http://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Coghlanl&feedformat=atomselfstudy - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T12:04:10ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.26.3http://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=File:Provost_JD_Bantz.pdf&diff=8872File:Provost JD Bantz.pdf2008-07-25T22:22:53Z<p>Coghlanl: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Six&diff=8871Supporting Documentation for Standard Six2008-07-25T22:22:04Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Required Exhibits */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Required Documentation==<br />
<br />
1. [[media:botbios.pdf|Board membership]]<br />
<br />
2. [[media:OrgChart.pdf|Organization chart]]<br />
<br />
==Required Exhibits==<br />
<br />
1. [[media:RCW28B40120.pdf|Articles of Incorporation (The college's enabling legislation)]]<br />
<br />
2. [[media:BoardPolicies.pdf|Board Policy Manual]]<br />
*[[media:BoardBylaws.pdf|Board Bylaws]]<br />
*[[media:delegation.pdf|Delegation of Authority]]<br />
*[[media:MissionStatement.pdf|Mission Statement]]<br />
*[[media:PresidentialLimitations.pdf|Presidential Limitations]]<br />
*[[media:Board-PresidentRelationship.pdf|Board-President Relationship]]<br />
*[[media:BoardProcess.pdf|Statement of Board Process]]<br />
*[[media:PresidentialEvaluation.pdf|Presidential Evaluation]]<br />
*[[media:TuitionPolicyStatement.pdf|Tuition Policy Statement]]<br />
*[[media:EmeritusStatus.pdf|Emeritus Status]]<br />
*[[media:PoliceForce.pdf|Establishment of Commissioned Police Force]]<br />
*[[media:SandAguidelines.pdf|Guidelines Governing Service and Activities Fees]]<br />
*[[media:FacultyReemployment.pdf|Retired Faculty Re-employment]]<br />
*[[media:DiversityStatement.pdf|Diversity Statement]]<br />
*[[media:StrikesPolicy.pdf|Strikes]]<br />
*[[media:communityreps.pdf|Community Representatives]] <br />
<br />
<br />
3. Board Agendas and Minutes:<br />
*July 2004 [[media:2004-07-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2004-07-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*September 2004 [[media:2004-09-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2004-09-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*October 2004 [[media:2004-10-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2004-10-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*November 2004 [[media:2004-11-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2004-11-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*January 2005 (1) [[media:2005-01a-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-01a-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*January 2005 (2) [[media:2005-01b-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-01b-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*March 2005 [[media:2005-03-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-03-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*May 2005 [[media:2005-05-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-05-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*June 2005 [[media:2005-06-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-06-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*July 2005 [[media:2005-07-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-07-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*September 2005 [[media:2005-09-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-09-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*October 2005 [[media:2005-10-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-10-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*November 2005 [[media:2005-11-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-11-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*January 2006 [[media:2006-01-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-01-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*March 2006 [[media:2006-03-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-03-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*May 2006 [[media:2006-05-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-05-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*June 2006 [[media:2006-06-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-06-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*July 2006 [[media:2006-07-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-07-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*September 2006 [[media:2006-09-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-09-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*October 2006 [[media:2006-10-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-10-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*November 2006 [[media:2006-11-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-11-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*January 2007 [[media:2007-01-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-01-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*March 2007 [[media:2007-03-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-03-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*May 2007 [[media:2007-05-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-05-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*June 2007 [[media:2007-06-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-06-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*July 2007 [[media:2007-07-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-07-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*September 2007 [[media:2007-09-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-09-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*November 2007 [[media:2007-11-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-11-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*January 2008 [[media:2008-01-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2008-01-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*February 2008 [[media:2008-02-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2008-02-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*March 2008 [[media:2008-03-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2004-03-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
<br />
<br />
4. Administrative policy manual.<br />
The college's policy and procedures manual is on-line at [http://www.evergreen.edu/policies]. A copy of the [[media:PolicyContents.pdf|policy manual's index]] is uploaded here for reference.<br />
<br />
<br />
5. Administrative position descriptions<br />
*[[media:PresidentJD.pdf|President's Job Description]]<br />
*[[media:Provost_JD_Bantz.pdf|Provost's Job Description]]<br />
*[[media:VP-Advancement.pdf|Vice President for College Advancement Job Description]]<br />
*[[media:VP-FAD.pdf|Vice President for Finance and Administration Job Description]]<br />
*[[media:VP-StudentAffairs.pdf|Vice President for Student Affairs Job Description]]<br />
<br />
<br />
6. Staff handbook<br />
<br />
The college's policy and procedures manual is on-line at [http://www.evergreen.edu/policies]. This manual includes policies related to employment. A copy of the [[media:employmentpolicies.pdf|employment policies table of contents]] is uploaded here for reference. Information about employee benefits is also posted on the college's web site; a copy of the [[media:benefits_homepage.pdf|employee benefits web page]] is posted here for reference.<br />
<br />
<br />
7. Salary data<br />
<br />
Faculty: [[media:Facultygrid.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid for 2007-2008]]<br />
<br />
Exempt Professional Staff: [[media:ExemptSalaries.pdf|DRAFT Exempt Professional Staff Compensation Framework]]<br />
<br />
Classified Union Staff: Please see the [[media:WFSEContract.pdf|Union Contract]].<br />
<br />
<br />
8. Collective bargaining agreements<br />
<br />
United Faculty of Evergreen (first contract currently being negotiated).<br />
Washington Federation of State Employees: [[media:WFSEContract.pdf|2007-2009 Contract]].<br />
<br />
<br />
9. Constitution or bylaws of faculty and staff organizations<br />
<br />
Outside the college, the Faculty and Classified staff unions are established as independent organizations, formally separate from the college. The college enters into contractual relationships with these unions within the framework of the state's collective bargaining laws.<br />
<br />
Within the college, the Faculty are currently organized as described in the [[media:facultygovernance.pdf|Faculty Handbook]] to make major decisions in a committee of the whole.<br />
<br />
Faculty Meeting Minutes:<br />
*[[media:facmins091907.doc|September 19, 2007]]<br />
*[[media:facmins100307.doc|October 3, 2007]]<br />
*[[media:facmins101707.doc|October 17, 2007]]<br />
*[[media:facmeetingmins111407.doc|November 14, 2007]]<br />
*[[media:facmins011608.doc|January 16, 2008]]<br />
*[[media:facmins012308.doc|January 23, 2008]]<br />
*[[media:facmins022708.doc|February 27, 2008]]<br />
*[[media:facmins030308.doc|March 3, 2008]]<br />
*[[media:facmins031208.doc|March 12, 2008]]<br />
*[[media:facmins040908.doc|April 9, 2008]]<br />
*[[media:facmins050708.doc|May 7, 2008]]<br />
<br />
<br />
10. [[media:Activecommittees.pdf|Currently active committees]]<br />
<br />
==Additional Material==<br />
<br />
[[media: gsuconstitution.pdf|Geoduck Student Union Charter]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Accountability_Report_2007.pdf|Accountability Report 2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Foundation_College_Agreement_Mark_Up.pdf|Agreement between The Evergreen State College and The Evergreen State College Foundation]]<br />
<br />
[[media: Seniorstaffminutes.pdf|Senior Staff Meeting Minutes (2007-2008)]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=File:09-11_budget_request_summary.pdf&diff=8868File:09-11 budget request summary.pdf2008-07-25T00:29:18Z<p>Coghlanl: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_One&diff=8867Supporting Documentation for Standard One2008-07-25T00:29:10Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Budget */</p>
<hr />
<div>====Planning====<br />
<br />
[[Media: Strategic_Plan_2007.pdf|Strategic Plan Update 2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Dashboard.pdf|Dashboard Indicators]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergren_Mission_Statement_2007-present.doc|Evergreen Mission Statement January 2007 - present]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Mission_Statement_2000-07.doc|Evergreen Mission Statement 2000-07]]<br />
<br />
Master Plan January 2007:<br />
<br />
*[[Media: VOLUME_I.pdf|Master Plan Volume I]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: VOLUME_II.pdf|Master Plan Volume II]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: VOLUME_III.pdf|Master Plan Volume III]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: 2007-09 Capital Budget Final 8-31-06.pdf|2007-09 Final Capital Budget]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: 10 YearAppendices.pdf|Master Plan Appendices]]<br />
<br />
<br />
Sustainability Task Force Report 2006:<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Sustain_coverdocument.pdf|Cover Document]]<br />
*[[Media: Sustain_strategicareas.pdf|Strategic Areas]]<br />
*[[Media: Sustain_detailedappendix.pdf|Detailed Appendix]] <br />
<br />
<br />
[[Media: Presidentreport.pdf|Diversity DTF Report 2006]]<br />
<br />
Faculty Advisory Panel on the College Budget:<br />
<br />
*[[Media: 09-11_Budget_Process_FAP_Summary.pdf|2009-11 Budget Process Summary for the Faculty]]<br />
*[[Media: FAPCBPresentation.pdf|Report to the Faculty 2007]]<br />
<br />
====Interim Report 2003====<br />
<br />
[[Media: NWCCU_Evaluation_Report_2003.pdf|NWCCU Interim Report 2003]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evrgrnaccred03.pdf|Interim Self-Study 2003]]<br />
<br />
====Alumni Surveys====<br />
<br />
Survey Results One Year After Graduation<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Culture%2C_Text%2C_and_Language.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 - Culture, Text, and Language]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Environmental_Studies.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 - Environmental Studies]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Expressive_Arts.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 - Expressive Arts]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Scientific_Inquiry.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 - Scientific Inquiry]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Society%2C_Politics%2C_Behavior%2C_and_Change.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 - Society, Politics, Behavior and Change]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Evening_Weekend_Studies.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 Evening Weekend Studies]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Tacoma_Summary.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 - Tacoma]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2004.pdf|Alumni Survey 2004]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2002.pdf|Alumni Survey 2002]]<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Media: Greeners_at_Work_2003_-_Alumni_and_Employers_Three_Years_After_Graduation.pdf|Greeners at Work 2003 - Alumni and Employers Three Years After Graduation]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Five-Year_Alumni_Survey_-_Advanced_Education%2C_Employment%2C_Volunteerism%2C_and_Reflections_on_an_Evergreen_Education.pdf|Five-Year Alumni Survey - Advanced Education, Employment, Volunteerism, and Reflections on an Evergreen Education]]<br />
<br />
====Enrollment====<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit 3-6 Report_on_Student_Recruitment.doc|Admissions Recruitment Plan January 2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: A_Charge_for_Enrollment_Management_Planning.doc|Strategic Enrollment Plan charge]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Enrollment_Counts_and_Demographics_Web_Page.pdf|Enrollment Counts and Demographics Web Page]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: First-time%2C_First-year_Applicants%2C_Admitted%2C_and_Enrolled_%282001-2007%29.pdf|First-time, First-year Applicants, Admitted, and Enrolled (2001-2007)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Transfer_Applicants%2C_Admitted%2C_and_Enrolled_%282001-2007%29.pdf|Transfer Applicants, Admitted and Enrolled (2001-2007)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Admissions_History_%281982-2007%29.pdf|Admissions History (1982-2007)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Total_Student_Headcount_and_FTE_%281971-2007%29.pdf|Total Student Headcount and FTE (1971-2007)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Enrollment Growth DTF_enrollment_plan_history.pdf|Enrollment Growth DTF: Enrollment Planning History]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: ENROLLMENT_GROWTH_FINAL_REPORT_2005.doc|Enrollment Growth DTF Final Report 2005]]<br />
<br />
====General Education====<br />
<br />
General Education at Evergreen: The Historical Context, Current Experiments and Recommendations for Implementation:<br />
<br />
*[[Media: General_Education_at_Evergreen.doc|Title Page]]<br />
*[[Media: Gen.Ed.Intro.pdf|Introduction]]<br />
*[[Media: Gen.Ed.pdf|General Education at Evergreen]]<br />
*[[Media: Gen.Ed.Append.pdf|Appendix]]<br />
<br />
====Public Service Centers====<br />
<br />
*[[Media: 2006-07annualreportccbla.pdf|Center for Community-Based Learning and Action Annual Report 2007]]<br />
*[[Media: Ecieaccred2007.doc|The Evergreen Center for Educational Improvement Report 2007]]<br />
*[[Media: Labor_Center_Annual_Report_06-07.doc|Labor Education and Research Center]]<br />
*[[Media: IllumiNation_Capacity_Plan_LH.FINAL.pdf|Longhouse Educational and Cultural Center Capacity Building Plan 2006]]<br />
*[[Media: NIARI_Report_to_Provost.Aug.9.2007.doc|Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute]]<br />
*[[Media: WA_Center_Annual_Report_2006-2007.doc|Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education]]<br />
<br />
====Satisfaction Surveys====<br />
<br />
[[Media: National_Survey_of_Student_Engagement_Web_Page.pdf|National Survey of Student Engagement Web Page]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_Web_Page.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey Web Page]]<br />
<br />
====Budget====<br />
<br />
[[Media: 09-11 budget request summary.pdf|Budget Request Summary 09-11]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Budget101.pdf|Budget 101]]<br />
<br />
====DEEP Report====<br />
<br />
[[Media: DEEP_Final_Report_TESC.pdf|Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Six&diff=8866Supporting Documentation for Standard Six2008-07-24T23:55:24Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Required Exhibits */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Required Documentation==<br />
<br />
1. [[media:botbios.pdf|Board membership]]<br />
<br />
2. [[media:OrgChart.pdf|Organization chart]]<br />
<br />
==Required Exhibits==<br />
<br />
1. [[media:RCW28B40120.pdf|Articles of Incorporation (The college's enabling legislation)]]<br />
<br />
2. [[media:BoardPolicies.pdf|Board Policy Manual]]<br />
*[[media:BoardBylaws.pdf|Board Bylaws]]<br />
*[[media:delegation.pdf|Delegation of Authority]]<br />
*[[media:MissionStatement.pdf|Mission Statement]]<br />
*[[media:PresidentialLimitations.pdf|Presidential Limitations]]<br />
*[[media:Board-PresidentRelationship.pdf|Board-President Relationship]]<br />
*[[media:BoardProcess.pdf|Statement of Board Process]]<br />
*[[media:PresidentialEvaluation.pdf|Presidential Evaluation]]<br />
*[[media:TuitionPolicyStatement.pdf|Tuition Policy Statement]]<br />
*[[media:EmeritusStatus.pdf|Emeritus Status]]<br />
*[[media:PoliceForce.pdf|Establishment of Commissioned Police Force]]<br />
*[[media:SandAguidelines.pdf|Guidelines Governing Service and Activities Fees]]<br />
*[[media:FacultyReemployment.pdf|Retired Faculty Re-employment]]<br />
*[[media:DiversityStatement.pdf|Diversity Statement]]<br />
*[[media:StrikesPolicy.pdf|Strikes]]<br />
*[[media:communityreps.pdf|Community Representatives]] <br />
<br />
<br />
3. Board Agendas and Minutes:<br />
*July 2004 [[media:2004-07-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2004-07-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*September 2004 [[media:2004-09-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2004-09-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*October 2004 [[media:2004-10-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2004-10-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*November 2004 [[media:2004-11-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2004-11-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*January 2005 (1) [[media:2005-01a-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-01a-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*January 2005 (2) [[media:2005-01b-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-01b-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*March 2005 [[media:2005-03-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-03-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*May 2005 [[media:2005-05-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-05-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*June 2005 [[media:2005-06-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-06-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*July 2005 [[media:2005-07-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-07-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*September 2005 [[media:2005-09-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-09-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*October 2005 [[media:2005-10-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-10-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*November 2005 [[media:2005-11-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2005-11-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*January 2006 [[media:2006-01-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-01-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*March 2006 [[media:2006-03-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-03-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*May 2006 [[media:2006-05-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-05-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*June 2006 [[media:2006-06-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-06-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*July 2006 [[media:2006-07-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-07-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*September 2006 [[media:2006-09-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-09-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*October 2006 [[media:2006-10-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-10-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*November 2006 [[media:2006-11-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2006-11-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*January 2007 [[media:2007-01-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-01-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*March 2007 [[media:2007-03-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-03-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*May 2007 [[media:2007-05-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-05-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*June 2007 [[media:2007-06-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-06-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*July 2007 [[media:2007-07-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-07-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*September 2007 [[media:2007-09-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-09-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*November 2007 [[media:2007-11-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2007-11-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*January 2008 [[media:2008-01-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2008-01-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*February 2008 [[media:2008-02-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2008-02-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
*March 2008 [[media:2008-03-agenda.pdf|Agenda]]|[[media:2004-03-minutes.pdf|Minutes]]<br />
<br />
<br />
4. Administrative policy manual.<br />
The college's policy and procedures manual is on-line at [http://www.evergreen.edu/policies]. A copy of the [[media:PolicyContents.pdf|policy manual's index]] is uploaded here for reference.<br />
<br />
<br />
5. Administrative position descriptions<br />
*[[media:PresidentJD.pdf|President's Job Description]]<br />
*[[media:pdf|Provost's Job Description]]<br />
*[[media:VP-Advancement.pdf|Vice President for College Advancement Job Description]]<br />
*[[media:VP-FAD.pdf|Vice President for Finance and Administration Job Description]]<br />
*[[media:VP-StudentAffairs.pdf|Vice President for Student Affairs Job Description]]<br />
<br />
<br />
6. Staff handbook<br />
<br />
The college's policy and procedures manual is on-line at [http://www.evergreen.edu/policies]. This manual includes policies related to employment. A copy of the [[media:employmentpolicies.pdf|employment policies table of contents]] is uploaded here for reference. Information about employee benefits is also posted on the college's web site; a copy of the [[media:benefits_homepage.pdf|employee benefits web page]] is posted here for reference.<br />
<br />
<br />
7. Salary data<br />
<br />
Faculty: [[media:Facultygrid.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid for 2007-2008]]<br />
<br />
Exempt Professional Staff: [[media:ExemptSalaries.pdf|DRAFT Exempt Professional Staff Compensation Framework]]<br />
<br />
Classified Union Staff: Please see the [[media:WFSEContract.pdf|Union Contract]].<br />
<br />
<br />
8. Collective bargaining agreements<br />
<br />
United Faculty of Evergreen (first contract currently being negotiated).<br />
Washington Federation of State Employees: [[media:WFSEContract.pdf|2007-2009 Contract]].<br />
<br />
<br />
9. Constitution or bylaws of faculty and staff organizations<br />
<br />
Outside the college, the Faculty and Classified staff unions are established as independent organizations, formally separate from the college. The college enters into contractual relationships with these unions within the framework of the state's collective bargaining laws.<br />
<br />
Within the college, the Faculty are currently organized as described in the [[media:facultygovernance.pdf|Faculty Handbook]] to make major decisions in a committee of the whole.<br />
<br />
Faculty Meeting Minutes:<br />
*[[media:facmins091907.doc|September 19, 2007]]<br />
*[[media:facmins100307.doc|October 3, 2007]]<br />
*[[media:facmins101707.doc|October 17, 2007]]<br />
*[[media:facmeetingmins111407.doc|November 14, 2007]]<br />
*[[media:facmins011608.doc|January 16, 2008]]<br />
*[[media:facmins012308.doc|January 23, 2008]]<br />
*[[media:facmins022708.doc|February 27, 2008]]<br />
*[[media:facmins030308.doc|March 3, 2008]]<br />
*[[media:facmins031208.doc|March 12, 2008]]<br />
*[[media:facmins040908.doc|April 9, 2008]]<br />
*[[media:facmins050708.doc|May 7, 2008]]<br />
<br />
<br />
10. [[media:Activecommittees.pdf|Currently active committees]]<br />
<br />
==Additional Material==<br />
<br />
[[media: gsuconstitution.pdf|Geoduck Student Union Charter]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Accountability_Report_2007.pdf|Accountability Report 2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Foundation_College_Agreement_Mark_Up.pdf|Agreement between The Evergreen State College and The Evergreen State College Foundation]]<br />
<br />
[[media: Seniorstaffminutes.pdf|Senior Staff Meeting Minutes (2007-2008)]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_2&diff=8865Standard 22008-07-24T23:45:28Z<p>Coghlanl: /* MPA Assessment */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 2 – Educational Program and Its Effectiveness==<br />
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''The institution offers collegiate level programs that culminate in identified student competencies and lead to degrees or certificates in recognized fields of study. The achievement and maintenance of high quality programs is the primary responsibility of an accredited institution; hence, the evaluation of educational programs and their continuous improvement is an ongoing responsibility. As conditions and needs change, the institution continually redefines for itself the elements that result in educational programs of high quality.''<br />
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Evergreen's strategic plan identifies the college as unique in American higher education, locating itself as “the nation’s leading public interdisciplinary liberal arts college.” Since the early years of the college, Evergreen has expected students to assume significant responsibility for their learning. They were expected to define their own work and design their own course of study from the opportunities offered by the faculty in programs (full-time learning communities) and through work designed with individual faculty members. This concept of the student differed sharply from the one presupposed by both large public universities and small private colleges. The new college in Olympia would offer a reinvigorated liberal arts teaching for all. The college’s commitment to interdisciplinarity, student engagement, and collaboration rests on this vision of an inclusive, public, egalitarian liberal arts education. <br />
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Evergreen traces its origins to debates within higher education in the 1960s and 1970s. These debates involve two quite distinct critiques that contributed profoundly to the college’s pedagogical assumptions and practices. First came a critique of the multiversity, the large-scale public multi-disciplinary institution that blossomed in the post-war years. From the point of view of this critique, most forcefully embodied in the Berkeley Free Speech Movement, the multiversity existed primarily for the benefit of corporate/governmental interests. It functioned to maintain a supply of useful technicians and professionals. This critique saw the public university as serving class interests rather than living up to the ideals of a democratic educational system that would educate citizens broadly. The second critique assessed the liberal arts tradition as manifested in the small private liberal arts colleges. This critique began with the stodginess and irrelevance of the canon, and the unwillingness of liberal arts colleges to take on the issues of race, class, war, and revolution. This critique centered on the failure of the liberal arts colleges collectively to act on their own professed values as they distanced themselves from the world of action. In the face of the crisis of civil rights, the Vietnam war, and questions of class privilege the liberal arts were stuck defending texts, traditions, and positions that did not question the status quo. The critique of the multiversity questioned the failure of democratic education and the lack of moral judgment about public policy. The critique of the small liberal arts college viewed the moral tradition and ethical questions as outdated, abstracted from the world, and hence irrelevant. These debates in the context of the turmoil of the times made it possible for such important moderates as then Governor Dan Evans and State Senator Gordon Sandison to call for a new college that would take a new and alternative approach to college education. <br />
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The founding faculty of Evergreen, for the most part men in their thirties and early forties, envisioned a college that, above all, was engaging. They wanted a public college that could provide the best elements of the liberal arts college – a college that could acknowledge and deal with ethical issues, one which saw the world as intellectually comprehensible and one which offered students opportunities to learn and to act for the good of the community, not simply for individual or corporate aggrandizement. In the planning year, the work of Alexander Meiklejohn, Joseph Tussman, and John Dewey provided models of educational reform that took intellectual rigor and public engagement as fundamental goals. In short, they believed in public education as a public good. They hoped for an education that would support action, engagement, and collaboration with diverse others; an education within a meaningful community context. They created an education that offered opportunities and curricular structures geared to engaged learning, not passivity. They wanted students to take control of their own education, to make real value-centered coherent choices about what they learned, how they learned, and what they did with the education they received. At the heart of these desires was a passionate debate about concern for authentic learning. All of the above characterizations of the college were contested, but in the crafting of the structure, a template the college has been tinkering with and transforming ever since, these were central values.<br />
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As was argued in the opening pages of this self-study, the president and the founding faculty wanted to create a public college devoted to teaching and learning in an interdisciplinary, collaborative framework within which students must exercise autonomy and judgment. Charles McCann’s four nos – no academic departments, no faculty ranks, no academic requirements, and no grades – were seen as a vehicle to liberate faculty and students. The lack of departments and ranks allowed faculty to work and collaborate across disciplinary boundaries and across differences in age and experience. The lack of requirements and grades freed students to work together to share and collectively create their learning without endangering their own class standing. Collaboration, not competition, became the fundamental vehicle for organizing teaching and learning. While within the college the breadth of the challenge to the conventions of higher education was reasonably well understood, the external world tended to know the college in its first decades primarily on the basis of the above negatives and on the basis of the inevitable conflation of long hair, protest, and defiant optimism with a hippie haven and/or radical protest.<br />
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It is in this context of extraordinary student and faculty autonomy that the college has developed. The individual student is responsible for the content of his or her degree. The faculty, while they exercise significant control over the work of students in programs, frames its desires for the overall outcomes of student work at the college in terms of expectation rather than requirements. As part of the response to the last round of accreditation the college developed Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate:<br />
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* to articulate and assume responsibility for your own work;<br />
* to participate collaboratively and responsibly in our diverse society;<br />
* to communicate creatively and effectively;<br />
* to demonstrate integrative, independent, critical thinking;<br />
* to apply qualitative, quantitative and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across disciplines; and<br />
* to demonstrate depth, breadth, and synthesis of learning and the ability to reflect on personal and social significance of learning as a culmination of your education.<br />
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These are clearly expectations, not requirements. The faculty, when they adopted them, saw them as both an appropriate response to a concern for breadth across disciplines and as an articulation of the need for students to identify and take responsibility for their work at the college.<br />
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===Standard 2.A – General Requirements===<br />
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====2.A.1 Institutional Support to Academics====<br />
''The institution demonstrates its commitment to high standards of teaching and learning by providing sufficient human, physical, and financial resources to support its educational programs and to facilitate student achievement of program objectives whenever and however they are offered.''<br />
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Academic offerings are supported by faculty, facilities, equipment, and staff support. <br />
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Facilities supporting academics include teaching spaces and offices. Each faculty member teaching half-time or more is provided an office. Those teaching less than half-time may be allocated a shared office space. Faculty offices average 140 square feet, in accord with state standards. <br />
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Faculty are allocated computers, software, and peripherals in accordance with their teaching and professional development needs. Regular faculty are provided new computers with a turnover rate that averages four years. Visitors and adjuncts are provided reassigned computers from inventory when possible or new computers if adequate computers are not available. Faculty and academic staff computers are funded from a dedicated summer school revenues pool that provides $225,000 per year for this purpose. Due to the wide range in computing needs, faculty request and receive a variety of computers: laptops, desktops, Apple, PC, high-end processors, and more standard configurations. This also applies to software and peripherals.<br />
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In addition to individual faculty resources, space and equipment are also provided for specialized facilities including computer labs, media labs, science labs, art studios, performance spaces, galleries, research space, etc. The college has a dedicated equipment fund of approximately $250,000 per year, often supplemented by additional funds when special initiatives, such as renovations, warrant it. Each year academics, like other divisional units across the campus, identifies new and replacement equipment needs that support the curriculum. These lists are prioritized in a master list for funding. In general, roughly one-third of the equipment requested by the academic division in any given year is actually funded. This is sufficient to meet the most critical curricular needs, but not enough to provide anywhere near all of the equipment requested. The college depends on equipment grants to partially or completely fund the most expensive equipment. Faculty collaborate with the grants office to pursue this funding.<br />
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Each academic program is also awarded a budget based on the number of students expected to enroll and the kind of goods and services that will be needed to deliver the curriculum. Program faculty complete budget requests that include expenses for photocopying, honoraria for guest speakers, supplies, motor pool vans for field trips, film/video rentals, laboratory and studio expenses, etc. Programs anticipating higher-than-usual expenses, such as those with an international travel component, may include additional support in their request.<br />
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Approximately $340,000 per year is available for program budgets. This is on average two-thirds of the total requests from the faculty. There is an additional budget of $300,000 to fund student aides in support of academic programs. These budgets are divided among approximately 150 academic programs during the academic year (Summer School, Tacoma, Graduate Programs and the Reservation-Based program have their own budgets for program support). This provides approximately $40/student/quarter (ranging from $300/student/quarter to $10/student/quarter) in direct academic program support. This may appear high, but one needs to bear in mind that the Evergreen academic program operates in a very decentralized mode; without departments, there is little budgetary structure between the organizational top and the individual faculty member or faculty team. Hence, faculty are given direct control over the many resources required to support their academic program. In most cases, these resources prove to be adequate for the goals faculty have in mind. <br />
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A number of academic support services are centralized, including academic budgeting, support for travel, institutional research, and grants. Professional staff provide technical support for both the arts and sciences, and these are budgeted through the Provost’s office. Again, this support is typically adequate although demand for this support varies from quarter to quarter and year to year depending on the curricular offerings. Faculty are assigned program secretaries that support the narrative evaluation process and provide administrative support to program activities.<br />
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Programs at off-campus sites (Tacoma and the Reservation-Based programs) are an integral part of the college's offerings, and are supported at the same or higher level.<br />
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====2.A.2 Educational Goals====<br />
''The goals of the institution’s educational programs, whenever and however offered, including instructional policies, methods, and delivery systems, are compatible with the institution’s mission. They are developed, approved, and periodically evaluated under established institutional policies and procedures through a clearly defined process.''<br />
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In the work leading to the college’s first strategic plan and in the 1988 self-study for accreditation, the ''Five Foci of an Evergreen Education'' were first enunciated. They have served the college well over the years as a central articulation of its mission. The following section lays out the five foci and articulates the ways in which these foci are implicated by the work of reflexive thinking, and lead the educational practices of the college.<br />
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The Five Foci of an Evergreen Education – interdisciplinary study, personal engagement in learning, linking theory with practice, collaborative/cooperative work, and teaching across significant differences – have played a central role in creating both a curriculum and a rationale for a curriculum. They inform both the programs and our articulation of them at all levels of the institution. These foci capture much, but not all, of what is done at Evergreen. Many of our actual activities contribute to more than one focus.<br />
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=====The Five Foci of an Evergreen Education=====<br />
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'''Interdisciplinary Education'''<br />
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Interdisciplinary study is fundamental at Evergreen. At the heart of such study is the intellectual conviction that academic disciplines have limits inherent in their epistemology, their explanatory concepts, and the like and that, in the presence of complex phenomena, the inadequacy of isolated accounts from different disciplines is revealed. Seldom if ever are the accounts of any one discipline all that can or needs to be said about such phenomena. Further, the attempt to understand phenomena apart from their context in the world often simply misses the critical importance of the phenomena and their meaning. For us to know complexly and think reflexively demands that we see from diverse perspectives and ask our own questions of the phenomena we study. An interdisciplinary approach provides students with at least three crucial intellectual understandings that help them recognize their perspectives and generate their questions. First, different disciplines can indeed hold different and valid understandings about a particular phenomenon. Interdisciplinary thinking pushes students beyond a disciplinary understanding and forces them to complicate and contextualize their views of what is at issue. Second, interdisciplinary study illustrates the ways in which different disciplines illuminate differing aspects of reality, thus extending and complicating student views of what a phenomenon actually is. Finally, an interdisciplinary understanding more accurately reflects the world as students encounter it in internships, volunteer service, and field research. The significance of interdisciplinary work and the ways in which it supports students as they move beyond Evergreen is echoed in alumni survey data and qualitative accounts.<br />
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There is little orthodoxy about which church of interdisciplinarity Evergreen faculty members attend. Acolytes of instrumental multi-disciplinary, thematic study, project-based experience and more teach at the college, yet nearly all agree that interdisciplinary work provides the essential pattern that allows for the emergence of connections, the creation of new kinds of understandings, and ultimately the possibility for students to find their own way to work in the curriculum. Students experience interdisciplinarity in a variety of ways, but at the center is the sense that the pieces of work that they are asked to do within a program fit together in complex and surprising ways ([[Media: student focus group_standard2_7feb08.pdf|Student Focus Group - Standard 2 - Feb 7, 2008]]). Faculty, as they become effective as interdisciplinary teachers, retain skills and competencies they brought with them to the college and expand into new competencies and connections as they work and learn with colleagues and students over the years (David Marr, Personal Comments 2/08). All that is interdisciplinary is not team teaching and vice versa. Individual faculty members often expose students to more than one discipline and single programs with two faculty members with similar backgrounds may or may not be interdisciplinary.<br />
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'''Personal Engagement'''<br />
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The founders of Evergreen wanted to create a college where students felt deeply engaged with the process and substance of learning. At its heart, personal engagement in learning was understood to be the students’ development of a capacity to know, to speak, and to act on the basis of their own self-conscious beliefs, understandings, and commitments. The reflexive capacity to think about one's own work that emerges and develops throughout a student’s engagement with the material and other people over time is central to their sense of commitment. The emphasis on participation, on reasoned evaluation and involvement in their own, their colleagues, and their faculty members’ work, strengthen this engagement. Engagement then is more than interest. It involves complex reflection on the significance and meaning of what we know; it reflects a concern for the consequences, effects, and implications of understanding as a part of knowing. Such engagement is supported in the college’s emphasis on full-time study for sixteen quarter-hours credit per quarter. The lack of graduation requirements compels students to make personal choices about their work. Such work in the end could be something quite conventional, such as medicine or art history or it could be rather unconventional, such as becoming a kayak maker, an independent filmmaker, or a specialty vegetable farmer. What distinguishes this work is the way the work implicates the person as whole.<br />
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Work in programs, especially programs that extend across several quarters, is engagement in a full-time learning community. Here the relations are to the material, but also to the persons with whom one works. This conflation of persons and materials can lead to an intensification of engagement that creates powerful, shared intellectual, social, personal, and aesthetic excitement. Students discover that personal growth and engagement in a community are often complementary realities. This complex reality in which students pursue their own goals through shared endeavor and cooperation is the center of the experience of a learning community and critical to most students' experience of Evergreen. The capacity students develop to know, learn from, and accept the work of others constitutes a challenging exercise in representational thinking – thinking through the eyes of another.<br />
