City College of San Francisco - California Competes

RESPONSE TO THE 2000 ACCREDITATION
TEAM’S RECOMMENDATIONS
Major Recommendation #1:
Institutionalizing, Planning, Budgeting and Program Review
The team found a faculty and staff who were optimistic, enthusiastic, and increasingly committed
to the new planning, budgeting, and program review processes. The team observed a growing
acceptance of this culture of change which is dependent upon supporting evidence. To ensure that
this progress continues and moves beyond the paper stage into the College’s operations, the team
recommends the College institutionalize its planning, budgeting and program review processes.
Response (2005)
The Mid-Term Report to WASC in October 2002 reported that the College had completed the institutionalization
of the College’s Planning and Budgeting System. Since 2002, the College has effectively utilized its
Planning and Budgeting System to address all institutional resource and planning objectives. The annual
process begins in the fall of each year with the development of an annual plan which is derived from the
College’s Strategic Plan 2003-2008. The Planning and Budgeting Council (PBC), a Shared Governance
body, oversees the development of the annual plans which are ultimately approved by the Board of
Trustees in January of each year. During the period February through May, unit and major cost centers
develop planning objectives using the Annual Plan as a guide along with proposed budget augmentations
to ensure the achievement of the objectives. The PBC reviews all proposed annual objectives and major
cost center budgets in the spring and recommends a tentative budget with annual objectives to the Board
of Trustees for final approval. To monitor the progress of major cost centers in achieving their objectives,
Mid-Year and End-of-Year Assessment Reports are developed and disseminated throughout the College.
Since the successful establishment of the entire College Planning and Budgeting System, the College has
added an annual College Performance Indicators Report. The CCPI provides longitudinal data on 30
performance measures that are linked to the eight strategic priorities of the College. These performance
measures also provide a measure of the College’s institutional effectiveness. In addition, the College has
produced a Comprehensive Planning and Budgeting Guide that provides a step-by-step description of all
aspects of the College’s Planning and Budgeting System for members of the College community, especially
for new members of the PBC as well as academic, student development, and administrative departments
and offices.
During Fall 2004, the Office of Research, Planning and Grants conducted an online survey sent to all
administrators, department chairs, program coordinators, and members of Shared Governance committees
associated with the College’s Planning and Budgeting System, a total of 120 people. The objective of this
survey was to gather feedback about the level of effectiveness and efficiency of the College’s Planning and
Budgeting System, and whether it involved the appropriate College constituencies in the planning and
budgeting processes as well as promoted an informed understanding of the College’s budget and planning
priorities. Over 80 percent of the respondents agreed that the system effectively supports resources for
College planning priorities (84 percent); decisions reflect a sound understanding of the College Mission
and Vision (84 percent); the system is timely meeting calendar requirements for development, review,
and final approval of the budget (88 percent).
CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO
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