February3,2009
ACCREDITING
COMMISSION
for COMMUNITY
and
JUNIORCOLLEGES
Dr. Judy Walters
President
Diablo Valley College
321 Golf Club Road
PleasantHill. CA 94523
Dear PresidentWalters:
IO COMMERCIALBOULEVARD
SUITE
204
NOVATO,
CA94949
(415) 506-0234
TELEPHONE:
FAX:(415)506-0238
E-MAIL:
occjc@occjc.org
www.occjc,org
Choirperson
LURELEAN
B, GAINES
EostLosAngelesCollege
Vice Choirperson
FLOYDK. TAKEUCHI
PublicMember
President
BARBARA
A. BENO
Vice President
SUSAN
B, CLIFFORD
Vice President
STEVE
MARADIAN
Vice President
GARMANJACKPOND
AssocioteVice President
LILYOWYANG
Business
Officer
DEANNE
WILBURN
The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges,Westem
Associationof Schoolsand Colleges,at its meetingon January7-9,2009,
reviewedthe SpecialReport submittedby the collegein August 2008 and
the report of the evaluationteam which visited Diablo Valley College on
Friday, September19, 2008. The Commissionactedto acceptthe Special
Report. The Commissionnotedthat the issuesof gradesecurityand
integrity that were the subject of the SpecialReport appearto have been
satisfactorilyresolved.
The Commission also reviewed the institutional Self Study Report
submitted in petition for reaffirmation of accreditationand the report of the
comprehensiveevaluationteam which visited Diablo Valley College on
Monday, October 13-Thursday,October 16, 2008. The Commissionacted
to issueShow Cause,and requirethat Diablo Valley Collegecorrectthe
deficienciesnoted. The collegeis requiredto completea Show Cause
Report by October 15, 2009. That report will be followed by a visit of
Commissionrepresentatives.
Show Cause is issuedwhen the Commissionfinds an institution in
substantialnon-compliancewith the Commission's Eligibility
Requirements,AccreditationStandards,or policies. The institution must
show causewhy its accreditationshould not be withdrawn at the end of a
statedperiod. The burdenof proof will rest on the institution to
demonstratewhy its accreditationshould be continued. If the loss of
accreditationwill likely causean institution to close, during the show cause
period, the institution must make preparationsfor closure accordingto the
Commission'sPolicy on Closingan Institution. During the period of the
show causeorder. the accreditedstatusof the institution continues.
However, the institution's accreditationwill not be reaffirmed until the
conditions which warrantedthe show causeare removed.
ITAS
TOM LANE
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Dr. Judy Walters
Diablo Valley College
February3,2009
PageTwo
Diablo Valley Collegehasbeenplacedon Show Causebecausefour of the five deficiencies
identified by the 2002 comprehensive
evaluationteam (Recommendations1,2,4 and5) were not
resolved by the institution and have been again identified as deficiencies. Diablo Valley College
must demonstratethat it is in compliancewith the Commission standardsand Eligibility
Requirementsidentified in this action letterby October 15,2009. The Commissionwill review
this caseat its January,2010 meeting. Under U.S. Departmentof Education regulations,
institutions out of compliancewith standardsor on sanctionare expectedto correct deficiencies
within a maximum two-year period or the Commission must take action to terminate
accreditation.
In order to avoid possible termination of accreditationat the Commission's meeting on January
4-6,2010, the Show Cause Report of October 15, 2009 must demonstratethe institution's
resolution of the recommendationsand Eligibility Requirementsas noted below:
Recommendation 1: The teamrecommendsthat the collegeclarify the decisionmaking roles of
constituent goups in the establishmentof the campus organizationalstructureand implement a
participatoryprocessto advancethe mission and goalsof the institution. (Standards:IA3, IB1,
IB2, IVA1, N Ma, IVA3, IVB2b)
Recommendation 2: The team recommendsthat the college must develop and implement
college wide planning that is tied to the StrategicPlan, mission, and resourceallocation that:
o
lntegratesall aspectsof planning, evaluation,and resourceallocation (Standards:
IB3, IB4, IIA1, IIA2, IIB 1, IIB, 4, IIC2, IIIA.6, mC2, IIID 1a, IIID2g, IIID3,
ryA5,IV2b);
o
Is well defined, widely disseminatedand discussedthrough reflective college
wide dialogue (Standards:IB4, IB5, IIID4, tVA2a); and
o
Includes faculty, staff, studentsand administration from the Diablo Valley
College'smain campusand its SanRamon Campus(Standards:IB4,IIA1, IIB1,
.frIA2,
IICIc,IIIA, TITR,mC, IIID, IVA.I,
and IVA3).
