STANDARD FOUR: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS DESCRIPTION

Transcription

1 STANDARD FOUR: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS The institution offers collegiate level programs in recognized fields of study that culminate in identified student competencies leading to degrees and certificates. The provisions of this standard are broadly applicable to all educational activities offered in the name of the institution, regardless of where or how presented, or by whom taught. A. GENERAL PROVISIONS A.1 The institution seeks to meet the varied educational needs of its students through programs consistent with its institutional mission and purposes and the demographics and economics of its community. The Citrus College mission includes six broad programs which meet the diverse requirements of a comprehensive community college: General Education: courses which offer a broad range of intellectual and cultural experiences for development of individual goals and interests. Transfer Education: courses which parallel those of lower-division academics which provide students the opportunity to continue their education. Vocational Education: specialized programs and technical education which provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for employment or job advancement. Developmental Education: programs and courses which enable students who are willing and able to benefit from opportunities to acquire learning skills necessary for the completion of an educational plan. Noncredit Education: courses which do not carry credit toward an associate degree but which support developmental education programs and the concept of lifelong learning. Community Education: programs which provide opportunities for enrichment through educational, cultural, social, civic and recreational activities. In addition to certificate programs, associate in science and associate in arts degrees are awarded to students depending upon their fields of study. Students seeking to transfer to a university to complete a bachelor's degree are supported through articulation agreements with the UC and CSU systems, as well as agreements with independent colleges and universities (Doc. 4.66). To fulfill general education requirements, courses are offered in the areas of language arts, critical thinking and mathematics, which include English composition, communication/analytical thinking and mathematics; natural sciences, which include biological and physical sciences; cultural studies, which include fine arts, foreign language, humanities and literature; philosophy; social and behavioral sciences, which include history, political science and behavioral sciences (Doc. 4.4). In support of its mission to serve the community, the college reaches out to its adult student population with more than 20 off-campus locations throughout the district, where it serves 2,000 stu- Standard 4 / 61

2 dents per semester through noncredit education (Doc. 4.1, Doc. 4.2, Doc. 4.3). Courses in living skills and health education, and courses for the elderly and disabled reach another segment of the population. This enables the college to implement its mission. Now in its 15th year of providing summer classes at high schools within the district, the college reaches an additional 3,000 potential students per year. The college also serves approximately 1,000 students per year by offering 40 sections of general education credit coursework at Claremont High School (Doc. 4.5). a serious challenge as the state's funding program has been unable to keep pace with private industry standards, particularly where competition exists for skilled technical personnel. Maintaining the six broad programs currently being offered will become a greater challenge due to the pressures of the projected budget shortfalls and to the expected student enrollment growth over the next eight years. In order to prepare students to live in an increasingly diverse world, the educational program, through the curriculum development process, encourages new courses to contain a multicultural component (Doc. 4.46). Furthermore, many new courses have focused on promoting a greater awareness of and appreciation for diversity. Examples of these new courses include Sociology 216: Sex and Gender in a Cross Cultural Perspective, and Spanish 140: Beginning Conversational Spanish. The CalWORKs program has successfully partnered with other campus programs and departments to better serve CalWORKs eligible participants. The Lifelong Learning Center serves as the entry point on campus for these students. All of the offices for the CalWORKs staff are located there, and with the collaboration of the Continuing Education Office, two computer labs were set up for these students to use the Business Skills Lab. In addition, several career ladders were put together to allow the CalWORKs students to gain the necessary skills for future career advancement. Classes for the students are available during the day, evening and, in some instances, on weekends (Doc. 4.63). Staffing the college with qualified personnel in some areas, such as cosmetology and nursing, is A.2 Programs and courses leading to degrees are offered in a manner which provides students the opportunity to complete the program as announced, within a reasonable time. Given the current and projected budget crisis facing California, the college is striving to continue offering an adequate number of general education sections to provide students with opportunities to complete the requirements for an associate degree within two years. A growing number of general education courses are now being offered in the college's distance education program. Beginning in October 2001, the college offered approximately 12 general education courses through the distance education format. In addition to traditional start dates, some general education courses start later in the semester. The college has Saturday offerings, and general education courses are offered during the summer sessions. The establishment of a satellite campus at Claremont High School, where general education courses are offered, has proven especially popular. Other classes have been offered at Damien High School, a private secondary school (Doc. 4.1, Doc. 4.7). Standard 4 / 62

3 Citrus College also currently provides general education instruction to Navy personnel through its participation in the Navy College Program for Afloat College Education. Eleven contract education courses are currently offered on rolling12- week terms (Doc. 4.6). The class cancellation policy protects specialized courses in major and certificate program completion sequences. This ensures that students who are taking advanced coursework in their major/certificate program can complete sequence requirements. The college ensures program flexibility by allowing course substitutions for sequenced courses in areas where low enrollments make offering a course cost prohibitive. The college is providing a sufficient number of courses in general education and in major/certificate areas to ensure that students are able to move through their curriculum in a timely manner. The distance education program is providing access to a growing number of students. Departments have been working to develop cohesive major programs, establishing sequences of courses which can be used for purposes of enrollment management. PLANNING AGENDA 1. Each instructional dean will ensure that associate deans and directors conduct meetings within their departments to review their program majors and certificates for sequencing and relevancy. 2. The Instruction Office will work with academic departments to develop additional key distance education courses, particularly in the sciences and mathematics. A.3 When programs are eliminated or program requirements are significantly changed, the institution makes appropriate arrangements so that enrolled students may complete their education in a timely manner with a minimum of disruption. The elimination of a program or any significant change in a program comes about after many factors are weighed and after serious consideration. Program review is a key factor in determining program elimination. Students' needs are included in recommendations for change as the program review process occurs. The college has eliminated very few programs in recent years. In the past, programs have been phased out gradually, thus allowing students an opportunity to complete their coursework. Program requirements are monitored regularly, and classes are scheduled to provide students with the opportunity to take all the necessary coursework in a proper sequence and within a reasonable amount of time. Special consideration regarding minimum enrollment is given to classes in a program sequence. Each vocational program has a professional advisory committee which is made up of members of the community who earn their living in that specific discipline. These committees meet a minimum of once each year to hear information about enrollment and curriculum in the program. In addition, the professionals provide their input about current labor market opportunities and the skills and knowledge needed in that field. Standard 4 / 63