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'''Linking Theory and Practice'''<br />
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Linking theory with practice arises from student engagement in a social context. Engaging in a dialogue between their intellectual understandings and direct experience with the phenomena they study (texts, social behavior, scientific or artistic work) strengthens both and allows students to place their growing sense of personal work and commitment into a realistic and purposeful context. The necessity of linking theory with practice arises out of a central concern for educational relevance and the college’s commitment to providing an education that will promote effective citizenship.<br />
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Theory, central concepts, or ideas then are regularly tested in three major ways in students' experience at the college. First, students are asked to take their experience in the classroom into the world, in hands-on projects, internships, performances, presentations, case studies, and a wide variety of research work. Learning about a phenomenon is tested against the experience of it. Ideally an Evergreen student should be learning and being challenged in the classroom and the world outside the college. Beyond this, theory and ideas are tested against the disciplinary and interdisciplinary phenomena they are purported to explain. Does the theory in fact illuminate the phenomena? If so, how and to what extent? Finally, theories and ideas are tested against the context of culture and society within which they arise. How do theory and ideas inform cultural practices? How are theories and ideas explained by power relations, religious interpretation, or some larger cultural/social reality? Thus the linkage of theory and practice is fundamental to the development of judgment, to the awareness of the cultural and political dimensions of knowledge, and the creation of active citizens who are capable of entering into dialogue with the world in which they live. In the learning community of the program and the broader community, students are challenged to take responsibility for their work and their judgments. By bringing the experience of the classroom into the world and vice-versa, the student is pressed to understand her knowledge as a substantive description, as a personal experience, and as a political and social phenomenon.<br />
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'''Collaborative/Cooperative Work'''<br />
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Collaborative/cooperative work anchors the educational experience at Evergreen. The capacity for sharing and creating work within a cooperative context of respect for individuals and their diversity of perspectives, abilities, and experiences, is a central motif of nearly all Evergreen studies. In an array of practices such as seminars, group projects, narrative evaluations, peer critique of student work in all fields, and the inclusion of students from widely diverse backgrounds and experiences within programs, the fundamental assumption is that students benefit from participating in a learning community to create their own educations. This practice takes the idea of representational thinking head-on and suggests that as we come to see, understand, and incorporate others' understandings of experience, our own becomes deeper and more complex. Reciprocally, as we are seen and understood by others, we come to know ourselves differently and better. As students share their understandings of their learning they transform their experience and learning into meanings. Thus work in the context of a community of learners is central to the development of a capacity for risk, judgment, and responsibility.<br />
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The fundamental pedagogic assumption is that learning is both a personal and social activity. The work of the college assumes collaboration is in the long run more conducive to the creation and acquisition of complex understandings and useful knowledge than is self-centered competition. By creating collaborative learning communities the college seeks to create both a context within which quite diverse ideas and concepts can be examined, but also a context that allows students to bring to the classroom some of that array of conversation and learning that in most schools occurs informally. This inclusiveness of experiences and ideas from other portions of the program and from student lives creates learning communities that can capture and promote the experience of real dialogue about ideas, texts, art, and experience that make education engaging and exciting. The college encourages cooperation because we believe, despite the rhetoric of competition in this society, that most of the work that is accomplished in the world is a product of cooperative, engaged choices. The capacity to collaborate is the most fundamental of public skills.<br />
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'''Teaching and Learning Across Significant Differences'''<br />
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Teaching and learning across significant differences reflects the fundamental recognition that as learners we do not bring to our experience of education the same array of qualities and life experiences. These differences provide the source of our capacity to learn from each other and, potentially, a barrier to that learning. These socially defined and personally experienced differences include such obvious and important categories as race, ethnicity, religion, class, sexuality and gender which underlie so much of American experience, but they also include less obvious and well defined and understood experiences as age, disability, first generation college experience, rural or urban upbringing, or personal qualities such as intelligence, shyness, mental illness, and the like. Within the context of the college, differences bring both a potential for great learning and a possibility of great damage. They call upon us to develop qualities of respect, attentive listening, and sensitive and thoughtful speaking. They are at the heart of our capacity to communicate and to participate responsibly in a diverse seminar and community. <br />
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Central to Evergreen’s experience of these differences is the practice of narrative evaluation and the desire to promote collaboration. While these practices have their own pitfalls, they suggest that a single standard and an assumed uniformity of experience is not the case and that respectful recognition and awareness of difference is an essential element in working with students to help them define and achieve the overall goals of an Evergreen liberal arts education. As with cooperation and collaboration, this focus suggests that the role of representational thinking through the eyes of the other is a critical capacity in the development of a complex reflexive understanding and worldview. Learning and the reflexive thinking about the embeddedness of knowledge in history, in critical social differences, creates a context in which the exercise of freedom to promote new understandings entails a responsibility to imagine and know the impact of our acts on others.<br />
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=====The Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate=====<br />
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In the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 school years, at the urging of the Commission, the college undertook a review of its understanding of General Education. During two years of debate, discussion, and struggle, the college rejected requirements and produced an important document that articulated the goals of an Evergreen education from the point of view of the student. This document – The Six Expectations of an Evergreen Education - has proved useful in expressing for advisers, students, and prospective students some of the elements that describe an effective pathway through Evergreen. The goals are understood to be just that – goals – not subject matter requirements nor mandatory skills. Thus while students may, and often do, undertake meeting these goals, the requirement in fact falls on faculty to make sure that as often as it makes sense, opportunities to meet the goals are present in the curriculum and their teaching. As will be more explicitly argued below, the goals map in complex and important ways onto the five foci and can be seen as a rearticulation of the foci in terms of potential outcomes for students.<br />
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''The Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate'' are:<br />
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* to articulate and assume responsibility for your own work;<br />
* to participate collaboratively and responsibly in our diverse society;<br />
* to communicate creatively and effectively;<br />
* to demonstrate integrative, independent, critical thinking;<br />
* to apply qualitative, quantitative and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across disciplines; and<br />
* to demonstrate depth, breadth, and synthesis of learning and the ability to reflect on personal and social significance of learning as a culmination of your education.<br />
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The work students are capable of is seen as complex. They link and engage analysis from different disciplinary perspectives. They see cultural/social contexts. They communicate understandings that are significant to themselves and their society. Such an education then neither replicates the faculty, nor simply replicates the disciplines, traditions, professions, and skills that they profess. Instead, it encourages each student to ask his own questions, to test his own hypotheses, and to make new mistakes. This education is at once potentially conservative and radical. It's conservative in that the work is tested against the society and academic disciplines broadly, and radical in that it is always implicitly a challenge to existing conventions and knowledge. <br />
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At the heart of Evergreen’s understanding of education is a belief that whatever that education is in terms of substance, it should be self-consciously and thoughtfully chosen by the student. Each student should see and articulate his own work in the context of engagement with others. Skills and capacities are not autonomous and instrumental, but embedded in the context of a person’s education as a whole and more broadly embedded in the social order through participation in and reflection on that order by students. Thus the fundamental goal can be seen as developing a capacity for reflexive thought on the part of students. This reflexive capacity demands both engagement with and inquiry into the world and the work of the student as an active, self-conscious participant in the world.<br />
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The five foci and the six expectations are different articulations of very similar understandings about the central nature of Evergreen. The foci speak primarily to the content and nature of the curriculum offered. They articulate the emphasis on interdisciplinarity, cooperation, work across difference, the constant interplay of theory and practice, and student engagement. The six expectations are an expression of how the qualities of a curriculum organized around these ideas should be manifest in its graduates. Here is one version of the relationship of the foci and expectations:<br />
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'''Personal Engagement''' – Articulate and assume responsibility for your own work. Participate collaboratively and responsibly in our diverse society. Reflect on the personal and social significance of your learning.<br />
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'''Teaching and Learning Across Significant Difference''' – Participate collaboratively and effectively in our diverse society. Communicate clearly and effectively.<br />
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'''Collaboration''' - Participate collaboratively and effectively in our diverse society. Communicate clearly and effectively. Articulate and assume responsibility for your own work.<br />
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'''Linking Theory and Practice''' - Apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across disciplines. Demonstrate integrative, independent, critical thinking. Demonstrate depth, breadth, and synthesis of learning and the ability to reflect on the personal and social significance of that learning.<br />
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'''Interdisciplinary''' – Communicate creatively and effectively. Demonstrate integrative, independent and critical thinking. Apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across disciplines.<br />
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=====Reflexive Thinking=====<br />
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As a part of the work on reaccreditation this year, the college invited Elizabeth Minnich to talk with the deans and a small group of faculty working on the self-study. Her discussion of reflexive thinking captured a good deal of what Evergreen sees as distinctive and important about the education and experience that Evergreen students engage as they work in and around the curriculum as it is structured by the five foci and the six expectations. (Elizabeth K. Minnich, "Knowledge, Thinking, Judgment: For Good or For Ill,” Long Island University: TASA Award Lecture, April 27, 2006; Elizabeth K. Minnich, Teaching and Thinking: Moral and Political Considerations,” ''Change'', September/October 2003, pp.19-24)<br />
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Reflexive thinking begins with a question, an interrogation of the world, and an encounter with the other. As such, it involves the student in the whole process of substantive learning about subjects, disciplines and methods that is the standard domain of learning. But reflexivity is the capacity that a learner has to think about the situation and conditions that underlie her own personal and collective experience of thinking and knowing. She can be aware of how she has learned and what she has become through the process of learning. Minnich, following Nietzsche, argues this form of thinking makes the learner a “problem” for herself. Not only does the learner come to know the ostensible subject of the learning (a text, a geological strata, or a piece of music), but through that knowing new questions emerge such as: how the subject is involved in a whole array of questions about the learner’s own motives; his embeddedness in society; or his desires and development. Beyond that, reflexive thinking allows the student to ask questions about how the ostensible subject has come into being in a society and become enmeshed in a complex historical and social web of connections and power that underlie that discipline. Students learn to see the accounts of disciplines as partial. Thinking that makes our understanding of self and society problematic creates inquiry that is unbound by disciplinary concerns. As a person strives to understand his situation, an extraordinary range of understanding from the very personal to that of any array of disciplines can become critical lenses for seeing or understanding the situation. The student emerges as problems for herself that can be seen as arising from multiple points of view.<br />
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As learners come to understand themselves and learning in this complex way, they exercise freedom and judgment about what they have learned about themselves, and the material, social conditions that allow this way of knowing to exist. In other words, the learner starts to exercise freedom and responsibility about the knowledge he has about the society, himself. Through judgment he creates new meanings. These meanings typically do not take the given assumptions that lie behind the disciplines as settled truths; they inherently challenge established understandings. This process of creating new meanings necessarily engages the learner with others in a public process of sharing understandings. Participating in this world of reflexivity pushes the individual learner to recognize difference and diversity of views and positions. In particular it demands that the learner engage not simply in reflection, but in representational thinking, thinking through the eyes of others. This extraordinarily difficult and never completely successful mode of thinking forces a learner to take seriously the understandings and ways of perceiving and knowing that exist in the world. This process of thinking through the eyes of others demands that the learner, and indeed the community she is a part of, must learn to think historically. This means that she sees how the structure of ideas that define our views of others has come into being and is changed over time. It also implies that she sees how social institutions have grown up historically to define the place of others and ourselves in a society. Finally, knowing of this sort is iterative, each encounter, each attempt at restatement, each expanded understanding or more clearly defined insight, opens the door to response and further learning. The fun never stops. Thus reflexive and representational thinking are ultimately necessarily both very personal and public.<br />
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This way of thinking about an Evergreen education is attractive because the questions that underlie it are so simple to pose and so powerful when fully examined. “How do you know what you know?” and “So what?” are the fundamental questions. These questions open up for the student the whole range of conditions that make up her position in the world and ask her to take responsibility for understanding some of the consequences of her situation and her knowledge. Evergreen programs make a wide range of choices about how much they engage in these questions, but nearly all pose them for students and urge students to take on these issues as they think about their work and evaluate their experience.<br />
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====2.A.3 Degree Programs Offered====<br />
''Degree and certificate programs demonstrate a coherent design; are characterized by appropriate breadth, depth, sequencing of courses, synthesis of learning, and the assessment of learning outcomes; and require the use of library and other information sources.''<br />
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At the time of this writing, Evergreen offers three graduate degrees, Master in Teaching (MIT), Master in Public Administration (MPA), and Master in Environmental Studies (MES). A fourth master's program, the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with endorsements in Mathematics and English as a Second Language (M.Ed.), is scheduled to begin enrolling students in the summer of 2008. All three of the established master's programs have regular structures and well-established requirements that organize their work and the award of degrees. See Standard 2.D., 2.E. and 2.F. <br />
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The college offers two degree programs at the undergraduate level – the bachelor of arts degree and the bachelor of science degree. The bachelor of arts degree requires the successful completion of 180 quarter-hours of college level work. The bachelor of science degree requires 180 quarter-hours of work, including credits in mathematics, natural science, or computer science, of which 48 of which must be upper division science credit. The college has worked to identify upper division science work and faculty who have appropriate credentials to award such credit over the past several years. A combined bachelor of arts/bachelor of science degree requires at least 225 quarter-hours credit, 90 of which must be earned at Evergreen (see [http://www.evergreen.edu/catalog/2008-09/ http://www.evergreen.edu/catalog/2008-09/]).<br />
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====2.A.4 Degree Requirements====<br />
''The institution uses degree designators consistent with program content. In each field of study or technical program, degree objectives are clearly defined: the content to be covered, the intellectual skills, the creative capabilities, and the methods of inquiry to be acquired; and, if applicable, the specific career-preparation competencies to be mastered.'' <br />
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The institution offers two undergraduate degrees, the bachelor of arts and the bachelor of science as described above. Each degree program requires 180 quarter-hours of credit. As shown above, the Six Expectations ask students to develop a focus for their work using the college’s offerings and independent work developed with faculty to complete their program of study. The bachelor of science requires a minimum of 72 quarter-hours in natural science, mathematics, or computer science, including at least 48 upper division quarter-hours awarded by faculty in the sciences. Each master's program has program-specific outcomes for the degrees offered as described in sub-section 2.D.<br />
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====2.A.5 Intensive programs====<br />
''The institution provides evidence that students enrolled in programs offered in concentrated or abbreviated timeframes demonstrate mastery of program goals and course objectives.''<br />
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Over the past ten years, Evergreen has moved to offer weekend intensive programs at both the graduate and undergraduate level. This schedule has increased the accessibility of our programs to place-bound students. Programs offered on either the regular or intensive schedule expect approximately 30 hours of study and class attendance for each unit of credit earned.<br />
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====2.A.6 Program Tuition====<br />
''The institution is able to equate its learning experiences with semester or quarter credit hours using practices common to institutions of higher education, to justify the lengths of its programs in comparison to similar programs found in regionally accredited institutions of higher education, and to justify any program-specific tuition in terms of program costs, program length, and program objectives.'' <br />
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Evergreen expects contact hours with students and the quarter-long length of its programs to be similar to those expected at other Washington public universities. Evergreen tuition is based on level (bachelor's or master's), residency, and the number of credits. There is no special program-specific tuition.<br />
<br />
====2.A.7 Curriculum Planning====<br />
''Responsibility for design, approval, and implementation of the curriculum is vested in designated institutional bodies with clearly established channels of communication and control. The faculty has a major role and responsibility in the design, integrity, and implementation of the curriculum.''<br />
<br />
The curriculum at Evergreen is planned by the faculty, the academic deans, and the directors of off-site programs. The undergraduate curriculum at Evergreen is a complex mixture of regularly repeating offerings, irregularly repeating offerings, and one-time efforts. The curriculum is revised annually. Each planning unit (see glossary) is responsible for defining and staffing its offerings and is expected to contribute 20% of its faculty time to Core (first-year) programs and another 20% to inter-area (teams involving faculty from two or more planning units) work. Planning in any given year is designed to develop a catalog for two years hence. Thus in the 2008-09 school year, faculty will be designing the curriculum for the 2010-11 school year. The curriculum dean(s) in collaboration with the Planning Unit Coordinators (PUCs) organize a series of all-faculty meetings in early fall quarter that are designed to solicit ideas, proposals, and suggestions for inter-area work at the first year and above level.<br />
<br />
Usually planning units meet at the fall faculty retreat and in the latter half of the quarter to identify their ongoing staffing needs and identify planning unit members interested in working in inter-area and Core. These meetings involve looking at the curriculum of the unit over a four-year period: the year being planned, the current year, the next year, and usually considering the year following the year being planned for. This iterative retrospective-prospective overview helps identify the needs for prerequisites; identify the appropriate cycle year for regularly, but not annually, repeating programs; identify questions of balance in subject matter; and clarify individual contributions to the units’ work. Most of the ongoing repeated work and advanced disciplinary work at the college is organized by planning units.<br />
<br />
Core and inter-divisional planning, which began early in the fall with the meeting to share ideas, continues more or less informally as faculty follow up ideas with each other and attend meetings called by either the Core dean or the curriculum dean to firm up and identify programs. In addition to the intricate matchmaking that occurs within program teams, the PUCs and curriculum deans are involved in a complex process of informal negotiation and planning to ensure the appropriate number of first-year seats (those in Core and then those seats identified for freshmen in all-level or lower-division programs) and appropriate coverage of planning unit repeated offerings. All of these decisions are made in negotiations among faculty and deans and are vetted to the planning unit meetings in winter quarter so that faculty can evaluate and respond to the area’s curriculum and its relation to other Core and inter-area offerings. This complex two-tracked process within and between the planning units culminates in a draft curriculum by the end of winter quarter. The final negotiations between planning units and the deans, the creation of catalog copy for programs, and the identification of staffing needs is carried out by PUCs who are given release time spring quarter to complete these duties. One important byproduct of the curriculum planning process is the awareness of areas of demand in the curriculum and supplementary short-term and long-term hiring needs.<br />
<br />
Unlike the full-time curriculum, the Evening and Weekend Studies (EWS) curriculum is planned on a one-year cycle. This structure allows the curriculum to adapt more quickly to shifts in the student body and is an aspect of the service orientation of the EWS area. The EWS dean and the continuing faculty in the area jointly control planning for the area.<br />
<br />
Planning in the graduate programs is controlled by their respective faculty and is described in 2.D.<br />
<br />
====2.A.8 Library and Information Resources====<br />
''Faculty, in partnership with library and information resources personnel, ensure that the use of library and information resources is integrated into the learning process.''<br />
<br />
The tension between the demands of discipline-based curriculum where programs are created to meet known (or presumed) needs with known prerequisites and outcomes on the one hand, and the demands of freely chosen inquiry based on broad skills of knowing, reasoning, and communicating about issues whose outcome remain to be discovered through experience on the other, is the context within which the curriculum comes into being at Evergreen. The college puts a premium on student research work in both independent learning contracts, and group and individual research projects within programs. Library and information services at Evergreen have from the very beginning had to adapt themselves to the complex ever changing focus of the programs and faculty. This has meant that these services have had to be very broad and carefully coordinated with emerging curricular needs. Standard 5.B.2. details the complex intersection of library and information resource instruction at the college.<br />
<br />
====2.A.9 Structural Elements of the Evergreen Curriculum====<br />
''The institution’s curriculum (programs and courses) is planned both for optimal learning and accessible scheduling.''<br />
<br />
The curriculum at Evergreen is designed by the faculty to further students’ ability to develop and meet the goals of an Evergreen education. The practices and structures that make up the educational experience embody both complex substantive learning and the capacities identified in the five foci. Four critical elements underlie the structure of the curriculum at Evergreen: team-taught coordinated study, full-time study, student self-direction, and narrative evaluation. These elements are universally present and they most clearly and distinctively embody the practices and goals of the Evergreen educational experience. These elements are designed to optimize a student’s capacity to understand and integrate material, develop complex insight, and create schedules that facilitate program level work and interaction. <br />
<br />
=====Programs=====<br />
<br />
Programs are the distinctive mode of study at the college. A program consists of two to four (in the deep past as many as seven) faculty who together plan and deliver, generally full-time, a course of study organized around a theme or body of knowledge to 50 to 100 students. The terminology about programs has changed over this period – at the beginning programs were referred to as coordinated studies. Programs can be as short as one quarter or as long as three. These programs are often centered on a specific theme or set of questions that invite exploration from two or more disciplinary points of view, or they may be linked conceptually around method or subject matter in a way that promotes more complex understanding of disciplines by being taught in a collaborative fashion. In addition to coordinated study programs, Evergreen offers single faculty programs that provide full-time study of advanced topics. <br />
<br />
=====Programs as Academic Communities===== <br />
<br />
By providing a structure which links ideas, questions, and disciplinary understandings together with a specific ongoing group of faculty and students, coordinated study lays the groundwork for the formation of an academic community. By having the full attention of students and extraordinary freedom to design programs, faculty members are empowered to create very different, often innovative, usually exciting, learning experiences. Programs can, and often do, require major field trips, built in research times, intensive laboratory work, opportunities for travel, productions, exhibitions, and a wide variety of smaller scale curricular innovations. Ideally, faculty members help shape a multi-dimensional, multi-leveled conversation that helps students form and shape their own work and builds a knowledgeable audience for their writing and research. Within a coordinated study, students and faculty can develop strong friendships, working relationships, and intense conversations that draw heavily on the shared experiences of the texts and activities of the program. Coordinated study as a concept has been usefully adapted to a wide variety of time frames, persons, and levels of work. Today it is found in some form or another in graduate programs, off-campus programs, and throughout both the full-time and part-time undergraduate curriculum.<br />
<br />
Coordinated studies, their part-time counterparts, and single faculty full-time programs are organized into the curriculum of the graduate programs (MPA, MIT, and MES), the Tacoma Program, and the Reservation-Based Program, as well as into the undergraduate program on the Olympia campus. On the Olympia campus the array of offerings is organized and coordinated through five planning units (Culture, Text and Language; Environmental Studies; Expressive Arts; Scientific Inquiry; and Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change) and the Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Center. These areas will be discussed fully below.<br />
<br />
=====Full-Time Study=====<br />
<br />
Most student work at Evergreen is carried out in one form or another of full-time study. The pedagogical rationale here arises out of the coordinated study programs, especially those with a thematic base. These complex, multi-stranded, highly integrated programs make little or no sense when significant elements are removed. Similar intensive full-time work is often expected in single faculty full-time programs. This feature of the college provides the intellectual intensity described above, but also provides the flexibility of scheduling that allows the college to offer genuinely innovative work in a number of fields where large blocks of time and travel are required. Beyond this, the reality that most faculty, in most programs, have control of most of their students’ time in class, and meet with those students generally fourteen to twenty hours per week, means that they know their students' needs, capacities, and desires well. This knowledge allows for strong guidance and modification of program tasks, allows complex reflective evaluations of students, and lays the groundwork for effective advising. The college has allowed significantly more part-time work in recent years in Evening and Weekend Studies. The part-time study is structured both through half-time coordinated studies and course work.<br />
<br />
=====Student Self-Directed Study=====<br />
<br />
While the structure of the college’s curriculum provides a series of pathways that students may follow in pursuing their education, there are no requirements for graduation beyond the accumulation of 180 quarter-hours credit. Many of the pathways will be described in the discussion of planning units below. This open invitation to students to design their own work at the college has been a central feature of student experience from the beginning of the college. Our assumption is that working with multiple faculty and being exposed to a variety of disciplines, questions, and practices helps each student to develop a clear pattern of interests and can, with faculty and advising help, help them build an exciting, demanding, and persuasive educational path. Choices are not entirely unconstrained. Prerequisites, finding an appropriate faculty member for an individual study or internship, and the nature of the programs offered by the faculty in a particular year, limit a student’s choices, but underlying all this is the understanding that students can use the opportunities presented to identify and pursue their own work. Clearly the decision of the college to put students in charge of the choices to create their education is a radical one. Indeed of all the founding “Nos” the most radical in many ways is the relinquishment of the faculty’s authority to determine for students what is important for the student to study. Students who take this challenge seriously create an education that necessarily implicates themselves as persons, not simply as products of an educational system or consumers of educational prescriptions. Individual contracts and internships are an important manifestation of student autonomy.<br />
<br />
=====Narrative Evaluation=====<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s origins as an innovative “experimental” college, the rejection of tenure and the substitution of three-year renewable contracts, and a flat administrative structure imbued the college with a “culture of evaluation” at the institutional level. The decision to reject standardized grading provided an impetus for careful work on evaluation of student achievement by both faculty and students. Narrative evaluation of student work assumes that to create a community in which cooperation is central, evaluation must be individual, not comparative. Attempting to place each student on one scale when each student is pursuing the work of the program for different ends with different backgrounds and capacities makes little sense.<br />
<br />
Evaluation takes many forms at Evergreen, but at the heart of the educational process is the faculty evaluation of students. This document reflects the faculty’s authority to grant or withhold credit, and to identify the transferable content of the work. More importantly, it attempts to identify the strengths and capabilities of the student and to locate his or her most important work within the context of the program’s themes, content and experience.<br />
<br />
Student narratives offer a critical response to the educational experience and often provide the rationale that links one educational experience to the next. The capacity for students to provide their accounts in the transcript evaluation speaks to the college’s commitment to taking students and their account of their experience seriously. For further reflection on the narrative evaluation process, please see the [[Media: Narrative_Evaluation_Guide.pdf|Narrative Evaluation Guide 2004]].<br />
<br />
=====Learning and Planning Through Evaluation=====<br />
<br />
Formal evaluations, the ones that appear in the transcripts, are important, but their significance is primarily documentary and retrospective. Informal evaluations, the ones that occur within programs, have the quality of being retrospective and reflective on the one hand and prospective on the other. They situate the student and the experience in midstream and ask for and elicit an assessment, adjustment, and reframing. Student self-evaluations review their work and introduce their in-program portfolio. In individual conferences, a faculty member asks students to connect their experience in the program with their work, and to think about how they can come to own this experience as their own education. The conference provides an opportunity for assessment from the student's and faculty member’s perspective. This process of reflecting examines not only the direct content of the program, but often the experience of learning. Students are asked how they have changed as learners; how such basic acts as reading, knowing, and writing have changed for them through experience. This reflexive evaluation practice, seeing one's learning and competency develop, opens up questions and helps students see a path within the program and, at the end of the program, provides a key to where to go next.<br />
<br />
Much of the evaluation process focuses on advising. Informal evaluations by both faculty and students focus on the students' learning, opportunities for improvement, and possible future directions. The preparation for this review by both students and faculty is a major opportunity to reflect on future directions and to develop a reflective critical assessment of the work of the student and the program.<br />
<br />
Three major initiatives in the past ten years have considered transcript evaluations. All of these start from the premise that a complete and well written transcript is an asset to students as they proceed from Evergreen and from a resistance to the idea of reducing evaluation to grades or rating forms. They reflect the need to create more concise and well-voiced evaluations in a timely and coherent manner. Two major committees, the first in 1996-1997 and the second in 2003-2004, produced a set of arguments for the continuing utility of the evaluation process and support for the idea that there was no single universal process for evaluation. The latter DTF developed an important document on faculty narrative strategies and provided guidelines on the length and nature of the evaluation process. A second study group (Evaluation Processing) in 2002-2004 focused on procedures for the reorganization of the handling of evaluations and their storage and maintenance as electronic documents. This process has sped the production of transcript evaluations. The formal faculty evaluation documents contain a program description identifying the work of the program, a formal assessment of the student’s work, and the identification of the program’s activities as subject equivalencies.<br />
<br />
====2.A.10 Prior Learning from Experience====<br />
''Credit for prior experiential learning is awarded only in accordance with Policy 2.3 Credit for Prior Experiential Learning''<br />
<br />
Prior Learning from Experience<br />
<br />
The Prior Learning from Experience (PLE) Program faculty assesses the student's past academic experience and past life experience before recommending Evergreen's PLE program. The full-time staff position was cut from the budget in spring of 2003 when the program was reorganized into the Evening and Weekend Studies curriculum. The coordinator from the previous staff position moved into the adjunct faculty position. The adjunct faculty forms teams of full-time continuing faculty to assess the PLE documents. A central tenet of Evergreen's PLE program is that credit is granted for learning and not for experience. Students must document that learning by drawing on current theories in particular academic fields. They accomplish this by interviewing appropriate faculty about their documents and by completing necessary research. Because faculty members grant credit for PLE documents, they grant credit only for learning that would normally occur within regular curricular offerings.<br />
<br />
The documentation currently required for credit through PLE at Evergreen is rigorous. Most interested students, beginning in fall of 2003, take "Writing from Life," a course taught by the adjunct faculty. Course requirements include writing an autobiography, their PLE document outline, and one learning essay or chapter of their PLE document. Students then move into PLE document writing (taught by the same adjunct faculty) the following quarter and take that course for four, six, or eight credits until they have earned sixteen credits. At that time their essay writing is finished and they are ready for a faculty review. All students include a resume, an autobiography, a narrative description of their learning, and appendices documenting that learning, such as reports or guidelines the student developed. Faculty reviewing the PLE process found the documentation to be generally more demanding than other undergraduate credit they awarded.<br />
<br />
Evergreen awards up to a maximum of forty-five PLE credits, but sixteen of those forty-five are earned in PLE document writing. They can be awarded additional credit above sixteen to achieve the full forty-five, but most are awarded less than that. Credit awards are based on documentation and students are not assured of receiving the credit that they may request at any time in this process. Credit is identified as PLE via the narrative evaluation of the student's work.<br />
<br />
The Prior Learning adjunct faculty ensures that requested credit does not duplicate credit already on the student's transcript. After the faculty team awards credit, the student receives a formal evaluation, is billed for the credit awarded, and the credit is entered on his transcript (see [[Media: ple_infopage.pdf|PLE Homepage]]).<br />
<br />
====2.A.11/12 Program additions or deletions====<br />
''Policies, regulations, and procedures for additions and deletions of courses or programs are systematically and periodically reviewed.''<br />
<br />
Evergreen has added relatively few new degree programs during the past five years<br />
and has not deleted any programs. The new programs include: <br />
<br />
*A new concentration track in Tribal Governance and Administration within the existing Master of Public Administration (MPA) program.<br />
*The Extended Education program.<br />
*A new pathway for students seeking to earn a dual Master of Public Administration and Master of Environmental Studies degree.<br />
*One additional site for the Tribal Reservation-based/Community-determined Program (RBCD).<br />
*The Master of Education (M.Ed.) program.<br />
<br />
New academic programs are vetted through the deans, planning unit coordinators, Faculty Agenda Committee, and ultimately the faculty. If approved, the provost requests board of trustee approval. <br />
<br />
The new Tribal MPA concentration and Extended Education were approved in this manner. The additional RBP site consisted of an expansion of an already approved academic program and was approved by the board of trustees.<br />
<br />
The M.Ed. had been included in the [[Media: ENROLLMENT_GROWTH_FINAL_REPORT_2005.doc|Enrollment Growth DTF Final Report 2005]] as one of three graduate programs that ought to be studied further for feasibility of implementation. Normally, approval of the M.Ed. program would have been vetted through the channels described above culminating in a faculty meeting discussion and vote. Given the unusual circumstances in which the college received funding for the M.Ed. program, this process was transposed. Essentially, the governor’s office informed Evergreen during winter break that they intended to include additional high demand enrollment growth funds for Evergreen in the state budget (funds that Evergreen did not include in its biennial budget request). This forced Evergreen’s academic administration to determine, within a very brief window of time, that the M.Ed. program was the most feasible to implement in the subsequent 07-09 biennium. This decision was immediately taken to the first faculty meeting in winter quarter for discussion. The faculty was justifiably upset that the normal a priori faculty vetting and approval process occurred after the fact, but did not actively oppose the decision to accept the funds and to initiate the new M.Ed. program. This incident illustrates the tension between the pace of internal processes and external demands on the institution and faculty governance processes.<br />
<br />
===Standard 2.B – Educational Program Planning and Assessment===<br />
''Educational program planning is based on regular and continuous assessment of programs in light of the needs of the disciplines, the fields or occupations for which programs prepare students, and other constituencies of the institution.''<br />
