Self Study Evaluation

Self-Study Evaluation Team Report

Hostos Community College Self-Study Evaluation Team Visit: April 3-6, 2022

Section A: Institutional Representatives Provide a list of the following institutional representatives at the time of the visit: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/President Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis, President Chief Academic Officer Dr. Shiang-Kwei Wang, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Chief Financial Officer Esther Rodriguez-Chardavoyne, Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance Chair of the Board of Trustees William C. Thompson, Jr., Chair

Section B: Institutional Context Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community College, one of 25 units of the City University of New York (CUNY), was established in 1968 as a direct result of protests and advocacy work by community

leaders who demanded the creation of a college to meet the needs of South Bronx residents. At the time of the college’s founding, the South Bronx was largely a Puerto Rican and African American community, two groups historically excluded from the benefits of higher education. The history of advocacy that led to the college’s founding is an integral part of the Hostos story. The institution was created to serve the under-resourced and to celebrate the cultural vibrancy of a community too often known solely for being one of the nation’s poorest congressional districts. The college’s commitment to providing access to resources for the residents of the South Bronx is as much a part of Hostos’ identity today as it was when the college was founded.

In 1970, Hostos admitted a charter class of 623 students to an institution housed in a single building, the site of an abandoned tire factory. In 2018, Hostos marked its 50th birthday with celebrations that highlighted the college’s growth, which now includes six buildings, 27 degree and 2 certificate programs, over 7,000 degree-seeking students and 14,000 continuing education students. As the college has grown over the years and worked to align with students’ changing needs, it has remained steadfast in its commitment to the Hostos mission.

The three-year graduation rate for the college’s fall 2009 cohort was 10.3%. Over the next several years, the college slowly began to roll out a number of new initiatives to address barriers to student completion. For the first two years, Hostos saw incremental gains as the completion rate slowly increased by approximately one percentage point each year. Then, in 2015, our fall 2012 cohort achieved a 20.6% three-year graduation rate. By spring 2018, this number increased to 26.7%.

While the upward trend in the college’s three-year graduation rate was encouraging, in fall 2016 the college’s one-year retention rate declined from 68% to 61%, a reduction experienced by all of the system’s community colleges. This decrease in retention rate led to an expected decrease in our three-year graduation rate for the fall 2016 cohort (23%).

Hostos’ 2017-2022 strategic plan, A Bridge to Student Success, offers a conceptual framework that centers the college’s commitment to increase student completion rates. The plan was designed over the course of a year by a cross-divisional committee with broad participation from faculty, staff, students and senior leadership. The Strategic Planning Committee used an iterative design process that included multiple opportunities for community members to provide feedback via open forums, a public website and email. Analyses of data from the community feedback revealed five institutional capacities that needed to be strengthened to better serve students. These capacities were: assessment, communication, community engagement, professional development and systems alignment.

The strategic plan is organized in four phases that mark students’ progress toward graduation: preenrollment, entering, continuing and completion. Each phase includes priorities and five-year indicators of success specific to each phase. Undergirding the four phases are the five capacities identified through community feedback. Within the plan’s framework, all operational activities should be informed and shaped by the college’s commitment to improve the campus in these areas.

In Spring 2019 as the college reached the plan’s mid-way point, two open forums were held to report progress toward the indicators of success and to identify areas where the college could improve its focus to strengthen the impact of activities. Out of these forums, three priorities repeatedly arose as areas needing additional focus. The priorities highlighted were not new areas of concern. They were growth opportunities identified during prior open forums related to the strategic plan design and all three priorities are prominently featured throughout the plan. While the college has sought to address these areas, the response from the community during the spring forums underscored the importance of narrowing the focus of operational activities. Given that all three priorities emanated from community feedback, are integral to the strategic plan, and are aligned with the college’s mission, they served as the institutional priorities for the Self-Study.

Institutional Self-Study Priorities 1) Systems Alignment: Enhance our coordinated efforts to better support student academic momentum and completion.

2) Academic Competencies: Foster student development of General Education competencies and language and math skills to support success in subsequent academic steps and in the job market.

3) Community Resource Hub: Sustain and strengthen Hostos' role as a resource hub for our community.

From the Self-Study Design document: “Hostos will use the Self-Study to engage the campus in a thoughtful, mission-focused exploration of our efforts to serve our students and community.

Planning for the campus’ next strategic plan is scheduled to commence in fall 2021, the same term the college will submit our Self-Study report. The timing of the submission of our report provides a fortuitous opportunity for the campus to develop a new strategic plan that capitalizes on insights gained from the Self-Study. The intended outcomes of this Self-Study are: 1. Reaffirm that Hostos meets the MSCHE Requirements of Affiliation and the Standards for Accreditation.

2. Enhance the alignment between Hostos’ mission, the Standards for Accreditation and our institutional practices and programs.

3. Strengthen the college’s evidence-based, decision-making culture through a Self-Study that documents the effectiveness of academic and non-academic programs and offices.

4. Produce recommendations that lead to an improved student experience and increased student completion and retention rates.”

Section C: Requirements of Affiliation In the team’s judgment, the institution appears to meet all of the requirements of affiliation.

This judgment is based on a review of the Self-Study report, evidence, and interviews with institutional constituencies to clarify information and verify compliance during the Self-Study evaluation team visit.

There is ample evidence in the Self-Study itself, in addition to the evidence assembled in the evidence repository online to substantiate Hostos’ compliance with the requirements of affiliation.

Section D: Standards for Accreditation Standard I: Mission and Goals

The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission.

In the team’s judgment, the institution appears to meet this standard.

This judgment is based on a review of the Self-Study report, evidence, and interviews with institutional constituencies to clarify information and verify compliance during the Self-Study evaluation team visit.

Summary of Findings

Overall, Hostos meets its mission. Comprehensive evidence of the mission and six supporting pillars is found in each of the remaining standards. Hostos provides two versions of its mission statement in its report and on its external website. The college should make sure that it publishes a consistent version of this statement in all venues.

The mission statement is broken up into six mission pillars centered on social justice and equity: to provide access to higher education; to develop linguistic, mathematical, technological, and critical-thinking proficiencies; to foster intellectual growth and lifelong learning; to facilitate socio-economic mobility; to celebrate diversity and multiculturalism; and to serve as a community resource.

The College’s overall commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is truly admirable.

In meeting with the students, faculty, and staff, the true vibrance of this shared commitment is evident. A potential oversight might be that while the mission states that all students receive exposure to diverse and social justice issues, upon discovery, none of the courses that AAS students are required to take have DEI as a required component.

