Glendale
Community College
NCA
Self-Study Report, January 2002
Chapter Nine
Criterion Five
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The institution demonstrates integrity in its practices and relationships |
Glendale Community
College fulfills Criterion Five.
The College demonstrates its commitment to Diversity and Integrity,
along with ethical behavior, in all of the relationships, policies, procedures,
and practices communicated to the entire College community. College programs and services are
portrayed accurately with responsible accountability to students and the
community. Employees understand
the importance of adhering to legal, District, and College regulations.
Commitment--Diversity
Efforts
toward diversity at the College and District are extensive. As a community college, GCC attempts to
reflect the rich diversity of the community it serves. That diversity of students, faculty,
and staff should reflect service areas remains a priority for the College and
District. Within the College
mission and purposes statement, emphasis is placed on preparing students to
“participate in a culturally diverse, technological, and global society."
Increased
emphasis on ensuring diversity for our students has produced the International
Students Program, strengthened the Multicultural Services, and Disability
Services and Resources Programs, ESL offerings, and broadened international
education choices within the curriculum.
Anticipating
an increasing number of retirements, the College has placed particular emphasis
on affirmative action and affirmative recruitment efforts. All College and District publications
attempt to reflect the diversity of our students and the community. Selected GCC efforts are highlighted in
several ways and available on the web at
http://maverick.gc.maricopa.edu/Diversity/
Employee
organizations reflecting diversity include Maricopa Council on Black American Affairs,
Gay/Lesbian HRA, Asian and Pacific Islanders, AACHE, and Women's Leadership
Group. Student groups also reflect
diversity of backgrounds and interests.
A partial list includes: Lesbian
Gay Bisexual Academic Union, MEChA (Hispanic Student Union), Stars II-Black
Student Union, Le Coin Français, International Students Association, Latter-Day Saints Students
Association, Matrix Ministries (Christian, non-denominational), Native American
Students Association, Newman Club (Catholic), Student Support Services Club
(disabled students), Vietnamese Student Association, Religious Studies Club,
Russian Club, and Yoga Club. As
well, students and employees with disabilities can find information on rights
and opportunities on the web at
http://www.maricopa.edu/disab/
Commitment—Integrity
Integrity
in practices and relationships is reflected in District and College policies
and procedures that range from personnel policies to purchasing practices, and
from articulation agreements to vendor contract negotiations. Other actions are demonstrated in the
manner in which the College interacts with its community and representatives,
recruits and serves students, and works with its educational and business
partners. Sound business practices
are used with vendors and partners, as well as with implementation of contracts
or agreements with other educational institutions and business and
industry. College and District
documents may list values or beliefs, but actions, often not documented, and at
times more personal than institutional, sustain a college's integrity.
Integrity
in Educational and Governmental Agreements
GCC
has developed numerous formal and informal agreements with other
institutions. Participation in the
various state Articulation Task Forces has produced agreements that benefit
faculty and students. Additional
information is available on the web at
http://www.dist.maricopa.edu/eddev/students/genpolicies/articula.htm
These
agreements represent negotiated arrangements and reflect the trust and
understanding of the parties.
Agreements with universities are many. In addition, GCC has a strong and viable agreement for the
operation of the University-College Center on the ASU West campus.
GCC
has agreements with surrounding high schools for dual enrollment and for
operation of the GCC North site with the DVUSD #97. Other agreements may require Governing Board approval under the
requirements of Intergovernmental Agreements (IGAs). These also include agreements with surrounding city
governments and their agencies, i.e., Fire Departments, Police Departments, and
health agencies. IGAs are handled
well, and GCC can be proud of its strong record.
The
Dean of Administrative Services and the College Business Manager provide
oversight of business agreements, while oversight of the educational and agency
agreements are handled by the appropriate Dean or Associate Dean. The District's Legal Office and
Purchasing Office may be involved as well.
Integrity in Vision, Mission and
Purposes
GCC
and MCCCD have adopted vision and mission and purposes statements and
identified their values, which are published in its General Catalog 2001-
2002, pp. 4-5. In addition, GCC has adopted its own Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct. These shared values are used in the
development of policies and procedures and guide planning, practices, and
relationships. The information is
available on the web at
http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/htc/ia/ethics.htm
Integrity in Personnel Policies
and Procedures
Although
employee groups’ contracts are administered at the District, the implementation
of many aspects of the policy agreements is handled at the college level. GCC exhibits care in following the
various working conditions and grievance procedures outlined in the policies,
available on the web at
http://www.dist.maricopa.edu/hrweb/policy.html
In
addition, each year employees receive the Faculty and Staff Handbook, available soon on the web.
