College of the Desert published Self Study for reaffirmation of accreditation by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)

Team visited College of the Desert March 15

June 2005 ACCJC reaffirmed accreditation subject to the college producing Progress Report by Oct. 15, 2006, with special focus on several recommendations. Recommendation 1 refers to Student Learning Outcomes:

The college is urged to continue diligently with the efforts already underway through the Program Review process and to assure that all programs and organizational units develop, assess, analyze and use student learning outcomes (SLO) information for program improvement. The college must especially place some urgency on the need to develop a process for student services. (Standards I.B; I.B1; I.B.2; I.B7; II.A.1.a,c; II.A.2.e,f,g,I; II.A.6; II.B1;II.B3.c; II.B4; II.C.2; III.A.1.c; IV.A.5; IV.B.1.g; IV.B.2.b)

In Oct. College of the Desert college produced Progress Report for Commission

Learning and Assessment (LA) Committee is formed , LA members attend Outcomes and Assessment Conference, SLO Training Continues

Flex Activity: SLO Workshops offered to train faculty in defining student learning outcomes for instruction

Student Affairs designated the EOPS/CARE Coordinator to represent the entire division because the Coordinator had been an active member of the Student Affairs Coordinating Council since 2005-2006 and could serve in a dual role unifying both aspects of Student Affairs (SSO/SLOs for programs & services and SLOs for academic coursework).

ACCJC accepted report from College of the Desert subject to the preparation of a Focused Midterm Report by Mar. 15, 2008. The Midterm Report indicated progress toward meeting the visiting team’s recommendations, including forecast for next comprehensive evaluation. A Focused Midterm Report required college-identified plans for improvement as well as evidence of progress made on recommendations emphasized by the Commission. The report was followed by ACCJC team visit scheduled for April 14, 2008.

Faculty Continue writing SLOs for Courses; Flex Workshops on writing SLOs expand

LA committee continues

Work on General Education Outcomes begins

SLO Task Force was formed out of the Learning and Assessment Committee and assigned to the Curriculum Committee. The SLO Task force was charged with the following:

1. Assisting the Curriculum committee in improving the quantity and quality of SLOs approved by the Curriculum committee and posted on COD portal.
2. Acting as a resource to faculty in developing assessment of student learning at the course, program, and college level.
3. Informing the faculty about new approaches to teaching and new ideas about learning and assessment by identifying and organizing professional development.
4. Working with the Curriculum committee to document SLO standards for the course, program, and institutional level.
5. Working with the Curriculum committee to develop an appropriate long range plan for managing SLOs.

The SLO Task Force Efforts addressed these items in the following way:

1. Worked with Curriculum and assisted in producing SLOs and providing guidelines by which to evaluate the quality of statements and assessments.
   
2. Worked with faculty to create SLOs and begin assessment
   Currently:
   
   -371 of 770 Courses have SLOs written 48%; LY: 33%
   
   -246 Defined Assessments to Measure Outcomes 32%; LY: 3%
   
   -9 Programs have defined SLOs
   
   -2 Programs through one cycle of assessment
   
3. Worked with Curriculum to Develop Curriculum Web page on portal
   Portal offers:
   
   -Senate Statement on Student Learning Outcomes
   
   -Course Level, Program Level, Institutional SLOs and ASSESSMENTS
   
   -3 Workshop Presentations
   
   -SLOAC Writing Checklist
   
   -SLO Writeguide
   
4. Produced the following:
   
   -COD Statement of Student Learning Outcomes
   
   -Recommendation to Senate for first part of SLO structure: SLO Coordinator,
   based on research of other colleges and “Agents of Change” document created
   by ASCCC.
   
   -Plan of Action for SLO Coordinator and Job Description for SLO Coordinator
   
   -5 Professional Development workshops on SLOAC
   
   -Guidelines for writing acceptable SLOs
   
   -Prioritization proposal for SLO Coordinator
   
5. Coordinated visit with Mira Costa College to create venue for Q & A about MCC process, progress, structure and timeline.
   
