructor in Omak. A state-imposed hiring freeze requires

WVC to request approval from SBCTC and the state Office of Financial Management before

hiring any positions with state funds that do not involve direct student contact.

WVC has evaluated job descriptions and reassigned responsibilities to make sure that necessary

functions are met and the impacts to students are minimized. The college also continues to

investigate alternate funding strategies. Summer quarter classes in 2009 and 2010 were offered

on a self-support basis. Tuition revenue rather than state funds were used to pay the costs of

instruction, and classes had to meet minimum enrollment targets to be self-supporting. WVC

continues to pursue grant opportunities that fit its mission; beginning in fall 2009, the college

offered the federal College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) for the first time, and has

pursued an individual Title III application and a collaborative Title V proposal with Yakima

Valley Community College.

The economic downturn and resulting state budget reductions have necessitated difficult

decisions for WVC. The college has responded to these circumstances by focusing on its

mission and core themes. WVC will maintain this focus when funding is reinstated and positions

can be restored.

Despite the challenging fiscal climate, WVC is moving ahead with a capital campaign for a new

Center for Music and Art on the Wenatchee campus. This effort began by securing a $2 million

state capital funding commitment. These funds came with a local match requirement, which was

met through a $1 million private grant from the Icicle Fund and $1 million from the WVC

Foundation. The college will receive $1.5 million from the Wenatchee School District in a

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property transfer; the school district will receive the current Music and Art Center property to

use for a new alternative high school campus, and the college will gain the current alternative

high school property which is contiguous with the existing WVC campus. WVC faculty, staff,

and trustees have pledged $300,000, and a community fundraising campaign is underway for the

balance of $800,000. The design phase is in progress and construction will begin no later than

June 2011. WVC is very pleased to be moving forward on this long-awaited project.

Topics Requested by the Commission

Recommendation from Spring 2008 Focused Interim Review

Prior to the initiation of the new accreditation pilot process, WVC’s most recent NWCCU review

was a focused interim report and visit conducted in spring 2008. This review resulted in one

recommendation:

Recommendation #1: It is recommended that the college work to clearly define and

publish the expected learning outcomes of each of its programs and demonstrate that

students who complete those programs have achieved the outcomes. (2.B.2; Policy 2.2)

The Commission requested that WVC respond to this recommendation with a focused interim

report and visit in fall 2009. Following the Year Three visit and report in October 2009, the

Commission deferred its review of this issue until 2010, and requested that WVC address the

recommendation in the Year Seven report. Information on WVC’s progress is incorporated into

Chapters Two, Three, and Four of this report, and a comprehensive review of the college’s

response is presented in the addendum following Chapter Five.

Recommendations from NWCCU Response to Year One Report

WVC submitted its initial Year One Report to NWCCU in March 2009. The Commission made

three recommendations to WVC in its response to that report: to more clearly define goals and

intended outcomes for the college’s core themes (Recommendation #1); to review indicators of

achievement to ensure they are assessable, meaningful, and provide direct evidence of

achievements (Recommendation #2); and to develop and articulate benchmarks or acceptable

levels of achievement for its indicators as it moves forward with assessment activities

(Recommendation #3). In addition, the college was requested to provide its definition of mission

fulfillment and an interpretation of an acceptable threshold or extent of mission fulfillment.

The college reviewed and applied these recommendations in its work toward creating a

definition of mission fulfillment and identifying indicators and benchmarking performance to

identify a threshold of acceptable performance in the attainment of its mission. The definition

and indicators are presented in Chapter One below, with detailed data tables available as

exhibits. The majority of the intended outcomes for the core themes and the indicators used to

assess performance presented in the initial Year One report have been in use at WVC over a

period of years in Ends Policy reporting; the full history of reports is available electronically on

campus. As WVC addressed planning and assessment for each of its Core Themes beginning in

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fall 2009, review groups were convened and provided with a consistent structure. For each

indicator identified for a Core Theme, the review groups were asked to:

Identify any new or additional data sources relevant to the indicator

Evaluate whether the objective(s) of the core theme were satisfactorily achieved, based

on data for that indicator

Describe planned actions to improve attainment of Core Theme or program objectives

Recommend targets for future performance

This process is described in more detail in Chapters Three and Four, with supporting

documentation provided in exhibits. Information compiled in the review will be used to (1)

revise and make adjustments to Core Theme planning and implementation going forward from

this year, and (2) inform the revision of the Ends Policies to align them with Core Themes, a

process which has already been initiated by the WVC Board of Trustees. When the Board’s

process is concluded, indicators will be reviewed and adjusted to ensure they are assessable,

meaningful, and provide direct evidence of achievements. Core Theme review will be an annual

practice at WVC, as outlined in the planning timetable presented in Chapter Five.

Recommendation from October 2009 Year Three Evaluation

Following the Year Three report and visit in fall 2009, WVC received one recommendation:

1. Given the role of distance education in achieving its Core Theme objectives, the

Evaluation Committee recommends that the College carefully consider the population of

students it intends to serve and the requisite study skills and technological proficiency for

students to be successful when the College selects the delivery methods of instruction. In

addition, the Evaluation Committee recommends the College ensure the adequacy of the

technology infrastructure to support instruction delivered by distance education methods.

Finally, the Evaluation Committee recommends the College ensure that faculty and staff

have the technological and pedagogical knowledge to create an effective learning

environment for distance education. (2.D.1)

Initial steps taken beginning in October 2009 included a thorough review of efforts underway or

in the planning stages. This was organized around the three major elements of the

recommendation: student readiness, technology infrastructure, and faculty preparation for

distance education.

Element 1: ―Consider the population of students it intends to serve and the requisite study skills

and technological proficiency for students to be successful when the College selects the delivery

methods of instruction.‖

WVC’s Deans, Vice President for Instruction, and President have had a series of

meetings with K-12 superintendents and high school principals across the college’s

service district to discuss how WVC can better serve them. As many of these districts are

at a considerable distance from one of WVC’s campuses, there is strong interest in

distance learning and the schools have requested close partnerships with WVC on

distance efforts.

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The WVC Distance Learning (DL) website

(http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/distance/default.asp) has been made more

student-friendly. The DL website was updated to make sure that students have access to

the following current information:

o General information: DL staff contact information; DL course list; equipment and

technology requirements; basic skills needed to be a successful online student;

answers to FAQs; contact information and services available for online students;

advising tools; calendar for online classes; information about tuition and fees,

ordering course material, and textbooks; web registration information; and

netiquette

o Online orientation and tutorials:

―Is Online Learning for Me?‖ quiz at WashingtonOnline (WAOL) website

A ―Learn to Learn‖ course at WAOL

A ―Week Zero‖ course at WAOL for new users of the ANGEL learning

management system

In 2008-09, WVC initiated a pilot of a new web-based course evaluation system. Results

were discussed at Instruction Council meetings in 2009-10, leading to some suggestions

for improvements. When this is fully implemented it will be available to online

instructors, yielding specific feedback to instructors to use in making course adjustments.

With grant support, WVC is engaged in a pilot of a new web-based Academic Early

Warning system. This tool allows instructors to easily identify those students who are

demonstrating behaviors (missing class sessions, not turning in work, etc.) that are

negatively associated with student success. These students are contacted by Student

Development staff and referred to support services as appropriate. WVC is adapting this

system from two other Washington community colleges that developed it; these colleges

found that the use of academic early warnings increased course retention. This tool will

also be available to online instructors.

Additional services in development:

o 24/7 online tutoring services through a partnership with eTutoring.org

o Face-to-face workshops to prepare students for online learning

o Self-paced online orientation courses customized for potential WVC online

students.

Element 2: ―Ensure the adequacy of the technology infrastructure to support instruction

delivered by distance education methods.‖

The interactive television (ITV) infrastructure at the WVC at Omak campus is being

evaluated by the college’s audiovisual vendor. ITV is currently used to share courses

between campuses where an instructor is not available in Omak or on-campus enrollment

is not sufficient to support an additional section.

SBCTC is supporting the purchase of Tegrity lecture capture software for use by all

colleges in the system, beginning in 2010-11. College staff are reviewing hardware

requirements and identifying classrooms with appropriate equipment.

The ITV Coordinator position description has been rewritten to encompass functioning as

part of a team including the Distance Learning Coordinator and relevant IT staff.

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/distance/default.asp

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The Distance Learning Coordinator has been certified to be the campus’ ANGEL

administrator, thereby giving the college more control over the use of the ANGEL

system, which is provided through a statewide contract.

Element 3: ―Ensure that faculty and staff have the technological and pedagogical knowledge to

create an effective learning environment for distance education.‖

A grant-funded pilot group comprised of faculty and the Distance Learning Coordinator

is learning and implementing the Quality Matters rubric for online course design.

WVC has established a subscription to Sloan-C workshops to provide additional

resources for continually improving the quality of online education.

Ongoing efforts include:

o Supporting a faculty learning community group to share best teaching practices

o Individual assistance provided to faculty regarding course websites, ANGEL,

Elluminate, and Turnitin.com. This includes individual consultation; workshops

offered on areas identified by faculty; and redevelopment of the Faculty Teaching

& Learning computer lab to be more useful to faculty.

At the direction of the President’s Cabinet, a team of WVC faculty and staff, led by the library

director, met for several months beginning in March 2010 to develop a Title III Strengthening

Institutions application to address these needs. The outcome of this effort includes not only a

submitted grant proposal, but the benefits of extensive planning focused on this recommendation

and possible solutions for student preparedness, faculty development, and infrastructure

improvement. The broad participation on the planning group and regular communication with

Instruction Council and college departments has laid the foundation to move these efforts

forward while funding decisions are pending.

Recommendation from NWCCU Response to Year Five Report

The review by Commission members of WVC’s Year Five report resulted in one

recommendation:

1. While the institution is engaged in assessment of its programs and services and

assessment of core theme objectives, the Commission recommends that the institution

implement its improvement cycle more consistently across the institution (Standard 4.B).

WVC is taking steps to institutionalize a regular cycle of Core Theme and program/unit planning

and is aware of the need for all areas of the college participate fully. To make the use of results

for improvement more consistent throughout the college, Core Theme planning and program/unit

planning will be integrated. This integration will include the use of results from assessment of

student learning outcomes for instructional programs. Following data review and planning for

Core Themes, individual programs or units will review outcomes, update their plans, and provide

information for budget request development. By tying together Core Theme planning and

assessment, unit-level planning and assessment, and the resource allocation process, the college

will ensure that all areas of the college implement this improvement cycle in a consistent

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manner. This process is addressed in Chapter Three: Institutional Planning, and Chapter Four:

Core Theme Planning, Assessment, and Improvement.

Date of Most Recent Review of Mission and Core Themes

The most recent review and revision of the mission statement occurred during the second half of

2007. The process began during the Board of Trustees annual July retreat; administrators

prepared a set of questions to guide mission review and gathered current and past WVC mission

statements as well as examples from other community colleges. These discussions led to a

proposal from the Board of Trustees that circulated throughout the college community for review

and comment during fall quarter 2007. The Trustees reviewed feedback and presented a final

version which was formally adopted in February 2008.

Core themes were identified during 2008-09 as WVC engaged in self-study under the developing

new NWCCU standards. Through an iterative process involving the Cabinet, the Planning

Committee, and the Trustees, a preliminary set of Core Themes was drawn from WVC’s mission

statement. The existing Ends Policies and associated indicators were then mapped onto these

themes and reviewed for gaps and overlap. In some cases, existing goals as expressed in Ends

Policy statements were an excellent fit with core themes. In other instances some adjustment

was necessary, and some gaps were identified and filled. In addition, some Ends Policy

statements were judged to address areas that more closely align with major institutional systems

and functions (e.g., technology, facilities, and student services) and are addressed in more detail

under Standard Two. The seven Core Themes adopted by WVC are:

Transfer/Liberal Arts

Workforce Education

Basic Skills

Continuing Education

Student Access/Diversity

Responsiveness to Local Needs

Cultural Education and Enrichment

The Board of Trustees has already initiated a process to review these Core Themes and merge

them with the college’s Ends Policies, resulting in one set of statements that manifest

institutional mission and provide a framework for assessment of achievement. Discussions were

held during several work sessions in the 2009-10 year. This process will continue in fall 2010

and conclude with changes to be adopted as the foundation for WVC’s 2011 Year One report.

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Chapter One – Standard One:

Mission, Core Themes, and Expectations

Section I: Standard 1.A

Mission Statement

Wenatchee Valley College enriches North Central Washington by serving educational

and cultural needs of communities and residents throughout the service area. The college

provides high-quality transfer, liberal arts, professional/technical, basic skills and

continuing education for students of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds. (1.A.1)

Interpretation of Fulfillment of the Institution’s Mission

WVC defines mission fulfillment as demonstrating an acceptable level of institutional

performance on indicators of (1) student progress toward goals, and (2) community engagement.

This definition was developed during spring quarter 2009 through discussions in the Planning

Committee and President’s Cabinet (including a joint work session) and presented to the

Instruction Council.

Several alternatives for creating a definition of mission fulfillment were considered in these

discussions, using examples drawn from research and from approaches adopted by other

institutions. These included a ―defining characteristics‖ model, in which characteristics of an

effective community college are identified and the college assesses the extent to which it

demonstrates those characteristics; using a scorecard to summarize results and readily identify

areas for improvement; and identifying critical indicators that represent components of mission

fulfillment, and using them collectively to assess overall attainment. Discussion participants

concurred that it was important to use objective data where possible, and to include measures of

student achievement as well as indicators of community validation or support for the college’s

accomplishments.

The President’s Cabinet then took on the next step in the process by proposing specific indicators

for measuring mission fulfillment and reviewing data compiled by the Institutional Effectiveness

office. Proposed indicators for mission fulfillment were drawn from indicators in use for Ends

Policy reporting, with some additions and adjustments. The initial set of key performance

indicators (KPIs) for mission fulfillment includes the following measures:

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Student Progress and Success Community Engagement

Retention for students with transfer,

workforce preparation, and basic

skills intent

Completion: degrees and

certificates earned for transfer and

workforce intent students;

competency gains and GEDs earned

for basic skills students

Transition: transfer to four-year

institutions (transfer intent),

employment (workforce intent),

enrollment in college-level courses

(basic skills)

Satisfaction of current students and

employees with college

environment

Student and employee

demographics relative to diversity

of service district

Community events sponsored by

the college and its foundations

(performances, workshops,

conferences, fundraisers)

Enrollment demand

Access through online/alternative

delivery of courses

As this was the college’s first effort to articulate criteria for mission fulfillment, this framework

was proposed as a working definition with the intention of engaging in review and adjustment

following completion of the accreditation pilot process.

Articulation of an Acceptable Threshold or Extent of Mission Fulfillment

WVC defined an acceptable level of performance through a two-step process. First, weights

summing to 100 were assigned to determine how much each KPI contributes to the overall

performance assessment:

Student Progress and Success

(100 total points)

Community Engagement

(100 total points)

Retention: 45 Stakeholder satisfaction: 40

Completion: 35 Student/staff demographics: 20

Transition: 25 Community enrichment: 20

Enrollment: 10

Online/alternative course delivery: 10

For each indicator, specific measurement parameters were defined and multiple years of data

were compiled and analyzed to establish benchmarks. Proposed targets for acceptable

performance and a scoring metric for results that meet, exceed, or fall short of these expectations

were developed through extensive discussion and data review during summer 2009. This model

and the accompanying scorecard were widely shared with faculty and staff at the fall 2009

annual President’s Day in-service, and is published on the college’s internal website. An

annotated example is presented in the Appendix; full data history tables will be accessible on

campus during the Year Seven visit.

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This framework provides a means for annual assessment of mission fulfillment and identification

of strengths as well as areas needing improvement. Data from the 2009-10 academic year were

complied during summer 2010 and evaluated using the scorecard to assess mission fulfillment.

Results are discussed in Chapter Five of this report. The results of this first application of the

mission fulfillment model will be discussed within the college community on September 15,

2010, at the annual fall President’s Day all-staff inservice, and will be published to constituents

on the wvc.edu website and in the college’s annual report to the community. Potential revisions

to the model will be proposed and widely discussed through the Planning Committee and Core

Theme review groups as part of the development of WVC’s second Year One report, to be

submitted in fall 2011.

Section II: Standard 1.B – Core Themes

Transfer/Liberal Arts Core Theme

Description

One of the four instructional components of WVC’s mission is preparing students who intend to

continue their education by transferring to a baccalaureate institution. Nearly half of the students

who attend WVC come with this intent.

The Associate of Arts and Sciences (AAS) is the primary transfer degree offered at WVC. This

degree is designed to meet the requirements set under the Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) by

the ICRC. The AAS degree at WVC is comprised of three major degree requirements:

General education (18 credits): Includes writing skills (10 credits), quantitative skills (5

credits) and life skills (3 credits)

Distribution requirements (45 credits): 15 credits in the humanities from three different

subject areas; 15 credits in natural sciences from three different subject areas, including at

least five credits in a laboratory course; and 15 credits in social sciences from three

different subject areas

Additional electives (27 credits minimum): Students may choose from all courses listed

under general education, humanities, natural science and social science, though they may

not use the same course to satisfy both a distribution and elective requirement.

Additional courses not part of the distribution requirements are also approved as

electives.

Degree requirements are published in the college catalog and on the Website. Additional

transfer degree options are available for students intending to pursue majors in business

(Associate in Business – DTA) and sciences, math, computer science or engineering (Associate

of Science-Transfer). A new Associate of Fine Arts: Music degree is not covered by the DTA,

but is oriented toward preparing students for performance-based music programs.

Student learning outcomes are defined at the degree level by the college’s six core abilities:

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Through the course of pursuing degrees and certificates from WVC, successful students will

be able to:

Think critically (analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply, problem solve, reason

qualitatively and quantitatively)

Seek knowledge, information, and diverse viewpoints

Locate, use, and analyze information and technology resources

Communicate skillfully in diverse ways and in diverse situations

Clarify and apply a personal set of values/ethics

Act responsibly as individuals and as a member of a team or group

Core Theme Objective

The Transfer theme has one objective:

Students who declare an intent to transfer are prepared to be successful at the baccalaureate

level.

Indicators of Achievement of the Core Theme Objective

Four indicators assess attainment of this mission component:

The rates at which students are retained in and complete transfer preparation programs

A well-defined core curriculum articulated with university requirements

The success of WVC transfer students at receiving universities

Attainment of student learning outcomes for transfer/liberal arts programs

Rationale as to Why the Indicators are Assessable and Meaningful Measures of

Achievement of the Core Theme Objective

Retention and completion rates measure student persistence and success. Specific measures

include course completion for degree requirements (in most cases, a ―C‖ or better is required to

move to the next course in a sequence); retention through consecutive quarters of enrollment;

degree completion within three years using the metric established by the Integrated

Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS); and degrees awarded. In some cases, SBCTC

and IPEDS reports allow WVC to benchmark its performance against other similar colleges.

Degree completion and milestones at significant points (15 credits, 30 credits, completion of a

quantitative course) are also assessed through the Student Achievement Initiative of SBCTC.

University articulation is critical if students’ courses at WVC are to be accepted by receiving

institutions. WVC assesses its attainment of this indicator through participation as a member of

ICRC and regular review of degree requirements by the WVC Curriculum committee. These

processes document the alignment of WVC courses with transfer requirements. The college also

monitors rates of transfer to receiving institutions in Washington state, including whether

students transfer as associate degree holders and the number of transfer credits accepted.

Measures of student success after transfer answer questions about how well WVC prepares

transfer-intent students for the next step on the path toward their educational goals. Receiving

institutions share reports with WVC that provide summary data; CWU, which receives the

majority of WVC’s transfers, reports on measures such as credits earned, GPA, and degrees

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awarded. Tracking reports from SBCTC and the National Student Clearinghouse are additional

data sources.

Attainment of student learning outcomes demonstrates what students know and are able to do as

a result of their education at WVC. All transfer courses specify in course outlines the core

abilities that are addressed; additional student learning outcomes are associated with the

distribution areas that comprise the major components of the degree. Students also self-assess

their learning of the core abilities at the time of graduation.

Workforce Education Core Theme

Description

A second component of WVC’s statutory mission is to provide programs that prepare students

for employment. Professional and technical workforce programs account for about 30 percent of

WVC’s total enrollment. WVC offers Associate of Technical Science (ATS) degrees in the

following fields:

Accounting

Agriculture

Automotive Technology

Business, General

Business Information Technology

Chemical Dependency Studies

Computer Technology – Network Administration

Criminal Justice

Early Childhood Education

Environmental Systems and Refrigeration Technology

Industrial Electronics

Medical Laboratory Technology

Radiologic Technology

Registered Nursing

Certificates of completion for programs of one year (45 credits) or less are offered in most of

these fields; in addition, WVC has one-year certificate programs for Medical Assistant, Natural

Resource Technician, and Tribal Gaming Management.

Degree and certificate requirements are published in the college catalog and on the website. All

degree programs and certificates of one year or more include related instruction in

communication, computation, and human relations. In addition to addressing the Core Abilities,

programs have defined student learning outcomes specific to the skills and knowledge developed

to meet requirements and expectations for professional practice in the field.


The Workforce Education theme has one objective:

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Students who complete a WVC professional/technical degree or certificate will possess the

necessary skills for successful entry into a job that relates to the field of study.



The rates at which students are retained in and complete degree and certificate programs

and short-term training preparing them for the workforce

The rates at which students obtain employment in their field of training, and their pre-

and post-training wages

Pass rates for program graduates on licensure/professional examinations

Attainment of student learning outcomes for workforce/professional-technical programs



Retention and completion rates measure student persistence and success. Most

professional/technical programs have defined course sequences that lead to completion; if a

student fails to successfully complete a course, the sequence is disrupted and repeating the

course may cause a significant delay. This is particularly true in allied health programs; program

faculty have invested significant effort in establishing program entry criteria and other

assessments that provide evidence for students’ readiness to be successful in the program.

Completion rates also assess how well degrees, certificates, and short-term training meet student

and employer needs. In some cases, WVC has restructured programs when these data have

demonstrated that students are finding successful employment prior to completing degree or

certificate requirements. Retention and completion are also assessed through attainment of

momentum points in the SBCTC Student Achievement Initiative.

Employment and wages are meaningful assessments of how well WVC programs prepare

students to be successful in the workplace. SBCTC conducts a data-matching process with

unemployment insurance records and reports this information to WVC. Graduate and employer

surveys and program advisory committees also provide these data.

Licensure examination results are critical indicators of success for specific programs in fields

that require certification for employment and practice. All of WVC’s allied health programs

monitor examination results closely and regularly review the relationship between licensing

requirements and program curricula.

Attainment of student learning outcomes demonstrates what students know and are able to do as

a result of their education at WVC. Professional/technical courses offered for credit identify in

course outlines the Core Abilities that are addressed. Students also self-assess their learning of

the Core Abilities at the time of graduation. Each program has defined specific student learning

outcomes for the skills and knowledge attained through earning a degree or certificate; these are

assessed through classroom assessments, professional examinations, and surveys of employers

and graduates.

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Basic Skills Core Theme

Description

A third mission theme that is derived from WVC’s statutory mission is providing adult basic

skills (ABS) education. For WVC, this is manifested in English as a second language (ESL),

reading, writing, and mathematics courses for adult students who have not completed a high

school diploma.

The need for ABS instruction is high across WVC’s service district. Low levels of educational

attainment, high numbers of migrant and seasonal agricultural workers, and poverty levels above

the state average are factors. In 2009-10, over 900 individuals were served by ABS courses.

Overall ABS enrollment is 80 percent persons of color, with Hispanic origin as the predominant

group. Classes are offered on both WVC campuses and at community-based outreach sites.


The Basic Skills theme has one objective:

WVC will provide adults the opportunity to obtain the necessary skills in reading, writing,

mathematics, and the English language to pursue and achieve their goals.


Two indicators assess attainment of this mission component:

The rates at which students enroll and gain skills in courses in basic reading, writing,

math, computers, ESL, and citizenship

Attainment of student learning outcomes for basic skills programs



Enrollment and skill gain rates help WVC determine how much of the need for ABS instruction

is being met and the extent to which students benefit from that instruction. All ABS students

complete pre- and post-instruction assessments each quarter using the Comprehensive Adult

Student Assessment Systems (CASAS). CASAS is used statewide as the assessment tool for all

ABS instruction in reading, writing, math, and ESL. Students’ skill gains are demonstrated by

the attainment of specific competencies as they progress through the levels of basic skills and

ESL instruction. Results are used for student course placement and progression as an

effectiveness measure for ABS instruction. Skill gains are also counted as momentum points in

the SBCTC Student Achievement Initiative. Computer-based courses are available on the

Wenatchee campus and English language civics instruction is integrated with ESL courses.