Moving forward in the strategic planning process, it may be useful to think about ways to make sure these students also have relative exposure to DEI. The first of the mission pillars, “provide access to higher education” is an evolving process as Hostos rises from the ashes of the COVID pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, Hostos was making great strides toward understanding and adapting to the changing needs of the community. The pandemic shifted focus for everyone, but Hostos could quickly scale to meet student needs through the exemplary work of the EdTech team, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the IT department. They are to be commended for having much in place prior to the pandemic and are praised campus-wide for their hard work, dedication, and support.

Of potential concern, though, is the lack of online degrees offered by Hostos. Prior to the pandemic, Hostos offered 14% of courses in either hybrid or fully online formats. In the Self-Study, two degrees were reported to be offered online: Early Childhood Education (2006) and Liberal Arts AA (2020). Upon discovery, only the ECE degree can be earned fully online; the LA/AA has launched and will benefit from targeted marketing as well as institutional support to ensure the degree can be accessed 100% online with equitable access to support services. To support this and other efforts, Hostos’ OAA will convene an Online Council with representation from all academic departments and key AES support units to guide the design, development, faculty professional development, assessment and marketing of our online programs.

CUNY supports the expansion of online degree offerings with funding opportunities designated to motivate its colleges in thinking about existing degrees that can be offered entirely online. Hostos has applied for two programs to be accepted into the funding competition for their degree in Criminal Justice, which could serve as a pipeline to the NYPD, and a credit-bearing certificate in Community Health that would articulate to

Hostos’ Community Health AS degree. Other areas are interested in developing online degrees in subjects like cyber security. These innovative and exciting opportunities are timely as the College rises from the pandemic and the needs of students continue to change. With appropriate and continued research on market trends and community needs, Hostos is in a great position to offer more fully online degrees to meet its mission.

Evidence in every standard indicates that IT infrastructure and support are essential to the successes of Hostos in meeting their mission pillars. Almost every system is touched in some way by the technology and programs used to gather, assess, and disseminate information to the larger community. Currently, the CIO is not part of the highest level of leadership discussions. While this is not unique to Hostos, the ever changing landscape of technology and its impact on college-wide systems might foster a discussion about elevating the role of the CIO so that the person in the position has access and input on issues that impact the overall mission of Hostos.

Likewise, to meet the needs of students and to provide comprehensive access to higher education through its many wonderful resources, Hostos might consider reviewing the support provided to the caretakers of students, faculty and staff working on the Help Desk and Service Desk. To support the mission and all its pillars, a strong service unit is critical, and discussion on how to best support this team is encouraged in the strategic planning process.

Collegial Advice

1. The College could review the various places in which it publishes its mission statement, ensuring it is the same in all locations.

2. The College could explore options for AAS students to engage DEI content.

3. The College could consider how it engages the CIO in their discussions regarding mission and goals and how technology facilitates the successful exercise of the mission and goals.

4. The College could consider how it might amplify the services of the Help and Service Desks in support of its mission and goals.

Team Recommendation(s): 1. The College should regularly gather and analyze the potential demand for online programs and the evolving needs of students for online programming. Further, it would be appropriate to determine the requisite professional development for faculty to facilitate the successful translation of face-to-face teaching strategies to the online environment.

2. The Visiting Team affirms the College's recommendation to ensure ongoing faculty- and staff-development to support their understanding of and participation in A-PART. Recognition of Accomplishments, Progress, or Exemplary/Innovative Practices 1. Hostos is an exemplary institution in its support and promotion of its six mission pillars focused on access, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

2. The CTL and EdTech teams deserve praise for their continued service to the Hostos community and their support of the six mission pillars. They are regarded highly by their peers and are often cited as one of the greatest areas of strength during the pandemic.

Prior to the pandemic, these teams were strong and provided excellent leadership in both pedagogy and practice. Spa Day is an exemplary practice and is worth sharing with other institutions. The “Are You Ready?” workshop was adopted by CUNY and is a brilliant example of the hard work and dedication in preparing students for online learning.

Students referenced the workshop in their time with the committee, and that, alone, signifies its use to the community.

3. The CIO, IT department and Help and Service Desks deserve recognition for their behind-the-scenes support of all the mission driven initiatives taking place simultaneously before, during, and after a global pandemic. They are regarded highly by the Hostos community, who recognize the challenges of reduced staffing. They are noted for their eagerness to help and to be responsive.

4. The faculty, staff, and administration deserve recognition for their continued passion to meet all six mission pillars by being a student-focused institution before, during, and after a global pandemic. As a faculty member stated, “Hostos runs on love and passion.” Their love of students and dedication to helping them achieve academic and personal success is entirely commendable.

Standard II: Ethics and Integrity

Ethics and integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks of effective higher education institutions. In all activities, whether internal or external, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its contracts and commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully.

In the team’s judgment, the institution appears to meet this standard.

This judgment is based on a review of the Self-Study report, evidence, and interviews with institutional constituencies to clarify information and verify compliance during the Self-Study evaluation team visit.

Summary of Findings In all activities, Hostos adheres to its social justice and equity-focused mission, policies, and procedures. Additionally, it affirms and implements New York and CUNY-wide policies and procedures. This is evident as ethics and integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks at Hostos. There is intentional effort to value diversity, fairness, transparency, and respect runs through the organizational culture.

Ethics and integrity frame the commitment to academic and intellectual freedom, freedom of expression, and intellectual property rights. Policies guide the rights and responsibilities of faculty and staff as they conduct research. There are resources for campus Student Affairs professionals related to promoting student access, success, and wellness. EdTech also provides links to tutorials for faculty on topics like tools to prevent plagiarism such as SafeAssign and TurnitIn. Policies promote a respectful climate consisting of an equitable, inclusive, and safe environment that values diversity, and seeks to be free of discrimination and harassment. The Office of Compliance and Diversity implements many aspects of the College's respectful climate. The policies promoting safety include: the CUNY Policy on Sexual Misconduct, the CUNY Policy on

Domestic Violence in the Workplace, the CUNY Policy on Workplace Violence Prevention, and the CUNY Students' Bill of Rights. Additionally, the Hostos Classroom Decorum Code of Conduct and

the Hostos Athlete Code of Conduct are detailed guidelines for safe and respectful behavior. The policies promoting inclusivity include: Reasonable Accommodations and Academic Adjustments Policy, Lactation Guidelines, Paid Parental Leave Policy, Memo on Requests for Name and/or Gender Changes, the CUNY Statement Regarding AIDS Awareness, the policy for physically handicapped students and faculty, and the Military Service Policy. The CUNY Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy guides the college towards creating a climate that is free of discrimination. The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Bylaws Handbook discusses gender identity and transgender athletes’ participation on intercollegiate teams. CUNY’s Affirmative Action Policy guides campuses on recruiting, hiring, retaining, tenuring, and promoting increased numbers of qualified minorities and women. CUNY’s Points of Light Policy supports Affirmative Action at CUNY. Diversity is further supported by an Annual Affirmative Action plan.

