Accreditation - Hartnell College!!

Institutional Self Evaluation – 12-05-12
The Curriculum Committee review considers the appropriateness of all new courses and
programs to the community college mission, the need for the program, the quality of the
course offerings and program sequence, and the feasibility of offering these courses in a
manner consistent with current regulations and standards of best practice. Career technical
education programs are forwarded to a regional consortium of community colleges for
further review. Labor market information is addressed and given heavy consideration. If the
program is approved by the regional consortium, the program application is forwarded to the
California Community College Chancellor‘s Office for final approval. In addition, all
certificate programs that are considered Gainful Employment programs are approved by the
US Department of Education.
As detailed in other sections of this report, the continuing quality and vitality of all courses
and programs offered by the college is ensured through the review processes conducted by
faculty and staff as directed by the Student Learning Outcomes and Program Planning and
Assessment Committees. These activities are guided by state laws and regulations, the
California Community College Chancellor‘s Office, the Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges, policies established by the Hartnell College Board of Trustees and
standards for best practice established by the various professional fields of study. When
programs show evidence of lowered viability, difficulty in meeting industry standards, or
otherwise fail to meet the college mission, they are subject to a Program Review and
Discontinuance process.
The Course Outline of Record (COR) approved by the Curriculum Committee serves as the
contract between institution and instructor in all delivery locations. Division Deans provide
adjunct or new faculty members with copies of the active course outline and student learning
outcomes for each course assignment. New faculty orientation meetings are held each
semester and the importance of adhering to the content contained within the course outline is
stressed during these meetings. Each semester, Deans request copies of course syllabi to
further document that the integrity of the course outline is reflected in the instructor‘s
syllabus. Discipline faculty provide mentoring and support for newer instructors in the
creation of syllabi, choice of appropriate textbook materials, grading policies, student
evaluation and assessment of student learning outcomes that are reflective of the COR.
Within disciplines and divisions, faculty meet to discuss SLO assessments and what changes
these assessments might indicate. These procedures assure that courses and programs retain
their integrity regardless of location or delivery modality.
Self Evaluation
Hartnell serves a diverse population of students and offers a variety of courses and programs
at the collegiate and pre-collegiate levels. Faculty members play the central role in
establishing quality instructional courses and programs; continuous improvement of courses
and programs is further guaranteed by the activities of the Curriculum Committee and
SLO/PPA Committees with the support of Division Deans to facilitate the learning outcomes
assessment process
The college meets this standard.
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