6. Attended SLO Regional Meeting and brought back best practices, news and info about California Community Colleges in local region
   
7. Researched: Modesto Junior College, Bakersfield College, Cabrillo College, Mira Costa College
   
8. Three FLEX activities created to train faculty at writing, refining and assessing SLOs.

College of the Desert produced a Focused Midterm Report required by the ACCJC on March 15 in preparation for a visit by Commission representatives on April 14. SLOs were the special emphasis of Recommendation 1 stating:

The college is urged to continue diligently with the efforts already underway through the Program Review process and to assure that all programs and organizational units develop, assess, analyze and use student learning outcomes (SLO) information for program improvement. The college must especially place some urgency on the need to develop a process for student services. (Standards I.B; I.B1; I.B.2; I.B7; II.A.1.a,c; II.A.2.e,f,g,I; II.A.6; II.B1;II.B3.c; II.B4; II.C.2; III.A.1.c; IV.A.5; IV.B.1.g; IV.B.2.b)

The SLO Task Force made a formal recommendation, including a job description, to the Academic Senate to create a faculty SLO Coordinator Position along with eight faculty Assistant Coordinators campus wide including student services. The Academic Senate President in conjunction with the College President approved the recommendation. The Student Success Initiative Committee approved the President’s application for funding the positions effective Fall 2008. The SLO Task Force met one more time to create a Summer plan of action to systematize and implement the Student Learning Outcome Assessment Cycle (SLOAC).

In June ACCJC met to review the report drafted by the visiting team. The evaluation of the College of the Desert’s Focused Midterm Report and subsequent visit stated that the college is to continue to work diligently on efforts on projects related to SLOs and program review already underway at the college. Deadline to address Commission requirements Mar. 15, 2009.

The SLO Coordinator and two other faculty members worked to create an organizational structure for SLOs and Assessment to be systematically integrated into the college at the course, program and institution level at the beginning of Fall 2008. The new team, Outcomes and Assessment Committee (OAC), comprised of eight division representative and one campus-wide coordinator is formed.  This committee takes responsiblity for outcomes assessment college-wide from instruction through student services.

Five FLEX Activities offered in Aug. to train faculty on 1.)Writing SLOs; 2.) Refining SLOs; 3.) Beginning Assessment; 4.) Program Assessment; 5.)  Climbing SLOAC Mountain: implementing the new, quick and efficient outcomes and assessment procedures.

Outcomes & Assessment Web pages up and running including SLOAC steps, forms, procedures, calendar, deadlines and faculty resources.

September 2008 SLO Writing Bonanza. All faculty (FT and Adjunct) participate in an all day event including lunch, SLOAC Implementation Overview and Division Break-out sessions.

One course in every discipline begins assessing one or more SLO (s).

Throughout the semester OAC Coordinators work with faculty to write and revise assessable SLOs and begin administering assessment tools and gathering data. 

By December 2008 all course SLOs are completed and published. 100% of all outcomes for both Academic Affairs and Student Affairs are complete. Acadmeic Affairs and Student Affairs continue to collaborate in outcomes assessment efforts.

Flex Activities continue. All faculty (FT & Adj.) gather for an Assessment Shindig. OAC Workshop 6 Shining the Light on Assessment and Workshop 7 Meaningful Assessment are offered. Focus is on course level assessment and mapping courses to Program and Institutional Outcomes.  

One more course in every discipline enters into the assessment cycle. Program SLOs are developed.  Basic Skills, Career and Technical Education, General Education, and Student Support Services Programs are drafted. Several models are developed and revised in order to study the most effective way to gather data and improve student learning college-wide. 

 The OAC, Curriculum Committee and College Planning Council (CPC) work together to develop and draft the Program Review Update (PRU) in order to track achievement and assessment data annually to ensure program review feeds the planning process.

The OAC drafts Institutional Outcomes based on COD’s mission, vision and values and sends to CPC and Senate for vetting. And the OAC creates a three year assessment plan for all courses to enter into assessment in an ongoing three semester cycle for both Academic and Student Affairs.

COD has an institutional framework for assessing student learning outcomes at the course, program, and institutional level.

COD writes and sends report to WASC, responding to four recommendations, two of which are related to general education curriculum and student learning outcomes. 

WASC accepts COD report and follow up on remaining recommendations, and accepts the report with no further action.

 The OAC retains its original structure with one College-Wide OAC Coordinator Position and eight Division Coordinators, one administrative representative, and one Student Affairs Representative.  

COD Accreditation Self-Study process comprised of five teams begins. The OAC will work with several faculty members to work on Standard II A. and B.  In November, the OAC provides overview to Accreditation Standards Teams during the Accreditation Work Day. Teams meet throughout the semester to study the college efforts in response to the standards.

Flex Activities continue.  Workshop 8:  Catching the Assessment Wave initiates College-Wide Assessment and the link to planning, followed by three breakout sessions: 8a: 8b: 8c: “Diggin the Dialogue…oh the places you’ll go”. Faculty and staff are fully engaged in student learning outcomes and outcomes assessment strategies.