Integrity in Student Records and
Processes
As
demonstrated by policies and procedures in the Admissions and Records Office,
as well as that unit's adherence to professional and District standards of
operation, student records are guaranteed to reflect student work and protect
student privacy. All the requisite
safeguards and protections are in place to ensure the integrity of student
records. Policies defining
protection of student records are available on the web at
http://www.dist.maricopa.edu/eddev/students/genpolicies/records.htm
Legal
requirements on the provision of transcripts are available at
http://www.dist.maricopa.edu/eddev/students/genpolicies/transcript.htm
An
overview of student policies is available at
http://www.dist.maricopa.edu/eddev/students/genpolicies/outline.htm
Integrity in Business Operations
The
College complies with all District business regulations, as well as those
required by the state. Overviews
of District business regulations are available on the web at
http://www.dist.maricopa.edu/business/
Integrity in Publications
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All
College and District publications seek to reflect the diverse community served
and to portray College programs and services accurately.
Integrity in Interpersonal
Relationships
While
professional integrity is acknowledged as integral to the fabric of the
College, the NCA Advisory Team recommended suggestions for improvement during
its May 2000 visit. As a result,
the College created a voluntary mechanism to address disagreements before
moving a misunderstanding into a formal phase. These new procedures were recently recommended by the
President's Advisory Committee and accepted by the President.
While
there have been strained relationships between and among some College
employees, these are not unusual in an institution as large as GCC and an
organization as large as MCCCD. To
the College’s and the District's credit, new processes should slow the
acceleration of disagreements before they reach a higher level.
Integrity
in Access to Technology Resources
Although
not often thought of an integrity issue, the manner in which students and staff
have access to resources, including technology access, is a reflection of
College beliefs and values. So
that GCC would not be an unwitting partner in sustaining the “digital divide,”
the College allocated human and fiscal resources to ensure that all
credit-students would have a software suite of tools, e-mail, access to the
Internet, and storage on the servers.
The Palette has had a tremendous impact. Additional information is available on the web at
http://gecko.gc.maricopa.edu/Palette/update.htm
Team Analysis
Team 15 conducted
an initial analysis of factors likely influencing the areas of improvement and
their relationship to the measures of success, which included the equity of the
application of policies and procedures, a good-faith effort to make policies
and procedures widely available, and the accurate and consistent information on
policies and procedures regardless of the medium. Given that the perpetuation of College "issues"
and a climate of ill will, fear, and suspicion among groups are products of the
ineffectiveness of a mechanism to resolve internal disputes, the team identified
the lack of a mechanism for conflict resolution as a weakness; another weakness
is the lack of trust in the planning and budgeting process. Despite the fact that the budgeting
process ensures that funding priorities of the departments are consistent with
College goals and objectives, there is a sense that funding is subsequently
manipulated or redirected. A third
weakness is in assessment. Core
indicators that demonstrate a student-centered philosophy need to be identified
and communicated. One threat is in
the area of funding where the need to generate FTSE in order to obtain
sufficient dollars may result in an excessive emphasis on quantity without
equal consideration of the quality of instruction and services provided. Moreover, the changing environment of
higher education poses another threat.
Non-traditional academic opportunities, such as web-based courses and
short-term, focused courses offered by institutions such as the University of
Phoenix and distance-learning providers, offer options to students who require
flexibility in their educational plans.
In addition, changes in academic programs at traditional colleges,
notably ASU West, may attract those who formerly relied on GCC for the first 2
years of their college education.