4 Decisions about curriculum are often made based on the information that the professionals bring to the advisory committee. Courses which are the last class in a certificate sequence are given special consideration when minimum class sizes are a concern. revenues. Appropriate arrangements for students will be made so that they can complete their educational goals in a timely fashion with minimal disruption. The Board of Trustees approved a plan to move the drug and alcohol studies program into the noncredit program after the program review process made this recommendation. The instructional team began to phase out the credit classes and the program was totally noncredit by Anticipated severe state-funding shortages for the next couple of years will necessitate an administrative review of weak programs which may require that some programs be eliminated. The Community College Training Group, of which Citrus College is an active participant, meets regularly to discuss regional planning with regard to programs. The objective of this group is to offer programs regionally where appropriate. An example of this collaboration is the Kenshu program the college offers in cooperation with the Tokyo School of Music. The Kenshu program collaboration between the performing and recording arts program and continuing education, offers a wide variety of intensive three-day seminars for some 1,200 Japanese college students per year. This program, originally offered by Mt. San Antonio College, was transferred to Citrus College at the recommendation of the workforce development leaders group (Doc. 4.64). PLANNING AGENDA 3. Programs with weak enrollments and not adequately meeting the needs of students and industry, as determined by advisory committees, program review and other relevant data, will be assessed by the instructional team for possible elimination. This is critical at a time of shrinking state A.4 The institution provides sufficient human, financial, and physical (including technological) resources to support its educational programs and to facilitate achievement of the goals and objectives of those programs, regardless of the service location or instructional delivery method. During the period since the last accreditation selfstudy, the college has experienced a 19 percent growth in the number of full-time faculty, rising from 142 full-time faculty members in 1997 to the current level of 169. Additionally, the college has increased its classified staff from 175 fulltime equivalent in 1997 to the current 236 FTE classified employees. Of this classified growth, areas that offer direct instructional support have reported a 26 percent growth in FTE classified staff (Doc. 4.8). Regular topics for the Educational Programs Committee and the Instructional Deans Committee include problems and solutions with regard to instructional equipment funding. As funds become available for repair and or replacement of outdated equipment, the two committees attempt to allocate funds, depending upon urgency and need. Input is received from the faculty and staff of the respective departments through the associate dean or director. Requests are then submitted to the appropriate dean of faculty and vice president of instruction. These Standard 4 / 64

5 requests are then discussed and prioritized during the weekly instructional dean's meeting with the vice president. Instructional equipment allocations from the state, along with district contributions, constitute the majority of funding for instructional equipment across campus, in addition to district money budgeted to the Management Information Systems (MIS) Office. Facilities needs are submitted to the Physical Resources Committee for discussion and approval. As a result of this prioritization, the college has been successful in improving its hightech image (Doc. 4.9). The college had eight technology-enhanced classrooms and 15 computer labs for student use in Today, the college has 70 technologyenhanced classrooms. In most cases, these classrooms are equipped with smart panels that make the integration of media into the classroom environment a very user-friendly proposition. Student computer labs have shown a similar increase. Today, there are over 30 computer labs for the general student population, as well as additional specialized labs that serve such areas as disabled student programs, academic programs and faculty teaching and learning needs. The campus fiber optics backbone supports instructional and administrative intranet resources. Instructors have the ability to post course materials on the campus intranet, and students may retrieve them from most of the computer labs on campus. The college has also created a faculty web site where interested faculty members have access and management rights to their own web sites. In 1997, the campus housed approximately 400 computers. Today, the number has grown to over 1,600 computers, more than 1,100 of which are used in the instructional program. To accomplish its academic mission, the college has license agreements for nearly 100 software titles, ranging from such standards as Microsoft Word to highly specialized titles such as ArcView and Mathematica. Web page specialists have been hired to program the college's web pages with instructional material. The Institute for Distance Education and Autonomous Learning was established to house the college's large distance education program, as well as to provide for ongoing faculty teaching and learning in technology, both for distance education faculty, as well as those in the "traditional" classroom. The distance education program, since the resignation of the fulltime faculty director, is overseen by a dean of faculty. A full-time secretary for the program is employed, and two faculty members with reassigned time serve as program coordinators and liaisons with the distance education faculty. Citrus College is the broadcast site for the city of Glendora's education channel. Currently, an information bulletin board and purchased programming is being broadcast. Nearly all instructional departments have benefited from the numerous improvements made in equipment, resources and personnel. In addition, recommendations obtained from the Faculty Needs Identification Committee, associate deans and other committees, have resulted in the hiring of needed personnel throughout the campus to facilitate achieving goals and objectives established by long-range planning, program reviews and by other pertinent campus groups and organizations. The increased hiring of both faculty and classified staff reflects the college's continued commitment to the maintenance of a high quality instructional program (Doc. 4.8). In the end, it is the students' needs which help to keep this focus clearly defined, and the college has responded to these needs whenever possible. Additional technology has presented some problems for instruction in the area of computer labs. An insufficient number of technicians have often made it difficult to respond to equipment failures in a timely manner. While no institution ever has Standard 4 / 65