Student learning outcomes go beyond individual skill gain to assess completion of course

sequences in basic skills and ESL, attainment of a GED, and enrollment in further higher

education at the college level. WVC is currently examining the impact of adding direct

instruction in college success skills in the final level of the basic skills sequence on students’

successful transition to college courses.

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Continuing Education Core Theme

Description

Continuing education, the fourth instructional component of WVC’s statutory mission, provides

noncredit opportunities for skill development and lifelong learning. As a comprehensive

community college, WVC offers adult learners in its service district the opportunity to pursue

interests and learn skills for business or employment outside the traditional structure of college

credit programs. Classes may be short and intensive or meet for an extended period, may be

offered evenings and weekends or online, and may be held at a college facility, workplace, or

other site in the community; all offer a focused learning experience designed around specific

knowledge or skills.

Core Theme Objectives

The Continuing Education theme has two objectives:

WVC will provide diverse, lifelong learning opportunities.

WVC will support district economic development by providing open enrollment and

customized professional development training.

Indicators of Achievement of the Core Theme Objectives

Three indicators assess attainment of this mission component:

Sustainable enrollment in classes offered for personal enrichment, business, and

professional development

Design and delivery of customized training for workers and their employers

Student and employer satisfaction with classes/trainings


Achievement of the Core Theme Objectives

Sustainable enrollment reflects the community-oriented nature of continuing education as well as

its business model. The continuing education program at WVC operates on a self-support basis;

course tuition and fees are expected to generate revenue sufficient to sustain the cost of

operations. Class and program development are aligned with community interests and needs if

course offerings generate sufficient levels of enrollment. These measures are used in ongoing

planning and scheduling processes and as assessments of program effectiveness.

Customized training is an important resource for businesses and employers across the region.

Access to training opportunities can be limited by distance, time, and expense, particularly in

rural communities. By arranging and delivering customized training locally, WVC can help

employers develop new skills and capacities within their existing workforce.

Student and employer satisfaction with continuing education courses is assessed through a

consistent course evaluation process. Participant feedback is collected at the end of each

continuing education course and is used in decisions related to curriculum design, instructor

selection and retention, scheduling, and marketing.

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Student Diversity/Access Core Theme

Description

As a public community college, providing access to higher education is inherent in WVC’s

mission. WVC has an open, rather than selective, admissions process. For many district

residents who have no prior experience with higher education, WVC is their first point of contact

with a college. Changes in demographic characteristics and economic conditions create

corresponding changes in WVC’s student population. Residents in rural communities face

additional costs and challenges in pursuing higher education. These factors underscore WVC’s

commitment to student diversity and access.


The Student Diversity/Access theme has two objectives:

WVC will strive to make all of its educational programs and services accessible to all

residents of District 15.

WVC will support an inclusive environment that values and encourages diversity,

initiative, teamwork, creativity, and practices that treat all individuals with dignity and

respect.



Student and faculty/staff demographics that reflect the ethnic diversity of the service

district

Participation in opportunities for instruction through alternative delivery methods and

locations

Support services that meet students’ financial and access needs

Staff and student initiatives that promote initiative, teamwork, and creativity and assess

our understanding of diversity



Student and faculty/staff demographics are regularly evaluated to determine whether WVC is

providing sufficient levels of access, particularly to segments of the population that have

historically been underserved by higher education. WVC strives to reflect the ethnic diversity of

the service district in order to create a welcoming environment where all students can see the

college as a place where they belong.

Alternative delivery methods and locations are important avenues of access for residents

scattered across a 10,000 square mile service area. By providing instruction online, via

videotaped telecourses, using live interactive video, and at remote sites, WVC increases

opportunities for individuals to access higher education.

Support services are critical to a student population that is often challenged by multiple demands

on time, funds, and energy. WVC has developed targeted scholarships, emergency funding

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options, scheduling alternatives and other innovative support mechanisms to enhance access and

complement the full range of student development services available to students.

Staff and student initiatives that address issues of access and diversity are important avenues for

developing and changing institutional culture and climate. The availability and impact of formal

training efforts, student organizations and activities, and programs that provide outreach or

services to targeted groups are all methods that WVC has employed toward this goal.

Responsiveness to Local Needs Core Theme

Description

The language of WVC’s mission statement directly acknowledges the college’s responsibility to

respond to the needs evidenced by the residents and communities of the service district. These

needs can take a wide range of forms, but the underlying principle is consistent in directing the

college to actively seek out this information and develop programs and services in response.


The Responsiveness to Local Needs theme has two objectives:

WVC will be an active partner in expanding employment opportunities for our constituents.

WVC will offer programs and courses that meet the educational needs of our constituents


Six indicators assess attainment of this mission component:

Employer/industry partnerships that support existing and developing businesses in the

district

Collaboration with regional economic development planning efforts

Active advisory committees for workforce programs

Development of programs, services, and training in response to North Central

Washington labor market conditions

Enrollment and course completion in pre-college/developmental instruction

Achievement of student learning outcomes for pre-college/developmental education



Employer/industry partnerships are a key indicator of WVC’s responsiveness to local needs.

Locally available resources for education, training, and business development are important

factors in business success and sustainability, particularly given the high proportion of small

businesses in the region. Partnerships develop solutions to local problems and bring together

resources to accomplish goals that could not be reached independently.

WVC is active in regional economic development planning efforts in order to stay informed of

local trends and be aware of opportunities to contribute. For a region as large and varied as north

central Washington, collaborative planning is critical to advancing initiatives and making an

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impact. Results may be evidenced in a short-term training developed for a specific business or

curricular development that supports a long-term strategy by providing highly skilled workers.

Advisory committees are required under SBCTC regulations for each of WVC’s

professional/technical programs that offer degrees or one-year certificates. These committees

provide vital interaction with employers and workers who have up-to-date experience in the

field. Active, engaged advisory committees result in improvements to program curriculum,

internship and job opportunities for students, and access to skilled workers for employers.

WVC actively develops programs, services, and training in response to North Central

Washington labor market conditions. This indicator reflects WVC’s responsiveness to a variety

of situations that the college is equipped to assist with, ranging from layoffs and business

closures to the initiation of a new degree programs in specific fields to meet local demand.

The indicators for pre-college/developmental instruction reflect the needs of a population that

requires higher education options, but is often not academically prepared. About half of students

who enter WVC after completing high school do not demonstrate readiness for college-level

English or math courses in their performance on placement assessments. Pre-college courses,

also known as developmental instruction, fill this gap for students who hold a diploma or GED

but are not prepared to be successful in their first college courses. Enrollment and course

completion indicators help WVC keep these students on the path leading to college readiness by

monitoring movement through course sequences. Student learning outcomes assess the

acquisition of specific skills and knowledge and the impact of these courses on students’

performance in subsequent courses.

Cultural Education and Enrichment Core Theme

Description

As the only institution of higher education based in the three-county service area, WVC’s

mission includes providing opportunities for cultural education and enrichment, not only to

students, but also to the broader community. These learning experiences take a variety of forms

and serve to broaden horizons for residents of a geographically isolated area. For students,

particularly those with transfer intent, opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding of

arts and culture are important aspects of the general education and liberal arts curriculum. In

addition, enhanced cultural awareness provides a broader foundation for tolerance and

appreciation as North Central Washington becomes increasingly diverse in ethnicity, language,

and culture.


The Cultural Education and Enrichment theme has one objective:

WVC will provide the college and the community with diverse and multiculturally rich

programs designed to improve one’s quality of life, offer lifelong learning opportunities, and

enhance educational programs.

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Course offerings, enrollment and completion rates in the fine and performing arts and the

study of diverse cultures

College sponsorship of special events for students and the community

Partnerships that promote arts and culture and encourage community involvement in

campus events and activities

Lifelong learning opportunities through continuing education arts and leisure classes and

senior classes



The fine and performing arts and the study of diverse cultures are essential elements of a

postsecondary liberal arts curriculum. Enrollment and completion rates are used to monitor

participation by students seeking to meet distribution requirements for the AAS degree as well as

progress through sequences intended for pre-major students.

Special events encourage community involvement in multiple ways. Performances and lectures

offer opportunities for community members to come onto WVC’s campuses and benefit from the

expertise of college faculty, visiting artists and other professionals. Other events such as cultural

celebrations recognize and share traditions and reach out to people who might not otherwise have

contact with the college.

Partnerships are important to the vitality of the arts in small communities. Shared facilities,

resources, and expertise help to sustain WVC’s programs as well as those offered by community

organizations, resulting in expanded opportunities that might not otherwise be afforded.

Lifelong learning opportunities are important avenues for cultural education and enrichment.

WVC recognizes the need for continued development and engagement in culture and the arts by

providing noncredit continuing education opportunities in a variety of topics and by designing

and offering courses specifically for senior citizens that are available at reduced cost.

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Chapter Two Standard Two: Resources and Capacity

Standard 2.A: Governance

Governance System

WVC is a public community college in Washington state, with a legislatively designated service

area of Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties (District 15). Institutional (district-wide)

governance is carried out by multiple representative bodies, each with its own policies and

processes. The Board of Trustees sets policy for the institution and delegates administrative

authority to the college President. The President’s Cabinet is the administrative leadership

team, comprised of the President and his direct reports (three vice presidents and four executive

directors). The Instruction Council includes faculty division chairs, administrators, and a

student representative. Twelve Standing Committees meet regularly and make

recommendations to Instruction Council and Cabinet on issues such as curriculum, facilities,

planning, budget, advising, assessment, and marketing. Student governance is carried out by the

Student Senates on the Wenatchee and Omak campuses. (2.A.1)

WVC and State Governance

WVC is one of 34 community and technical colleges within the Washington State Board for

Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) system. SBCTC is a state agency that provides

oversight, coordination, and support services under the Community and Technical College Act of

1991 (Revised). The Revised Code of Washington (RCW) section 28B.50 is the primary statute

for Washington community colleges. (2.A.2)

The SBCTC has a nine-member board, appointed by the Governor, which sets policy and

direction for the two-year college system as a whole. SBCTC maintains offices in Olympia and

Bellevue under the supervision of an Executive Director appointed by the state board. Examples

of SBCTC functions and responsibilities include the approval of new college districts or

boundary changes to current districts; approval of college professional/technical degree and

certificate programs providing workforce training; system research and data services; and

operation of a common administrative computing system used by all the system colleges.

Policies governing SBCTC are published in the SBCTC Policy Manual:

http://www.sbctc.ctc.edu/docs/policy_manual.pdf

WVC, as a state government agency, is also subject to the rules, regulations and policies

established by other state agencies, boards, and commissions (Table 2.1):

Table 2.1 – System Level Boards and Agencies

Agency / Board Notes

State Board for Community and

Technical Colleges

Nine-member board of citizens, appointed by the

Governor. General oversight and policy

development for all state community and

http://www.sbctc.ctc.edu/docs/policy_manual.pdf

22

technical colleges.

Higher Education Coordinating

Board

Nine-member board of citizens, appointed by the

governor, to represent the broad public interest in

the development of higher education policy.

State Board of Education and

Office of the Superintendent of

Public Instruction

Oversees the activities of the K-12 system,

including Running Start program and high school

completion programs.

Office of the Attorney General Legal requirements for all state organizations.

Office of Financial Management Provides detailed financial reporting regulations.

Washington Personnel Resources

Board

Policies on employment and classified job

classifications.

Washington State Auditor’s Office Conducts system and college financial and

special audits.

Washington State Department of

General Administration

General state regulations governing official

records, procurement, facilities and capital

construction.

Washington State Treasurer’s

Office

Additional financial policies and audits.

Workforce Training and Education

Coordinating Board

Oversight of special legislative programs.

Local Workforce Investment Board Oversight for Workforce Investment Act

activities.

Washington State Employment

Security Department

Regulates unemployment benefits.

Washington State Executive Ethics

Board

Education, interpretation, and enforcement of

Washington’s Ethics in Public Service Act.

Compliance with Accreditation Standards

SBCTC requires all Washington community and technical colleges to maintain regional

accreditation (SBCTC Policy 1.50.00). The SBCTC legislative relations staff provides

information and support to colleges on legislative actions that may relate to accreditation

standards and requirements. WVC regularly reviews accreditation requirements at Cabinet

meetings, Board of Trustees work sessions, and Instruction Council meetings. WVC has two

collective bargaining agreements in force: the Washington Public Employees Association

(WPEA) for classified staff, and the WVC Association for Higher Education (AHE), affiliated

with the North Central Washington UniServ Council and the Washington Education Association,

for faculty. Any changes proposed to these agreements during open negotiations are reviewed to

ensure they support accreditation requirements. (2.A.3)

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Governing Board

WVC’s Board of Trustees has five members, each appointed by the Governor with the consent of

the State Senate. Full terms are five years; in some cases a term is shorter when an appointment

fills a vacancy. Individuals are typically not reappointed more than once. Current Trustees and

their terms are presented in Table 2.2. Trustees have no contractual, employment, or financial

interest in the college.

Table 2.2 – Wenatchee Valley College Trustees

Trustee Residence Term

Phil Rasmussen (Chair) Wenatchee 2008-2013

Darlene Wilder (Vice Chair) Nespelem 2003-2007

2007-2012

Robert Myers Chelan 2001-2006

2006-2011

Kris Pomianek Wenatchee 2000-2005

2005-2010

Jim Tiffany Wenatchee 2005-2009

2009-2014

In 2001, the WVC Board of Trustees adopted governance practices based on John Carver’s

―policy governance‖ model. Under this approach, the Board has created three policy documents

relating to governance: Governance Process, which addresses the organization and operation of

the Board; Executive Limitations, specifying expectations and setting parameters for the chief

executive officer (2.A.6); and Board-Staff Linkage, which delegates authority to the chief

executive and specifies how executive performance is monitored (2.A.6). Board policies are

available as an exhibit.

Board bylaws are included in the Governance Process policy; Article VIII states that the Board

shall act only as a committee of the whole, unless a special committee is appointed by the Chair

upon authority of the Board. (2.A.4) The Board reviews its policies regularly, typically at an

annual retreat (2.A.5). The development and adoption of institutional policies follow an

established approval process. New or revised policies are brought first to the President’s Cabinet

for review. Upon Cabinet approval, policies are forwarded to the Board. A work session review

with the relevant department head ensures that the context for the policy change is

communicated to the Trustees. Board approval takes place via a formal vote in a regularly

scheduled meeting.

The Board of Trustees is the hiring authority for the President, who serves as the chief executive

officer. The Board-Staff Linkage and Executive Limitations policies spell out delegation of

authority to the President and call for an annual performance evaluation. (2.A.6) The Board

evaluates its own performance annually in conjunction with its review of policies. (2.A.7)

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Leadership and Management

WVC’s leadership team, the President’s Cabinet, includes Dr. Jim Richardson, WVC President,

and his direct reports:

Marco Azurdia, Vice President of Student Development

Suzie Benson, Vice President of Administrative Services

Dr. Walter Tribley, Interim Vice President of Instruction

Reagan Bellamy, Executive Director of Human Resources

Dr. Susan Murray, Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness

Kathi Rivers Shannon, Executive Director of College and Community Relations

The Cabinet also includes two positions that are currently vacant: the Executive Director of the

WVC Foundation, and the Dean of WVC at Omak. Organizational charts for the President’s

direct reports and for Administrative Services, Instruction, and Student Development are

included in the appendix. The Cabinet meets weekly; current practice is to review items of

operational business every other week and hold focused meetings on one or two topics requiring

more in-depth discussion on alternate weeks. Agendas and minutes are posted electronically for

all faculty and staff.

The President evaluates all of his direct reports annually. Administrators are also charged with

implementing and reporting on the college’s Ends Policies and core themes. Ends Policies are

statements of intended outcomes for the college established by the Board of Trustees under the

Policy Governance model. Each Ends Policy has a set of indicators used to prepare annual

reports to the Trustees. These indicators overlap substantially with the indicators used to assess

progress toward the seven core themes identified within WVC’s mission statement. In the

college’s next cycle of mission review, planned for 2010-2011, WVC anticipates merging the

Ends Policies and core themes into a single reporting system. (2.A.8)

The President (chief executive officer), Vice President of Instruction (chief academic officer),

and Vice President of Administrative Services (chief financial officer) all have full-time

responsibility to WVC. President Jim Richardson came to WVC in July 2005; Suzie Benson was

promoted to Vice President of Administrative Services in July 2007; and Dr. Walter Tribley

became Interim Vice President of Instruction upon Dr. Terry Peek’s retirement in June 2010.

(2.A.9)

Academics

Academic issues are addressed in the ―instruction‖ sections (300 policies and 1300 procedures)

of the WVC Policies and Procedures manual. These documents are accessible to all faculty and

staff on the Commons intranet site and are available to students through the Human Resources

office. Student policies related to academics issues such as standards and misconduct are

published in the Student Handbook; copies are available at no charge to students through the

Student Programs office on both campuses, and the Handbook is also accessible through the

college website. (2.A.10)

Access to library resources is open to both WVC students and employees and residents of

District 15. Policy 300.910 specifies that all registered students, faculty, and staff may check out

25

or access any library or information resources. Community members may check out print

materials only. The library endorses the American Library Association’s ―Library Bill of

Rights‖ (WVC procedure 1300.910) and attempts to provide materials representing multiple

viewpoints on most subjects.

Library policies are provided online at http://commons.wvc.edu/library/How%20to/Home.aspx.

Circulation policies are enforced by virtue of being encoded into the library’s management

system (Voyager); access policies related to electronic resources are enforced by virtue of being

encoded into the campus’ network login policies. Policies are intended to promote access to

information resources, and are interpreted as necessary by the library director or library staff.

Collection development policies are enforced by library staff; general purchasing policies are

provided by the college administration and business office procedures. (2.A.11)

The college follows its published policy when evaluating credits from other institutions that

students wish to apply toward their program of study at WVC. Information for students is

available on the college website at http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/transcripts/. The

WVC Registrar is the primary credit evaluator. In cases where there is a question about

alignment of course content with the WVC course catalog, including vocational courses, the

registrar consults with the appropriate faculty, program director, and/or dean. WVC also

provides relevant information for students intending to transfer WVC credits to another

institution. Links to transfer guides from receiving institutions are posted on the transcripts web

page and are used in the advising process. WVC participates in the SBCTC Common Course

Numbering system to facilitate transfer among Washington community and technical colleges.

Articulation agreements for specific WVC programs have also been established with individual

universities in Washington; these are included in program descriptions in the WVC catalog and

website. (2.A.12)

Students

The primary location for publication of policies and procedures regarding students’ rights and

responsibilities is the WVC Student Handbook. The handbook is published annually by the

student programs office and copies are available at no charge from the office on either campus.

An electronic version of the handbook is also accessible from the WVC website. The disability

support services office has extensive information online at

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/disability/.

Students may petition for specific actions regarding their academic records. These include, but

are not limited to, petitions for:

• Readmission after academic suspension/dismissal

• Substitution of graduation requirements

• Removal of low grades from GPA calculation

• Late changes in class status (i.e., credit to audit)

All petitions must be in writing. Petitions for transcript changes are reviewed by the Registrar;

petitions for readmission are reviewed by the Counselor. Students wishing to appeal a petition

decision may request review by the Academic Regulations Committee. Petitioners may appear in

http://commons.wvc.edu/library/How%20to/Home.aspx

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/transcripts/

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/disability/

26

person before the committee but are not required to do so. Academic standards procedures are

published in the WVC catalog, in the student handbook, and on the website.

Student grievances regarding the behavior of other students are addressed under the code of

student conduct published in the student handbook. Students’ rights are also protected by the

college’s policies on harassment (000.330), sexual harassment (000.340), and hazing (400.520).

(2.A.13)

Admission and placement procedures are published on the website and in the catalog and are

governed by college policy (400.200 – Admissions). As a community college, WVC admits all

students who hold a high school diploma or equivalent, or whose high school class has

graduated. Readiness for college coursework is determined through a placement assessment

(COMPASS) that is mandatory for all degree-seeking students who do not have prior college

credit in English and/or math. For students whose placement results indicate that they are

underprepared for college-level work, WVC offers pre-college (developmental) instruction in

math, reading, and writing (09X series courses) and adult basic skills classes.

Several programs at WVC have limited enrollment and specific prerequisites; the

professional/technical programs in allied health fields have additional requirements that serve to

ensure student readiness and success and rule out any qualifying barriers to licensure or

employment. Nursing, medical assistant, medical laboratory technology, and radiologic

technology have additional criteria that are published with program information on the website

and in the catalog. One of WVC’s educational planners has focused responsibilities for advising

pre-allied health students and holds orientations each year prior to the time that applications for

admission are accepted. The automotive technology and criminal justice programs require a

qualifying interview with the program director before acceptance into the program; this is also

stated on the website and in the catalog.

Academic standards for continued enrollment and processes for termination and readmission are

published in the catalog, student handbook, and on the website. The Academic Regulations

Committee receives and reviews petitions for appeals and readmission. (2.A.14)

Co-curricular activities at WVC play a significant role in student life. Each campus has an

elected student senate and a range of student clubs and organizations recognized by the senates’

activity councils. These groups and the policies that govern them are published in the student

handbook; a list of organizations is also available on the website

(http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/studentprog/studentorganizations.asp). The athletics

handbook contains policies and procedures pertaining to the recognized intercollegiate sports at

WVC, and expectations for student athletes are published in the athletics handbook, which is

provided to all participating students. A handbook for residents of WVC’s new on-campus

residence hall (http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/housing/) identifies the roles of

residence hall staff and the rights and responsibilities of student residents. (2.A.15)

Human Resources

Board-approved personnel policies and college operational procedures are drafted, reviewed,

maintained, and administered in a manner that ensures consistent, fair, and equitable treatment of

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/studentprog/studentorganizations.asp

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/housing/

27

employees, including the college’s employment procedures. The policies and procedures are

maintained in paper form within the human resources department; this documentation includes

the original and all revised versions up to the current version. The current version is published

electronically and accessible through the Commons site. (2.A.16)

Employees are apprised of their work responsibilities and conditions of employment through the

initial job announcement and position description and thereafter through oral and written

assignments from their supervisors, including updated position descriptions. Likewise,

employees’ rights and responsibilities, criteria for evaluation, retention, promotion, and

termination are imparted through a combination of means, including the supervisor, college

policies and procedures, evaluations, applicable union bargaining agreements, and state and

federal rules, regulations, and laws. (2.A.17)

The college ensures the security and appropriate confidentiality of personnel records by keeping

them in a specially designed, secure and fire resistant room that only a limited number of college

personnel have permission to access. Furthermore, room access is tracked by keycard

identification, date, and time. (2.A.18)

Institutional Integrity

WVC strives for clear, accurate, and consistent information in its official announcements,

statements, and publications. The community relations office serves as a clearinghouse for

published information; college policy (200.125) requires that all publications and publicity be

coordinated and reviewed by community relations staff. This centralized review is designed to

ensure that information about the college is accurate and consistent as well as in alignment with

WVC’s mission and core themes. The community relations office also consults with the

college’s accreditation liaison officer to review information for publication regarding WVC’s

accreditation status and consistency with NWCCU standards for the use of accreditation

terminology. (2.A.23)

Academic intentions, programs, and services are communicated primarily through the WVC

catalog and website. Many programs and services also disseminate fliers or other topic-specific

publications. The catalog is published annually and all content is reviewed by program faculty

and administrators as appropriate. Drafts are circulated early in the planning process for

updating and then a final version is assembled, edited, and proofed. The catalog is published

electronically on the WVC website.

Each program description in the catalog and website includes a program guide that outlines a

quarter-by-quarter plan for completing academic programs in a timely fashion. Registration

policies, enforced by the computerized registration system, give priority to students according to

the number of earned credits. Students who are closest to degree completion register first, so as

they progress further in their programs they have the first chance at available openings. This

helps prevent situations where students needing just a few specific courses encounter class

sections that are already full.

