Site visits are also useful. You will usually lose this battle because we don't have the same numbers that psychology has. So try not to have to fight on just this front. Again, you should know your review process and make sure the qualitatives are taken seriously. The Ventura College District has a great list of inclusive qualitative attributes that you may want to look at.
Administrators are in charge of the committee.
Everything is rushed. Anything is secret. You should be able to go to any meeting. These are Brown Act committees, set up by the Boards of Trustees. Even rumors of a secret list demand your faculty senate action.