Certification Page 2

Abstract 3

Organization of Self Study 10

Description of the College 13

Map of O’ahu showing Leeward Community College’s Service Area 17

Organization of Institution 18

Certification of Continued Compliance With Eligibility Requirements 23

Responses to 1994 Accreditation Visiting Team Recommendations 29

Standard 1: INSTITUTIONAL MISSION 39

Standard 2: INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY 45

Standard 3: INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS 62

Standard 4: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS 81

Standard 5: STUDENT SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT 124

Standard 6: INFORMATION AND LEARNING RESOURCES 142

Standard 7: FACULTY AND STAFF 160

Standard 8: PHYSICAL RESOURCES 180

Standard 9: FINANCIAL RESOURCES 196

Standard 10: GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION 212

Planning Summary 244

Date: July 17, 2000

To: Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges,

Western Association of Schools and Colleges

From: Leeward Community College, University of Hawai’i

Pearl City, Hawai’i 96782

Signed

Leeward Community College’s mission statement reflects the goals and purposes of the University of Hawaii System. It is aligned with Focus and Quality: The University of Hawaii Strategic Plan 1997-2007 and the University of Hawaii Community Colleges Strategic Plan 1997-2007. The College’s mission statement clearly identifies the students and the communities it intends to serve. It also guides the College’s Academic Development Plan, which defines LCC’s educational programs and the parameters under which these programs can be offered and resources allocated.

The College will evaluate and revises its mission statement periodically to ensure currency. The last revision occurred in Fall l995. LCC’s mission statement will be reviewed by the campus at large to assure that it addresses future training and educational needs of the community. Changes will reflect the views of faculty, staff, students, administrators, government, community, business, and industry.

Leeward Community College has in place a number of policies and practices which ensure the integrity of its representations to its constituencies and the public; its treatment of administration, faculty, staff, and students; and its management of affairs. These include a faculty contract which protects academic freedom; stringent hiring, evaluation, tenure, and promotion practices; a student conduct code; and a student grievance procedure. The College consistently evaluates its mission, programs, and services and has mechanisms in place to communicate changes to its constituencies.

The College presents itself accurately and consistently to its constituencies and the public through its catalog, handbooks, academic calendars, schedules of courses, brochures, posters and flyers, videos, advertisements, outreach programs, and the Internet. All of these publications, statements, and electronic formats are prepared and reviewed by their respective divisions and programs. Academic freedom, responsibility, and integrity are protected by documents such as the current faculty contract and the student handbook. Both are well established and adequately publicized at the College.

LCC has in place policies that address diversity in the areas of curriculum, hiring practices, access and retention, and special programs. The College promotes respect for people of different races, gender, and sexual orientation. Hiring practices follow Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action guidelines. LCC’s open-door policy and its special programs show its commitment to serving a diverse student population, and special needs groups are provided appropriate academic and support programs.

LCC will maintain an up-to-date listing of current publications that represent its programs and services. It will also assign responsibility for its Website to a staff member or hire a webmaster to maintain the site.

Since Leeward Community College was last accredited, it has put in place an Institutional Research (IR) Office staffed by one full time and one half time Institutional Researcher. The IR Office enables the College to integrate research with its planning and evaluation activities and to develop the means for evaluating how well it accomplishes its mission and purposes. With the staffing of the IR Office, the College has begun to develop assessment tools that will lead to improvement in programs and services.

The College’s planning process has been restructured around the Academic Development Plan (ADP). The process for developing the ADP has been formalized, includes all segments of the campus community, and puts the College on a regular six-year planning cycle. The ADP is the document by which the College defines its priorities leading to the implementation of changes to improve its programs and services.

The ADP is the College’s primary guide for identification of its intended institutional outcomes. The evaluation processes will help to the College more effectively assess the quality of its programs. Once the College establishes a systematic and periodic review of all programs and services, it will be able to provide a comprehensive report of institutional effectiveness.

The College will implement systematic review of its major activities to provide guidance for improvement. In particular, the newly formed Academic Assessment Committee will develop methods to assess student achievement with respect to general education outcomes. During the next year, an Institutional Assessment effort will begin to assess all major non-academic programs and services at the College.

Leeward Community College continues to offer educational programs consistent with its mission and appropriate to the demographics of its student population. In spite of recent budget cuts, the College offers its programs of study in such a way as to permit their completion within a reasonable time. Modification to and elimination of programs has been accomplished with a minimum of disruption to enrolled students. The College continues to provide the human, financial, and physical resources needed to support its educational programs at both of its delivery sites. The College’s Student Services Division, in conjunction with members of the teaching faculty, continues to adequately support academic advisement and counseling..

The College’s degree and certificate programs are of appropriate design and are identified consistently with their content and objectives. The general education core comprises a significant part of all degree programs. Expected learning outcomes are identified in the core outlines of courses. All degree programs provide appropriate breadth and focus, and instruments are being developed and tested to demonstrate student competence in the use of computation, and oral and written communication. The College documents the expected technical competence of students completing its vocational programs.

A process is in place by which the College evaluates its vocational and technical programs. An evaluation process appropriate to the AA program is being developed. These evaluation processes will be continuously reviewed to insure that they are appropriate and effective. The College’s transfer policy aligns it with all other institutions in the University of Hawaii system and accredited institutions outside that system. Instruction is offered in a variety of modes, all of which are evaluated to ensure that they are appropriate to the needs of the students and requirements of the discipline.

Leeward Community College has recently established an office of Institutional Research (IR) through which the College will survey the educational needs of its students and develop instruments for assessing student learning outcomes. The College will undertake an effort to better define the general education core for its vocational programs and will publicize the philosophy and rationale for the core. The College will closely examine grading and distance learning policies. The College will also work to better integrate its non-credit and credit programs.

Leeward Community College recruits and admits any student who is 18 years or older or is a high school graduate which results in a diverse student body. During Orientation, Testing, Advising, and Registration (OTAR), student characteristics and needs are identified, and counseling, advising, and other student services are offered to respond to these needs. As students progress through their programs, appropriate support is sustained.

LCC’s admission policies are consistent with its mission of providing a wide range of educational programs and services. The College’s Student Services Division provides all students with current and accurate information, academic advising and counseling, and co-curricular experiences to assure success. Current assessment methods effectively identify student needs, and counseling and services are provided to those with special needs. The COMPASS test, introduced in the Fall 1998 semester, has been somewhat problematic at LCC. Further study is needed to determine appropriate cutoff scores of this test.

Counseling and other academic support services meet the needs of students on the main campus and at the Waianae campus. Services are available during day and evening hours and information is also available by Internet and e-mail.

Students are regularly asked for input in planning and evaluating student support and development services. In addition, student satisfaction with programs and services is shown through Program Health Indicators (PHI). With few exceptions, the programs are operating at satisfactory or better levels, based on the 1998-99 report.

LCC’s Student Activities Office supports various clubs and organizations that represent the diverse interests of the student body. Through its co-curricular environment, intellectual, ethical, and personal development are fostered.

Student records are maintained permanently, securely, and confidentially, with student-specific and term-specific back up tapes locked in Admissions and Record’s filing cabinets.

The Student Services Division will review the PHI to determine if criteria are still appropriate for each category evaluated and will revise the criteria where necessary.