28

All credit courses and programs are reviewed by the Curriculum Committee on a regular three-

year cycle to accommodate updates in course content and confirm alignment with degree

requirements. The status of all professional/technical programs is also reviewed annually with

the SBCTC workforce education office. Noncredit offerings are publicized by the Continuing

Education department and are regularly reviewed for accuracy and consistency. (2.A.19)

WVC subscribes to high ethical standards in its policies and regulations and exemplifies these

standards through its actions and processes. The college strives to respond quickly and

thoroughly to inquiries and information requests from the media, legislators, and the general

public. Processes for resolving grievances and complaints are defined and accessible. In

addition to college policies, collective bargaining agreements with the classified staff (WPEA)

and faculty (AHE) unions address the grievance process and specify timelines for each step in

the process. Student issues are addressed by the Vice President of Student Development and

governed by the code of student conduct. (2.A.20)

WVC adheres to clearly defined polices that prohibit conflict of interest on the part of all

constituent groups affiliated with the college. Board policies 500.010, Standards of Employee

Conduct and 500.115, Ethical Conduct/Conflict of Interest Standards, state that the college is

governed by the provisions of Chapter 42.52 RCW, the Washington State Ethics in Public

Service Act. In addition, board policies 500.275, Employment of Relatives (Anti-Nepotism), in

part, outlines that family relationships shall not be used as a basis for determining or denying

rights, privileges, or benefits associated with employment opportunities. Policy 560.110,

Faculty/Student Relationships, discusses possible conflict of interest in faculty/student

relationships. Policy 000.200, Political Activities, covers possible conflict of interest regarding

political positions and issues, and the use of college facilities for political activities and political

speakers. Policy 000.210, Religious Activities, covers the portions of the state of Washington’s

constitution dealing with religion and use of public money and property, sectarian influence and

control, and the college’s involvement regarding religion, religious organizations, and religious

activities. Policy 000.300, Freedom of Inquiry and Expression, affirms WVC’s commitment to

the principles of free speech and expression, and the right to be treated with respect; Policy

300.100 Academic Freedom, asserts the importance of academic freedom, but cautions

employees that appropriate responsibility, restraints, and limits are inherent with that freedom.

As a publicly funded institution, WVC does not offer any programs that intend to instill specific

beliefs or world views. (2.A.21)

WVC Policy 500.525 delineates how issues of intellectual property are addressed for both

college employees and students. The policy also addresses situations in which district resources

are used to produce works in order to maintain compliance with the state Ethics in Public Service

Act. Specific considerations for faculty are addressed in the AHE negotiated agreement (Article

III, Section J). (2.A.22)

All contractual agreements with external entities are governed by written agreements. Such

agreements are reviewed by the Vice President of Administrative Services for adherence to

WVC mission, programs, services, and financial viability. Upon the Vice President’s signature,

designated by WVC policy 200.110, contractual agreements’ financial allocations are determined

by the Director of Fiscal Services and the administrator of the department administering the

29

contracted services. The supervising administrator ensures contract compliance and adherence to

WVC mission, programs, and services. The administrator or designee collaborates with the

fiscal services department in monitoring fiscal transactions and records related to the contract

according to WVC policies and procedures. The development of grant proposals, in which the

college agrees to perform services with funding from a source outside the college, is governed by

WVC Policy 000.110. Agreements with vendors for the purchase of goods or services are

reviewed by the purchasing manager and at least one administrator; higher dollar value contracts

require additional levels of approval. (2.A.24)

Academic Freedom

WVC’s academic freedom statement is encoded in Policy 300.100. The district subscribes to the

statement on academic freedom outlined in the 1940 statement of the American Association of

University Professors (AAUP) specifying the rights and responsibilities of faculty. This

language is echoed in Article III of the faculty negotiated agreement. (2.A.25)

Other policies that protect constituencies from inappropriate influences, pressures and

harassment include:

000.330 (Harassment)

000.340 (Sexual Harassment)

400.530 (Hazing)

500.120 (Whistleblower)

500.100 (Standards of Employee Conduct)

500.450 (Violence in the Workplace)

500.475 (Drug Free Workplace)

Procedure 100.350 spells out the process for making a discrimination or harassment complaint.

These policies form the foundation for a work and learning environment conducive to the pursuit

of knowledge. Board Ends Policy IX, College Environment, states:



respect.

Together, these policy statements affirm the rights of faculty, staff, administrators and students to

examine thoughts and ideas and share scholarship and conclusions with each other. (2.A.26)

Teaching faculty at WVC are encouraged to separate their personal beliefs from their scholarship

and presentation of curriculum. The review of course outlines by peer faculty through the

Curriculum Committee is well-established in the campus culture. This process works to ensure

that personal beliefs are not misrepresented as scholarly facts. (2.A.27)

Financial

WVC has established board-approved policies regarding the oversight and management of

financial resources. These policies include:

600.105 Allocation and Management of Resources

600.110 Cash Deficits in Funds

600.200 Records Management

600.610 Funds Management

30

600.120 Financial Records

WVC is audited every two years by the State Auditor’s Office. In addition, the college is audited

yearly for compliance by the SBCTC. WVC has also been audited by the IRS within the past

three years.

Standard 2.B: Human Resources

WVC currently employs 196 full-time employees: 73 faculty, 67 classified staff, and 56 exempt

staff (July 2010). Employees’ qualifications are reviewed and verified during the selection and

hiring process. Beginning in late 2008, WVC experienced multiple reductions in the funding

allocation it received from the state. These cuts have resulted in reductions in the college

workforce; WVC made these reductions with the intent of maintaining programs and services

consistent with the college mission and core themes. (2.B.1)

The criteria, qualifications and procedures the college uses for the selection of personnel are

stated clearly and publicly on position announcements which are available in printed form and on

the college website. The complete hiring procedure is also outlined on the back of the Personnel

Action Form, which documents approvals, salary, budget, and other key information and is

required for all full-time hires. For faculty positions, standards and procedures for hiring,

including required qualifications, are specified in the faculty negotiated agreement and in college

procedure 1560.020, Hiring Standards and Procedures. (2.B.1)

All WVC positions have written job descriptions that accurately reflect duties, responsibility and

authority. WVC procedure 1540.030 states that the immediate supervisor is responsible to

ensure that accurate position descriptions are maintained, with support and training provided by

the human resources office. Job descriptions are also reviewed and updated when a vacancy

occurs or a new position is created. (2.B.1)

Supervisors of non-faculty personnel are charged with the responsibility of evaluating their

employees with regard to performance of work and work duties and responsibilities on an annual

basis. The human resources office tracks the progress of compliance and sends reminders to

supervisors of the due dates of evaluations for each employee. (2.B.2)

The college provides a variety of training and professional development opportunities for its

employees to help assure they have proficiency in the technical and methodological elements

appropriate for their work assignments, roles, duties, and responsibilities. These opportunities

include day-to-day interaction with supervisors and coworkers, and individual training from

technical and other staff with the expertise needed for a particular subject area. In addition, off-

campus training is provided when required for certifications/operation of college equipment.

Other off-campus training encouraged in the past has been greatly reduced due to restrictions on

travel expenditures. SBCTC councils and commissions, which incorporate training and

professional development into their meetings, are increasingly using ITV or online formats to

provide information and resources. (2.B.3)

31

Faculty

The college employs qualified faculty consistent with its mission, educational philosophy,

programs, and services. Required qualifications for community college faculty are established in

Chapter 131-16 of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) and are reflected in WVC hiring

procedures (1560.020). For full-time faculty teaching academic/transfer courses, a master’s

degree with emphasis in the primary assigned teaching area is required. Faculty in

professional/technical programs must hold or qualify for a vocational-educational teaching

certificate (WAC131-16-091) and hold a bachelor’s degree if normally available in the field.

Part-time or adjunct faculty are expected to meet the same qualifications. (2.B.4)

The faculty has a primary role in ensuring the integrity and continuity of academic programs.

WVC’s faculty is organized into ten divisions; each elects a chair who serves on the Instruction

Council. Upon recommendation from the Curriculum Committee, the Instruction Council

reviews and approves all curricular changes, including new or revised courses and programs.

Faculty responsibilities and workloads are specified in the negotiated agreement between WVC

and the AHE (Article V: Workload and Appendix C: Academic Employees’ Job Descriptions).

Consistent with WVC’s mission as a community college, teaching faculty responsibilities are

defined to include teaching, advising, committee service, and division activities (e.g., division

meetings, hiring, and tenure review committees). Librarian and counseling faculty have

responsibilities appropriate to their position and also include committee service and division

activities. (2.B.5)

WVC policy 300.600 specifies that the performance of all faculty members will be evaluated on

a regular basis. The chief academic officer is responsible for implementing procedures for

evaluation. Faculty evaluation procedures are published in the AHE negotiated agreement

(Article III: Employee Rights, Section O: Evaluation). For tenured faculty, post-tenure review

takes place in the third year after tenure is awarded, and every five years thereafter. The post-

tenure review process is faculty-driven and is based on self-evaluation. A faculty review

committee provides peer input and a student feedback element is required. Evaluation

documents are provided to the appropriate administrator and the completion of post-tenure

review is reported to the Board of Trustees.

New full-time faculty go through a three-year probationary period (Article V: Tenure). Tenure

review and recommendation for advancement occurs annually, in the third, sixth, and ninth

quarters of teaching. Each probationary faculty has a tenure review committee comprised of at

least three faculty peers, an administrative representative, and a student representative.

Probationers are evaluated on nine standards:

Instructional skills

Relationship with students

Relationship with peer faculty

Relationship with administration

Knowledge of subject matter

Adherence to the institution’s mission, objectives, and policies

Action toward professional improvement and development

32

Action toward improvement of course outlines and classroom materials, equipment,

supplies, tools and inventory

Adherence to advising guidelines and other position requirements

A summary report is provided to the Board of Trustees via the chief academic officer and college

president. The Board then determines whether or not each probationary faculty member

continues toward tenure for another year. Tenure may be granted by the Board of Trustees after

the third year of probationary review.

Disciplinary procedures for faculty are also communicated in the agreement with the AHE.

These procedures can occur on an as-needed basis. Faculty representation is available for the

faculty involved.

Part-time faculty are evaluated at least annually through classroom observation by the

appropriate dean or designee and student course evaluations (Article III, Section O.)

Administrators have access to primary evaluation data for all categories of faculty. (2.B.6)

Standard 2.C: Education Resources

As a comprehensive community college, WVC offers a range of educational programs

appropriate to its mission and the educational needs of its service district. Six associate degree

programs are available:

Associate of Arts and Sciences: The AAS is the ―transfer degree‖ for students who plan

to enroll at a four-year college or university in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree.

Associate of Science-Transfer: The AS-T is designed for students who plan to pursue a

bachelor’s degree in a science or engineering field. It does not include all general

education requirements, but allows student to complete more science and math

prerequisites to be ―major ready‖ upon transfer.

Associate in Business: The business direct transfer degree provides an alternative to the

AAS for students who plan to major in business, but have not yet decided on a specific

baccalaureate institution.

Associate of Fine Arts: Music: The AFA: Music degree includes core courses in music to

prepare students for junior-level courses as a music major in Washington state public

universities. It differs from the AAS in that it does not include all general education

requirements.

Associate of General Studies: The AGS degree does not meet transfer requirements.

Students have the flexibility to design a program meeting their needs and interests with a

mix of liberal arts and professional/technical courses.

Associate of Technical Science: WVC offers ATS degrees in 14 professional technical

fields. All of WVC’s associate degree programs are available on the Wenatchee campus.

The Omak campus offers all degrees except the AFA, and has fewer options within the

ATS degree; programs offered in Omak are marked with an asterisk below:

o Accounting*

o Agriculture

33

o Automotive Technology

o Business, General*

o Business Information Technology*

o Chemical Dependency Studies*

o Computer Technology – Network Administration

o Criminal Justice*

o Early Childhood Education*

o Environmental Systems and Refrigeration Technology

o Industrial Electronics

o Medical Laboratory Technology*

o Radiologic Technology

o Registered Nursing*

These degree programs are designed to prepare students for employment; curricula address

industry standards and/or preparation for licensure requirements.

One-year professional/technical certificates that prepare students for entry-level employment are

offered in 11 fields in Wenatchee and eight in Omak (marked with an asterisk):

Accounting*


Business, General*

Business Information Technology*

Computer Technology

Criminal Justice (Corrections)*

Early Childhood Education*

Energy Technology

Environmental Systems and Refrigeration Technology


Medical Assistant*

Practical Nursing*

Tribal Gaming Management (Omak only)*

A number of programs also have options for one- and two-quarter certificates that provide

students with specific technical skills, but do not include a general education/ related instruction

component. All of WVC’s degree and certificate programs and short-term certificates are

published in the catalog and listed under ―Programs‖ on the WVC website.

To prepare students who are not ready for entry into these programs, WVC offers sequences of

pre-college or developmental courses in math and English. These courses, numbered below 100,

carry WVC credit, but may not transfer to other institutions. SDS 096, College Success Skills, is

another pre-college course designed to improve students’ readiness for college-level work.

Content and rigor of credit program curricula are overseen by the faculty Curriculum Committee.

The Curriculum Committee reviews and approves new courses and programs and any changes to

degree or certificate requirements. Recommendations are then forwarded to the Instruction

Council for approval and referred to Cabinet for endorsement. Professional/technical programs

then have an additional approval process at the state level through the SBCTC workforce

34

education office. Advisory committees for each professional/technical program area provide

important input on current employment needs and the training necessary to meet those needs.

The structure of the transfer degree is also reviewed through WVC’s participation in the Inter-

College Relations Commission (ICRC), a statewide group intended to facilitate transfer between

institutions for all students pursuing baccalaureate degrees in Washington state

(www.washingtoncouncil.org/icrc). Significant program changes are reported to NWCCU

through the substantive change process. These processes ensure that programs have appropriate

content and rigor and are identified with designators consistent with recognized fields of study

and requirements of receiving institutions. (2.C.1)

Expected student learning outcomes are defined for all courses, programs, and degrees. Course

outcomes are defined in course outlines, the college’s defining document for course content.

Course outlines undergo review and approval by the Curriculum Committee. Course outcomes

are also included in course syllabi provided to enrolled students, which typically include further

details such as instructor contact information, assignments, and timelines for the enrolled quarter.

Outcomes for each program are published for students on the college website. Programs at

WVC are defined by major field. Each professional/technical program has a set of outcomes for

the ATS degree and the one-year certificate, as appropriate. The AAS transfer degree has

outcomes defined for each of the general education and distribution areas comprising the degree:

writing skills, quantitative skills, life skills, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.

Degree-level outcomes are defined by WVC’s core abilities:








Core abilities are published on the web page and in the catalog, and are printed on posters

displayed in classrooms on both campuses. (2.C.2)

All credits and degrees are awarded according to institutional policies. Credits reflect learning

outcomes or equivalencies appropriate to higher education and WVC’s authority to grant

degrees. The development, approval, and implementation of curriculum is governed by Policy

300.350, which empowers the chief academic officer and the faculty to develop procedures to

ensure robust curricular options for students. Instructional procedures for curriculum

development include origination of curriculum within the qualified faculty, and subsequent

review and approval by faculty committees (Curriculum Committee and Instruction Council).

Courses that have alternate delivery modes (recorded video telecourses, interactive television

[ITV] courses, online courses, and hybrid online/in-person courses) are subject to the same

curriculum approval processes and norms for the award of credit as traditional on-campus

courses. (2.C.3)

All WVC degree programs demonstrate coherent design with appropriate breadth, depth,

sequencing of courses, and synthesis of learning. (2.C.4) Professional/technical courses and

programs are developed in partnership with industry and business representatives, who provide

http://www.washingtoncouncil.org/icrc

35

input via advisory committees. Each program has an advisory committee that meets at least

three times per year and contributes information on skills, standards, and employment needs to

ensure the curriculum is up-to-date. Programs also incorporate published industry-based

competencies (skills standards); core courses are typically sequential and build successively on

skills mastered previously. Admission and graduation requirements are defined in the college

catalog; this information is also accessible through the website. Several professional/technical

fields have limited enrollment programs or special entry requirements; these are widely available

through the catalog and website and targeted advising is provided.

Transfer degree programs are anchored in distribution areas including writing skills, quantitative

skills, life skills, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. Within some distribution

areas, minimum and maximum credit requirements ensure that students’ degree programs

include a balanced schedule of classes within the area. A degree audit prior to graduation

ensures the breadth and depth of subject matter exploration through these requirements. Faculty

members hold masters’ or higher degrees and have a broad and inclusive role in the curriculum

development and approval process to maintain the quality of the degree. Course sequencing and

synthesis of learning is built into the degree through a system of progression from pre-college (if

needed) to 100- and 200-level courses. Synthesis of concepts is addressed in the nature of

learning and level of competency required in 200-level courses that complete a sequence.

(2.C.4)

College processes and governance structures clearly define the faculty’s role in the design,

approval and implementation of the curriculum and in the selection of new faculty. The faculty

Curriculum Committee approves the adoption of new courses and programs and coordinates a

cyclical review process that ensures all courses and programs are reviewed and updated at least

every three years. Professional/technical program directors and division chairs are actively

engaged in this review process. Recommendations go from the Curriculum Committee to

Instruction Council, which includes all faculty division chairs as well as administrative and

student representatives. Curriculum is implemented through the process of developing a course

schedule. Division chairs and program directors work with faculty to suggest course schedules;

an annual schedule is built to allow students to plan their courses over an entire academic year.

Through alignment with a division, discipline, or professional/technical program, faculty take

collective responsibility for assessing student achievement of learning outcomes. Program-level

outcome statements and means of assessment are faculty-defined; results are compiled with

assistance from the Institutional Effectiveness office as needed.

Faculty roles on hiring committees and pre- and post-tenure review committees are defined in the

collective bargaining agreement between the college district and the AHE (Article IV,

Workloads) and ensure the voice of the faculty in the selection of new hires and progression

recommendations for those on the tenure track. (2.C.5)

Teaching faculty work collaboratively with library and information resources personnel to ensure

the integration of library and information resources into the learning process. The Academic

Support Committee is the governance body for faculty input into library and technology

resources for instructional needs. This group reviews and approves the instructional technology

plan and provides recommendations on broad library issues. Faculty follow a standard process

36

for making adoption recommendations to library staff. The faculty librarian provides

bibliographic instruction. All instructors can take advantage of class tours of the facilities and

resources, and a library orientation for specific courses (for example, ENGL 201, the research

paper course) can be arranged to address specific curricular issues. (2.C.6)

WVC Policy 400.350 and procedure 1400.350 govern the awarding of credit for prior

experiential learning. Student information is also published on the WVC website at

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/registration/ntcredit.asp and in the college catalog.

WVC’s nontraditional education (NTE) credit options include credit by examination (CLEP,

course challenge), Advanced Placement (AP), cooperative work experience, credit for military

experience, and independent projects. Faculty have a direct role in developing criteria for

acceptance (e.g., required AP course and grade, content of challenge exam and passing score).

Vocational course credit requires the approval of the program director. A maximum of 15

credits can be earned through challenge work, plus an additional 15 credits for all other types of

NTE credit combined. Students must earn at least 15 credits at WVC before NTE credit is

applied to a transcript. NTE credit does not count toward meeting WVC residency requirements.

(2.C.7)

WVC policies and procedures recognize that the final judgment in accepting transfer credit is the

responsibility of the receiving institution. WVC accepts transfer credit from other institutions

according to published guidelines: a maximum of 60 credits from a regionally accredited

institution can apply toward a WVC degree. Students initiate the process for transfer credit

evaluation, preferably in their first quarter of enrollment at WVC, by requesting official

transcripts from previously attended institutions and completing a Request for Evaluation form.

The registrar’s office completes the credit evaluation for transfer degree programs;

professional/technical program directors make recommendations regarding acceptance of

vocational credit. (2.C.8)

Advising for WVC students who intend to transfer to baccalaureate or other institutions stresses

the importance of verifying degree requirements and transfer of credit policies with the receiving

institution. Several articulation agreements are in place to facilitate this process; these include

the statewide direct transfer agreement (DTA) for the AAS degree, and specific program/major-

based articulations (Business, Business Information Technology, and the AFA: Music at Central

Washington University (CWU); Agriculture and Early Childhood Education at Washington State

University (WSU); and Energy Technology at Centralia College). (2.C.8)

Undergraduate Programs

WVC’s undergraduate degree and certificate programs are designed to provide students with an

integrated course of study to prepare them for work, future education, and productive citizenship.

The transfer associate degree programs (AAS, AS-T, Associate in Business, and AFA: Music) are

structured to facilitate transfer to baccalaureate colleges and universities in the state of

Washington. Students that earn either the AAS or the Associate in Business can transfer to most

baccalaureate colleges and universities in the state without having to take further general

education requirements (GERs). Both degrees are accepted across the state as part of the DTA

that exists between most community colleges in the state and most baccalaureate granting

schools. In addition to covering the GERs, the Associate in Business guarantees students junior

standing in the college of business at their receiving institution.

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/registration/ntcredit.asp

37

The AAS requires the successful completion of 18 credit-hours of general education designed to

ensure competency in students’ writing skills, quantitative skills, and life skills: 10 credits of

writing to include English 101 (English Composition), five credits of quantitative skills (College

Algebra, or higher), and three credits of life skills (elective courses such those in physical

education and health). In addition to the GERs, the AAS requires 45 credits to be completed

from three distribution areas. These areas are 1) humanities, 2) natural sciences, and 3) social

sciences. Students must complete 15 credits within each distribution area. Depth and breadth of

curricular choices is further ensured by guiding students to take courses in a diverse manner

within each distribution area. For example, in the natural sciences students must take a minimum

of 5 credits of lab courses and can only take a maximum of 10 credits of non-lab sciences.

The other transfer degree programs, AS-T and AFA: Music, do not satisfy the GERs of receiving

institutions, but they do help students enroll in discipline-specific courses at the sophomore

and/or junior level in their fields. They do not guarantee acceptance into the receiving

institutions as juniors in their discipline, but they allow students to explore greater depth in their

fields, gain valuable skills and conceptual understanding, and have more interaction with faculty.

Every workforce education program of 45 credits or more contains the requirement for course

credit in communication, computation, and human relations. The majority of programs have a 13

quarter credit requirement, however some require 15 credits. Courses meeting the program

requirements are listed in the program descriptions in the catalog and on the website. Some

programs require a set of courses designed specifically to prepare students for the workplace;

these include READ 100 (Technical Reading), ENGL 100 (Writing in the Workplace), MATH

100T (Technical Math) and BIT 116 (Professional Work Relations). Other programs use courses

that also count toward transfer degree requirements: ENGL& 101 (English Composition I),

MATH 105 (College Algebra), and CMST& 210 (Interpersonal Communications). (2.C.9)

WVC has been actively pursuing articulation agreements with baccalaureate institutions to

provide transfer pathways for students who pursue ATS degrees. Central Washington University

offers a Bachelors in Management program that accepts two-year technical degrees for transfer.

The Early Childhood Education program has developed a transfer pathway articulated with

Eastern Washington University’s online Children’s Studies program; Agriculture has an

articulation agreement with Washington State University; and the Natural Resources program is

developing an articulation agreement with the University of Idaho.

The general education components of WVC’s transfer associate degrees are appropriate for the

mission of the college and the learning outcomes for those degrees. A core theme of WVC’s mission

is to provide high-quality transfer education that prepares students for success at baccalaureate

institutions. WVC demonstrates this through ongoing assessment of general education program

learning outcomes and by monitoring the performance of WVC degree holders after transfer. The

primary receiving institution for WVC transfer students is CWU. Evidence indicates that WVC

students have equivalent success—if not better—than direct-entry students at CWU based on their

GPAs after transfer.

The distribution areas within the transfer degree also carry out the mission of the college by

providing a diverse array of learning opportunities and learning outcomes related to cultural

38

education and enrichment. The college offers courses in language, the cornerstone of cultural

expression, in Spanish, Native American Languages (Omak), German, Latin, and Japanese. Courses

in social sciences, arts, and music are also transfer degree core requirements and offer additional

opportunities for the exploration and expression of culture.

General education components contribute to the development of WVC’s core abilities, which define

the knowledge and skills that successful degree and certificate holders will attain:

Think critically (analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply, problem solve, and reason




Act responsibly as an individual and as a member of a team or group



These broad abilities outcomes are supported by all of the general education requirements. Each

course outline identifies the core abilities that are addressed in that course.

The general education requirements at WVC were developed to support the core theme of providing

high-quality transfer instruction. Preparation for transfer is a significant component of WVC’s

mission. (2.C.10)

Identifiable and assessable learning outcomes for transfer associate degree programs at WVC are

developed and monitored by faculty divisions. The working documents that indicate the assessment

measures and methods used for each program area are available as exhibits. Faculty members in

each division have developed the criteria and methods to assess learning outcomes and the

curriculum that drives those outcomes. These documents are published on WVC’s internal website,

Commons.