The policies related to a respectful climate are supported by training, initiatives, events, and opportunities. Compliance trainings include CUNY’s Mandatory Workplace Violence Prevention Training and Mandatory Sexual Harassment Training, which guide faculty and staff in implementing relevant policies and procedures on their local campuses. The community is also regularly convened to engage with justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion topics through town hall meetings, workshops, discussions, and conferences. Diversity, equity, and inclusion

(DEI) is also infused across some of the curriculum. The Liberal Arts program offers several interdisciplinary options. There are degree programs that prepare students for careers that advance DEI. Additionally, DEI is reflected in the General Education curriculum and program learning outcomes; however, this is an area which can be strengthened. Full DEI representation in the curriculum is a current work in progress.

The grievance policies are fair and impartial which supports grievances being addressed promptly, appropriately, and equitably. The categories for grievances include faculty and staff, students, academic appeals, sexual misconduct and EEO complaints, and appealing accommodation requests.

Constituents are advised on how to avoid conflicts of interest in accordance with the CUNY Conflict of Interest Policy. CUNY’s Legal Affairs Office provides guidance and communicates conflict-of-interest policies for the CUNY community. The New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) has authority over CUNY and Hostos employees (among others) and provides information, education, and advice regarding current ethics and lobbying laws and promotes compliance through audits, investigations, and enforcement. Executive leaders, senior administrators, designated policy makers, and those earning above a threshold salary complete and sign off on an annual financial disclosure statement. Hostos uses a Multiple Position Form to indicate any outside employment. Compliance with the Multiple Positions policy ensures fulltime faculty have ample time to focus on teaching and other requirements of their public employment. Faculty are not permitted to engage in any employment, consultative, or other work outside of CUNY unless they receive prior approval from their department’s Personnel and Budget (P&B) committee after full disclosure of their academic commitment and details of the work.

The recruitment, hiring, evaluation, promotion, discipline, and separation of employees comply with all NY state laws and CUNY-wide policies. The Office of Compliance and Diversity (OCD) guides recruitment and tracks searches of administrative, managerial, and tenure-track faculty. The Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) charges search committees at the beginning of each search and trains them on policies and practices that ensure a fair hiring process free of implicit bias and conflicts of interest. Both full and part-time faculty undergo regular and systematic review that ensures that they effectively and rigorously teach, assess student learning, contribute their service, and engage in scholarly inquiry consistent with the college’s mission and guiding CUNY BOT policies. Staff are periodically and rigorously evaluated by their supervisors using the Performance Evaluation and Management System (PEMS). Re-appointment, promotion, and tenure have clear and transparent guidelines. Instructional staff are part of the collective bargaining unit and have guidance provided through the contract. There is a policy for nonappointment or removal of instructional staff who are not included in collective bargaining.

Public relation announcements, advertisement, recruiting and admissions materials and practices, as well as in internal communications show a commitment to honesty and truthfulness. The Office of Communications produces a variety of outward-facing materials; serves as a liaison between the campus community and the press; and maintains media guidelines, brand guides, and style guides. Internally, faculty and staff benefit from many avenues of regular communications. In addition to the flow of information via the College-wide Senate, Chairs, Coordinators and Directors meetings, and Department meetings, they benefit from presentations at quarterly All College meetings, an annual Community Report, and a weekly digital newsletter El Semanario that features regular contributions from staff and faculty leading campus-wide activities such as assessment and student government.

The commitment to affordability and accessibility is demonstrated in the student success rates while keeping education affordable. More than 95% of Hostos students are eligible for financial aid. Upon admission to Hostos, students are screened for eligibility for cohort programs that offer financial support including Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP), Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge Program (SEEK), and College Discovery (CD). These CUNY-wide programs provide students with financial benefits, advising, and other support, to promote accessibility, affordability, and success. Hostos, which is part of CUNY’s OER initiative, offers increasing numbers of zero-cost course materials; the library also promotes Open Access and OER materials.

Services and programs promote affordability and accessibility while remaining compliant with federal, state, and commission policies and regulations. Tuition and costs are documented on the CUNY website with various resources on financial literacy. Hostos proactively and systematically informs students about financial aid and support including scholarships during the admissions process and as part of orientation events.

Three offices have been identified with responsibility for ethics and integrity policies, processes, and practices: The Legal Affairs and Labor Relations Office (primarily responsible for JCOPE compliance); the Office of Compliance and Diversity (which assesses compliance from a diversity, equity, and inclusion perspective); and the Office of Human Resources (which assesses compliance from a hiring and personnel perspective) ensure that Hostos employees are knowledgeable about and conduct themselves in ways consistent with CUNY and New York State policies.

The review of documents and the website authenticated that policies, procedures, and practices are in place related to ethics and integrity.

Collegial Advice:

1. DEI across the curriculum was mentioned but needs to be fully implemented to support the impact Hostos wants to make on the community internally and externally.

Team Recommendation(s): None Requirement(s): None Recognition of Accomplishments, Progress, or Exemplary/Innovative Practices 1. There is clear documentation of policies and procedures.

2. There appears to be clear access for the college community to research and identify what is needed to function efficiently and be compliant.

3. There is a documented process to train search committees on fair hiring practices. We find this to be important for the process to ensure each person hired has a similar experience and equitable steps to onboarding.

4. The focus on DEI is evident through its integration in processes for staff and faculty.

Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience An institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence of all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. All learning experiences, regardless of modality, program pace/schedule, and setting are consistent with higher education expectations.

In the team’s judgment, the institution appears to meet this standard.

This judgment is based on a review of the Self-Study report, evidence, and interviews with institutional constituencies to clarify information and verify compliance during the Self-Study evaluation team visit.

Summary of Findings Hostos offers 28 associate degree programs and 1 certificate program. They provide students “rigorous, coherent learning experiences” consistent with the expectations of both NYSED and MSCHE. Curricular innovation at the college is faculty-led and the college has implemented many high-impact practices designed to foster a coherent student learning experience and to promote the synthesis of learning. These include: improved gateway English and math course sequences (a national trend with a body of supportive research); gateway course co-requisite models, which also saves students financial aid; writing intensives (or Writing Across the Curriculum); experiential learning opportunities, which are currently part of eight degree

programs; and Common Intellectual Experiences as used in their honors programs and STEM areas. Further, Hostos offers seven dual-admissions programs and multiple articulations with four-year CUNY colleges. Curricular emphasis is placed on high-demand and high-impact industries (such as Game Design) and new programs are developed in alignment with industry demands and Department of Labor need projections.