Program Review Update (PRU) Workshop explains new process and report form for gathering, analyzing and assessing outcomes and achievement date for all programs college-wide to facilitate the planning process, educational master planning, and program level assessment at COD. Faculty and staff put into practice the use of assessment results to improve learning and improve services to students. 

330 courses enter the assessment cycle. Courses previously assessed begin the data evaluation, dialogue and change implementation stage of SLOAC. Outcomes Assessment Status Reports (OASRs) are filed regularly with the OAC and published on OAC web pages.

Courses are aligned to Institutional Outcomes. 

Division and discipline meetings have regular time designated for assessment dialogue and discussion. In areas across campus,  the value of cross-curricular dialogue and interaction is captured through assessment practices as observed in upcoming Spring 2010 Flex Activities.

OAC updates the College Planning Council, Board of Trustees, and President's Cabinet on campus-wide assessment efforts including a report from the Strengthening Student Success Conference on fostering a culture of evidence and inquiry.

The fourth round of course assessment begins. Courses previously assessed continue on in their respective stages. Courses having completed the third semester, thereby closing a course level assessment loop, begin a second cycle for that course tracking course changes in the Outcomes Assessment Status Reports (OASRs) and program level changes in the Program Review Updates (PRUs).

During the Spring 2010, the OAC Committee modified the Outcomes Assessment Status Report (OASR), now Assessment Report (AR), to reflect reporting by the four programs within COD: Basic Skills, Career and Technical Education, General Education, and Student Support Services. 

OAC, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research begin working together to design assessments for Institutional Outcomes (IOs) for BS, CTE, GE, and SS programs. Dialogue on outcomes, assessment and program improvement continues regularly, captured in such places as meeting minutes, OAC web pages, Program Review Updates (PRUs) and Assessment Reports by Program (ARs).

Program Review Updates (PRUs) are used at the College Planning Council (CPC) to prioritize goals across all areas of campus. The conversation about program improvements becomes integral to the planning process within disciplines and divisions and across areas of service.

Program Review Showcase gives faculty the opportunity to highlight program accomplishments, evaluate challenges and discuss the results of the evaluation process. 

Use assessment tools designed the previous semester, such as capstone projects, portfolios, performance, surveys, team projects and/or licensing exams through BS, CTE, GE, and SS programs to begin Institutional Outcomes (IOs) assessment.

Assessment continues following the assessment schedule for Academic and Student Affairs.

The OAC reports out on improvements to programs based on last year's assessment efforts.

The next round of course assessment begins. Courses previously assessed continue on in their respective stages.

OAC, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research begin working together to design assessments for Institutional Outcomes (IOs) for BS, CTE, GE, and SS programs. Dialogue on outcomes, assessment and program improvement continues regularly, captured in such places as meeting minutes, OAC web pages, Program Review Updates (PRUs) and Assessment Reports by Program (ARs).

Program Review Updates (PRUs) are used at the College Planning Council (CPC) to prioritize goals across all areas of campus. The conversation about program improvements becomes integral to the planning process within disciplines and divisions and across areas of service.

Program Review Showcase gives faculty the opportunity to highlight program accomplishments, evaluate challenges and discuss the results of the evaluation process. 

 COD embarks upon the path of sustaining ongoing SLO processes to maintain the integrity of assessment and college planning.

The OAC reflects on results of assessments and the evaluation process to further align institution-wide practices with Institutional Outcomes. 

Student learning outcomes and assessment are ongoing, systematic, and used for continous quality improvement.

Dialogue about student learning is ongoing, pervasive, and robust.

Evaluation and fine-tuning of organizational structures to support student learning is on-going.

Improvement of student learning is a visible priority in all practices and structures across the college.

Learning outcomes continue to be linnked to program reviews.

The next round of course assessment begins. Courses previously assessed continue on in their respective stages.

OAC, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research are working together to design assessments for Institutional Outcomes (IOs) for BS, CTE, GE, and SS programs. Dialogue on outcomes, assessment and program improvement continues regularly, captured in such places as meeting minutes, OAC web pages, Program Review Updates (PRUs) and Assessment Reports by Program (ARs).

Program Review Updates (PRUs) are used at the College Planning Council (CPC) to prioritize goals across all areas of campus. The conversation about program improvements becomes integral to the planning process within disciplines and divisions and across areas of service.

Program Review Showcase gives faculty the opportunity to highlight program accomplishments, evaluate challenges and discuss the results of the evaluation process.