The College possesses readily accessible and appropriate educational learning resources that are sufficient to support its courses, programs and degrees. These include a Library, a Learning Resource Center, a Math Learning Resource Center, an Educational Media Center, Campus Computer Labs and computer-equipped classrooms, and a Curriculum Resource Center. It has a professionally qualified staff and adequate financial resources to secure and maintain its learning resources. The Leeward Community College Library effectively shares resources with the University of Hawaii at West Oahu, and the College peridocially evaluates its learning resources to insure that they are sufficient to support its programs.

As part of its Institutional Assessment effort, the College will develop goals and recommendations regarding learning resource technology, including the demands placed on these resources by its expanded Winter and Summer Sessions. Users of these resources will be surveyed to assess the effectiveness and currency with which they are provided.

The College has sufficient and qualified faculty and staff who are selected based upon appropriate and clearly stated criteria. The degrees held by the faculty, all from accredited institutions, are listed in the College Catalog.

Faculty and staff are systematically evaluated based upon appropriate criteria. These evaluations are conducted so as to assess effectiveness and encourage improvement. The College has a well-supported staff development program that is continuously evaluated to insure that it meets the needs of the faculty and staff.

Leeward Community College has and adheres to written policies ensuring fairness in all employment procedures. It recognizes the value of diversity in its workforce and makes a concerted effort to ensure equal employment opportunity for all groups. Personnel policies and procedures are governed by State and University policies, and Union contracts. The College provides for the security and confidentiality of all its personnel records.

The evaluation process for Administrators and the Administrative, Professional and Technical (APT) staff will be assessed for effectiveness and fairness, and an effort will be made to expand and extend the opportunity for staff development into new areas and more of the College’s staff.

Leeward Community College was scheduled to be developed in three phases, although phase three has never been constructed. State and University commitments to other campuses will deter major construction at the College.

However, the College is managing to meet its purposes and goals despite limited physical space. Classrooms, meeting rooms, conference facilities, and storage space are in short supply. The College continues to share the campus with the University of Hawaii West Oahu (UHWO), which is housed in portable units near the Theater. Parking, which is available at no cost, is only a problem during the first few days of instruction.

The College’s grounds are in good condition, but the aging buildings present maintenance problems, especially considering the limited funds available from the State. Safety, health, and environmental concerns are addressed first; therefore, major repair projects have included the replacement of air conditioning fans, re-roofing of covered walkways central to the campus, and renovation of stairway lights and exterior walk lights.

Access, safety, security, and health are major considerations for students, faculty, and staff. Buildings and grounds have been made more accessible to individuals with disabilities and designated parking stalls minimize travel distance to covered walkways. A full-time staff of 6 provides security coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The security staff is available to escort students to their cars. LCC’s Health Center is staffed by a nurse practitioner who provides services during normal work hours. All faculty, staff, students, and administrators have tuberculosis clearance.

LCC’s processes and guidelines for equipment acquisition and replacement assure that items purchased are appropriate and consistent with institutional functions and reflect campuswide input. Equipment maintenance is handled by on-campus technicians and through service contracts.

The College will work with the Facilities Planner at the Chancellor’s Office to justify the expansion of the College and to examine ways to redesign and reallocate current space. The College will also explore options for providing covered parking or a covered drop off area and a Handi-van phone line for persons with disabilities. Finally, LCC will continue to pursue construction of a second access/egress road to and from the campus.

Leeward Community College’s financial planning supports institutional goals, is linked to other institutional planning efforts, and is based on long-range goals of the University of Hawaii System and the UH Community Colleges. The economic conditions in the state of Hawaii have negatively impacted the availability of funding.

The two major funding sources of the College are the state’s general fund and students’ tuition and fees. General funds are appropriated by the Legislature and comprise about two-thirds of the College’s total operating budget. Availability of general funds is based on biennial legislative appropriations and is subject to the Governor’s allocation. The College’s current budget has been sufficient to cover fixed costs, but there is little left for contingencies. As the state’s economic trends have continued to decline, sentiment is strong that future funding for equipment replacement, staff development, and facilities repair and maintenance will be insufficient.

The College has a Long Range Development Plan, developed through a collegewide effort and approved by the Board of Regents in January 1996. Although Capital Improvement funds are not currently available, the College has identified future physical plant needs.

Leeward Community College’s financial planning and processes are clearly defined, although wide participation from the campus community is not evident—either because individuals are uninterested or think their input will not matter. The Provost has kept the campus informed of progress of the budget’s development through the campus Bulletin, e-mail messages, and open forums and campus conversations. Input is sought from the Faculty Senate, Division Chairs, Unit Heads and Campus Council.

Sound financial decision-making and fiscal operations are provided through the Financial Management Information System (FMIS). Financial management is regularly evaluated and results are used to improve the financial management system.

The College will refine its avenues for communication to provide more effective ways for Division Chairs, Unit Heads, Faculty Senators and Campus Council members to involve faculty and staff in their units in the budget process.

Leeward Community College is a part of a statewide system of higher education with a single Board of Regents and President. Reporting to the President of the University of Hawaii is a Senior Vice-President and Chancellor for Community Colleges to whom the Leeward Community College Provost reports. The Provost leads the College’s planning, prioritization, and resource management efforts, while insuring that the College is in compliance with all statutes, regulations, and board policies. The administrative staff of seven is qualified by training and experience to perform their responsibilities within their defined roles and is evaluated annually for effectiveness.

The faculty, staff, and students have roles in the governance of the College, with the faculty’s role being substantive, particularly in the area of academic policy and faculty personnel matters. The role of faculty, staff, and students in institutional planning and budget development has been enhanced and systematized with the institution of the Campus Council as a campuswide advisory body for the Provost.

The College is developing an evaluation process for administrators that will provide for them written feedback. The process will be assessed for effectiveness on a regular basis. The role of the Campus Council is in the process of being more clearly defined than it has been and its deliberations will be more clearly communicated to the campus community. The College will make an effort to broaden faculty and staff involvement in committee work, clarify its decision-making processes, develop a formal organization for its Operations and Maintenance staff, and create an appropriate and formal mechanism for student involvement in campus governance.

Leeward Community College enrolled its first students in the fall of 1968. Since then it has adapted energetically to the changing needs of its diverse constituencies. The College’s geographic community stretches from Red Hill, the Leeward diving line between the city and the county of Honolulu, through military and middle class housing around Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base, to Aiea, Pearl City and Waipahu, through Central O'ahu as far as Kahuku on the North Shore, and along the entire Leeward Coast of O’ahu through Kapolei, Nanakuli, Maili, Waianae, and Makaha to Ka’ena Point. The district includes military and middle income housing on the Central plain from Waipio through Mililani to Schofield Barracks, and on the Leeward plains of Ewa, Makakilo, and Barbers Point. It includes the new "Second City" of Kapolei, and runs through the predominantly working class communities along the Leeward Coast, where the College maintains a small satellite facility in Waianae. Although this large segment of O'ahu is the College's official geographic service area, students from all over the island and throughout the state via distance education classes attend Leeward Community College—some because of its unique programs, others because of proximity to work, family, or child care, and others because of the College’s reputation for friendliness and good teaching.

