The College received one commendation and three recommendations for improvement. The District received one commendations and two compliance requirements.
Letter from ACCJC
June 29, 2020 – Stephanie Droker, President ACCJC and Ian Walton, Chair
On behalf of the Commission, we wish to express appreciation for the diligent work and thoughtful reflection that West Valley College undertook to prepare for this evaluation. These efforts confirm that peer review can well serve the multiple constituencies of higher education by both ensuring and encouraging institutional quality and effectiveness.
The Team Report noted College Recommendations 1, 2 and 4 for improving institutional effectiveness. These recommendations do not identify current areas of deficiency in institutional practice, but consistent with its mission to foster continuous improvement through the peer review process, the Commission encourages institutions to give serious consideration to the advice contained in the peer reviewers’ recommendations. The Commission anticipates that you will bring them and the team’s full report to the attention of your institution for serious consideration. In the Midterm Report, the College will include actions taken in response to the peer review team’s improvement recommendations.
Commendation
The Commission commends the College for ensuring equitable access to its students by providing appropriate, comprehensive, and reliable services to students. Included among these are innovative, equity-minded services such as Food for Books, Safe Park program for housing insecure students, free on-campus child care from morning through evening for students enrolled in at least six units, and the Veterans Resource Center and its associated Veterans Flight Deck outdoor convening area overlooking the creek.
The Commission commends the District for its creation of processes, programs, and services to increase faculty equity and diversity, consistent with its mission, including implementation of the Faculty Diversity Internship Program (FDIP) and EEO planning.
Recommendation for Improvement
In order to increase effectiveness, the Commission recommends that the College strengthen its processes of evaluating its policies and practices across all areas of the institution. (I.B.7)
In order to increase effectiveness, the Commission recommends that students in every class section receive a course syllabus that includes learning outcomes from the institution’s officially approved course outline. (II.A.3)
The Commission also determined that College Improvement Recommendation 3 be deleted from the team report.
In order to improve, the team recommends that the College conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of leadership roles and communication in governance and college-wide processes and procedures. (IV.A.7)
District Compliance
In order to meet the Standard, the Commission requires that the District systematically evaluate all personnel at stated intervals in accordance with college policies.
In order to the meet the standard, the Commission requires that the District continuously plan technology updates and replacements with the colleges to ensure quality and capacity of technology are adequate to support the College’s mission, operations, programs, and services. (III.C.2)