It is clear that the student learning experiences are designed, delivered, and assessed by contentexpert faculty who are vetted by the institution. Both full- and part-time faculty “undergo regular and systemic review that ensures that they effectively and rigorously teach, assess student learning, contribute their service, and engage in scholarly inquiry consistent with the college’s mission” (34). Annual teaching observations and annual reviews are conducted by each department. Student evaluations are administered at the end of each semester. Additionally, a group called the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) helps “faculty conduct teachingbased research, which can lead to publications'' and conference participation (35).

Faculty at the institution prioritize teaching and service, which includes many opportunities for serving on committees and on task forces. Service is also integral to the “portfolios for reappointment, tenure, and promotion” (35). According to the Self-Study, Hostos faculty are indeed qualified for the work that they do: 53% hold doctoral degrees; 47% hold master’s degrees. Per the 2019 CUNY PMP data book, the three-year average of pieces of scholarship or creative work for faculty at Hostos was .4, comparable to the CUNY community college average of .5.

Faculty are also sufficient in number “to ensure the delivery and design of rigorous and comprehensive learning experiences'' (36). For the past five years at Hostos, 50% of annual FTEs were delivered by full-time faculty. In 2019, the ratio of full-time faculty to student full-time equivalencies was 1:26.

Hostos faculty are provided ample opportunity for professional development. Annual offerings come out of the college’s strategic plan. Faculty clearly take advantage of these opportunities, as 30% of full-time and adjunct instructors have participated in at least two activities offered by either the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) or the Office of Educational Technology (EdTech).

A clear faculty review process is in place to ensure that faculty are reviewed regularly and equitably. The review ensures that faculty “effectively and rigorously teach, assess student learning, contribute their service and engage in scholarly inquiry consistent with the college’s mission and guiding CUNY BOT policies” (34). A handbook is available to faculty outlining the processes for reappointment, tenure, and promotion. The handbook was created with input from academic departments.

Academic programs are clearly and accurately described and appear in various official publications of the college: the college catalog; Hostos website; Degreeworks, the CUNY-wide web-based program in which students track their academic progress; degree maps, which are used in conjunction with Degreeworks; and in course syllabi. The Self-Study report details sufficient learning opportunities and resources, including a faculty-led Writing Across the Curriculum, experiential learning as embedded in eight degree programs; common intellectual experiences like the Honors Program and various STEM student clubs; and the new Collaborative Online International Learning, which is a virtual, international exchange. Hostos students are also provided academic advising by full-time faculty. While the Self-Study discusses the success of cohort-based interventions for advising, it also acknowledges the need for uniform strategies to be used across departments and majors to better serve students.

Hostos participates in the general education Pathways curriculum, which provides a seamless transfer process so students do not lose time or money, and also provides an interdisciplinary general education foundation. There are 102 Pathways gen ed courses at Hostos. Courses aligned with Pathways competency areas including World Cultures and Global Issues, U.S. Experience in its Diversity, and Scientific World Lecture expand the cultural and global awareness of students.

The gen ed program has eight competency areas that cover oral and written communication, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical analysis and reasoning, information literacy, and values, ethics, and diverse perspectives.

Lastly, Hostos Pathways gen ed outcomes are aligned with MCSHE gen ed expectations, as charted in the Self-Study. Annual assessment of academic programs is integrated into operational planning and PLO assessment, departmental effectiveness assessment, and academic program reviews are all part of the process in which faculty and staff reflect on and make changes to student learning opportunities. Over the last few years, faculty have begun to participate in using A-PART for assessment. As acknowledged by the faculty and staff, professional development to support use of A-PART can be more robust at the institution.

Collegial Advice 1. The College is encouraged to train more faculty on not only using A-PART but on the closing the loop process.

Team Recommendation(s)

1. The Visiting Team affirms that the College could develop uniform strategies for faculty to provide guidance to students across majors, perhaps utilizing the CTL for discussion of best practices.

2.

The Visiting Team affirms the College’s recommendation to deepen supports to faculty and students for multi-modal teaching and learning.

3. The Visiting Team affirms the College’s recommendation that they innovate student success supports with Ms. MacKenzie Scott’s gift, particularly around retention, job placement, and transfer.

4. The Visiting Team affirms that Hostos may standardize assessment of high-impact practices across the curriculum by implementing a framework for assessing ELOs and writing-intensive courses as part of ILO assessment.

Requirement(s) None Recognition of Accomplishments, Progress, or Exemplary/Innovative Practices 1. Hostos operates a model Center for Teaching and Learning that supports new and established faculty in their pedagogy, professional development, and publishing. The center empowers collaboration and promotes collegiality and has great buy-in and participation from adjunct faculty as well.

2. Additionally, the curriculum processes at the College are being commended for thoroughness and seamlessness. Curriculum changes are initiated by faculty and follow a rigorous process of checks and balances.

Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience Across all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with its mission and educational offerings. The institution commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success through a coherent and effective support system sustained by qualified professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the educational experience, and fosters student success.

In the team’s judgment, the institution appears to meet this standard.

This judgment is based on a review of the Self-Study report, evidence, and interviews with institutional constituencies to clarify information and verify compliance during the Self-Study evaluation team visit.

Summary of Findings Hostos’ mission is driven by the core tenets of social justice, equity and student success. This is evident in the College’s commitment to open admissions by offering mission-focused programs and services to ensure students are provided with an experience that meets their financial, academic, career and personal needs. The student experience pathway begins with pre-college offerings, admissions processes, advisement and other intentionally designed support structures necessary to maximize student success. Threaded throughout the student experience are highly qualified and dedicated faculty and staff who provide populations of students with a wide range of educational backgrounds while acknowledging student cultural identities with the goal of a comprehensive approach in support of the holistic development of students.

The Office of Admissions is the first connection with students and guides them through preenrollment to initial advisement. Enrollment has remained steady until fall 2020; however, beginning with fall 2019 the College is experiencing an enrollment decline which was exacerbated due to the Covid Pandemic. Changes in placement testing procedures have resulted in students not needing to take a placement test, but rather their placement is guided by a CUNY Placement Index based primarily on high school GPA. This went into effect spring 2020. As a result, the majority of incoming students are placed into co-requisite supported credit-bearing math and English courses. This has resulted in higher first year completion rates in gateway math and English courses. Hostos offers three major cohort-based pre-enrollment programs: CUNY Start; Math Start; and the University Summer Immersion Program. These programs provide students with the necessary skill development as evidenced by the high degree of completion rates, proficiency achievement and matriculation status. Of significant note is the three-year graduation rate increase from 11.9% for fall 2010 cohort to 20.6% for fall 2018 cohort. While the one-year retention rate of first-time, full-time new students has remained at about 60%, there was a decline in 2020 to 53.6%. Analysis of reasons for this decline as well as declining enrollment should assist in planning for future strategic directions.