The College's diverse constituencies include many races and cultures. Hawaiians from the Leeward Coast, Filipinos from Waipahu, Asian and Euro-Americans from bedroom communities throughout the district, and Caucasian and black military family members. The ethnic and economic divisions, however, are not clearly defined geographically; in every community, there is a dynamic ethnic mix, and frequently blue-collar and white-collar workers are neighbors. Many military families live in local communities as well as in base housing.

Students at the College come from all of these communities and constituencies. On campus the Federal JOBS program has successfully brought welfare mothers back to school, where they are performing well. The College offers special recruitment and support programs for Hawaiian and Filipino students. The College recently received a USDOE Title III grant to assist native Hawaiian students and has a newly instituted Philippine Studies program in response to the interest in that culture. The military supports a number of students, especially through the Enlisted Education Advancement Program and Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges for Army Degrees (SOCAD). The English as a Second Language Program serves non-native speakers of English, both US citizens and foreign students. Returning students come from all these groups and more. Recent high school graduates indicate that they choose Leeward Community College because it is more affordable, is closer to home, has more parking, and has a more supportive learning environment than other Colleges and Universities on Oahu. Senior citizens attend to realize life-long dreams of a college education, or to pursue long deferred interests. Over 50% of the LCC’s students are female. The average age is 22.5, while the median age is 25.8 years.

No single ethnic group predominates at the College community. The largest group, Filipinos, constitutes about 25.5% of the students, while Japanese, Caucasians, and students of Mixed Ethnicity attend in approximately equal percentages (17-19%). Native Hawaiians make up about 13% of the student body.

This wonderful mix of ethnicity, place of birth, place of residence, age, culture, economic group, and educational goals comes together in virtually every classroom, creating a challenging and vital teaching-learning environment. Added to the mix are faculty, staff, and administrators who also come from the various geographic, ethnic, and cultural communities of O'ahu and who therefore can easily related to specific student needs and backgrounds. Hawaiian sovereignty issues are actively discussed on campus, especially since the issue is complicated by the Federal Government classification of Hawaiians as Asian-Pacific Islanders rather than Native American. Reclassification would have significant impact on Federal civil rights compliance, statistical reporting, and potential benefits for Hawaiian individuals and groups--such as enabling Hawaiian students to qualify for some Federal college recruitment programs.

The community colleges in Hawai'i, established by Act 39 of the 1964 Legislature, filled a fundamental need for affordable higher education in the state, as evidenced by the rapid early growth in the size of the student body. Leeward Community College exceeded its projections and the capacity of its physical facilities in the 1970's. In 1993-1994, the College enrolled approximately 6500 students per semester. Since then, the College’s enrollment has steadily decreased to a current level of 5,570 (Fall 1999), and the College is now faced with the problem of recruiting more students. This situation is made more urgent by the fact that the College now receives the tuition money generated by each student, so declining enrollment result in declining revenues. The College must also grapple with the problem of becoming efficient as well as entrepreneurial since it must now make the best use of the revenues it generates through increased enrollment.

In spite of the decrease in enrollment since 1994, the College still has more students on campus than it was designed for. This was exacerbated by the sharing of classroom, Library, and other facilities with the University of Hawai'i at West O'ahu. However, UHWO, which used to have nothing more than some administrative buildings in the College parking lot, has added classrooms, support facilities, and offices. These buildings were erected on the east side on the LCC campus in 1998. Consequently, UHWO no longer uses LCC classrooms. UHWO has tripled its student enrollment since it "temporarily" began sharing Leeward Community College's facilities in 1981. A Leeward O'ahu site has been selected for construction of a new permanent campus; hence the two colleges will be sharing the current site for several more years.

Leeward Community College’s Office of Continuing Education and Training has taken over the old UHWO buildings, refurbished and added to them, and has significantly improved its enrollments in short-term, non-credit classes. It has a current annual enrollment of 12,962. The majority of these classes used to be held on the main LCC campus, scheduled on weekends or other low-use times, but many can now be housed in OCET’s new classrooms located on the former UHWO site.

Another impact on facilities has been the exciting changes in technology and academic support experienced by the College during the past six years. The Leeward Community College boasts an excellent across-the-curriculum Learning Resource Center, innovative approaches to distance learning through public-access television, a broad range of student services, the Internet, and other classroom applications of computer aided learning methodologies. These facilities used to support these changes are described in the College's Educational Specifications, which is being used to update the College's Facilities Master Plan. The "Educational Specifications" can be used to request additional support from the State Legislature to construct Phase III of the College, which as never completed.

The College is part of a unique statewide public system of higher education, which imposes on it some restrictions. For instance, the College is still greatly dependent on the Legislature for funding which has be cut dramatically during the past 5 years. The College was recently granted authority to retain its tuition money, which used to go to the State. Spending of state funds is still heavily regulated preventing the College from making independent decisions about the establishment and reallocation of positions that must be approved through the Legislative process. The length of that process also makes fast response to needs difficult. The State also establishes the agreements with the bargaining units; the faculty and civil service workers belong to three separate unions, and the College must adhere to all conditions of the contracts although the College itself has no bargaining authority during the contract negotiations.

Despite these constraints, the Leeward Community College has significant autonomy in delivering its programs and courses, with little interference by the Board of Regents or the President of the University of Hawai'i. Leeward Community College is fortunate that it has faculty, staff, and administrators committed to the ideals of the College motto, "To Help People Learn." Innovative teaching and clear communication with students through course outlines have always been the norm at the College. The problems stemming from a contracting but still large student body and competing needs for physical space have recently been complicated by a shrinking budget, a situation likely to continue for the next few years. However, the Mission Statement is still the driving spirit that motivated the College in 1968, so faculty, staff, and administration continue to search for ways to deliver quality education to those who choose to attend Leeward Community College.

The University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges are authorized by Act 39 of the 1964 Hawai‘i. State Legislature. Leeward Community College was founded in 1968 and authorized by the UH Board of Regents to operate as an educational institution and grant degrees.

Leeward Community College mission statement is published in the College Catalog and is consistent with the University of Hawaii Community Colleges Strategic Plan 1997-2007, which was adopted by the Board of Regents in November 1997. Leeward Community College’s goals and purposes are complementary to, and cohesive with, the University of Hawaii campuses’ goals, as defined in Focus and Quality: The University of Hawaii Strategic Plan 1997-2007.

The Board of Regents has a constitutional mandate that grants it "exclusive jurisdiction over the internal organization and management of the University." Article X, Section 6, of the Hawai‘i State Constitution grants the Regents the "power to formulate policy and to exercise control over the University through its executive officer, the President of the University." This constitutional provision was incorporated into law in Chapters 26-11 and 304-4 of the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes. The Board is composed of 12 members which by law the membership is required to "represent geographic subdivisions of the state."

The Chief Executive Officer of the College is the Provost and is appointed by the Board of Regents. The Provost provides leadership in planning and setting priorities for the College, managing resources, and ensuring implementation of statutes, regulations and policies.

Leeward Community College has an administrative structure established to meets the institution’s purpose, size, and complexity. Administrative officers are qualified by education, training, and experience to perform their duties and meet the requirements of their positions.

