Institutional Self Evaluation Report

Standard IIIB.1.b

The institution assures that physical resources at all locations where it offers courses, programs, and services are constructed and maintained to assure access, safety, security, and a healthful learning and working environment.

Descriptive Summary

West Valley College assures that physical resources are accessible, safe, secure, and provide a healthful environment by complying with federally mandated American with Disabilities Act (ADA), seismic safety, and Division of the State Architect (DSA) regulations. Access for the disabled community is a high priority of WVMCCD and West Valley College. In May 2011, with the support of Measure H Bond, the college removed the architectural barriers were out of compliance with current ADA standards. (3B.1.b.1)

The college has always been a leader in recruiting and supporting the learning outcomes of those students who possess a disability of some sort. The Disability and Educational Support Program (DESP) maintains close relationships with the WVMCCD Facilities Department to ensure there are no physical barriers that prevent these students from achieving their educational goals. In alignment with its mission, goals and objectives, the college strives to provide facilities that ensure a successful learning environment for all students.

The college continues to upgrade the facilities as part of the Measure C Bond construction project to maintain compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards and related state codes. All renovations and new projects are reviewed and approved by the Division of the State Architect. It is the position of the college not to deny any student instructional access due to physical limitations imposed by the campus. Toward that end, the college has over the years made improvements to the college’s physical plan to ensure accessibility. On an ongoing basis, ADA and other safety issues are addressed through the campus’s Facility and Safety Advisory Council. (3B.1.b.2) The Facility and Safety Advisory Council reviews and recommends policies governing the college’s physical plant and physical plan improvements to the college’s highest governing committee, the College Council. In addition, as part of the capital construction plan, newly constructed facilities and existing facilities that are renovated are built to comply with ADA codes.

The district and the college routinely assess accessibility and safety of the buildings. The Division of State Architect (DSA) and Santa Clara County Fire Department perform annual campus inspections with an Inspector of Record for ADA access, structural, fire, and life safety compliance followed by the creation of an ADA Compliance Plan. (3B.1.b.3)

The college also places a high level of attention on the safety of it facilities. Activities that demonstrate this commitment to safety include regular meetings of the WVC Facility and Safety Committee, annual safety inspections to comply with the California Occupational Health and Safety Act (Cal OSHA), and the resolution cycle with the college’s property and liability insurance provider. Keenan and Associates conducts annual campus inspections and reports any findings to the district Facilities Department. (3B.1.b.4)

The WVC Facilities and Safety Advisory Council meets monthly to facilitate overall safety and facility related issues surrounding campus such as the review of recent accident and injury incidents, safety inspections, and the promotion of safety on campus. (3B.1.b.5) The Facility and Safety Advisory Council members represent all constituency groups at the college, including administrators, faculty, staff, and students. The district Executive Director of Facilities, Construction, and Maintenance Department develops an annual scheduled maintenance report of all district facility maintenance needs. (3B.1.b.6) The college’s Facilities and Safety Advisory Council, in conjunction with the college’s facilities managers, meets bimonthly and confer regarding maintenance and repairs needs. Roadways, pathways, and signage are under continual scrutiny from district police, maintenance personnel, and campus groups.

The security of its facilities is of paramount importance at West Valley College. The college fire alarm system was upgraded in 2012 to include retrofitted fire alarm systems in each classroom and building. The alarm system is automatically dispatched with the local fire agency for immediate response. In addition, the college upgraded all classrooms on campus, with the exception of the Physical Education Division, with a new emergency telephone system. The emergency telephone system enables anyone to connect with emergency services as well as automatic dispatch to EMS. To ensure a timely emergency communication to the college community, the emergency telephone system’s uniform audible (verbal) message feature can be used to carry out messages to all user phones with college-wide emergency information. The college is equipped with a web and phone based emergency alert system—WVM Alert—which provides real time emergency information to all registered users. (3B.1.b.7)

The safety of students on campus is a major priority, so that all students can focus on their learning experience. The WVMCCD maintains a campus Police Department staffed with highly trained officers to help protect the safety and ensure the security of students, staff, their property, and property of the district. (3B.1.b.8) District police officers, committed to standards of professional excellence, are required to meet the selection and training requirements of the California Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission. Officers receive the same training and carry the same authority on or near the college campuses as city police officers and county deputy sheriffs.