6 enough technicians to maintain their technical infrastructure, the assignment of two full-time computer technicians to instructional support has significantly enhanced computer lab reliability and responsiveness to general technology-related problems. A computer lab technician dedicated to maintaining the computer labs has been hired. An additional technician will be needed. Fifty percent of a staff member's time has been allocated to assist staff in utilizing technology. The staff development committees have made computer training a priority, and a series of technology academies for faculty and staff have been held. A.5 The institution designs and maintains academic advising programs to meet student needs for information and advice and adequately informs and prepares faculty and other personnel responsible for the advising function. New matriculated, non-exempt students planning to enroll in English, math and reading are required to complete an assessment prior to enrollment. Coupled with the assessment is an orientation conducted by the counseling and advisement staff. In the orientation, information about available support services and associate degree and UC/CSU transfer requirements is addressed. Interpretation of and advice on assessment results regarding placement into English, math and reading is also discussed. In addition, written information in the form of the College Planning Guide for Associate Degree and Transfer (Doc 4.11) is distributed to students. All new and returning students are strongly encouraged to meet with a counselor/educational adviser to develop a student educational plan (SEP). All students can receive academic advisement through individual appointments and/or by enrolling in counseling classes such as College Planning, Strategies for College Success, Career and Life Planning, and Transfer Planning. Specialized sections are provided for EOP&S, DSP&S, international students and student athletes (Doc. 4.12, Doc. 4.13). Students on probation are required to attend a specialized workshop prior to registration. Students returning from dismissal are required to meet with a counselor for registration clearance. Both of these requirements present an opportunity to provide advisement for the improvement of their academic standing and the development of a SEP (Doc. 4.15). The Early Alert Program (Doc. 4.16) offers a number of workshops throughout the year on topics such as time management, test taking, study skills, etc., to students identified by instructional faculty. Visits to all basic skills classes are performed by educational advisers to encourage students to see a counselor/educational adviser to complete a student educational plan. Visits to college-level English and math classrooms are also made by the Career/Transfer Center staff to inform students of available resources regarding transfer. A question and answer station in the Counseling and Advisement Center has been established to answer student questions that only require a brief response and/or directions to the appropriate site/resource on campus. Counseling faculty and advisement staff from all offices meet regularly to ensure the consistency of information provided to students. From time to time, instructional faculty are invited to staff meetings to update the staff on their respective programs and requirements. In addition, the counseling faculty and advisers attend the annual Standard 4 / 66

7 CSU/UC transfer conferences as well as the annual Chancellor's Office mega conference (Doc. 4.17, Doc. 4.18). Instructional faculty are oriented to the articulation and transfer procedures through the Articulation 101 workshops presented by the college's articulation officer. The statewide ASSIST program and the Eureka system are used by the counseling and advisement staff and are available to students. Transfer/major sheets are also available to assist students in making appropriate course selections. with the exception of one of the 13 items. The item reflected that only 76 percent had a clear understanding of the requirements for their educational goal. The availability of CSU/UC representatives on campus is critical for advising transfer students and providing information. One ongoing problem has been the availability of designated classrooms for scheduling guidance courses. Because the rooms are assigned to other departments, guidance courses are bumped from room to room and limited to low-demand hours. Citrus College students benefit from a vital and well-accessed counseling and advisement program. The college provides a myriad of services which result in high levels of student satisfaction, particularly in the areas of transfer plans, general education requirements and discussing personal matters. In a recent student survey (spring 2002) using the Community College Student Experiences Questionnaire (Doc. 4.10), over 80 percent of respondents noted that counseling and advising services were available when they needed them. Almost 70 percent reported that they were advised to take the right classes for their skill levels. Both the total college sample and transfer students reported making a transfer planning appointment at a significantly greater rate than the national sample. A student satisfaction survey was conducted (fall 2002) as part of the Counseling and Advisement Center Program Review (Doc. 4.14). Students were asked to complete the survey immediately following their counseling/advisement appointment. The survey reflected a high level of student satisfaction Planned replacements and increases in the number of counseling faculty have been delayed due to severe budget restraints, resulting in limited available appointments for students (Doc. 4.19). PLANNING AGENDA 4. Student services areas will evaluate the effectiveness of various strategies to be used in the dissemination of information to students so that they will have a clear understanding of the requirements needed to reach their educational goal. 5. The dean of counseling will work with the instructional vice president to meet the need for at least two classrooms designated for counseling classes. 6. The dean of counseling will review staffing needs in all areas of counseling and advisement including faculty, classified and technical personnel who directly support counseling and advisement programs. Standard 4 / 67