Leeward Community College operates year round with Fall and Spring semesters and Summer and Winter sessions. Courses are designed to meet the varying needs of the students. In a 1998 study, 72% of the students were enrolled in liberal degree programs, 21% were enrolled in vocational degree programs and 7% were undeclared status.

A majority of the courses offered by Leeward Community College lead to degrees or certificates. In 1998-99, the College awarded 543 degrees and 32 certificates.

The institutions principle degree programs, the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and the Associate in Applied Science are two year collegiate level programs in recognized fields of study. Degree and certificate programs meet standards set by the UH Board of Regents.

The award of academic credit is consistent with guidelines approved by the UH Board of Regents. The unit of credit is in compliance with the definition in the Handbook of Accreditation by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, p. 201.

Educational objectives and expected learning outcomes for programs are published in the Degree and Programs section of the Leeward Community College Catalog. Course objectives and outcomes are listed in the course Core Outlines.

Courses in general education (GE) for the AA degree satisfy lower division general education requirements of four year colleges and universities. Of the 60 credits required for the AA degree, 43 (72%) are devoted to general education courses in Arts and Humanities, Mathematical or Logical Reasoning, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, World Civilizations, and Written and Oral Communication. The AS and AAS degrees focus on vocational and technical skills intended to prepare students for the workplace. Their general education components are not intended to satisfy baccalaureate GE requirements. GE credits required for completion of AS and AAS. degrees range from 25% to 35% of the total needed for graduation. Nonetheless, in all cases (AA, AS, and AAS), each area— Humanities/Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences— is addressed

Leeward Community College in the Fall of 1998 employed 170 full time faculty and 68 part time lecturers teaching 5765 students in 820 classes in the fall semester. All instructors meet minimum requirements established by the Office of the Chancellor for Community Colleges. Faculty duties are described in Promotion and Tenure Guidelines annually updated and in the faculty contract (Agreement between the University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly and the Board of Regents of the University of Hawai‘i).

Leeward Community College has comprehensive program of student services based upon institutional mission and student needs as documented in institutional research data and student surveys.

The admission policies of the College support the open access policy of the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges.

Information and learning resources are sufficient in quality, depth, and currency to support the College’s educational programs as evidenced by the 50,000 plus volumes in the library and full-text database and Internet access.

Leeward Community College had in 1998-99 a funding base of $11.3M in general funds and $3.7M tuition funds. Planning efforts include an Academic Development Plan and the preparation of the biennium budget for the College.

An independent certified public accounting firm annually audits the College’s financial statements. Internal control procedures are outlined in the University of Hawai‘i Administrative Procedures Manual. The auditing procedures provide objective third-party review of internal controls and procedures. The results and recommendations of the audit are then presented to the Board of Regents, with copies to the Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the University President, and to the Leeward Community College’s Administrative Officer. Other major campus audits include the required Federal Compliance Audit or A-133, the Vocational Education Act Audit, the Financial Aid Audit, various legislative audits, and unscheduled surprise audits performed by the University’s Office of the Internal Auditor.

The Academic Development Plan (ADP) serves as the College’s strategic plan, integrating planning for academic personnel, learning resources, facilities, and financial development. The ADP is developed under the University of Hawaii Community Colleges Strategic Plan 1997-2007, Focus and Quality: The University of Hawaii Strategic Plan 1997-2007, and the Leeward Community College Long Range Development Plan..

Leeward Community College publishes through Catalog, Schedule of Courses, program brochures, admissions forms, website, and other publications current and accurate information about the College and its programs.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents assures that Leeward Community College adheres to the eligibility requirements, accreditation standards and policies of the Commission. The University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents certifies that the College will disclose to the Commission required information necessary to carry out the Commission’s accrediting responsibilities.

There were no recommendations in this area.

There were no recommendations in this area.

The team recommends that the College create a planning process, which is formal, college-wide, systematic and coordinated. The process should set college direction, identify institutional priorities, and use program reviews and research in each sector of the College to measure effectiveness. Planning should be done on an annual basis and should ensure that individual area plans are aligned with and reflect the college-wide plan. All segments of the College community should be involved in the process. The college-wide planning process should drive the budget.

Leeward Community College has instituted a formal, college-wide, systematic and coordinated planning process. The process incorporates the use of financial, academic, human resource, and physical plant data in the setting of college priorities and the evaluation of existing programs. While the entire process is on going and encompasses all segments of the college, through the research and deliberations of many varied committees, the institution’s planning efforts essentially begin and end with the college’s Academic Development Plan (ADP). The ADP serves as the nucleus for insuring the College maintains focus on its mission by establishing goals and prioritizing objectives. The ADP integrates the five goals outlined in the University of Hawaii’s Strategic Plan, and the UH Community College’s Strategic Plan, with the needs and desires of the campus and community. The Academic Development Plan is the primary document used both in the biennium budget planning process and the allocation of scarce resources. It also serves as the foundation for evaluating curriculum. The ADP is a six-year plan approved by the entire campus community and reviewed annually.

The team recommends that the College develop and implement a means for meeting the College’s research needs to include coordinating the campus research effort, furnishing usable data for planning, program review and other institutional decision making processes, providing technical assistance in designing research studies and serving as a liaison with the System research office.

Leeward Community College currently has two Institutional Researchers. One position, which has been in existence since 1992, is a half-time federally funded position that is dedicated to supporting vocational education programs. The other position established in August 1998 as full-time, focuses on supporting the general education and administrative functions of the college. These two positions act as the focal point for all institutional research efforts and serve as liaisons to the Community College System office. In addition to conducting their own research initiatives, these researchers have provided technical assistance in designing research studies and collaborated with faculty members in collecting and analyzing data. The emphasis of the researchers’ work has been on conducting program reviews and generating data for use by the faculty and staff to use in the collegial decision-making process. This collection and dissemination of data is evidenced by the publication of the program review health indicator data, the LCC Fact Book, and several research studies that investigated student opinions.

The team recommends the curriculum documentation and review become systematic and consistent in order to ensure that variations are in the realm of professional latitude rather than substantive and qualitative in nature as at present.

As reported in LCC’s Midterm Report (November, 1997), a three-semester project to create Core Outlines for all credit courses at the College was implemented to follow this recommendation. The goals were (1) to have the same basic information about each course recorded on a standard form and then (2) to have each section of a course implement the basic core, thus insuring that students receive the same substantive instruction no matter which section they enrolled in.

In the Fall 1995 semester, a Core Outline form was created to record information about the course’s instructional objectives, methods of instruction, activities and assignments, etc. By the end of the Spring 1997 semester, Core Outlines for an estimated 90% to 95% of all college courses had been reviewed and approved by the Faculty Senate’s Curriculum Committee and the Faculty Senate, and currently all courses have Core Outlines. In addition, whenever a new course was proposed or an existing course modified or deleted, a Core Outline was required by the Curriculum Committee as part of the review process.

At the same time that the Core Outlines were created to standardize the information given about each course, efforts were also underway to increase the accessibility of the outlines to more faculty and to decrease the paperwork in the process of adding, deleting, or modifying courses. Curriculum Central, an on-line database that would have information about all past, current, and future credit courses, was created. This project of creating a database that could be accessed via the Internet from Macintosh or IBM compatible computers was begun in February 1997. Currently, all Core Outlines and the various forms needed to propose new courses and change existing courses, as well as to keep track of the approval process courses go through as they are being changed, can be viewed by anyone via Curriculum Central. In addition, individual instructors’ course descriptions and syllabi can also be put on Curriculum Central.

