Introduction - East Los Angeles College

RESPONSES TO THE 2003 VISITING TEAM’S RECOMMENDATIONS
Standard Three - Institutional Effectiveness
Recommendations and Response
3.1 The college should integrate planning with decision making and budgeting processes to
ensure that decisions to allocate staff, equipment, resources, and facilities throughout
the college are based on identified strategic priorities and to ensure a continuous cycle of
evaluation and improvement based upon data (Standards 1.3, 3A.3, 3B.2, 3B.3, 9A.1).
Three documents drive the planning process: the Educational Master Plan, the Facilities Master
Plan, and the Technology Master Plan. The Educational Plan and Technology Plan have been
updated. Once the update of the Facilities Plan is completed, all three plans will be incorporated
into the ELAC Strategic Master Plan.
The East Los Angeles College Shared Governance Council (ESGC) reviews matters related to
the implementation of these institutional plans and has made recommendations related to special
one-time state allocations. The ESGC has directed the Educational Plan Subcommittee, which
oversees prioritization and implementation of the Educational Plan, to provide it with a list of
Educational Plan action items that are unfunded or under-funded. Any unfunded or under-funded
action items may be referred to the Budget Committee for review.
The college’s extensive Program Review process assesses progress towards strategic goals. This
information is integrated in planning the college budget.
As evidenced by the college’s positive ending balance and FTES growth, the college has made
tremendous strides in advancing its strategic goal of ensuring student access. Just prior to the
submission of budget requests, Department Chairs are required to submit annual updates of their
progress toward their Program Review goals. Apart from the successful one-time funding
program, the college does not have an ongoing shared governance process for recommending
one-time allocations from its fund balance.
Through the shared governance process, the Student Success Committee develops action plans
for implementing special State funding for basic skills, which is specifically linked to our
strategic goal of student success.
To further its institutional goals and implement the sort of projects previously funded by onetime
funding, the college has secured Title V funds and other grants. In addition, the college has
planned for economic hardship and the long term with a “rainy day” account of $11 million
dollars.
Responses to Previous Recommendations Page 29