8 B. DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS B.1 The institution demonstrates that its degrees and programs, wherever and however offered, support the mission of the institution. Degree and certificate programs have a coherent design and are characterized by appropriate length, breadth, depth, sequencing of courses, synthesis of learning, and use of information and learning resources. Program review addresses the college mission and is completed in each degree program every six years. Vocational certificates are reviewed annually by professional advisory committees. The employers and professionals in that industry make recommendations to update and modify curriculum, certificates and program design in order to keep current with industry standards. Articulation agreements with four-year schools are in place and aligned to major preparation requirements at most CSU and UC schools. The CSU and UC systems have designated general education requirements from the college that they will accept in place of the breadth requirements at a particular school. The college's general education courses are submitted on a yearly basis in December and January to the CSU Chancellor's Office and the UC Office of the President for approval (Doc. 4.66). The Honors Transfer Program was launched in fall 2001 and continues to grow both in offerings and student enrollment. Articulation agreements are in place with district high schools and several four-year institutions. Four honors classes were offered during Spring 2003 with approximately 80 students enrolled. Additional honors classes are being developed and approved through the Curriculum Committee (Doc. 4.20, Doc. 4.21, Doc. 4.22). The college offers distant education courses to accommodate the diverse needs of the student population with approximately 3,000 students enrolled each semester (Doc. 4.7). The Learning Center, math lab and Lifelong Learning Center offer tutoring, skill building classes and workshops to help students achieve their goals whether AA/AS degree, transfer or vocational certificate. The Career/Transfer Center offers information resources for all current students. This information includes transfer requirements, workshops and transfer classes. Career exploration courses and workshops are also offered to help students to choose majors and careers. Lifelong learning is encouraged through program sequencing and career ladders that enable students to transfer credits earned to similar programs or higher education institutions. The content of health occupations classes is based on both industry and accreditation requirements of specific agencies, such as LPN Board, Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency, Cosmetology Board, etc. Knowledge about cultural diversity is incorporated into each class. Medical Terminology in Spanish, designed to help English speakers communicate basics with monolingual Spanish speakers, is offered, in addition to traditional medical terminology. Certificate program courses are available both day and night - a recent development in response to the needs of industry as determined during advisory meetings. Standard 4 / 68

9 Offering alternative schedule classes, such as evening classes, weekend programs and classes held on high school campuses, provides an accessible environment. 10. All new programs, as well as continuing programs (such as military, international students and study abroad), will be evaluated by the regular program and function review process overseen by the Instruction Office. It has been determined that some of the certificate programs are not fulfilling the Chancellor's Office guidelines, and efforts are under way through the departments and the vocational education director to bring these into conformity and consistency. The Curriculum Committee has reviewed all proposed honors program and distance education course requests to assure alignment with the college mission and institutional effectiveness. Regular assessment of both programs is being conducted through student evaluations and other data collection in order to promote improvement and assess effectiveness in meeting student needs. PLANNING AGENDA 7. The vocational education director, working with faculty and administrators in various departments and divisions, will complete the task of bringing the certificate programs into alignment with the Chancellor's Office requirements. 8. The Instruction Office will work with the distance education office to improve student response to faculty and course evaluations to ensure distance education courses are meeting the mission of the college and adhering to curriculum requirements. 9. The honors program coordinator will work with the Honors Transfer Council to expand the number of articulation agreements with public and private four-year institutions. B.2 The institution identifies its degrees and certificates in ways which are consistent with the program content, degree objectives, and student mastery of knowledge and skills including, where appropriate, career preparation and competencies. All Citrus College degree and certificate options are described in the college catalog. Citrus awards associate in arts and sciences degrees, as well as certificates of achievement, which require a minimum of 18 units, and skill awards, which are for a sequence of classes totaling less than 18 units. Certificates of completion, which require less than 18 units to receive, are also an option for students in various career areas. These are described in the college catalog (Doc. 4.4). Degrees and certificates of achievement are reviewed by the Curriculum Committee and the Educational Programs Committee after course initiation by appropriate faculty. Appropriate administrative concurrence is also required prior to course submission to the Curriculum Committee. Vocational certificates are reviewed on a regular basis for currency based upon recommendations from advisory committees and accrediting organizations. The articulation officer helps department faculty and the Curriculum Standard 4 / 69

10 Committee in aligning the college's curriculum with four-year institutions and in conformity with that of other community colleges. AA and AS degrees are awarded to students who successfully complete general education and graduation requirements. (Doc. 4.23). Vocational courses are based upon skills that are required for job placement in a particular field. Major sheets, computer web pages, computer databases, college catalogs, orientations, career exploration classes, transfer planning classes, workshops and transfer planning guides are provided by the college to identify program options for students. PLANNING AGENDA 11. The vocational education director and dean of faculty will seek to ensure that all certificate programs have viable advisory committees that meet at least once a year. 12. The vocational education director will continue to work with appropriate faculty and administrators to update the inventory of certificate programs while striving to ensure certificate program consistency and standards. Each vocational course requires that students pass specific skill competencies and have on-the-job training that allows students to become competent in the skills through practical application. Core indicators are analyzed annually. This data includes enrollment, skill attainment, completion and follow-up employment for vocational education students. (Doc. 4.24, Doc. 4.25). The instructional program review process is perhaps the best quality assurance vehicle for accurately reviewing and assessing degree and certificate programs. Recommendations from the review process are incorporated into departmental/division long-range plans (Doc. 4.26). 13. The Instruction Office will work with appropriate academic departments, student services and the publications office to ensure that degree and certificate information is published in the college catalog, on the web and in other sources. B.3 The institution identifies and makes public expected learning outcomes for its degree and certificate programs. Students completing programs demonstrate achievement of those stated learning outcomes. The college is currently undertaking a review of all certificate programs to bring them into conformity across campus with a minimum of 18 units. The vocational education director is working with the various departments and divisions to update certificate programs and establish consistency (Doc. 4.27). Curriculum has been expanded to better meet needs of students in the area of basic skills. The Language Arts Department currently administers a departmental English proficiency exam (Doc. 4.28). The college catalog contains all essential information regarding student outcomes for degree and certificate programs. It is revised regularly so as to provide students with the most accurate information possible. The catalog contains detailed information on academic standards, certificate requirements, rules and regulations for participants in select programs, graduation requirements and transfer information to CSU, UC and private four-year institutions (Doc. 4.4). Standard 4 / 70

