SelfStudy06.indb

Table of Contents
Introduction
The Self Study
List of Evidence, by Standards
The College Plan

institutional commitments

evaluation , planning and improvement

student learning outcomes

organization

dialogue

institutional integrity

University of Hawai‘i

Leeward Community College

Institutional Self Study Report

in Support of Reaffirmation of Accreditation

sumbitted by

Leewward Community College

96-045 Ala ‘Ike

Pearl City, Hawai‘i 96782

Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

Western Association of Schools and Colleges

on August 15, 2006

Introduction

page 2

Table of Contents

Introduction

Introduction to Leeward Community College

page 4

History of College since Last Accreditation

page 6

The Service Area of the College

page 10

A Statistical Look at the College

page 11

Demographics

Longitudinal Student Achievement Data

Results of Last Comprehensive Visit

page 25

Development and Assessment

of Student Learning Outcomes

page 30

Off-Campus Sites and Distance Learning Efforts

page 33

External Independent Audits

page 35

Abstract of Self Study Report

page 36

Organization for the Self Study

page 42

Accreditation Timeline

page 43

Organization of the College

page 48

University of Hawai‘i System

Leeward Community Colege

Functional Roadmap: UH Community College System

Certification of Continued Compliance

page 54

with Eligibility Requirements

Introduction

page 3

Responses to Recommendations

Responses to Most Recent Comprehensive Evaluation

page 58

The Self Study

Introduction to Self Study Themes Approach

page 68

Themes and Standards Crosswalk

page 70

Institutional Self Evaluation

Institutional Commitments

page 75

Evaluation, Planning and Improvement

page 125

Student Learning Outcomes

Institutional Integrity

page 389

Evidence List

Listing of documents and websites

page 443

The College Plan

Results of Planning Process, Biennium Budget 2007–2009

page 462

Introduction

page 4

Introduction

to Leeward Community College

Leeward Community College (Leeward CC) opened its doors in the Fall of 1968 as the first

Community College in the State developed without a connection to a pre-existing technical

school. With a mission based on the recognition of the diversity of the communities it serves,

and on the belief in the dignity and potential of each individual to learn, the College was the

first post-secondary institution in West O‘ahu.

In 1968, Leonard T. Tuthill, our first Provost, welcomed over 1,640 students into humble old

buildings that once housed Pearl City Kai Elementary School. That first semester witnessed

more than twice the anticipated number of students ready to explore the “Community

College” experience. In the spring of 1969, the College moved to its current location, on forty-

nine acres near the geographic center of O‘ahu between Pearl City and Waipahu. Since those

beginnings in inauspicious temporary facilities, enrollment has grown to place the College

among the largest community colleges in the State. Approximately 6,000 students are regularly

enrolled each semester in liberal arts and career and technical education programs offered on

campus, at off-campus locations in the community, and through distance education courses.

The last buildings at Leeward were completed in the late seventies, and as the College

approaches its fortieth anniversary, the infrastructure has been showing its age. Still,

the architectural design has proven very flexible. The growth of technology has been

accommodated through major upgrades in electrical capacity and installation of comprehensive

wired networking. Major physical renovations have been made to the Student Center to

accommodate the growth of the Culinary Arts program, and railings throughout the campus

were recently replaced. Lighting throughout the campus has been improved, creating a

safer nighttime environment, and the air conditioning plant has been upgraded although

comfortable temperatures in classrooms and offices is still an elusive goal. With the release of

planning funds in Spring 2006, Leeward is looking forward to building its first major structure

since the College was completed.

Leeward CC is committed to serving the residents of the communities of Leeward and Central

O‘ahu in particular, and the State in general, by providing balanced and comprehensive

programs, services, and educational opportunities. To achieve this end, the College must

Introduction

page 5

know its students, their needs, their educational goals, and the effectiveness of its programs

and services in meeting these needs and goals. Leeward Community College has instituted

Program Review

process intended to provide demographic information on the diverse

communities it serves and information on in student achievement and learning. This

information serves as the basis for improvements in addressing the College’s mission.