Areas for Improvement
· Review planning processes and the Strategic
Plan
· Coordinate College strategic planning with
that at the District
· Update the Institutional Effectiveness Plan
· Foster responsible e-mail communication
· Further refine committees’ compositions to
ensure proper representation
· Re-establish trust among all levels and
groups
· Reduce territoriality by convincing
employees that being more inclusive in processes does not necessarily mean a
loss of power
· Initiatives to improve services and
inter-relationships need consistent levels of commitment across all employee
groups
· Current practices sometimes create the
perception that the Administration arbitrarily makes decisions, uses poor
judgment, acts irresponsibly, and occasionally abuses power
· No clear oversight processes exist for
monitoring College practices, in particular those associated with external
relationships
· Foster internal and external ethical and
responsible communication
· Dispel the feelings of fear, suspicion, and
mean-spiritedness
· Possible conflicts of interest exist
regarding Governing Board members’ involvement
· Complaints voiced regarding employee
reclassification process(es)
· Need for clearly identified and
well-communicated information in College publications about relationships with
organizations that provide on-campus services, such as the College Bookstore,
Food Services, Choice Hotels, and The Institute
· Need clearer definitions or criteria that
demonstrate why and how external relationships are formed and maintained,
especially those with business and industry
Recommendations
· Improve and expand new employee
orientations to include review of College and District statements on mission,
purposes, values, and ethics
· Monitor compliance with publication
standards and diversity expectations
· Ensure continued standards and compliance
with established District and College business practices
· Monitor agreements and collaborations with
high schools, universities, community agencies, and governmental entities
· Improve diversity efforts and affirmative-action
commitments for students and staff
Content Area Validation
MCCCD and GCC both
strive to ensure that all publications convey the honest, accurate, and timely
dissemination of information that students, employees, and the external
community need to be able to access the educational and other services they
need and want. All budget
decisions are now shared College-wide.
The lack of a College code of conduct and/or code of ethics has been
rectified.
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Integrity—District and College Publications
Integrity--MCCCD
Policies and
procedures regarding nondiscrimination, affirmative action, and equity are
created by MCCCD, rather than by each college. Many College publications, including the Faculty and Staff
Handbook, contain District
policies.
Integrity--GCC
Policies and
procedures guiding production of the College’s print and electronic
publications are grounded in a commitment to disseminate accurate, clear, and
comprehensive information to the internal and external communities.
Continual efforts
are made to monitor, safeguard, and improve the quality of all
publications. The following
publications have procedures to ensure honest, accurate, and consistent
information:
General Catalog
The GCC General
Catalog is produced by
Enrollment Services. It combines
common pages from the District with College-specific information. Common policies and procedures, to
which all MCCCD colleges must adhere, are the foundation of the catalog. These common pages are combined with
other student-specific regulations, plus degree and certificate requirements
and course descriptions.
In an annual
review process, each department updates and proofs its programs. The District Curriculum Committee also
sends updates as they make adjustments to District-wide programs. Necessary changes are made before final
printing. Marketing Department
personnel assist with the front cover design and introductory pages.
Class Schedules
Class Schedules
are produced by Enrollment Services.
Each combines specific registration regulations and procedures, along
with the classes offered each semester.
Updating information as needed, the regulation portion of the schedule
is reviewed for each publication with course information downloaded from the
Student Information System to ensure accuracy. Marketing
Department personnel assist with the front cover design, student testimonials,
and advertising centerpieces.
Student Handbook
The GCC Student
Handbook is produced by
Student Life and consists of common policies and procedures from the District,
as well as pertinent policies and procedures for student governance. Each department and club mentioned in
the GCC Student Handbook
is reviewed annually for needed additions and corrections.
Faculty/Staff Handbook
The Faculty/Staff
Handbook is produced by
Enrollment Services. This resource
manual includes policies, District regulations, committees, and sample
institutional forms. An annual
review process allows for additions and corrections.
GCC Annual Report
The GCC Annual
Report is produced by the
Office of Community and Public relations and distributed to GCC constituents
throughout the community; it includes an address by the President and the prior
year’s accomplishments.
Recruitment Pieces
Student recruitment
pieces are developed and produced by the Marketing Department in conjunction
with instructional and student-services departments.
Advertisements
The Community and
Public Relations Department creates mass media advertisements with the
assistance of an advertising agency.
The College Marketing Committee reviews and advises on messages and
themes.
The Voice
The Voice is the student newspaper produced by
students in a journalism lab. Student
editors create their own news assignments and editorials. After publication, the faculty advisor
critiques each issue.
The Traveler
The Traveler is a student creative arts and literature
magazine produced annually by the English and Art Departments.
GCC Web Site
A College web
master designs and oversees content of the first layer and several pages within
the site. Other pages have content
determined by departments or individuals.
