STANDARD EVALUATION QUESTIONS SELF STUDY 2005 SELF STUDY 2011 EVIDENCE THEME(S) STANDARD IV.A. The institution recognizes that ethical and effective leadership throughout the organization enables the institution to identify institutional values, set and achieve goals, learn, and improve. STANDARD IV.A.1. Institutional leaders create an environment for empowerment, innovation, and institutional excellence. They encourage staff, faculty, administrators, and students, no matter what their official titles, to take initiative in improving the practices, programs, and services in which they are involved. When ideas for improvement have policy or significant institution-wide implications, systematic participative processes are used to assure effective discussion, planning, and implementation. What do the statements about institutional goals tell you about the institution’s commitment to excellence? Are the institution’s goals and values clearly articulated and understood by all? Can college staff tell you what those goals and values are? Can staff describe their own roles in helping the institution achieve its goals? What information about institutional performance is circulating and
How do individuals bring forward ideas for institutional improvement? How does the institution articulate the responsibilities of individuals to develop for improvements in their areas of responsibility? How do individuals and groups at the institution use the governance process to enhance student learning? STANDARD IV.A.2.a. The institution establishes and implements a written policy providing for faculty, staff, administrator, and student participation in decision-making processes. The policy specifies the manner in which individuals bring forward ideas from their constituencies and work together on appropriate policy, planning, and special-purpose bodies. What do institutional policies and procedures describe as the roles for each group in governance, including planning and budget development?
a. Faculty and administrators have a substantive and clearly defined role in institutional governance and exercise a substantial voice in institutional policies, planning, and budget that relate to their areas of responsibility and expertise. Students and staff also have established mechanisms or organizations for providing input into institutional decisions. STANDARD IV.A.2.b. The institution relies on faculty, its academic senate or other appropriate faculty structures, the curriculum committee, and academic administrators for recommendations about student learning programs and services. What documents describe the official responsibilities and authority of the faculty and of academic administrators in curricular and other educational matters? STANDARD IV.A.3. Through established governance structures, processes, and practices, the governing board, administrators, faculty, staff, and students work together for the good of the institution. These processes facilitate discussion of ideas and effective communication among the institution’s constituencies. Do the written policies on governance procedures specify appropriate roles for all staff and students? Do these policies specify the academic roles of faculty in areas of student educational programs and services planning?