The UH System, in an effort to provide a data for long range planning, recently completed

its Second Decade project. Of the four top regions in the state with the greatest needs for

higher education resources, three are in Leeward CC’s service area. This area is also predicted

to have the largest population growth of any in the state. While the College has always had a

strong liberal arts transfer program, it lacks the diversity of vocational and workforce directed

programs available at the O‘ahu’s two other large community colleges. Clearly the College

needs to address this deficiency, but the old model of high cost, high capitalization programs is

impractical given the rapidly changing needs of Hawai‘i’s employers. The college is pursuing

partnerships with business to develop tailored programs that can be quickly deployed and

provide for cost sharing opportunities. The College has recently received funding to prototype

this approach for applied science and technology programs such as training in chemical

technology—particularly appropriate for a College that has a long history of innovation in

chemistry teaching.

Leeward CC since the early 1980’s has hosted another campus of the UH System on its

grounds—UH West O‘ahu. During this time, there have been a number of initiatives for

development of a new UHWO campus in Kapolei area. With a newly forged public/private

funding proposal, it appears a new campus for UHWO is likely before the end of the decade.

The impact of an expanded UHWO on the College is a major topic for conversation. The

challenge is to develop a collaborative rather than competitive framework that places student

needs as the priority.

As end of the decade approaches, the College faces both promise and challenge. One constant

will be a focus on learning and students as its motto adopted almost forty years makes clear:

To Help People Learn.

Introduction

page 6

History Since Last Accreditation

2001-2003

When Leeward Community College began to revise its

Academic Development Plan

in 2001,

it redefined the new directions as a strategic plan. Beginning in 2001, a Steering Committee

comprised of students, faculty, staff, and administrators engaged in extensive campus-wide

dialogue to arrive at an understanding of how the College could best implement the goals

stated in its mission.

provided a framework of goals, objectives, and

prioritized action plans that were consistent with the concepts of a

Program Review

model

on an annual basis, beginning in 2003, with the purpose of using campus-wide dialogue in the

cycle of ongoing evaluation, planning, and improvement. The

Strategic Plan

, adopted in May

2002, includes five major goals:

Goal A: Provide opportunities for the pursuit of knowledge, personal enrichment, and

creativity

Goal B: Stimulate the cultural and intellectual life of the community by providing

artistic, professional, and enrichment opportunities

Goal C: Improve educational effectiveness

Goal D: Build partnerships

Goal E: Acquire and manage resources efficiently

With the 2001 reaffirmation of accreditation, the College began to address, through its

Accreditation Implementation Committees (AICs), five recommendations from the 2000

ACCJC Visiting Team and three carry-over recommendations from the 1994 Visiting Team.

In 2003, the College approved both a

Curriculum Revision and Review Policy

and a

Shared

Governance Policy

, both resulting from the work of the AICs. During this time, the UHCC

System submitted a Substantive Change Request for reorganization of CC’s to ACCJC that

eliminated the Chancellor’s Office. This change converted Provost positions into Chancellor

positions at each CC campus, each reporting directly to the UH President.

Introduction

page 7

In responding to the 2000 Visiting Team’s recommendations, the College also approved the

Policy on Unit/Area Program Reviews

in May 2003. The

Policy

provided a first step in the formal

and systematic assessment and collection of data on student learning, enabling the College to

measure mission-driven outcomes. Based on this

Policy

, the Faculty Senate Program Review

Committee began implementing the process in September 2003; however, at the time of the

November 2003 Team Visit following the submission of its Midterm Report, the College had

not yet clearly articulated the connection between

Program Review

and other institutional

planning efforts. The College’s understanding of, and support for, assessment of institutional

effectiveness, planning for improvements, and resource allocation were not yet fully developed.

The 2003 Visiting Team found the Campus Council and COMPASS issues to be adequately

addressed by the College. However, other issues remained problematic. The Team also issued a

new recommendation to review the “N” grade.

2004

In January 2004, the College appointed two co-coordinators for Accreditation, who, along

with other campus leaders, participated in a system-wide workshop on current self study

standards. Realizing the overarching importance of

Program Review

, the College also appointed

Program Review

Coordinator.

That same month found the College placed on warning as a result of its Midterm Report

to ACCJC, due to incomplete progress on three issues: the resolution of the “N” grade;

incorporating Program Review in planning and resource distribution; and formalizing planning

in technology, information, and learning resources. The Commission also voiced concerns on

issues raised by the proposed System reorganization.

In 2003-2004, Leeward CC’s initial approach to

Program Review

focused on the assessment of

instructional programs, individual courses, and Support Areas. Program assessment activities

were organized within the Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Science (AS), and Associate

in Applied Science (AAS) degrees and certificates constituent to them. By the end of Spring

2004, the initial phase of assessments was completed in all six of the General Education

Outcomes of the AA degree and in selected outcomes in the AS, AAS degrees and certificates.