<br />
Evergreen has a multi-leveled, multi-faceted, and reflective culture of planning and assessment. Ongoing assessment and planning activities are regular and continuous, and each year, specific issues that arise from the ongoing processes are identified for in-depth investigation. Assessment takes place at the level of each curricular offering, at the planning unit level and during the ongoing annual processes of curriculum design, at the level of institutional research and assessment, in governance activities and work groups tasked with investigating specific issues and problems, and by individuals who want to look deeply into particular areas of interest. <br />
<br />
<br />
====2.B.1 Curriculum Assessment and Planning====<br />
''The institution's processes for assessing its educational programs are clearly defined, encompass all of its offerings, are conducted on a regular basis, and are integrated into the overall planning and evaluation plan. These processes are consistent with the institution's assessment plan as required by Policy 2.2 Educational Assessment. While key constituents are involved in the process, the faculty have a central role in planning and evaluating the educational programs.''<br />
<br />
At the level of individual curricular offerings, faculty design their programs and courses to challenge students and provide opportunities to demonstrate their learning in myriad ways such as through writing, student research, performance, testing, lab work, community-based projects, seminar, creative work, and collaborative work. Each program, course, individual contract, and internship closes with the faculty writing an evaluation of each student's work and each student writing a self-evaluation of their own work and an evaluation of the faculty. Faculty write self-evaluations of their work for their own portfolios that are integrated into faculty peer review processes. The self-evaluation and peer evaluation processes encourage deep learning and personal responsibility and provide directions for improvement and growth. (Student and faculty evaluation processes are addressed more thoroughly in Standards 2.A.9 and 4.A.5.)<br />
<br />
The curriculum at Evergreen is planned by the faculty, the academic deans, and the directors of the graduate and off-site programs. Planning units meet regularly throughout the year to discuss current issues, faculty initiatives, and future curriculum planning and staffing needs. Each planning unit has one or more faculty designated as planning unit coordinators (PUCs). The PUCs also meet regularly during the year with the curriculum deans, which serves as a space for intentional dialogue across planning units. Each summer, the dean of faculty hiring and development offers a series of planning institutes in which faculty teaching teams convene to plan the specifics of their upcoming programs, share practices, and explore mission-critical questions. The dean of first-year programs offers a special colloquium for faculty teams who will be teaching first-year programs each June. The PUCs and the academic deans each hold a summer retreat where they assess the previous year and plan for the coming year. Two faculty curriculum planning retreats are held in fall and spring where faculty get to know one another, share current scholarly interests, identify future teaching partners, and discuss pressing issues. All of these curriculum planning activities draw upon experiential data, the evolving interests of faculty and students, institutional strategic directions, data from Institutional Research and Assessment, ongoing planning unit dialogues, and the research and recommendations of work groups and disappearing task forces. (Curricular planning details can be found in Standard 2.A.7; the organizational structure and functions of planning units are elaborated in the introduction to Standard 2.C; planning institutes and faculty development are also addressed in Standard 4.A.2.) <br />
<br />
=====Role of Institutional Research and Assessment=====<br />
<br />
The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment supports the assessment and planning of educational programs through a series of regular surveys and administrative data analyses. In addition, the office convenes assessment workshops, provides existing data and collects specialized data for college work groups and task forces, responds to state-level accountability requirements, coordinates inter-institutional data-sharing and assessment activities, and supports faculty-initiated research about teaching and learning. Institutional Research and Assessment continuously refines its data collection strategies and reporting techniques to improve the usefulness of collected data for assessment and planning purposes. All of the data collection practices present in the 1998 accreditation self-study have been refined to some extent over the past decade. The overall effect of the changes in practice is that the results represent a wider range of students, research approaches and presentations are better aligned to evolving needs and goals of the college and external reporting requirements, and engagement in the results by stakeholders has improved.<br />
<br />
'''New Student Survey'''<br />
<br />
Evergreen administered the Cooperative Institutional Research Project (CIRP) freshmen survey for the last time in 2001. Students found many of the survey questions to be offensive and excessively personal. The incentive of paying each participant to complete the survey had become less effective with the response rate dropping from 38% in 1999 to only 19% in 2001. Furthermore, Institutional Research staff concurred with the recommendation of the Commission in 1998 that assessment processes should include transfer students given that they make up an even greater proportion of the incoming class than freshmen do. The CIRP excluded this important part of Evergreen's student body (see [[Media: CIRP_2001_Report.pdf|CIRP 2001 Report]]).<br />
<br />
The Institutional Research staff developed the Evergreen New Student Survey in collaboration with staff, faculty, and students. The entering class of 2003 were the first participants. The collaborative design resulted in a survey reflecting the concerns and understandings of Evergreen respondents and audiences. Subsequent revisions have been made based on feedback from faculty, staff, and students who have used the results. New first-years and transfer students are surveyed every two years, which allows time to analyze and share results. The survey has a strong response rate. In 2005, 57% of all new transfer students and 69% of all new first-years participated in the survey. Survey results have been distributed widely and many audiences have engaged in dialogue and consideration of the results. The questions collect information about the goals, expectations, confidence, demographics, intended fields of study, and college selection process specific to Evergreen. The ability to ask Evergreen-specific questions, control question refinement, achieve improved response rates, and include previously omitted transfer populations – including new Tacoma and Tribal: Reservation-based students – has been worth the trade-off of losing the national comparison which the CIRP provided (see [[Media: Nss2005results_and_questions_web_page.pdf|New Student Survey Questions 2005]]).<br />
<br />
In 2004, Evergreen participated in the pilot of the national Beginning College Student Survey (BCSS) (see [[Media: BCSS_2004_Frequencies_Evergreen.pdf|BCSS 2004 Evergreen Frequencies]]). Response rates were very low, which did not allow for strong comparison potential with its partner survey, the National Survey of Student Engagement. Given the strong response rates of the locally developed Evergreen New Student Survey and the stronger buy-in of college stakeholders, the college has not chosen to participate again in the BCSS.<br />
<br />
'''Student Experience Surveys'''<br />
<br />
A second survey, the Evergreen Student Experience Survey, was developed as a companion survey to the Evergreen New Student Survey. The Evergreen Experience Survey is administered every other spring to collect feedback from students about their learning growth, fields of study, satisfaction with experiences, use of campus resources, and other variables of interest to particular committees and interest groups at Evergreen. The survey is administered to a random sample of undergraduates, stratified by class standing, and to a targeted oversample that includes all remaining respondents to the New Student Survey and all Tribal: Reservation-based program students. Students are assigned a common sample identification number to allow for longitudinal analysis of the relationship between incoming goals and characteristics from the New Student Survey and subsequent experiences collected through the Evergreen Experience Survey and Alumni Surveys (see [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Methodology.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 Methodology]]). Over the three administrations of the survey, questions have been added to the survey to respond to the needs of newer work groups, such as the Sustainability Task Force and Curricular Visions Disappearing Task Force.<br />
<br />
Evergreen has participated annually in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) since 2000. This survey collects a set of data from first-year students and seniors related to student engagement and satisfaction with learning growth. For a national survey, it has a surprising relevance, in that many of the teaching and learning experiences addressed by the survey are common, mission-related practices at Evergreen. In addition, NSSE provides the opportunity to understand our students' feedback relative to three comparison groups each year. This context is especially important, since our local new student, student experience, and alumni surveys do not provide external reference. NSSE data are used for accountability measures with the Higher Education Coordinating Board and as supplemental indicators of learning for our general education assessment; both of these purposes make the external comparisons especially useful (see [[Media: Trends%2C_Highlights%2C_and_NSSE_Accountability_Performance_Indicators_2001-2007.pdf|NSSE Trends, Highlights, and Accountability Performance Indicators 2001-2007]]). <br />
<br />
Evergreen had been locally administering the learning growth index of the College Student Experience Questionnaire (CSEQ) on an annual basis and using selected results for an earlier iteration of Washington performance accountability. Evergreen administered that survey for a final time in 2003 (see [[Media:CSEQ_2003_Learning Index.pdf|CSEQ 2003 Learning Index]]). By that time, the college had sufficient experience with NSSE to understand its effectiveness in engaging college stakeholders in the assessment, and the Office of Institutional Research implemented the Evergreen Student Experience Survey in spring 2004.<br />
<br />
In spring 2005, all Evergreen faculty who taught undergraduates during academic year 2004-05 were asked to participate in the NSSE’s companion survey, the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE). The results of the student NSSE survey and the faculty FSSE provided the opportunity to explore the relationship between faculty and student perceptions of Evergreen. Faculty self-identified on the survey as to whether they primarily taught lower-division, upper-division, or "other" students. The most useful analysis of Evergreen's results was a comparison of the twenty-one lower-division faculty members to the results for first-year students (see [[Media: Evergreen_Faculty_and_Student_Responses_to_Surveys_of_Student_Engagement_-_Lower-division_Comparison.pdf|Evergreen Faculty and Student Responses to Surveys of Student Engagement - Lower-division Comparison 2005]]).<br />
<br />
'''Alumni Surveys'''<br />
<br />
The regular series of Evergreen undergraduate alumni surveys are the least changed since the last ten-year self-study. Washington State's Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) no longer requires its public baccalaureate institutions to conduct biannual alumni surveys, but external incentives are not necessary to recognize the importance to the college of seeking alumni feedback. Institutional Research and Assessment continues to administer the following:<br />
<br />
*Biannual Alumni Surveys, one-year after graduation (see [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2004.pdf|Alumni Survey 2004]])<br />
<br />
*Greeners at Work, every four years which surveys alumni three years after graduation and their current employers (see [[Media: Greeners_at_Work_2003_-_Alumni_and_Employers_Three_Years_After_Graduation.pdf|Greeners at Work 2003 - Alumni and Employers Three Years After Graduation]])<br />
<br />
*Five-year and Ten-year Alumni Survey, once per accreditation cycle (see [[Media: Five-Year_Alumni_Survey_-_Advanced_Education%2C_Employment%2C_Volunteerism%2C_and_Reflections_on_an_Evergreen_Education.pdf|Five-Year Alumni Survey - Advanced Education, Employment, Volunteerism, and Reflections on an Evergreen Education]])<br />
<br />
Alumni surveys are now administered via the Web with paper survey follow-up for non-respondents. Response rates with these methods continue to be about 30% of the locatable members of the graduating class, despite discontinuing the telephone completion option. The list of self-reported learning outcomes has been updated and aligned with the Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate and Evergreen's other longitudinal surveys. Employment data collection has been refined to allow for the complexity of alumni employment activities and to allow categorization and comparison in terms of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Standard Occupational Classification codes. Since 2002, the survey is requested from the entire graduating class and is no longer limited to graduates of the Olympia campus. Volunteer activities of alumni are now captured by the survey. Graduate school acceptance, as opposed to simply attendance, is collected and is a new legislatively mandated performance measure. Results are disaggregated by the alumni-reported primary planning unit of their studies at Evergreen and for off-campus sites as possible given staffing and sample size constraints. An unfortunate side-effect of the removal of alumni surveys from the HECB accountability agenda is that the "14 common items" that were previously shared by our public baccalaureate peers are no longer collected and shared between institutions. Each institution exercised the freedom to update the series of alumni learning growth items to better align with their own educational objectives. Thus, each institution has more mission-specific learning outcome data from alumni, but they lost a peer context through which to explore their results. <br />
<br />
'''General Education Assessment'''<br />
<br />
New techniques were developed by the Assessment Study Group in academic year 2001-02 to assess the implementation of the new general education initiatives. The End-of-Program Review instrument collects information from all programs as to whether they included work in art, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, quantitative reasoning, writing, critical thinking, and information technology literacy. Advising practices were collected during the first few years. Based on the evolving emphases of the Evergreen community, several new data collection elements have been added to include oppression, privilege, and difference; opportunities for advanced work; community-based learning/service learning; and most recently sustainability. Results of the annual End-of-Program Review are presented in Standard 2.C.3 as evidence of the teaching of general education. <br />
<br />
A team of faculty, staff, and a student developed a rubric based on the Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate that was used in summers of 2002 and 2005 to assess a random sample of transcripts of graduates. A credit equivalency analysis was also conducted on the set of transcripts. The transcript review is the primary method of assessing learning outcomes related to general education at Evergreen. The review will take place every four years to allow changes in practice and curriculum to be evidenced in the transcripts. A set of indicators of learning in terms of the Expectations were identified from surveys of students and alumni to supplement the information obtained from the transcript review activities. Learning outcomes are detailed in Standard 2.B.2.<br />
<br />
'''Administrative Data Analysis'''<br />
<br />
Administrative data analysis is an integral aspect of the overall assessment strategy. Annual analyses of the curriculum; student retention and graduation rates; and demographics of students, faculty, and staff are shared through the Web site, targeted presentations, and with various external audiences. Institutional Research has been a key participant in providing data for the college's development of new dashboard indicator metrics for senior staff and the governing board (see [[Media: Dashboard.pdf|Dashboard Indicators]]). Periodic in-depth analysis of faculty-student load is also undertaken. These regular processes are continually expanded to include new programs and areas of interest. Most recently, new processes have been developed to track data about the Extended Education program, revised demographic definitions for low-income and first-generation students, and specific analyses for each of the graduate programs. Survey results are often linked to administrative variables in order to explore potential differences in student and alumni experiences. In-depth analysis is also conducted to understand the impact of new initiatives and major changes in policy e.g. raising the credit limit or implementing a new graduate degree pathway. <br />
<br />
'''External Data Resources'''<br />
<br />
External data resources have been incorporated into research and analysis approaches. The National Student Clearinghouse is used annually to explore the enrollment of prospective students who were offered admission to Evergreen but chose not to attend. These data help identify institutions with applicant overlap for different student market groups. This resource has also been used to explore the subsequent enrollment of former Evergreen students, such as non-retained students and alumni. The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) peer analysis database, the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) annual data-sharing process (see [[Media: COPLAC DataProfile AY05-06.pdf|COPLAC Data Profile AY05-06]]), and annual participation in the Consortium for Student Retention Data Exchange (see [[Media: CSRDE Freshman Graduation Rates.pdf|First-time, First-year Cohort Graduation Rates]]) provide sources to explore Evergreen’s demographics and performance indicators. These sources are used to set accountability targets, research potential peer groups, and benchmark Evergreen performance. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and Law School Admission (LSAT) scores of Evergreen alumni were obtained in response to prospective student inquiries (see [[Media: GRE Results 2002-2006.pdf|GRE Results 2002-2006]] and [[Media: LSAT scores 2001-2006.pdf|LSAT Scores 2001-2006]]).<br />
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Institutional Research and Assessment also participates in a variety of ongoing state-level research, assessment, and accountability initiatives. Some activities are ongoing regular work such as the accountability process coordinated by the Higher Education Coordinating Board, serving on the Public Centralized Higher Education Enrollment Statistics (PCHEES) Steering Committee, Statewide Institutional Research Directors, Statewide Assessment Coordinators, and workgroups associated with the new legislatively mandated Education Research Data Center. As a public baccalaureate institution, Evergreen also participates in other special statewide projects, such as the Statewide Transfer Study, Writing Assessment Project, Graduate Follow-up Study, Transitions Math Project, Workforce Board Alumni Wage Match, and other periodic research. Staff participate annually in the Pacific Northwest Teaching and Learning Conference to share Evergreen assessment results, build relationships with other professionals, and learn about emerging practices. State-level research activities support practice sharing and strategic thinking across institutions and educational sectors.<br />
<br />
'''Special Projects'''<br />
<br />
Each year as new committees and task forces are charged by college administrators, Institutional Research and Assessment connects relevant data to the workgroups. Excerpts are drawn from the rich collection of existing data generated through regular institutional assessment activities and often conducting or supporting additional specialized research in support of the work. Recent examples of workgroups that used Institutional Research data in their work include the Diversity task force, First-year Experience task force, ''Beginning the Journey'', Sustainability work group, Campus Spaces Assessment, Enrollment Growth task force, and Curricular Visions DTF. (For example, see [[Media: Curricular Visions Data_Exhibits.pdf|Curricular Visions Data Exhibits]]). In addition, the office provides grant-related research for National Science Foundation scholarship grants, TRIO Student Support Services, and the Lumina Foundation grant supporting new Tribal Program activities. As staff time and resources allow, the office supports other specialized queries and research initiated by deans, faculty, staff, and students.<br />
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Evergreen’s institutional researchers also participate in other occasional national educational quality improvement projects, including Symposia on Diversity in the Sciences, Documenting Effective Educational Practices, Campus Compact community-based learning/service learning coalition, and Consortium for Innovative Environments in Learning (CIEL).<br />
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=====Planning Unit Self-Assessments=====<br />
<br />
The following sections serve as a demonstration of how data are integrated in planning and program assessment. Each planning unit provides a self-assessment of its primary themes and educational objectives and integrates evidence from faculty experience, planning unit dialogues, curriculum analyses, and surveys of alumni and students to explore how well they are acheiving their goals.<br />
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<br />
======Culture, Text, and Language======<br />
<br />
'''Theme and Mission''' <br />
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The Culture, Text, and Language planning unit organizes itself around the study of culture as webs of meaning that individuals and groups create to make sense of their experience in the world, around a diverse range of texts as embodiments of these meanings, and around languages both as means of communication and as carriers of transformative potential. The faculty and students design work together to create living links between their past and their present, in order to become, in the words of Charles McCann, Evergreen’s first president, “undogmatic citizens and uncomplacently confident individuals in a changing world.” <br />
<br />
The area provides four direct and distinctive contributions to the college. It directly supports student engagement with the five foci and the achievement of the six expectations through the provision of skills and capacities for critical thinking, reading, writing, and interpretation. It offers students an opportunity to do focused work in humanities and interpretive social science. It provides strong support for general education through its support for Core and all-level programs. And it provides an orientation to a global worldview through its language and culture programs and its attention to larger questions of ethics and action. The planning unit organizes nearly all of the advanced humanities, and much of the interpretive social sciences at Evergreen.<br />
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'''Faculty and Programs''' <br />
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Faculty in the area cover a wide range of humanities and interpretive social science disciplines including: literature, history, women’s studies, philosophy, religion, classics, art history, linguistics, anthropology, sociology, politics, folklore, creative writing, French, Spanish, Russian, and Japanese. <br />
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'''Interdisciplinary Programs'''<br />
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Typically the faculty offer several interdisciplinary, theme-based programs, inclusive inter-area programs offered in teams with a diverse range of faculty from other planning units. Themes in these programs explore the social origins and meanings of a broad array of questions in the arts, social sciences, and environmental studies. CTL offers a curriculum based in diverse cultures and languages so that students have opportunity to learn about shared legacies and significant differences across issues of race, class, sexuality, and gender. The area offers interdisciplinary studies dealing with these issues in the context of community and historical studies that include service work or research that draws upon interpretive social science. The planning unit also provides opportunity for studies in philosophy, European history, British and American literature, and other literature in translation. Many of the programs are area studies understood as the interdisciplinary study of topics framed by geography, language, culture, and history. These programs usually provide opportunity for study abroad, and a complex combination of language and culture studies. The planning unit is committed to offering regular language and culture programs in American studies, French language and the Francophone world, Japan, Middle East studies, Russian language and Eastern Europe, Spanish and the Hispanic world. <br />
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'''Introductory Programs'''<br />
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Language-based programs are available to students in their sophomore year and typically offer both introductory and advanced language study. CTL as a whole does not have a single repeating introductory offering, but builds introductory work in library and qualitative field research, critical thinking, essay writing, and issues of complex and layered reading into all-level programs which admit freshman through senior students, and sophomore-level programs that emphasize similar skills. Sophomore entry and all-level programs in the area support the development of distinct skills in such areas as languages, historical method, and literary interpretation. They also provide broad support for and help students see the importance of interpretation and the creation of cultural meaning as a social process. Creative expression of complex social and personal experience and effective communication of these experiences is fostered in most programs. All CTL programs report an emphasis on critical thinking and 93% report a major emphasis. Critical thinking in CTL focuses particularly around issues of analysis of texts and synthesis of ideas, as well as critiques and argument and diverse perspectives ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Critical_Thinking_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Critical Thinking by Planning Unit]]). All of these capacities directly support meeting the Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate. <br />
<br />
While the exact percentages vary from year to year, CTL faculty members are consistently among the most committed to inter-area teaching both in Core and in inter-area programs. During the review period, CTL provided nearly 40% or more of its faculty to teaching in either Core or inter-area programs ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]). The widespread involvement of area faculty in inter-area and Core programs helps to support general education expectations of exposure and engagement of students across the curriculum with issues of writing, interpretation, and expression.<br />
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'''Pathways'''<br />
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Pathways in CTL exist primarily within those sections of the curriculum dealing with language and culture. The existence of introductory language classes in the Evening and Weekend Studies program, the use of area studies programs especially in French and Spanish, and the provision of some support for advanced work through one-faculty programs and contract work constitute a pathway that has been effective for many students. The difficulty of providing more than two years of language training has been a serious issue for the development of language and culture pathways. <br />
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Other areas in the curriculum are less systematically organized, but there is the capacity to do both work that supplements and broadens original entry-level work, and opportunities to do more advanced work in small one-person programs. Often groups of students who have formed particular attachments to subject matter and each other form a cohort of students in a series of programs leading to advanced work. Individual students can and often do find advanced contract work, either individual work or small student originated study groups engaged in contracts with a single faculty member. <br />
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'''Student Response to the Curriculum'''<br />
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Over the past five years CTL has carried an average of 400 FTE per year in programs within the planning unit and has contributed an average 305 additional FTE in Core and inter-area programs ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]). The area has typically been among the most consistent contributors of faculty to Core and inter-area programs and has in recent years been a location of a great number of all-level programs. In some measure these tendencies reflect the propensity of the area to take on broad issues and develop thematic programs that pull into conversation a variety of disciplines, rather than attention to what at most schools would be seen as survey courses. Further the relative lack of curricular hierarchy within the area and the willingness of faculty to work with younger students to include them in the conversation has allowed for an expansion of all-level programs in the area. <br />
<br />
Clearly humanities teaching occurs widely across the curriculum and is not restricted exclusively to the programs of CTL. The EPR data for 2001-02 to 2005-06 show that between 81% and 86% of all programs included elements of humanities and that a significant majority of those programs (55-67%) had a major substantive interest in the humanities. Major elements of humanities are embedded in CTL, Expressive Arts (EA), Evening/Weekend, inter-area, and often Core programs. More minor elements of humanities show up in Scientific Inquiry (SI), Environmental Studies (ES), and Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change (SPBC) where humanities content was much more often illustrative of issues rather than the subject of direct inquiry. To further confuse issues, the fact that there are both humanities faculty and social science faculty within the area means that often programs within CTL may not necessarily be humanities programs. <br />
<br />
'''Alumni Survey Data'''<br />
<br />
A critical mode of assessing the work of the area is satisfaction of area graduates with their experience. All data in this discussion are drawn from the 2006 Alumni Survey of the class of 2004-05 – the latest set of data on alumni satisfaction. Alumni are self-identified as having done their primary work in CTL ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Culture%2C_Text%2C_and_Language.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Culture, Text, and Language]]). Overall, students report very high rates of satisfaction with Evergreen’s contribution to their academic and personal growth. In twenty-one of twenty-four aspects of their Evergreen work, more than 80% of CTL alumni were somewhat to very satisfied with their experience. Students were most satisfied with their capacity to work independently, followed by participation in class discussions, understanding different philosophies and cultures, knowledge of a broad range of subjects, capacity for critical analysis, and working cooperatively in groups. For 15 of 24 categories, mean satisfaction was four or better on a five-point scale. Students gave low marks for their perceived readiness for a career and for their capacity to use mathematical and scientific principles. <br />
<br />
When alumni were directly asked their satisfaction with Evergreen experiences, more than 90% reported being somewhat or very satisfied with interdisciplinary education, faculty narrative evaluation, quality of instruction, the education they were able to construct, self-evaluation process, individual contracts, community service, culminating projects, internships, and study abroad. Students were most dissatisfied with opportunities for advanced undergraduate work, tolerance for different or opposing views, and advice from faculty. <br />
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In terms of ten work-related skills, a plurality of CTL alumni rated themselves as "good" in four categories and "excellent" in six more. Evergreen was seen as contributing to some extent or a great deal in all skill areas with particular help in the development of skills in creative thinking, independence and initiative, and willingness and aptitude to learn new skills. They saw themselves as learners with an ability and willingness to take on new tasks. <br />
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In terms of employment, 78.5% of the CTL alumni were employed one year after graduation compared with 84% of all alumni. Of those employed, 69.3% of CTL alumni were employed in an area that was at least somewhat related to their area of primary study at Evergreen. 75.8% of employed CTL alumni felt that their Evergreen experience had prepared them adequately or very well for their current positions. <br />
<br />
In terms of graduate or professional school, 32% of CTL alumni applied to graduate/professional school within one year of graduation. Of twenty-four alumni who applied, twenty-one had been offered admission (87.5%) and three applications were pending. Of seventy-nine CTL alumni, nineteen attended or are currently attending graduate or professional school within one year of graduation. The nineteen alumni were continuing their work in Washington (eleven), other states (six), and internationally (two). Two had enrolled in graduate studies at Evergreen in this time frame. The rate of 25% of alumni going directly to graduate school was slightly higher than the 21% of all Evergreen alumni respondents who entered graduate school in this period.<br />
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'''Issues''' <br />
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The most pressing issue in the area is number of faculty. The number of faculty members affiliated with the area has declined from a high of forty-nine active full-time teaching members in the 1997-98 school year to twenty-eight active full-time teaching members in the 2007-08 school year. If we restrict the range from 1998-99 to 2006-07, the loss is 46 to 30. (Data from catalogs for 1998-99, 2006-07, 2007-08 and faculty retention master list.) Obviously, the area has suffered significant attrition during the past ten years. This attrition affected two broad tendencies in the area. First, the planning unit in its formation in 1995 drew heavily on a pool of older experienced faculty who saw this area as the most open and creative location for “traditional” coordinated study work. This group of faculty formed the creative heart of the early years of the college. Many of these people were not obviously humanities hires in terms of training, but all addressed themselves and pushed the college to address issues from a deeply humanist perspective. (For a clear sense of the loss that this transition has signified for the area and the college please read [[Media: Grissom_Humanities at Evergreen_2007.pdf|Tom Grissom on Humanities at Evergreen – Emeritus Ceremony 2007]]). Over the past ten years, nearly all of these people have retired. This has meant that these positions have reverted to the faculty-wide pool of positions. <br />
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Once the area is competing faculty-wide, a second tendency develops from the propensity of the area to see its curriculum as addressing broad themes and issues and the consequent refusal of the area to define its curriculum in ordered hierarchical patterns (with the partial exception of language programs). This has meant that the area has had a difficult time asserting the need for any particular position in order to meet the demands of a particular field of study. Thus, until very recently, the area has not been particularly effective in obtaining positions from the faculty-wide pool. Even with the institution-wide recognition of a need for more humanities hires in the last two years, the area has serious issues in terms of hiring in support of Spanish, American history, religion, American literature, art history, creative writing, and philosophy. The efforts of the curriculum deans during the 2007-08 school year to reorganize the roles of planning units by diversifying the locations for the identification of possible hires and by creating inter-divisional positions has begun to make some inroads on this problem. In addition the area has entered into conversations that have explicitly addressed CTL's role, its rationale, and the implications of that role for new hires. <br />
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Related to this set of issues is the development and continuity of teaching in languages. This issue is connected to the choice of languages to be taught, the support of these languages within the full-time faculty, and the relation of full-time teaching to part-time language offerings. Recently the college has moved to support the teaching of Russian by adding a second faculty member in Russian history and is moving to hire a second classics hire to support the teaching of Latin and ancient Greek. Yet there is clearly a need to hire additional support in Spanish and there are complex questions about how to support languages that are occasionally included within repeating language and culture programs, e.g. Arabic, Chinese, or Gaelic.<br />
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But the call for more faculty members in the area is only part of the issue. While it is indeed the case that the area “needs” more faculty members in a wide range of subject areas, the area also need more people who have the capacity to bring to programs a broad sense of inquiry about fundamental questions such as what it means to be human and to engage in the making of culture and social life. While such a formulation is vague and very broad, it points at the central issue of liberal arts education; the development of reflexive and engaged thinkers. This sensibility is characteristic of Evergreen students and graduates. It is a way of being that asks students not just to know a particular skills, or a specific piece of information, but to synthesize, reflect, critically analyze, and engage knowledge as it affects students as individuals and as members of groups and the political universe. If the area is going to continue to lead in the creation of such students across the campus, it needs faculty members who can inspire such broad views, not simply those who possess specific disciplinary skills and knowledge. <br />
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Finally the area needs to clarify and advocate for its central mission. The essential nature of the questions of cultural and personal meaning, the critical nature of language and interpretation, and the central responsibility to engage the world in a way that speaks to values and choices that lie at the heart of humanistic studies need to be seen as essential to all of the work at the college. The area needs colleagues in other planning units to see the importance of these questions and potential students to see the value in these studies. This will require us to articulate what the planning unit can do and what it can offer both in terms of general education and in terms of breadth and complexity of experience within the area and across the college.<br />
<br />
======Environmental Studies======<br />
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'''Theme and Mission'''<br />
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The Environmental Studies planning unit is organized around the study of the interactions between human systems and the natural world in order to support and sustain both. Environmental Studies includes both natural and social sciences and provides students with the opportunity to:<br />
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* Qualitatively and quantitatively investigate the chemical, physical and biological elements that define terrestrial and marine ecosystems;<br />
* Understand the physical systems that underlie life on Earth;<br />
* Understand the nature, development and interactions of human societies with the environment;<br />
* Examine the richness and limits of environmental and social resources available to sustain both human and natural systems; and<br />
* Engage in applied research and work to develop skills that support this effort.<br />
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Environmental Studies utilizes Evergreen’s full-time modes of study to provide a curriculum that emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning in field and community studies. The area is deeply committed to the engagement of students with active efforts to find scientific, social, and personal understanding of and responses to ecological destruction.<br />
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'''Faculty and Programs'''<br />
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The Environmental Studies faculty have a wide range of training in environmental chemistry, geology, hydrology, botany, marine science, sustainability, ecology, vertebrate biology, land use and environmental planning, forest and plant ecology, cultural/ecological anthropology, geography, zoology, evolutionary biology, entomology, environmental health, law and policy, environmental economics, forest ecology, community studies, agriculture, ornithology, conservation, and ecological agriculture. Faculty members in the Environmental Studies area are shared with the Master in Environmental Studies Program and provide a wide range of resources for students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. In the 1998-99 school year there were twenty-six full-time regular faculty actively teaching in the area. In 2006-07 school year the number was twenty-seven. While the numbers are stable, the personnel of the area has changed significantly with eleven new hires over the period. It is important to note that four to six faculty each year teach in the Master in Environmental Studies program.<br />
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Environmental Studies offers introductory work at the freshman and sophomore level and more advanced work in three major areas: Human Communities and the Environment, Natural History, and Environmental Science. Environmental Studies is the one planning unit where interdivisional work is the central core of the unit. Thus while three major areas are identified, teaching in the area very often deliberately and necessarily integrates natural science and social science (particularly policy) issues into its offerings at all levels. In addition to the work directly identified in the area, the campus-wide initiatives in sustainability (see the President’s Sustainability task force and the faculty initiative on sustainability and social justice) have significant implications for work that is broadly environmental across the curriculum.<br />
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'''Introductory Program'''<br />
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The area teaches two sophomore or all-level two-quarter programs that serve as useful introductions to major concepts, techniques and foci of study within the area. In addition, the area often teaches a Core program that provides a strong introduction to the unit’s work. These programs are deliberately kept relatively small (usually one social science and one science faculty member and fifty students) in order to accommodate field trips and the use of laboratory facilities, and to provide somewhat different foci for students entering the area with differing concerns. The central issue in introductory programs is to help students develop a complex multi-disciplinary understanding of environmental issues and to begin to acquire the scientific tools and social scientific understandings that will allow them to work effectively as practitioners or more generally as citizens. In addition to these programs, the Introduction to Natural Sciences program offered by SI provides a very useful alternative entry point. Environmental Studies is a major contributor to the fulfillment of general education goals at the college. The 2006-07 EPR data shows 100% of area programs included some mathematics in their work with nearly 45% reporting extensive to moderate uses of mathematics. Even more clearly, 100% of the programs in Environmental Studies reported extensive scientific work. The strong scientific and social scientific base of the area helps push students who arrive with simply “a love of nature” into thinking precisely in scientific, often mathematical terms and in terms of a sophisticated political economy of environmental issues ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math by Planning Unit]], [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences Overview]], and [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Social_Sciences_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Social Sciences by Planning Unit]]).<br />
