be implemented. In addition, the planning process and all its linkages should be learned and understood by all members of the organization. I.B.7 The institution assesses its evaluation mechanisms through a systematic review of their effectiveness in improving instructional programs, student support services, and library and other learning support services. Description Laney uses multiple mechanisms to gather evidence about the effectiveness of programs and services. Internal and external scans are conducted to obtain understandings about the influence of the college. Curriculum and Program Review Curriculum reviews are carried out at the departmental and course levels in preparation for program reviews and to discern the viability and quality of offerings; these efforts are scrutinized by the curriculum committee for quality and approval. Program reviews follow and provide a critical look at the nature and impact of courses, programs, and services on students and their engagement and achievements. All instructional programs, student support services, and library and other learning support services complete this process every three years, with reports submitted to the lead administrators and divisional units. Unit plans are developed based largely on the program reviews, yet they reflect each year’s needs and strengths of offerings. Educational master plans and the accompanying resource-related plans (human, technological, facilities, and fiscal) are all informed by the preceding scans and reviews; they reveal the most pressing priorities to ensure a systematic set of actions as part of a broader strategic plan (IB7-1, IB7-2). Accreditation Self Study and Complementary Surveys Ultimately, the campus-wide accreditation self study is the chief mechanism for assessing the efficacy of the college and its programs and services. It requires a substantive review of plans and actions in relation to the mission, vision, and values of the college. Complementing each of these efforts, surveys are used systematically to assess perception, to determine needs, and to learn about the effect of
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college practices on students and student learning (e.g., surveys by the Laney Library, the Technology Planning Committee, and the Universal Learning Project). With all of these mechanisms, surveys have led to changes or improvements to college efforts. The district has programmed a new Laney Library, and new Learning Resource Center, centralized instructional support services, and dedicated a lab to the Universal Learning Project as a result of feedback from constituents about their needs. Employee Review At the employee level, regular reviews are conducted on tenure-track and tenured faculty (IB7-3); part-time faculty evaluations are carried out on a cyclical basis by evaluation teams of faculty and administrators (IB7-4); administrative evaluations are conducted annually (IB7-5); and classified staff evaluations are scheduled annually on the anniversary dates of hire and conducted by the supervising administrators (IB7-6). Each of the evaluation processes are structured to describe the conditions and effectiveness of programs and services and assure excellence in all aspects of the academic enterprise. For example, the tenure-review process is a four-year process that uses criteria derived from those academic qualities, skills, and attitudes of professional behavior that constitute excellence. The tenure-review system is founded upon the following principles: •
Recognition and acknowledgement of good performance.
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Enhancement of satisfactory performance.
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Continual improvement of faculty who are performing satisfactorily to further their own growth.
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Improvement in performance.
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Promotion of professionalism.
The faculty has the professional responsibility to play a central a role in evaluating their peers. Only through the mutual and well-defined efforts of the faculty and administration can the goal of promoting quality professional staff be met. Successful