The college provides several means to support assessment. The standing Assessment Committee

focuses exclusively on assessment of student learning and helps construct tools as well as

providing a voice in shared governance. Further, divisions are supported to meet and develop

tools and measures and discuss results through funding awarded by the Assessment Committee

through a consistent application and review process.

Applied degree and certificate programs also include general education requirements. Typically,

students in professional/technical programs satisfy these requirements by completing courses that

are also part of the transfer mission. GERs for many applied programs are met by enrolling in

mathematics, English, and communications courses that also meet transfer requirements. Some

workforce programs use alternate technical courses designed to emphasize workplace skills, but

these are developed and taught within the disciplines by qualified faculty with appropriate

credentials. Faculty hiring procedures ensure an appropriate level of qualification to teach in a

discipline. For transfer courses, a Masters degree in the field is considered the minimum

requirement to teach college-level courses. The minimum degree requirement in applied

programs varies. Disciplines such as nursing require the Master of Science in Nursing as the

minimum for teaching nursing theory and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing as the minimum

for clinical instruction. Other areas may require a bachelors (if offered) or associates degree plus

39

industry certification and relevant experience. Qualifications for faculty in

professional/technical programs are determined by state statute (WAC131-16-091). (2.C.11)

Graduate Programs – Not Applicable

Continuing Education and Non-Credit Programs

WVC offers non-credit continuing education and adult basic education programs appropriate to

its mission and the needs of area residents and employers.

Continuing Education

The Continuing Education (CE) department offers personal and work-related classes to enrich

communities and provide opportunities for life-long learning and skill development. Offerings

are market-driven and address a variety of topics, including health and wellness, cultural studies,

food and wine, music, arts and crafts, general computer skills, and specific applications such as

bookkeeping, publishing, or web development software. Customized training is arranged for

regional employers to address their particular needs through workshops or classes delivered on

campus or in the workplace. CE courses are offered on a self-support model and the majority do

not carry college credit. (2.C.16)

Most CE courses are taught by adjunct instructors who have specialized experience or industry

certification in the subject area. Instructors are highly involved in course development. CE

courses are typically more focused and shorter in duration than credit courses and present content

at a less advanced level. Occasionally a CE class will be offered for college credit. In these

instances, the course is presented to the Curriculum Committee and other appropriate governance

bodies for review, revision, and/or approval. (2.C.17)

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are rarely offered by the CE department. If offered, they are

done so in conjunction with a professional association or agency from which the participants

seek certification. The WVC CE department provides, when requested, documentation meeting

the requirements of the CEU-accepting organization (e.g., attendance records, course outlines,

course evaluations, and evidence of student attainment of identified learning outcomes).

(2.C.18)

Enrollment records for CE courses are maintained using the same data systems as WVC’s credit

offerings. This includes course descriptions and identifiers as well as registration records.

Offerings and enrollments are reported to SBCTC as well as tracked internally. The CE

department also uses its own online registration system, accessible through

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/conted/default.asp that permits students to register

for classes without going through the standard college credit system. This option is intended to

make registration more user-friendly, but all relevant data are uploaded to the common college

database. (2.C.19)

Adult Basic Skills

The Adult Basic Skills (ABS) department’s mission is to ―provide opportunities for individuals

to obtain the necessary skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and the English language

necessary to pursue and achieve their personal and vocational goals.‖ ABS programs are

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/conted/default.asp

40

included in the statutory mission of Washington community and technical colleges (RCW

28B.50) and address the needs of WVC’s service district, which has low adult educational

attainment rates compared to the state average.

ABS classes include sequences of English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, Adult Basic

Education (ABE), and General Educational Development (GED) classes in math, reading and

writing. GED classes also include instruction in science and social studies. Students are placed

in the appropriate classes based on an assessment of entry skill levels. Advancement to

subsequent levels is based on regularly scheduled progress assessments. The Comprehensive

Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) is the state authorized assessment instrument.

Students pay a state-mandated tuition of $25 per quarter. This tuition may be waived based upon

student financial need. ABS course offerings are supported by a combination of federal funding,

which is funneled through the SBCTC in the form of grants to individual districts, local district

funds, and other funding sources identified and secured by department faculty and staff. (2C.16)

The ABS department currently has two tenured faculty positions, one full-time and one shared

with another department. Adjunct instructors teach a majority of class offerings. Classes are

held on both campuses and at community locations throughout the district, often in partnership

with local community based organizations (CBOs). As these courses are at a high school

equivalent or below, they are not offered for academic credit. (2.C.17 and 2.C.18)

Enrollment records for ABS courses are maintained using the same data systems as WVC’s

credit offerings. This includes course descriptions and identifiers as well as attendance and

completion records. Offerings and enrollments are reported to SBCTC through the WABERS+

database as well as tracked internally. (2.C.19)

Standard 2.D: Student Support Resources

WVC provides a comprehensive range of student development services to support student

learning needs outside the classroom. These include:

Admissions and registration, either in-person or online

Placement assessment to determine readiness for college-level work in math, reading, and

writing

Educational planning for first-time students, including interpretation of placement test

results, class scheduling for the first quarter of enrollment, understanding program

requirements, and developing an educational plan

Financial aid, including federal and state need-based aid and private scholarships

Counseling services to address personal and emotional issues that are interfering with

success in college

Disability support services and accommodations

Multicultural services, including academic and personal support and leadership

development opportunities

Career services, including mentorships, college work experience, and work-study job

placements

41

International student programs for students from abroad who are seeking an American

collegiate experience and education

Student programs, including leadership opportunities through the student senates and a

broad range of clubs and organizations

Intercollegiate athletics competition in men’s soccer, basketball, and baseball and

women’s soccer, basketball, softball, and volleyball

Information on student support services is published in the catalog and on the college website

and is available through staff on the Wenatchee and Omak campuses. The mission of WVC’s

student development department is to provide the campus community with comprehensive,

quality services and programs in a welcoming environment to enhance and enrich a successful

collegiate experience. The department is supervised by a vice president and currently has 23

full-time employees in Wenatchee (see appendices for current organizational chart). Omak

staffing includes a student programs coordinator, an academic advisor, and four staff members

who advise and assist students. Cabinet members and administrators have a regular schedule for

administrative coverage at the Omak campus while the Dean’s position is vacant. Department

supervisors and staff from financial aid are available for consultation by phone and interactive

video, and make periodic trips to the Omak campus. (2.D.1)

Campus safety and security is a high priority for WVC. The incidence of crime on campus is

low and is primarily property offenses such as theft. Crime statistics required by federal

regulations are documented annually and published on the college website at

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/safetystats/. A sex offender notification process is

defined in state law (RCW 4.24.550) and college procedure (1000.220) that explains how

information is shared with staff and students if a registered sex offender enrolls at WVC or

resides adjacent to either campus. Beginning in fall 2008, WVC contracted with a private

security firm to provide a 24/7 presence on the Wenatchee campus. Security officers can be

reached from any campus phone by dialing an extension; in addition to responding to emergency

situations, they also patrol the campus, monitor locking of doors, and enforce parking

regulations.

WVC has had a Safety Committee for many years and created a designated safety officer

position in 2002. This individual is responsible for the college’s emergency procedures manual

and has provided training to staff and faculty in emergency planning, hazardous materials

handling, and fire extinguisher use. Cabinet administrators have completed National Incident

Management Systems (NIMS) training and have engaged in multiple table top exercises with

local emergency response personnel. (2.D.2)

As a comprehensive community college, WVC is an open admissions institution. Students are

admitted to WVC if they hold a high school diploma or equivalent, or may enroll if their high

school class has graduated. All students who do not have prior college-level math or English

credits take a placement test (COMPASS) to ensure that they are prepared to benefit from

college instruction or should first develop their skills further in adult basic education or pre-

college courses. New students meet with an educational planner to interpret placement test

results, plan the first quarter’s schedule, discuss program requirements and options, and develop

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/safetystats/

42

an educational plan. An orientation to student life is offered each fall by the student programs

office, with significant involvement of student senate members. (2.D.3)

In the event that a program is eliminated or requirements are changed significantly, WVC makes

every effort to ensure that enrolled students have the opportunity to complete the program. This

situation arises rarely at WVC. Staff and faculty work with affected students to substitute

appropriate courses or use directed study options if a needed course for program completion is

not available. (2.D.4)

The WVC website (www.wvc.edu) and catalog are the primary media used to communicate

information to students and stakeholders. The catalog is currently published annually. Copies

are available from the admissions/registration offices on both campuses. The full text of the

current catalog is also accessible on the website. The student programs office also publishes a

student handbook that includes information on student services, policies, and regulations

applying specifically to students and an academic planner/calendar. Copies are free to students

from the student programs office on either campus, and an electronic version of the document

text is accessible through the website.

For each of the required elements in Standard 2.D.5, the location of information is specified

below:

The institutional mission and core themes are published in the catalog and on the website

(www.wvc.edu/about). The mission statement also appears on a variety of college documents,

including all Board of Trustees meeting agendas.

Entrance requirements and procedures are detailed on the website admissions page (see links at

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/admissions/default.asp). The ―quick jump‖ menu on

the WVC home page also has links to online admissions and online registration screens. An

overview of the process is also available in the catalog.

Grading policies, including point values assigned to letter grades and methods for GPA

calculation, are posted on the website

(http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/Records%20and%20Grades/) and in the catalog.

Policies also address pass/fail grades, withdrawal, audit, incomplete grades, repeating a course,

and academic standards. Assignment of grades within courses is defined in the syllabus for each

course.

Information on academic programs and courses is published on the website and in the catalog.

Each degree and certificate program has information on prerequisite requirements, degree and

program completion requirements, and required course sequences. For professional/technical

programs, a suggested quarterly schedule of classes to reach program completion within a typical

timeframe is provided. Availability of each program at the Wenatchee and/or Omak campus is

also indicated.

The names, titles, degrees held, and conferring institutions for administrators and full-time

faculty are published on the college website. Faculty profiles are posted at

http://www.wvc.edu/

http://www.wvc.edu/about

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/admissions/default.asp

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/Records%20and%20Grades/

43

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/instructors/default.asp; administrator information is accessible at

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/administration.asp.

Rules, regulations for conduct, rights, and responsibilities for students are published in the

student handbook, which is available at no cost from student programs on either campus. The

text of the handbook is also accessible through the WVC website

(http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/studentprog/) and key policies for students are also

organized under a ―policies‖ web page (http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/policies/).

Tuition, fees, and other program costs are posted on the website at

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/tuition/default.asp. The tuition and fee schedule is

also printed in the Discover, the quarterly class schedule publication that is mailed to every

household address within WVC’s district. Authority to establish student fees is established in

WVC Policy 600.125.

Refund policies and procedures for students who withdraw from enrollment are published on the

website (http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/tuition/refund.asp). Refund amounts and

dates are defined in WVC policy (600.128).

Information on opportunities and requirements for financial aid is published on the website (see

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/financialaid/default.asp and links from this page).

This information addresses the application process and the Free Application for Federal Student

Aid (FAFSA), types of aid, and financial aid policies. Links to informational webcasts that

provide tutorials on financial aid topics are also available. Printed information is available in the

financial aid office in Wenatchee and the administration office in Omak. Information on

financial aid requirements is also mailed to students with their financial aid award letters.

The WVC academic calendar is published on the website, in the catalog, and in the Discover. A

two-year calendar is developed each biennium by a calendar committee of faculty and staff. The

calendar includes the dates that instruction begins and ends each quarter; the final exam period;

deadlines for registration, withdrawal, and applying for graduation; holidays; and when grades

will be available.

Where applicable, the WVC catalog and website include information on special requirements

associated with educational programs. WVC’s allied health programs have a specific set of

requirements that students must meet to be able to participate in clinical education and obtain

licensure and employment. These student responsibilities are listed in the catalog, on the

website, and are addressed in orientations presented to students interested in pursuing allied

health careers. Employment requirements, such as successful performance on a licensure exam

and completion of internship hours, are specified for each program. (2.D.6a,b)

WVC follows State of Washington guidelines for student records retention. Access to student

records is restricted to authorized staff persons whose responsibilities require this information;

each individual must sign a confidentiality agreement and receive an overview of regulations.

Student records are stored electronically and backed up daily. WVC adheres to the requirements

of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA information is published to

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/instructors/default.asp

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/administration.asp

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/studentprog/

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/policies/

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/tuition/default.asp

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/tuition/refund.asp

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/financialaid/default.asp

44

students in the catalog and on the website

(http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/Records%20and%20Grades/FERPA.asp). (2.D.7)

The financial aid office at WVC provides comprehensive services to students who need

assistance in paying for college. Over 60 percent of WVC students receive need-based aid. The

college also manages several scholarship funds; the financial aid office processes applications for

these scholarships and those supported by the WVC Foundation. The college catalog has an

overview of financial aid programs; more extensive information is available on the website

(http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/financialaid/) including types of assistance,

eligibility requirements, and academic standards. Information is also available in the financial

aid office in Wenatchee and the administration office in Omak. (2.D.8)

Students who receive financial aid are informed of their loan repayment obligations at the time

of application. WVC receives annual notices from the Department of Education of the current

default rate. Students that are behind in payments or delinquent on their repayment of loans are

notified by mail and with email. Students also must complete entrance counseling that addresses

their rights and responsibilities as borrowers. When students graduate, they are sent exit material

that again tells them about repayment plans and their repayment obligations. (2.D.9)

Student academic advising at WVC has two phases. New students receive initial advising from

the educational planning staff in the student development office. Educational planners assist

students with identifying appropriate courses based on placement test results; creating first-

quarter class schedules; identifying educational goals and corresponding programs of study at

WVC; and developing educational plans. Based on their choice of program, students are then

assigned to full-time faculty members for ongoing advising. Faculty advising responsibilities are

defined in the AHE collective bargaining agreement (Article IV, Workload – Section E, and

Appendix C, Academic Employees’ Job Descriptions – Section 2). Faculty responsibilities

include maintaining office hours, assisting with academic planning and course scheduling, and

(where appropriate) keeping abreast of transfer requirements for in-state baccalaureate

institutions. The WVC catalog includes a statement of the goals of the advising process and a

student-focused description of the roles of faculty advisers and educational planners. (2.D.10)

Co-curricular activities are consistent with the institution’s mission, programs, and services. The

Associated Students of Wenatchee Valley College (ASWVC) Senate on the Wenatchee campus

and ASWVC-O Senate on the Omak campus sponsor student activities and athletics, charter

student clubs, make recommendations regarding student body policy, and provide an effective

liaison between the student body and the college administration and faculty. Opportunities to

serve in leadership positions in the Senate and student clubs comprise a significant component of

co-curricular activities. ASWVC-sponsored activities range from elections and cultural

programs to dances and intramural sports. Events provide a variety of entertaining and learning

activities for students and the community.

The primary sources of student activities at WVC are ASWVC-sponsored student clubs and

organizations. Many student clubs and sponsored organizations arise from a curricular focus.

Examples include the Knights of Music (Music), Knights of Justice (Criminal Justice), Radiant

Knights (Radiologic Technology), and Student Nurses. Other organizations are based on culture

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/Records%20and%20Grades/FERPA.asp

http://www.wvc.edu/directory/departments/financialaid/

45

and personal identity, including chapters of MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de

Aztlán) on both campuses and the Red Road Association in Omak. In addition to leadership

development and activities, these groups provide opportunities for students to engage with

faculty, staff, and fellow students.

The student programs department also implements a slate of co-curricular activities that includes

everything from the residential education program to new student orientation. The multicultural

affairs coordinator oversees activities designed to facilitate a successful transition to collegiate

life and academics for under-represented populations. The international student coordinator does

the same for international students.

Engagement in co-curricular activities supports WVC’s mission by dynamically reinforcing the

development of student learning and attainment of core abilities in settings outside the

classroom. For example, the student who participates in a discussion of socio-economic policy

in an economics class will be developing communications skills. That same student running for

office in a hotly contested student election will be working very hard to communicate skillfully

and appeal to a diverse group of people. Moreover, this student will be intrinsically motivated to

draw upon the instruction they received in their communications course, and perhaps a political

science course, thus deepening and personalizing the classroom learning.

The majority of co-curricular activities are governed through the ASWVC and ASWVC-O

student senates. Sponsorship by the ASWVC is the foundational authorization for clubs and

organizations to conduct their activities. The ASWVC and ASWVC-O are self-governing

student organizations with their own bylaws, functioning within the framework of policies and

regulations adopted by the Board of Trustees. The Director of Student Programs and Outreach is

the appointed adviser to the student senate on the Wenatchee campus; in Omak, the Student

Services Coordinator is the adviser. Both provide direction, supervision, and leadership for the

student senates.

The ASWVC activity council coordinates and regulates all Wenatchee-based student activities.

The activity council is composed of a representative from each student organization and athletic

program on the Wenatchee campus and meets weekly. In order to be officially recognized as

participating members of WVC student programs, all clubs and organizations must be approved

by the activity council, student senate, and the director of student programs. On the Omak

campus, the Student Senate authorizes student organizations through an established approval

process. (2.D.11)

Auxiliary services at WVC are all based on the Wenatchee campus. They include the service

center (copying and printing), bookstore, food service, parking, and student housing. Policy and

procedure changes concerning the auxiliary services are discussed with appropriate governance

committees. The service center and bookstore operations in particular are discussed at

Instruction Council and the President’s Cabinet. Food service, student housing, and bookstore

activities are communicated to students through the Senate, various notices, and student

representation on governance committees. The bookstore manager meets regularly with the

student senate, and with faculty individually and at various meetings. Students and staff are

encouraged to give input on all aspects of the bookstore operations, and the annual ―secret

46

shopper‖ exercise covers the bookstore and food service. Student housing is new this year, with

procedures that allow for feedback and evaluation of the programs – including food service and

general student life issues.

The WVC at Omak campus does not operate auxiliary services. A long-standing arrangement is

in place for students to purchase textbooks through a local business. The campus is within a

block of the downtown area with easy access to a variety of restaurants. (2.D.12)

The athletic program consists of seven intercollegiate sports sanctioned by the Northwest

Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC). Those seven sports are volleyball,

men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s baseball and women’s fast

pitch. Approximately 150 student-athletes participate in the intercollegiate athletic program at

WVC each year. The NWAACC administers and governs intercollegiate athletics in 15 sports at

35 member community colleges where more than 3,600 student athletes compete yearly.

NWAACC is composed of community colleges in the states of Washington and Oregon as well

as the Canadian province of British Columbia. The authority for such action is derived from its

rules as a commission of the Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges.

The WVC athletic program is an integral part of the college's comprehensive educational plan.

The program is designed to provide a positive influence in developing the student-athlete's mind,

body, and character. Students participating in athletic activities at WVC are required to attend

full-time, make satisfactory academic progress toward completion of their educational goals, and

adhere to eligibility guidelines set by NWAACC and the college. WVC’s intercollegiate athletic

program is supervised by the Vice President of Student Development with support from the

athletic coordinator.

Student-athletes are granted eligibility to represent WVC in an NWAACC sanctioned athletic

contest provided they meet the provisions set forth in the NWAACC athletic code book.

Participation in intercollegiate athletics can provide financial assistance to student athletes

through scholarships, tuition waivers, and athletic work-study employment as governed and

regulated by the NWAACC and the college. Each sport, as mandated by NWAACC, has a limit

of financial assistance that can be awarded to student-athletes based on athletic participation.

Athletic financial assistance is monitored by the WVC Financial Aid Office. Annual athletic

financial assistance reports are sent to the state and the NWAACC office for review and

compliance. (2.D.13)

47

Standard 2.E: Library and Information Resources

The mission of the WVC Library, ―to provide the WVC community with an information rich,

culturally vibrant, and comfortable environment that supports teaching, learning, and the

development of an informed citizenry,‖ directly supports the institutional mission and core

themes. WVC maintains library facilities at both the Wenatchee and Omak campuses. The

college considers the library to have one unified collection; materials circulate back and forth

between campuses and all electronic resources are designated for access by all students at either

campus. The John A. Brown Library on the Wenatchee campus occupies the main and upper

floors of the Brown Library building, with the Lyceum lecture hall and interactive television

classrooms used by CWU and WSU on the ground floor. The WVC at Omak library is located

in Building C. Overall library staffing includes eight and a half full-time employees in

Wenatchee and one in Omak, with some additional part-time hourly support. In addition to

library services (circulation, reference, bibliographic instruction, interlibrary loan), WVC’s

teaching/learning center and instructional television support are also under the library director’s

supervision. Tutoring services on the Wenatchee campus, formerly housed in the student

activities center, moved to the library in fall 2009, and new quarters were constructed for them in

summer 2010 on the top floor of the library. (2.E.1)

The WVC Library also provides significant resources through the library website,

http://commons.wvc.edu/library/. Students, faculty, and staff have 24/7 access to the library

catalog, academic databases, a variety of search tools, reference information, and subject-specific

resources. WVC participates in the ―Ask WA‖ online chat service that allows students and staff

to have live dialog with a library professional at any time. Online resources are accessible to the

general public up to the point where the user requests access to licensed content; a WVC staff or

student login is then required.

WVC has made tremendous strides in the past year in evaluating the currency, breadth, and

depth of its holdings and ensuring that they support the college’s programs and services. A

good collection of electronic resources has been leveraged through implementation of a federated

search system, and unused print subscriptions have been dropped in favor of electronic

collections. Use of an Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) collection analysis tool in

summer 2008 determined that the average age of the book collection was 1970. The age of the

collection has been ameliorated through acquisition of Ebrary Academic Complete, a collection

of 40,000 current full text electronic books. The library is currently completing an ambitious

weeding program with the goal of lowering the average age of the collection and identifying

titles for replacement. (2.E.1)

Planning for library and information resources involves input from users, library staff, and

college faculty and administrators. User input for planning is gathered via ―drive-by focus

groups,‖ library classroom assessment instruments, and the library survey instrument. Library

staff developed the library’s mission, vision, and values statements in summer 2008. The staff

meets weekly with planning on many agendas. The college’s Academic Support committee is

directed at integrating library and information resources into the learning process and includes

library staff, information technology staff, and faculty. The library director represents the library

in Deans meetings, Instruction Council meetings, and the Knowledge Management working

http://commons.wvc.edu/library/Mission/Home.aspx

48

group, which is coordinating the development of web-based electronic resources for staff and

students. (2.E.2)

Library staff provide training and support to assist users with access to library resources and their

appropriate use. The library provides ―bibliographic instruction‖ and library orientation sessions

for students at faculty request, and offers customized sessions to small groups of students at their

request. Library staff reach out to faculty when new products and tools are introduced, typically

by presenting at department meetings. Library programs, materials, and services are included in

the ―Deans’ Day‖ programs, a part of which is scheduled and programmed by the library’s

Center for Teaching and Learning. Every effort is made to offer these opportunities at both

campuses and to adjunct faculty. (2.E.3)

To promote systematic evaluation and improvement of library and information resources and

services, the library is implementing a Continuous Assessment/Continuous Improvement for

Libraries method of management. The mission, vision and values are developed; currently

available measures are being identified and standardized, and additional measures will be

identified and developed. Feedback instruments have been developed and tested. Security of

electronic resources is managed in cooperation with the campus’ information technology service.

To maximize the use of cooperative library efforts, the library director is active in the system’s

Library and Media Directors’ Council, maintains close contact with the State Library and is

fiscal agent for the system’s group purchases through the Orbis-Cascade Alliance. (2.E.4)

Standard 2.F: Financial Resources

Business functions at WVC are housed in administrative services. The fiscal services office on

the Wenatchee campus includes centralized accounting, purchasing, contracting, and payroll

services for the college district. The cashier’s station on the first floor of Wenatchi Hall

conducts the majority of student transactions. Cashiering responsibilities for WVC at Omak are

handled by staff in the administrative office.

WVC demonstrates fiscal stability with sufficient cash flow and reserves to support college

programs and services. Financial reports (income statement, fund balances, and balance sheets)

are prepared quarterly for the Board of Trustees, and a customized fund activity summary report

is given to the board monthly. Budgets are developed annually through a broad-based process

that incorporates input from all departments and review by the Budget Committee. The

President’s Cabinet reviews requests for new positions and expenditures brought forward by

departments. A balanced budget in accordance with expected revenues is then presented to the

Board of Trustees for final adoption. In response to new revenue such as grants, budget

adjustments are brought to the board for approval at mid-year.