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'''Pathways'''<br />
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The area groups its offerings under three major headings. These headings include both repeating programs and annual programs and often involve students in inter-area work that supports their understandings of major issues. The first deals with Human Communities and the Environment. These programs have a strong emphasis on issues involving environmental policy, economics, history, geography and law, multi-cultural perspectives, planning, design and ecological agriculture. Programs in these areas often involve community study and advanced work in group projects. Second, natural history – the focus on observation, identification and interpretation of flora and fauna using scientific field methods as a primary approach – is one of the unique strengths of Environmental Studies at Evergreen. Full-time studies provide the opportunity to do introductory and advanced fieldwork at sites throughout the United States as well as in Central America. Studies in botany, ecology, entomology, geography, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate evolution, mammalogy, herpetology, mycology, and ornithology are undertaken in support of understanding ecology and biodiversity. Finally, Environmental Sciences engages students in the study of the underlying mechanism and structure of natural systems both living and non-living. Students are involved in a wide array of laboratory and field studies including biology, geology, chemistry, climatology, evolutionary biology, forest ecology, hydrology, marine biology, and oceanography. Students who intend to focus in the environmental sciences are encouraged to participate in such programs in SI as ''Introduction to Natural Sciences'','' Molecule to Organism'', and ''Environmental Analysis'' regularly offered programs beyond the introductory level include: ''Practice of Sustainable Agriculture, Animal Behavior, Ecological Agriculture, Hydrology, Marine Life, Plant Ecology and Taxonomy, Temperate Rain Forests'', and ''Tropical Rain Forests''. Students in this concentration often work toward a BS or combined BA/BS degree.<br />
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'''Enrollment and Student Response to the Area'''<br />
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Environmental Studies is one of the primary fields of interest identified by both new first-year and transfer students who made a choice. In the 2006 New Student Survey, fully 16.4% of all first-year students identified Natural Resources and Conservation as their primary interest, making it the second most popular field of study at the college. Among out-of-state students, Natural Resources and Conservation was the most popular option with over 30% of students identifying this choice. Given the significance of out of state enrollment to the college budget, having broad environmentally appealing first-year programs makes both pedagogical and fiscal sense. Among transfer students both in and out of state, Natural Resources and Conservation was the third most popular choice of fields of study. On the most recent Evergreen Student Experience survey, 8.3% of respondents who identified one planning unit as an area of focus chose Environmental Studies. Another 5.7% of students had Environmental Studies as one of multiple choices ([[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail First-time, First-years]], <br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_Transfer_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail Transfer Students]]).<br />
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The area has generated between 300 and 400 FTE per year since the 1998-99 school year. The contribution to Core programs has varied widely over the time with a high of 100 FTE in 2002-03 and a low of twenty-seven FTE two years later. The area’s contribution to inter-area programs has hovered between thirty and sixty FTE with a high of eighty FTE in the 2005-06 school year. In only one of the years from 1998-99 did the area contribute at least 40% to Core and Inter-area programs. In part, the relatively weak showing in these segments of the curriculum reflects a choice to respond to demand for advanced work in the area ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]).<br />
<br />
'''Alumni Survey Data'''<br />
<br />
The last major survey of alumni was the 2006 review of 2004-05 graduates. The data cited in this section comes from this survey ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Environmental_Studies.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Environmental Studies]]).<br />
The survey demonstrated a very high level of satisfaction with the Evergreen experience on the part of alumni who identified Environmental Studies as one primary area of studies. On a four-point scale "very satisfied," the highest category, was the modal score on all but one of 14 categories. Overall, the quality of instruction and the interdisciplinary approach to instruction were ranked highest. The 60% of respondents who had participated in internships and 75% who had participated in contracts and individual research work with faculty ranked these experiences very highly. The 40% who had studied abroad were also very satisfied with their learning from these experiences. Students were less satisfied with senior culminating experiences, academic advice from faculty, learning interactions with other students, and the tolerance shown for opposing viewpoints.<br />
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When asked about Evergreen’s contribution to their own growth, “learning independently” followed immediately by “working cooperatively in a group” occupied the first two positions. All of the rankings had a mean of 3.33 or better on a five-point scale. The lowest score was of “readiness for a career.” That is ironic since 90% of graduates indicated they were employed and 65.7% of these said that their work was "somewhat in" or "in" their primary field of study at Evergreen. Nearly 78% of employed Environmental Studies alumni felt that their Evergreen experience had prepared them adequately or very well for their current positions. <br />
<br />
In terms of ten work-related skills, a plurality of Environmental Studies alumni rated themselves as good in six categories and excellent in four more. Evergreen was seen as contributing to some extent or a great deal in all skill areas with particular help in the development of skills in effective communication, independence and initiative, and research skills. <br />
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In terms of graduate or professional school, 18.4% of ES alumni applied to graduate/professional school within one year of graduation. Of seven alumni who applied five had been offered admission (71.4%) and two had been denied. Of forty-one ES alumni, four attended or are currently attending graduate or professional school within one year of graduation. The four alumni were continuing their work in Washington (three), and internationally (one). Two had enrolled in graduate studies at Evergreen in this time frame. The rate of 10.5% of alumni going directly to graduate school was lower than the 21% of all Evergreen alumni respondents who entered graduate school in this period.<br />
<br />
'''Issues'''<br />
<br />
Environmental Studies confronts two significant issues as it moves forward. The first is simply to replace retiring faculty and expand the hiring of new faculty who can support the present offerings of the area and their growth. In particular, the college’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2020, the sustainability initiative, and the faculty sustainability and social justice curriculum initiative create the need for a revived commitment to community organization, architectural design, land use planning, environmental economics, and policy. These areas, which were major elements of the first years of the college, have diminished within the curriculum. A hiring effort that sustains the social science side of the area is crucial as the area takes on policy initiatives as a part of the undergraduate program. Finding a way to engage, support, and guide the sustainability initiatives is a major task that is made a bit more difficult by the necessity to include a significant number of the area’s social science faculty in the MES program. Finally, the disproportionate number of Environmental Studies faculty members who have taken on administrative duties at the college over the past 20 years has meant that there have been and continue to be significant impacts on the ability of the area to offer its curriculum. Replacement hiring for long term (three-to-eight-year) administrative appointments should be a matter of course.<br />
<br />
A second major issue is teaching, logistics, and facilities support. The area needs better and more consistent maintenance and support for teaching facilities. Current requests from the area are for a greenhouse facility to support botany, agriculture, and organismal biology. Other ongoing projects include planning for an aquarium and a forest canopy walkway. In addition to the building of these facilities, better coordination, planning, repair, and maintenance of such facilities as the Organic Farm and teaching gardens is a high priority.<br />
<br />
Beyond this, current faculty student ratios make it very difficult to do significant fieldwork without support of knowledgeable teaching partners. This reality has been a major force in pushing upper division work into smaller and more specific one-person, one-quarter programs. To create a more interdisciplinary upper division program, and in particular to allow collaboration between faculty who have very different backgrounds and knowledge (field science and social science), it is important to make upper division or graduate assistants available to help with both the logistics and the instruction in the field. This issue is shared (as indeed the facilities and technicians are shared) with Scientific Inquiry.<br />
<br />
Finally, the area needs to provide a consistent presence in the first-year curriculum. The college has a strong reputation in Environmental Studies, particularly though not exclusively in natural history and field studies. The fact that in many years Environmental Studies was weakly represented in the curriculum at the Core level may well discourage students from attending the college. In particular, the lack of first-year options may discourage first-time, first-year students from out of state, 30% of whom identify ES as their first choice field.<br />
<br />
======Expressive Arts======<br />
<br />
'''Themes and Mission'''<br />
<br />
Expressive Arts provides an opportunity for students to undertake significant rigorous work in visual, performing, and media arts within the context of a liberal arts education. The work of the area is designed to provide an opportunity for students to gain skills and experiences in the arts that both encourage collaborative work and the application of theoretical questions to the practice of making art. Programs emphasize the development of hands-on skills in the arts within the context of theme-based programs. The planning unit sees creative work as a central element in a broad, liberal arts education. Thus students in the arts are often required to do work outside the arts for admission to arts programs and interdisciplinary work is incorporated into arts programs. The area has high student demand and controls access to many arts programs quite rigorously through portfolios and prerequisites. In the years since the last review, the area has made significant and successful efforts to develop programs that more widely integrate arts across the curriculum. The unit has made significant efforts to provide increased opportunity for building writing and quantitative reasoning skills into their programs while continuing to emphasize the provision of visual media and performance literacies. The emphasis on projects that involve hands-on work helps students develop a sense of their own work and their own engagement with the techniques and skills that area programs provide. The planning unit emphasizes the development of learning communities within the programs that help students develop responsible and useful critical responses to each others work. These aspects of the area’s work help connect it directly to the expectations. <br />
<br />
The Expressive Arts planning unit, supplemented by courses in Evening and Weekend Studies, provides nearly all of the advanced teaching in the arts with the exception of creative writing. Yet significant amounts of work in the arts occurs across the college with 66% of all programs reporting at least some work in the arts and CTL and inter-area programs reporting well over 80% of their programs reporting work in the arts. There is incredible variety of use of the arts in the college’s programs, and faculty across the college have worked hard to include some experience with arts in their programs ( [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Art_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Art by Planning Unit]], [[Media: Art_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Art Across the Curriculum]], and [[Media: Art%2C_A_Supplement.pdf|Art, A Supplement]]).<br />
<br />
'''Faculty and Programs'''<br />
<br />
The Expressive Arts planning unit is divided into sub-areas that not only plan somewhat independently, but also provide distinct curricula in visual arts, media, and performance. The Expressive Arts area, like the Scientific Inquiry area, has worked very had over the years to develop and systematically staff its offerings. Each sub-area offers a yearlong introductory program, and both individual and group opportunities for more advanced work. The planning unit as a whole systematically supports individual contracts and senior thesis work in the arts with personnel and funds. Currently there are twenty-four full-time faculty actively teaching associated with the area. At the time of the last review there were twenty-three. While there have been seven new hires over the period, nearly all of these faculty have been hired to replace retired faculty, rather than to open new initiatives. <br />
<br />
The Moving Image Group (MIG) sub-area sees media production as a fundamentally interdisciplinary activity. Five faculty members are associated with this sub-area. The pedagogy that develops from this interdisciplinary perspective links theoretical understanding and critical analysis of images with the practice of working together to create new images. The group focuses its work on non-fiction film and video and supports work in animation, multi-media, performance, and installation. The sub-area is confronted by continually and rapidly evolving technology. The constant revisions of formats, equipment, and access have challenged the area’s faculty and staff. The remodel of the media facilities in the library has caused considerable disruption. However, it will be a significant support of the area when it is finished in the fall of 2009. <br />
<br />
The Visual and Environmental Arts sub-area organizes around the recognition that in an increasingly complex and visually oriented society, the visual arts and environmental design have a vital role in all aspects of culture. Curricular offerings address critical analysis of visual culture, strategies for visual thinking and communication, and the role of creative expression in addressing social and environmental problems. The sub-area provides full-time interdisciplinary, theme-based programs as well as specifically focused studio work for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students. Facilities support drawing, art history, painting, printmaking, photography (analog and digital), sculpture (wood and metal), sustainable design, fine metals, fibers, ceramics, installation, and performance art. Many faculty teaching in the sub-area teach skills in multiple areas. Currently there are ten full-time faculty, four full-time staff (to manage facilities in wood and metal, printmaking, and photography), one half-time staff (for ceramics) and six to eight adjunct faculty teaching in Evening and Weekend Studies and Extended Education. Most part-time studies are skill-oriented. The area has recently completed a redesign of its curricular pathways and looks forward to collaborative longer-term planning for the full-time and part-time curriculum with arts faculty in Evening and Weekend Studies.<br />
<br />
Performing Arts offers work in theater, music, and dance. The sub-area currently has nine faculty members (four music, two dance, three theater) and is supported in its efforts by four theater staff and two full-time building staff. The area supports interdisciplinary performance work, inter-arts work, and disciplinary work. Faculty emphasize commonalities between the performance disciplines and collaborative project work. Programs stress the role and function of the performing arts in human culture and history; they also investigate social and political situations. In recent years there has been significant reevaluation of the sub-area’s offerings. The introductory-level program in the area has undergone changes in the way it is staffed to better prepare students for advanced work. The upcoming hire in modern dance and kinesiology (to begin in fall 2008) will bring dance faculty numbers into balance with the other performing arts faculty, and is expected to ease the burden of the dance faculty from having to fully staff their own programs as well as part-time offerings.<br />
<br />
'''Introductory Programs and Pathways'''<br />
<br />
Expressive Arts focuses attention in first- and second-year programs in developing skills in inquiry, critical thinking, and arts literacies. In addition, Visual Arts is experimenting with studio skills at the Core level to improve the general skills of lower division students and prepare them more effectively for advanced work. Faculty across the Expressive Arts have consistently offered introductory programs, which have experienced increasingly strong enrollments. In the case of Visual Arts, a portfolio is required for entry to the program. In the case of Mediaworks, faculty members request a written application for consideration. The programs have required significant time in out-of-area study for entry and have been aimed at advanced sophomores, juniors, or seniors. These programs have served as prerequisites for advanced work, in small Student Originated Study (SOS) group projects, in Senior Thesis projects, and in admission to upper-level programs. ''Performance Works'' (the new title of the introductory program in the Performing Arts) is offered annually. There is variation among the Performing Arts faculty about pedagogical priorities in the area. The sub-area’s changes are yielding better enrollments.<br />
<br />
EA's introductory programs have helped to define some clear basic competencies, and have encouraged not simply the acquisition of skills, but the development of a broader perspective on the role and place of arts in society. Faculty have taken on a series of strong collaborative efforts with colleagues in other areas, specifically Scientific Inquiry; Culture, Text, and Language; and Environmental Studies. Overall the area has worked to provide sufficient support to inter-area and Core programs. Expressive Arts is the only planning unit that systematically provides not only financial, but faculty and staff support for Senior Thesis projects. The area also provides support for students to do advanced work in all three areas.<br />
<br />
'''Student Response to the Curriculum'''<br />
<br />
Expressive arts is popular with students. Among students brand new to the college, 16.5% of transfers and 27.7% of freshmen indicate that they want to pursue work in the visual and performing arts ([[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail First-time, First-years]] and <br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_Transfer_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail Transfer Students]]). On the Evergreen Student Experience Survey, 22% of students who identified only one planning unit (75.2% of respondents) indicate that Expressive Arts is their primary field of study or concentration. Another 12.4 % of respondents identified EA as one of multiple areas they were studying ([[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Primary_field_of_study_-_Planning_Unit_Analysis_-_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Primary Field of Study – Planning Unit Analysis – Olympia Campus Students]]). Enrollment in the area’s offerings has remained essentially stable between 1998-99 and 2005-06 at approximately 440 FTE per year. The area has made significant efforts to contribute to Core and inter-area teaching over the period, contributing between 35% and 52% of its teaching effort to work in these two modes ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]).<br />
<br />
'''Alumni Survey Data'''<br />
<br />
A critical mode of assessing the work of the area is satisfaction of area graduates with their experience. The 2006 Alumni Survey of the class of 2004-05 is the latest set of data on alumni satisfaction. All data in this discussion is drawn from this data set. ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Expressive_Arts.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Expressive Arts]])<br />
<br />
Overall, alumni who concentrated their studies in Expressive Arts report very high rates of satisfaction with Evergreen’s contribution to their academic and personal growth. In twenty-one of twenty-four aspects of their Evergreen work, over 80% of Expressive Arts students were "somewhat" to "very satisfied" with their experience. Students were most satisfied with capacity to express themselves in a creative or artistic way, their understanding and appreciation of the arts, their capacity to work independently, their capacity to work in groups, their functioning as a responsible member of a diverse community, and their knowledge of a broad range of subjects. For ten of twenty-four categories mean satisfaction was four or better on a five-point scale. All but three means were greater than three and a half. Students gave lower marks to their perceived readiness for a career and further education and to their capacity to use mathematical and scientific principles. <br />
<br />
When alumni were directly asked their satisfaction with Evergreen experiences, more than 90% reported being somewhat or very satisfied with interdisciplinary education, faculty narrative evaluation, quality of instruction, the education they were able to construct, advice from faculty, self-evaluation process, individual contracts, culminating projects, internships, and study abroad. Students were most dissatisfied with opportunities for advanced undergraduate work and tolerance for different or opposing views. <br />
<br />
In terms of ten work-related skills, Expressive Arts students scored a modal score of excellent on a four-point scale. Evergreen was seen as contributing to some extent or a great deal in all skill areas with particular help in the development of skills in creative thinking, effective communications, independence and initiative, and willingness and aptitude to learn new skills. They saw themselves as learners with an ability and willingness to take on new tasks. <br />
<br />
In terms of employment, 84.3% of the Expressive Arts concentration alumni were employed one year after graduation compared with 84% of all alumni. Of those employed, 55% of Expressive Arts alumni were employed in an area that was at least somewhat related to their area of primary study at Evergreen. 66.7% of employed Expressive Arts alumni felt that their Evergreen experience had prepared them adequately or very well for their current positions. <br />
<br />
In terms of graduate or professional school, 24.5% of Expressive Arts alumni applied to graduate/professional school within one year of graduation. Of twelve alumni who applied, eight had been offered admission (67.5%), two applications were pending, and two had been denied. Of fifty-one Expressive Arts alumni, eight attended or are currently attending graduate or professional school within one year of graduation. The eight alumni were continuing their work in Washington (three), other states (four), and internationally (one). Two had enrolled in graduate studies at Evergreen in this time frame. The rate of 16.3% of alumni going directly to graduate school was slightly lower than the 21% of all Evergreen alumni respondents who entered graduate school in this period.<br />
<br />
'''Issues'''<br />
<br />
The most persistent issue voiced by faculty in the area is faculty/student ratio. Faculty have several concerns that emerge from this question. First, in some spaces there are fewer pieces of necessary equipment than there are students in the class. This either means students do not get to do all of the work or that faculty or staff repeat workshops. Several faculty members noted that they regularly carry thirty or more contact hours in studio per week. Second, the ratio of 25/1 is seen to be too high for effective critical support of student work. Many noted that simply speaking effectively to each student’s work was difficult and that the need to add important skills development and written work beyond that made finding time to do a good job very problematic. Finally, several faculty members noted that students coming to the college were younger and often in need of quite basic skills. This presumed relative weakness of students in comparison to years past led to a faculty perception of more academic and psychological difficulties. The high student-faculty ratio means it is extremely difficult and time consuming for faculty to meet the needs of challenged students. Finally, higher student-faculty ratios make it harder to maintain safety in such areas as dance, and in the wood and metal shops.<br />
<br />
The relationship of the planning unit to Evening and Weekend Studies, and especially to Extended Education initiatives by the college, raises considerable concern about whether these activities are supplementing or supplanting the area's offerings. There have also been concerns raised about hiring processes and decisions in these areas.<br />
<br />
The current temporary use of teaching areas in Seminar II by staff displaced by the major remodel of the library, as well as the continuing remodeling of this major facility that houses important media facilities, has inconvenienced faculty as they try to allocate scarce space resources and diminished opportunities for students in this period.<br />
<br />
EA identified issues dealing with replacing retiring faculty and the replacement of support to the unit when faculty members go on leave without pay. They argue strongly for more permanent lines in order to assure effective planning and consistent curriculum.<br />
<br />
======Scientific Inquiry======<br />
<br />
The central concern of the Scientific Inquiry planning unit is the scientific understanding of nature. Its goals are to engage students in a community within which ways of scientific thinking about the natural world are developed and utilized to create an understanding of natural phenomena. Scientific thinking is understood to involve the identification of hypotheses and the use of appropriate instruments, theory, and models to arrive at sound conclusions about the hypothesis. The SI area understands scientific thinking as a valuable piece of a liberal arts education in its own right. Scientific thinking is seen as a necessary part of a general education for a democratic society within which science and technology play a major role. Reciprocally, scientists are understood to need a broader social, historical, and ethical context within which to consider the consequences of their work. The area sees its responsibility to both provide depth for students who hope to become members of the scientific community and to provide breadth for students who will be citizens within a democratic society. SI is the primary location for instruction in chemistry, mathematics, computer science, biology, and physics in the college curriculum.<br />
<br />
'''Faculty and Programs'''<br />
<br />
Faculty in the SI area are trained and provide instruction in a wide variety of scientific disciplines including: chemistry, biology, computer science, mathematics, physics, and history of science and technology. In the period from the 1998-99 school year to end of the 2006-07 school year, the SI area grew from twenty to twenty-five active regular faculty. Fourteen of this twenty-five are new to the faculty since 1998-99.<br />
<br />
Faculty in SI have developed and organized a set of repeating programs that provide increasingly sophisticated instruction in five major areas: biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, and physics. These programs emphasize laboratory work, engagement with real world phenomena, and collaborative work. Students are taught to formulate questions and devise means for solving problems, collecting data, and analyzing data in light of underlying theory. Evergreen’s teaching of the sciences is notable for hands-on work, collaborative effort, attention to integration across disciplines, and the ways in which each discipline contextualizes others. Undergraduate access to sophisticated analytic equipment – including mass spectrometry, NMR, scanning electron microscopy, and infrared spectrometry – allows students to do advanced work.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Biology<br />
| Chemistry<br />
| Computer Science<br />
| Mathematics<br />
| Physics<br />
|-<br />
| Foundations of Health Science<br />
<br />
Introduction to Natural Science<br />
| Foundations of Health Science<br />
<br />
Introduction to Natural Science<br />
| Algebra to Algorithm<br />
<br />
Computer Science Foundations<br />
<br />
Models of Motion<br />
| Models of Motion<br />
<br />
Computer Science Foundations<br />
| Models of Motion<br />
<br />
Astronomy and Cosmology<br />
|-<br />
| Molecule to Organism<br />
<br />
Advanced Biology<br />
| Molecule to Organism<br />
<br />
Environmental Analysis<br />
<br />
Atoms Molecules Research<br />
|<br />
<br />
Computability<br />
<br />
Student Originated Software<br />
| Methods of Applied Math<br />
<br />
Computability<br />
<br />
Mathematical Systems<br />
| Energy Systems<br />
<br />
Physical Systems<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Introductory Programs and Pathways'''<br />
<br />
The SI area systematically provides introductory programs to the five major pathways in its curriculum. Programs such as ''Introduction to Health Sciences'' and ''Introduction to Natural Science'' provide alternative vehicles for entering work in the biology and chemistry paths. The former emphasizes allied health science while the latter is a more general college-level introduction to science. Similarly, ''Models of Motion'' and ''Computer Science Foundations'' are shared between mathematics and computer science. Together they provide a strong introduction to mathematics, computer science and physics. Advanced work in the area is reflected in End of Program Review data, where SI faculty were far more likely than faculty from other areas to identify advanced work in their area as doing upper division work in upper division programs versus doing independent work. In addition, the area provides significant opportunities to work with faculty on faculty research projects as another vehicle for advanced work. These projects have frequently led to professional presentation and publication by Evergreen science students. SI makes a major contribution to the teaching of both mathematics and science to students who undertake some work in the sciences during their time at Evergreen and to students who participate in Core and inter-area programs where SI faculty teach. Fully 100% of area programs report using mathematics and quantitative reasoning in their programs and 75% of those report this as a major emphasis ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math by Planning Unit]]). Nearly 90% (88%) of SI programs reported natural or physical sciences with 81% of these reporting extensive use of Science. Clearly SI faculty members are instrumental in teaching both mathematics and sciences in first-year and inter-area programs ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences by Planning Unit]]).<br />
<br />
The significant and continuing effort to provide systematic and coherent pathways for science students has been a major effort on the part of SI faculty. This effort has led historically to a relatively low participation of science faculty in Core. Between 1997-98 and 2005-06 the area’s participation in Core has ranged from a high of 14.4% of the FTE generated in the area to a low of 1.6%. The participation of SI faculty in inter-area programs has been much more substantial, ranging from a low of 13.2% of FTE generated to a high of 28.4% ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]). The area has made significant efforts in the past few years to increase its participation in Core and has opened up a considerable number of freshman seats to students in ''Foundations of Health Science, Introduction to Natural Science'' and other programs by treating them as all-level or lower division programs. This has meant that finding consistent faculty support for the teaching of quantitative and scientific concepts in a general education setting in Core and inter-area has been difficult. Hiring faculty in health sciences is meant to lead to a new integration around issues of health between social science and science faculty. The success of these efforts depends heavily on the recruitment of science students and involvement of social science faculty interested in working on health issues. SI has collaborated effectively with visual arts in recent years to create some exciting inter-area programs.<br />
<br />
'''Student Participation and Satisfaction'''<br />
<br />
In the time since the last accreditation, faculty in SI area have accounted for between 16% and 20% of the total FTE generated in undergraduate full-time programs, or between 370 and 461 FTE. There is no distinct trend in the data, although the numbers seem to have stabilized around 17%. Students who are attracted to the area have strong interests in biology and in health-related fields as well as a smaller number with interests in computer science and physical sciences (see [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail First-time, First-years]] and <br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_Transfer_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail Transfer Students]]). On the Evergreen Experience Survey, 14.6% of the 75% of students who indicated a single area of focus identified themselves as studying in Scientific Inquiry. Another 9% of students listed SI as among the areas in which they were working ([[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Primary_field_of_study_-_Planning_Unit_Analysis_-_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Primary Field of Study – Planning Unit Analysis – Olympia Campus Students]]). <br />
<br />
'''Alumni Survey Data'''<br />
<br />
A critical mode of assessing the work of the area is satisfaction of area graduates with their experience. The 2006 Alumni Survey of the class of 2004-05 is the latest set of data on alumni satisfaction. All data in this discussion is drawn from this data set ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Scientific_Inquiry.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Scientific Inquiry]]).<br />
<br />
Overall, alumni who reported that Scientific Inquiry was a primary focus of study at Evergreen noted very high rates of satisfaction with Evergreen’s contribution to their academic and personal growth. In twenty-two of twenty-four aspects of their Evergreen work, over 80% of Scientific Inquiry students were somewhat to very satisfied with their experience. Alumni were most satisfied with learning independently, understanding and applying scientific principles, working cooperatively in groups, defining and understanding problems, participating in class discussions, and critically analyzing information. Indeed, for fifteen of twenty-four categories, mean satisfaction was four or better on a five-point scale. All but one mean were greater than three and a half. Students gave lower marks to their perceived readiness for a career and understanding different philosophies and cultures. <br />
<br />
When alumni were directly asked their satisfaction with Evergreen experiences, more than 90% reported being somewhat or very satisfied with interdisciplinary education, faculty narrative evaluation, quality of instruction, the education they were able to construct, individual contracts, community service, culminating projects, internships, and study abroad. Students were most dissatisfied with quality of learning interactions with other students and the self-evaluation process. <br />
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In terms of ten work-related skills, a plurality of Scientific Inquiry alumni rated themselves as excellent on five skills and good on five more on a four-point scale. Evergreen was seen as contributing to some extent or a great deal in all skill areas with particular help in the development of skills in independence and initiative and research skills. SI graduates saw themselves as well organized, capable of taking initiative, communicating, making decisions, and willing and able to learn new skills. <br />
<br />
In terms of employment, 91.5% of the Scientific Inquiry concentration alumni were employed one year after graduation compared with 84% of all alumni. Of those employed, 65.1% of Scientific Inquiry alumni were employed in an area that was at least somewhat related to their area of primary study at Evergreen. 67.4% of employed Scientific Inquiry alumni felt that their Evergreen experience had prepared them adequately or very well for their current positions. <br />
<br />
In terms of graduate or professional school, 41.3% of Scientific Inquiry alumni applied to graduate/professional school within one year of graduation. Of nineteen alumni who applied, twelve had been offered admission (63.2%), four applications were pending, and three had been denied. Of forty-nine Scientific Inquiry alumni, twelve attended or are currently attending graduate or professional school within one year of graduation. The twelve alumni were continuing their work in Washington (five) and other states (seven). No one had enrolled in graduate studies at Evergreen in this time frame. The rate of 26.1% of alumni going directly to graduate school was slightly higher than the 21% of all Evergreen alumni respondents who entered graduate school in this period.<br />
<br />
'''Issues'''<br />
<br />
A major issue confronting the area is the creation of a large enough faculty and a small enough central curriculum that a sufficient number of faculty are available for work outside of the regular offerings of the curriculum. While many students do gain significant exposure to scientific and mathematical ideas through SI’s introductory programs, and another significant group gain some exposure to scientific concepts through the participation of some SI faculty in Core and inter-area programs, concern with coherent and legitimate paths that allow Evergreen students access to graduate work have made engagement with more general science education difficult. In the past three years the area has worked to restructure the planning process to put a higher priority on creating more freshman seats by opening some programs as all-level and allowing freshman registration, by converting programs from sophomore-level programs to lower division programs, and by staffing Core and inter-area programs. This highlighting of the necessity of providing instruction for freshmen has led to more all-level teaching, the development of some lower division programs, and greater participation of area faculty in Core programs. While this solution works well to increase the number of science-based seats available to freshmen, it does little to expand the teaching of science to a non-science constituency.<br />
<br />
The SI self-study notes that although there is considerably more talk about what science for “non-majors” should look like at Evergreen, there is no well developed agreement. Concomitantly, there is no clear idea of what the non-science portions of the major scientific introductory and mid-level programs should be. This difficulty, when combined with quite different levels of integration of program concepts from year to year, makes it difficult to create a consistent set of concepts to frame a context for thinking about broader scientific and social issues.<br />
<br />
SI also identifies the difficulties that accompany the decision to offer major disciplines in coordinated studies structures. Primary among these is difficulty supplementing math skills and other prerequisites for transfer students or students who avoided mathematics early in their college careers. The tension between the desire for integration and full-time coordinated study work and the need for particular pieces of content is a continuing tension, one which will necessarily engage a conversation with Evening and Weekend Studies and Evergreen's Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning (QuaSR) Center.<br />
<br />
======Society, Politics, Behavior and Change======<br />
<br />
'''Themes and Mission'''<br />
<br />
The SPBC planning unit provides the overall umbrella for most of the formal teaching in the social sciences and also includes most faculty members who rotate in and out of the Master in Teaching (MIT) and the Master in Public Administration (MPA) programs. The planning unit was drawn together from five quite different specialty areas. To this day, the planning unit represents the very different understandings of the social sciences that were embodied in these earlier planning groups. The overall goal of the area is to use a variety of social science disciplines to provide students with a better understanding of society as it operates at a local, regional, and international level. Within the generally shared concern with an analysis of issues of diversity, the area also helps students understand how to use different levels of analysis from the individual through the global level to develop an understanding of social issues. Student work is seen as requiring the development of a variety of writing, research skills, practices, and theoretical perspectives. Five major sub-units organize the area’s work: Master of Public Administration (MPA), Master in Teaching (MIT), Political Economy, Psychology, and Business/Management. In addition, several other faculty members trained in social sciences affiliate with the unit. Finally, although the area is the primary place where social sciences are taught, it is far from being the only place. Important elements of social sciences are taught in Culture, Text, and Language, Environmental Studies, and the Master in Environmental Studies areas.<br />
<br />
'''Faculty and Programs'''<br />
<br />
The disciplines of anthropology, law, economics, history, public policy, public administration, labor studies, management, political science, international affairs, philosophy, sociology, health sciences, business, teaching and learning, and psychology are represented in the area. The Master in Teaching (MIT) program and the newly approved Master of Education (M.Ed.) program provide advanced work in public K-12 education and the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program offers work in public, nonprofit, and tribal administration. The presence of graduate programs in the area simultaneously enlarges the range of capacities and the number of faculty available to teach in the area and imposes significant demands on those resources. The work of the graduate programs is discussed in section three of this chapter. Thus, while the list of faculty affiliated with the area is large (thirty-four plus eight visitors in 2006-07), the actual numbers of faculty regularly participating in the undergraduate curriculum varies between twenty-five and thirty per year. The disciplinary concentration of the area has shifted in the past decade, with a growth of six faculty in business and MPA, two in psychology, and two in MIT, and the loss of six faculty in general social sciences. <br />
<br />
The area offers thee major undergraduate foci: political economy, administration and business, and psychology. Political economy focuses on the intersection of politics and economics and emphasizes global political economy and its impact on issues of gender, race, and class within the United States. In past years an introductory political economy program with faculty trained in economics, political science, and a variety of other disciplines has been offered along with a variety of more advanced offerings. More recently, finding staffing for the introductory program has been difficult. Approximately eight faculty members are associated with this group.<br />
<br />
A second focus is the undergraduate-level curriculum in administration and business. The college has made new hires in business in recent years and currently an introductory business program is offered and a second-year program is anticipated. Six faculty members have some affiliation with management and business at the undergraduate level. Within this group there are faculty who exclusively identify with either business or management. <br />
<br />
The third focus is on psychology with a particular emphasis on counseling. Five faculty members currently teach psychology. There is a pathway in psychology beginning with some variant of Human Health and Development. An alternative introduction is taught regularly in the one-quarter ''So You Want to Be a Psychologist'' program. The pathway culminates with a unique ''Multi-cultural Counseling'' Program that incorporates both academic and experiential work in counseling. There are also opportunities for psychological research, queer studies, social psychology and other topics with the area’s faculty. Individual contracts and internships support work in counseling.<br />
<br />