Recommendation 3: The team recommendsthat Diablo Valley Collegefully implement
Recommendation1 in the 2002, Accreditation Evaluation Report which states:"Implementation
of a uniform processof program review which includes direct evidenceof studentlearning and is
used to inform and influence planning and resourceallocation and leadsto improvementsin
programsand services."(Standards:IB3, IB4, IIA1, IIA2, fl-R1,IIB4, I[IA6,nC2,IIID1a, fV 45,
rv2b)
Dr. Judy Walters
Diablo Valley College
February3,2009
PageThree
Recommendation 6: The team recommendsthat Diablo Valley College fully implement
reconrmendation2 from Ihe2002 Accreditation Evaluation Report which states,"Improvement
of the existing curriculum processto include a timely, systematicreview and efficient procedures
for course and program approval with adequatetechnology and staff support." Furthermore,the
team recommendsthat the curriculum processbe fully integratedwith the program review
process.(Standards: IIA2a, IIA2e)
Recommendation 7: The team recommendsthat the college further improve communication to
increasecollaboration acrossorganizationalstructuresby promoting transparentdecision making,
honest dialogue and widespreaddisseminationof internal college documents.(Standards:III
B2b, mC, mC2, IIID1 a, IIID1d, IVAI, N A2, IVA2b)
Eligibility Requirement 10 - Student Learning and Achievement: The visiting team
confirmed that Diablo Valley College defines and publishesthe programs of study leading to an
associatedegree,certificate, and program of study leading to transfer. Program expectedlearning
and achievementoutcomes,however, have yet to be developedand published.
Eligibility Requirement 19 - Institutional Planning and Evaluation: The visiting team
confirmed that Diablo Valley College has a documentedEducational Master Plan, Facilities
Master Plan and technology masterplan. However, planning processesand outcomesneed to be
consistent,integrated,evaluated,and updated.Technologyplanning is not integratedwith
institutional planning. The institution doesnot systematicallyassessthe effective use of
technology resourcesor use the results of evaluation as the basis for improvement. Diablo Valley
College completed its last technologymasterplan in 2001. The plan was comprehensiveand
included implementation timelines over a three year period through 2004. Since that time, there
has been no comprehensiveand integratedeffort to guide the developmentand implementation
oftechnology resourcesover the last four years.
Eligibility Requirement2l - Relations with the Accrediting Commission - The team
confirmed that Diablo Valley College adheresto the eligibility requirements,standardsand
policies of the ACCJC, describesitself in identicaltermsto all of its accreditingagencies,
communicatesany changesin its accreditationstatusin a timely manner, and agreesto disclose
information required by ACCJC to carry out its accreditingresponsibilities.
The Show CauseReport of October 2009 should also include as an addendumthe report
developedby the three collegesand the Contra Costa County Community College District
demonstratingresolution of the following:
Dr. Judy Walters
Diablo Valley College
February3,2009
PageFour
District Recommendation 8: In order to improve its resourceallocation process,the district
should expedite developmentof a financial allocation model including the following (Standards:
mcl, IIID1a, IDZa,IIID3, IV3c):
a. The model as a whole;
b. Funding for adjunct faculty in a way that will support the district and college
intentions to increasestudentenrollment:
c. Technology funding.
Finally, the college is hereby notified that if its accreditationis continued after January 2010, the
Commission will set additional deadlinesfor the institution to fully resolve other
recommendationscontainedin the 2008 comprehensiveevaluation team report
(Recommendations
4, 5,9, 10 and 11); the collegeis advisedto begin the work necessaryto
addressthose recommendations.
A final copy of the evaluation team report is enclosed. Pleasediscardprevious drafts. The
Commission requires you to give the team report and this letter disseminationto your college
staff and to those who were signatoriesof your college self study report. This group should
include the Chancellor, campusleadership,and the Board of Trustees. The Commission also
requires that the team report and the self study report be made available to studentsand the
public. Placing copies in the college library can accomplishthis. Should you want the report
electronically to place on your web site or for someother purpose,pleasecontact Commission
staff.
The recommendationscontainedin the evaluationteam report representthe observationsof the
evaluation team at the time of the visit. The Commission reminds you that while an institution
may concur or disagreewith any part of the team report, the college is expectedto use the report
to improve the educationalprograms and servicesof the institution.
The college conducteda comprehensiveself study as part of its evaluation. The Commission
suggeststhat the plans for improvement of the institution included in that documentbe taken into
account in the continuing developmentof Diablo Valley College.
Finally, let me take this opportunity to remind you that federal legislation affecting accrediting
agenciesrequires that accreditedcollegesconduct systematicassessmentof educational
outcomes(see especially StandardsOne and Two). A further requirementis that accrediting
agenciespay close attention to studentloan default rates.
Dr. JudyWalters
DiabloValleyCollege
February3,2009
PageFive
On behalf of the Commission, I wish to expresscontinuing interest in the institution's
educationalprograms and services. This office is ready to provide appropriateassistanceto the
institution as it seeksto come into compliancewith Commission requirements. Professionalselfregulation is the most effective meansof assuringintegrity, effectivenessand quality.
Sincerely,
A*i*d
8^"
BarbaraA. Beno, Ph.D.
President
BAB/tI
cc: Dr. Helen Benjamin, Chancellor,Conha CostaCCD
Ms. SusanLamb, Accreditation Liaison Officer
Board President,Contra Costa CCD
Dr. Erlinda Martinez, Team Chair
Evaluation Team Members
Ms. Linda Henderson.U.S. DOE