The College website provides students with comprehensive financial aid information and support for available scholarships and other financial resources for tuition, fees and other related expenses. This is critically important since 95% of full-time, first-year students qualify for financial aid. More than 75% of students report annual household incomes of less than $30,000.

In addition to the financial assistance available, students have additional opportunities available through various assistance programs, such as One Stop which provides free benefits screening for SNAP services, Medicaid, housing, public assistance, food vouchers and free tax preparation.

These programs and services can help alleviate hardships and increase student success. Clearly defined consumer information for prospective and current students outlines fair and impartial college practices.

The College offers incoming students a series of first year onboarding experiences. These experiences include: an orientation for new and transfer students; a three-credit First Year Seminar which is required for Liberal Arts students; and an online learning module designed to prepare students for online courses. These experiences prepare students for the academic rigor and an awareness of essential resources for successful college completion. The College recognizes the value of these experiences and is seeking ways to mandate a first year onboarding experience for all entering students.

The Counseling Center provides mental-health services as well as support for personal and emotional challenges. Services for students with disabilities are provided through the Accessibility Resources Center. All students are assigned to an academic advisor. Advisors are provided through three support program units: College Discovery (CD); Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP); and Student Success Coaching Unit (SSCU). All units provide students with an individualized degree plan. Also, the units have developed shared student learning outcomes. A technology-based student alert system is used by the advisors.

Hostos offers specific programs and services to assist students to achieve their educational goals.

Multiple cohort-based programs provide students with a focused educational support structure such as, ASAP and College Discovery, CUNY Edge, Honors Program, and CUNY Research Scholars Program. Advocacy-based completion supports have been implemented to focus on identified populations such as, the Black Male Initiative, Family Empowerment Program, and the Accessibility Resource Center. Supports are in place as well for transfer students through the Office of Transfer Services. Several collaborative projects support graduates as they transfer to four-year institutions. Included are dual-admission degree programs and articulation agreements.

For students transferring into Hostos, options for credit are offered including Prior Learning Assessment. Career Services are provided to prepare students with necessary career planning and connection to employment opportunities.

Appropriate academic support services are provided. Tutoring services are provided through the Writing Center and the Hostos Academic Learning Center. Due to the pandemic, virtual tutoring was instituted as an additional service. The Library has a staff of ten full-time librarians and additional staff to support students' use of library services. Since the pandemic these services are offered in an online-chat format and provide digital reserves.

The College’s Department of Athletics offers varsity sports and intramural sports and activities.

The College houses a gym, weight room and swimming pool. Throughout the pandemic, athletic activities were suspended. During this time, the College added e-sports to its athletic offerings. A variety of student life and extracurricular offerings are provided, including student clubs and organizations, Student Government Association, a Leadership Academy, and Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture. As evidenced by a review of governing policies, appropriate regulations are in place.

Hostos has established an annual Administrative and Education Support (AES) assessment process. While the framework for this process is well articulated as well as the relationship and alignment the AES assessment has with the overall institutional planning and assessment framework, it has not uniformly reached full implementation. The evidence provided demonstrates efforts toward completing the assessment cycle of identified units; however, there is unequal progress toward meeting the established AES assessment framework. As this process continues to evolve, discussions with institutional leaders as well unit leaders highlighted the need for staff professional development in order to achieve greater buy-in and adoption of the assessment practice. In addition, attention should be placed on assessment of a particular service regardless of the provider of the service. An example of this are the three units (ASAP, College Discovery and Student Success Coaching Unit) that each provide advising. There should be a common plan for assessing the advising provided by all three units.

A review of documents validated that policies and practices are in place regarding the safe and secure maintenance and appropriate release of student records and information.

Collegial Advice 1. The Visiting Team affirms the College’s suggestion to leverage the strengths of student multilingualism and cultural identities across programs to bolster their transfer and career opportunities.

2. The Visiting Team affirms the College’s suggestion to implement college-wide policy for credit for prior learning.

3. The Visiting Team affirms the College’s suggestion to build partnerships with community leaders and organizations via the Community Advisory Council to strengthen student career and transfer opportunities.

4. Using lessons learned during the pandemic resulting in promising practices, the College might consider developing a comprehensive approach for moving into the future that meets student needs by offering a balanced approach to delivering programs and services both in-person and virtually based on student feedback. Faculty and staff professional development should be considered.

Team Recommendation(s) 1. The Visiting Team affirms the College’s recommendation to initiate common assessment of Hostos’ advisement offerings.

2. The Visiting Team affirms the College’s recommendation to determine a comprehensive onboarding experience that is mandatory for all entering students.

3. The Visiting Team affirms the College’s recommendation to offer students support services online and face-to-face, maximizing access to best meet student needs.

4. To support the current planning taking place to address enrollment declines, the College should develop and implement an integrated strategic enrollment and marketing plan.

5. While progress has been made toward implementing an annual Administrative and Education Support (AES) assessment process, establishing a more coherent and intentional approach will lead toward a practice of unit improvements and demonstrated unit effectiveness. Emphasis should also be placed on providing professional development for all staff to ensure they are well versed in individual unit assessment and the overarching assessment process. This should assist in strengthening the overall AES assessment practice.

Requirement(s) None Recognition of Accomplishments, Progress, or Exemplary/Innovative Practices 1. The College is to be commended for advancing the achievement of student persistence, transfer and completion rates. The three-year graduation rate of 11.9% in 2010 has doubled. Persistence rates have hovered at about 60% and transfer rates increasing by more than 20 percentage points are to be acknowledged. This baseline strength presents an opportunity for continuing to work towards greater achievement.

2. The College is to be commended for developing and offering a wide array of support services and programs designed to meet student needs.

Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment Assessment of student learning and achievement demonstrates that the institution’s students have accomplished educational goals consistent with their programs of study, degree level, the institution’s mission, and appropriate expectations for institutions of higher education.

In the team’s judgment, the institution appears to meet this standard.

This judgment is based on a review of the Self-Study report, evidence, and interviews with institutional constituencies to clarify information and verify compliance during the Self-Study evaluation team visit.

