Program Review
Academic Services
November 18, 2014
1. Who We Are
The Office of Academic Services (OAS) supports the role of Chabot College as a
comprehensive community college that prepares students to succeed in their education,
progress in the workplace, and engage in the civic and cultural life of the global
community. (Chabot College Mission Statement)
Our vision is to promote Chabot College as a learning-centered institution with a culture
of thoughtfulness and academic excellence, committed to creating a vibrant community
of lifelong learners. (Chabot College Vision Statement) In the past three years the OAS
has supported the single college-wide Strategic Plan goal of increasing “the number of
students that achieve their educational goal within a reasonable time by clarifying
pathways and providing more information and support.”
The OAS provides overall guidance and support for long term academic planning,
program development, and continuing operations of the instructional program of the
college (2005-2015 Ed Master Plan, p. 70). The Office promotes student learning through
its working with and supporting other administrative and academic units, working closely
with deans, faculty and staff to maintain the quality of programs and encourage
innovation and new initiatives. Some of the initiatives include, First Year Experience
(FYE), Learning Communities and Career Pathways.
Number of Staff, Now and Historically
Currently, the OAS is comprised of the Vice President of Academic Services with one
executive assistant; two Banner specialists working on scheduling, course data entry for
new and revised courses and programs, and faculty loads; and five deans (Applied
Technology & Business; Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences; Health, Kinesiology &
Athletics; Language Arts; Science and Mathematics), for a total of 9 staff, not counting
administrative assistants in each division office.
Historically, the OAS was comprised of as many as 19 staff, including the Vice President
of Academic Services with one administrative assistant; at least three Associate Deans
supported by three administrative assistants, one Assistance Dean, three Banner
specialists working on scheduling, course data entry for new and revised courses and
programs, and faculty loads; and seven deans (Business, Social Sciences, Language Arts,
Library, Arts and Humanities, Technology and Engineering, Physical Education, Science
and Math, and Health Sciences), not counting administrative assistants in each division
office.
At one point the Associate deans were supervising the nine divisions listed above in the
historical summary. Each of the divisions were coordinated by faculty coordinators who
were given 60% reassigned time. There was one faculty position with partial reassigned
time to act as Assistant Dean for the evening and Saturday programs. In reorganizations
occurring over 15-20 years, staffing in the Office of Academic Services was whittled
down to its present number, while Division Dean’s positions were created in an effort to
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Program Review
Academic Services
November 18, 2014
flatten the administrative structure and place administrative personnel closer to the
faculty.
As a result of this reduced staffing, many of OAS’s functions focus on an array of
processes* that together ensure the smooth operation of the instructional activities of the
college but do not allow for a more proactive and in-depth engagement with important
college issues, such as Learning Outcomes, Program Review, Budget Review and
Development, and development of the Educational Master Plan – and, of course, the
critical Strategic Plan goal of streamlining student pathways to allow students to achieve
their educational goals in a reasonable amount of time.
*(The more significant of these processes are: creating the class schedule; supporting the
Curriculum Committee; developing the catalog; submitting the adjunct payroll; reviewing
and filing instructor evaluations; supporting the Sabbatical Leave Committee; supporting
the development of new policies and procedures; monitoring program approval
applications; monitoring flex attendance; responding to inquiries concerning college
policies and procedures; responding to complaints related to instruction; approving
requisitions, grade changes, independent study applications, field trips, conferences, and
notices of absence.)
2. Where We Are Now
Projected Outcomes(from 2005-2015 Education Master Plan - assessment is listed below
each goal):
Streamline systems for the following functions:
1. Title 5 compliance in course outlines, including noncredit courses; Course outline
updates are completed according to Title 5 requirements.
2. Review of regular faculty evaluations; Completed and ongoing as new evaluations are
submitted.
3. Implementation of any changes to evaluation procedures; Completed and ongoing with
additional procedural changes.
4. Tracking of, and projection of, adjunct instructional expenditures; Completed and
ongoing as FTE requirements change.
5. Unit planning, program review, and other planning/budgeting functions; Completed
and ongoing as our systems evolve.
6. An overall learning assessment plan for the college; Partially completed re SLOs and
PLOs with continuing efforts via SLOAC.
7. Prompting and tracking state program approval applications; Completed and ongoing
as new programs are developed.
8. Catalog development including an online version that is easy to use; Completed.
9. Updating of academic policies, including Faculty Handbook; Completed.
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Program Review
Academic Services
November 18, 2014
10. Improve calendaring and linking of calendars to make efficient use of time; including
development and maintenance of a master calendar of Academic Services deadlines and
activities; Completed and incorporated into College President’s Master Calendar.
11. Develop an improved approach to orientation of adjunct faculty. Ongoing.
As evidenced above, OAS time is consumed insuring that state requirements are met and
that the machinery of the college continues to function to meet legal and Board policy
requirements. However, we consider this a bare minimum of what OAS could, and
should, be doing to bring about a positive campus climate among faculty and classified
professional staff. Staff surveys support this view.
In the Spring 2014 Staff Accreditation Survey, only 55% of full-time faculty agreed that
the college administration provides effective management that supports Chabot’s mission,
and only 50% percent of them agreed that the college administration demonstrates
leadership on educational issues. These responses represent in significant part the lack of
visibility of the OAS as it attempts to keep up with increasing reporting and other
bureaucratic demands with an inadequate staff. The result is the perception among many
faculty that the academic administration is ineffective and lacks educational leadership.
Important Trends Over the Next Three Years: Opportunities and Challenges.
Enrollment projections
Continued and expanded student academic support requirements – new programs
Reassigned time for faculty working on program and college-wide initiatives
Challenge of inadequate resources, requiring creative and synergistic organizing for
efficiency. (Getting more bang for the buck.)
3. The Difference We Hope to Make
We want to remake the Office of Academic Services to be the nexus of proactive,
creative, generative ideas and faculty, staff, and other administrative units to
enhance student success and goal achievement.
Sthompson&Ggroppetti11/18/14
Program Review
Academic Services
November 18, 2014
Initiatives for Improvement and Methods of Assessment
Initiatives for
Improvement
Increase effective
support of Chabot’s
mission and strategic
plan by increasing
visibility and
effectiveness of
academic management.
Leverage peer
mentoring (Strategic
Plan 3.i.)
via outreach to Chabot
graduates.
Create opportunities for
student pathway teams
to collaborate (Strategic
Plan 2.b.
Integrate and
streamline student
pathways (Strategic
Plan 6.a., 6.d., 6.i., 6.j.).
Service Area Outcome
Solution
Assessment Method
Hire a Dean of Academic
Services
Increase to 67% the
positive response of fulltime faculty re questions
of academic
administration
effectiveness and
leadership
Hire 3 additional
support staff in OAS –
1 Banner specialist
Curriculum specialist
Staff assistant
Added personnel as
listed above to
coordinate and
implement outreach
initiative
Provide reassigned
time, as possible, to
team collaboration.
Provide admin support
via additional
personnel, listed above.
Program (broadly
defined) analysis.
Scheduling pattern
assessment. Semester
pattern review.
Articulation with all
levels (high school and
transfer).
How Measured
1:
2:
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Creation of data-base, by
individual program, of
graduates and their
contact information.
When Measured
Results/Discussion