As with any new delivery medium, especially one involving computers, there are still technical problems with the forms on Curriculum Central, for example, long initial loading time and the inability to edit sections on the Course Proposals once they have been submitted, as well as faculty who are reluctant to learn and use this new system. However, when these problems are solved and issues resolved, Curriculum Central’s potential can greatly benefit the College. With more information about the College’s courses being shared by more people, not only within the College but also extending to the wider academic community on the Internet, more consistency among the courses and between sections of the courses, is likely. The information recorded on Curriculum Central will make it more evident which instructors follow the Core Outlines or which give assignments similar to other instructors teaching the same course, and the resulting informal pressure towards the mean will perhaps be enough to modify the practices of the outliers.

It is evident that there are now standard Core Outlines and systematic and consistent documentation and review of courses as they go through the procedures to create and modify them. However, there is no systematic review of all courses once they are taught semester after semester. There seems to be an implicit trust in each instructor’s professional judgment to align his or her sections with the Core Outlines and a reluctance to impinge upon the faculty’s academic freedom in the classroom. More investigation needs to be done on "the goodness of fit" between these Core Outlines and the individual sections of the courses at the division and classroom levels.

The team recommends that the College review and revise the general education requirements for the Associate in Science degree so that requirements meet the expectations established by the accrediting commission in Standard 2C, regarding the content and methodologies of major areas of knowledge--the humanities, the fine arts, the natural sciences and the social sciences--as well as critical thinking.

In 1994, the community colleges’ systemwide Associate in Science (AS) Degree Task Force emphasized the need for such general education courses for vocational-technical associate degree students in order to complement their skills training and "allow them to develop an integrated view of knowledge, a more authentic view of life, and a more defined sense of community and social responsibility (Report of the Associate in Science (AS) Degree Task Force, p. 26). The task force recommended that at least nine hours of general education courses be required in three environments: social, natural, and cultural.

Although these three environments seem to lend themselves to course requirements in the established divisions of Arts and Humanities, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences, the task force did not specify that students must take one course in each of the three divisions to fulfill the general education requirement. In addition to the general education requirement, the task force recommended that students be required to take at least six credits of general skills courses in communication, thinking/reasoning, and mathematics. Thus, at least 15 of the 60 credit hours (or 25%) required for the Associate in Science (AS) and Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees would focus on general education/general skills courses.

At LCC, all of the AS and AAS degrees require at least one elective from the following divisions: Arts and Humanities, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Language Arts. For the AS degree, these electives are numbered at the 100 level or higher and are transferable to baccalaureate programs at four year institutions. For the AAS degree, which prepares students for entry into occupations that do not require four year degrees, these general education/general skills electives do not necessarily have to be at the 100 level or higher. Most, if not all, courses, including Technical/Occupational/Professional (TechOP) courses, promote and require some degree of critical thinking, therefore in obtaining the AS or AAS degrees, students are introduced to the content and methodologies of the major areas of knowledge and critical thinking.

There were no recommendations in this area.

The team recommends that the College provide equitable access to print media resources for students at the Waianae site.

By the time of LCC’s Midterm Report, (November 1997) the College had made efforts to update and expand print media resources in the Learning Resource Laboratory at LCC Waianae. Materials included textbook references, magazines, and materials placed on reserve in support of Liberal Arts courses. Magazines, journals, and texts in Nursing and Allied Health were available to LCC Waianae students; curriculum resource development in this area has been under the responsibilities of Kapiolani Community College and the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center. A full-text periodical database, SIRS, was added and provided printouts of magazine and newspaper articles; it has since been discontinued because the Expanded Academic Index/Full-text database was found sufficient. Two personal computers were set up to access the LCC and UHWO library catalogs, UH System libraries, public library database, and Expanded Academic Index/Full-Text of periodicals. A documents delivery has also been set up for book requests between LCC Waianae and the main LCC campus. The library also sends five-year old encyclopedia sets and dictionaries to the Learning Resource Laboratory. Due to the lack of staff in the Learning Resource Laboratory, there is concern that materials taken out of the room may not be returned. The LCC Library staff would like to check into options for a total electronic library.

The team recommends that a college-wide process of systematic evaluation of lecturers in credit courses be developed and implemented. This process should provide for evaluations at stated intervals with timely follow up.

The last accreditation team recommended that a College-wide policy and procedures on evaluation of lecturers be adopted. After a series of meetings, it was agreed that all Divisions should have a formal written policy on lecturer evaluation, but that the actual procedures could vary slightly from Division to Division.

The Divisions of Arts and Humanities, Business Education, Language Arts, Math & Sciences, Social Sciences, and Vocational-Technical all employ lecturers, and all have written policies and procedures covering lecturer evaluation. All procedures require annual evaluation by the Divisional Personnel Committee and by the Division Chair, except for the Vocational-Technical Division, where evaluation is done only by program coordinators. Recommendations to rehire or to not rehire a lecturer are then forwarded to the Dean of Instruction.

Arts and Humanities evaluates lecturers once each year, in the spring. Lecturers submit a dossier which includes student evaluations for all sections taught and a self evaluation. Lecturers who have taught fewer than 25 credits for the Division must also have one peer evaluation each semester, and a Division Chair evaluation is required in the first semester of employment.

Business Education lecturers interested in rehire are evaluated once a year. Student evaluations are to be included for all classes. Lecturers who have taught less than five years must also include one peer evaluation per semester; those who have taught five years need to have one peer evaluation per year.

Language Arts evaluates lecturers once each year until they have taught for the Division a total of three years. Student evaluations must be included for each class, as well as one peer evaluation per semester, and course outlines. Lecturers who have taught more than three years must submit a self-evaluation to the DPC annually, and a file including complete student evaluations, one peer evaluation per semester, and course outlines, every two years.

Math and Science lecturers are evaluated once each year, in the Spring. Lecturers must submit student evaluations from all courses taught for the Division, and a page or less of self-evaluation. For lecturers who have taught less than 75 hours for the Division, one peer evaluation per semester must be submitted; those who have taught 75 hours or more submit one peer evaluation per year.

In the Social Science Division, lecturers are evaluated once a year, in the Spring. Lecturers who have taught less than 36 credits or six semesters (whichever comes first) for the Division must submit two peer evaluations per semester. Lecturers with six to ten semesters of experience submit one peer evaluation per semester; after ten semesters, one peer evaluation per year is required. All lecturers must submit complete student evaluations for each course taught, and an annual self-evaluation.

Vocational-Technical Division requires student evaluations for all courses each year, as well as one self-evaluation each year. One peer evaluation is required for each different course taught for the first three years; after that one peer evaluation is required per semester.

With the exception of the Vocational-Technical Division, the procedures are provided annually to lecturers, and are followed by the Division. Vocational-Technical Division has recently initiated discussions to formalize its requirements and to institute procedures more in line with the other Divisions. Once this is completed, the College will have substantially complied with the recommendations of the previous accreditation team.

The team recommends that in conjunction with the master plan activities, a college-wide plan for instructional and operation equipment acquisition, replacement, and maintenance be developed and utilized.