11 In addition, the college provides students with supplemental material, including a detailed student handbook to help new students with orientation (Doc. 4.11). Additional information is disseminated though counseling services and program information sheets outlining expectations and requirements (Doc. 4.29). PLANNING AGENDA 14. All departments will develop evaluation instruments that better assess student outcomes. Students demonstrate competencies by fulfilling the course requirements of the program. Each course is described in the college catalog and schedule, and all course outlines are approved by the Curriculum Committee and are on file in the Instruction Office (Doc. 4.24). All Citrus College faculty are expected to provide students with a course syllabus that outlines policies, expectations and methods of assessment of performance (Doc. 4.30). B.4 All degree programs are designed to provide students a significant introduction to the broad areas of knowledge, their theories and methods of inquiry, and focused study in at least one area of inquiry or established interdisciplinary core. Transfer data indicates that students who transfer from Citrus College with an AA or AS degree to four-year institutions perform as well as native students enrolled in four-year institutions (Doc. 4.31). Certificate program students demonstrate competency in their areas of study by achieving certification, which is recognized by industry and the general community (Doc. 4.32, Doc. 4.33). Vocational education web pages have been significantly improved to increase student access to a broad range of information regarding vocational programs and employment in the field (Doc. 4.34). Curriculum has been expanded to better meet the needs of underprepared students, and a Lifelong Learning Center with a basic skills lab supports improvement of students' basic skills. The Language Arts Department has developed and administers an English proficiency exam (Doc. 4.28). All students graduating with an AA/AS degree must complete a general education program developed to introduce students to broad areas of knowledge, their theories and methods of inquiry. As part of a 60-unit curriculum, students must complete a minimum of 22 units in general education and 18 units in one area of inquiry, which comprises the major selected by the student (Doc. 4.4). The AA degree is offered in the following areas: fine and performing arts, language arts, social and behavioral sciences and liberal arts (designed for students transferring to a four-year institution). The college offers AS degrees in the following areas: natural sciences, physical education and recreation, and applied arts, including administration of justice, automotive technology, collision repair, business, cosmetology, dental assisting, Standard 4 / 71

12 medium and heavy truck technology, digital design, drafting, electronics, heating and air conditioning, library technology, photography, public works, supervision, vocational nursing and water technology. B.5 Students completing degree programs demonstrate competence in the use of language and computation. Those who choose to focus on a specific area of study can select a certificate of achievement program for a major area of study, or they can pursue one of 38 academic majors. Students selecting either of these options must complete a minimum of 18 units to satisfy the major requirement. As an alternative to pursuing a particular major area of study, students may complete requirements for the AA/AS degree by completing either the CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum. Students may also elect to complete 40 units of general education for any branch of the University of California or any four-year institution. AA and AS degree sheets are available in counseling and advisement (Doc. 4.35). Degree programs at Citrus College provide students with a significant introduction to broad areas of study and knowledge, as well as focused study in at least one area of academic inquiry. In the 2000 Transfer Study, 64.5 percent of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that Citrus College prepared them well for academic work at their four-year institution. Two-thirds of respondents confirmed that attending Citrus College first was beneficial for their success in completing their present college studies. Nearly 80 percent of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that they were satisfied with their academic experience while attending Citrus College (Doc. 4.31). The college's academic standards stipulate that, in addition to meeting the 22 units of general education requirements, students must also meet competency requirements in writing, reading and mathematics. Competency requirements include: writing requirement - "C" or better in English 100 or above; mathematics competency - Math 115 (Business Mathematics) or above, OR Elementary Algebra in high school AND placement into Intermediate Algebra on the placement test; and reading - Reading 99 OR placement into Reading 120 on placement test. Citrus College grants credit toward a degree for students who have achieved minimum required scores on certain advanced placement exams, such as the Advanced Placement Examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board, College Level Examination Program and the College Equivalency Examination of the California State University System. The college also grants credit to veterans upon evaluation of military service, as well as for other nonclassroom experiences (Doc. 4.4). All transferable general education courses must contain critical thinking and writing components. Students must pass proficiency exams in writing and composition courses (Doc. 4.28). Students with learning disabilities, upon recommendation from the DSP&S coordinator and in cooperation with faculty, may substitute alternate coursework to complete these competency requirements. Standard 4 / 72