Planning in the area tends to occur within sub-groups. The lines between groups are not hard and fast and there are a number of faculty members in the area who work in more than one group as well as a number of faculty members each year who rotate either into or out of graduate programs.<br />
<br />
Although pathways exist in parts of SPBC (political economy, psychology, administration, and business), creating a more general pathway into the social sciences has proved difficult, because of the range of disciplines, the lack of a broadly shared paradigm, and limited staff. Nevertheless, there is a substantial consensus that skills in reading, library research, critical thinking, and writing are essential. In addition, significant efforts have been made in the past several years to incorporate more quantitative reasoning, primarily in statistics and research methods, into the offerings of the planning unit.<br />
<br />
There is a strong consensus that students should develop skills in general liberal arts, understandings of disciplinary perspectives, and be effective personally and in groups to engage in efforts to bring about change. They should have the opportunity to develop necessary disciplinary skills for graduate work. The area emphasizes resisting inequality and striving for equity, re-conceptualizing the self in the face of a critical analysis of power and privilege, and moving towards creating and generating change at different levels of social systems.<br />
<br />
The planning unit is the site of some excellent teaching about a wide range of subjects, including global political economy, counseling psychology, anti-oppression work at a variety of levels, organization, business, and management. The area has made a series of attempts to strengthen its internal organization and participation including time to share work, to work on planning, and to address pedagogy. <br />
<br />
'''Student Response to the Area'''<br />
<br />
The SPBC planning unit is the most popular on campus according to the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey. Some 26.7% of students who identified a single area of focus found a home in SPBC. Another 16.6% of students interested in more than one area identify SPBC as a choice. Students in the area are roughly evenly split among those who identify business and management, education, psychology, and social sciences, as their primary choices with a smattering of law and public service professions rounding out the list ([[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_What_is_your_primary_field_of_study_or_concentration_at_Evergreen_-_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - primary field of study – Olympia Students]]).<br />
<br />
SPBC contributed an average of 425 FTE to the undergraduate curriculum per year between the 1997-98 and 2005-06 school years. The area’s contribution increased significantly in the last four years of the period to nearly 500 FTE. The area overall has contributed an annual average of 15.3% of its teaching effort to Core programs over the same period. The area has made a consistent and significant contribution of just over 30% of its teaching effort to the teaching of inter-area programs ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]).<br />
<br />
'''Alumni Survey Data'''<br />
<br />
A critical mode of assessing the work of the area is satisfaction of area graduates with their experience. The 2006 Alumni Survey of the class of 2004-05 is the latest set of data on alumni satisfaction. The following data is based on a subset of Olympia alumni from the 2006 Alumni Survey of the class of 2004-05 who identified that education, business, or other SPBC fields were a primary area of study while at Evergreen ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Society%2C_Politics%2C_Behavior%2C_and_Change.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Society, Politics, Behavior and Change]]).<br />
<br />
Overall, alumni report very high rates of satisfaction with Evergreen’s contribution to their academic and personal growth. SPBC alumni were most satisfied with learning independently, participating in class discussions, synthesizing information and ideas, and critically analyzing information. For eighteen of twenty-four categories, mean satisfaction was between mostly and very satisfied (four) or better on a five-point scale. All of the mean ratings were above “somewhat satisfied” (three) on the rating scale. Alumni gave lower marks to their perceived readiness for a career, depth in a particular field, and understanding and applying quantitative and scientific principles. <br />
<br />
When alumni were directly asked their satisfaction with Evergreen experiences, more than 90% reported being somewhat or very satisfied with interdisciplinary education, quality of instruction, the education they were able to construct, faculty narrative evaluation, and study abroad. Alumni were most dissatisfied with tolerance for different or opposing views and culminating senior experiences.<br />
<br />
In terms of ten work-related skills, a plurality of SPBC alumni rated themselves as excellent on eight skills and good on the other two skills on a four-point scale. Evergreen was seen as contributing to some extent or a great deal in all skill areas with particular help in the development of skills in creative thinking, communication, independence and initiative, research skills, and willingness and aptitude to learn new skills. SPBC graduates saw themselves as strong thinkers and communicators who are able to work effectively in culturally diverse environments, take initiative, and learn new skills. <br />
<br />
In terms of employment, 85.6% of the SPBC alumni were employed one year after graduation, compared with 84% of all alumni. Of those employed, 71.7% were employed in an area that was at least somewhat related to their area of primary study at Evergreen. And 79.8% of employed SPBC alumni felt that their Evergreen experience had prepared them adequately or very well for their current positions. <br />
<br />
In terms of graduate or professional school, 30.4% of SPBC alumni applied to graduate/professional school within one year of graduation. Of thirty-five alumni who applied, twenty-seven had been offered admission (77.1%), six applications were pending, and two had been denied. Of 122 SPBC alumni, twenty-two attended or are currently attending graduate or professional school within one year of graduation. The twenty-two alumni were continuing their work in Washington (fifteen), other states (three), and internationally (four). Six had enrolled in graduate studies at Evergreen in this time frame. The rate of 19.1% of alumni going directly to graduate school was slightly lower than the 21% of all Evergreen alumni respondents who entered graduate school in this period.<br />
<br />
'''Issues'''<br />
<br />
The primary issues facing the planning unit are its function and staffing. While most other planning units have a reasonably well-defined sense of their central work and effort, SPBC is drawn in several different directions. The appearance of master's-level faculty and several emeritus faculty on the rolls of the planning unit make it appear that there is an appropriate number of faculty to staff the area’s diverse offerings. Actually, the area has around twenty-five faculty members at the undergraduate level. Yet within this limited range of faculty whose efforts are directed at undergraduates, a significant number of individual faculty members operate somewhat autonomously, and the three major sub-areas have little substantial necessity to interact in order to plan curriculum. Like EA, the SPBC faculty have chosen not to pursue an area-wide introductory program, but to allow the three major tracks to operate somewhat autonomously. <br />
<br />
It can be argued that there is a need for serious reflection on the teaching and place of the social sciences at Evergreen and the relationship of professional training to the undergraduate curriculum. The different missions of the groups in this area and the significant work done by social scientists in other areas need to be discussed and rethought, not necessarily to create more and better training in social sciences, but to find ways to integrate rigorous work in social sciences with a social, political, and engaged policy dimension in the work of all areas of the college.<br />
<br />
The area is arguably understaffed. It can strengthen its programs through the development of a broad rationale connecting its work to the liberal arts core of the college. Such a case might well help the SPBC's representatives make convincing cases for additional hires. It is notable that the recent hiring in the area has developed in some large measure from administrative interest in developing curriculum in graduate programs and business rather than from a broad area-wide consensus.<br />
<br />
======Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Planning Unit======<br />
<br />
This unit is described in Section 2.G. as a part of the larger discussion of the college's engagement with Native communities in Washington state.<br />
<br />
======Evening and Weekend Studies======<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Themes and Mission'''<br />
<br />
Whereas other planning units have typically been organized around a collection of various fields of study, the Evening and Weekend Studies (EWS) planning unit is centered on providing specific schedules and modes of study to students while covering all fields of study. The students served by EWS fall into two categories. There is one set of students who are taking all of their coursework for that quarter in EWS, and there is another set of students who are taking two or four credits in EWS on top of the program or contract work they are doing in other planning units. These two sets of students provide the two primary functions for the EWS curriculum. For the former set of students, EWS offers a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum that covers much of the range of subject matter found in other planning units. This subject matter is presented in a combination of part-time interdisciplinary programs (eight or twelve credits per quarter) and more focused courses (two or four credits per quarter). For the latter set of students, EWS offers focused courses (two or four credits per quarter) which allow the students to explore new fields of study, deepen their understanding of a particular academic field, or pursue prerequisites for specific undergraduate and graduate programs. The evening and weekend curriculum provides a way for students to explore visual arts, music, and dance courses; to acquire prerequisites in mathematics, social and natural sciences, and other disciplines; and to take foreign language sequences. Part-time programs and courses in EWS support pathways for students in American studies; arts and culture; body, mind, and health; computers and society; environmental studies; government, justice and citizenship; international studies; literature and writing; management, markets and entrepreneurship; work, workers and social change; and math and science. Each year, the area also supports a part-time program in conjunction with Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen.<br />
<br />
There has been major growth in EWS since the last accreditation report, and the role of EWS in the college has changed as its contribution to the undergraduate curriculum has grown. Originally, EWS was designed to support continuing study towards a degree by part-time students at the college. The evening and weekend schedule was seen as a way to support place-bound and schedule-bound students who were working or supporting a family and were unable to commit to the full-time programs offered during the day. The evening and weekend schedule continues to support these students, but they have not turned out to be part-time students. Today EWS enrollment comprises 16% of the total student FTE at the college, and most of the students enrolled in EWS programs and course work are full-time students at the college. Thus the mission has moved to incorporate both part-time students and full-time students undertaking either supplementary work or taking full-time work within the EWS offerings.<br />
<br />
One of the major factors contributing to the growth of EWS and the change in its role in the undergraduate curriculum was the decision in the 2001-02 school year to allow students to attempt as many as twenty hours per quarter. Students had previously been restricted to a maximum of sixteen quarter-hours per quarter. This change was undertaken to allow students access to a broader array of courses that might supplement their general education. This development helped spur growth in the use of EWS by full-time students, particularly in languages. At the same time, the number of faculty lines dedicated to staffing the evening and weekend curriculum was increased. The growth in EWS has been an important component in the college’s overall growth in the past ten years. Growth in the part-time programs has been modest, up merely 4% over the period. But enrollment in courses has risen 30% from 320.9 to 416.8 FTE in this period ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]).<br />
<br />
'''Faculty and Programs'''<br />
<br />
Since 1996, the college has had a dean whose primary responsibility has been organizing and staffing the evening and weekend curriculum. Currently, the EWS planning unit is staffed by twelve half-time, continuing faculty, a pool of about fifteen adjunct faculty who frequently teach in part-time programs, and an additional pool of about eighty adjunct faculty, some of whom are regular Evergreen staff, who teach two- and four-unit courses. Continuing faculty members have expertise in American studies, art history, literature, theater, labor studies, political and international studies, management, psychology, organizational development, social informatics/information sciences, environmental studies, environmental science, biology, mathematics, computer studies, and physics. Currently, two half-time-continuing faculty are serving as deans.<br />
<br />
The program offerings of the area are consistently interdisciplinary and often inter-divisional in their focus. They are designed explicitly to incorporate elements of the five foci within them and to help students move toward fulfilling the six expectations. Courses offered typically include several offerings each quarter in each of the following areas: foreign language, writing, mathematics, sciences, business, psychology, and the visual arts. In addition, there are usually offerings in history, literature, dance, music, education, and sociology. Evening and Weekend Studies faculty also offer an upper-division program at Grays Harbor College. The content of the program often focuses on organizations and management. Recently, a focus on health and service has been added. Although enrollment in the Grays Harbor program dropped in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 academic years, changes to the structure and content of the program have produced a clear increase in enrollment in the past two academic years ([[Media: Graysharborenrollhistory.pdf|Enrollment History for Grays Harbor Program]] and [[Media: Dan_EW_Grays_Harbor0001.pdf|Grays Harbor Program Self-Study 2004]]).<br />
<br />
End of Program Review (EPR) data demonstrates that the program component of the planning unit has focused most of its subject matter work on social sciences, humanities, and to a lesser degree, arts. [Data for this and the following paragraphs is taken from the EPR 2000-2005 Summaries of EPR Data] Data for Evening and Weekend Studies deals only with the half-time programs offered by the planning unit. The EPR data does not cover the significant growth in course offerings in this period. As pointed out above, the number of part-time programs and the number of seats in such programs has remained quite steady over the period. In the 2000-01 to 2005-06 period, between 67% and 93% of programs taught humanities, and over half of those programs made extensive use of humanities in their subject matter ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Humanities.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Humanities]] ). In 2006-07, 94% reported some use of humanities, and 61% reported extensive humanities work ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Humanities_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Humanities by Planning Unit]]). Similarly, in social science 2006-07 data, 89% of programs reported using social sciences compared to 77% of all programs, and 55% of all programs made extensive use of social sciences ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Social_Sciences_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Social Sciences by Planning Unit]]). The role of arts in programs has varied from 56% in the 2006-07 data to as high as 75% for several years previous. However, intensive use of arts was present in only 22% of programs ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Art_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Art by Planning Unit]]). 2000-01 to 2005-06 EPR data combine science and mathematics. While the number of programs reporting the use of science and math fluctuated from a high of 64% to a low of 19%, for the most part programs reported a minor emphasis on mathematics and science. The 2006-07 data show only 28% of programs had mathematics and 44% had science components; only 6% of programs reported extensive use of math and 16% reported extensive use of sciences ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math by Planning Unit]] and [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences Overview]]).<br />
<br />
In terms of skills in writing, information technology literacy (ITL), and critical thinking, the planning unit has, like most other areas, been active in supporting general education goals. Both in writing and critical thinking, 100% of programs report working on these areas in significant ways. Writing was not simply expected but actively taught in most EWS programs. A particular emphasis was placed on response writing and critical essay writing. Work on critical thinking focused on the recognition of diverse perspectives (including analysis of one’s own perspective) on materials covered and analysis of the content of texts, images, and data. ITL 2006-07 data show that ITL was a component in over 80% of programs. Like most program areas, the primary uses of ITL were for information acquisition, presentation, and online communication and social software. Fully 83% of EWS programs, as opposed to 70% of all programs, reported work on ITL ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Writing_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Writing Overview]], [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Critical_Thinking_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Critical Thinking Overview]], and [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]).<br />
<br />
Data on student experience and satisfaction with EWS programs and courses requires the difficult task of disaggregating these students from the student body in general. A subgroup of 2006 Alumni Survey respondents from the class of 2004-05 who took 50% or more of their curricular offerings through EWS formed the subgroup described in this analysis ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Evening_Weekend_Studies.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Evening Weekend Studies]]). While students use EWS at all levels of their college experience, it is notable that transfer students entering as juniors constitute nearly half of those reporting extensive use of EWS offerings. EWS alumni were also significantly older than other alumni with a mean age of 31.2. However, EWS alumni are indistinguishable from alumni in other planning units when asked about Evergreen’s contribution to their education. Learning independently, participation in class discussion, critically analyzing information, and working cooperatively cluster at the top in terms of satisfaction. Readiness for a career, quantitative principles and understanding scientific principles cluster at the lower end (although the mean is still 3.29 or better on a five-point scale). Similarly, students were satisfied with the interdisciplinary approach, the education they could construct at Evergreen, the quality of instruction, and narrative evaluations. Dissatisfactions were a bit different with academic advice from faculty and opportunities for advanced work as areas where students could see room for improvement. In some measure this may reflect the smaller amount of contact with faculty in courses and part-time programs, the difficulty of providing a full range of advanced work within the confines of a limited faculty pool, and the dispersion of students in classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
One year out of college, 89% of EWS alumni reported employment with 71% of those employed reporting that their work was somewhat or directly related to their primary studies at Evergreen. These numbers are directly comparable to other planning units. Fully 72% reported that their education had prepared them adequately or very well for their current job. Eleven of eighty-two EWS alumni reported attending or acceptance to graduate school in a wide variety of fields: library science, law, social science, teaching, and public administration. Students reported that Evergreen had prepared them adequately (54%) or very well (46%) for graduate school. While the rate of students attending graduate school was slightly lower than the college average, many of those not yet attending graduate school intended to apply to graduate school in the future. <br />
<br />
Once again, the most compelling data in terms of EWS alumni is their similarity in terms of their experience, satisfactions, and results with alumni who identified as members of the other concentration area subgroups. <br />
<br />
<br />
'''Issues'''<br />
<br />
There are several curricular concerns which are unique to the EWS curriculum or which involve the coordination of the EWS curriculum with the rest of the undergraduate curriculum. The EWS curriculum is planned on a one-year cycle rather than the two-year cycle followed by the daytime curriculum. This structure allows the curriculum to adapt more quickly to shifts in the student body and other demands on the curriculum. This flexibility is enhanced by the fact that adjunct faculty staff much of the EWS curriculum. However, both of these characteristics have associated problems. The planning cycle makes it difficulty to collaborate with, rather than just react to, the curriculum offerings in the daytime. And the high number of adjunct faculty raises issues of faculty status just as it does in other institutions. The result is a sense of separation between the EWS faculty and the rest of the faculty. The faculty status issue is compounded by a lower pay rate for adjunct faculty. Even the status of continuing, half-time faculty can be questioned in terms of the equity of governance assignments and the ability to rotate into different areas of the curriculum.<br />
<br />
The policy change in the 2001-02 academic year to allow students to take a total of twenty credits per quarter has arisen as an issue for EWS faculty in recent years. There are questions about whether students are generally successful when they attempt this increased credit load, and there is evidence that this issue disproportionately affects EWS faculty ([[Media: Analysis_of_Over_16_Credit_Load.pdf|Analysis of Over 16 Credit Load]]).<br />
<br />
There are also specific issues of separation between the daytime and the EWS curriculum in terms of service to students. Over the past ten years, many improvements have been made in the services provided to EWS students and faculty, everything from access to media services to access to food services. There are still areas where further improvements are needed.<br />
<br />
Finally, there is a question about the role of two- and four-credit courses in relation to the eight, twelve, and sixteen-credit programs offered at the college. Courses are generally offered on an evening and weekend schedule. Housed in a separate planning unit and taught on a separate schedule, they become easy to ignore during the overall curriculum planning efforts which center on the development of programs. At the same time, they become attractive to students because of their accessible schedule as well as their more familiar, narrow content. As mentioned in other sections of this document, there has been consistent growth in courses over the past ten years. The college needs to develop a more intentional approach to the development and delivery of courses. More advanced offerings need to be provided to match the upper-division standing of the majority of the students who enroll in the EWS curriculum. And faculty need to become more involved in setting goals for both the number and content of courses offered throughout the curriculum. At the same time, more attention needs to be paid to the development of programs that allow students to take a two- or four-credit course without overloading themselves by taking a total of eighteen or twenty credits. In other words, to meet the needs of students and advance the mission of the college, there needs to be greater coordination of program and course offerings.<br />
<br />
====2.B.2 Learning Assessment====<br />
''The institution identifies and publishes the expected learning outcomes for each of its degree and certificate programs. Through regular and systematic assessment, it demostrates that students who complete their programs, no matter where or how they are offered, have achieved these outcomes.''<br />
<br />
=====Assessment of Undergraduate Learning=====<br />
<br />
In response to a recommendation from the NWCCU to address issues of general education, the Evergreen faculty adopted Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate in spring 2001. By approving expectations of graduates, rather than requirements to graduate, the faculty acted on a central principle of education at Evergreen – that students are responsible for their own work. The expectations tell the students what they are generally expected to learn, but the choices of exactly what and how to learn are the responsibility of each student. <br />
<br />
In addition to adopting the expectations, the faculty also approved an expanded advising plan and other support structures for implementation of the new general education initiatives. New curriculum models were developed to promote breadth and depth opportunities for students. The Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning Center (QuaSR), the Writing Center, faculty development funds, and faculty hiring priorities were also enhanced. At the end of their senior year, students are now encouraged to create a new summative student self-evaluation that addresses the Expectations and is submitted to their official transcript. An Assessment Study Group of faculty, staff, and students was charged in 2002 to develop an assessment plan for the new general education initiatives. Collaboration in the development of the assessment plan (and its subsequent revisions) were essential in promoting ownership and responsibility for both the process and use of the results. The Assessment Study Group developed two new assessment tools, the End-of-Program Review and the Transcript Review ([[Media:Teaching and Learning at Evergreen_Final Assessment Study Group Report 12-17-0.pdf|Teaching and Learning at Evergreen 2002]]).<br />
<br />
The assessment of the general educational program at Evergreen is framed as two related parts: teaching and learning. Teaching assessment focuses on how the curriculum provides students with “a substantial, coherent, and articulated exposure to the broad domains of knowledge” (as set out in Standard 2.C and detailed in 2.C.3). Learning assessment focuses on evidence that students are meeting the Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate; this is the part of the institutional assessment plan detailed here. Evergreen’s approach to learning assessment is guided by the standards of regional accreditation, including, but not limited to the following: <br />
*“The Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities expects each institution and program to adopt an assessment plan responsive to its mission and its needs.” (Policy 2.2 Educational Assessment)<br />
*“The institution identifies and publishes the expected learning outcomes for its degree programs. Through regular and systematic assessment, it demonstrates that students who complete their programs, no matter where or how they are offered, have achieved these outcomes.” (Standard 2.B.2)<br />
*“While key constituents are involved in the [assessment] process, the faculty have a central role in planning and evaluating the educational programs.” (Standard 2.B.1)<br />
*“The institution provides evidence that its assessment activities lead to the improvement of teaching and learning.” (Standard 2.B.3)<br />
<br />
Evergreen has a rich method of assessing student achievements at the level of particular study: narrative evaluations, comprising both the faculty evaluation of student achievement (the faculty evaluation) and the student's own evaluation of achievement (the self-evaluation). The student transcript, consisting of records of transfer credits, program descriptions, as well as both student self-evaluations and faculty evaluations of students, serve as the primary basis for assessing student learning. The Transcript Review is a meta-assessment of a collection of authentic evaluation data that was documented at the time of the students’ work by the individuals who knew that work the best – students and their immediate faculty. <br />
<br />
In August 2002, a group of faculty from across planning units, several staff, and a student assessed a random sample of transcripts of recent graduates using a rubric they developed based on the Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate. The 2002 transcript review served as a baseline measure, since the students whose transcripts were studied left the college just as the general education initiatives (including the formal adoption of the Expectations) were implemented. A second transcript review of a new random sample of graduates was completed in summer 2005. Both assessments have provided valuable information about student learning and about how well our transcripts demonstrate learning in terms of the Expectations. By repeating the assessment activity periodically, the college is able to assess evidence of change over time in how many of our graduates are fulfilling the Expectations. A second phase of the transcript assessment entailed coding all of the credits that students earned to complete their degree into six broad fields of study: humanities, social science, art, science, quantitative and symbolic reasoning, and other credits. This second step allows comparison of breadth and depth of education as assessed through credit accumulation to the results of the narrative assessment of student learning.<br />
<br />
The undergraduate learning assessment strategies include all undergraduates at Evergreen, including those studying at off-site programs and students taking Extended Education courses for academic credit. While student Transcript Review is the primary tool for assessing learning at Evergreen, the assessment is costly and time-intensive, so it can only be repeated every three to four years. Other complementary assessment activities focus on other areas of interest during intervening years. A further consideration is to allow sufficient time between transcript reviews to allow new initiatives and program changes to be evidenced in graduating student records. Thus, the transcript assessment results are supplemented by selected indicators of student self-reported learning using the results of other more regularly occurring surveys. Survey items that correspond to each of the Evergreen Expectations have been selected from the annually-administered National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE); biannual alumni surveys of recent Evergreen graduates; and every four years the Greeners at Work Survey of alumni three years after completion, and their current employers.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Evidence of Learning in Terms of the Expectations'''<br />
<br />
(See Standard 2 Supporting Documentation: [[Media:General_Education_Learning_Indicators.pdf|General Education Learning Indicators]])<br />
<br />
'''Additional Learning Assessment Activities'''<br />
<br />
Evergreen is also engaged in a variety of other educational assessment activities and projects that focus on critical learning outcomes in accordance with our mission. Following are a few examples.<br />
<br />
In 2006, the Tribal: Reservation-based/Community-determined programs launched an e-portfolio program. Students in the program build and maintain portfolios in which they select examples of their work that they feel best demonstrate their progress in meeting the Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate (and their program-specific goal of indigenous knowledge). The students provide a reflective narrative to explain how their selection addresses the goals of the program. Their portfolio Web sites are open to review and comment by their faculty and fellow students. The portfolio is primarily a learning approach, but also provides a rich resource for developmental assessment.<br />
<br />
A group of library faculty, staff, library interns, and students conducted two process assessments to explore student learning in information technology literacy (ITL). These assessments involved student participants as co-researchers who helped the college understand how students frame research questions, determine and implement research strategies, and make decisions about the value and meaning of information while conducting genuine research projects. The students attended a two-day workshop in the library while working on authentic research projects from their academic programs. They worked individually and in peer-review teams; all research activities were documented and debriefed, and all keystrokes were collected from Camtasia software loaded onto their laptops. The project was first conducted in 2003 with graduating seniors, and it was found to be very valuable for identifying strengths and weaknesses in our approaches to teaching information technology literacy. The assessment was then repeated with first-year participants in 2004 to gain a clearer picture of the skills which first-year students bring with them to college ([[Media:The_Activity_of_Information_Literacy.pdf|The Activity of Information Literacy: A Process Assessment of Student Research Skills]]).<br />
<br />
The college supports a mini-grant award program for faculty members who are willing to document evidence of the relationship of teaching practices and student learning. The faculty must describe how their research proposals connect to the mission and goals of the college. A growing collection of evidence-based learning assessment projects is now available to other faculty at Evergreen and the public ([[Media: Faculty_Assessment_Web_Page.pdf|Faculty Assessment Web page]]). Institutional Research and Assessment is sponsoring two faculty members' assessment projects this year. One faculty member has developed an innovative, multi-faceted assessment of student diversity learning, and another faculty member is working to develop a model of student flow into and out of Evergreen to assist with future curriculum planning. A team of Evergreen faculty is also working with the Washington Center for Undergraduate Education in a national multi-institution evidence-based interdisciplinary learning assessment project.<br />
<br />
A group of faculty and staff members is engaged in an ethnographic research project to better understand the nature and conditions of interdisciplinary teaching and learning. During the 2006-07 academic year, faculty members from several full-time, team-taught academic programs were interviewed regularly about their teaching and learning experiences and insights throughout the school year. As the multi-term programs came to a close, students from the programs participated in focus groups in which they articulated their learning and helped us better understand how students perceive interdisciplinary work. The ethnographic faculty interview data, observation of student work, and students’ focus group reflections are supporting the college’s ongoing dialogue about how well we are achieving our mission as a public, interdisciplinary liberal arts college. The experiential data and reflections of faculty and students evidence the shared teaching and learning experiences that occur in interdisciplinary learning community programs. A subsequent exploration of evidence of integrative learning and transformative educational experiences from NSSE data demonstrates that the experiences of the individual participants in the project are characteristic of many students at Evergreen ([[Media: NSSE_transformative education_aacu08.pdf|NSSE Transformative Education AACU presentation Jan 08, Washington, DC]]).<br />
<br />
The directors of the Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning Center and the Writing Center each developed and piloted skills assessments for incoming first-year students who enrolled in the latest iteration of the ''Beginning the Journey'' program in fall 2007. The assessments were designed to help new students understand their own abilities in writing and quantitative reasoning and to facilitate conversations about student learning with tutors and faculty members.<br />
<br />
In the recent past, Evergreen participated with our Washington public baccalaureate peers in the statewide learning assessment projects related to writing, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and information technology literacy. All of these projects brought together faculty from across institutions and disciplines to study student work, reflect on their own practices and values, learn about effective practices that lead to student learning, explore strengths and challenges, and improve their own teaching strategies. We continue to participate in strategy conversations about how to reinstitute this valuable work with our statewide colleagues, including pursuit of external funding to support developmental portfolio-based writing assessment, and other methods of sustaining the statewide collaborative conversation about common learning outcomes for students.<br />
<br />
=====Evergreen Experience and Evergreen Graduates=====<br />
<br />
Feedback from students and alumni about their experiences provides evidence of how well Evergreen is achieving its goals of providing engaging and relevant liberal arts education. One important source of such evidence is the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), in which Evergreen first-years and senior-class students participate annually. Evergreen students’ 2007 Level of Academic Challenge benchmark score was significantly higher (p<.001) than those for each of our three comparison populations: Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), other Master's-Smaller Program schools who share our Carnegie classification, and all participating institutions. First-years and seniors score so highly in this area because they spend more time preparing for class and their coursework has a greater emphasis on high level mental activities such as synthesis and organization, making judgments about the value of information, and analysis than other seniors. The NSSE also reveals that Evergreen students spend significantly more time on assignments that require integration of information from different sources and that they more frequently put together ideas from different courses in their work. These elements combined characterize Evergreen’s educational practices as those which regularly engage students in activities which contribute to deep learning. <br />
<br />
Evergreen’s performance on NSSE’s Active and Collaborative Learning benchmark distinguishes us even further from our peer context. Again, both first-year and senior scores are significantly higher (p<.001) than all three comparison groups, and as with Academic Challenge, our students are as engaged as students in the top 10% (high-performing) NSSE institutions. In 2007, none of the survey items which make up this benchmark score had significantly lower scores than any of the peer groups. The intellectual activities captured by this benchmark illustrate common experiences for students at Evergreen. Students at Evergreen regularly work with other students in and outside of class to complete their work. They are expected to be active participants in class discussions, and they are encouraged to pose their own questions. They more frequently teach each other and participate in community-based projects than students at most other institutions. Finally, they regularly carry ideas from class with them into discussions with others outside of class. The evidence of Active and Collaborative Learning gleaned from the NSSE supports the college’s efforts to provide educational programs that encourage students to be personally engaged in their learning and active participants in community.<br />
<br />
The NSSE also asks a series of questions which collect students’ perceptions of how their institution has contributed to their growth and development in a series of knowledge and skill areas. These data provide a sense of the relative strength of various learning domains present in Evergreen’s undergraduate program. In 2007, Evergreen first-year students perceived higher growth than students at all three comparison groups in five of the sixteen learning domains: thinking critically and analytically, learning effectively on your own, understanding yourself, understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds, and solving complex real-world problems. Additionally, they reported higher growth than other students in at least one of the comparison groups in another six areas: speaking clearly and effectively, working effectively with others, voting in elections, developing a personal code of values and ethics, contributing to the welfare of your community, and developing a deepened sense of spirituality. Seniors attribute significantly more growth to their Evergreen experiences than all three comparison groups in eight of the sixteen learning domains. As with first-years, thinking critically and analytically, learning effectively on your own, understanding yourself, understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds, and solving complex real-world problems are again among the areas which differentiate Evergreen students’ experiences. In addition, seniors reported higher growth than all three comparison groups in acquiring a broad general education, working effectively with others, and contributing to the welfare of your community. Beyond those eight areas, in another five domains, Evergreen seniors perceive significantly higher growth than seniors in at least one of the comparison groups: writing clearly and effectively, speaking clearly and effectively, voting in elections, developing a personal code of values and ethics, and developing a deepened sense of spirituality. They are neither higher nor lower than any comparison group in analyzing quantitative problems ([[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
A similar set of strengths rise to the top of the list of learning growth areas which alumni rate in biannually administered surveys of baccalaureate degree recipients. Alumni from the class of 2005 were surveyed in summer and fall 2006. Participants are asked to rate their satisfaction with Evergreen’s contribution to their growth in twenty-four areas. It is notable that seventeen of the twenty-four learning areas received an average rating above four on a five-point scale, which placed the average satisfaction in these areas between “mostly” and “very” satisfied. Further none of the items had an average satisfaction rating below the midpoint “somewhat satisfied” on the scale. The highest rated learning areas provide additional evidence of Evergreen’s concurrent emphases on personal autonomy and responsibility for your own work, collaborative and responsible participation, and complex thinking. The top five highest average ratings were attributed to growth in learning independently, participation in discussions, working cooperatively in a group, critically analyzing information, and synthesizing information and ideas from many sources. (Alumni Survey 2006).<br />
<br />
Every four years, Institutional Research and Assessment administers the “Greeners at Work” survey which first collects information from alumni three years after graduation, and then asks the alum’s current supervisor to provide information about the abilities and expectations of the graduate in the workplace. Two Greeners at Work surveys have been completed during this ten-year accreditation cycle, in 1999 and 2003, and data collection just wrapped up from the 2007 administration. The survey affirms the ability of Evergreen graduates to self-assess their relative strengths in terms of work-related skill areas, since in most skills areas there is strong correspondence between alumni and employer ratings. Of the seventeen work-related skills rated, alumni and employers assigned the highest average skill levels to the same five areas, although in a slightly different order. Employers rated Evergreen alumni highest in their willingness and aptitude to learn new skills and their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment; alumni average ratings of their own skills simply switched the order of these top two skill areas. The next three highest areas in order of employer average ratings were ability to work cooperatively on team efforts, creative thinking skills, and independence and initiative. Again the areas of collaborative participation, independence and willingness to engage in personal challenge, and thinking skills rise to the top from another view of the outcomes of an Evergreen education ([[Media: Greeners_at_Work_2003_-_Alumni_and_Employers_Three_Years_After_Graduation.pdf|Greeners at Work 2003 - Alumni and Employers Three Years After Graduation]]).<br />
<br />
=====Assessment of Graduate Learning=====<br />
<br />
Each graduate program has its own set of expected learning outcomes for its students. The programs provide information about their ongoing assessment practices in Standard 2.D.<br />
<br />
====2.B.3 Engagement and Reflection====<br />
