Institutional Self Evaluation Report

Standard IVB: Board and Administrative Organization

In addition to the leadership of individuals and constituencies, institutions recognize the designated responsibilities of the governing board for setting policies and of the chief administrator for the effective operation of the institution. Multi-college districts/systems clearly define the organizational roles of the district/system and the colleges.

Standard IVB.1

The institution has a governing board that is responsible for establishing policies to assure the quality, integrity, and effectiveness of the student learning programs and services and the financial stability of the institution. The governing board adheres to a clearly defined policy for the selecting and evaluating the chief administrator for the college or the district/system.

Descriptive Summary

WVMCCD Board Policy Manual, Chapter 2, contains all policies required for the functions of the Board of Trustees. Specifically Board Policy 2200 relates the Duties and Responsibilities of board members. (4B.1.1) The district mission statement demonstrates and affirms the Board’s commitment to assuring the quality, integrity, and effectiveness of student learning programs and services. It states that
The West Valley Mission Community College District is committed to achieving student success through innovative and effective lifelong education and career opportunities, which include associate degrees, certificates, transfer, occupational programs, workforce development, pre-collegiate, global, and community education programs. The District strives to maintain and support institutional integrity, mutual respect, diversity, tolerance, rigorous evaluation, an exceptional workforce of faculty and staff, and partnerships between students, faculty, staff, administrators, the Board of Trustees, and the community. The district promotes an environment conducive to open dialogue and the free exchange of ideas leading to the achievement of successful student learning outcomes.
Board Policy 2010 also states that the West Valley-Mission Community College Governing Board shall consist of seven members elected by qualified voters of the district. (4B.1.2) The seven board members represent seven geographic areas within the community college district. In addition to the regular Board members, a student trustee is elected from each college—West Valley and Mission—annually by the student body pursuant to Board Policy 2015. (4B.1.3) Bi-Monthly meetings are held on 1st and 3^rd Tuesdays for the public, and the place of the meeting alternates monthly between the Trustee Boardroom at the District office on the WVC campus, and Telecommunications (TAV) room 130 on the Mission College campus.

Board Policy 2431 assures the Board will fill a Chancellor vacancy through a fair and open search process. (4B.1.4) The Chancellor is the Chief Executive Officer whose principal responsibility is leadership of the educational program. In accordance with Board Policy 2435, the Board of Trustees conducts an annual evaluation of the Chancellor. (4B.1.5, 6) A process has been developed that fosters open communication, establishes clear direction, provides constructive and supportive feedback, and strengthens the Board/Chancellor relationship. The process includes the development of annual goals for the Chancellor, mid-year discussion of progress toward goals, an annual constituent survey regarding the Chancellor’s effectiveness as CEO, the Board’s completion of an evaluation instrument, and an annual evaluation and goal development meeting. The Chancellor’s evaluation and all input into the evaluation, is confidential and takes place in Closed Session. The annual evaluation is generally completed by the end of June but may continue into July, and the goals adoption process is generally completed by August. The Board and Chancellor may vary the timeline and modify the process by mutual agreement, but are committed to completing an annual evaluation in a timely manner. When a new Chancellor is appointed by the Board and begins service with the District, he or she meets with the Board in Closed Session to discuss and develop annual goals.

Generally, the Chancellor prepares a mid-year goals update and meets with the Board in early spring to discuss progress toward goals.

In late spring, confidential input regarding the Chancellor’s effectiveness in a number of areas is requested from the Academic, Classified, and Student Senate Presidents of each college; the administrators and staff reporting directly to the Chancellor; and input from three to five members of the community selected by the Chancellor. This confidential input is gathered via an on-line survey designed to measure the Chancellor’s effectiveness in several areas, including leadership, collaboration, communication, fiscal management, and professionalism.

Also in late spring, the Chancellor prepares a final report regarding his/her annual goals.

The annual evaluation is a two-step process. At its first meeting in June, the Board meets with the Chancellor to discuss his/her final goals update and to review the confidential constituent input. Each Board member then completes a comprehensive CEO evaluation instrument designed to measure the Chancellor’s achievement of his/her goals and to rate professional characteristics including integrity, leadership, labor relations, fiscal management, relationship with the Board of Trustees, and community relations. The results are compiled and returned to the Board for review.

At the second meeting in June, the Board meets with the Chancellor to provide evaluative feedback, to discuss and assess the previous year, to discuss the upcoming year, and to begin development of the Chancellor’s goals for the upcoming year.

Self-Evaluation

The board meets this standard. It ensures that policies are accessible and available to the college and district communities by posting item to the district website. (4B.1.7) In addition, during 2012-2013 academic year, the Board of Trustees began having Strategic Conversation meetings with college and district employees creating more direct communication with employees on topics relevant to their day to day work and reality. (4B.1.8)

Actionable Improvement Plans

None.

Evidence

4B.1.1	Board Policy 2200	http://www.westvalley.edu/committees/Accreditation/2013/evidence/4b/BP_2200.pdf
4B.1.2	Board Policy 2010	http://www.westvalley.edu/committees/Accreditation/2013/evidence/4b/4B12_BP_2010.pdf
4B.1.3	Board Policy 2015	http://www.westvalley.edu/committees/Accreditation/2013/evidence/4b/4B13_BP_2015.pdf
4B.1.4	Board Policy 2431 - Chancellor selection	http://www.westvalley.edu/committees/accreditation/2013/evidence/4b/bp_2431.pdf
4B.1.5	Board Policy 2435 - Chancellor evaluation	http://www.westvalley.edu/committees/accreditation/2013/evidence/4b/bp_2435.pdf
4B.1.6	Administrative Policy 2435 – Evaluation of the Chancellor	http://www.westvalley.edu/committees/accreditation/2013/evidence/4b/ap_2435.pdf
4B.1.7	District Board Policies Webpage	http://wvm.edu/documents.aspx?fid=26324&doc=26745&year=0&excludeyear=1
4B.1.8	Board of Trustees Community Meetings	http://westvalley.edu/committees/Accreditation/2013/evidence/4b/Board_Focus_Topic_Meetings