13 The program review process helps ensure the rigor of the general education courses. Course outlines list the level of critical thinking and writing expected in the courses. The Curriculum Committee reviews every course outline to ensure that the competencies are being addressed. Course syllabi are periodically reviewed (program review, instructor evaluations) to also ensure the rigor of each course. The prerequisites and competency requirements incorporated into each course assure that the students are meeting the competency requirements. The Educational Programs Committee investigates the feasibility of adding critical thinking and writing skills as a component of the program review process. Proficiency exams are required for English 100 and English 101 (Doc. 4.28). PLANNING AGENDA 15. The Student Services Office will convene a campuswide committee to review graduation competency requirements and consider possible adjustments in reaction to the new CHEE (California High School Exit Exam) in the areas of mathematics, English and reading. 16. Applicable academic departments will review and evaluate the placement exams in reading, writing and mathematics to ensure their continued relevance and proper placement within the college curriculum. B.6 The institution documents the technical and professional competence of students completing its vocational and occupational programs. Students in vocational programs are prepared in both theory and practical application. Students in a certificate program must maintain a "C" average or better in their coursework. Students enrolled in health occupations programs are monitored by clinical advisers, who then provide an assessment of the student's clinical experience to incorporate into the student's overall grade for the course. Vocational certificates are based on industry standards established by professional advisory committees. For example, cosmetology certificates are aligned with state program curriculum. Cosmetology and esthetician programs require a minimum 75 percent on state board exams to pass. Both the written and practical components must be passed before a license is confirmed. EMT students have a 90 percent pass rate for Los Angeles County State certifying exam (Doc. 4.36). Industry partnerships facilitate curriculum currency, student internships and job placement. Students in the automotive technology program receive a certificate when requirements and proficiencies have been met (Doc. 4.37, Doc. 4.38). 17. The Mathematics Department will explore the possibility of including a proficiency exam for measuring mathematics competency in reaction to the possible inclusion of an entrance exam at the CSU and UC. 18. The Language Arts Department will establish guidelines to ensure the completion of appropriate prerequisites for upper-division coursework. Vocational programs are kept current through the regular meeting of advisory committees composed of faculty, administrators, employees and industry/agency workers. Curriculum changes are initiated based upon the advice of the respective advisory committees and as a result of regular program review (Doc. 4.39, Doc. 4.40). Standard 4 / 73

14 Core indicators continue to be recognized and required by the state Chancellor's Office. Many vocational and occupational programs are accredited by either state or national accreditation agencies. This accreditation ensures that students are taught the most current skills and advanced knowledge for job placement. The percentage of completers who apply for and are awarded licenses in their field exceeds the minimum requirement set by the accreditation agency of the program. Approximately 80 percent of new hires by a local hospital are Citrus College licensed vocational nurse (LVN) students. Recent performance improvement reviews have identified that students graduating from the Citrus College LVN program are being taught the necessary skills and knowledge required for employment at the hospital (Doc. 4.41, Doc. 4.42, Doc. 4.43, Doc. 4.44, Doc. 4.45). PLANNING AGENDA 19. All vocational faculty will learn to access and analyze core indicators and to use that data in plans and program reviews. course completion during scheduled appointments and when a student applies for graduation. The college catalog provides students with specific information regarding the requirements for graduation, including the general education pattern and the appropriate courses which can be taken to meet those requirements. In addition, graduation requirements are reviewed as part of the college's assessment and orientation process. All nonexempt students are encouraged to participate in this orientation. The orientation handbook (Doc. 4.11), which is distributed to students at no cost during the orientation process, contains all pertinent information regarding general education requirements. The counseling department also offers a course for all new students, College Planning, which reviews all aspects of graduation and transfer. The college catalog is the primary text for this course. Handouts (Doc. 4.23), outlining the graduation requirements, are also available to students in the Counseling and Advisement Center, Career/Transfer Center, EOP&S, DSP&S and the International Student Center. C. GENERAL EDUCATION C.1 The institution requires of all degree programs a component of general education that is published in clear and complete terms in its general catalog. Students are provided with a number of opportunities and venues to secure information regarding graduation requirements. Approximately 600 students graduate yearly, although this number fluctuates. A joint committee of representatives from the Academic Senate and the standing committee on educational programs reviewed courses listed for general education in The counseling staff reviews student records for general education Standard 4 / 74

15 C.2 The general education component is based on a philosophy and rationale that are clearly stated. Criteria are provided by which the appropriateness of each course in the general education component is determined. Citrus College's philosophy of general education is clearly defined in the course catalog and has been revised periodically to conform with the Education Code and to agreements between the college and the state universities. The college's general education program is intended to provide classroom instruction and related activities to introduce students to the humanities, arts, social sciences and natural sciences. At the same time, students have the opportunity to develop essential skills in oral and written communications, mathematical concepts and critical thinking. The distribution of courses through the four major areas affords students the opportunity to become familiar with the various disciplines represented and to gain a breadth of knowledge sufficient to enable them to make informed choices as individuals and as members of the larger communities to which they belong. The Curriculum Committee, composed of 11 faculty, five instructional administrators, the librarian and the articulation officer, determines the general education list of courses after researching and consulting with various program review reports and with subcommittees regarding the quality and function of the courses recommended. Consistency and quality are watchwords when courses are selected for the general education program. While the college staff is confident that its program and selection of courses is effective, care is taken so that each of the courses provides an experience roughly equivalent to courses offered within each of the representative areas of study. As noted in the 2000 mid-term report, student services recently authored a graduation requirements proposal that was submitted to the various Citrus College constituencies and was adopted in C.3 The general education program introduces the content and methodology of the major areas of knowledge: the humanities and fine arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The general education program provides the opportunity for students to develop the intellectual skills, information technology facility, affective and creative capabilities, social attitudes, and an appreciation for cultural diversity that will make them effective learners and citizens. The college's general education requirement consists of 22 units distributed over four major areas: natural sciences, subdivided into biological sciences and physical sciences; social sciences, subdivided into history, political science and behavioral sciences; cultural studies, subdivided into fine arts, foreign languages, humanities and literature; language and critical thinking, subdivided into English composition, communication and analytical thinking. All courses that go through the Curriculum Committee, where appropriate, include a multicultural requisite (Doc. 4.46). Standard 4 / 75