The College's Long Range Development Plan (LRDP), or Master Plan, which addresses long range planning of physical facility needs, was under development at the time of the 1994 accreditation team visit. In January, 1996, the LRDP was completed and approved by the UH Board of regents. The consulting firm Group 70 was hired to design the Master Plan for the College based on solicited responses from the entire campus constituency. Thus, the entire campus population (faculty, staff, students, and administrators) was able to participate in the planning of the LRDP.

The LRDP incorporates goals and objectives as stated in the College's Academic Development Plan (ADP), and includes physical considerations such as space utilization, existing land/facilities, and infrastructure. The LCC Master Planning Process Diagram can be found in Standard 8.5.

Prioritization of the College's instructional and operational equipment Acquisition, replacement, and maintenance, is compiled and coordinated through a campus-wide process. Annually, each campus unit or division submits its equipment requests to its respective Dean or Director. The Colleges Administration then formulates a draft of the campus equipment priorities. This draft is forwarded to the Campus Council, the shared-governance body of the College for review and discussion. The recommendations are then forwarded to the Provost.

Recommendations are prioritized based on how they best meet the University of Hawaii System and the College's Strategic Plan (i.e. LRDP) priorities. This process is part of the Biennium Budget or Supplemental Budget, (depending on applicable odd/even year). The entire campus is afforded the opportunity to view and comment accordingly.

Purchases of new and/or replacement equipment are likely to be made at the end of the fiscal year after operational expenses have been accounted for and funds become available. Equipment purchased is generally based on the priority list established in the planning process.

There were no recommendations in this area.

The team recommends that the College develop and implement a written policy which articulates a decision making process which includes persons in the process who will be effected by the decisions and which clearly states the role and participation of faculty, support staff and students on College governing, policy making, planning, budgeting, and special purpose bodies.

Leeward Community College has addressed this recommendation by creating an advisory committee called the Campus Council. Council membership represents every campus constituency including students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Through this body, all members of the campus community have a voice in the governance of the College. The Council has a Charter and By-Laws which articulate a decision making process that involves the entire campus community in planning, policy making, and establishing budget and resource allocation priorities.

The team recommends that the College and System stabilize the administrative staff of the College to insure the continuity and effectiveness of leadership, as well as limiting the disruption to the operating and planning procedures caused by frequent changes in the administrative staff.

Dr. Barbara B. Polk served as Provost of Leeward Community College from 1989 till 1998. This was a longer tenure than any of the College’s other Provosts. The current vacancy in this position is as disturbing to the campus community as it no doubt is to the University System administrators. Exogenous factors, including budget constraints, declining enrollments, and the uncertain prospects for the health of Hawaii’s economy and the State government’s return to fiscal well being all have contributed to the pressures that impinge upon administrators. Internal factors that deplete the energy and will power of the administration may be most closely related to the small number of administrative positions at the LCC campus. Whatever the case, the College’s response to this recommendation at this time is that the problems that prompted it have apparently not been adequately addressed.

The University of Hawaii (UH) System, governed by a governor-appointed Board of Regents (BOR), includes a major research university, two baccalaureate universities, seven community colleges, and several university centers. LCC is one of the seven community colleges that functions under the updated mission found in the University of Hawaii Community Colleges Strategic Plan 1997-2007, which was adopted by the Board of Regents in November 1997. Leeward Community College’s goals and purposes are complementary to, and cohesive with, the University of Hawaii campuses’ goals, as defined in Focus and Quality: The University of Hawaii Strategic Plan 1997-2007. Under these mission statements, LCC and the six other community colleges are considered to be collectively comprehensive, although differentiated by their individual missions.

Leeward Community College’s mission statement can be found in the school's catalog as well as LCC’s Academic Development Plan (ADP) 1996-2002. The statement reads as follows:

The mission of Leeward Community College is firmly rooted in Act 39 (1964), which created the Community College System in the State of Hawaii as part of the University of Hawaii System. Act 39 reaffirms the open-door idea of affordable, accessible education for all adults. The Board of Regents, in response to Act 39, in its Policy Statement on Community Colleges, issued a statement regarding the community colleges' mission and their relationship to the University of Hawaii campuses at Manoa, Hilo, and West Oahu. The 1991 Master Plan of the Board of Regents for the University of Hawaii, despite anticipated fiscal restraints, clearly reaffirmed both the open-door ideal and the relationship of the community colleges to the University of Hawaii. Although the Board of Regents reviews the mission statements of the University of Hawaii campuses, including the community colleges, it does not explicitly adopt the mission statements of each campus.

Leeward Community College’s mission statement is aligned with the mission statements in the University of Hawaii’s Strategic Plan and the University of Hawaii Community Colleges Strategic Plan. Its mission statement is reflective of the goals and purposes of the University of Hawaii System and identifies the broad-based educational purposes it seeks to achieve. Leeward Community College’s mission is also differentiated to meet the community needs of Leeward and Central Oahu. Specific goals that differentiate LCC from other campuses can be found in LCC’s Academic Development Plan 1996-2002.

The College plans no significant changes in this area.

The College's general constituency is anyone who is eighteen years or older or has earned a high school diploma. Within the broad constituency, the College has defined specific constituencies it can serve, including students of Filipino and Native Hawaiian ancestry, students with disabilities, and students of military communities. LCC endeavors to provide programs which can lead its students to four-year institutions or employment, and to life-long learning.

The LCC Academic Development Plan 1996-2002, which is guided by the College’s mission statement, is the primary source of defining educational programs and services and guiding the development of physical resources and allocation of fiscal resources. The College administration implements this plan in consultation with the Campus Council and the Faculty Senate. This relationship among the components described above is the mechanism by which the mission statement defines the parameters under which programs can be offered and resources allocated..

The College is also committed to providing the community at large with opportunities for personal enrichment, occupational upgrading, and career mobility through non-credit courses and activities. It accomplishes this part of its mission through the Office of Continuing Education and Training (OCET). Brochures from OCET reflect the range of non-credit courses it offers to support the intellectual and cultural life of the community.

The College also contributes to the community's intellectual life by serving as a meeting site for a host of community groups. Conferences, lecture series, and seminars are held at the College. The Theater continues to provide the community with a wide range of cultural and artistic programs year round.

In implementing its purposes, Leeward Community College has defined the constituencies it intends to serve. Even though there is continued residential growth in Leeward and Central Oahu, there has been a decline in enrollment at the College. LCC’s Institutional Research Office has provided the College with enrollment data extracted from the University of Hawaii’s Management and Planning Support (MAPS) reports. Because of the impact of declining enrollment on the College’s ability to offer programs and allocate resources, it is currently developing strategic enrollment management plans to address the issue.

LCC’s Academic Development Plan 1996-2002 contains goals that are consistent with the mission statement of the College. Two recent program initiatives, the Philippine Studies Program and the Title III Grant for Native-Hawaiians, are based on the ADP’s Goal D, which focuses on strengthening the University as a premier resource in Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Affairs and advancing its international role.

Likewise, the ADP states under Goal B.4 that there will be expanded credit-non-credit connections, which will affect the kinds of programs offered in the Office of Continuing Education and Training.

The College plans no significant changes in this area.