Summary of Findings After reviewing the educational effectiveness assessment, it appears that Hostos Community College does a good job in assessing student learning outcomes (SLOs), Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs), and Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) regularly. The degree programs’ PLOs and ILOs are aligned appropriately and are documented in a user-friendly template.

The College’s institutional effectiveness framework and assessment infrastructure adequately organize and evaluate student achievements in achieving the desired SLOs and PLOs. The use of the Annual Planning and Assessment Reporting Template (A-PART) standardizes the review of the curriculum, student demographics, assessment, and recommendations for improvementrelated templates. Faculty can also use this to connect their course assessments to college-wide strategic operational plan priorities periodically. The institution also engaged in creating meaningful assessments by providing annual assessment workshops to department chairs and program directors to train them in the art of translating the PLO-related data into actionable items.

A gradual increase in the transfer rate of AA/AS graduates over a decade of time frame is commendable. Overall, social mobility data seemed to support the fact that Hostos performed well above par on the social mobility scale as compared to other CUNY community colleges. A few of the allied health related disciplines have seen 100-percent job placement rates. A significant increase in first-time pass rate on National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) from 80-percent to 91-percent is noteworthy as well. There was a plethora of evidence shared by the institution to indicate that shared governance is utilized to guide decisions and to communicate the assessment results to guide decision-making to sustain and grow student achievements.

Hostos Community College used the early alert system to streamline and interconnect different offices to assist students and to make referrals to various offices across campus based on critical student needs in terms of academic advisement and financial-aid related issues. Hostos also introduced many initiatives to improve the graduation rate of students. One such initiative was the Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP). Through this initiative, the institution increased the three-year graduation rate to above 50-percent. This was a significant improvement as compared to the graduation rates from the pre-ASAP program implementation period.

Similarly, through a strategic operational planning process, Hostos Community College focuses on other student success initiatives, particularly to raise the retention rate of students. The academic years mentioned in the Self-Study report indicate a wide fluctuation of retention rates of first-year students between small intervals of comparison years. For example, first-year student retention went down 12 percent between fall 2015 to fall 2017 and went up again by 4 percent between fall 2017 to fall 2019. Pre-probation interventions and sustained developmental education reforms are also strategies designed to accomplish first-year student success.

As indicated in the Self-Study report, the College’s ability to learn the lessons from the General Education related assessments of the eight different competency areas has produced positive outcomes. Through a longitudinal study of data, the College has concluded that by reducing the levels of remedial courses and introducing supplemental support in gateway courses, the success rate of students increased significantly for students who benefited from supplemental support.

For remedial students in the English Composition course, the English department increased their student success outcomes by introducing an option of co-enrollment in a supporting course along with the college-level English course. Results indicated a higher success rate for these students as compared to students who were directly placed into the English Composition. Hostos engaged in periodic assessment of the effectiveness of the assessment processes. It was demonstrated that the College conducted these reviews through a committee on assessment on an annual basis.

SUNY Council of Assessment rubric was briefly mentioned as a guide to assess the assessment processes at Hostos in the Self-Study.

Despite significant disadvantages in terms of underprepared low-income minority students from the local community that enrolled at Hostos Community College, the educators at Hostos have demonstrated positive outcomes through effective assessment processes and operational planning. A brief mention of a common assignment rubric to assess certain courses indicates the institution’s move in a positive direction towards a better alignment of ILOs with the learning goals in courses. ·Collegial Advice 1. To further improve a program’s assessment plan, edit the curriculum mapping document to a user-friendly format such that it indicates which of the PLOs/ILOs are assessed through homework, projects, tests, etc., and provide formal feedback. Course titles can also be inserted along with the course number so it is easy to understand why certain learning outcomes are targeted in a particular course.

2. Faculty/staff members who are well-versed in curriculum mapping should be approached and groomed to advocate for aligning student learning outcomes with program and institutional level outcomes. It would reduce redundancies in SLOs (and perhaps PLOs) and promote a culture of data-driven decision-making.

Team Recommendation(s) 1. The Visiting Team affirms the College’s recommendation to “standardize the assessment of student success data as part of academic program assessment.” Hostos Community College must develop a standard data set for academic chairs and model its use.

2. The Visiting Team recommends a data platform to conduct the assessment and planning to streamline processes and to have a user-friendly environment to track progress.

Organizing tons of excel files from different units across campus makes the assessment process difficult.

Requirement(s) None Recognition of Accomplishments, Progress, or Exemplary/Innovative Practices 1. It is worth mentioning how the College catered to the needs of disadvantaged student populations. Despite significant disadvantages in terms of underprepared low-income minority students from the local community that enrolled at Hostos Community College, the educators at Hostos have demonstrated positive outcomes through effective assessment processes and operational planning.

Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges.

In the team’s judgment, the institution appears to meet this standard.

This judgment is based on a review of the Self-Study report, evidence, and interviews with institutional constituencies to clarify information and verify compliance during the Self-Study evaluation team visit.

Summary of Findings Hostos Community College has demonstrated its institution-wide goals and objectives by developing its 2017-2022 Strategic Plan Framework. The Framework identifies the College’s mission, values, and current trends and challenges. The six pillars of Hostos’ mission are: access to higher education, diversity and multiculturalism, English and math skills development, intellectual growth/lifelong learning, socio-economic mobility, and community resources.

Hostos Community College has demonstrated its planning and improvement processes through an evaluation of institutional performance with its institutional effectiveness plan (IEP). The plan serves as a roadmap to guide assessment activities across the college and to ensure these activities are aligned with the Strategic Plan. The framework incorporates two overlapping areas of planning and assessment: organizational effectiveness and educational effectiveness.

Hostos Community College has demonstrated a financial planning and budgeting process that is aligned with the institution’s mission and goals, evidence-based, and clearly linked to the

institution’s strategic plans/objectives. To ensure that the College’s budget is aligned with the College’s mission and goals, a thorough development and review process occurs. This process involves review and input from a multitude of stakeholders to allow for meaningful and evidence-based decision making. Hostos receives its budget allocation from CUNY Central. The College budget is reconciled with requests received from divisions and the annual Operational Plan. Afterwards, the Budget Office compiles division allocations and the President approves it. Division liaisons work with the Budget Office to ensure spending is aligned with divisional allocations and division leadership tracks spending to ensure allocations are used in full.

Enrollment from Fall 2019 to Fall 2020 decreased by approximately 11% and from Fall 2020 to Fall 2021 it decreased by another 7%. However, since Spring 2020 Hostos has instituted new strategies to manage and boost enrollment. Weekly enrollment snapshots are sent to key staff, faculty and administrators early each semester. It breaks down college-wide enrollment percentages by new, continuing and re-admitted students. In addition, faculty are now proactively doing outreach to former students to facilitate the possible return of continuing students and readmits.