Risk is managed appropriately to ensure financial stability. A contingency dollar amount

(typically $100,000) is built into the annual budget for unexpected expenditures. SBCTC and the

State of Washington have emergency funds available for high dollar amount emergency repairs

or maintenance. The Board of Trustees has enacted a reserves policy which requires a reserve

equal to five percent of operating funds, and is considering adopting a threshold for large

expenditures which would require prior Board approval. Cash flow projections are done

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monthly to anticipate short-term needs and plan for long-term liabilities. These factors are also

considered during the budget planning and development process. (2.F.1)

Budget planning considers historical averages, tuition and fee rates, and state allocations, and is

realistic with respect to expected revenues. Enrollment management is tied closely to the dollars

allocated to direct instruction; these funds include full-time faculty salaries and the part-time

faculty salary pool. Course offerings are planned to align student demand with capacity as

closely as possible. WVC’s state funding allocation is based on a specific FTE enrollment

target; going beyond that number can be inefficient as all the costs are borne locally.

Grants, donations, and non-tuition revenue are incorporated into budget planning. The majority

of grants are determined in time to be included in the budget before final approval. Federal and

state funding such as Perkins, WorkFirst, worker retraining, and adult basic education are

allocated through SBCTC and dollar amounts are determined in advance. Other grants that are

applied for locally are vetted through the institutional grants process described in Standard

2.A.24; these processes ensure that grants comply with college regulations and policies as well as

allow for budget planning. The college’s largest source of non-tuition revenue is the monies

collected from K-12 school districts within WVC’s service area for Running Start, the state’s

dual enrollment program for high school students. These revenues are projected based on

historical enrollments and tracking the number of potential Running Start students who are

taking the required placement assessment.

Processes for planning and budget development are defined in college policies 000.120

(Institutional Planning) and 600.105 (Allocation and Management of Resources). The budget

development process involves all college departments on both campuses. Each year a budget

development calendar is published by the fiscal services office with a timetable for submittal of

requests, decisions, and formal approval by the Board. For development of the 2010-2011

budget, these procedural steps were supplemented with information on Commons, including a

discussion forum sponsored by the Budget Committee where employees could post questions

and view responses. Extensive discussions were held in Budget Committee meetings and regular

updates were given to Instruction Council by the Vice President of Administrative Services.

Open meetings were also held in which departments making requests for new or additional funds

could present information to their colleagues. To specifically address concerns about reductions

in state funding, student forums were organized by the student senates on both campuses that

provided opportunities for the President, Vice Presidents, and Deans to share information and

answer questions. (2.F.3)

In order to meet the requirements of the faculty collective bargaining agreement and in the spirit

of open communication and transparency, WVC commissioned a Budget Review Task Force

made up of representatives from administration and full-time faculty. This committee discussed

the prioritization of current resources, the possibility of reduced state allocations, and how WVC

would proceed should its state funding be cut further. This committee allowed full-time faculty a

forum to address concerns directly with three Cabinet-level administrators.

WVC meets institutional policy (600.120) and state and federal regulations through its

accounting system. Financial functions are centralized in the fiscal services office on the

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Wenatchee campus. The Director of Fiscal Services reports to the Vice President of

Administrative Services. Accounting functions are managed through an integrated financial

management system (FMS) that was developed for Washington community and technical

colleges and is common across all SBCTC institutions. The FMS system maintains all required

accounting data for state reporting, but can also support customized local reports.

Financial records at WVC are audited by the Washington State Auditor’s Office (SAO), SBCTC,

and the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Safeguards are built into the FMS which alert

fiscal services staff of errors. The SBCTC carries out monthly reconciliation and alerts college

staff to any errors that the FMS did not immediately detect; error corrections must be made in a

timely manner.

The FMS system supports multiple reporting options for use by budget managers and the fiscal

services office. Expense reports can be reconciled against the allocation given to each cost

center; revenue reports can be generated to see if tuition or non-tuition revenue is meeting

projections. Web-based databases are used to facilitate information searching and customized

reporting. WVC information technology staff have created a budget status reporting interface

that allows all signature authorities to view the budgets they manage by logging onto the college

Intranet. The budget status interface is web-based and provides itemized expenditures, revenues

and budget balances updated nightly for easy self-tracking. (2.F.4)

Responsibility for capital projects and facilities is delegated by the Board of Trustees to the

President in WVC Policy 600.500. Capital planning is carried out through the WVC facilities

master plan, most recently updated in 2008. Requests for state capital funds follow a

comprehensive process managed by SBCTC. Colleges requesting funds for new construction,

replacement facilities, or renovation submit an extensive proposal. All requests across the

system are scored and ranked according to published criteria and a unified capital budget request

for the entire SBCTC is presented to the state legislature.

In addition to requesting a state captial allocation, WVC also has the option to request capital

project funding through the state by a Certificate of Participation (COP). With legislative

approval, the state issues bonds and the proceeds are used to fund construction or acquisition of

facilities. The college then has the obligation to repay this certificate over a 20-year period.

Before granting COP approval, the college’s overall fiscal position is vetted by SBCTC and the

State Treasurer. Only after the fiscal integrity of the institution has been proven is the COP

issued. In 2009, the state issued a COP on behalf of WVC to construct a student residence hall.

SBCTC also makes annual or biennial allocations to WVC for maintenance, repairs, and minor

projects. Each capital project is assigned a unique budget code by SBCTC. Budgets are

monitored both locally and by the SBCTC. Any deviations from the approved allocations are

noted and may require additional justification and demonstration of financial viability (typically

through positive fund balances) and approval by SBCTC. (2.F.5)

Auxiliary enterprises at WVC each have a separate designated fund. These include data

processing (fund 443, rarely used), printing (fund 448, Service Center), motor pool (fund 460),

bookstore (fund 524), parking (fund 528), other auxiliary (Fund 570, rarely used), and housing

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and food (Fund 573). Permanent inter-fund transfers over $10,000, either among auxiliary funds

or between auxiliary and operating funds, must have board approval. The President or designee

is authorized to make fund transfers as necessary to avoid negative cash balances in local

operating funds at the close of a biennial accounting period; all such transactions are required to

be reversed at the start of the next budget period (WVC Policy 600.110). (2.F.6)

WVC undergoes a comprehensive audit by the SAO every two years. In addition, SBCTC

conducts performance reviews each year, specifically focusing on federal grant funds, local

capital funds, and earmarked state allocations. WVC must respond in writing in a timely fashion

to all audit findings and management letters. Any audit findings or management letters are

always follow-up items in the next audit. During the audit exit conference, the President and two

board members are present to hear the recommendations and corrective actions suggested by the

SAO. Upon request, the board is given copies of the ―Corrective Action Plans for Audit

Findings.‖ Specific Corrective Action Plans for Audit Findings reports must be submitted to the

SAO in the event of an audit finding. WVC’s most recent audit, completed in November 2008,

resulted in no audit findings.

WVC has authorized three organizations to conduct fundraising activities on behalf of the

college: the WVC Foundation, the WVC at Omak Foundation, and the WVC Athletic Booster

Club. The WVC Foundation was incorporated in 1973 for the purpose of encouraging,

promoting, and supporting educational programs and scholarly pursuits in connection with

WVC. The Foundation provides significant scholarship support to WVC students and

contributes funds to the college for special projects and events. The WVC at Omak Foundation

was created in 2000 specifically to support the Omak campus and higher education access in the

northern half of WVC’s district. The Booster Club supports athletic teams and student-athletes

through memberships, an annual golf tournament, and the hall of fame banquet. Both

Foundations and the Booster Club have written agreements with the college specifying the

organizational relationship and the use of funds. Authorized student clubs and organizations may

also engage in fundraising to support their activities; each organization maintains a separate

account with the college. Disbursements from these accounts are made in accordance with

established college policies and procedures (WVC Policy 200.170). (2.F.8)

Standard 2.G: Physical and Technical Infrastructure

WVC’s facilities and technical infrastructure supports the mission of the college by creating and

maintaining a physical environment that enhances the learning environment. The college

operates two campuses: the original site in Wenatchee and a satellite campus in Omak, 100 miles

to the north. The main WVC campus is a 52-acre site in a mixed residential neighborhood in

central Wenatchee. The property was donated to the college by philanthropist A. Z. Wells in

1949; Wells House, built in 1910, still stands at the northeast corner of campus and is a WVC

icon with its stone turret. Table 2.3 lists current Wenatchee campus buildings. WVC also leases

off-campus space in the Wenatchee Community Center which provides offices and classrooms

for the Wenatchee Literacy Council and basic skills instruction.

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Table 2.3: Wenatchee Campus Buildings

Building Date Constructed and Current Use

Wenatchi Hall 2006: Classrooms, labs, and offices (biology, nursing, radiologic

technology, medical assistant, math) student support services; open

computer lab; administrative offices

Wells Hall 1952: Classrooms, offices (social sciences, basic skills, continuing

education, instruction administration), Campus Theater, ceramics lab

Eller-Fox 1988: Classrooms, labs, and offices (chemistry, earth science, medical

laboratory technology, physics)

Smith Gym 1962; addition 1990: gymnasium, locker rooms, fitness center, racquetball

courts, offices

Van Tassell 1962; addition 1998: student center, bookstore, café, student programs and

activities

Sexton 1967; remodeled 1999: Classrooms, labs, and offices (humanities,

business, business information technology, computer technology), Robert

Graves Gallery

Refrigeration 1967: Classroom/lab for environmental systems and refrigeration

technology

Industrial

Technology

1951; addition 2003: Welding lab; former maintenance facility with minor

renovation in 2010 to add classroom, computer lab, video classroom, and

offices for instructional programs

Batjer 1951; additions 1990, 2002: Classrooms, auto lab, agriculture lab and

greenhouse, ITV classroom, central services (copy/print/mail), central

heating/cooling plant

Brown 1972; renovated 2006: library, Lyceum lecture hall, ITV classrooms for

CWU and WSU; minor remodel 2010 to create dedicated space for tutor

center

Music and Art

Center (MAC)

1979 (acquired by the WVC Foundation in 2006 and leased by WVC):

Classrooms, studios and offices for music and art

CWU Center 2006: Classrooms and offices for CWU

Maintenance 2009: Offices and shop space for facilities, maintenance, central receiving

Residence Hall 2009: 75-bed student housing facility

CLL (leased) Offices and work space for information technology department

The WVC at Omak campus is centrally located one block from Omak’s Main Street. This site

was established in the 1970s, making higher education opportunities accessible to the area by

offering classes in leased space. One of these leased facilities, a former parochial school, was

purchased by the college in 1985. The campus includes the administration building (1960,

remodeled 1997), Marie Henrie Friendship Hall (1985), and a classroom/library building (1960;

renovated to add a science lab in 2000). In 2008, the former Okanogan Behavioral Health

property across Apple Street from WVC’s campus was purchased. This property includes

several remodeled former homes and outbuildings, and currently houses the student support

center, faculty offices, classrooms and conference rooms, a maintenance shop, and the WVC at

Omak Foundation. In 2008-09, the nursing program was moved back to the campus to a space in

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Friendship Hall after several years in an off-campus leased space. A new greenhouse was

constructed in 2010.

Current staffing for the maintenance and operations department includes a general manager and

program manager; a custodial supervisor and ten custodians; two warehouse and central services

staff; and seven maintenance staff, all based in Wenatchee. One custodial/maintenance

supervisor and one employee are based in Omak.

The WVC information technology department oversees operations, installation, and maintenance

of technology resources for the district. These include:

Data, voice, video, and wireless networks

Telephony and telecommunications

Web environments and applications

Electronic mail

Security standards

Multimedia equipment

Technology purchasing

Student computer labs

Software licensing

Hardware and software maintenance

Hardware and software deployment

Application development

New technologies research

Assist customers in applying technology to business needs

The information technology department currently has eight full-time positions: a systems and

security administrator; a lead database developer; a program coordinator; and six specialists.

One of the six specialists is based full-time in Omak. The department provides services at all

college sites within WVC’s district.

Physical Infrastructure

The Ends Policies and Effectiveness Indicators adopted by the Board of Trustees in August 2006

include, in Policy VIII, the directive: ―WVC will provide well maintained, technologically

capable, and safe physical facilities that contribute to an educational atmosphere that is

conductive to learning.‖ Annually, a report is made to the board that addresses performance

under this definition. Another annual report covers progress toward the Facilities Master Plan,

WVC’s long term facilities planning document. The WVC governance structure includes a

standing committee for Facilities oversight, whose purpose is to plan renovations, repairs, and

relocations within the master facilities plan, and provide oversight for facilities related decision

making. The committee developed procedures for prioritizing use of space and reporting on

activities throughout the district. The committee membership includes faculty, facilities and

technology department staff members, and reports to the Instruction Council and the President’s

Cabinet. (2.G.1)

The WVC Safety Committee is chaired by the Safety Officer; an exempt position whose job

description includes monitoring college compliance with Environmental Protection Agency

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(EPA), Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA), and industry safety standards,

and educating college personnel on safety issues. The Safety Committee is one of the standing

governance committees defined in the faculty bargaining agreement. The Safety Officer

proposes policy and procedure for the district, assesses risk, and audits compliance.

WVC is classified as a ―Low Level Hazardous Materials Generator.‖ Monthly updates of

materials awaiting disposal are forwarded to the Safety Officer from the producing department,

and the officer coordinates appropriate handling and disposal. WVC adheres to all federal, state

and local regulations concerning the use, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic materials.

Individuals with authority over such activities or responsibility for performing them maintain

appropriate certifications or attend periodic training.

Other procedures developed by the Safety Committee include coordinating inspections by the

state Department of Ecology, waste disposal contracting, hazardous waste identification and

inventory, and communication of committee recommendations. (2.G.2)

WVC publishes a Facilities Master Plan every 10 years, and updates the plan every three to five

years. The most recent update was completed in 2008. The process for producing the plan

provides for input from all functional areas of the organization, and opportunities for public and

student review. The process is driven by program needs and involves a contracted architect firm

with experience in education environments to prepare the plan and manage the process to

develop and evaluate it. Progress toward the master plan is reported to the Board of Trustees

annually; the board provides direction on priorities as resources and environmental conditions

(student populations, technology, funding, legal requirements, etc.) change. (2.G.3)

WVC has several processes for managing equipment needs depending on the type of equipment

and whether its primary use is instructional or operational. Equipment for instructional programs

is the responsibility of instructional administration, with the involvement of the various faculty.

There is an annual budget for instruction equipment, which funds prioritized requests from

faculty. Planning for new or remodeled instructional space includes planning for appropriate

equipment; funding requests through the state capital funds processes must address related

equipment needs. Technical program reviews and evaluations by program advisory committees

include an assessment of the relevance of equipment in the labs to the work environment.

Instructional equipment is protected by maintenance agreements for repair and upgrade wherever

appropriate. The goal is to minimize impact on students, particularly in labs.

State-funded students are assessed a student technology fee for the purpose of maintaining high

quality technology for student research and communication needs, as well as classroom

technology. The equipment that supports the technology used is upgraded according to a

schedule prioritized by the Academic Support Committee.

It is a goal of the administrative support departments to maintain equipment necessary for the

various support activities to industry standards. Leased equipment is often used as an

economical alternative that allows for upgrade of equipment before it reaches the end of its

useful life. An example is the many leased copiers/printers throughout the district. For most

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other key communications equipment, the college carries maintenance contracts and enforces

policies that limit risk or duration of outages. (2.G.4)

Technical Infrastructure

WVC provides a comprehensive technical infrastructure to support the college’s programs and

services. The college employs industry standard network and server hardware sufficient in

capacity and quantity to meet existing and foreseeable future information systems needs. The

technical infrastructure of the institution is maintained and upgraded to keep up with changing

technological needs and requirements based on a five-year strategic plan that takes into account

current technology forecasts, new potential uses of existing technologies, industry adoption, and

maturity levels of current and emerging technology trends. (2.G.5)

WVC standardizes on Microsoft products district-wide. Dell server hardware is the standard

hardware platform used to deliver information services to students, staff, faculty, and

administrators. Hardware and software standardization allows the WVC Information Technology

(IT) department to keep maintenance of server hardware and software at manageable levels.

Server systems of sufficient capabilities are deployed as deemed necessary by WVC IT and

configured and secured according to Microsoft security best practices standards.

WVC maintains three dedicated server rooms with independent power and HVAC systems

separate from the main building systems. Industry standard temperature monitoring systems are

utilized and configured to alert WVC IT personal of temperature increases. Alerts are sent via

email and text message to cell phones. Redundant power supply hardware is utilized in all

servers to protect against power failures, brownouts, and power spikes and to facilitate an orderly

shutdown of server hardware and related systems for extended periods of time. The HP 3000

platform provides administrative applications (finance, personnel, student records, etc.) common

to the SBCTC system. WVC maintains HP3000 hardware and services on-site rather than at

SBCTC-IT’s centralized location in the Seattle area. These resources are fully integrated into

disaster recovery plans as well as all other server hardware.

Network devices at WVC are standardized on a Cisco platform. Fiber optics are used for

connections between buildings as well as between floors in a building. CAT5 copper wire is

used for the last leg to the end device. VLANs (virtual local area networks) and ACLs (access

control lists) are used to separate the network traffic of different roles that end devices have (e.g.

staff computers, student computers, servers, printers, etc.). Telephones are IP based, and

powered by PoE (power over Ethernet) Cisco switches. These switches have redundant uplinks

as well as redundant power supplies to ensure maximum uptime. These switches are also

connected to backup battery supplies to give at least 30 minutes of power in case of power

failure.

WVC’s network is connected to the Internet via a 100Mbit connection to CTCNet, the regional

Internet service for all SBCTC colleges. WVC uses a Cisco firewall to prevent unauthorized

access to internal devices. The configuration of this firewall follows best practices as

recommended by Cisco.

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Emergency shutdown procedures are updated and tested on a yearly basis or as conditions

dictate. Business continuity plans are well documented and supported by data backup systems

that backup all WVC district data into backup media in waterproof/fireproof storage both on-site

and off-site for data survival assurance.

WVC IT keeps and maintains all server hardware and related systems in enclosed environments

with industry standard access control methods. Key card access or key access methods are

utilized where appropriate.

WVC IT maintains constant communication with all academic, administrative, and operational

departments to ensure proper needs forecasting for technology. Collaborative efforts ensure all

technical infrastructures have sufficient capabilities in accordance with the five-year IT strategic

plan. A hardware replacement policy based on industry standards replaces end-of-life hardware

on a rotating five-year schedule. (2.G.6)

The IT Department creates or obtains the necessary training materials based on an observed need

or request from faculty, students, staff, and administrators when introducing new services and

technologies in the environment. The institution uses a variety of training resources, including

instructor-led training, training delivered via web based services, and other mediums. An

example is WVC’s recent implementation of Microsoft SharePoint as the platform for the

faculty/staff Intranet and WVC faculty/course web pages. Live classes were taught by an

experienced instructor to introduce new tools. Links to web tutorials and instructional videos

were also provided. Follow-up workshops offered a short, focused learning opportunity on

specific topics of high interest. Staff from the IT Department and the Teaching and Learning

Center developed extensive online help pages offering how-to’s, examples, and step-by-step

animations organized by task.

Training content is of industry standard quality and is readily available upon request. An

orientation is also provided to new employees at the time of hiring to address any training for

technologies required by the individual’s position in an office or classroom environment. (2.G.7)

The institution’s IT department consults with staff, students, faculty, and administrators via

various institutional committees for input when considering architectural changes to technical

infrastructures that significantly impact the quality and ability of the institution to deliver on its

mission statement. When a technology need is identified, IT staff work with the departments or

individuals involved to create a clear and shared understanding of the need. IT staff then

research potential solutions to meet the need, and determine whether the most appropriate route

is to purchase or develop. Extensive planning is undertaken to ensure proper adoption levels are

achieved when new services and technologies are introduced. Feedback generated by these

institutional committees is evaluated and changes made as necessary. (2.G.8)

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Chapter Three – Standard Three A:

Institutional Planning

WVC develops and implements several types of institutional plans that address the entire college

district, encompassing both the Omak and Wenatchee campuses.

Strategic Planning

Against the background of the Mission and Ends Policies, which articulate purpose and expected

outcomes for the college’s core programs and services, WVC uses strategic planning to define

priorities for action or change over a multi-year period. This approach was first used in the

college’s 2004 strategic plan and has remained consistent through the subsequent planning cycle,

which was completed in 2008. The strategic plan is organized by statements of strategic

direction that describe what the college plans to accomplish, with specific priorities under each

direction that identify focused steps the college will implement to move forward. (3.A.1)

The strategic planning process is broad-based and participatory. The President convenes a task

group representing internal constituent groups (faculty, classified staff, administrators, students)

from both campuses. This group meets for a defined period of time, typically over two quarters,

and is charged with developing a proposed set of strategic directions and priorities to guide the

college over the coming three to five years. To develop this proposal, the task group engages in

an environmental scan, identifies key needs and opportunities, and solicits feedback from

throughout the college via postings of drafts and data for comment and discussions at scheduled

meetings. Data that demonstrate the college’s accomplishment of its Ends Policies are reviewed

along with demographic and employment trends; this process will expand in the next planning

cycle to address WVC’s new structure for assessing mission fulfillment. (3.A.3)

During the planning process, regular updates are provided to the Instruction Council and

President’s Cabinet, and the Board of Trustees holds periodic discussions with task group

members during work sessions. Once a draft proposal is created, the President facilitates input

from community constituents outside the college. The task group then considers feedback,

makes revisions, and submits a final proposal to the Trustees for formal adoption. (3.A.2) The

Appendix includes documents from the 2007-08 planning process as well as the final 2008

strategic plan.

Once adopted, the strategic plan is published on the college’s internal and public websites

(http://www.wvc.edu/about/strategicplan.asp) and the task group is adjourned. The standing

Planning Committee then has responsibility for monitoring progress toward achieving the

defined strategic priorities. The strategic plan is primarily implemented through the

development and adoption of institutional initiatives. An institutional initiative is a proposal for

action to advance the strategic plan that is put forward by a unit within the college. Initiative

plans include the goal to be accomplished; the primary strategic priority supported by the

initiative; a rationale; expected outcomes and means of assessment; an implementation plan

identifying major tasks, key personnel, and target completion dates; and information on budget

impacts. The Planning Committee provides review and feedback on proposed initiatives for

http://www.wvc.edu/about/strategicplan.asp

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completeness and clarity, using a rubric created for this purpose. Initiatives are proposed in

parallel with the budget development process so necessary resource allocations can be made.

(3.A.4) Progress reports are made to the college and the Board of Trustees. At approximately

the midpoint of the plan’s expected duration, the Planning Committee compiles a summary that

identifies accomplishments to date and highlights any areas of the plan that have not had

significant actions; these areas are then subject to discussion with the Instruction Council and

President’s Cabinet to identify whether focused attention is warranted or circumstances have

changed such that the priority is no longer viable or meaningful for the college. (3.A.4) The

review for the current strategic plan was completed in spring 2010 and presented to the

Instruction Council and Cabinet; a copy is included in the Appendix.

Budget and Operational Planning

Budget planning is an annual process. The annual cycle begins in the fall, when the Budget

Committee (one of WVC’s standing committees) develops the calendar for the year. Once this is

approved by Cabinet, it is publicized to the college. Budget managers are provided with

information on past expenditures, and any requests for additional funding, including new

positions, are submitted using a standardized form that moves from the requesting department

through the dean or director to a vice president or other Cabinet member. Faculty divisions

develop and put forward requests for staffing, equipment, or other needs. As approximately 60

percent of WVC’s operating budget comes from state funding, the college must wait for the

legislature to act on a final state budget before determining its final budget. Washington state

develops biennial state budgets; in budget years (odd-numbered) the legislative session often

does not end until April. In the second year of each biennium (even-numbered) a supplemental

budget is developed and the legislative session is scheduled to end in mid-March. The

President’s Cabinet develops the final institutional budget, which is then forwarded to the Board

of Trustees for approval. For new position or replacement requests or other significant budget

changes occurring mid-year, the Cabinet has developed an evaluation rubric (see Appendix).

The Trustees approve an amended budget halfway through the fiscal year to account for changes

in state allocations, new grant funds, and other budget adjustments.