''The institution provides evidence that its assessment activities lead to the improvement of teaching and learning.''<br />
<br />
The participatory assessment approach at Evergreen draws upon some of same pedagogies of engagement found in our educational programs. At its heart, assessment at Evergreen is about bringing people together to collaboratively engage with collected data to make meaning. Assessment is collaborative work which necessarily involves faculty, staff, and students. Members of the college often work in small groups to dig into questions, explore their own values and practices, share ideas, and report back to the broader community with recommendations based on their research. Individuals who engage directly in constructing meaning from various kinds of data are more likely to own the implications gleaned from that work.<br />
<br />
Multiple modes of inquiry are employed in initial research methodology and subsequent assessment activities. Research methodologies include surveys, administrative data analysis, focus groups, experiential data, ethnography, participatory research, qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry. Reporting methods include publishing materials on the Web site and conducting staff development workshops to raise awareness of the availability and contents of this resource. Email announcements of new research, printed reports, appearances at regular committee meetings, planning retreats, activities for new faculty and staff, other presentations, intensive assessment workshops, and posters are also used.<br />
<br />
Questions for research are framed both by internal questions and external reporting needs. At times the assessment agenda is needed to address external requirements, but just as often the agenda is influenced by authentic, immediate questions generated by faculty, staff, and students. The impact of assessment activities is heightened when the topics are aligned with current questions under consideration by members of the community. Institutional Research and Assessment staff often mine existing data resources that inform the work of ongoing task forces, academic deans, student affairs staff, senior staff, and planning units. By listening for the topics that have caught the attention of the community, the data is more likely to be used to make positive change. In addition, Institutional Research staff members also initiate dialogue when interesting trends or results emerge from our data collection and analysis, especially when multiple sources of information begin to point at particular issues worthy of deeper consideration. Staff members invite dialogue and group reflection, and encourage engagement by the stakeholders who have the greatest power to make a difference. <br />
<br />
Regularly collected data is often a good starting place to develop further questions and explore implications for practice. As one example, the Diversity DTF received several presentations from research staff who shared data with stakeholders who were currently engaged in studying issues of diversity. The DTF engaged in consideration of data excerpts and analyses from multiple sources of existing information, including various quantitative and narrative survey results, demographics, and other administrative data analyses. This dialogue pointed to new and deeper questions that were then analyzed for the task force. Ultimately the task force made specific recommendations to the college for areas of improvement and attention that were based in part on their engagement with research data and its own experiences. <br />
<br />
This cycle of gathering data resources and sharing them with ongoing work groups and planning efforts is regular practice at Evergreen. It is also common for a study group to initiate its own research to fill in gaps in knowledge and explore problems in new ways. The Assessment Study Group, Transcript Review Assessment Workshops, Enrollment Growth DTF, Curricular Visions, First-year Experience DTF, and the Extended Education Advisory Committee are other recent examples of groups which received existing and special data analyses from Institutional Research and Assessment to inform their inquiry. Many of the reports and analysis processes developed for these efforts have now been adopted into ongoing practice.<br />
<br />
===Standard 2.C – Undergraduate Curriculum===<br />
<br />
====Description====<br />
<br />
''The undergraduate program is designed to provide students with a substantial, coherent, and articulated exposure to the broad domains of knowledge.''<br />
<br />
''The Commission encourages a tripartite structure for baccalaureate and academic or transfer associate degree programs: (1) general education requires students to master competencies for independent learning and to develop an awareness of the fundamental areas of knowledge; (2) the major requires students to achieve a knowledge base in a specific area of concentration; and (3) electives provide the opportunity for students to pursue other intellectual interests. The instructional program, as a whole, is based on a clear rationale with the component parts designed to reflect that rationale. Degree and certificate programs are characterized by clarity and order which are discernible in model curricula shown in official publications and are recorded in official student records of actual programs pursued.''<br />
<br />
''Baccalaureate degree programs include a substantial core of general education instruction with identifiable outcomes and require competence in (a) written and oral communication, (b) quantitative reasoning, (c) critical analysis and logical thinking, and (d) literacy in the discourse or technology appropriate to the program of study.''<br />
<br />
<br />
In a college without departments, majors, or requirements the issue of how to organize the faculty to deliver a curriculum that has an appropriate distribution of beginning, intermediate, and advanced work, that provides disciplinary and interdisciplinary work, and supports general education while allowing both students and faculty broad autonomy is clearly central. Historically the answers have included no formal organization in the early years and multiple small interest groups (Specialty Areas) in the 1980s and early 1990s. The current structure, first developed in 1995, is organized around six planning units, first-year (Core) programs, inter-area programs, and individual contract and internship work.<br />
<br />
====Planning Units and the Curriculum====<br />
<br />
Planning in the undergraduate curriculum is organized around six major Planning Units: Scientific Inquiry (SI); Culture, Text, and Language (CTL); Expressive Arts (EA); Environmental Studies (ES); Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change (SPBC); and Evening and Weekend Studies (EWS). As seen in 2.B.1, the planning units correspond roughly to traditional divisions, but retain one explicitly inter-divisional planning unit (ES) and one based on a different schedule (EWS). (In this section we will discuss the nature and functions of planning units in the curriculum. A more detailed discussion of the current planning units’ work was presented in section 2.B.1.). The Native American, World Indigenous Peoples Center also offers programs each year and houses the Reservation-Based, Community-Determined Program that offers programs in Native communities in the western half of the state. In addition, the Tacoma Program serves upper division students in Tacoma and is discussed separately. Each planning unit is responsible for developing an entry point(s) into the program of study in the area and for providing a variety of more or less formally organized advanced work. Finally, each area is expected to contribute 20% of its teaching to Core (first-year) programs and an additional 20% to inter-area programs each year. <br />
<br />
'''Faculty Membership in Planning Units'''<br />
<br />
Each faculty member is affiliated with one planning unit. This affiliation usually, but not always, reflects their professional training. Faculty members can and occasionally do change their affiliation as their interests and capacities change. Planning units themselves occasionally change their focus or reorganize. Planning units select a coordinator (PUC) from among their ranks to organize and conduct meetings and coordinate with other units and with the curriculum dean. Planning units can be distinguished from departments by their lack of budget, lack of permanent assigned faculty lines, and lack of control over the hiring of new faculty. They are based on a strange amalgam of faculty autonomy and collective suasion. <br />
<br />
'''Variation among Planning Units''' <br />
<br />
While the formal structure of the areas is similar, the areas vary considerably in the extent to which they organize repeated offerings, the degree of demand they put on their members to teach within the area’s offerings, and the degree to which advanced work is formally identified. Each unit strikes a different and distinctive balance between disciplinary coverage and open-ended inquiry for both faculty and students. In the past few years, concerns about the role of planning units have motivated considerable discussion and debate on the campus. Questions have arisen not only about the curricular role of planning units, but their influence over hiring and their responsibility for providing seats to Core and inter-area programs ([[Media: Rita_Self_eval_2007.doc|Rita Pougiales' Self-Evaluation 2007]], and [[Media: Deans_Governance_Group_W06_summary.doc|Curricular Visions Summary of Winter 2006 Discussions]]).<br />
<br />
'''Planning Units, Coverage, and Pathways'''<br />
<br />
The tension about what planning units should do and mean for the college exists not only within and between planning units, but also in how planning units are seen to serve the needs of faculty, students, advising staff recruitment and admissions. Planning units typically, though not always, serve as a vehicle for organizing faculty for disciplinary or divisional commitments about coverage, skill, and mastery. They help ensure that introductory, intermediate, and advanced work is present in areas of the curriculum where such distinctions are seen to be critical. There is considerable variability between planning units both in their focus on coverage and in their aspirations for student mastery of the discipline(s) involved. In some planning units, open-ended inquiry in the area’s offerings comes after considerable disciplinary work, in others such inquiry is the predominant structure of their work. Despite faculty's sense of delineated paths through the curriculum, data from student transcripts and conversations with students indicate that few students are actively aware of pathways or even the planning unit structure. This is less true in Environmental Studies and Scientific Inquiry where the bachelor of science degree requirements help guide student choices. Similarly, some student aid recipients must take care to remain on track for the BS in order to maintain eligibility for scholarships or grants they have received (including federal SMART grants). In some areas (SPBC and CTL) students would be hard pressed to name the area. To the extent students do use pathways, their diversion from them often represents the development of and focus on a particular skill or project. Thus, while student work typically does result in what students (but not the college) represent as a majors, these are often either somewhat narrower or somewhat broader than area-defined pathways. <br />
<br />
Academic Advising sees the planning units as the source of stability in the curriculum. They value the idea of repeating programs and regular offerings. Advising uses planning units as the locus for disciplinary work in the curriculum. As major translators of the work of programs, Advising urges faculty to define areas and programs in easily accessible disciplinary language. Pathways are seen by Advising as important suggestions for students about potential ways to work their way through the curriculum. As Advising is concerned with clarity and stability in the curriculum, Admissions is concerned with the question of how to sell this curriculum to incoming students and their parents. This creates a pressure on planning units not simply to produce curriculum that is stable and transparent, but also to hire in such a way that the likelihood of marketable programs is increased. Thus pressure for hires in health and in business have emerged in part from external pressures. Despite these tensions, planning units have served since 1995 as the primary intermediate structure between the individual faculty member and the college curriculum as a whole. They are central to the process of planning both the 60% of the curriculum they directly organize and the 40% of the curriculum taught in Core and inter-area programs. An alternative approach to making the curriculum transparent and attractive has been the Fields of Study approach arising out of the Curricular Visions process. This approach is designed to allow groups of faculty to more clearly identify ongoing opportunities for study in the curriculum.<br />
<br />
====Modes of Study (An Overview)====<br />
<br />
The single most important structure for offering the curriculum is the coordinated studies program described above (2.A.9). In addition to coordinated studies programs within planning units, there are inter-area programs where faculty members from across two or more planning units come together to pursue an issue. These programs are generally substantial two- and three-quarter-long investigations whose audience is often open to students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Core programs are inter-area programs designed for first-year students. They typically are broad two- to three-quarter offerings centered on a theme or inquiry with specific support for the development of college-level skills in reading, writing, and seminar work. Several other modes of study are used to deliver the curriculum. The single faculty member program offers a specific piece of full-time study for one to three quarters. This format is usually offered for advanced disciplinary work. Half-time coordinated studies programs are the foundation of the evening and weekend program. Like full-time programs, they can be offered for one to three quarters. The evening and weekend program also offers a range of courses designed to stand on their own or to supplement other offerings. Courses in such areas as languages, mathematics, art, and writing both offer alternative vehicles for meeting program prerequisites and are used to support teaching in both arts and language programs. In addition, courses in other areas support graduate programs and part-time studies students. Individual contracts and internships round out the curriculum. Such contracts are most frequently for advanced work. Internship learning contracts are agreements between the student, an internship field supervisor, the school, and a faculty member. They are most frequently undertaken as an individual study, but may be required as a part of the work within a coordinated study or group contract. Both internship learning contracts and individual learning contracts are reviewed and signed off on by the academic deans.<br />
<br />
====First-Year Programs and Options====<br />
<br />
Freshman students at Evergreen may enter a diverse array of programs. The three most important choices available to them are Core programs, designed explicitly for freshmen, all-level programs in which a percentage, usually 25% of the seats, are reserved for freshmen, and introductory/lower division programs where as many as 50% of the seats are reserved for first-year students. All-level programs that cater to the largest numbers are often, though not always, inter-area programs that involve faculty from two or more planning units.<br />
<br />
Core programs are almost always interdisciplinary and frequently interdivisional offerings involving two to four faculty members and often taught for two quarters or a full year. They are distinguished by slightly smaller faculty student ratio (1/23), a strong collaborative relationship with Academic Advising, and extensive support from the Writing and Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning centers as appropriate. The primary virtue of the broadly interdivisional core programs is the provision of a base from which a student may develop her college education. These programs are usually thematically organized and inquiry-based. They provide a wide ranging, often quite sophisticated, interdisciplinary perspective on contemporary and historical questions of human experience. All Core programs work to support general education and the development of skills in writing, reading, seminar participation, collaborative work more generally, and critical thinking. In many programs, quantitative reasoning, library research, creative expression, and field research skills of various sorts are supported as well. <br />
<br />
'''Changes in Core and All-Level Programs'''<br />
<br />
In recent years Core has shown, along with the rest of the curriculum, a tendency for narrower two-faculty-member programs. The difficulty which arises is that the breadth of the offerings usually suffers. Further, in the first years of this review period, 1997-98 and 1998-99, many and often most Core programs lasted through three full quarters. Today most programs are one or two quarters long. (Catalog 1997-98, 1998-99, 2005-06, 2006-07) For many years Core programs were the preponderant first-year experience, today, fewer than half of all first-year students get this sort of support. Indeed there has been a marked shift in terms of where first-year slots are located in the full-time curriculum. Over this period, a growing proportion of first-years enrolled in all-level program seats (programs which enroll freshmen through seniors) compared to Core programs (targeted at freshmen and new first-time, first-year students). In AY 1997-98, 71% of first-year program FTE was generated in Core programs, but by AY 2006-07, only 40% was generated in Core. Lower-division programs (which enroll freshmen and sophomores) began to appear in AY 2004-05. By AY 2006-07, lower-division programs represented 14% of all first-year program FTE.<br />
<br />
[[Image:FTE_Generated_by_FT_Programs.JPG]]<br />
<br />
All-level programs have become increasingly important in the first year curriculum. Many if not most of the inter-area programs have opened their work to first-year students and some areas (notably CTL) have a long history of offering all-level work. Because such programs are supposed to be attractive and available to students with quite different educational backgrounds, most programs, even when they include art or science, do not have prerequisites. Inter-area programs usually provide less systematic support for freshmen students, but offer a challenge to some of the better prepared freshman students who want to work in what is sometimes a more demanding environment. All-level programs, especially inter-area ones, can be an excellent beginning point for a student's work at the college.<br />
<br />
'''Lower Division Programs'''<br />
<br />
Finally, some areas have opened up lower division programs or introductory programs to allow some (often as many as half) of the students to be freshmen. The argument for this kind of work in the first year is centered on the desire that many students have to get into the subject matter that draws them to college in the first place. Again, this has significant advantages for some students in as much as they are directly challenged and engaged in material that they find important. Yet such a program may not provide the range of support for more general skills, nor does it provide the kind of inter-divisional breadth we prefer for first-year students.<br />
<br />
'''Complexity and Evolution of Core Planning'''<br />
<br />
Historically, Core programs have been among the broadest and most thoroughly interdisciplinary programs on campus. In theory, but not always in practice, they are supposed to occupy a priority position in the planning process. A major tension exists in the planning process between the process of planning Core programs that tend to be ad hoc in any given year and the systematic planning of many planning units that attempt to stabilize and identify curricular paths some years into the future. This tension has led to two major developments over the past ten years. First, as areas have attempted to both provide 20% of the seats taught by their faculty as freshman seats, planning units have attempted to serve both planning unit needs and freshman seat needs by moving introductory planning unit offerings into lower division work, thus opening introductory lower division offerings to large numbers of freshman students. Alternatively, areas and individual faculty members have attempted to meet their collective/personal obligation to provide freshman seats by declaring their program all-level and allocating 25% or more of their seats to freshmen without significant modification of their content. Both of these tendencies are supported by the switch some years ago from planning units being responsible for providing faculty to teach in Core to being responsible to provide 20% of the seats taught by their faculty as available to freshmen. To the extent that these programs are intra-area programs, the pool of faculty available for inter-divisional team teaching is diminished.<br />
<br />
In recent years, recruiting faculty to teach in Core programs and creating effective social and intellectual opportunities for inter-divisional teams to emerge has been a serious issue for the college. These difficulties rest in some measure on the ambiguity of whether the obligation to teach in Core rests on individual faculty or on the planning unit. Prior to the 1995 curriculum revision, the obligation rested ambiguously, but decidedly, with the faculty. Faculty members were expected to teach Core one out of four years. Today the burden is often presumed to lie with the area and teaching in Core is seen in some areas as a scheduled assignment. <br />
<br />
Planning a good program team is a matter of intellectual, pedagogical, and personal fit. Effective teams depend upon each other in innumerable ways. The continuous turnover in faculty over the past ten years has made developing planning and social time that underlies the possibility of making effective matches a high priority especially for newer faculty. Recruiting engaged and committed faculty teams, finding enough time to develop effective teaching themes and plans, providing opportunities to reflect on those experiences, and developing both intellectual and pedagogical skills are crucial to making teaching first-year students worthwhile and intellectually rewarding for new faculty. This, almost of necessity, requires a new core faculty recruitment and planning structure that can sustain faculty engagement with interdisciplinary issues and concerns about pedagogy for freshman students over time. The provision of paid faculty planning time in the summer has helped, but as the audience is primarily established teams, it has not made a great difference in terms of locating potential future teaching partners. (See Standard 4 for more discussion of issues around incorporating new faculty). <br />
<br />
The movement over the past ten to fifteen years towards shorter, smaller programs and pieces of work for first-year students has allowed more exploration and often exposure to a wider array of choices. Clearly this move has made it possible for more students to find program offerings, as opposed to dropping out or taking contracts or internships in the spring quarter. But by the same token, smaller, shorter programs may have cut down on the opportunity to get to the kind of depth and familiarity with issues that allows for the complexity of reflexive thinking on the part of younger students. Certainly, the ability to plan long range complex programs is made difficult by the growing tendency to reduce teaching assignments to smaller and smaller bits, thus increasing the need for immediate short-term planning time and increasing the experienced, if not the headcount, workload of faculty. The tension between exposure to a number of faculty, disciplines, and issues on the one hand and the experience of doing a deep, often transformative piece of work on the other is a tension that has long plagued the college. <br />
<br />
The perception of Core programs by incoming students is mixed. Core programs often are demanding and academically rigorous. Yet they are sometimes seen by incoming freshmen as less demanding than lower division or all-level programs. The attempts in Core to develop skills and to introduce the college, while appreciated and useful to some, are seen as hand-holding and dumbing down by others. To the extent that Core programs are not rigorous and demanding or to the extent that they are not matching a particular student’s interest, they are often described as boring.<br />
<br />
Finally, fall-to-fall retention is a serious issue for the college in its first-year offerings. Matching students to their choices within first-year programs is one challenge. Ironically, as we open more choices to students the number of students getting their first choice has dropped as many of the openings in all-level, specialized, single-faculty programs and small inter-area programs may be very broadly attractive, but represent very few freshman seats.<br />
<br />
====Inter-Area Programs====<br />
<br />
Inter-area programs are some of the most exciting and innovative programs at the college. They draw together unique faculty teams to teach complex theme-based programs that stimulate multi-dimensional, creative, and reflexive work. Inter-area programs involve faculty from two or more planning units offering programs which deal with a theme or question, and are designed for students at upper division, sophomore and above, or all-level. By design, students typically bring a distinctly mixed background to these programs, not only in terms of years of college experience, but also in terms of specialization and interests. Inter-area programs are a primary location for the teaching of general education skills. Inter-area programs often involve faculty with quite different skills and backgrounds. Faculty often teach some aspect of these distinct capacities in the program. Thus inter-area programs along with Core were a primary location where faculty with particular skills in quantitative reasoning, mathematics, and art were able to share this information with students who typically avoided such learning. Thus between 65% and 85% of inter-area programs in the 2001-02 to 2005-06 End of Program Reviews reported some emphasis on mathematics, while 60-80% of the programs in the same period reported an emphasis on art ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Art.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Art]] and <br />
[[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Science_and_Math.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Science and Math]]). Inter-area programs are also a place where a great deal of theme-based, inquiry-based teaching occurs, as they often invite students to engage in complex, reflective work about an issue. In recent years, inter-area programs have frequently been all-level and have, through this mechanism, contributed a very significant number of freshman seats. According to the 1995-96 Long Range Curriculum DTF Report, planning units were expected to contribute 20% of their teaching effort to both Core and inter-area programs. That goal was seldom reached between the 1997-98 AY and the 2000-01 AY, but has been the norm since that time, with the proportion of Core programs shrinking consistently ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]). An ongoing issue for inter-area programs is the creation of new faculty teams. There are no regularized formal mechanisms for generating inter-area teams and new faculty often feel a strong pressure to participate in the ongoing curriculum within their planning units.<br />
<br />
====Individual Study Options: Contracts and Internships====<br />
<br />
Individual contracts and internships allow students to follow their passions, define their own work, and expand their opportunities beyond the walls of the college in very important ways. Developing and negotiating a contract with faculty and with internship field supervisors forces reflection about their work and compels students to take responsibility for their own education as they move into doing advanced work. Work with faculty, though often limited, is very different and more personal compared to working in the confines of a program. These modes of learning are the ultimate mode for students taking responsibility for their own education.<br />
<br />
'''Individual Contracts'''<br />
<br />
Individual contracts are critical elements in the education of many students at the college. They allow for advanced work, they accommodate idiosyncratic life situations, and they provide opportunities for student initiative. Consultation with the academic deans who read and approve all contracts and internships reveals that contracts serve two very different functions. The first and most important function is as a location for students to undertake significant, usually advanced, independent research or inquiry. The second is as a stopgap measure that accommodates a student’s schedule, life circumstance, or inability to get into programs that they want or need. Typically, but not always, the former are more effective and more carefully thought through, and provide more demonstration of learning than the latter. Students may write individual contracts for two to sixteen quarter-hours credit. Usually smaller contracts supplement work in a part-time program, support language learning, or provide a small piece of prerequisite learning for admission to a future program or graduate school. In 2006-07, students and faculty wrote a total of 1279 individual learning contracts: 300 in fall, 454 in winter, and 525 in spring. These contracts generated approximately 922 FTE. Contracts and internships together generated some 1322.8 FTE during the year.<br />
<br />
In good contracts, students define what they want to learn, demonstrate a background that allows them to deal with the project, define the activities that will help them learn, and have a plan to demonstrate that learning. Coherence between the learning objectives of the contract and the activities they undertake is central. The deans report that a significant majority of contracts are reasonably well developed and define substantial individual work that coherently defines learning objectives and the work undertaken.<br />
<br />
'''Internships'''<br />
<br />
Internships provide opportunities for students to gain exposure to work experience, apply lessons learned in class to the real world, and learn about the complexities, skills, and culture of a potential workplace. Internships involve a complex three-way negotiation between a student, a field supervisor at a job site, and a member of the faculty. Students work with Academic Advising and increasingly with the Center for Community-Based Learning and Action (CCBLA) to identify internships that extend their studies. The CCBLA locates work sites and provides a systematic conduit for student volunteers into community work. The center has also helped facilitate volunteer and internship activity for work within programs. In the past two years, the center has helped twenty programs set up service-learning projects within those programs and has supported more than 140 individual students in setting up community-based learning opportunities ([[Media: 2006-07annualreportccbla.pdf|Center for Community-Based Learning and Action Annual Report 2007]]). Negotiations between the student, faculty member, and field supervisor are supported by Academic Advising to identify the goals of the internship experience, the amount of credit earned, the academic work that accompanies the internship, the work undertaken, the reporting lines, and the roles of the field supervisor, faculty member and student in evaluation of the work. Students undertake internships at different points in their education. Longer, more substantial internships, such as legislative internships or work within a social service agency, are usually undertaken in the junior or senior year. Shorter internships are often directed toward community service work. <br />
<br />
Students undertook 506 internships in the 2006-07 school year with 26% in fall, 36% in winter, and 38% in spring. In most instances, internship work constituted a portion of the student’s work, while course work and written reflection about the experience make up the balance. Internships link the college to the broader community, help students gain experience for a successful transition to work after graduation, and allow students to design important components of their education. They are an important means of linking theory to practice and are consistently popular with students. They also provide important opportunities for public service and significant engagement with public issues and political practice.<br />
<br />
These three important modes of study – first-year, inter-area, and individual work – when combined with the divisional offerings from the planning units (see Standard 2.B.1) constitute the central structures of the college. As such, they embody the five foci and the central tensions of disciplinary work and interdisciplinary inquiry, of individual autonomy and collaborative work. They also provide a wide array of opportunities for students to engage in written and oral communication, quantitative reasoning, critical analysis and logical thinking, and literacy in the appropriate discourse or technology.<br />
<br />
====2.C.1 General Education Philosophy and Practices====<br />
''The institution requires of all its degree and pre-baccalaureate programs a component of general education and/or related instruction that is published in its general catalog in clear and complete terms.''<br />
<br />
Evergreen's academic practices, structures, and expectations create a series of contexts within which the connection of disciplinary understandings to other disciplines, experiences, and understandings is seen as a necessary part of a general education. Students are, to an important degree, encouraged at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels to undertake studies that contribute to breadth as well as depth in their education. Practices such as full-time study as the preferred structure of student work, problem-centered thematic programs, interdisciplinary work, seminars as central learning spaces, workshops and small group practice are mechanisms that link the theory of the foci to student experience. The most critical practice, the one that has the most powerful impact on student experience writ large, is student autonomy.<br />
<br />
At the center of the foci and expectations, as two articulations of the college’s ambitions for its curriculum and its students, is the individual student. The first of the expectations is to articulate and assume responsibility for your own work. Central among the foci is personal engagement with their educational experience. The student is understood in both these articulations as the central actor in their own education. The primacy of the student is most clearly and powerfully exemplified in the lack of degree requirements. 180 quarter-credit hours of anything earns you a BA at Evergreen. On the one hand, this is a terrifying recognition for faculty and administrators. Here, in one simple action, the whole apparatus of curriculum/requirements/majors/established disciplinary boundaries is relinquished into the hands of students. On the other hand, this student autonomy is the foundation of those most prized qualities of student engagement – creative independent thinking, interdisciplinary work, work across difference – for the autonomy that students face forces them to ask their own questions. As students ask these questions and work with others to understand them, they are pushed toward deeper and more complex engagement and come to see the necessity for more complex interdisciplinary critical and creative thinking.<br />
<br />
The End-of-Program Review data provide an extensive overview of the extraordinary array of teaching practices at the college. Four critical qualities emerge from this data. (A caveat: not all programs possess all qualities, but all qualities can be found in all areas of the college.) First, teaching practices at the college are distinctly and exceptionally collaborative. At the root of this is the central notion that individual evaluation, not competitive grading, is the fundamental form of assessment. This root practice makes a huge difference in the classroom. Students are not penalized for sharing information and understanding and indeed the sharing of discoveries is the central focus of that most Evergreen of institutions, the seminar. Collaboration is built into the structured workshops used to teach everything from writing and philosophy to botany and mathematics. Small group research projects, whose audience is the program as a whole, are common. The idea that each person is responsible to the group to participate, to help build understandings, and to share what they know is fundamental to the life of programs as learning communities.<br />
<br />
Second, teaching practices at Evergreen ask students to find ways to use the understandings they have developed in class to deepen their study and to engage issues in the world outside the classroom. Connections to the real world are built into field trips, field study, art making, internships, community service, fiction writing, laboratory research in the sciences, the composition of music, the creation of computer applications, qualitative and quantitative field research, ethnographic research, life history research, filmmaking, travel, and cultural studies. The list goes on, but the point is that learning is not just talk about acting; it is an interaction of acting and carefully reflecting.<br />
<br />
Inquiry-based teaching practices are fundamental to much of what happens at Evergreen. Nearly all programs have a set of central questions that animate the inquiry. Here are a few from the 2007-08 Catalog.<br />
<br />
*“What is the structure, composition, and function of a temperate rain forest? How does this relate to the ecology of other systems, land management, and the physical environment?"<br />
<br />
*"What do chemists do? What is life exactly? What are the physical and chemical processes of life that distinguish it from ordinary matter? Are there mathematical rules that govern the formation and growth of life?"<br />
<br />
*"This program is an inquiry into the numinous, which Rudolph Otto, amidst the turmoil of WWI, explained as a 'non-rational, non-sensory experience or feeling whose primary and immediate object is outside the self.'" <br />
<br />
*"Have you wondered about the ways languages work? Do you think about how thoughts get translated into language?”<br />
<br />
Within programs, students are encouraged to choose questions to answer about the texts. Often they are urged to develop major questions as independent inquiry/research papers about issues developing around the program’s themes. Students are actively taught how to use the library, computer resources, media production, writing resources, and experimentation, among other skills, as vehicles for answering questions that they pose, to find answers (or further questions) that they have a stake in.<br />
<br />
Finally, students exercise choice. Most importantly and obviously they exercise choice over the whole structure and content of their education. But at the level of the program, and in the work undertaken in any given quarter, students exercise a wide range of choice as well. Internships, individual contracts, research projects, and supplementary classes are all major opportunities for students to fashion components of their work around their choices. Even when students only select a program, their capacity to see that program as a part of their own larger choice-driven project makes the act of taking it somewhat different from choosing to take another course towards a major in a conventional school.<br />
<br />
These four elements then – collaboration, application, inquiry, and choice – characterize the vast array of teaching practices that translate the language of the five foci into the experiences that produce students whose educations can be characterized by the expectations and the data we have reviewed. They provide the matrix of choices and opportunities that frame the dilemma of how to put together his/her work that each student must confront. And typically they require students to develop a broad array of skills and capacities.<br />
<br />
====2.C.2 General Education Rationale====<br />
''The general education component of the institution’s degree programs is based on a rationale that is clearly articulated and is published in clear and complete terms in the catalog. It provides the criteria by which the relevance of each course to the general education component is evaluated.'' <br />
<br />
The basic understanding of general education at Evergreen is embedded within the Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate published in the catalog. Each specific program provides a descriptive overview of the issues and contents of the program including a statement of the areas where students can expect to receive credit. The rationale for taking any particular program rests on the relationship between that program’s content and the particular student’s plans and aspirations.<br />
<br />
====2.C.3 General Education Offerings====<br />
''The general education program offerings include the humanities and fine arts, the natural sciences, mathematics, and the social sciences. The program may also include courses that focus on the interrelationships between these major fields of study.''<br />
<br />
The End-of-Program Review (EPR) Survey is the baseline measure of the kinds of work that are contained within programs. This survey, administered in its original form between AY 2001-02 and 2005-06, and in a somewhat modified form in 2006-07, allows the college to see within programs the various components and elements that constitute the work of the program. The revision of the instrument in the summer of 2006 was the result of a major assessment of the EPR data carried out by faculty and staff during a weeklong assessment workshop hosted by Institutional Research and Assessment. The new survey clarifies categories and facilitates both ease of response and comparability of data ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Summary_of_Response_Rates.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Summary of Response Rates]]). The response rate to the survey has grown over the years and showed a marked increase to 82% with the new survey in 2006-07. The data presented here provides an overview of how Evergreen programs incorporate various general education elements. The detailed survey results provide considerable insight into the extraordinary array of activities in each of these areas. For this information, see especially charts labeled EPR 2006-07 – Name of Planning Unit Overview.<br />
<br />
Comments on the distribution of general education across the curriculum will focus on the most recent data (2006-07) and note significant trends from the 2001-2005 data. In general, the data show that general education is distributed across all sectors of the college and exposure to general education is available in all areas and inescapable in many. Data from the EPR refers to activities in programs. In addition, significant amounts of student work occur in individual contracts, internships, and courses. A major opportunity for advanced work occurred in research projects with faculty or in Student Originated Studies clusters.<br />
<br />
Note: The percentages reported in this document reflect a recognition that, given the original modes of computing the percentage in the 2003 report (number of programs reporting activity X/ number of programs in the curriculum), apparent trends in the data could simply reflect growth in the response rate. Thus the current data is computed as follows (Number of Programs Reporting Activity X/ Number of Programs Reporting) in order to keep sample size from distorting results.<br />
<br />
=====Art=====<br />
Two-thirds of all reporting programs indicated an emphasis on art. Art was especially well represented in Expressive Arts, Culture Text, and Language; Inter-Area; Tribal; and Environmental Studies (see [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Art.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Art]]; [[Media: EPR 2006-07_-_Art_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Art Overview]]; <br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Art_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Art by Planning Unit]]; [[Media: Art_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Art Across the Curriculum]]; and [[Media: Art%2C_A_Supplement.pdf|Art, A Supplement]]). Approximately 35% of these programs indicated an extensive or moderate teaching of art. Art was taught at all levels with a preponderance of introductory teaching. In addition, there were sixty-four different two- to four-credit art courses taught during 2006-07, which compares to forty art courses in 2000-01, before the implementation of the new general education initiatives ([[Media: Courses_by_General_Education_Divisions.pdf|Courses by General Education Divisions]]). Faculty in Expressive Arts taught 204 individual contracts and fifty-nine internships ([[Media: Curriculum_Enrollment_Detail_2006-07.pdf|Curriculum Enrollment Detail AY 2006-07]]<br />
). Expressive Arts organizes students into Student Originated Studies (SOS) groups in Media, Music, Performance, and Visual Arts. An average of 50.1 student FTE are generated each quarter through Student Originated Studies in the arts ([[Media: Curriculum_Enrollment_Detail_2006-07.pdf|Curriculum Enrollment Detail AY 2006-07]]).<br />
<br />
=====Science and Mathematics=====<br />
<br />