There is evidence of a well-defined decision-making process and a clear assignment of responsibility and accountability. The CUNY Budget Allocation is managed by the SVP of Admin and Finance and the Budget Office. They work collaboratively with the divisional leaders. The Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation (AEC) has fiscal responsibility for parking services, food vendor contracts, the online bookstore, space rental, ATMs and electronic vending machines. The AEC board has responsibility over the corporation. Finally, any philanthropic efforts are managed by the Hostos Foundation Board and Executive Director.

The Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that operates exclusively for the charitable purpose of supporting Hostos.

There is evidence of comprehensive planning for facilities, infrastructure and technology which is linked to the College’s strategic and financial planning processes. Hostos is a part of CUNY’s Master Plan. In 2012, Hostos prepared a Master Plan Amendment document for CUNY. The plan identifies existing buildings and space, academic departmental space needs and projected renovations. In 2013, Governor Cuomo created the NY-CUNY 2020 Challenge Grant Program, with the goal of incentivizing long-term economic development implementation plans, driven by CUNY’s colleges in areas of their academic strengths. The capital funds supported programmatic needs and provided academically aligned, sustainable economic development. In Round One, $55 million was awarded to eight projects involving 20 CUNY colleges. Of the projects awarded, Hostos received funds for the following: • Allied Health Training for Employment in the Bronx; and a • New Media Jobs Incubator and Innovation Lab

Hostos Community College has a 5-year Capital Plan through FY 25-26. In addition, the Facilities Director maintains a Life Cycle document that identifies the asset type, description, the year the asset was installed and the years of useful life remaining for major assets on campus.

There is evidence of an annual independent audit confirming the College’s financial viability.

The College is a component of The City University of New York (CUNY)’s financial statements. The most recent audit was completed for the year ended June 30, 2021. The audit received a clean opinion from the independent auditors. There is also a separate audit for the Hostos Community College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation.

There is evidence to support strategies to measure and assess the utilization of institutional resources. Hostos has demonstrated its institution-wide goals and objectives by developing its Annual Planning and Assessment Reporting Template (A-PART). The system better integrates engagement at the unit level and deepens the connection between planning and assessment across the college.

There is evidence of periodic assessment of the effectiveness of planning, resource allocation and institutional renewal processes. Hostos undergoes an annual audit which reveals no findings year after year. In addition to verifying the college’s compliance, an audit speaks to the strength of Hostos’ sound financial practices and safeguarding of public funds. In addition, the annual CUNY Performance Management Process is a core element of Hostos’ integrated approach to assessment and planning, and assessment done as part of the PMP process has informed processes to improve key indicators of student success. Reports are submitted to the Chancellor in response to institutional outcomes trends disseminated in the annual CUNY Performance Management Data Book including first-year credit accumulation, retention, graduation and transfer rates.

Collegial Advice 1. To support the current planning taking place to address enrollment declines, the College could develop and implement an integrated strategic enrollment and marketing plan.

Revenue generating departments appear to need assistance with developing budget projections that are impacted by enrollment.

2. The College in conjunction with the Foundation is encouraged to develop a liquidity policy or guideline for the Foundation. The primary objective of liquidity management is to maintain a cash position that allows the Foundation to meet daily obligations. It is not uncommon for a Foundation to experience a mismatch between the timing of expenditures and receipt of funds to pay costs.

3. The College may want to consider a review of its current faculty mix. While the student profile shows that 59% of its students are Hispanic only 29.5% of the College’s faculty are Hispanic. Recruitment efforts may need to be reviewed to encourage more diverse applicants to apply.

Team Recommendation(s) 1. The Visiting Team affirms the college’s recommendation to calibrate realistic achievable enrollment goals based on future-state scenario possibilities (factoring in COVID-19), using data on what’s happening with Hostos students. Colleges across the country are implementing new enrollment management tactics given what they have learned and experienced from the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of this scenario planning is based on student data analysis. Hostos should do the same.

Requirement(s) : None Recognition of Accomplishments, Progress, or Exemplary/Innovative Practices 1. The College is to be commended on its Annual Planning and Assessment Reporting Template (A-PART). The system better integrates engagement at the unit level and deepens the connection between planning and assessment across the college. Within the Finance Division, the A-PART template has been used to review departments such as: Accounts Payable, the Budget Office, the Bursar’s Office, Campus Operations and Human Resources. This allows administrators to connect their assessment to college-wide strategic operational plan priorities for each year. In addition, this keeps administrators engaged in both in improving effectiveness of their areas, while recognizing the important role they play in facilitating college-wide change to improve student success.

Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituents it serves. Even when supported by or affiliated with governmental, corporate, religious, educational system, or other unaccredited organizations, the institution has education as its primary purpose, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy.

In the team’s judgment, the institution appears to meet this standard.

This judgment is based on a review of the Self-Study report, evidence, and interviews with campus constituencies to clarify information and verify compliance during the Self-Study evaluation team visit.

Summary of Findings Based on a review of the Self-Study, other institutional documents, and interviews with faculty, staff, students, and others, the team developed the following conclusions relative to this standard: Hostos has a clearly articulated and transparent governance structure that functions semi-autonomously within CUNY’s system-wide governance under the leadership of the CUNY Chancellor and Board of Trustees (BOT). The BOT By-laws and Manual of General Policy allow for a balance between the uniformity and independence of 25 CUNY member institutions according to each institution’s Charter of Governance. At the institutional level, Hostos is under the leadership of the President who reports to the Chancellor and works in partnership with the college-wide Senate and Cabinet according to the Hostos Charter of Governance. Theirs is a shared governance model with a focus on joint stewardship to the college’s mission, goals, and social justice and equity roots. Together, the system is grounded in the appropriate legislation with clear guidelines for decision-making between CUNY and the college and among the administration, faculty, staff and students at the institution.

The college-wide Senate appears well structured to serve the broad interests of the college through its 15 committees. For example, a very active Curriculum Committee ensures the academic quality, planning, and related fiscal well-being of the institution while the Student Government Association ensures student input in the governing process. Written policies detail many of the college operations to ensure the independence and integrity of the governing process.

The current chief executive officer, Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis, has outstanding leadership qualifications that serve as a model for her staff and the student body as evidenced by her selection as one of the Bronx Power 50, a list of the 50 most influential leaders who are moving the Bronx forward.