In addition to the standing Budget Committee, the college has convened a Budget Review Task

Force to advise in development of the 2009-10 and 2010-11 budgets. As specified in the faculty

negotiated agreement, the Task Force is convened jointly by the college President and AHE

President once the college has determined that a reduction in force may be necessary to achieve a

balanced budget. The Task Force is chaired by the vice president for administrative services and

has two administrative representatives and three faculty representatives. The Task Force has had

extensive discussions of the college’s funding situation, addressed frequently asked questions

about the budget, and made monthly reports to Instruction Council. Though to date there has

been no reduction in force for tenured faculty positions, the group is serving an important role in

communications. (3.A.2)

Budget planning draws direction from the mission and Core Themes; from the strategic plan; and

from departmental five-year plans. (3.A.4) A formal model for departmental planning was

adopted in 2006-07 to better document operational plans and anticipate resource allocation

needs. Planning has been organized around consistent templates for instructional and non-

instructional departments. These plans have been updated every other year following the

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college’s planning calendar. With the advent of Core Theme planning, the departmental

planning process is undergoing revision. Extensive review by the Planning Committee during

2009-10 resulted in changes to the departmental plan templates to specifically incorporate Core

Themes and a recommendation that the planning horizon be reduced to three years instead of

five. These revised templates are included in the Appendix. The college has also adjusted the

planning timetable so that Core Theme data review and planning will take place first, and

departmental plans will then respond to the direction set in Core Theme plans. This will

facilitate planning across broader units (e.g., all transfer programs); a shortcoming noted in past

cycles was that the plans of individual departments or divisions were not well connected to one

another. These revisions will be implemented following completion of the Trustees’ integration

of Core Themes and Ends Policies in fall 2010.

Emergency Preparedness and Contingency Planning

WVC creates emergency plans around four purposes: prevention, preparedness, response, and

recovery. Emergency planning is under the direction of the college safety officer, with

significant participation from the Safety Committee, which includes a representative from each

instructional division plus administrative and facilities staff. This committee meets monthly; in

addition to assisting with planning and preparedness concerns, any problems reported to or

discovered by the committee are tracked to ensure follow-through. Campus safety walks are

conducted monthly, with an annual evening walk each fall to look at lighting issues. (3.A.2)

Emergency planning is addressed in multiple college documents. (3.A.5) These include:

WVC Safety Manual: currently under revision; the most recent update was 2005. This

manual has multiple components addressing emergency preparedness and contingency

planning, including general safety (accident prevention and reporting, safety training,

hazardous material disposal, etc.), tools and equipment, proper lifting, lock out/tag out,

first aid and blood borne pathogens, operation of campus vehicles and other powered

equipment, fall protection, and other guidelines.

Emergency plan: completed in 2008 and compliant with National Incident Management

System (NIMS) requirements. The emergency plan addresses campus information,

concepts of operation, prevention, preparation, response, and recovery.

Evacuation plan: revised in 2009. This plan is consistent with the NIMS emergency plan

and is coordinated with local emergency response agencies.

Accident investigation program: completed in 2008

Hazard mitigation plan: this state-mandated plan is in the final stages of development in

conjunction with the Washington state Emergency Management department.

School mapping program: college campuses in Washington state were recently added to

an existing program for K-12 schools that provides electronic access to campus maps and

building information for emergency responders. WVC worked with municipal, county,

and state law enforcement to develop this prepared response plan.

Safety training includes an annual briefing to all staff, job specific training addressing specific

topics (blood borne pathogens, fall prevention, etc.), and short presentations for all staff on key

procedures (fire extinguisher, evacuation, shelter in place, lock down). The college regularly

conducts exercises and drills; these have included campus-wide evacuation drills as well as

tabletop exercises with the participation of local emergency response agencies. The Wenatchee

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campus has a contracted security presence 24 hours a day, seven days a week; security personnel

participate in college drills and exercises. Samples of training materials and other emergency

planning documents are included in the Appendix; full versions will be available to the

evaluation team during the Year Seven visit.

College technology and infrastructure systems also support emergency preparedness and

response. All offices and classrooms have a networked telephone on the college’s voice over IP

system. If a 911 call is made from any college phone extension, the system immediately notifies

representatives from security, facilities, administrative services, and technology who respond in

person or by contacting another extension in the vicinity to determine the nature of the

emergency. Email notifications immediately go to an emergency contact list and automated

voice calls are made sequentially until an answer is received. An emergency text message

system was instituted in 2009 and currently has nearly 800 subscribers, approximately 25 percent

faculty and staff and 75 percent students. Authorized personnel can access a web-based

emergency message system that will direct a text message to registered mobile phone numbers;

messages can be broadcast to a single campus or to specific groups (e.g., faculty and staff only)

if appropriate. Software to allow emergency messages to be broadcast over all office and

classroom telephones was installed and tested in 2010.

Disaster recovery plans focus on restoring operations in the event of a disruption. The IT

Security Manual addresses disaster preparedness and recovery for technology infrastructure and

services. Built-in redundancies and backup procedures are in place to maintain services in

events such as an electrical power failure or a break in connectivity. A backup power supply

automatically provides a minimum of 30 minutes of power after a disruption of electrical service;

this allows time for computers and servers to be properly shut down and for the phone system to

remain active for emergency calls. Redundant phone and email servers maintain service and

avoid data loss if one server is compromised. Server rooms have dedicated cooling systems and

are monitored for temperature; if a threshold is exceeded, the monitoring system automatically

sends email and text messages to technology and facilities staff. All college servers plus the

HP3000 administrative computing system (student records, financial management, payroll, etc.)

are backed up daily with tapes rotated in a ―son, father, grandfather‖ system in secure, fire- and

flood-proof storage.

Facilities, student development services, and other departments also have recovery plans under

development as part of the college’s overall emergency planning process; the NIMS plan

identifies coordinators for each campus building as well as specific functions (first aid,

counseling, search and rescue, etc.).

Other Institutional Plans

WVC has several additional planning processes that develop college-wide or cross-departmental

plans that serve to guide institutional decision-making and resource allocation.

Development of the Marketing and Public Relations Plan is led by the district Marketing

and Public Relations Committee. This plan is updated annually and includes

recommendations on how marketing funds and other resources should be used to

accomplish college priorities. Accomplishment of tasks is documented monthly by the

Community Relations department.

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The Instructional Technology Plan addresses priorities for student computer labs and

other technology infrastructure that directly supports instruction. The standing Academic

Support Committee reviews and prioritizes instructional technology needs on both

campuses. A student technology fee approved by the Associated Students in a vote

provides an ongoing pool of funds for replacement of student technology equipment.

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Chapter Four – Standard Three B and Standard Four:

Core Theme Planning, Assessment, and Improvement

Core Theme planning was introduced to WVC through its participation as a pilot institution for

the revised NWCCU accreditation standards and process. Using Core Themes as a framework

for planning and assessment has varying degrees of overlap with processes that were already in

place at WVC prior to 2008-09. For example, the Basic Skills and Continuing Education

departments developed and implemented plans in response to institutional strategic directions

and Ends Policies; the difference between these plans and ―Core Theme‖ plans is not substantial.

Cultural Education and Enrichment had an established Ends Policy and accompanying reporting

history, but responsibility for planning and implementation was spread across several

departments operating fairly independently. Core Theme planning has brought representatives

from these groups together, and the resulting review and analysis has been beneficial. This

section of the report describes the Core Theme planning that has taken place to date in relation to

Standard 3.B.

To assess attainment of WVC’s Core Themes, the college convened review groups in 2009-10

for each of the seven themes. The institutional effectiveness office provided data from the

college’s centralized databases and past Ends Policy reports; in most cases these sources

included a minimum of three years of data history. An annotated example of a data report is

included in the Appendix. Departments and staff associated with specific Core Themes

supplemented these resources with additional data sources (e.g., advisory committee records,

information on community partnerships, etc.). Each group used a planning matrix to facilitate

consistent analysis across all Core Themes and provide a structured format for reporting. The

seven Core Theme reports are included in the Appendix. Each group was provided with the first

two rows (indicators and data sources) and was asked to review the data, evaluate attainment of

Core Theme objectives, discuss actions for improvement, and propose targets for future

performance.

Section I: Transfer/Liberal Arts Core Theme

The Transfer/Liberal Arts Core Theme embodies one of WVC’s four statutory purposes as a

comprehensive public community college in Washington state: to provide students with the first

two years of an undergraduate education in preparation for successful transfer to a four-year

institution and completion of a baccalaureate degree. The Transfer Core Theme arises directly

from WVC’s mission statement and Ends Policy II, which states: Students who declare an intent

to transfer are prepared to be successful at the baccalaureate level. This Ends Policy statement

serves as the objective for the Transfer Core Theme. (3.B1)

Transfer programs are comprised of the liberal arts and sciences instructional areas that provide

instruction meeting the general education, distribution and elective requirements of the Associate

of Arts and Sciences degree. Planning for transfer programs addresses the Core Theme objective

in multiple ways. Articulation of WVC’s degrees with receiving institutions is important to

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successful transfer. The dean of liberal arts and sciences represents the college on two statewide

bodies, the Articulation and Transfer Council (ATC, part of the SBCTC governance structure)

and the Intercollege Relations Commission (ICRC, a unit of the Washington Council on High

School-College Relations). These groups provide the college with the most current information

on baccalaureate institution requirements and provide a vehicle for system-wide conversation

and deliberation about transfer degrees. WVC’s Curriculum Committee reviews all college

courses and programs on a three-year cycle, and approves any changes to WVC’s degrees

through a deliberative process. The development of an annual schedule allows the college to

plan teaching assignments, develop workloads for full-time faculty members, and identify where

adjunct instructors are needed. This schedule also permits students to plan course-taking as they

are able to determine which courses will be offered in which quarter.

Transfer programs participate in the college’s departmental planning process. This includes

documentation of accomplishments and changes implemented, updated enrollment trends and

other data, and anticipated curricular changes. Planning templates have been revised to explicitly

link to Core Themes. The planning sequence has also been revised to have planning for

individual departments follow Core Theme data review and planning.(3.B.2)

Transfer Core Theme planning uses data on four primary indicators to evaluate outcomes and

guide the development of future plans. Retention and completion data are tracked through the

college’s student records database. Annual updates are provided by institutional effectiveness

staff, with interim reports available on request. Articulation is monitored through ARC and

ICRC, with changes brought to the Curriculum Committee as needed. Transfer student

performance at receiving institutions is reviewed through reports provided each term by WVC’s

primary transfer partners (Central Washington University, Washington State University) and

through the National Student Clearinghouse. Within the AAS degree, student learning outcomes

are defined and published (http://www.wvc.edu/programs/transfer/default.asp) for all degree

requirements: humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, quantitative skills (mathematics),

writing skills, and life skills. Program outcome reports are included in the Appendix. (3.B.3)

Assessment of achievement of Core Theme objective: Evidence from the data review for this

Core Theme demonstrates that WVC is achieving this objective. The review process examined

data on four indicators. (4.A.1)

The review group considered retention and completion data for transfer-intent students over the

past seven years. A key finding of the review is that while fall to spring retention (59 percent)

and degree completion (64 percent) are strong for students who enter WVC and enroll directly in

college-level courses, these rates are lower (42 percent and 50 percent) for students who need

additional remedial (developmental) courses.

A well-defined curriculum articulated with university requirements is important to successful

transfer. WVC monitors its transfer curriculum in multiple ways. Individual course outlines are

reviewed and updated every three years. These outlines include information on the

transferability of the course as well as course objectives and student learning outcomes. The

dean of liberal arts and sciences and the registrar both work with statewide groups to keep up-to-

date on university requirements and bring forward any needed changes to WVC’s degree.

http://www.wvc.edu/programs/transfer/default.asp

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Proposed changes go through the Curriculum Committee and Instruction Council for review and

approval before implementation.

Data on the success of WVC students at receiving institutions verifies that WVC students are

prepared for university work. Central Washington University (CWU) is the primary destination

for transferring WVC students. CWU provides regular reports which include information on

student major, GPA, credits earned, and status at time of transfer (whether the AAS degree was

completed). These reports do not contain individually identifying information, so it is not

possible to match with WVC student records, but they do provide data on the performance of

WVC students as well as some comparative data on direct-entry students.

Student learning outcomes are defined at the degree, program, and course level within the

transfer curriculum. Core abilities, developed by the faculty in the early 1990s, define

expectations for degree completers. Students who complete a transfer degree at WVC should be

able to:



Seek knowledge, information and diverse viewpoints

Locate, use and analyze information and technology resources




Course outlines identify which of these core abilities are addressed in any given course. Students

also self-assess their attainment of the core abilities in a survey administered at graduation. For

the most recent year, the proportion of graduating transfer students indicating that they

developed these abilities while attending WVC ranged from 89 to 93 percent.

Program outcomes are defined for the required components of the transfer degree:

Humanities

Natural Science

Social Science

Writing Skills

Quantitative Skills

Life Skills

WVC’s public website (http://www.wvc.edu/programs/transfer/default.asp) documents published

outcomes. Faculty have primary responsibility for determining outcomes to be assessed and

evaluating student achievement. The faculty Assessment Committee serves as an advisory group

for assessment of student learning and a clearinghouse for discussion of assessment issues and

methods. Reports on program student learning outcomes were completed in spring 2009 and

were reviewed in 2010 as part of the Core Theme data review; these are included in the

supplemental materials on CD and are available on campus.

Course outcomes are defined in course outlines and syllabi. Course outlines undergo a three-

year cycle of review through the Curriculum Committee. Faculty proposals for new courses also

undergo Curriculum Committee review and must conform to the published guidelines for course

outline structure and content. Course outlines follow a specific format developed by the

http://www.wvc.edu/programs/transfer/default.asp)

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Curriculum Committee and approved by the Instruction Council; sample course outlines are

available as exhibits. (4.A.3)

Assessment of achievement of program/service goals: Comprehensive assessment of

outcomes at the degree level needs further attention. Though the core abilities are embedded in

transfer courses, and each program area assesses student learning outcomes, there are not yet

processes in place for synthesizing these results to provide a comprehensive picture of attainment

for degree completion. Program outcomes reports indicate that all areas are meeting their

student learning outcomes, with some suggestions for improvement made in individual reports.

Transfer disciplines also participate in the college’s departmental plan process. Faculty have

primary responsibility for developing plans and reporting accomplishments. As noted above, this

process is being integrated with Core Theme planning and will be addressed by departments in

2010-11. (4.A.2, 4.A.4)

Use of results for improvement: The Core Theme review process resulted in several specific

recommendations to improve retention and degree completion. Among these are:

Focus on improving successful course completion for Math 097, Intermediate Algebra.

Internal research, consistent with national trend data, identifies this developmental course

as a barrier in the path toward a degree for many students. Areas to scrutinize include

appropriate placement and availability of student support services (particularly for

evening sections).

Promote flexible scheduling and consider revisions that streamline course requirements to

ensure that students have access to the courses needed to complete their degrees.

Review degree outcomes and develop assessments that synthesize student attainment at

the degree level. These outcomes should encompass both general education requirements

and majors; for example, science preparation should be defined differently for

prospective science majors as compared to students who are taking science courses to

meet general degree requirements.

Review program student learning outcomes to ensure that academic programs providing

support courses for other degrees such as nursing take those learning goals into account.

(4.B.1, 4.B.2)

Transfer Core Theme summary: The Transfer Core Theme represents WVC’s efforts to

achieve its purpose of preparing students to be successful in continuing their education at

baccalaureate institutions. Assessment of this Core Theme indicates that WVC substantially

attains this objective. Areas identified as needing improvement have been identified and will be

addressed in planning activities this year, which will deliberately link Core Theme objectives to

department plans. (4.A.4)

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Section II: Workforce Education Core Theme

The Workforce Core Theme represents a second institutional purpose fulfilling WVC’s mission

as a public community college: preparing students to enter the workforce. The Workforce Core

Theme is also drawn from WVC’s mission statement and Ends Policy I: Professional/Technical

Curricula: Students who complete a WVC professional/technical degree or certificate will

possess the necessary skills for successful entry into a job that relates to the field of study. This

policy statement defines the objective for the Workforce Core Theme. (3.B.1)

WVC currently offers 14 Associate of Technical Science degree programs and 12 one-year

professional/technical certificates to meet the Workforce Core Theme objective. Each program

has a defined curriculum and sequence of courses leading to the certificate and/or degree.

Program planning is led by program directors, the majority of whom are full-time faculty. The

Curriculum Committee reviews each program on a regular three-year cycle; any significant

program changes in the interim also go through the Committee for approval.

Professional/technical degrees and certificates also must be approved by SBCTC through a

published process (http://www.sbctc.ctc.edu/college/_e-wkforceproftechprograms.aspx). The

system approval application requires an analysis of need for the program, potential career

progression, availability of necessary sites for clinical instruction, labor market projections for

the field, collaboration with other colleges offering similar programs, and input from an advisory

committee indicating a commitment to employ graduates. Each program is required to have an

advisory committee of community and industry representatives; these groups have a key role in

ongoing program planning as well as in new program development. (3.B.2)

Workforce Core Theme planning is informed by the collection of data on four indicators:

retention and completion of students in workforce programs; employment and wages of

workforce students after leaving WVC; pass rates on post-training examinations for professional

licensure or certification; and the student learning outcomes defined for each

professional/technical degree and certificate. Retention and completion data are tracked through

the college’s student records database, with annual compilations and updates provided by the

Institutional Effectiveness office. Employment and wage data are available through an SBCTC

database that matches student records with employment reported to the state for purposes of

unemployment insurance coverage. Programs with professional examinations include nursing

(LPN and RN), medical assistant, radiologic technology, and medical laboratory technology.

Pass rates are returned annually from the agency administering the examinations.

WVC has defined student learning outcomes for each professional/technical degree and

certificate; these are published on the WVC website (http://www.wvc.edu/programs/prof-

tech/default.asp). Program outcome reports are also included in the Appendix. Program

directors, faculty and administrators review data for these outcomes annually and share reports

with advisory committee members. (3.B.3)

Workforce programs also participate in the college-wide departmental plan process. As

described in Chapter Three, this process has been revised to better integrate department and Core

Theme planning. Departmental planning will follow Core Theme planning, and both will take

place annually beginning in the fall, after data from the prior year are updated.

http://www.sbctc.ctc.edu/college/_e-wkforceproftechprograms.aspx

http://www.wvc.edu/programs/prof-tech/default.asp


67

Assessment of achievement of Core Theme objective: Data on student retention and

completion, employment, professional examinations, and student learning outcomes were

reviewed. The results indicate that WVC is meeting the Workforce Core Theme objective.

(4.A.1)

The number of degrees awarded increased from 2007-08 to 2009-10, and enrollment demand is

strong. Employment rates for certificate and degree earners are high. For certificates less than

one year, 78 percent of completers are employed after leaving WVC. Eighty-six percent of one-

year certificate are employed, and two-year degree completers have an 85 percent employment

rate. Employment is more reliably tracked for allied health programs that graduate students in

larger cohorts. Over the past three graduating classes, employment was verified for 90 percent

of nursing degree graduates and 87 percent of radiologic technology graduates using the SBCTC

database that matches with reporting for unemployment insurance records. These levels of

verified matches yield estimated employment rates of 99 percent for nursing graduates and 96

percent for radiologic technology graduates.

Evidence indicates that degree completers earn higher wages. For over 388 professional and

technical students who attended WVC from fall 2006 through spring 2007, the average hourly

wage after leaving WVC was $16.70. Of these, 152 students completed a two-year ATS degree.

Their average hourly wage after graduation was $22.11.

Results from professional examinations in allied health fields are regularly reported back to

WVC. The most recent pass rates are 100 percent for radiologic technology, 80 percent for

medical laboratory technology, 100 percent for practical nursing, and 85 percent for registered

nursing. WVC programs also prepare students for Microsoft software certification, ASE

automotive technician certification, and electrician licenses, but as these are individual

examinations with no direct tie to the instructional program, WVC has no means of tracking the

results.

Assessment of achievement of program/service goals: Student learning outcomes are defined

for each program offering a certificate or degree program. Outcomes are accessible on the

college website at http://www.wvc.edu/programs/prof-tech/default.asp . Results of program-

level assessment are reviewed annually in conjunction with Core Theme and department

planning. In addition, the college has adopted a set of core abilities that define what successful

students will be able to do:



Seek knowledge, information and diverse viewpoints

Locate, use and analyze information and technology resources




Each course outline identifies the core abilities addressed in that course, as well as learning

objectives specific to each course. The Curriculum Committee reviews all course outlines on a

three-year cycle; this review includes updating the core abilities covered in the course. In


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addition, students self-assess their attainment of these abilities at the time of graduation. In the

most recent year’s results, the proportion of workforce degree and certificate graduates

indicating that they developed these abilities while attending WVC ranged from 88 to 92 percent.

Faculty have primary responsibility for determining outcomes to be assessed and evaluating

student achievement. The faculty Assessment Committee serves as an advisory group for

assessment of student learning and a clearinghouse for discussion of assessment issues and

methods. (4.A.2, 4.A.3, 4.A.4)

Use of results for improvement: Retention rates warrant further study. Current fall-to-fall

retention is less than 50 percent. Information from program directors and faculty suggests that

most students who leave programs early do so because they have obtained employment, but

systematic documentation is lacking. The review group also suggests re-evaluating the process

for recording a degree completion. Anecdotal information suggests that there may be confusion

about the procedure to verify completion of a degree or certificate requirements with the option

to participate in the graduation ceremony. The fee associated with the degree verification

process may be a barrier.

Curricular improvements are made in response to feedback from employers and advisory

committees to ensure that instruction is optimal for preparing students to be employed. Recent

examples of changes include the revision of Early Childhood Education to incorporate a transfer

pathway for students wishing to continue to a bachelor’s degree, and the revision of short-term

certificates in drafting and welding. The Computer Education Center, which moved from the

SkillSource workforce training center to the WVC campus in 2009, and the Business Information

Technology program are being merged; the new Business Computer Technology curriculum has

received SBCTC approval and will be implemented winter quarter 2011.

Employment data are not always available in a timely manner. The SBCTC employment

database was developed for statewide policy information rather than program feedback, and has

a significant time lag; employment data are not available until nearly a year after graduation.

Follow-up contact with graduates has garnered reasonable response rates for cohort programs

(such as allied health) but is much less effective with other workforce programs, where a change

in strategy may be needed. Assessment of student learning outcomes at the program level would

benefit from additional validation by employers. (4.B.1, 4.B.2)

Workforce Core Theme summary: The Workforce Core Theme embodies WVC’s purpose of

preparing students for successful employment. Assessment of the Workforce Core Theme

indicates that WVC substantially attains this objective. More timely and direct data, particularly

on employment rates and wages, is desirable. Improvements in the degree/certificate application

process will be proposed for implementation in the next cycle of departmental planning. (4.A.4)

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Section III: Basic Skills Core Theme

Another legislative mandate of Washington community colleges is to provide adult basic skills

and literacy education. At WVC, the Basic Skills Core Theme is addressed through instruction

in English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Basic Skills (reading, writing, and mathematics),

and preparatory courses for the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) exam. The objective for

this Core Theme—WVC will provide adults the opportunity to obtain the necessary skills in

reading, writing, mathematics, and the English language to pursue and achieve their goals—

parallels Ends Policy III, Focused Learning Opportunities for Adults. (3.B.1)

Basic Skills program planning focuses on meeting community literacy needs. The Director of

Adult Basic Education works collaboratively with community-based organizations as well as

college faculty and staff to develop program plans. Historically, the Basic Skills program has

involved considerable outreach efforts with a number of classes offered at community-based

locations (schools, churches, community centers) in addition to on-campus instruction in

Wenatchee and Omak. In the recent budget crisis, outreach sections offered under this model

have been scaled back significantly. A major goal of current Basic Skills planning efforts is to

create a program model with defined enrollment and outcome goals that can guide budget

allocation and the pursuit of additional resources to better meet community needs. The Basic

Skills department participates in the college’s departmental process and will update its plan using

the newly revised template in 2010-2011. (3.B.2)

ESL and Basic Skills courses are sequential. Skills assessment takes place at registration for

initial placement and periodically as students progress through the curriculum to measure skill

gain and completion of levels of instruction. These assessment results are tracked in the

WABERS database for all students and can be accessed for local reporting as well as for required

reporting to SBCTC. Student data can be matched with the college’s student records

management system to identify those who make the transition to college-level coursework.

(3.B.3) Students pay reduced tuition of $25 per quarter.

Assessment of achievement of Core Theme objective: Evidence from the review of data for

the Basic Skills Core Theme indicates that WVC meets this objective. Though data on student

progress show that the majority of students make skill gains, the review highlighted the lack of a

specific goal or benchmark associated with this indicator. Further, there are additional

challenges inherent in defining targets for student goal completion; student expectations may be

unrealistic and other factors beyond the college’s control may affect students’ progress,

particularly toward long-term goals.