Implementation of the Support Area assessments began with each area establishing goals and

objectives, selecting outcome measures, analyzing and reporting on the results, and developing

action plans for the upcoming year.

In April 2004, the Progress Report on the “N” grade was submitted, bringing resolution to the

issue.

In June 2004, ACCJC found progress in addressing System reorganization issues incomplete

and required a Progress Report on November 2004, with visit.

To improve Leeward’s

Program Review

process, the College brought in assessment consultant

Julie Slark in August 2004. As a result of the consultation, the College expanded its

understanding of

Program Review

, placing assessment activities into a larger vision that

integrates assessment with planning and budgeting.

Introduction

page 8

Also in 2004, several individuals who were already engaged in research and planning activities

participated in the AAHE Assessment Conference in Glendale, where they began to formulate

implementation of College’s

Program Review

model. The four participants became the core

of Leeward’s Assessment Team, a group that has worked extensively with program and area

assessment leaders on the design and implementation of assessment projects. The rich dialogues

that occurred have spurred a rethinking of what we do in our classrooms to support student

learning and have provided a basis for future actions that must be taken.

From August 2004 through February 2005, the Reorganization Committee, with broad-based,

campus-wide membership, met and discussed the reorganization of the administrative level of

the College. In February 2005, the College’s governance groups, the Campus Council and the

Faculty Senate, approved the Reorganization Resolution. Final Board of Regents approval is

expected in Fall 2006.

Beginning in Fall 2004, College leadership developed and shared the revised

Program Review

model with the campus. As the College carried through its assessments, the

Program Review

process was continuously modified. It now provides the mechanism by which course, program,

and Support Area assessment data become the basis for planning and budgeting decisions.

2005 - 2006

January 2005 saw both the appointment of the Course Assessment Coordinator and another

requirement from ACCJC. The College continued on warning, with an April 2005 Progress

Report required, focusing on five System issues. The UH Community Colleges needed to

demonstrate, both individually and collectively, their development and implementation of a

comprehensive assessment, planning, and improvement process, supported by the governance

structure of UHCC system.

As the UHCC System laid out plans for an integrated

Program Review

process, Leeward CC

continued its progress on assessment and further refinement of its

Program Review

model.

Course SLO design and assessment modules were added to the College’s website, and the

course assessment database was added to Curriculum Central, the College’s online curricular

database.

During this time, the College began to discuss updating its mission statement. The current

mission was revised and approved in the Spring 2004 semester, and further revised in Spring

2005. The revision process included a mixture of faculty, staff, student, employers, and

community input.

Progress Report #3 was submitted in March 2005, with the College removed from warning in

June 2005, although another Progress Report was due to the Commission to address system

issues.

In May 2005 the

Policy on Program Reviews

was modified to formalize the College’s Assessment

Team. The modified policy includes standardized assessment templates that are used to

summarize and report how assessment results are translated into budget allocations.

History Since Last Accreditation

Introduction

page 9

Between May and November 2005, the following activities increased the College’s effectiveness

in assessment and

Program Review

Modification of Curriculum Central to serve as a repository for information

obtained via assessment of all courses, including distance education (DE) courses,

according to current accreditation standards.

Provision of guidance and information on assessment tasks and timelines to

Division, program, and Support Areas through information sessions and small

group meetings conducted by the Assessment Team.

Distribution in April 2005 to all faculty of a “Handbook on Outcomes Assessment

for Two-Year Colleges,” by Edward A. Morante to provide tools for developing

program and course assessment plans.

Adoption of the UH CC System’s

Program Review

protocols

In an attempt to better integrate evaluation, planning, and improvement, College leadership

worked diligently from Fall 2004 to Summer 2005 on the design of the

Annual Review

process. The process focused on the analysis of data provided by the

Program Reviews

student learning and institutional effectiveness from all Units within the College. In August

2005, the Chancellor presented a template for the process to the Administrative Staff, the

Assessment Team, participants in the College’s Leadership Retreat, and the campus as a whole

at Convocation.

Divisions use the

Annual Review

template as a planning document for focused discussions.

These discussions (1) occur in the same categories as the overall

Program Review

model; (2)

have guiding questions that connect assessment with standards of good practice; (3) are filtered

through a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) lens; (4) insist on

the usage of SLO data and assessments, and (5) result in budget lists that are derived from

dialogue among faculty, staff, and administrators. Together, the goal of the

processes is the integration of assessment, planning

, and budgeting as evidenced by the

College’s 2007-2009 Biennium Budget proposal.