The Web Committee is in the process of developing templates to create
consistent look and content. The
official web site of the College is
Achievements since 1992
· The Desktop Project, which provides each
employee with a desktop computer, improved publishing methods; utilizing
templates makes it easier to ensure accuracy and timely modifications
· Formal communication publications have been
initiated--GCC now compiles and distributes the Annual Report throughout the College and community; and The
Gaucho Gazette is an
internal newsletter distributed quarterly
· The GCC web site and e-mail are
technological additions to the College’s communications systems for electronic
communication and information among College and District employees
· Student communications have also been
improved--each student has an Instructional Palette Account (access to a
computer, Internet connection, e-mail, and an office suite of programs) and
instructors or clubs can establish e-mail distribution lists
· Publication guidelines for The Traveler
were developed and approved in November 2001
· Brochures have been developed for several
departments--remaining departments are part of a three-year plan
Team Analysis
Team 14 conducted
an initial analysis likely influencing the areas of improvement and their
relationship to the measures of success, which included adherence to
professional publishing standards, standardization among College publications
(cross validations), and validation from appropriate sources. Consistency of College information and
universal access to computer networks were seen as strengths, but poor
interdepartmental communication, a lack of resources and the lack of policies
and procedures to support publication standards were identified as weaknesses.
Areas for Improvement
· Share event information more effectively
with internal and external communities
· Web pages need additional regulations and
disclaimers
· Departments and student clubs need a
publicity mechanism
· Establish publication standards, including
Standard English grammar, conciseness, physical appearance, and content quality
· Communicate publication standards to GCC
community
Team Recommendations
· Adopt a “Press Release Template” for
College-wide use
· The Web Committee is discussing templates
for departmental pages
· Provide College-wide access to templates
· Increase department web development
· Maintain same level of access to computer
networks
· Reduce web duplication
Content
Area Validation
Most departments and services have developed or are in the process of developing
web pages. Redundancy still exists
and information maintenance is an ongoing challenge. Various templates are available and training on how to use
them is provided through TED. The
Voice
and Marketing use the new “News Release Template.” The Gaucho Gazette converted to an electronic publication format in Fall
2001 and uses a new template designed for online newsletters.
Integrity—Academic Standards
The General
Catalog and GCC Student
Handbook define policies
on academic standards developed through District committees, with faculty and
Student Services personnel representation. These are then approved by the Governing Board and common to
all colleges in the District.
Topics include Absence Policy (including religious holidays), Withdrawal
Procedures, Grading, Student Grievance for Academic Process, Scholastic
Standards, Academic Misconduct, and Educational Records. Policies are available on the web at
http://www.dist.maricopa.edu/eddev/students/genpolicies/outline.htm
Achievements since 1992
· While policies on academic standards remain
relatively unchanged since 1992, distribution to students has improved
· GCC 101, “New Student Orientation,”
includes a section on policies for academic standards; however, the orientation
is not mandatory, thereby limiting the number of students who benefit
Team Analysis
Team 3 conducted
an initial analysis of factors likely influencing the areas for improvement and
their relationship to measures of success, which included success of our
transfer students, the results of macro testing of student outcomes, program
review, and certification. Poor
adjunct faculty salaries and resources, state under-funding for K-16, and
under-prepared students entering GCC were seen as threats. The team also concluded that the
faculty-driven comprehensive assessment program is a significant strength. A strong Articulation Task Force system
(linking the District’s curriculum to that of the state universities) presents
an opportunity.
Areas for Improvement
· Course placement and waiver policy
· Adjunct faculty salaries
Team Recommendations
· Raise adjunct faculty salaries and offer
individual (not family) benefits
· Lobby new governor/state legislators
· Ensure 90:10 ratio across the board
(evening, day, all departments)
· Establish closer K-12 partnerships and
articulation
· Encourage mandatory placement/testing
· Clearly define and communicate to students
assessment recommendations for course placement
Content Area Validation
The College
attempts to maintain the highest level of integrity. Adjunct faculty salaries were increased for the 2001-02
academic year. Each year more
academic departments hire residential faculty with the understanding that they
will teach evening classes. The
District Mathematics and English Instructional Councils have developed
Mandatory Assessment and Placement proposals for implementation during the
2002-03 academic year.
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Last revised 1/8/02. Direct feedback to l.hawbaker@gcmail.maricopa.edu. See Legal Disclaimer.