Interestingly, there is a record of promoting from within for the last 2 presidential appointments. In addition to the President’s Cabinet that meets weekly to oversee college-wide operations at the highest level, there is an Extended Cabinet that meets regularly for a more granular discussion of college-wide operations.

It was noted that the longevity of the leadership at multiple levels within the institution speaks to the strong commitment to the college and its mission. The College is to be commended for the proactive succession planning enacted during a recent period of executive leadership transition to ensure continuity and stability at the divisional level. That process also revealed that the planning and assessment functions need greater emphasis and importance in job descriptions at the division level and noted the implications of that focus on hiring, tenure and promotion processes and the professional development needed throughout all levels of the institution to support that initiative. Periodic assessment of the governance, leadership and administrative functions is done through numerous venues to ensure the effectiveness and timeliness of the college operations including the implementation of A-PART, the CUNY PMP, AES assessments, periodic review and updates to the Charter of Governance, and COACHE surveys of the faculty to assess satisfaction with institutional leadership and shared governance.

The 2019 COACHE Survey did reveal faculty concerns about the tenure and promotion rates of women faculty and faculty of color. In response, the College has begun providing workshops in support of strengthening the preparation for tenure and promotion among the faculty. Furthermore, Departments are variously working with faculty to prepare them not only for the next step, but for the next step thereafter, taking a longer view to the cultivation of faculty for tenure and promotion.

The Self-Study process and its attendant conversations have provided for many in this process illuminating revelations of various governance practices across the College beyond their own usual perspectives. These participants have acknowledged the great benefit derived from this insight into governance. The Self-Study Team might consider how to replicate this conversation more broadly so that more people become aware of the current conversations ongoing around the College beyond their own perspective. Furthermore, this expansive inclusion could really strengthen the anticipated conversations that will occur under the auspices of the upcoming Strategic Planning process.

Collegial Advice 1. The College might consider emphasizing planning and assessment functions in faculty and staff job descriptions and as part of hiring, tenure, and promotion decision-making, and to institute professional development opportunities to build those skills.

2. The College might consider how to make more expansive and inclusive the conversations around governance so that those not normally engaged can contribute more engagingly in the upcoming Strategic Plan process.

3. The College might consider maintaining and expanding where appropriate those support systems for faculty in the anticipation of their engagement in the tenure and promotion processes.

4. The College might consider amplifying its support and guidance for faculty in the tenure and promotion processes.

Team Recommendation(s): None Requirement(s): None Recognition of Accomplishments, Progress, or Exemplary/Innovative Practices 1. The College is to be commended for the vitality of its shared governance practices, especially in the context of the Covid pandemic, and in particular that functioning of the Senate in regards to curriculum matters.

2. The College is to be commended for the quality of its proactive succession planning to ensure continuity of leadership and institutional knowledge;

Section E: Applicable Federal Regulatory Requirements In the team’s judgment, the institution appears to meet all applicable federal regulatory requirements.

This judgment is based on a review of the Institutional Federal Compliance Report, evidence, and interviews with institutional constituencies to clarify information and verify compliance during the team visit.

The Institutional Federal Compliance Report for the Fall 2021/Spring 2022 Cohort was presented as part of the evidence inventory for the Hostos Self-Study. All applicable requirements are completely and thoroughly documented and supported with evidence that is current (April 2022) and publicly accessible.

Section F: Review of Student Achievement and Verification of Institutional Data Section F does not need to be read during the Oral Exit Report.

I.

Student Achievement Goals

In the team’s judgment, the institution’s approach to realizing its student achievement goals appears to be effective, consonant with higher education expectations, and consistent with the institution’s mission.

This judgment is based on a review of the institution’s student achievement information provided in the Self-Study report, evidence, interviews with institutional constituencies, and the student achievement URL available on its website. In addition, in the team’s judgment, the institution’s student achievement information data that it discloses to the public appear to be reasonably valid and accurate in light of other data and information reviewed by the team.

Provide a brief evaluation of the processes and procedures the institution uses to realize student achievement goals and whether those goals are consistent with higher education expectations and with the institution’s mission.

Through a strategic operational planning process involving key stakeholders from the institution, Hostos Community College focuses on critical student success initiatives, particularly to increase the retention and graduation rates of students. Hostos Community College is doing a decent job to make sure that student achievement at the institution aligns between the course level, program level, institutional level and connects reasonably with the local labor market needs. This reflects Hostos’ mission statement which emphasizes student success in terms of intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility.

II.

Verification of Institutional Data

In the team’s opinion, the institution’s processes and procedures that it uses to verify institutional data and the data provided in the Self-Study report appear to be reasonably valid and effective.

Provide a brief evaluation of the processes and procedures the institution uses to verify institutional data and whether or not these processes and procedures are reasonably valid and effective.

Section G: Review of Third-Party Comments None received.

Section H: List of Additional Evidence

List all additional information requested by peer evaluators before or during the visit that was used to verify compliance with Commission standards for accreditation, requirements of affiliation, policies and procedures, and applicable federal regulatory requirements. * S6_APART_ADM-AY20-21_byUnit.pdf * S6_Foundation Audit Report2021-2020.pdf

* S6_Hostos_Childrens_Center_Final_FS_2021 * S6_Hostos_CC_Association_Final_FS_2021 * S6_Hostos_CC_Auxiliary_Final_FS_2021 * S6_2021-The-City-University-of-New-York-FS-University-Wide * S6_CC_BudgetAllocationProcess_3YrWeightedAvg * S6_CC_3YrWeightedAvg_FTE computation example * S6C1BudgetExpendituresReports.pdf (this one was already in our evidence inventory S6C1) * S6 HCC Reopening Plan Revised_Jan2022updates_final S6 Community College Budget Allocation Memorandum

Section I: Self-Study Report and Process Comments Section I to be read during the Oral Exit Report if completed.

Saludos Hostos! The Visiting Team would like to thank President Daisy Cocco de Filippis and all of her colleagues for producing a passionate, elegant, and thoughtful Self-Study. That SelfStudy, along with the abundant evidence inventory, provide the Visiting Team with valuable resources by which to assess the College’s preparedness for re-accreditation. Furthermore, her Self-Study leadership team, led by Dr. Kate Wolfe and Dr. Nelson Nunez-Rodriguez, provided invaluable, timely, and thorough assistance during the course of our preparations and of our visit.

In all things and in all ways, we found Hostos to be true to its mission as they introduced us through their Self-Study and through our visit and interviews to their way of proceeding. Their commitment to social justice as the framework for their service to their students and to the south Bronx community at large is commendable and compelling. To paraphrase the Jesuit motto “a faith that does justice,” Hostos is “an education that does justice.” Gracias Hostos.