In the 2001-2005 data, mathematics and science were surveyed together. Over this period, the proportion of programs indicating an emphasis on mathematics or science grew from 55% in 2001-02 to 70% in 2005-06. Both Scientific Inquiry and Environmental Studies reported that 100% of their programs included science or mathematics. Core programs over the period ranged between 67% of programs to 100% of programs including mathematics or sciences. Similarly inter-area programs reported a low of 64% and a high of 86% with some emphasis on mathematics and/or science ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Science_and_Math.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Science and Math]]).<br />
<br />
In this same period, 2001-2005, programs were asked to report on the use of quantitative reasoning in programs. A high of 74% of all programs reporting indicated an emphasis on quantitative reasoning in 2001-02, and a low of 59% of programs reported an emphasis on quantitative reasoning in 2004-05. Scientific Inquiry; Environmental Studies; and Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change areas reported relatively strong emphasis on quantitative reasoning ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Quantitative_Reasoning.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Quantitative Reasoning]]). For a discussion of the variety of ways in which quantitative reasoning was used in programs, and the confusion that arose in the survey between mathematics and quantitative reasoning, see ([[Media: Quantitative_Reasoning_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Quantitative Reasoning Across the Curriculum]] and<br />
[[Media: Quantitative_Reasoning%2C_A_Supplement.pdf|Quantitative Reasoning, A Supplement]]).<br />
<br />
The 2006-07 EPR survey disaggregated science and mathematics. Under this structure, 53% of programs reported an emphasis on science. Science was particularly strong in Environmental Studies where 100% of programs reported teaching science extensively and in Scientific Inquiry where 88% reported some science (the other programs were in mathematics and computer science). In comparison, 56% of Core and 52% of inter-area programs reported an emphasis on science ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences Overview]]<br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences by Planning Unit]]). In addition there were thirty-five different courses in natural, physical, and computer sciences taught during the 2006-07. This compares to only twenty different science courses in 2000-01, when the general education initiatives were adopted by faculty ([[Media: Courses_by_General_Education_Divisions.pdf|Courses by General Education Divisions]]).<br />
<br />
In 2006-07, 58% of all programs reporting indicated an emphasis on mathematics. Both Scientific Inquiry and Environmental Studies reported 100% of programs with an emphasis on mathematics, although math was much more extensively used as a part of SI teaching. Core and inter-area programs both reported 67% of their programs had an emphasis on mathematics. SPBC reported 63% of programs with an emphasis on mathematics ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math Overview]], <br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math by Planning Unit]]). In addition, there were ten different mathematics courses taught in 2006-07, compared to only six math courses taught in 2000-01 ([[Media: Courses_by_General_Education_Divisions.pdf|Courses by General Education Divisions]]). <br />
<br />
Faculty in Scientific Inquiry and Environmental Studies taught 211 contracts and one hundred internships over the course of 2006-07. Additional undergraduate research opportunities with faculty are provided through Advanced Research in Environmental Studies, which generated an average of 6.3 student FTE each quarter of 2006-07. Scientific Inquiry offers close faculty-student applied research opportunities through Undergraduate Research in SI which generated 13.1 FTE per quarter in 2006-07 ([[Media: Curriculum_Enrollment_Detail_2006-07.pdf|Curriculum Enrollment Detail AY 2006-07]]).<br />
<br />
=====Humanities=====<br />
<br />
In all, 89% of programs reporting indicated an emphasis on humanities. Of those programs, more than 70% indicated that they taught humanities moderately or extensively. In Core; Culture, Text, and Language; and Expressive Arts, 100% of programs indicated an emphasis on humanities. The lowest score was 73% for environmental studies. Clearly the use of humanities as basic vehicle for engaging students and linking program elements is widespread ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Humanities_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Humanities Overview]].<br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Humanities_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Humanities by Planning Unit]]). Data from 2001-02 to 2005-06 demonstrate the ubiquity of humanities at Evergreen ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Humanities.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Humanities]]; [[Media: Humanities_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Humanities Across the Curriculum]]). In addition, faculty in Culture, Text, and, Language sponsored some 266 individual learning contracts, and ninety-two internships ([[Media: Curriculum_Enrollment_Detail_2006-07.pdf|Curriculum Enrollment Detail AY 2006-07]]). There were sixty-one different courses in the humanities taught during 2006-07. This divisional area has seen the greatest growth in the number of courses since the implementation of new general education initiatives. Only twenty-nine different humanities courses were offered in 2000-01, the year before the credit limit was increased, the six expectations were adopted, and the Writing Center was enhanced ([[Media: Courses_by_General_Education_Divisions.pdf|Courses by General Education Divisions]]).<br />
<br />
=====Social Science===== <br />
<br />
In 2006-07, 77% of all programs reporting indicated an emphasis on social sciences. Data for the 2001-2005 period range between 74% and 88% of programs reporting this emphasis ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Social_Sciences.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Social Sciences]]). Social sciences were particularly significant in Core programs, inter-area programs, EWS programs, and, of course, in Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change offerings. Significant amounts of social sciences were included in Culture, Text, and Language programs and in Environmental Studies. Social sciences were taught at all levels with a preponderance at the beginning and intermediate level. Faculty reported that 36.4% of all programs, 44.4% of Core programs, and 47.6% of inter-area programs used social science extensively within the program. Clearly, like the humanities, social sciences are widespread in the curriculum. And again like humanities, social sciences served an important role in pulling together inter-divisional work ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Social_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Social Sciences Overview]]<br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Social_Sciences_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Social Sciences by Planning Unit]]; [[Media: Social_Science_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Social Science Across the Curriculum]]). The Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change planning unit sponsored some 212 contracts and ninety-one internship opportunities over the course of the year ([[Media: Curriculum_Enrollment_Detail_2006-07.pdf|Curriculum Enrollment Detail AY 2006-07]]). In addition, there were sixty different courses in social sciences taught during academic year 2006-07, a strong increase from the thirty-five different courses taught in 2000-01 ([[Media: Courses_by_General_Education_Divisions.pdf|Courses by General Education Divisions]]).<br />
<br />
=====Information Technology Literacy (ITL)=====<br />
<br />
This section provides an overview of the use of Information Technology Literacy (ITL). For more information and an analysis of ITL as it is taught and affects the Library, Media Services, and the Computer Center, please consult Standard 5 on Libraries and Information Services. Nearly 70% of programs included activities to improve the information technology literacy of their students in the 2006-07 EPR data. This number is lower than the 90% of programs reporting use of information technology literacy in the 2001-2006 school years. The drop reflects a shift in the question from "use" of ITL to an emphasis on "active teaching" of ITL, and the removal of the prompt for library research within the question. In terms of active teaching, the 70% figure is more accurate; in terms of use, 90% is more accurate. For 2007, the level of use varied from a low of 28.6% reported by Culture, Text, and Language (CTL) programs to highs of 100% in the Reservation-Based Program, and more than 80% in Environmental Studies (ES), Scientific Inquiry (SI), and Evening and Weekend Studies (EWS). Among programs reporting teaching ITL, the most common use of ITL was in information acquisition, including library/internet searching (71.3%), presentation technology (60%), and media production (45%), followed by data analysis (41.3%), and data acquisition (37.5%). The high numbers for ITL use by the Reservation-Based programs reflects the use of information technology to bring library, data, and presentation resources to these sites. Overall, ITL is being taught broadly across campus. While library use generally has remained somewhat stable, the use of presentation technology has grown by 70% and online communication technology has increased substantially, by 19%. What is specifically taught varies considerably by the nature and demands of the disciplines and issues being investigated by a particular program or area. See library standard description (Standard 5) for uses of information technology by planning unit ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]<br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]; [[Media: Information_Technology_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Information Technology Across the Curriculum]]).<br />
<br />
=====Writing=====<br />
<br />
In the 2006-07 EPR, 100% of programs reported writing as an emphasis. The figure was nearly 100% in the 2001-05 period as well. Nearly 52% reported extensive use of writing and an additional 41.5 % reported moderate use. Only 5.9% reported a small amount of writing. Culture, Text, and Language was the one area where all programs reported using writing extensively. Yet the fact that 50% or more of Core, Environmental Studies, inter-area, and EWS programs reported using extensive writing is an indication of the ubiquity of the effort ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Writing_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Writing Overview]]). Programs were asked specifically about writing instruction as opposed to simply requiring writing. In all, 63.5% reported extensive or moderate amounts of instruction and only 5.9% provided no instruction. The writing report provides a complex overview of writing effort ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Writing_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Writing by Planning Unit]]). The 2001-05 data illustrate the ubiquity of writing in the curriculum over the years, but have less detail ([[Media: Writing_Across_the_Curriculum_by_Jeanne_Hahn.pdf|Writing Across the Curriculum - by Jeanne Hahn]]; [[Media: Writing_Across_the_Curriculum_by_Yannone_and_McLane-Higginson.pdf|Writing Across the Curriculum - by Sandy Yannone]]; [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Writing.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Writing]]).<br />
The college has a Writing Center open to all students for help with a wide variety of writing projects, from essays and research papers to academic journals and fiction. The center uses a tutor-based model and provides training in writing instruction to tutors in the center. The center works with programs, especially Core programs, to develop workshops, and to provide dedicated writing support. The center also works with faculty to help develop pedagogical skills in support of the college's writing across the curriculum model ([[Media: Writing_for_2008_Self-Study.doc|Writing Center Report for Self-Study 2008]]; [[Media: R_to_W_Final_Layout_in_11_pt_w_page_numbers_8X14.doc|READING TO WRITE: Attuning College Freshmen to a Literate Life]]; [[Media: BTJ_essay_prompt.doc|Writing Assessment Prompt for Beginning The Journey 2007]]; [[Media: BTJ_Letter.doc|Introductory Letter for Writing Assessment]]; [[Media: WC_contacts_by_year.pdf|Writing Center Contacts by Year]]).<br />
<br />
=====Critical Thinking=====<br />
<br />
100% of programs reporting indicated an emphasis on critical thinking in the 2006-07 EPR. This number continues a trend that has persisted since 2001. However, as a result of the work in the summer of 2006 reviewing the claims and understandings of critical thinking by different planning units, a much more complex understanding of the meaning of critical thinking and its relationship to learning in different areas of the curriculum emerges from the much more detailed data in the 2006-07 survey ([[Media: Critical_Thinking_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum]]; [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Critical_Thinking.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Critical Thinking]]; [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Critical_Thinking_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Critical Thinking Overview]]<br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Critical_Thinking_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Critical Thinking by Planning Unit]]). The new data is based on identifying specific intellectual activities: analysis, synthesis, judgment, argument, problem solving, and diverse perspectives. These more specific characteristics illustrate both differences in emphasis among the planning units and the extent to which Core and inter-area programs stress teaching about various modes of critical thinking within the programs ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Critical_Thinking_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Critical Thinking by Planning Unit]]).<br />
<br />
=====Oppression, Privilege, and Difference=====<br />
<br />
The college's concern for issues of oppression, privilege, and difference is reflected in its concern for diversity and equity in the strategic plan and foci. EPR data are helpful as the college moves to increase diversity experiences and improve climate around diversity. The college started measuring this in the 2004-05 school year. The 2004-05 and 2005-06 data reveal that 74% and 75% of programs reporting indicated some emphasis on addressing oppression ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Addressing_Diversity_and_Oppression.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Addressing Diversity and Oppression]]). All programmatic areas with the exception of Environmental Studies (ES) and Scientific Inquiry (SI) reported more than 70% of their programs had some emphasis on this set of issues. The 2006-07 survey, which has more compete data, reports 83% of all programs reporting some emphasis. With the exception of SI, more than 70% of reported programs in each unit offered some work in this area. In Core programs, Expressive Arts (EA), Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change (SPBC), and the Tribal Reservation-Based program, 100% of programs reporting showed some work in this area. Interestingly, the areas showing the most extensive attention were Core programs, CTL, and inter-area programs. In SPBC and the Tribal program, more than 65% of programs incorporated extensive or moderate teaching of these materials. Significantly, both Core and inter-area programs found this a fertile area for developing program themes and activities. Work in all areas dealt with a wide variety of subjects and spoke not simply to issues of gender, race, culture, and ethnicity, but also to ability, class, and status ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Oppression%2C_Privilege%2C_and_Difference_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Diversity, Difference, Privilege, and Oppression Overview]];<br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Oppression%2C_Privilege%2C_and_Difference_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Diversity, Difference, Privilege, and Oppression by Planning Unit]]).<br />
<br />
=====Opportunities for Advanced Work=====<br />
<br />
<br />
Advanced work at Evergreen, like general education, can occur at many different stages in a student’s career. Although the particular activities, skills, analytic work, papers, productions, and projects that constitute advanced work vary considerably from area to area and instructor to instructor, given the full-time structure of work at the college, it is possible for some students to do very sophisticated work at any level of the curriculum. The 2001-2005 EPR data showed approximately 80% of programs reporting identified “Opportunities for Advanced Work.” While most of these programs would identify possibilities for beginning or intermediate work as well, the percentage of advanced work is extraordinarily high. The reviewers of these responses suggested that the ambiguity about what constitutes “advanced work” and what, indeed, constitutes an “opportunity” was sufficient to warrant a different approach to the issue ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Advanced_Work.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Advanced Work]], [[Media: Advanced_Work_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Advanced Work Across the Curriculum]] <br />
[[Media: Advanced_Work%2C_A_Supplement.pdf|Advanced Work, A Supplement]]).<br />
<br />
In the 2006-07 survey, respondents were asked to identify the presence of specific types of work in their programs and report the level as introductory, intermediate, or advanced. Of the forty-one programs identifying themselves as doing work in the sciences, 27.4% reported advanced work. Of the forty-nine programs identifying themselves as doing mathematics, 20.6% reported advanced work. In social sciences, 22% of fifty-eight programs identified advanced work. In humanities, 28.6% of fifty-nine programs identified advanced work. And finally, in art, 11.5% of the fifty-three programs identified advanced work. Many programs identified teaching a subject or skill at two or even three different levels ([[Media: EPR 2006-07_-_Art_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Art Overview]], [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Humanities_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Humanities Overview]], [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences Overview]], [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Social_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Social Sciences Overview]], [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math Overview]]).<br />
<br />
====2.C.4 Credit Policy====<br />
''The institution’s policies for the transfer and acceptance of credit are clearly articulated. In accepting transfer credits to fulfill degree requirements, the institution ensures that the credits accepted are comparable to its own courses. Where patterns of transfer from other institutions are established, efforts to formulate articulation agreements are demonstrated.''<br />
<br />
Transfer policies, acceptance of credit policies, and articulation agreements are described in full in section 3.C.4.<br />
<br />
====2.C.5 Academic Advising====<br />
''The institution designs and maintains effective academic advising programs to meet student needs for information and advice, and adequately informs and prepares faculty and other personnel responsible for the advising function.''<br />
<br />
'''Academic Advising Support for Students'''<br />
<br />
Academic advising at Evergreen is complex and multi-leveled. Evergreen students are free to fashion their own education from the wide variety of structures made available: programs of all durations, part-time programs, courses, individual contracts, and internships of all sizes. Their choices are formally guided only by the entrance requirements that faculty create for their programs and by the procedural and intellectual agreements necessary to create contracts and internships. The Evergreen faculty – in its various planning units, inter-area, and Core programs – annually recreates the curriculum, devising new program ideas, reorganizing the content and coverage offered under repeating titles, and offering work at a variety of levels of sophistication. While curricular pathways and repeating programs provide significant structure in some areas of the curriculum, other programs, especially Core and inter-area programs, are unique creations of given groups of faculty members. It is within this complex context that advising at Evergreen occurs. Advising then, if it is to work well, functions on at least two important levels. The first is figuring out what questions, issues, and ideas the student takes to be his or her work. The second is to create a strategy that will allow the student to accomplish this work. This process should be iterative, allowing the basic questions and strategy to be revisited regularly. <br />
<br />
Central to Evergreen is the idea that its students should understand the primary function of college as finding their own work. The concept is that students can and often do know what they want to know, what they want to be, and how they want to accomplish their goals. The faculty's role is to help students pursue their work through their own initiative and collaboration with faculty and other students. Nearly 77% of new transfer students and 53% of new first-year students expressed a desire to focus on a particular field or discipline. Another 39.8% and 18.5% didn’t know ([[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Do_you_plan_to_focus.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Do you plan to focus]]). Students gradually come to a more sophisticated understanding of their work and its place. It is this freedom, this chance to make their own way, that often attracts students to Evergreen. In this context, advising has two functions. First, it helps students develop a judgment about what their work is. Second, advising helps students identify the possible options – programs, internships, contracts, subjects, and skills – that might help the students engage with their work. <br />
<br />
As was discussed in Section 2.A.9 under Narrative Evaluations, the narrative evaluation process has a major component of reflection and assessment built into it. The evaluation conference, with its review of faculty and student evaluations and assessment of students’ growth and learning, is the primary location where faculty members interact with students around their intellectual development and, often, their plans. Faculty members can draw upon their own familiarity with the curriculum, the pathways identified in the catalog, the planning unit structure, their work with and knowledge of their colleagues, and, of course, their knowledge of the student’s work and capacities, to help shape general ideas about possible future plans. The catalog in particular is carefully reconsidered annually at the "catalog summit," and is indexed in a variety of ways to allow students to see how many programs can contribute to their education. Planning units put significant effort over the past few years into identifying pathways (see Standard 2.C.3). The Olympia undergraduate catalog has recently been transitioned into a database that allows for complex searches. While these steps are important, work needs to continue to familiarize faculty, staff advisers, and students with these resources. <br />
<br />
'''Changing Structures'''<br />
<br />
Historically, the college shaped student choices through two crucial features of the curriculum. First, most programs were offered full-time for a year. These programs have provided significant blocks of study around coherent subject and/or project/thematic work that have, in yearlong versions, structured students’ work in ways similar to a major. Student autonomy then arose in the context of large-scale, long-term choices among full-time offerings. Thus, each year’s work provided substantive structure for student choices. <br />
<br />
The second device derives from the first. Working closely with students full-time over the course of a year can create a substantive intellectual bond between students and faculty. It can also create real knowledge about the student and his/her capacity, interests, and plans and can then, in the evaluation process, lead to real opportunities to help students think about their work and their future educational choices on the basis of this shared knowledge. <br />
<br />
Today, while Evergreen faculty members still have considerably closer ties to their students than faculty at most colleges ([[Media: Trends%2C_Highlights%2C_and_NSSE_Accountability_Performance_Indicators_2001-2007.pdf|NSSE Trends, Highlights, and Accountability Performance Indicators 2001-2007]]), students and faculty generally have a more abbreviated relationship than they have in the past. Faculty/student ratio is not 1-17 as it was in the first years of the college. Many programs are two quarters or often one quarter long. The average team size is two. Many students enroll in part-time evening studies rather than full-time day programs. Many students in full-time programs opt to take an additional two to four credits. And yearlong programs are no longer the norm. There are, simply put, many more choices and pieces of curriculum to know and choose. The college has lost some of the structure that supported the capacity to know students well and provide strong advice. <br />
<br />
'''Kinds of Faculty Advice'''<br />
<br />
Yet the quarter-by-quarter process of evaluation and assessment of student work by faculty and students still provides a natural ground for advising. The EPR data found that advising happened in all sorts of ways within programs. Much of the advice had to do with work within programs – the development of skills. Less frequently but significantly, advice had to do with program choice or graduate or career goals. However, advising of a deeper sort – for example, the students’ educational choices and academic learning in the context of a life/career plan – was not frequent ([[Media: Advising_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Advising Across the Curriculum]]). Faculty expressed a willingness to advise their students, but put the onus of making the choice to seek advice on the student. One other important location of faculty advising is the Academic Fair held a few weeks prior to the beginning of each quarter. These sessions allow a student to meet faculty and check out the syllabus, logistics, and personnel of a small range of program choices. However, these informational sessions are too busy and chaotic for long-term advising work. Clearly, some very good advice and some good planning happens, but the report concludes there are no systematic, robust, ongoing conversations with the student population in general about their plans and goals, and no written plan. <br />
<br />
In summer institutes and planning workshops throughout the self-study period, faculty worked with their program teams to fold advising into the structure of programs with some important success. Practices such as early meetings with first-year students, fifth-week conferences, and the integration of advising faculty into Core and some all-level program activities were widely accepted. In the 2006 summer institutes, faculty focused on developing advising that supported student planning. Faculty in these workshops seemed willing to accept major responsibility for advising work. As in the years immediately after the General Education DTF however, these often-successful experiments with intensifying awareness and the practice of advising did not automatically carry over into succeeding years. They were too sporadic and unsystematic to consistently help students map their course.<br />
<br />
'''Student Satisfaction''' <br />
<br />
Overall, students are happy with faculty advice. In surveys of both current students and alumni 85% indicate that they were satisfied with academic advice from faculty ([[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]] and Alumni Survey 2006). The issue, however, is whether they are satisfied with immediate ad hoc advice regarding in-program activities (e.g. comments on papers, suggestions regarding projects, and the like), intermediate-term advice on program choice, or longer-term, big-picture, planning regarding careers, broad expectations of an Evergreen graduate, or broad scale reflection on their work. The EPR data tend to support the view that advice from faculty in general tends to be short- to intermediate-term advice. Finally, when students in the 2002 and 2004 alumni surveys were asked what one or two things they would change about Evergreen, 16% in 2002 and 12% in 2004 identified advising and guidance, making this one of the top five issues noted. <br />
<br />
Students commented on the need for more advising and guidance early on at Evergreen. They were interested in more career and graduate school advice. Several freshman, transfers, and older returning students commented on feeling lost and felt that required meetings with advisors on a regular basis would have helped. Some of course had the honesty to say that they might well have resisted advice when it was offered. Some in both years really wanted to be pushed by their faculty to pursue specific academic territory as a part of their work ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2004.pdf|Alumni Survey 2004]] and [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2002.pdf|Alumni Survey 2002]]).<br />
<br />
'''Student Services: Academic Advising'''<br />
<br />
Student and Academic Support Services provides a substantial professional academic advising service. This service is described in Standard 3.D.10 of this report. The Academic Advising office is just one of the student service offices where advising occurs. Academic advising is also a prominent piece of the services provided by KEY Student Services for first-generation and low-income students and those with disabilities, First Peoples’ Advising Services, the Career Development Center (Standard 3.D.11), and Access Services for students with disabilities. All of these offices help students think broadly about their education and identify opportunities for study through program offerings, courses, internships, and individual contracts. As a fundamental resource for students and faculty, the college publishes an annual catalog of programs and courses and maintains a constantly updated online catalog. As of the 2008-09 school year, the online catalog will be fully searchable. Within Academic Advising, counselors participate in a variety of professional and institution-specific trainings, develop contacts and connections to faculty throughout the curriculum, and work alongside faculty members who rotate into the Academic Advising office on an annual basis. <br />
<br />
According to surveys of alumni, all students use Academic Advising services at some point in their education. Both the proportion of students reporting satisfaction and the proportion of students using academic advising appears to have slipped in recent years. <br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Survey Year<br />
| 2002<br />
| 2004<br />
| 2006<br />
|-<br />
| % Used Academic Advising Office<br />
| 86%<br />
| 71%<br />
| 74%<br />
|-<br />
| % of Users Dissatisfied<br />
| 24%<br />
| 20%<br />
| 34%<br />
|-<br />
| % of Users Satisfied<br />
| 76%<br />
| 80%<br />
| 66%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
([[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]])<br />
<br />
'''More Structured Advising'''<br />
<br />
In the 2001 response to the Commission’s concerns about general education, the college undertook to establish an advising system that would require a long-term advising plan for each student and a required annual meeting with faculty or advising staff to update the plan (see [[Media: Gen.Ed.pdf|General Education at Evergreen]]). While faculty voted in favor of this plan, due to changing personnel and a failure of follow through, the required plan never was put into effect. It is clearly time to revisit this issue and rethink how best to provide long-range planning support that maintains student autonomy and choice. Implementing this initiative, of course, will significantly impact faculty workload and Student Affairs staffing needs. Student Affairs staff will not be able to provide these services on their own. Active faculty advising will be required.<br />
<br />
====2.C.6 Developmental Work Admission Policy====<br />
''Whenever developmental or remedial work is required for admission to the institution or any of its programs, clear policies govern the procedures that are followed, including such matters as ability to benefit, permissible student load, and granting of credit. When such courses are granted credit, students are informed of the institution’s policy of whether or not the credits apply toward a degree.'' <br />
<br />
The college does not offer admission contingent on the completion of remedial work.<br />
<br />
====2.C.7 Adequacy of Faculty====<br />
''The institution’s faculty is adequate for the educational levels offered, including full-time faculty representing each field in which it offers major work.''<br />
<br />
The institution’s faculty is adequate in number and highly skilled in teaching. A description of the faculty, its capacities, and qualifications is provided in Standard 4 of this report. For an overview of faculty qualifications and their assignment to planning units, please consult the college’s catalog.<br />
<br />
====2.C.8 No Pre-baccalaureate Programs====<br />
''In an effort to further establish an institution’s success with respect to student achievement, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities shall require those institutions that offer pre-baccalaureate vocational programs to track State licensing examination pass rates, as applicable, and job placement rates.''<br />
<br />
Evergreen does not offer such programs.<br />
<br />
===Standards 2.D, 2.E., 2.F. – Graduate Programs===<br />
<br />
Evergreen currently offers three graduate programs: a Master of Environmental Studies (MES), a Master in Teaching (MIT), and a Master of Public Administration (MPA). In addition, the college offers a joint MES/MPA degree. Within the MPA program, the college supports public policy, nonprofit and public administration, and tribal governance tracks. The MIT program supports certification at the elementary, middle and high school levels in a wide variety of disciplines. The MES program offers a yearlong core sequence that includes work in both natural and social sciences, a variety of elective courses and a thesis. In early 2008, the college established a Master of Education (M.Ed.) program for currently certificated teachers. Evergreen is not authorized to offer a Ph.D. program.<br />
<br />
All of these programs actively support Evergreen’s mission as a public, interdisciplinary liberal arts college. In the approaches to the professional areas the programs cover, faculty in these areas have created an interdisciplinary pedagogy that stresses theoretical and applied work, teaching across significant differences, and individual and collaborative effort. Each of the programs has found creative ways to include coverage of important disciplinary and professional subject matter while incorporating important innovations in pedagogy. The graduate programs have been developed to respond to the clear need for public school teachers, environmental specialists, and professional administrators in Washington generally and in the Olympia area in particular.<br />
<br />
The three programs are described in their annual reports, self-studies, or certification documents. The mission statement and/or catalog of each describes the program's educational objectives and the expectations of students. All of the graduate programs report to the provost.<br />
<br />
Evergreen does not have a separate graduate faculty. Although some faculty are hired specifically for master's-level teaching, all faculty rotate into the undergraduate curriculum as well, and faculty who teach in the undergraduate curriculum have an opportunity to teach in appropriate graduate programs. In addition to their teaching, faculty members in the graduate programs are expected to undertake significant research or community service work. This work is designed to provide a way for faculty to keep pace with developing issues and methods in their fields. Each master's program provides appropriate support for faculty and students.<br />
<br />
All three graduate programs are located on campus. Each program has published its admissions policies and guidelines, and admissions are based on formal applications. Graduate faculty have designed admissions policies, application procedures and separate graduate catalogs.<br />
<br />
====Master of Public Administration====<br />
<br />
'''Overview.''' The Master of Public Administration program was founded in 1980 to meet the needs of the many government workers residing and working in Olympia, Washington. The mission of the MPA, adopted in 2003, is:<br />
<br />
"Our students, faculty and staff create learning communities to explore and implement socially just, democratic public service. We:<br />
<br />
* think critically and creatively; <br />
* communicate effectively; <br />
* work collaboratively; <br />
* embrace diversity; <br />
* value fairness and equity; <br />
* advocate powerfully on behalf of the public; and,<br />
* imagine new possibilities and accomplish positive change in our workplaces and in our communities."<br />
<br />
The MPA program serves as a vehicle for the college’s mission and commitment to a meaningful public liberal arts education. Educating and training future public leaders embodies Evergreen’s commitment to responsible social change. The MPA program also strengthens the college’s town/gown relationships, and represents the college in regional communities and in local, regional, and state governmental entities. Our Tribal Governance MPA is the only MPA of this kind in the country and serves a significant need to prepare indigenous peoples to govern and sustain their tribal communities.<br />
<br />
The work of the program is actively linked to many of the core initiatives or values of the college including promoting democracy, social justice, and sustainability.<br />
<br />
The MPA program reflects and practices Evergreen's six expectations and five foci. Critical thinking and collaboration are encouraged at all levels of the program. Students are both personally and professionally engaged in their learning and in the learning community. Theory to practice (and vice versa) is at the heart the program and many classroom assignments are focused on applied action in communities, agencies, and organizations. Students and faculty in the MPA program teach and learn across significant differences, both in terms of classroom diversity and in terms of diverse responses to public problems and issues. In 2003, the program adopted Mahatma Gandhi’s statement as its tagline: “you must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Faculty and students (as measured by classroom performance and through assessment) agree that the educational environment encourages students to work, with passion, toward positive public and social change.<br />
<br />
There are more than 700 Evergreen MPA graduates, hundreds of whom are living and working in the region, serving communities through their pursuit of better governance processes and procedures.<br />
<br />
'''Change in the Past Five Years and Overview of the Curriculum.''' <br />
<br />
In 2002, the program implemented a major redesign, the first since the program was founded. The program needed to meet the increasingly diversified needs of a student population that had expanded significantly to include state, local/regional, and tribal governments as well as nonprofit organizations.<br />
<br />
The re-visioning suggested students needed more choice and flexibility in their studies. The redesign included significant curriculum changes that make it easier for students to pursue the program at their own pace and established three concentrations: public and nonprofit administration, public policy; and tribal governance (a separate cohort of students). In 2006, the MPA program partnered with the Master of Environmental Studies (MES) program to matriculate the first joint MES/MPA degree students.<br />
<br />
The course of study in all MPA concentrations requires sixty quarter-hours of academic work (for more detail, see the [[Media: MPA_Catalog_.revised.pdf|MPA catalog]]). All students participate in a twenty-six quarter-hour core, taught over two years, covering what the faculty consider to be the essential foundational knowledge of an Evergreen MPA. Core programs are team-taught in interdisciplinary or inter-field teams, in learning communities. Students complete the program by participating in a four credit-hour capstone experience which, in addition to reflection and integration, also includes developing a demonstration project that puts theory and experience to work in an applied setting, working on an applied problem or situation.<br />
<br />
There are three concentrations through which the students can study beyond the core classes:<br />
<br />
''Public and Nonprofit Administration:'' students select thirty quarter-hours of elective coursework that covers the critical elements of administration—budgeting, strategic planning, human resources and information systems, public law, leadership and ethics, multicultural competencies, and more—as well as the unique nature and needs of nonprofit and government organizations.<br />
<br />
''Public Policy:'' students prepare for work as policy analysts, budget analysts, or evaluators. Students in this concentration complete two public policy concentration courses (''Foundations of Public Policy'' and ''Advanced Research Methods''), plus twenty-two quarter-hours of elective work in specific policy areas.<br />
<br />
The ''Tribal Governance'' concentration develops administrators who work in both tribal governments and public agencies to further the development of tribes in the Pacific Northwest. Students in the tribal concentration move through the program as a cohort over a two-year period and complete twenty quarter-hours of required Tribal concentration courses and ten quarter-hours of electives.<br />
<br />
In the late 1990s, Northwest tribal leaders approached Evergreen’s MPA program with a vision to combine broad principles of public administration with the specialized knowledge necessary to work within tribal governance and in public and nonprofit agencies that work closely with tribes. In 2002, the MPA program admitted its first tribal cohort. The program accepts up to thirty students every other year to study in this unique program, specializing in contemporary tribal governance subject areas. Concentration courses include sovereignty, intergovernmental relations, tribal organization and structure, reservation economies, and policy for tribal governments.<br />
<br />
The three cohorts of students (2002; 2004; 2006) have included people from all around the Puget Sound, as well as students from as far away as Gila River/Maricopa, Aleut, Apache, Tlingit, Lakota, Taos Pueblo, Wichita, Turtle Mountain, Hawaii, and the Philippines. The range of tribal backgrounds adds to the quality and depth of the class discussions. Graduates of the Tribal Governance concentration are working in tribal governments, and in liaison roles in other agencies, throughout the region.<br />
<br />
Recently, Douglas Luckerman, a nationally prominent attorney working in national tribal law sat in on an MPA Tribal Governance class and had this to say after his visit:<br />
<br />
“Providing an academic setting for tribal administrators and elected officials to have an opportunity to think about the complex matters that face tribal governments and communities outside of the day to day pressures of work or Tribal Council demands and have them share insights on how to approach these challenges allows the students to acquire some critical tools needed for success in today's world. This type of educational opportunity is a necessary step in building strong tribal governments and communities that can meet the challenges of the 21st century. I was impressed with the program, the faculty, and the students.”<br />
<br />
=====MPA Assessment=====<br />
The MPA program is serving more students than ever. In AY 2000-01, the program served, on average, 56.7 FTEs (target = 55); in AY 2006-07, the program served, on average, 95.5 FTEs (target = 80) (For more detail, see the MPA enrollment data at: [[Media: Enrollment_History_for_Master_of_Public_Administration.pdf|Enrollment History for Master of Public Administration]]). In addition, the MPA program has been successively serving more students (matriculated MPA students, graduate special students, other graduate students, and undergraduates) since fall 2002. In fall 2006, the program served 133 students, compared to 66 students in fall 2002. More information can be found in our annual reports ([[Media: 03.04_MPA_Annual_Report.doc|2003-04]], [[Media: MPA_04.05_Annual_Report.final.doc|2004-05]], [[Media: MPA_06.07.Annual_Report.final.doc|2006-07]]). <br />
<br />
The redesigned MPA program meets the needs of students by giving them greater choice not only in the concentration areas, but also in the length of time to complete the program. Some students choose to complete the program within two years, while others may choose three to five years. To meet the needs of working students, classes meet in the evening, on Saturdays, and in intensive weekend formats.<br />
<br />
Students are satisfied with their educational experiences: 94% of student respondents in a spring 2007 survey indicated they were either very satisfied (42%) or satisfied (52%) with their overall experiences in the MPA program ([[Media: Student_survey.spring_2007.final.doc|MPA 2007 Student Data]]). Most students indicated that their capabilities in mission-related areas have been enhanced to a great or moderate extent. Consistent with past patterns, program strengths seem to be in the following mission areas (as measured by 85% or more responding either “great” or “moderate”): thinking critically, communicating effectively, working collaboratively, thinking creatively, and advocating for the public ([[Media: 2007-mpa_mission_data.pdf|MPA Mission Data]]).<br />
