Accreditation - Hartnell College!!

Institutional Self Evaluation – 12-05-12
been able to follow its processes and goals amid much public expression of concern
questioning its processes or decisions.
After hiring an interim superintendent/president to begin service on July 1, 2007, the Board
initiated a search for a permanent replacement for the following year. It first outlined an
inclusive, transparent process for the search, which was well received. Nevertheless,
controversy arose at several steps of the process. The Board responded to each concern raised
by faculty and community groups—and thus added an additional selection committee
member from among La Raza faculty, and sought and obtained a legal opinion approving the
propriety of the interim president becoming a candidate--and proceeded to hire Dr. Phoebe
Helm, the interim president, as the permanent replacement (IV.B.61). Four years later, the
Board held a moderated workshop with a trainer/facilitator from the Association of
Community College Trustees to discuss good trusteeship, and to begin work on the
development of Board policies, specifically the policies on selecting and evaluating a CEO,
Board education, and Board self evaluation. (IV.B.62) The Board subsequently approved
those policies, and put one to the test when it initiated another selection process after Dr.
Helm announced her intention to retire. This process, too, elicited controversy when some of
the Hartnell faculty questioned the qualifications of the search consultant, and the Board
responded quickly to that concern. In both searches, the Board persevered in conducting a
fair, national search that was inclusive, transparent, and highly responsive to community
concerns.
The Board understands that it has one and only one employee, and when it hears criticisms of
college programs, services, or personnel in public comments, it does not respond, but rather
refers those matters to the superintendent/president for resolution. As a whole, the Board
avoids asserting itself in the day-to-day operations of the college.
The college meets this standard.
Planning Agenda
None.
IV.B.2
The president has primary responsibility for the quality of the institution he/she leads.
He/she provides effective leadership in planning, organizing, budgeting, selecting and
developing personnel, and assessing institutional effectiveness.
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