Averaging over the past four years, more than 60 percent of basic skills students achieve

skill gains by completing at least one level of instruction. This level of performance is at

least equal to the state average, with some years higher.

Student goal attainment rates are widely variable, ranging from less than 20 percent to

nearly 100 percent. The degree of fit between a student’s goal and current skill level is a

significant source of this variability. Students often set unrealistic goals when they first

enter the basic skills program. (4.A.1, 4.A.4)

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Assessment of achievement of program/service goals: In addition to skill gains and student

goal achievement, emphasis over the past several years has been on increasing enrollments and

expanding outreach to remote communities. Budget reductions beginning in 2008-09 have

resulted in closure of many of these classes. The Adult Basic Skills department will work with

the administration, faculty, and staff to establish enrollment and outcome goals that reflect the

needs of ABS students and those in need of literacy education in the service area. (4.A.2)

Use of results for improvement: To increase students’ skill gain rates, the Adult Basic Skills

department will:

Develop and implement strategies to increase the number of students who choose to

remain in their program long enough to achieve significant skill gains and reach their

goals. Desired performance targets include an average retention rate of 65 percent and an

average skill gain rate of 75 percent.

Develop resources that allow the program to reach a greater number of potential students

in a cost effective manner. Current estimates indicate that more than 25,000 people in

WVC’s district lack literacy skills. The ABS department is able to serve less than 4

percent of these individuals, and would like to increase the service rate to 10 percent.

(4.B.1, 4.B.2)

Basic Skills Core Theme Summary: The Basic Skills Core Theme assessment examined data

on skill gains and student goal achievement. The results indicate that the college is substantially

achieving its objective for this Core Theme. Program and Core Theme activities would benefit

from defined targets or benchmarks for resources and service levels. Improvements in the intake

process will more accurately document student goals to facilitate better assessment of progress.

(4.A.4)

Section IV: Continuing Education Core Theme

An additional component of the college’s statutory mission is to provide the residents of WVC’s

service district with lifelong learning opportunities in support of personal and professional

growth and development. The objectives for the Continuing Education Core Theme are drawn

from Ends Policy IV: Cultural Enrichment and Personal Development, and Ends Policy VII:

Economic Vitality:

WVC will provide diverse, lifelong learning opportunities.

WVC will support district economic development by providing open enrollment and

customized professional development training.

The Continuing Education Core Theme sustains this element of the mission by offering a variety

of courses to meet these needs, primarily on a non-credit, self-support basis. (3.B.1)

Planning for Continuing Education programs incorporates multiple strategies. Personal

enrichment courses are designed to provide educational experiences around a wide range of

topics. These may include health and wellness, arts and crafts, culinary and wine, music,

computers at home, or other special interests. Courses are developed through input from past

registrants, instructor availability, and/or community suggestions and should generate enough

revenue to be economically self-sustaining. Short-term job skills training is also offered in areas

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such as computer software, flagger training, and specialty topics such as search and rescue.

Customized training courses are developed in conjunction with an employer and provide targeted

skill development to a group of employees, often on-site at the workplace. The Continuing

Education department participates in the college’s Five-Year Departmental Plan process, with

the next planning cycle scheduled for 2010-11. (3.B.2)

Enrollment records provide one source of data used to evaluate accomplishment of Continuing

Education Core Theme objectives. In addition to the number of enrollments in successful

classes, the department also tracks cancellation of classes due to insufficient enrollment (too low

to cover the cost of running the class). Cancellation rate data can be used as a point of

comparison to national data from continuing education programs. Student evaluations are also a

source of information for program planning. In addition to information used by program

developers, course instructors receive feedback from student evaluations. (3.B.3)

Assessment of achievement of Core Theme objectives: The review of data for this Core

Theme indicates an acceptable level of achievement of the two objectives through examination

of data and evaluation of results on three indicators:

Sustainable enrollment in classes offered for personal enrichment, business, and

professional development: During the past four years, Continuing Education received

over 7,700 registrations from community members in over 1,570 courses on a variety of

topics related to lifelong learning and professional development. When compared to

other Washington state community and technical colleges located outside large

metropolitan areas, the number of registrations in WVC’s personal enrichment courses is

similar. The cancellation rate for personal enrichment courses is below the national

benchmark set by a national professional organization for continuing education.

Design and delivery of customized training for workers and their employers: Over the

past three fiscal years, Continuing Education delivered 16 customized trainings to 24

companies in the WVC service district. Training topics include Workplace Spanish, MS

Access and Excel, Adobe products, GIS, flagger training, wildland firefighter training,

lean manufacturing, Theory of Constraints, and leadership. Two employer trainings were

supported by Job Skills Program grants.

Student and employer satisfaction with classes/trainings: Continuing Education has a

course evaluation tool and makes every effort to gather student feedback on all courses.

Due to budget constraints, in 2009 WVC moved the Continuing Education department

out of leased space it had occupied for several years onto the Wenatchee campus. The

leased space had dedicated classrooms and labs for Continuing Education use in close

proximity to staff offices, which facilitated the distribution and collection of course

evaluations. Now that classes are in locations around campus, and classrooms are not in

proximity to staff offices, the department is experiencing a lower return rate on

evaluation forms. (4.A.1)

Assessment of achievement of program/service goals: The Continuing Education department

develops departmental plans within the college’s ongoing cycle. Departmental goals are

congruent with the Core Theme objectives for providing diverse lifelong learning opportunities

and meeting economic development needs by providing short-term, open enrollment and

customized professional development training. Current goals are general in nature, within the

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context that Continuing Education operates on a self-support (rather than state-supported)

financial model. Every class offered must receive sufficient registrations to cover direct costs at

a minimum, with a goal of a 50 to 60 percent margin to support operating costs. (4.A.2)

Use of results for improvement: Continuing Education will continue to seek opportunities to

expand offerings while maintaining economically sustainable enrollment, with a goal of

increasing courses by 5 percent annually. Economic conditions have had a negative impact on

companies’ interest in pursuing customized training. Continuing Education staff have sought out

grant funding and other means to make training affordable and continue to build long-term

relationships. In collaboration with the institutional effectiveness office, the department will

implement online course evaluation tools to supplement in-class evaluations and increase

feedback from students and training recipients. (4.B.1)

Continuing Education Core Theme Summary: The Continuing Education Core Theme

represents a component of WVC’s statutory mission, providing opportunities for skill

development and lifelong learning outside the traditional college schedule and credit structure.

This work also supports economic development efforts in the area by flexibly meeting training

needs. The Core Theme assessment indicates that WVC is meeting these objectives. Program

goals would be strengthened by the establishment of more specific benchmarks or targets for

expected performance; these should be the focus of collaborative development leading into the

next cycle of departmental planning. (4.A.4)

Section V: Student Access/Diversity Core Theme

The Student Access/Diversity Core Theme is derived from language in the WVC mission

statement that commits the college to ―serving needs… throughout the service area‖ and to

provide programs for ―students of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds‖. The two Core

Theme objectives are drawn from three existing Ends Policies: Student Development and

Support Services (Policy V), Access to Educational Programs and Services (Policy VI), and

College Environment (Policy IX):

WVC will strive to make all of its educational programs and services accessible to all

residents of District 15.



respect.

The Student Access/Diversity Core Theme encompasses multiple services under the umbrella of

student development at WVC. Also under this Core Theme is alternative delivery of instruction

through distance learning, Running Start, and College in the High School. (3.B.1)

The director or coordinator of each department facilitates planning for Student Diversity/Access

programs and services. Student Development department leads also meet weekly as a team

under the direction of the vice president. In the current cycle of Core Theme planning, specific

programs and services have identified how they support Core Theme objectives. In the coming

cycle of departmental planning, programs and services will review and revise intended outcomes

in light of the Core Themes. (3.B.2)

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WVC has identified four indicators to demonstrate achievement of Student Diversity/Access

Core Theme objectives:

Support services that meet students’ financial and access needs

Alternative delivery of instruction

Staff and student initiatives that promote initiative, teamwork and creativity and assess

our understanding of diversity

Faculty, staff, and student demographics that reflect the population of WVC’s service

district

Student Development services that address students’ financial and access needs include

admissions and registration, financial aid, counseling, educational planning and testing, Running

Start and College in the High School, multicultural affairs, international programs, and targeted

outreach programs such as ACE Leadership, College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP),

Sobresalir con Exito, a mentoring program for Latino students, and the student assistance fund.

Alternative delivery of instruction includes online and hybrid courses, College in the High

School, and Running Start, Washington state’s dual enrollment program for high school juniors

and seniors. Student and staff initiatives are led by the multicultural affairs office (part of

student programs) and the human resources office. Human resources also monitors the

demographic profile of college staff as compared to students. (3.B.3)

Assessment of achievement of Core Theme objectives: The review process for this Core

Theme examined data related to four indicators. All indicators yielded evidence that WVC is

achieving its objectives for this Core Theme.

Support services that meet students’ access and financial needs: Information on eight

areas within student development was reviewed for this assessment. These are

counseling; educational planning and testing; Running Start and College in the High

School; admissions and registration; financial aid; international programs; multicultural

affairs; and a group of three new programs initiated specifically to address these needs.

Evidence includes increased participation and numbers of students served; satisfaction

with services as expressed on student surveys; and feedback from faculty via committees

and workshops.

Participation in opportunities for instruction through alternative delivery methods and

locations was assessed by examining enrollments in fully online courses, hybrid courses,

College in the High School courses, and the Running Start dual enrollment program for

high school juniors and seniors. The number of courses offered online has grown by

nearly 15 percent since 2006-07; online enrollments increased nearly 30 percent during

that time. Development of hybrid courses has been much slower. While a number of

instructors use web resources to supplement classroom instruction, only one course

currently replaces some in-class time with online learning. Participation in College in the

High School, where WVC courses are offered on a high school campus, has been stable

over the past four years. Running Start enrollments are characterized by increasing

growth, with a headcount approaching 500 students.

Student, faculty and staff demographics are monitored to determine how closely they

reflect the demographics of WVC’s service district. Data are reported annually in the

Ends Policy IX: College Environment report. Latinos are the largest ethnic minority

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group in the region, representing 22 percent of the district population. While WVC’s

student body is more than 30 percent Latino, the employee population is 13 percent

Latino, indicating that this group is underrepresented among college faculty and staff.

Women are more likely to be students (60 percent) or employees (57 percent) than is

suggested by the gender distribution of the district population, which is 50 percent

female. The WVC student population is more than four percent Native American, as

compared to 3.7 percent in the district as a whole. The majority of Native American

students are enrolled at the WVC at Omak campus.

Staff and student initiatives that promote initiative, teamwork, and creativity and assess

our understanding of diversity: the human resources office and student programs,

particularly multicultural affairs and international programs primarily initiate these

activities. These include training for staff and supervisors, staff newsletters, awareness

activities sponsored by student clubs and organizations, and projects undertaken by the

student senates on both campuses. The Renaissance Fair and Latino Day are examples of

events open to the community. (4.A.1)

Assessment of achievement of program/service goals: Student development programs and

services publish an annual report that summarizes accomplishments each year. These

departments also participate in the college departmental plan development process. The CAMP

program has specific performance goals in its application for federal funding, and works with an

outside evaluator from a peer program in California to monitor progress. The human resources

office monitors the college’s affirmative action plan and goals, with regular reports to the state.

(4.A.2)

Use of results for improvement: Recommendations resulting from this review of Core Theme

data and objectives include:

Moving forward with degree audit software and investigating an electronic document

management system for admissions/registration, financial aid, the business office, and

other areas to improve services and access to information

Increase the amount allocated to the Running Start emergency assistance fund

Provide online scheduling of Compass placement testing

Add translation tools to the college website for international programs

Pursue additional resources to support minority students, including designation as an

Hispanic Serving Institution when eligibility criteria are met

These proposals are made against a backdrop of staffing reductions and budget restrictions that

have decreased the resources available to meet student access needs. Online access to student

services and the development of a student web portal are key features of the proposal for Title III

Strengthening Institutions funding submitted in summer 2010. (4.B.1)

Student Diversity/Access Core Theme summary: The Student Diversity/Access Core Theme

represents the college’s objective of being inclusive of diverse backgrounds and perspectives and

ensuring that traditionally underrepresented groups are served. Assessment of this Core Theme

demonstrates that WVC substantially achieves these objectives. Program and service goals and

activities are aligned with Core Theme goals. Recommendations for improvement will be

evaluated and implemented in the next cycle of departmental planning. (4.A.4)

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Section VI: Responsiveness to Local Needs Core Theme

WVC’s mission statement speaks to the college’s responsibility to work toward meeting the

needs of its service district. As the only institution of higher education with its home campuses

in the region, WVC is active in seeking to identify the needs of communities and individuals and

acting intentionally in response. This position is supported in two Ends Policies (I and VII) and

in the Responsiveness Core Theme objectives:

WVC will be an active partner in expanding employment opportunities for our

constituents.

WVC will offer programs and courses that meet the educational needs of our

constituents.

Programs and services aligned with this Core Theme represent direct actions taken to ensure that

the college is connected with its communities and has the appropriate staffing and resources to

take action to address identified needs. (3.B.1)

The Responsiveness Core Theme is manifested by several programs and services related to

workforce education that focus specifically on relationships with local employers and economic

development efforts. Another area under this theme is WVC’s offerings in pre-college

education, designed to meet the needs of individuals who have completed high school credentials

but do not possess the fundamental skills necessary to be successful in college-level coursework.

(3.B.2)

The Responsiveness Core Theme has six indicators:

Employer/ industry partnerships that support existing and developing businesses in the

district

Collaboration with regional economic development planning efforts

Active advisory committees for workforce programs


Washington labor market conditions

Enrollment and course completion in pre-college/developmental instruction

Achievement of student learning outcomes for pre-college/developmental education

The first four represent activities that are primarily the responsibility of WVC’s

professional/technical programs. Pre-college or developmental instruction is offered in reading,

English (writing), mathematics, and student development skills (study skills, time management,

etc.). Faculty who teach pre-college reading and English are in a separate division from those

that teach college-level composition and literature courses. The mathematics faculty members

are all members of one division and all instructors receive teaching assignments for both

developmental and college-level classes during the course of a year. Student learning outcomes

are defined for developmental English and math, and are presented in the Appendix. Progression

through levels of developmental courses is documented in WVC’s student records database, and

reports on completion rates are updated regularly. (3.B.3)

Assessment of achievement of Core Theme objectives: The Core Theme review concluded

that the college is meeting the Core Theme objectives. Data on seven indicators were examined

to make this evaluation.

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Employer/industry partnerships that support existing and developing business in the

district are evidenced by the participation of over 400 community members in 15

different workforce program advisory committees. Feedback from these committees

contributed to the development of new programs (e.g., criminal justice) and

significant revisions to others (automotive technology, agriculture, natural resources)

over the past several years. Recent partnerships with SkillSource (the regional

Workforce Development Council) and industry representatives have resulted in

industry-specific short term training programs that meet local employment needs.

These include the development of three short-term certificate offerings funded by

federal stimulus dollars: basic culinary, fundamentals of caregiving, and basics of

refrigeration.

Collaboration with regional economic development planning efforts is achieved

through participation of several WVC representatives on regional bodies. These

include Chambers of Commerce, the Economic Development District for North

Central Washington, Economic Alliance of Okanogan County, the Greater

Wenatchee Area Technology Alliance, and community-based agriculture initiatives.

WVC’s President serves on the Workforce Development Council. Collaborative

relationships with the port districts have led to innovative partnerships; one example

is the Advanced Vehicle Innovations project promoting plug-in hybrid vehicles, with

WVC’s auto tech program providing training and completing conversions of hybrid

vehicles.

Active advisory committees for workforce programs are documented through meeting

minutes and committee rosters. The college has provided more orientation and

support to advisory committee members, resulting in more active participation.

Several programs have developed online advisory committee feedback options.


Washington labor market conditions: WVC is part of the ―rapid response‖ team

convened in response to layoffs by the state Employment Security Department.

Programs making adjustments to respond to recent employment needs include Early

Childhood Education (―Building Bridges‖ and integrated basic skills) and the

Hispanic Orchard Employee Education Program (ESL and agriculture skills for

employees in the tree fruit and viticulture industries).

Enrollment and course completion in pre-college (developmental) instruction is a

significant way in which WVC meets local needs. Placement test results consistently

show that over 60 percent of students with recent high school diplomas are not ready

for college-level work in either mathematics or English. Completion rates for

developmental courses (finishing the course with a grade of C or better) range from

76 to 80 percent for pre-college English and 65 to 71 percent for pre-college math.

(4.A.1)

Assessment of achievement of program/service goals: The majority of programs and services

addressing the objectives for this Core Theme are housed under the umbrella of workforce

education. The Worker Retraining program specifically responds to the needs of unemployed

workers with advising assistance and financial support. Demand for this program is high,

surpassing FTE goals for the past two years. Program directors and workforce education staff in

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the instruction office coordinate advisory committee meetings, membership, and activities.

(4.A.2)

Professional/technical degree and certificate programs each have defined student learning

outcomes. Program reports are included in the supplemental materials on CD and are available

on campus. Full-time faculty teaching Developmental English courses are assigned to the Life

Skills division, while Math division faculty members teach developmental math courses.

Program outcomes reports have been completed for each area and are included in the

supplemental materials on CD. (4.A.3)

Use of results for improvement: Several recommendations for improvement follow from the

current review of Core Theme objectives. Program advisory committees will continue to seek

new members, particularly representatives from industries new to the area. To provide more

venues for advisory committee feedback, greater use of electronic means will be explored.

Advisory committee members will be asked to provide more focused feedback on equipment and

to take a more active role in providing internships and cooperative work experiences to students.

New program revisions completed or in progress include Environmental Systems and

Refrigeration Technology, Early Childhood Education, Industrial Technology, Business

Information Technology, and Computer Education. This work will emphasize career pathways

from K-12 through the baccalaureate degree.

Information on students’ employment outcomes after leaving WVC would be improved by more

timely data reporting. Though SBCTC provides an employment database, there is a significant

lag time in reporting and it does not permit access to information on specific job titles.

The review group also recommends that workforce program faculty work closely with

developmental faculty to monitor preparedness of entering students, with the ultimate goal of

increasing program completers. (4.B.1, 4.B.2)

Responsiveness to Local Needs Core Theme Summary: The assessment of the

Responsiveness to Local Needs Core Theme indicates that WVC is meeting its objectives for

responsiveness by contributing to expanded employment opportunities and providing programs

and services aligned with identified needs in the region. Goals and outcomes for Core Theme

programs and services provide direct support for these objectives. Measurement of effectiveness

will be improved by working to find more focused data sources on employment that provide

information quickly enough to be useful in program revisions. (4.A.4)

Section VII: Cultural Education and Enrichment Core Theme

The Cultural Education and Enrichment Core Theme represents WVC’s role as a source of

education, information and experiences in the arts and culture. It also encompasses the ways in

which WVC interacts with the larger community through events, athletics, and partnerships that

are open to all, not just students and employees. As an institution of higher education, WVC

provides both formal and informal learning opportunities and its presence in the community

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makes resources available that would not otherwise be accessible within the region. This focus

is represented in Ends Policy IV: WVC will provide the college and the community with diverse

and multiculturally rich programs designed to improve one’s quality of life, offer lifelong

learning opportunities, and enhance educational programs. This policy statement serves as the

objective for the Cultural Education and Enrichment Core Theme. (3.B.1)

Planning for Cultural Education and Enrichment has taken place within instructional

departments, particularly the fine arts and humanities; in the community relations department; in

continuing education; and in student programs and athletics. Each of these areas has

independently developed departmental Five-Year Plans; Core Theme planning has brought these

areas together to jointly review plans and indicators and discuss outcomes. In the next cycle of

departmental planning, plan developers will be asked to specifically address linkages to Core

Themes to complete this alignment. (3.B.2)

The indicators for this Core Theme are:

Course offerings, enrollment and completion rates in the fine and performing arts and the

study of diverse cultures

College sponsorship of special events for students and the community

Partnerships that promote arts and culture and encourage community involvement in

campus events and activities

Lifelong learning opportunities through continuing education arts and leisure classes and

senior classes

Data on courses, enrollments, and completions are accessible through the college’s student

records database. Events are sponsored by departments across the college on both campuses, and

are as varied as athletics; music and drama performances; gallery exhibits; lectures; fairs,

festivals, and powwows; and authors’ readings. Many areas of the college work collaboratively

with community groups or local governments to sponsor events. Shared resources make it

possible to accomplish endeavors that would not be successful if a single entity had to bear all

the costs and responsibilities. WVC’s continuing education programming also addresses

Cultural Education and Enrichment by providing more structured learning opportunities that

involve a lesser time commitment than college credit courses. (3.B.3)

Assessment of achievement of Core Theme objective: The review of data conducted for the

Cultural Education and Enrichment Core Theme concluded that WVC is achieving this

objective. The review team examined data relating to four indicators. The team’s evaluation

concluded that all indicators provide evidence that the college meets the Cultural Education and

Enrichment objective.

Courses in fine/performing arts and the study of diverse cultures: Completion rates for

music and fine arts courses have been above 90% for the past three years. Over 90

courses that address the arts, diversity, or cultural perspectives are offered at WVC.

Special events for students and the community: Events and performances presented over

the past four years were tabulated and categorized. This review indicated that WVC

averages more than two events per week over this time that are accessible to both

students and community members, with additional events targeted solely at students.

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Partnerships that promote arts and culture and encourage community involvement: The

review identified nearly 30 organizations across WVC’s service district that have

collaborated with the college on cultural programming.

Lifelong learning opportunities through continuing education arts and leisure classes:

During the past four years, over 3,100 registrations were received from community

members in over 540 courses on a variety of personal enrichment topics. When

compared to other Washington state community and technical colleges outside of large

metropolitan areas, the number of registrations in WVC’s personal enrichment courses is

similar. The cancellation rate for personal enrichment courses is below the national

benchmark set by a national professional organization for continuing education. (4.A.1)

Assessment of achievement of program/service goals: The efforts of multiple departments

across WVC contribute toward achievement of the Cultural Education and Enrichment Core

Theme objective. This is viewed as a strength, as it represents the degree of college-wide

involvement in providing culturally rich experiences for students and community members. As

no single program or service has responsibility, reporting of results and alignment of

program/department intended outcomes with Core Theme objectives are inherently more

complex.

College credit instructional programs in the humanities (art, music, literature, and world

languages) and social sciences have developed and reported on student learning outcomes for

courses and programs. These results are discussed above under the Transfer Core Theme.

The Community Relations department uses two frameworks to assess its achievement of goals:

its own departmental plan, and the district Marketing Plan. The department reviews and reports

on its achievements following the college’s departmental planning cycle. The Marketing and

Public Relations Committee reviews and updates the Marketing Plan every spring, and adjusts

activities as needed. Community relations staff document accomplishment of tasks and activities

in the Marketing Plan on an ongoing basis and in monthly reports to the Board of Trustees. The

committee uses these results in its annual review and update.

Department plans for Student Programs and Athletics are detailed within the plan for all student

development services. Student development compiles and publishes an annual report of

accomplishments; this also serves as a resource for the next round of departmental planning. In

addition to staff goals, these departments support the implementation and accomplishment of

plans and activities determined by the student government (Associated Students of Wenatchee

Valley College) and the seven intercollegiate sports teams at WVC. (4.A.3)

Specific Continuing Education goals and outcomes are presented above under the Continuing

Education Core Theme.

Use of results for improvement: The data review team for the Cultural Education and

Enrichment Core Theme made recommendations for improvement in its report (presented in the

Appendix). These include:

Increasing art and music offerings by two classes per year; improving course completion

to 95 percent; and growing enrollment by 10 percent FTE annually

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Given the current budget constraints, maintain the number of cultural and educational

events for the college and community at no fewer than 75 percent of historical offerings

Continue to pursue partnerships as a viable strategy for developing cultural events and

activities in uncertain financial times

Increase personal enrichment offerings in Continuing Education by 5 percent annually

The Cabinet reviewed these recommendations as part of the budget development process for the

2010-11 fiscal year. When the next cycle of departmental planning begins in fall 2010, all

relevant departments will address how they will contribute toward accomplishment of these

improvements. (4.B.1)

Cultural Education and Enrichment Core Theme summary: The Cultural Education and

Enrichment Core Theme encompasses WVC’s responsibility as an institution of higher education

to make diverse and multiculturally rich experiences accessible to students and community

members. Review of data for the four Core Theme indicators provides evidence that WVC is

meeting its objective. Multiple programs and services carry out this Core Theme, demonstrating

its breadth across the college but also resulting in less coordination than might be ideal. Core

Theme planning and assessment facilitates improved collaboration across departments and

provides a means for departmental planning to align with the Core Theme objective. (4.A.4)

Core Theme integration: In addition to the individual Core Theme review processes detailed

above, WVC has taken additional steps to integrate Core Theme planning and use of results

within its governance and organizational structures. During spring 2010, each standing

committee reviewed the action recommendations from all seven Core Theme reports for

potential impacts on its assigned area of responsibility (budget, academic support, curriculum,

facilities, etc.). These committee reports were reviewed by Cabinet during 2010-11 budget

development discussions. An outcome of this process was to establish a standing item for Core

Theme review on the agenda for the last Cabinet meeting of each month. This review is being

used as a tracking tool to identify activities and report progress as it happens, providing an

additional source of information to use in annual Core Theme review.