The College’s goals and priorities, as identified in the Academic Development Plan, cover a six-year planning period. These goals and priorities are guided by the College’s mission statement and are reviewed periodically by the Campus Council. As described in Standard 1.2, the Campus Council and the Faculty Senate are involved in institutional planning and decision making, with regards to resource allocation and academic programs. The Campus Council is composed of faculty, staff, and students and was established because of the 1994 Accreditation Commission’s recommendation that Leeward Community College increase campuswide participation in its planning and decision making. Both bodies have Charters and By-laws that define their purposes.

The framework within which Leeward Community College carries out its mission includes systemwide statements of broad-based educational objectives. Such statements can be found in documents such as Expanding Horizons--Directions for the Nineties, Facing Future--On the Edge of a New Millennium, and the University of Hawaii Benchmarks-Performance Indicators Report Fall 1996.

During the 1999 summer period, the ADP 1996-2002 was revised for faculty and staff review. The revised ADP clearly connects with the College’s mission statement and explains the rationale for the revision of the ADP. The campus has had the opportunity for input and the ADP has been accepted as the planning document for the College.

The College plans no significant changes in this area.

Within the larger framework of a statewide System, the College undertakes to periodically re-examine its mission, philosophy, and vision statements to ensure their currency and to renew the College’s commitments. In doing so, the College solicits wide participation of faculty, students, staff, community, and administration, as appropriate, to validate a commitment to those statements of purpose. The College remains committed to the official motto, "To Help People Learn," an accurate general reflection of the ideal environment for student achievement. In addition to the College’s mission statement, there are two other statements of purpose to which the College adheres, its philosophy statement and its vision statement.

The most recent re-examination of the College philosophy occurred during the 1992-1993 academic year, when a series of open forums were held to discuss the College philosophy statement. Initiated by the faculty, this discussion involved faculty, staff, students, and administrators and the following statement became effective in Fall l993:

During the Fall 1995 semester, the Campus Council identified the need for a vision statement for Leeward Community College. Two former executive officers for the Campus Council explained why the vision statement for the College was created. They noted that in 1995, the Campus Council believed the mission statement was inadequate to guide Leeward Community College’s Academic Development Plan or to address the particular needs of the College and community. Consequently, the Campus Council developed a vision statement for the Academic Development Plan which addressed current and future educational and training concerns for Leeward Community College. Campuswide input through forums resulted in the following vision statement:

There is a growing concern that Leeward Community College’s mission statement may not be adequate to address the future training and educational needs of our community. This concern is evident by the actions taken by the Campus Council in the development of a vision statement in 1995. More recently, the Faculty Senate, in revising the Academic Development Plan also modified the mission statement. The change includes a closing paragraph that is similar in content to the vision statement developed by the Campus Council. Both planning and decision-making bodies have taken steps to address what they believe are problem areas in the mission statement.

The faculty, students, and administrators feel that the revised statement of philosophy accurately reflects the beliefs of the College community. The philosophy statement reaffirms the College’s commitment to the open-door policy and to the educational needs of the community, but also balances responsibility between the student and the College, making explicit the students’ responsibility for their education. Copies of the new philosophy have been widely disseminated. Leeward Community College's philosophy statement has been published in the College catalog since 1994.

During Spring 2001, the campus at large, including faculty, staff, students, and administration, will be given the opportunity to review the mission statement before any additional changes are made by any one group.

Leeward Community College subscribes to, advocates, and demonstrates honesty and truthfulness in representations to its constituencies and the public; in pursuit of truth and the dissemination of knowledge; in its treatment of and respect for administration, faculty, staff, and students; in the management of its affairs and in relationships with its accreditation association and other external agencies.

The College currently makes available to the public and its prospective students information on educational purposes, degrees and courses, student fees and finances, admission and degree requirements, and administration and faculty through a variety of media including the following: brochures and flyers, handbooks, semester schedules of courses, catalogs, academic calendars, the Internet, outreach programs, videos, advertisements, and campus tours.

To assure accuracy of information, brochures and flyers are prepared and reviewed by their respective divisions and programs, whereas Leeward Community College: A Handbook for Students, the Schedule of Courses, and the LCC Catalog are prepared and reviewed by representatives of the faculty, staff, and the administration. The Educational Media Center gives final form to the documents. Before printing, the Dean of Student Services reviews the Handbook and the Office of the Dean of Instruction reviews the Schedule of Courses and the LCC Catalog to assure accuracy.

The catalog and an academic calendar are given to new students on orientation day. LCC: A Handbook for Students is available from the Office of the Dean of Instruction and from the Dean of Student Services. For continuing students, the catalog and semester schedule of courses are available for a nominal charge at the campus Bookstore. Individual programs and services distribute their own literature directly to the students or through mail-outs.

The 1999-2000 Leeward Community College General Catalog provides precise, accurate and current information on the following:

Information about the College and its programs is also available on the Leeward Community College Website at http://www.lcc.hawaii.edu, which features the following:

In addition to the above methods for dissemination of information, the College also represents itself to the public through campus tours, an active outreach program, and video presentations. Flyers and brochures are disseminated on the following programs of the College:

The Office of Continuing Education and Training publishes information about Non-Credit Courses in a variety of areas including Non-Credit Business and Computer Courses. These brochures are mailed to the public in the areas the College serves.

There are also Kokua Information and Services brochures on the following:

Finally, the College has featured the Observatory Park in a brochure.

The brochures and flyers, handbooks, semester schedules of courses, catalogs, academic calendars, the Internet, outreach programs, videos, and advertisements provide current, accurate, and consistent information to the public on the various programs, services, and policies of the College, in a clear manner that is consistent with College practice. The material is reviewed and updated by the College on an ongoing basis.

The most visible sources of information to the community are the LCC Catalog, the Internet Website, and the Non-Credit Course Offerings. These major communication efforts are constantly under review and revision by appropriate campus constituencies.

In 1994, the Accreditation Commission recommended that the College establish "…an ongoing review procedure for brochures to make sure they are accurate and adhere to College policy and law. . . [and] to maintain an up-to-date listing of available publications." Currently, review of flyers and brochures is the responsibility of the division or department that created them. This system has been acknowledged as the best way for each division to reflect its program and/or the needs of their constituencies.

Currently, no one maintains an up-to-date listing of available publications exists that represents the College to the community.

The College will compile and maintain an up-to-date listing of current publications that represent their programs and services.

The University of Hawaii (UH) System, governed by a governor-appointed Board of Regents (BOR), includes a major research university, two baccalaureate universities, seven community colleges, and several university centers. LCC is one of the seven community colleges. The faculty have two formal institutional sources of influence in the governance of the University: the various faculty senates and the faculty union. In addition to the various senates and the faculty union, Leeward Community College also has a Campus Council.

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) is the recognized collective bargaining union for the faculty of the entire system. UHPA is a local affiliate of the National Education Association. UHPA and the UH Board of Regents agreed to the current faculty contract known as the 1995-1999 Agreement Between the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly and the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii. Article VIII of the current contract, "Academic Freedom and Responsibility" identifies the rights and responsibilities of faculty regarding academic freedom. Article VIII also sets forth the contractual safeguards and procedures for handling any issues of alleged faculty or administrative impropriety in relation to the commitment to academic freedom. This agreement is provided to all members of the faculty covered by the collective bargaining agreement upon hire or when each new agreement is approved.