16 The educational program provides many opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate competencies. In compliance with Title 5, all educational programs have undergone an intensive program review. All course outlines include an essay component with the exception of specific skills courses where the department and Curriculum Committee have deemed writing to be an inappropriate measure. The definition and examination of the rigor and pedagogy of quantitative skills have also been a part of the curricular reform review process. In order for a course to be degree applicable, a critical thinking component must be incorporated into the course goals and objectives. The college offers a wide variety of specific courses that embrace cultural diversity, such as Minorities in America, Afro-American History, Chicano Studies, Sex and Gender in a Cross Cultural Perspective, History of Latin America and Psychology of Women. Where appropriate, all courses have been revised to include content dealing with cultural diversity and multiculturalism as a result of program review. The college continues to promote technologyenhanced instruction in all departments. Seventy classrooms have been outfitted with sophisticated multimedia projection systems. The college has approximately 30 computer labs, open and discipline specific, for both student use and instructional purposes. Online tutoring is also available. As part of the general education courses, some faculty encourage student use of the internet for research. The long-range plan calls for the development of a video and high-definition television program that will be housed in the video technology section of the recording arts facility. Implementation of this program is dependent upon funds for the facility remodeling and the purchase of necessary equipment. C.4 Students completing the institution's general education program demonstrate competence in oral and written communication, scientific and quantitative reasoning, and critical analysis/logical thinking. An associate degree requires students to have minimum competency levels determined by passing the appropriate courses or by obtaining satisfactory scores on department exams. English students must pass a departmental proficiency exam (Doc. 4.28) in English 100 and 101 to receive a grade of "C" or better in the course. A critical thinking and writing component must be incorporated into course goals and objectives to be degree applicable or transferable. Course objectives and goals are evaluated and updated during program review to ensure that the course requires students to achieve minimum competencies. The college also offers specific courses that develop critical analysis, such as Philosophy 106, Philosophy-Logic 110, English 102 and English 103. Classes in math, science, speech and oral communications, and writing are among the required courses for graduation and/or transfer and meet all requirements of Title 5, Section Students who transfer to four-year universities perform as well, if not better, than students who entered as freshmen. The Curriculum Committee makes revisions of course offerings to be certain each course helps students meet core competencies. The articulation officer and Transfer Task Force are consulted and used as resources in the development of curriculum. Standard 4 / 76

17 PLANNING AGENDA 20. Departments will analyze the relevant information from the satisfaction survey and other data sources to ensure that minimum competencies are being met by students. 21. The Language Arts Department will promote writing across the curriculum by hosting workshops on staff development days. D. CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION D.1 The institution has clearly defined processes for establishing and evaluating all of its educational programs. These processes recognize the central role of faculty in developing, implementing, and evaluating the educational programs. Program evaluations are integrated into overall institutional evaluation and planning and are conducted on a regular basis. Establishing and evaluating educational programs is the ultimate responsibility of the vice president of instruction. At the direction of the area deans or associate deans, the departments organize reviews of each program. In accordance with Title 5, Section 51022, the college has adopted a specific plan for program review and has carefully implemented a review process for each area of instruction (Doc. 4.47). Program review is a systematic process for the collection, analysis and interpretation of data concerning a program and its curriculum. It is used to make judgments about the effectiveness of a program and to facilitate improvement of the program. The Program Review Handbookoutlines the process with specific timelines for the review of programs and the parties to be involved. The major objective of program review is to improve the quality of education at Citrus College. Review of programs is undertaken for the following purposes: a) to provide the college with information concerning how well the program functions in relation to its objectives, the mission of the college, the college's institutional direction statements and the needs of the community; b) to aid in planning and decision making; c) to improve programs. Student evaluations are a part of the instructor evaluation process and are important to program review (Doc. 4.48). The responsibility of a program review committee is to ensure that a program is consistent with the college mission. The committee is represented by faculty, associate deans, area deans and the vice president of instruction. Specific personnel are consulted with regard to each criterion: librarian, articulation officer, counseling, longrange planning officer, curriculum representative and a representative from the Academic Senate, including adjunct faculty. An institutional researcher is integral to the entire process. However, due to budgetary constraints, this position has been eliminated. Often, recommendations for changes or additional personnel are revealed during the process and are implemented or corrected as the review process progresses during the year. The validation of prerequisites also occurs during program review. To ensure that no program is overlooked, a program review timeline has been established for a six-year cycle and all programs have completed the process at least once. Standard 4 / 77

