Template for Team Responses to the Accreditation Standards

1. Review the Specific Standard Section

Standard III: A.1.d.

d. The institution upholds a written code of professional ethics for all of its personnel.

2. List of Team Members working on this Standard

Tom Blank, Bob Bradshaw, Lyle Engeldinger, Linda Evers, Kathleen Johnson, Heather McCarty, Tina Miller, Deb Parziale

3. Read and Review Self-Study Questions and Suggested Source of Evidence

Major reference source for analyzing accreditation standards:

“Accreditation Commission Self Study Guidelines, August 2004, Guide to Evaluating Institutions”

http://www.ohlone.edu/org/instruction/docs/200408accredcomm-guidetoevaluatinginstitutions.pdf

4. Locate and Review the Evidence. Include Suggested Sources of Evidence from the “Guide to Evaluating Institutions” as well as additional engagement activities conducted by your Team, such as team meetings, special meetings of existing groups, special focus groups, open forums, surveys, etc…)

List of evidence being reviewed and engagement activities being conducted:

Policy Manual

working Relationship between the bargaining units and the the district

College Vision and Goals statement

http://www.ohlone.edu/org/president/docs/20042009visionvaluesgoals.pdf

5. Descriptive Summary

Draft a brief one or two paragraph description of what the College is doing to meet the standard.

Ohlone College encourages all staff to act in a professional and ethical manner. This can been found in the outstanding level of dedication of its employees and the cooperation between all levels of employees, administration, staff, and faculty. While there is no formal written policy of ethics in the policy manual for any group of employees other than the Board of Trustees, the importance of adhering to a high ethical standard can be found in the college vision, values and goals statement.

6. Integration Review

Is there an expression of our College Values? Is there a contribution to our College Goals? Is there an expression of the Accreditation Themes?

Maintaining high ethical standards can be found (either directly or indirectly) in the college values 3, 4, 5, and 6.

While implied, there is a less obvious connection in the college goals.

7. Self Evaluation

Provide a rating of how well the College is addressing the specific standard using this scoring rubric:

1. Superior: College has worked in this area and considerable improvement is noted

2. Satisfactory: College has taken some actions to address the area and some improvement is noted.

3. Needs Improvement: College has not adequately addressed the area.

Rating:

Draft a one or two paragraph explanation for this rating based upon your assessment of the College’s activities in relation to the standard. Pay particular attention to the quality of our involvement and interventions since the last WASC self-study report.

Rating - Superior

In the years since the previous accreditation report, the administration has worked with the bargaining units to insure that all employees act in a highly professional, ethical manner. When concerns have arisen about an individual, the district and the bargaining units have worked in a confidential manner so that the situation is improved. This has occurred at all levels, including the Board level.

8. Planning Agenda

If the assessment process does not identify areas in need of change, simply state, No Plan Required

If the assessment process identifies areas in need of change, a planning agenda for improvement should be developed. The planning agenda should identify the activities and processes the institution should implement, or is implementing, to produce improvement. How will these plans be incorporated into the evaluation and planning processes of the institution? How will the outcomes of this planning agenda improve student learning and foster institutional improvement in general.

It is planned that the Faculty Senate will consider adopting the code of ethics from the American Association of University Professors. However, due to involvement with several other major issues, this will not occur this academic year.

Adapted from: “Self Study Manual,” August 2006, A Publication of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges; and City College of San Francisco Self-Study Template