Article VIII states that "Faculty members are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing subjects of expertise, in the conduct of research in their field of special competence, and in the publication of the results of their research." Article VIII also states that the employer recognizes the same freedom when the faculty member engages in speaking and writing outside the University and that such speaking and writing will be free of "censorship and discipline."

At the College, this information is readily available through the Union’s College representatives and through the For Your Information: A Guidebook for Faculty and Staff, which is revised, updated, and distributed to all faculty.

The faculty right to Academic Freedom is well established and adequately publicized at Leeward Community College. No faculty member has ever filed a grievance against the administration with regard to Academic Freedom.

The College plans no significant changes in this area.

The College is committed to the integrity of the teaching-learning process and fosters and maintains it in a variety of ways.

First and foremost, the College has developed fair but stringent criteria for the hiring, evaluation, tenure, and promotion of faculty. (See Standards 7A.2 - 7A.4.) Each faculty member is competent in his/her field of hire and encouraged through self-reflection and peer mentoring to become a teacher of high quality and integrity. During the probationary and review process, faculty are provided input from students, peers, and administration. These evaluations and their review insure that all college faculty represent themselves, the College, and their areas of expertise with integrity.

Second, all faculty members prepare a course outline, which is consistent with the College-approved core outline, for each course they teach. These course outlines specify the content, objectives, and method of evaluation to be employed by the instructor. (See Standard 4D.1 – 4D.3.) The various disciplines, personnel committees, and division chairs of the College insure that the content of the course outlines meets the criteria set forth by the disciplines and the systemwide articulation committees. The course outlines are provided to students during the first week of each semester and provide students with an overview of the course and foreknowledge of the content and grading evaluation of the course. Thus, students can expect College-approved content, delivered by professional instructors, and transferability of their credits to any other accredited college in the nation.

Third, students are made aware of the College’s views of academic freedom and the integrity of the teaching-learning process through Leeward Community College: A Handbook for Students, which describes Freedom of Expression in these words, "Students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data and views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgement about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study for which they are enrolled" (p. 4). The Handbook also contains the Student Conduct Code and the Academic Grievance Process, thereby informing students of both their obligations and rights with regard to the integrity of the exchange of ideas and free speech.

Finally, Article VIII of the 1995-1999 Agreement Between the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly and the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii clearly stipulates that the faculty and other College staff distinguish between personal convictions and proven conclusions and present relevant data fairly: "In giving instruction upon controversial matters, Faculty Members are expected to set forth justly and without suppression the differing opinions of other investigators, and in their conclusions provide factual or other scholarly sources for such conclusions. Faculty members should be careful not to introduce into their teaching controversial matter which has no relation to their subject" (p. 22). There is no known instance where a student, faculty member, or administrator has complained that a faculty member has used the classroom to distort or slant data or unfairly represent the knowledge of his/her discipline.

The College has the appropriate mechanisms in place to promote integrity in the teaching-learning process. Fair and stringent hiring and promotion procedures have contributed greatly to the integrity of the College, which now has in place a highly educated, diverse, and professional professorate. Students are taught the meaning of academic integrity and responsibility in the intellectual process through orientation, counseling, and participation in academic subjects. Administration does not in any way impede the exchange of ideas on campus or in the classroom.

The College has documents to set the standards for academic integrity and to prevent abuse of academic freedom. As a result, there have been no grievances filed against faculty by students with regard to academic freedom and responsibility. The current lack of any grievance regarding freedom of expression in the classroom or on campus indicates a healthy environment for the exchange of ideas – even controversial ideas.

The College plans no significant changes in this area.

Leeward Community College has a set of values and codes of conduct set forth in various College publications. The publications listed below provide clear descriptions of specific policies and procedures regarding academic freedom, the principles of scholarship, the integrity of the teaching-learning process, and the rights and responsibilities of faculty and students and academic honesty.

For Your Information: A Guidebook for Faculty and Staff addresses the following topics: academic freedom and responsibility; course integrity, content, and presentation; course outlines; grading policies; and the duties and responsibilities of faculty toward students.

Leeward Community College: A Handbook for Students documents the academic rights and responsibilities of students and provides clear descriptions of the following:

As an example, the Handbook states, "Student performance should be evaluated solely on an academic basis, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards" (p. 4).

If a student has a complaint with a faculty member over any aspect of the teaching-learning process (such as grades, course content, manner of presentation, or behavior of faculty members), Leeward Community College: A Handbook for Students provides a step-by-step procedures for filing grievances.

Additionally, both the LCC Catalog and the 1995-1999 Agreement Between the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly and the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii address expected codes of student and faculty conduct. (See Standard 2.3 for additional information.)

As a public, non-sectarian institution, Leeward Community College does not espouse any specific world view or belief system. However, the College has an institutional conduct code that covers the important areas of administrative, faculty, and student conduct. The material is readily available from many published sources.

The College plans no significant changes in this area.

Leeward Community College clearly endorses principles of academic honesty on the part of both faculty and students. The policies are clearly stated in Standard 2.4 of this report. College publications that address the meaning and significance of academic honesty include:

Duties and responsibilities of faculty regarding academic honesty and the teaching-learning process are detailed in the above sources. See Standards 2.2 and 2.3 for details on academic freedom and academic integrity respectively. The policies are stated clearly and promote core values that allow for the free flow of ideas in a responsible manner.

The College is clearly committed to teaching students the nature of plagiarism and the significance of academic honesty. For Your Information: A Guidebook for Faculty and Staff defines and gives specific suggestions to the faculty for the prevention of plagiarism and cheating. If any faculty member has cause to believe academic dishonesty has occurred, the Student Conduct Code in Leeward Community College: A Handbook for Students provides a formal procedure to insure due process for the student and protection of students against unfair allegations. The Handbook also provides descriptions of the following: Protection of Freedom of Expression, Protection Against Improper Evaluation, Protection Against Improper Disclosure, and Procedure for the Resolution of Academic Grievances. If it is determined that academic dishonesty has occurred, the Handbook specifies disciplinary procedures and sanctions.

The Handbook has a clearly stated grievance procedure by which students may resolve any matters relating to grades, course content, manner of presentation, or behavior of faculty members that they are uncomfortable with.

The College provides clear expectations and policies regarding academic honesty and acceptable behavior for both students and faculty through several publications. The LCC Catalog is available in the Bookstore, counselors’ offices, and the Library. The Handbook is distributed to students at registration and orientation. Faculty members receive the above publications as well as the Guidebook. All members of the faculty union receive a copy of the 1995-1999 Agreement Between the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly and the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii

The College plans no significant changes in this area.

Leeward Community College has in place the following policies and practices to help promote an understanding of diversity among staff and students:

The College reflects the ethnically diverse society in Hawaii and fosters an affirmative environment in which diversity of ethnicity, gender, age, and sexual orientation is embraced and every person is treated with respect.

The College population demonstrates a high degree of ethnic diversity among both staff and students. Table 2.a contains data on the ethnic background and gender of students at the College in Fall 1998. Table 2.b shows the ethnic and gender distribution of faculty, staff, and administration in March 1999.

Table 2.a: Data on Ethnic Background and Gender of Students

Fall 1998