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Chapter Five – Standard Five:

Mission Fulfillment, Adaptation, and Sustainability

Standard 5.A: Mission Fulfillment

Assessment of Mission Fulfillment

WVC’s assessment of institutional effectiveness is grounded in changes implemented following

the 2000 NWCCU comprehensive evaluation. The most significant of these changes were

adoption of the Carver policy governance model and revisions to strategic planning that clarified

the process and its role and function within the institution. Ends Policy assessment and reporting

focused on mission-critical aspects of the college; this system provided a solid foundation for

identification of WVC’s Core Themes. Strategic planning evolved to focus on developing and

carrying out an action agenda that orients and adjusts the college’s direction in ways that respond

to emerging needs and issues.

With the advent of the revised NWCCU accreditation standards, WVC has taken steps to

synthesize these effectiveness resources into a more global evaluation of mission fulfillment.

These steps were taken collaboratively over a period of more than a year, beginning with the

Trustee-led revision of the WVC mission statement and leading to a proposal for defining and

assessing mission fulfillment more directly.

WVC’s definition of mission fulfillment has two components: student success and community

engagement. Each component has multiple key performance indicators (KPIs) that are combined

to assess mission fulfillment. KPIs are differentially weighted to indicate their relative

contribution to the overall mission component. The college benchmarked past performance over

multiple years (minimum of two years, maximum of seven) in order to define thresholds for

acceptable performance. Points are assigned in a scorecard summary based on whether

performance meets or exceeds those thresholds or falls short. (5.A.1)

Results from the assessment of 2009-10 performance using this model show that WVC is

fulfilling its mission. The college’s accomplishments in the past year attained 94.21% of the

possible points.

Dimension Points

Earned

Points

Possible

Dimension

Percentage

Overall Mission

Fulfillment

Percentage

Student Progress

Toward Goals 83.5 85 98.24%

94.21%

Community Engagement 71.2 79.2 89.90%

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Use of Results

This model provides a means of making an evidence-based judgment about mission fulfillment.

While the data indicate that WVC is successfully fulfilling its mission, there are some specific

areas for improvement where the college fell short of its defined expectations. These areas will

be the focus of review and discussion at the Cabinet and department/unit levels, and by college

review groups organized around the Core Themes. These discussions will take place during fall

quarter 2010, and will result in recommendations that will inform subsequent Core Theme

planning and decision-making. As noted in Chapter Four, results of Core Theme assessments are

shared with multiple audiences, including faculty divisions, operational departments, and

advisory committees with community representatives.

Mission fulfillment results have been reviewed by the President’s Cabinet and will be a focus of

the all-staff President’s Day inservice at the start of fall quarter on September 15, 2010. In

addition to making data available to all staff through the college’s internal website, results will

be available through the wvc.edu public website and included in WVC’s annual report to the

community. This publication is currently in development with an anticipated print date in

October. (5.A.2)

Standards 5.B: Adaptation and 5.C: Sustainability

Adaptation and Sustainability

WVC has established regular cycles of review and evaluation to ensure that the college continues

to fulfill its mission and follows through on actions needed for improvement. The pilot process

for the new accreditation standards has provided the college with multiple opportunities to

propose and test new ways of examining results and organizing planning activities. These have

stimulated thoughtful discussion and created new interest in using data in multiple areas across

all levels of the organization.

A key first step in adapting the college’s work from the pilot process for long-term sustainability

will be the integration of Ends Policies and core themes. The Board of Trustees has already

begun working toward this outcome and will be concluding the process during fall 2010. The

Trustees have already reached agreement that Ends Policies will be defined for essential

elements of mission (Core Themes); those previously defined for operational areas (e.g., physical

facilities, technology, support services) will be addressed within the context of Core Theme

planning. Discussions about possible restructuring of the Core Themes in a way that would

continue to capture key mission elements but would result in some merged themes and a total

number of four or five rather than seven were begun in the June 2010 work session and will

continue in September.

The college’s new model for evaluating mission fulfillment drew from the mission review and

revision process conducted in 2007-08, and took it forward through the college governance

structure to develop a proposal for specific elements, key performance indicators, and

measurable benchmarks. With the first cycle of mission fulfillment evaluation completed, the

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college intends to make this an annual process, with periodic reviews of the mission statement

itself.

The concept of Core Themes was introduced to WVC as part of the accreditation pilot process.

The college’s initial definition of Core Themes drew heavily from the existing Ends Policies and

associated indicators. While these made a good starting point, the work of reviewing Core

Theme objectives and evidence of attainment has helped to create greater emphasis on evidence-

based planning and has engaged faculty and staff in ways that had not previously been achieved.

An additional result of this work has been new efforts to clarify the Core Themes themselves and

to consider ways in which outcomes can be improved to be more meaningful and measurable and

to provide more direct evidence. The Trustees have determined that responsibility for defining

indicators for the newly aligned Ends Policies/Core Themes will be delegated to administrative

leadership; Cabinet members plan to engage the Core Theme review groups, which have

representation from faculty and staff in associated committees and departments/divisions, to

propose changes to indicators and suggest additional data sources to ensure that the college is

assessing meaningful outcomes through direct measures whenever possible. Following summer

compilation of year-end data, Core Theme review will become an annual fall activity and will be

integrated with department/unit level planning for programs and services. (5.B.1)

In a time of significant resource restrictions and funding reductions, these processes have also

served to help the college keep its focus on mission and define priorities. Concepts and data

from mission fulfillment and Core Themes have been a central feature of budget discussions.

Electronic posting of information accessible to all faculty and staff has increased awareness of

the wide range of data available, yielded suggestions for additional sources to consider, and

promoted open discussion.

As WVC continues to develop and refine these processes, significant effort is devoted to

documenting procedures, participants, and outcomes. The internal website developed in

Microsoft SharePoint (Commons) has provided a reliable and easily reached platform for sharing

information and has facilitated internal monitoring. The college is still working toward

consistency in where and how information is posted; with recent staffing reductions, the

transition of department and committee documentation from Public Folders in the Outlook email

system to SharePoint has been slowed. Minutes from the major governance groups (Cabinet and

Instruction Council) are emailed to all district employees after approval, but finding past records

is less straightforward. (5.B.2)

Information on the external environment is gathered and used at multiple levels. This includes

district population demographics (an indicator for the Community Engagement mission

component) and employment trends and skill demands associated with specific occupations

(through professional/technical program advisory committees). All major instructional program

areas and operational departments have representation on system-wide commissions, councils,

and other groups of professional peers representing community and technical colleges, district

offices, and SBCTC administration across the state. These groups include regular information

on external trends; in addition to in-person or virtual formal meetings, the majority of groups

also have email lists that provide a forum for sharing information and exchanging ideas.

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An environmental scan including both internal and external data is a consistent element of

WVC’s strategic planning process (details are presented in Chapter 3). WVC last completed a

strategic planning cycle the year prior to embarking on its venture as a pilot college for the new

accreditation process. Following the established pattern, the Planning Committee completed its

mid-cycle review of accomplishments supporting the strategic directions defined in the 2008

plan during spring 2010. The four-year planning cycle will be adjusted slightly to better fit the

seven-year accreditation process. The next round of strategic planning will occur in spring 2012

and will explicitly address Core Themes for the first time. (5.B.3)

The table below summarizes WVC’s timetable for sustaining ongoing planning and evaluation

activities within the full septennial accreditation cycle. Reviews of data on mission fulfillment

and core theme assessment will occur annually; these will inform department/unit operational

planning and resource allocation processes.

2011-12 Year One report (Standard 1) – fall 2011

Fall: Mission Fulfillment data review

Fall/winter: Core Theme and department/unit data review/planning

Spring: update Strategic Plan

2012-13 Fall: Mission Fulfillment data review


2013-14 Year Three report & visit (Standards 1 and 2) – fall 2013






2015-16 Year Five report (Standards 1-4) – fall 2015





2017-18 Year Seven report (Standards 1-5) and visit (Standards 3-5) – fall 2017



2018-19 Year One report (Standard 1) – fall 2018




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Conclusion

Wenatchee Valley College’s Year Seven Report represents the college’s work as a pilot

institution to address the new NWCCU accreditation standards and process. In addition to

fulfilling the requirements for comprehensive evaluation, these efforts have brought about

important improvements in WVC’s institutional effectiveness practices and a new level of

awareness of data sources and their usefulness in decision-making.

Chapter One provides an overview of WVC’s mission and core themes, articulating how the

college defines its purpose and evaluates whether that purpose is achieved. In responding to

Standard One, WVC has created a new definition of mission fulfillment and a means for

determining whether the college demonstrates an acceptable level of performance. Though the

specifics of this process are new since the college’s engagement in the pilot accreditation

process, in many ways they apply and extend institutional effectiveness practices that have been

established during the past decade. Similarly, the identification of Core Themes within WVC’s

mission provides a new lens with which to view the college’s Ends Policies as statements of

intended outcomes, and the indicators the college uses to demonstrate their attainment.

In addressing Standard Two, WVC has documented the resources and capacity it implements to

fulfill its mission and accomplish its intended outcomes. Though its resources have been

constrained by recent reductions in state funding, WVC has the capacity to achieve its mission

and attain its goals. Governance structures are well-established and roles for faculty, staff,

students and administrators are defined and broadly understood, ensuring that governance

processes are participatory. Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated, and are

widely published to be accessible to faculty, staff, and students. Faculty and staff members are

well-qualified for their work and are meeting the additional challenges imposed by reduced

budgets.

Education and student support resources are at the heart of WVC’s mission. WVC’s educational

programs are appropriate to its purpose as a comprehensive community college, have defined

learning outcomes, and lead to degrees and certificates that prepare students for further education

and employment. Programs are connected to the community through active advisory committees

and seek information continually to evaluate workforce and economic needs. Student services

provide academic, financial, and personal support that help students successfully meet their

educational goals. Co-curricular activities enrich the college experience for students and extend

learning opportunities beyond the classroom setting. Library and information resources are up-

to-date and accessible to students throughout the district, and are integrated with the curriculum

in support of student learning. Financial resources, physical facilities and technical infrastructure

provide appropriate environments for learning and working and meet the needs of the college

community.

The new standards have facilitated a process of institutional self-reflection that has helped the

college explain and better understand its governance, staffing, programs and services. As

functional areas developed responses to the elements of the new Standard Two, the connections

between each program or service and the mission was reinforced. The process also helped the

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college articulate governance processes and decision-making procedures, and identify any areas

that needed further clarification.

Chapter Three presents the college’s planning processes. WVC’s institutional planning practices

have an extensive history and include strategic planning, budget and resource allocation

planning, and emergency preparedness and contingency planning. In the context of the new

standards, these processes have been reviewed and adjusted to link directly to Core Themes.

This has brought additional clarity to the shared understanding why the institution operates as it

does, and has increased the visibility and transparency of institutional planning processes.

In Chapter Four, WVC evaluates how well the college has accomplished what it sets out to do.

WVC has completed its first cycle of Core Theme planning. For each Core Theme, data on

multiple indicators were reviewed to assess achievement of Core Theme objectives. This

information was linked to departmental planning and to assessment of student learning outcomes

at the degree, program, and course levels. Areas needing improvement were identified and will

serve as the foundation for the next cycle of planning, implementation, and assessment.

Opportunities to improve assessment processes were also noted. In the spirit of continuous

improvement, Core Theme planning has led to changes in departmental planning processes to

promote more explicit articulation of program and service goals with Core Themes.

To conclude the comprehensive evaluation process, the college has returned to its definition of

mission fulfillment and has used data to evaluate its performance. The results of this assessment

are presented in Chapter Five. WVC has demonstrated that it has the capacity to adapt as

necessary. The college’s processes and systems support continuous improvement and

sustainability in fulfilling its mission.

Throughout this process, WVC has viewed these accreditation activities with a focus on how

best to integrate them with the ongoing work of the college. The accreditation process reflects

all components of the cycle of planning, decision-making, implementing and evaluating

programs and services. By using existing governance structures and processes wherever possible

to respond to the new standards, WVC has improved its own effectiveness while demonstrating

that the college meets the new accreditation standards. WVC sees this integration as a

significant benefit of the pilot process and the revised accreditation standards and process.

Strengths

Key strengths identified through the comprehensive evaluation process:

WVC has a clear mission that is broadly understood by the college and its constituents.

An acceptable threshold of mission fulfillment is articulated in a collaboratively-

developed model. Core Themes that manifest essential elements of the mission are

defined and used productively to plan and assess the college’s achievement of its

objectives.

The college has an effective system of governance. Governance bodies are established

and roles and processes are well-understood. Multiple avenues of participation are

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available to students, faculty, and staff members. Policies are published, accessible, and

clearly defined.

WVC has sufficient resources and capacity to achieve its mission and accomplish its

Core Theme objectives. During a period of significant reductions in state funding, the

college has relied on the mission and Core Themes to minimize the impact of these cuts

on students.

Degree and certificate programs are of appropriate content and rigor and are consistent

with the mission of a comprehensive community college. Expected outcomes for student

learning are defined for degrees, programs, and courses and are published in the catalog,

on the college website, and in course outlines and syllabi. Faculty are well-qualified and

have the primary role in the design, approval, implementation, and revision of the

curriculum.

Support services are provided that address student needs for successful learning and offer

opportunities for student development and engagement in the college community.

The college’s programs and services actively seek to engage the residents and

communities of the service district through outreach and partnerships. The positive

response to the campaign for the Music and Art Center is one example of these efforts.

Library and information resources provide effective support for instruction and

emphasize accessibility and responsiveness. The inclusion of distance learning support

and tutoring services have enhanced coordination and expanded access for students.

WVC has a stable and comprehensive physical and technological infrastructure in place

appropriate to its programs and services.

Institutional planning processes are regular, consistent, and participatory. Internal and

external environments are monitored to inform planning. The introduction of Core

Theme planning has offered new opportunities to use data in planning for continuous

improvement.

Challenges

Areas of challenge for WVC as it completes the pilot process and moves into the full septennial

accreditation cycle:

WVC has instituted significant changes in planning and assessment practices in a

relatively short period of time. This has made it difficult to achieve consistency

throughout the college, especially as some of these processes are continuing to evolve.

Continued reductions in state funding pose a significant challenge in maintaining

programs and services in response to student and community demand. Keeping pace

with technological change, meeting equipment maintenance and replacement needs, and

providing opportunities for the professional growth of WVC faculty and staff are areas of

concern as the duration of the budget crises lengthens. Stagnation of wages and

professional advancement, if continued indefinitely, will likely have a negative impact on

attracting and retaining faculty and staff.

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The Core Theme and mission fulfillment data review processes have identified some

areas where current performance is not meeting expectations. These will need careful

study and thoughtful solutions within the limitations of existing resources. Mission

review will be critical for the college to operate in a context of permanent reductions

rather than a short-term, temporary fiscal crisis.

Plans for Improvement

Actions that WVC will pursue to address challenges and engage in continuous improvement:

WVC will use the planned alignment of Core Themes and Ends Policies as an

opportunity to revisit objectives, indicators, and measures and engage the college

community in more substantive discussion of issues around data and assessment of

outcomes. Planning processes will be adjusted to ensure that they are occurring at

appropriate and meaningful levels and are integrated across functional areas.

The college will work toward greater integration of program and service goals with Core

Theme objectives and improved documentation of achievement of outcomes. These

efforts will support more consistent program review and use of results for improvement

in both instructional and non-instructional areas.

WVC will continue to work on improving support for distance learning, including student

readiness and access, faculty preparedness, and technical infrastructure. Distance formats

provide important options for access in fulfilling the college’s mission to meet the needs

of district residents.

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Addendum Response to Recommendation from Spring 2008 Focused Interim Visit

WVC received a focused interim evaluation in spring 2008, resulting in one recommendation

regarding assessment of student learning outcomes for educational programs. This

recommendation was addressed in WVC’s fall 2009 Year Three report, but the Commission

deferred action until fall 2010 in order to consider these efforts in the context of the Year Seven

report’s focus on Core Theme attainment and mission fulfillment. This addendum details actions

taken by the college since the recommendation was issued and reports on how this work has been

integrated into Core Theme planning and assessment.

Spring 2008 Recommendation

The focused interim evaluation in spring 2008 resulted in one recommendation from the

evaluator:

Recommendation #1: It is recommended that the college work to clearly define and

publish the expected learning outcomes of each of its programs and demonstrate that

students who complete those programs have achieved the outcomes. (2.B.2; Policy 2.2)

In his report, the evaluator stated:

―While much work has been done since 2005 in the area of assessment, it has largely

centered on trying to gain institutional buy-in and has focused on the classroom level,

rather than the program level. Members of the college Assessment Committee should be

lauded for their efforts in attempting to create an assessment driven culture at WVC, but

the institution seems to have been stuck at this ―buy-in‖ level for quite some time.‖

In response, WVC has taken specific steps to move the institution past the ―buy-in‖ stage and

create a consistent structure for defining and assessing program-level student learning outcomes.

These efforts began in the 2008-09 academic year and continued through 2009-10 through

leadership of the faculty Assessment Committee, with involvement of the President, the Vice

President and Deans of Instruction, and the Institutional Effectiveness office. The Assessment

Committee continues to provide a faculty forum for discussing assessment work and helps

establish timelines for reporting. Assessment of student learning is also incorporated into the

college’s Core Theme planning and evaluation processes, which are presented in Chapter Four.

Definition of Program

Assessment Committee members focused their 2008-09 efforts on resolving an issue that had

been a particular sticking point for the college: how ―program‖ was to be defined within the

Associate of Arts and Sciences (AAS) transfer degree. WVC offers one transfer associate’s

degree that is taken by over 95% of students intending to transfer. There are no defined majors

within this degree; all students meet the same set of general education and distribution

requirements, and choose courses within those areas that fit their individual educational goals. A

small number of students pursue the three options for specialized degrees: Associate of Science-

Transfer, Associate of Business-Transfer, and Associate of Fine Arts: Music.

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For WVC’s professional/technical degrees and certificates, ―program‖ is more readily defined as

each content area has a prescribed sequence of courses leading to the Associate of Technical

Science (ATS) degree or one-year certificate of completion.

The faculty members of the Assessment Committee facilitated discussion and exchange of ideas

on how educational programs could be defined within the AAS degree, with regular reports to

the Instruction Council. Assessment Committee representatives met with each of the faculty

divisions to provide opportunities for in-depth discussion and resolution of questions. A

proposed list of programs for outcomes assessment was presented to and endorsed by the

Instruction Council in November 2008.

WVC has defined a ―program‖ as a group or sequence of courses designed to enable student

learning of a coherent and related body of knowledge at the collegiate level.

WVC’s professional/technical degrees and certificates require students to successfully complete

a defined sequence of courses in preparation for employment and/or examination for licensure or

certification. Therefore, each of WVC’s professional/ technical ATS degrees and certificates of

45 credits or more constitutes a program and has a defined set of student learning outcomes

reflecting the professional knowledge and skills needed to be successful in obtaining

employment or licensure.

Degree Programs Certificate Programs

Accounting

Agriculture


Business


Chemical Dependency Studies

Computer Technology

Criminal Justice


Environmental Systems and

Refrigeration Technology


Medical Laboratory Technology

Radiologic Technology

Registered Nursing

Accounting

Agriculture


Business


Computer Technology


Environmental Systems and

Refrigeration Technology


Medical Assistant

Practical Nursing

Natural Resource Technician

Tribal Gaming Management

For the Associate in Arts and Sciences (AAS) transfer degree, the question of what constitutes a

―program‖ was less straightforward, since students can take many different paths to the degree

through a variety of course choices and sequences. However, all students meet common general

education and distribution requirements. Though students may take different courses to meet

these requirements, there are identifiable skills and/or disciplinary knowledge they attain within

each general education or distribution area. WVC has defined the following programs within the

AAS degree in order to define and assess student learning outcomes:

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Writing Skills

Quantitative Skills

Life Skills

Humanities

Natural Sciences

Social Sciences

Student Learning Outcomes for Programs

The Assessment Committee’s next step was to develop a set of questions to collect program

outcomes and assessment information in a consistent format. These questions were made

available in multiple formats to allow flexibility in documenting the requested information.

Faculty divisions and departments, as appropriate, met to develop responses and a contact person

was designated to submit each area’s response. A resource page was developed on the

faculty/staff internal website, Commons, with reference information and examples.

The first step in this process was to document a set of outcomes statements that define what

students who complete the program will know or be able to do. Programs that had previously

defined outcomes took this opportunity to review and update them. The Assessment Committee

created a timetable that allowed departments/divisions to discuss outcomes across multiple

scheduled meetings, with opportunity to solicit feedback from members of the Committee or

Institutional Effectiveness staff. As programs completed their reports, they were posted to

Commons.

Publication of Outcomes

In addition to the internal reporting process, student learning outcomes for each program are

published on WVC’s website. Outcomes for each educational program area are accessible under

the ―Programs‖ tab on the www.wvc.edu home page. Professional/technical (workforce)

programs are listed at http://www.wvc.edu/programs/prof-tech/default.asp and liberal arts and

sciences/transfer programs are listed at http://www.wvc.edu/programs/transfer/default.asp.

Assessment of Outcomes

Program-level assessment reports were completed in spring 2009. For each identified student

learning outcome, programs were asked to respond to the following questions:

How is this outcome measured?

What were the results?

What actions were taken (or are planned) because of these results?

Was the outcome attained satisfactorily?

These reports are compiled and posted on the Commons internal website and are included

electronically with this report in the supplemental materials provided on disc. In some cases, the

reports identify the need for new sources of data or additional analysis.

The Assessment Committee has also reviewed and revised its purpose statement. While in the

past the Committee had some funding with which to support faculty-initiated projects, the line

item for assessment support was removed from the state allocation to community colleges in the

budget reduction implemented in July 2009. To better represent its current priorities, the

Committee has adopted the following statement:


http://www.wvc.edu/programs/transfer/default.asp

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―The purpose of the Assessment Committee is to facilitate and support a regular process

of assessment of student learning outcomes for instructional programs. This process will

be guided by accreditation requirements and the mission of the college, and advised by

the Institutional Effectiveness office.‖

Integration with Core Theme Planning

At the time the recommendation was issued, WVC had not yet begun its engagement with the

pilot of NWCCU’s new accreditation standards and cycle. As this pilot process has moved

forward, it has become evident to the college that assessment of student learning at the program

level should be fully integrated with Core Theme planning and assessment. The Transfer/Liberal

Arts, Workforce Education, and Basic Skills Core Themes each include attainment of student

learning outcomes as an indicator of achievement. The first Core Theme review process

conducted in 2009-10 provided an opportunity for these learning outcomes to be considered in

the context of broader data on retention and completion and external trends. These discussions

were meaningful and helped to promote the view of continuous improvement as a process that

brings both benefits and responsibilities to all areas of the college. Instructional programs were

able to not only see their individual contributions but their interactions with other programs

within the college. The new planning timetable for WVC, described in Chapter Five, calls for

annual examination of Core Theme and program/unit data to support continuous improvement as

well as the full septennial accreditation cycle.

Conclusion

WVC has addressed the recommendation regarding student learning outcomes at the program

level. Teaching faculty have led the development of outcomes statements. In addition to a

complete cycle of planning and assessment, the college has incorporated the use of results into its

ongoing processes for Core Theme evaluation. These changes will ensure that the program

assessment process is not conducted in isolation, but is viewed as a meaningful and central

component of the college’s effectiveness and improvement cycle.

Documents

Year Seven Report NWCCU Pilot of Revised Standards and Process Pilot 20082010/WVC Year 7 Report.pdf · The Associate of General Studies degree is a general two-year degree that does