18 PLANNING AGENDA 22. The Academic Senate and the administration will identify viable options for conducting necessary institutional research. D.2 The institution ensures the quality of instruction, academic rigor, and educational effectiveness of all of its courses and programs regardless of service location or instructional delivery method. Program review is the process by which the college assures the quality of instruction, academic rigor and educational effectiveness of its curriculum and delivery. The Instruction Office selects a sixth of the college's programs for review each year. This amounts to a review of about 10 programs yearly. The process utilizes existing data which is collected for long-range planning and other college activities. After the first review, recommendations from the previous review are addressed. Final recommendations of the review committees, rationale for budget, staff, facilities improvement and planning decisions are made. The three major stages in the process consist of study, validation and department response. Program data are gathered from personal surveys, department staff and advisory groups from public and private agencies, existing enrollment records, articulation officials and senior educational institutions. The Curriculum Committee and the Board of Trustees review the final reports (Doc. 4.47). courses and programs wherever the classroom may be situated, including the study abroad programs and distance education classes. Research on the quality of instruction, academic rigor and student success has been conducted in the areas of mathematics and science where the failure rates of students have been analyzed (Doc 4.65). Students who are not successful in these courses are identified and counseled. Research on the learning styles of students enrolled in mathematics and science classes and their success rates has been conducted. Instructional administrators visit the study abroad sites to ensure program quality. The distance education coordinator has conducted surveys to assess the quality of the distance education courses (Doc 4.49). Proficiency exams are given at the end of each semester to students enrolled in composition courses. The college has taken particular care to ensure that courses across the curriculum have academic integrity. Over the last five years, the college has undertaken an intensive program review process. Through the development of the Transfer Center and the efforts of the articulation officer, the college has ensured that articulation agreements are kept current and that the college courses parallel those of surrounding senior institutions. The Educational Programs Committee, which looks at all of the programs from a broad perspective, also examines the program review reports. The program review process is utilized for all Standard 4 / 78

19 D.3 The evaluation of student learning and the award of credit are based upon clearly stated and published criteria. Credit awarded is consistent with student learning and is based upon generally accepted norms or equivalencies. PLANNING AGENDA 23. The handbook of model syllabi will be given to adjunct faculty as well as new faculty. Instructional administration requires faculty members to provide students with a syllabus or course outline that includes grading policies and standards of performance. D.4 The institution has clearly stated transfer of credit policies. In accepting transfer credits to fulfill degree requirements, the institution certifies that the credits accepted, including those for general education, achieve educational objectives comparable to its own courses. Where patterns of transfer between institutions are established, efforts are undertaken to formulate articulation agreements. All instructors are required to develop course outlines or session agendas which explain grading and attendance policies for their students and to place on file with the division dean a copy for each course they teach each semester. Staff development workshops have explained the need for syllabi and the benefit to students and faculty. Models of excellent syllabi have been shared with faculty, both full-time and adjunct, and there has been a noticeable decrease in student complaints regarding unknown teacher policies on grading and attendance (Doc. 4.30). For the past two years, the importance of a syllabus has been incorporated into the orientation program for new faculty. Two faculty members received a foundation-funded summer mini-grant to develop a book of generic syllabi for new and adjunct faculty (Doc.4.50). It is agreed that the syllabi must serve as a student guide to the semester s work and assignments. The college's articulation office is responsible for coordinating transfer courses, major preparation courses and general education requirements with baccalaureate institutions. The articulation officer (who is a permanent member of the Curriculum Committee), works with the Academic Senate, individual faculty and Curriculum Committee members to prepare the necessary documents that make up the general education and major requirements. All new courses deemed transferable will be submitted to the ASSIST coordination site where all transferable courses are housed. These courses will then be submitted to be included on the University of California's Transfer Course Agreements (TCAs) and the California State Universities baccalaureate course list. The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) list, which satisfies the general education requirements for the UC and CSU senior institutions, along with the California State Standard 4 / 79

20 University General Education Certification (CSUGE), is prepared by the articulation officer and sent to the CSU Chancellor s Office and the UC Office of the President for approval. The approved general education lists are then posted in class schedules, college catalogs, transfer guides and made available to all students. A copy is also forwarded to all UC and CSU campuses, as well as all 108 community college campuses (Doc. 4.4, Doc. 4.51). Course-by-course articulation agreements exist with most of the local four-year institutions. These agreements provide the information for transfer of courses that are also taught on a specific campus. This process is working well and provides students with the opportunity to complete these requirements at Citrus College. Furthermore, the courses completed are certified to protect the student from having to repeat lower-division general education requirements at a CSU or UC campus. The course-by-course articulation continues to be a time-consuming process but has become more organized by the use of a new software program bought in Articulation Manager 101 is being used to organize all new articulation agreements and will be accessible for use by counselors and advisers in the near future. Project ASSIST continues to house all articulation agreements and is a valuable tool in the articulation process. Major preparation articulation agreements exist between the college and most of the local fouryear institutions. These agreements are for the courses that satisfy requirements for particular majors. Major sheets have been developed by the articulation officer that assist students in preparing them for transfer into a particular major. These are available in the counseling office, online and in the Career/Transfer Center (Doc. 4.11). The four-year institutions provide data about community college transfer students. Each year the CSU system prepares an academic performance report on students who have transferred from the college. The UC system provides similar data. Each year the college receives a list of transfer students from most four-year schools. These lists show units transferred, the transferred GPA, and units attempted and completed. They also include the current GPA and units being attempted (Doc. 4.31). General education articulation agreements are in place and approved by the four-year institutions. D.5 The institution utilizes a range of delivery systems and modes of instruction compatible with the objectives of the curriculum and appropriate to the needs of its students. Citrus College's mission is to serve its diverse communities by providing a center for lifelong learning, cultural development and career education. The college affirms its commitment to open access for all prospective students, including those who seek to obtain an associate degree, transfer to a four-year institution, acquire vocational certification, or pursue workforce development or personal enrichment. Given the diverse profile and varied needs of California community colleges, Citrus College has sought to offer a range of delivery systems and modes of instruction that assist students in attaining their educational goals. Standard 4 / 80