The District Police, under the direction of a Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services, offers a wide range of services to the campus community. Services include providing and presenting current crime prevention information, patrolling the college campuses and parking lots, proactive crime suppression, investigating all offenses that occur on the campus, and informing campus users of the occurrence of crimes specified by federal statute. Officers are authorized to arrest or cite law violations.

The District Police releases the WVMCCD Safety and Security Report. (3B.1.b.9) The Jeanne Cleary Disclosure of Campus Safety Policy and Campus Crime Statistic Act (commonly known as the Clery Act) is federal legislation designated to provide students, prospective students, and the public with uniform information from universities throughout the country on criminal problems and police and security issues. Criminal statistics are updated by October 1 of each year and include data from the three previous calendar years. The report can be found both at the WVC website and District Police website. To accommodate easy access to the campus police, the telephone extension to the campus police department is posted in all classrooms and offices.

The college recognizes that smoking on campus is a public health issue. To address the issue in hopes of decreasing the health risks to member of its community, the Facility and Safety Committee recently identified smoking areas which are well away from entrances to buildings and clear of main pathways throughout the college. (3B.1.b.10) The decision was reached after vetted through the college’s participatory governance process with discussion forums held to solicit feedback.

The college maintains an off-site facility, The Campbell Educational Development Center. (3B.1.b.11) The Campbell Center adheres to the same safety and security standard and measures as the main campus site and reviews to assure access, safety, security and a healthy learning and working environment for college programs and services. The Campbell Center agreement is negotiated to ensure that West Valley College maintains sufficient control to ensure the quality of off-site facilities.

Self- Evaluation

The college meets this standard. The college has a number of processes and protocols to measure and ensure West Valley College’s physical resources are constructed and maintained to assure access, safety, security, and a healthful learning and working environment. Effective decision making guides the planning, design and construction of new and renovated facilities. The college is not yet where it wants to be in regards to campus security and training programs.

Actionable Improvement Plan

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  ^{District and the colleges commit to develop a comprehensive Emergency Preparedness process.}
  

Evidence

3B.1.b.1	ADA Barrier Removal	http://www.westvalley.edu/committees/Accreditation/2013/evidence/3b/completed_measure_h_projects_page3.pdf
3B.1.b.2	Facilities and Safety Advisory Council	http://westvalley.edu/committees/Facilities_Safety_Advisory/
3B.1.b.3	ADA Compliance Plan – HMC Architect	http://www.westvalley.edu/committees/Accreditation/2013/evidence/3b/WV_AAS_13_0315_RA-STUDY_2_Core_Revisions.pdf
3B.1.b.4	Keenan and Associates Inspection Report	http://www.westvalley.edu/committees/Accreditation/2013/evidence/3b/wvcmc_swacc_020113_condition.pdf
3B.1.b.5	Facilities and Safety Advisory Council	http://westvalley.edu/committees/Facilities_Safety_Advisory/
3B.1.b.6	Annual Scheduled Maintenance Report	http://www.westvalley.edu/committees/Accreditation/2013/evidence/3b/3b1b_15_201314_state_scheduled_maintenance_plan.pdf
3B.1.b.7	WVM Alert	http://wvm.edu/emergency.aspx?id=3480
3B.1.b.8	Campus Police	http://wvm.edu/police/
3B.1.b.9	WVMCCD Safety and Security Report	http://wvm.edu/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=7012
3B.1.b.10	Smoke Free Campus Policy	http://westvalley.edu/services/student-development/health/smoking.html
3B.1.b.11	Campbell Educational Development Center	http://westvalley.edu/classes/campbell.html