Accreditation - Hartnell College!!

Institutional Self Evaluation – 12-05-12
Descriptive Summary
The governing body consists of a seven-member Board of Trustees. Each is publicly elected
from a defined trustee area to serve a four-year term. The terms are staggered to ensure
continuity of service. A student trustee, who casts advisory votes, is elected by the student
body and serves a one-year term (IV.B.3). For the current Board, one member has served
since 2003, two since 2007, one since 2008 (special election), two since 2009, and one since
2011. The Hartnell Community College District is more than 100 miles long, spanning the
eastern and southern part of Monterey County. As required each decade when the U.S.
Census reveals that there has been a significant change in the population a district, the
District boundaries were re-drawn by a community committee representing the District. The
redistricting plan was timely approved in 2011. The lines were drawn according to some
guiding principles, including that each incumbent trustee would still reside in his or her
district. At least two districts were substantially changed through this process. (IV.B.4)
The Board understands its role as a policy-making body, and maintains a comprehensive set
of policies that guide instruction and student services, and preserve the financial integrity of
the institution. The Board regularly reviews its policies, and is currently in the midst of a
comprehensive review of these policies. Hartnell College subscribes to the Community
College League of California‘s Board Policy & Administrative Procedure Service, which
provides policy templates and implementation advice for districts on policies that are legally
required, legally advised, and represent best practice in community college governance.
Hartnell‘s Board policies, including a cross-walk between new and old policies during this
period of comprehensive review and updating, are located on the Hartnell Board‘s website
(IV.B.5)
After then-President Helm advised the Board that she would retire at the end of the academic
year, the Board made it a priority to review and approve policies for selecting a CEO (BP
2431, IV.B.6), for evaluating the CEO (BP 2435, IV.B.7), and for its own Self Evaluation
(BP 2745, IV.B.7A). These policies were adopted at the Board‘s regular meeting in
November 2011. The Board evaluated the former superintendent/president in September
2010 (IV.B.8), and already has met to establish the timeline and processes for the new CEO‘s
evaluation, pursuant to BP 2435.
Understanding that a comprehensive review and update of its policies is a large undertaking,
the Board also prioritized those policies dealing with the quality and integrity of its student
learning programs and services, adopting updated policies in those areas in the fall of 2011
and spring of 2012.
Self Evaluation
The Board is completing a comprehensive schedule of policy review and updates, and all
policies are readily accessible on its website. Policy revisions are regularly agendized and are
approved through a two–reading process. Policy revisions are brought to the Board after
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