The November 2005 Visiting Team report made the following statements about the College’s

“Te team found that Leeward Community College is actively engaged in a variety of

assessment activities and has an established culture and practice of assessment and

improvement. Te College’s decision to maximize use of electronic media for collection,

analysis and presentation of information is extremely innovative. Te team believes

those engaged in the design have a good understanding of the elements of an effective

institutional assessment process, and that the electronic format may actually assist

faculty to do the work necessary. Te conceptualization is excellent; what remains to be

seen is how well faculty and staff ultimately implement it.”

The

Annual Review

process was implemented on a college-wide basis in the Spring 2006 and

was the major building block of the 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Proposal. The College

continues to refine its assessment, planning, and budgeting processes in an effort to support

student learning

History Since Last Accreditation

Introduction

page 10

Leeward Community College Service Area

Leeward Community College is situated in a region that accounts for more than a third of the island’s

population, with a rate of increase more than three times that of the entire island. The shift in

population to the western side of the island is reflected by the College’s enrollment pattern. Enrollment

at Leeward CC over the past 10 years exhibited a cyclical trend of highs and lows as indicated by the

following data on historical headcounts and going rates of high school graduates.

Statistical Look at Leeward Community College

Historical Fall Headcount and Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Enrollment

Source: MAPS Fall Enrollment Report, University of Hawai‘i, Community Colleges Fall 2004,Table 1,Table 2

Going Rate High School Graduates (percentage)

Leeward Community College going rate: Percentage of O‘ahu public and private high school June

graduates who enroll in Leeward Community College, and all the Community Colleges in the

University of Hawai‘i System.

Note

: Figures include both public and private HS graduates

Source:

Leeward

MAPS, High School Background of First-Time Students,Table 3 and Table 6 (series)

Hawai‘i

MAPS, High School Background of First-Time Students,Table 4

Nation

National Center for Education Statistics,“The Condition of Education, 2005” Student Effort

and Educational Progress,Table 20-2 Immediate Transition to College, Indicator 20

Introduction

page 12

Going Rate High School Graduates (number)

Number of O‘ahu public and private high school June graduates who enrolled at

Leeward Community College the following Fall semester.

Source: MAPS, High School Background of First-Time Students,Table 2

Enrollment Projections

Enrollment projections indicate that the College will continue to grow at a moderate rate over the next

five years The number of elementary- and high school-age students is not much higher than the

current college-age population. This seems to indicate that there will be no significant increase in

college-age students over the next decade. However, there are currently more than 70,000 students

enrolled in the Leeward-Central Districts, and demographic projections indicate that most of the

modest increase in population over the next ten years will occur in the areas served by the College.

An aggressive outreach effort, coupled with the implementation of Philippine and Hawaiian Studies

curricula, is expected to boost enrollment.

Source: MAPS Enrollment Projections University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges Fall 2005 to Fall 2011,Table 4, Middle

Student Enrollment - Ethnicity and Gender, Fall 2005

Leeward Community College’s students reflect the diversity of its service area.

Approximately 60% of the College’s students are female.

Hawaiian and Pacific Islander

Hawaiian Part Hawaiian

Other Pacific Islander

Mixed Pacific Islander

Mixed Asian/Pacific Islander

American Indian/Alaska

Source: MAPS Fall Enrollment UH, Community Colleges 2005, Appendix C (series)

Statistical Look

Introduction

page 14

Number of Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian Students Enrolled

About 15% of the College’s total enrollment is comprised of Hawaiian/Part-Hawaiian students.

Source: MAPS Fall Enrollment Reports, UH Manoa, UH Hilo, UH West O‘ahu, and UH Community Colleges

Percentage of Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian Students Enrolled

The data shows the percentage of Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian student population as a portion of the

total Hawaiian/part-Hawaiian population in the UH System. Of the seven community colleges within

the UH System, the largest percentage of Hawaiian/part-Hawaiian students is enrolled at Leeward

Community College.

Source: MAPS Fall Enrollment Reports, UH-Manoa, UH-Hilo, UH-West O‘ahu, and UH Community Colleges

Statistical Look

Introduction

page 15

Enrollment by Residency for Tuition Status, Fall 2001 to Fall 2005

For tuition purposes, approximately 90% are classified as residents.

Fall 2005

Res