<br />
In 2007, students indicated that there is some room for improvement in the following mission areas (81% or below “great” or “moderate”): imagining new possibilities, accomplishing positive change, valuing fairness and equity, and embracing diversity.<br />
<br />
Alumni data are consistent with student evaluation data indicating that the program is teaching teamwork/collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills. (See [[Media: Final_Report_Core_2_research_team_v5.doc|The Final Report from the Core 2 research team]] and [[Media: Kathy_Corey_Stephan_Presentation_Final.pdf|The Kathy Corey Stephen Powerpoint Presentation]].)<br />
<br />
Alumni are also satisfied with their experiences, with a statistically significant difference in satisfaction between those who graduated before the redesign and those who graduated after. Those who graduated after the redesign are slightly more satisfied and are more likely to recommend the program to others.<br />
<br />
Anecdotal data indicate that employers like Evergreen MPA graduates because they know how to think and communicate, they have strong analytical skills that can transfer to a variety of situations, and they put their critical faculties to work toward positive change in their work and in their communities. Evergreen MPA graduates do not shrink from hard work, have the capacity to take positive risks, and are not afraid of change.<br />
<br />
=====MPA Faculty and Staff and Related Resources (Standard 2.E)=====<br />
The MPA program is staffed by a half-time director (who also teaches half-time) and two full-time assistant directors (MPA assistant director and TMPA assistant director). The director position is a rotational position, typically held by a faculty member who regularly teaches in the MPA program. The director is typically contracted for a three-to-four year term.<br />
<br />
The MPA program receives a sufficient budget each year to pay staff salaries, employ student assistants (graduate assistant to support staff/director and writing assistant to support students), and fund administrative, classroom, and program activities ([[Media: MPA_FY08.xls|MPA Budget 2007-2008]]).<br />
<br />
The MPA program has access to, and use of, all necessary classrooms as well as library, media and computing facilities (including statistical software licensed throughout the college and in one easy to access computer lab). Our library capacities have significantly improved with electronic search databases and regional inter-library loan systems. Our students and faculty can get most, if not all, of their graduate-level research needs met through our library (this was not the case in the past when students sometimes had to travel to other universities to access appropriate library resources). A resource room for graduate students, including computers for their exclusive use, is located in the graduate studies area (third floor of Lab I). Many faculty members also have their offices in this area, along with staff, which promotes programmatic collegiality and ease of administration. These facilities, save the graduate student resource room, are in common with the rest of the college and are more than adequate to run the program.<br />
<br />
To date, six continuing faculty members who hold terminal degrees in public administration or related fields regularly teach in the MPA program (see vitae for [[Media: Amy_Gould_cv.doc|Amy Gould]], [[Media: Bruce_Davies.cv.doc|Bruce Davies]], [[Media: Larry_Geri_cv.doc|Larry Geri]], [[Media: Nita_Rinehart_cv.doc|Nita Rinehart]], [[Media: Cheryl_Simrell_King_cv.doc|Cheryl Simrell King]], [[Media: StumpffCV.doc|Linda Moon Stumpff]]). In addition, for the past few years the program has been consistently staffed with longer-term visiting faculty who are also trained in the field (Nita Rinehart and Russ Lehman, among others) and many qualified practitioner-adjuncts. The college does not hire faculty to specific programs; all faculty members are hired to the college.<br />
<br />
Faculty who regularly teach in the MPA program usually teach in MPA for two to three years and then rotate out into other curricular or administrative areas of the college for one to two years, returning to MPA at the end of their rotation. MPA faculty also often serve in administrative posts at the college (the provost regularly taught in the MPA program before be became dean and then provost). Rotations, illness, sabbaticals, and leaves without pay all challenge our ability to ensure that most courses in MPA are taught by continuing faculty who hold terminal degrees in an administrative or policy discipline/field. In addition, every year since the redesign, the program has consistently relied upon at least 1.5 visitors to offer the curriculum, and numerous adjunct faculty. The MPA program is in significant need of additional continuing faculty members; college administration is aware of this and, yet, is hard pressed to help MPA boost their faculty base, given all other college-wide demands for resources. Nonetheless, the continued success of the program depends on a solid base of continuing faculty members and several continuing faculty hires must be made in the next two years.<br />
<br />
=====MPA Graduate Records and Academic Credit (Standard 2.F)=====<br />
The MPA program is governed and administered by the MPA faculty/staff team, who meet regularly to address issues of strategy and policy. The faculty and staff of the MPA program, with record-keeping assistance from Admissions, administer their own admissions. The admissions policies and procedures are completely spelled out in the [[Media: Student_handbook_%2707.pdf|MPA Catalog and Student Handbook]]. Admissions processes are managed by the staff, and MPA faculty teams (not staff), in concert with the director, make admissions decisions. Yearly, faculty re-evaluate mission criteria and processes and revise as needed, based upon experiences in previous years.<br />
<br />
The ''Student Handbook'', which is also revised and reviewed annually, clearly states all graduation criteria, transfer credit policies (the director makes transfer credit decisions), internship and individual studies policies and procedures. Students receive academic advising from faculty members and the assistant directors work very closely with students on non-academic student issues (financial aid, credits, prerequisites, etc.). Every new cohort attends a daylong orientation session to help ground them in their program. The orientation is organized and implemented by the staff and first-year core faculty team.<br />
<br />
''Strategic Goals:'' Now that a structure exists that works well for students, the MPA faculty believe it is time to ensure the curriculum meets the program mission and that what gets taught, with room for variance, is a curriculum that reflects national and regional expectations of an MPA degree. This issue has been the focus of AY 2007-08 MPA faculty governance. The program also needs to address the curricular inconsistencies that can result from a program staffed by a faculty that rotates in and out of the program.<br />
<br />
As the program continues to grow, the limits to growth must be determined – at what point does the program become too large to sustain a cohort-based, interdisciplinary, team-taught MPA? Finally, the program needs to continue to work on the question of overall quality and costs of delivery, responding to the following question: “What does it take, irrespective of FTEs, to deliver a quality MPA program?”<br />
<br />
====Master in Teaching====<br />
<br />
'''Program Description''' <br />
<br />
The MIT program is a nationally recognized, state accredited teacher preparation program. In 2003, the MIT program received the Richard Wisniewski Award from the ''[[Media: societyofprofessorsofeducation.pdf|Society of Professors of Education]]'' in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of teacher education. The program is proud of this recognition of the quality of the program, of its faculty, and of its candidates. Admission to the program is competitive and the content and processes are quite rigorous. Participants earn a master’s degree of ninety-six credits and certification while obtaining the critical understanding and skills needed to teach in today’s diverse public schools. Its structure, content, expectations, and outcomes are clearly outlined in the program catalog and Web site, and have been approved regularly by the State of Washington’s Board of Education since the program’s inception. MIT also completed a successful state accreditation visit in late October 2007, having met all five standards for an advisory board, accountability, unit governance and resources, program design, and knowledge and skills.<br />
<br />
MIT is a two-year cohort-based program that enters forty-five candidates each fall. Year one of each cohort is devoted to coursework on the essential knowledge and skills for teaching, including foundations of education, learning theories, educational research, assessment, curriculum development, strategies for working with diverse learners, classroom management, school law, and content area pedagogies. Candidates spend one day a week observing and participating in curriculum development and guided teaching in regional schools. During year two students complete two full-time student teaching quarters in fall and again in spring, with generally one of the placements in a diverse, urban setting. Winter quarter is devoted to reflection on teaching and learning, the development of a Professional Growth Plan, and professional development related to job searches. The program has been graduating about thirty-six to thirty-eight students annually. Candidates are well prepared to positively affect the students who enter their classrooms. MIT's high placement rate, first or second in the state for the last five years, suggests that principals and hiring committees agree. The University of Washington’s retention and mobility study, which indicated that nearly 80% of alumni who graduated in 2001 are still teaching, reflects MIT’s own data which suggests that the great majority of graduates tend to remain in teaching. Data from alumni, principal, and mentor teacher surveys all attest to the excellent preparation and effectiveness of MIT graduates.<br />
<br />
Teacher education began at Evergreen in 1986, when a faculty team crafted the Teacher Education Program (TEP) to embody the same values and visions as those that permeated the Evergreen undergraduate curriculum. At the heart of TEP was the belief in learning and the power of the learner working in collaboration with other learners. Evergreen's approach to teacher preparation emphasized building a community of learners, developing a strong theoretical foundation, and learning to apply theory through extensive opportunities for practice in public school classrooms. The Master in Teaching (MIT) Program replaced the TEP in 1992, but retained its core values.<br />
<br />
As documented in the ''MIT Institutional Report'' and accreditation Web site, a variety of individual components contribute to the whole of the program, including the commitments embedded in Evergreen’s vision of education and in the MIT Conceptual Framework (Democracy and Schooling, Developmentally Appropriate Teaching and Learning, Multicultural/Anti-Bias Perspective); the unique experiences and talents represented by the faculty and candidates in each cohort; research about learning and effective teaching practices; ongoing program and individual assessment; and attention to the State of Washington's Learning Goals and Essential Academic Learning Requirements. The creative integration of these components is what makes Evergreen's MIT program unique, responsive to individual and cultural diversity, and able to support the development of skilled and compassionate teachers who care to create just and educative learning experiences for their students.<br />
<br />
MIT candidates and graduates are supported by faculty who are skilled and dedicated educators. MIT faculty members create significant learning opportunities that incorporate emerging local, state, and national initiatives and they also make time for scholarly work and service to Evergreen and to the larger community. For example, in two recent cohorts, faculty skillfully responded to Washington State HB 1495 by including studies of tribal histories through reservation-based work and through curriculum development projects that may be included in the Chehalis culturally-appropriate social studies curriculum. The two most recent cohorts have benefited from statewide math research in which one of our math faculty has participated. Two recent cohorts experimented successfully with innovative ways of incorporating arts across the curriculum. In all cohorts, candidates review and critique educational research that can help them become more effective teachers.<br />
<br />
'''Responses to Community Needs Beyond Initial Residency Certification Since Last Accreditation''' <br />
<br />
In response to the ''Washington Learns'' report, state data about understaffed curricular areas in public schools, and requests from public school personnel, the MIT program has provided a number of learning opportunities for practicing teachers. We offer a strand of classes that prepare teachers to endorse in Special Education, one of the top shortage areas in the state. In addition, we offer a Professional Certificate Program that leads to the required second certification stage for teachers in Washington. Finally, MIT’s certification officer meets individually with teachers seeking endorsements in a wide range of areas, helps assess their coursework, and supports them in creating plans of study that lead to their ability to add endorsements to their teaching certificates.<br />
<br />
The college’s most recent response to identified shortage areas in public education was the development of a new Master of Education program, a collaborative effort among the Master in Teaching program, the Evergreen Center for Educational Improvement, and Evergreen’s Grants Office. This program will allow certified teachers to earn a master's degree while improving their knowledge and skills in two other state-identified shortage areas: mathematics and ESL. In keeping with Evergreen’s mission and the mission of the Master in Teaching program, the new master's program will also have at its center the development of teachers who can provide just and equitable learning opportunities for all children and youth.<br />
<br />
<br />
===== MIT Graduate Faculty and Related Resources (Standard 2.E)=====<br />
<br />
''Essential to graduate education are the recruitment and retention of a faculty that excels in scholarship, teaching, and research. To provide an acceptable level of instruction for the graduate student, faculty whose responsibilities include a major commitment to graduate education are involved in keeping pace with, and advancing the frontiers of, knowledge. Successful graduate programs demand a substantial institutional commitment of resources for faculty, space, equipment, laboratories, library and information resources.''<br />
<br />
Teacher preparation at Evergreen was extended in January 2008 to include a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum and Instruction for those seeking a master's degree, but not teacher certification. The M.Ed. focuses specifically on the needs of diverse learners and the state-identified need to prepare highly qualified ESL and mathematics teachers.<br />
<br />
The institution has been responsive in providing adequate funds to cover the costs of day-to-day operations of the program, including faculty and staff salaries, mileage reimbursement for travel to supervise student teachers, money to pay work-study students and a graduate assistant, honoraria for mentor teachers and guest speakers within the program, printing of catalogs and recruiting materials, and office supplies, etc., as well as unusual costs such as those incurred as part of preparing for and hosting the MIT accreditation visit. Computer upgrades for faculty and staff are regularly available and some funds are available to support the directors and associate directors to attend state meetings. The MIT program receives 18 one-quarter tuition waivers to award to AmeriCorps volunteers and applicants with demonstrated financial need. In addition, the MIT program requested and received $30,000 in 2005 and 2006 to help recruit and retain out-of-state candidates. In the last year, the MIT director and associate director have regularly requested more systematic support for out-of-state students and more tuition waivers for AmeriCorps candidates and candidates with financial need. The MIT director has also requested increased budget support for faculty and staff development and for an increase in honoraria for mentor teachers. For particulars about MIT’s current budget and a comparison to the budgets for the Master of Public Administration and Master of Environmental Studies programs, see [[Media: mitbudget.xls|MIT Budget]] and [[Media: gradbudgetcomp.xls|Graduate Program Budget Comparison]].<br />
<br />
MIT faculty, like the liberal arts faculty, are dedicated to creating learning experiences that reflect education for the development of self-reflective, life-long learners. The MIT faculty are skilled at creating learning experiences that support candidates in aspiring to this vision. An essential aspect of those learning experiences is the process of self-evaluation – all faculty and candidates regularly review, assess, and critique their work.<br />
<br />
Though Evergreen does not require faculty to publish in order to gain tenure, all of the six core MIT faculty have presented at national, state, or local conferences and have published books, software, and/or articles in scholarly journals. Three of the core faculty (Coleman, Lenges, Vavrus) are currently involved in significant research projects in their areas of interest.<br />
<br />
Core and visiting faculty have served public schools and the community including, but not limited to, participating in WEA and the ACLU; mentoring a high school teacher; collaborating to provide support to middle school students who did not pass the math WASL; acting as the project evaluator for a project that assessed the effectiveness of a district-wide science project; meeting with school board members and offering study sessions; teaching math in Upward Bound; helping to organize and support a group of teachers interested in teaching for social justice; assessing the reading abilities of middle school students and providing extensive written assessments and suggestions for interventions; offering math workshops in various districts; and participating as the college partner with a local elementary school in the League of Small Democratic Schools<br />
([[Media: mitfaculty.pdf|MIT Faculty]]).<br />
<br />
Faculty in MIT, like all faculty at the college, participate actively in the creation and development of curriculum at both the graduate level while teaching in MIT and the undergraduate level when working in the undergraduate curriculum. MIT faculty are hired, evaluated, and retained in the same manner as all other faculty. (See Standard 4 detailed description of hiring, faculty planning, assignment, retention, and participation in research, teaching and evaluation.) MIT faculty members typically teach in a two-year cycle and often participate in the undergraduate program in the third year. Like all other faculty members, MIT faculty members participate in quarterly and annual reviews of their teaching work through the process of student-faculty evaluation conferences and documents, and also through faculty team reviews. Like all other regular Evergreen faculty, MIT faculty move through a series of annual evaluations by the deans and, when moved to continuing contract, participate in a five-year review cycle. (Again see evaluation processes in Standard 4).<br />
<br />
Student Evaluations of MIT Faculty - <br />
[[Media: MIT_faculty_evaluation.pdf|Faculty summaries of student feedback]]<br />
<br />
MIT Faculty Scholarship - [[Media: MIT_scholarship.pdf|Faculty summaries of scholarship]]<br />
<br />
MIT Faculty Service - [[Media: MIT_service.pdf|Faculty summaries of service]]<br />
<br />
MIT Faculty Collaboration - [[Media: MIT_collaboration.pdf|Faculty summaries of collaboration]]<br />
<br />
=====MIT Graduate Records and Academic Credit (Standard 2.F)=====<br />
<br />
''Graduate admission and retention policies ensure that student qualifications and expectations are compatible with institutional mission and goals. Graduate program faculty are involved in specifying admission criteria, transfer of graduate credit, and graduation requirements.''<br />
<br />
As indicated in state accreditation requirements for teacher preparation program accreditation, “Candidates who demonstrate potential for acquiring the content and pedagogical knowledge and skills for success as educators in schools are recruited, admitted, and retained (WAC 181-78A-200 Candidates Admission Policies). These candidates include members from under represented groups.” Evergreen’s recruitment, admission, and retention policies are published in hard-copy catalogs and on the MIT program Web site '' <br />
([[Media: MIT_admissionspage.pdf|MIT Admissions Page]]).<br />
<br />
The Master in Teaching program clearly states its expectations for program participants on its Web site, in its catalog, in the Master in Teaching Program Guidebook to Policies, Procedures, and Resources, in the Student Teaching Handbook, and on cohort Web sites. Whether criteria for admission to the program, criteria for benchmark portfolios and projects, expectations for the master's project, clear explanations about the program’s Conceptual Framework and the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a performance-based teacher education program, candidates have ready access to expectations. In addition, these expectations reflect the Conceptual Framework and state standards. Candidates are regularly asked to demonstrate that they have developed the knowledge, skills, and dispositions articulated in the expectations. For ways in which candidate performance is assessed, please see NEED<br />
([[Media: MIT_studentassessment.pdf|MIT Student Assessment]]).<br />
<br />
The prime requirements for admission are academic excellence and the potential to succeed as a teacher in a broad range of classroom settings. The admissions committee considers both qualitative and quantitative written evidence and, if possible, a personal interview.<br />
<br />
Each applicant's admission information – which includes essays, a résumé, transcripts, letters of recommendation, content area preparation worksheets, and test results – is evaluated in these areas:<br />
<br />
* general graduate-level academic ability, including liberal arts breadth, completion of general education prerequisites, and strong writing and reading comprehension;<br />
* quality of endorsement area content preparation;<br />
* experience within the past two years in a public school classroom, observing or working with students at the grade level the candidate wishes to teach;<br />
* experience with individuals from diverse cultural (racial/ethnic) backgrounds;<br />
* study or work indicating an interest in the intellectual and social development of young people and a commitment to a teaching career in a K-12 setting;<br />
* interpersonal communication skills and professionalism in public settings;<br />
* completeness of application materials and the care with which the content has been prepared.<br />
<br />
Graduate faculty collaborate to specify admissions and retention criteria. In the Master in Teaching program, faculty teams are also members of the Admissions Committee that evaluates applications and recommends or denies admission to the program<br />
([[Media: MIT_faculty_expectations.pdf|MIT Faculty Expectations]]).<br />
<br />
Transfer credit – The MIT Program does not accept transfer credit.<br />
<br />
Master in Teaching Program (MIT): The State of Washington accreditation standards for teacher preparation programs require that teacher candidates have field and clinical teaching experiences. (Standard IV[G a-c]: Field Experiences and Clinical Practices: The unit and its school partners design, implement, and evaluate field experiences and clinical practices so that candidates demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to help all students learn.) MIT requires candidates to spend time in diverse public school classrooms each quarter of the first year and awards credit for these experiences. All candidates spend time in rural, urban, and suburban schools and in elementary, middle school, and high school classrooms during the first quarter of the program. In the second and third quarters of the program, candidates work in one classroom under the guidance of a certified teacher. Each quarter of the first year, candidates spend approximately forty to fifty guided hours a quarter working in a public school classroom. In the second year of the program, candidates complete two, ten-week student teaching (intern) experiences. One of these is usually in an urban setting to provide significant experiences with diverse populations of students. The [[Media: mitstudentteachinghandbook.pdf|Student Teaching Handbook]] outlines the responsibilities of the student teacher, the mentor teacher, and the college supervisor. Successful completion results in sixteen graduate credits each of the two quarters.''<br />
<br />
'''Issues to be Addressed''' <br />
<br />
* Currently, the Master in Teaching Program is the only teacher preparation entity on Evergreen’s campus that leads to state certification. The director for the Master in Teaching Program has primary responsibility for administering this program but has also, by default, assumed responsibility for the Special Education Endorsement sequence, the Professional Certificate program, and the addition of endorsements for certified teachers, none of which are included in the MIT program. For greater efficiency and consistency in supervision, hiring, and accreditation, the college might want to consider how to officially bring all of these education components under the supervision of a director of education. <br />
* The accreditation process for teacher preparation programs has become considerably more rigorous and data-driven in the last two to three years. The college administration may need to review the needs and relationship of graduate teacher preparation to the undergraduate college. Specifically, what resources and intentions need to be available for hiring appropriate faculty and completing data analysis related to successful accreditation reviews?<br />
<br />
====Master of Environmental Studies====<br />
<br />
'''Overview'''<br />
<br />
The Evergreen State College began its Master of Environmental Studies program in 1984. The program integrates the study of the biological, physical, and social sciences with public policy and leads to the Master of Environmental Studies (MES) degree. The program aims to produce graduates who combine an interdisciplinary understanding of the social and natural sciences with the skills and wisdom to intelligently address environmental problems. The program is centered on highly participatory evening classes that accommodate full- or part-time students. Many alumni are employed in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, while others continue their graduate study in related Ph.D. programs. The perspectives of the MES program are national and international, but extensive use is made of the environmental issues in the Pacific Northwest.<br />
<br />
Faculty members come from biological, physical, and social sciences and a balance of these disciplinary fields is maintained in the teams of two to three faculty members who teach each of the four required “core” courses. These faculty members rotate into the graduate program for, typically, two years before returning to teach full-time in the undergraduate programs of the college. At Evergreen, it is not possible for faculty members to teach both graduate and undergraduate courses at the same time because of the time commitments of teaching a full-time undergraduate program. Service of two years at any one time in the MES program allows faculty members and students to get to know each other and to form close working relationships for purposes of research and thesis writing.<br />
<br />
The MES program admits up to forty students each year. Each entering class takes the core sequence as a group during their first four quarters. (These core courses are described below. Also see [[Media: mes_coresequence.pdf|MES Core Sequence]] document.) Students develop a cohesive and cooperative approach to learning that cannot be matched by taking a scattering of individual courses. Continuing students work to integrate their first-year colleagues into a strong, supportive learning community of about eighty to one hundred students overall, dedicated to increasing their knowledge and understanding of the many facets of professional environmental work. About two-thirds of Evergreen's MES students have undergraduate degrees in the natural sciences, primarily biology or environmental studies. The rest have degrees in the social sciences and humanities. Some come directly from undergraduate work. Many bring to the program work or volunteer experience in diverse areas. MES students have ranged in age from twenty-two to well over sixty. We are also privileged to have two to three international students enroll each year. The students and faculty report that this diversity of backgrounds, experience, and ages contributes significantly to their overall learning. Each year, approximately twenty-five students graduate with their master's degrees.<br />
<br />
The MES curriculum consists of three closely integrated components: (1) the four required core programs; (2) electives, offered to provide more specialized training in subjects related to environmental studies; and (3) thesis work, which often takes the form of applied research. Students are also encouraged to undertake internship and independent learning activities in their second year. An MES degree requires seventy-two quarter-hours of credit, including thirty-two credits of core work and eight or sixteen credits of thesis, along with twenty-four or thirty-two credits of electives. The exact mix of elective credits and thesis credits will vary according to which of two thesis options a student selects. Students enrolled full time (twelve quarter-hours) can complete all degree requirements in six quarters. A new joint MES/MPA degree has been offered since 2006, which requires ninety-six quarter-hours of work in both graduate programs.<br />
<br />
=====MES Curriculum=====<br />
<br />
The MES program is designed so working students can attend part time. Core and elective programs meet in the evening and late afternoon. Students who enroll for eight hours per quarter require a minimum of nine quarters to complete the MES degree. These students usually take the core sequence before enrolling in electives or beginning the thesis project. Electives and thesis work are also available in the summer.<br />
<br />
The MES core sequence starts with a general view of environmental study, in the course Political Economic and Ecological Processes. This program provides a framework for understanding current environmental issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. Students begin to develop the skills to become producers of new knowledge, rather than being strictly learners of information already available. Multiple methods of data acquisition and analysis are introduced through examples drawn from many fields of study. The philosophy of science and the problematic relationship between science and policy are also introduced.<br />
<br />
The second core course is Ecological and Social Sustainability. This course addresses central issues in contemporary sustainability studies on theoretical and practical levels. Emphasis is on ways to promote both environmental and social sustainability. Areas covered may include environmental quality at regional, national, and global scales; energy use and alternative energies; resource availability and access to resources; social and cultural issues of sustainability; and indicators to guide policy. As part of this program, students write and present a research paper to provide evidence of their readiness to advance to candidacy.<br />
<br />
The third core course is Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analysis for Environmental Studies. In this course, students learn how to integrate the use of inferential statistics and qualitative data analysis to conduct rigorous examinations of the social, biological, and physical aspects of environmental issues. This knowledge prepares students for their own research and for understanding and critiquing research articles and reports in fields of their choosing.<br />
<br />
The final core course is Case Studies and Thesis Research Design, in which students apply and strengthen the skills they gained in their first year of MES core studies, by carrying out individual or small group projects. Students and faculty also work together to apply what has been learned throughout the core sequence about interdisciplinary environmental research to design individual thesis research plans that will be ready to carry out by the end of the fall quarter of the student’s second year.<br />
<br />
Four-credit electives offer students the opportunity to study a specific subject in more depth than is possible in core programs (see a list of electives in [[Media: MES_Curriculum_FQ07-SQ09.doc|MES Curriculum 2007-2009]]). MES students may also enroll in MPA electives and apply the credits earned toward their MES elective requirements. Additionally, students can take up to eight elective credits of course work in the form of internships and individual contracts.<br />
<br />
The MES program offers two ways to fulfill the thesis requirement, namely the eight-credit “Thesis: Essay of Distinction” and the sixteen-credit “Thesis.” Both require the student to engage in research on a significant topic and consider its political, economic, and scientific aspects. It can be an individual or a team effort. The project preferably should be of value to an external client or organization as well as meeting high academic and theoretical standards. Primary differences between the two thesis options lie in the scope of the problem examined and the manner in which the research is conducted. The Thesis: Essay of Distinction reviews and analyzes an existing body of information and does not involve substantial original field or survey research. This thesis option is written in a workshop setting during winter and spring quarters of the student's final year. Students selecting this option take eight hours of thesis credits and thirty-two hours of elective credits. The sixteen-credit thesis option represents a substantial research project conducted independently by the student with the support and guidance of a three-person thesis committee. It offers the opportunity for extended fieldwork, data collection, and analysis. The thesis committee includes two Evergreen faculty members plus an outside reader appropriate to the topic. Students selecting this option take sixteen hours of thesis credits and twenty-four hours of elective credits. As the culmination of the thesis project, students share results with faculty and students in a public, oral presentation. See the [[Media: ThesisHandbook12-07.pdf|MES Thesis Handbook]] for additional detail.<br />
<br />
=====MES Assessment=====<br />
<br />
MES assessment is a continuing process that includes assessment of student work, faculty performance, and program effectiveness. Student work is assessed in detail during and at the culmination of each course through feedback on assignments and through the narrative evaluation process. Student/faculty evaluation conferences and narrative evaluations are carried out in the same manner as in Evergreen’s undergraduate program. With a maximum student/faculty ratio of 15/1, faculty and students have close working relationships and excellent opportunities for assessment. Students also provide assessment of faculty and program performance through this process. The MES director and assistant director regularly seek and receive informal assessments of program performance from students at all points in their academic trajectories. This is done mostly through personal meetings, but also through correspondence. Faculty performance is assessed by the MES director through regular communications with faculty and students and through formal evaluation conferences between the director and adjunct faculty.<br />
<br />
A detailed program assessment was carried out in a self-study completed in November 2004 ([[Media: MES_Self-Study_2004.doc|MES Self-Study 2004]]). A year later, an intensive, two-day program assessment was conducted in September of 2005 in a “summer institute” called The Future of Graduate Environmental Studies at Evergreen. The purpose of the summer institute was to assess where the MES program had been, where it should be going, and how to get there. Readings, presentations, and working groups were organized to foster creative thinking about strengthening the MES program. MES was assessed within the broader context of the evolving field of graduate environmental studies programs and, for that reason, Dr. Will Focht was invited to assess our program ([[Media: MES_letter_from_Dr._Focht.pdf|Focht Report]]) and to participate in the summer institute as a resource person and facilitator. Dr. Focht, who is director of the Environmental Institute and director of the Environmental Science Graduate Program at Oklahoma State University, has many years of experience leading a comprehensive survey of environmental studies and science programs offered in U.S. universities. Participants in the summer institute included every previous MES director except one; many current, former, and future MES faculty members; current students; alumni; and MES support staff. These participants formed working groups to develop recommendations for the MES program from a variety of perspectives.<br />
<br />
These assessments found that the ways in which we taught research methods were overdue for reform and a number of improvements were needed in the content and consistency of our other offerings as well. Instruction in research methods needed to be integrated into the entire sequence of required courses, which has now been done. Instead of teaching only quantitative data analysis, as was the practice in the recent past, introductions to both qualitative and quantitative methods has now been instituted in the core sequence. The old case studies core course was assessed as not serving an essential, generic function. The thesis writing process needed to be strengthened as well, by starting the process earlier and by providing more instruction in research methods. To solve this problem, the old case studies course was replaced with a new ''Case Studies/Thesis Research Design'' course, which was highly successful in its first iteration in the fall of 2007. Finally, it was found that there should be more fieldwork throughout the curriculum and this is being addressed with more field-based electives and some field work has even been introduced into the core classes this year.<br />
<br />
=====MES Faculty and Related Resources (Standard 2.E)=====<br />
<br />
The MES program regularly uses classroom facilities, the Computer Applications Lab, the Computer Center, the library and, for some courses, support for field classes, including motor pool vans and equipment from lab stores. Students also make use of a graduate student lounge, furnished with student mailboxes, three computer terminals, a telephone, food storage and preparation facilities, and areas for working and meeting. There are five faculty members serving exclusively in the MES program at any one time and they all have doctoral degrees and practical experience in their fields, representing a range of natural and social sciences (see vitae for [[Media: BastakiCV.doc|Maria Bastaki]], [[Media: DormanCV.pdf|Peter Dorman]], [[Media: StumpffCV.doc|Linda Moon Stumpff]], [[Media: StyringCV.pdf|Alison Styring]], and [[Media: WhitesellCV.doc|Ted Whitesell]]). MES faculty members rotate in and out of the graduate program from the undergraduate program, typically remaining in MES for two to three years at a time.<br />
<br />
=====MES Graduate Records and Academic Credit (Standard 2.F)=====<br />
<br />
The MES director’s position is described in the Master of Environmental Studies Director Position Description. The MES director is a faculty member who typically teaches an eight-credit, core MES course in the fall quarter, teaches a four-credit MES elective in the winter quarter, serves as a thesis reader throughout the year, and works as a half-time administrator in the summer. An MES faculty member reviews applications and makes detailed admissions recommendations to the director, who then makes final admissions decisions. The director also makes decisions about the acceptability of transfer credits.<br />
<br />
There is one full-time MES assistant director, who is responsible for providing services to alumni, prospective students, and current students in the program (see the [[Media: -1885_Asst_Dir_MES_REVISED_01-18-08.doc|MES Assistant Director Job Description]]). The assistant director is also responsible for recruitment, marketing, and community outreach. The key focus of the position's work is to: (1) support outreach efforts to prospective students, which will result in recruitment to the program; and (2) provide student service assistance (advising, internships, financial aid, employment and careers, personal) to existing students, in order to increase retention to graduation. The position also supports efforts to cultivate the involvement of alumni, an advisory board, and members of the community in the program's affairs.<br />
<br />
There is also a work-study student who serves as program assistant. This position provides administrative and clerical support to the assistant director and director.<br />
<br />
The MES Program budget is adequate and is currently as follows:<br />
<br />
: Organization 25101, MES Support: $88,827.00 total<br />
<br />
:: Account 6100 - Salaries and Wages: $58,152.00<br />
<br />
:: Account 6200 - Benefits: $15,515.00<br />
<br />
:: Account 7230 - Goods and Services: $10,360.00<br />
<br />
:: Account 7250 - Travel: $4,800.00<br />
<br />
: Organization 25102, MES Academic: $9,800.00 total<br />
<br />
:: Account 7230 - Goods and Services: $9,800.00<br />
<br />
All MES faculty are involved in revising admissions or graduation requirements. Program policies and regulations are distributed at orientation and are always available on the program Web site (see MES Student Policy Handbook and also [[Media: messupport.pdf|MES Supported Resources]]). All admissions and graduation requirements are clearly posted on the program Web site ([[Media: mes_admissionspage.pdf|MES Admissions Requirements]] and [[Media: mes_graduationpage.pdf|MES Graduation Requirements]]) as well as being spelled out in the ''Student Policy Handbook'' and the ''Thesis Handbook.'' These handbooks are revised and updated annually by the MES director and assistant director.<br />
<br />
====MES/MPA Dual Degree====<br />
<br />
<br />
Starting in fall 2006, the Master of Environmental Studies and Master of Public Administration programs began offering a combined MES/MPA degree. This joint program is designed both for environmental professionals who wish to improve their administrative skills and for public administrators and public policy professionals who want to gain expertise in the analysis of environmental issues. Three students applied and were accepted in fall 2007. The first two students to earn this joint degree will graduate in 2008. The third joint-degree student is on track to graduate in either 2009 or 2010. The program has four serious prospective students who plan to apply to enter the program in fall 2008. All of these students have started out as MES students, before applying to become joint MES/MPA students.<br />
<br />
Students must complete a total of ninety-six credits in both programs to obtain the degree, including core coursework and electives in both programs. Electives should be approximately equally divided between MES and MPA. If a student is in the MPA-Tribal program, s/he must take five MPA-tribal concentration courses. The MPA and MES directors must approve students' educational plans for elective work. All joint-degree students are required to complete an eight- or sixteen-credit MES thesis instead of the MPA capstone or thesis. The MES/MPA thesis prospectus requires approval by both the MPA and MES directors. Students may choose either the MES or MPA research methods/design programs in the MES or MPA core.<br />
<br />
===Standard 2.G – Off-Campus and Continuing Education===<br />
<br />
====Tacoma Program====<br />
<br />
=====Location and Mission of the Tacoma Program=====<br />
<br />
The Tacoma campus is located in the Hilltop area of Tacoma, an inner city, mixed-use zone of businesses, private homes, multi-unit dwellings and three hospitals. The area is in the process of change, evolving from one of primarily low-income residents to one of new and expanding businesses and multi-unit dwellings for urban professionals.<br />
<br />
The mission of the Tacoma Program is to prepare students to serve their local communities, the state, the nation, and the world through interdisciplinary, team-taught, community-based academic programs. This mission is accomplished through instructional, inter-institutional, and community partnerships that place value and emphasis on educating students while meeting the needs of our communities.<br />
<br />
The guiding philosophy of the program is “enter to learn, depart to serve.” Its values are hospitality, inclusiveness, civility, and reciprocity. There is intentionality in the program’s approach to its mission of serving communities. The campus maintains an environment that is open, welcoming, and inclusive. In keeping with its mission of service, the campus gives back to local and state communities by opening its doors to seminars and training sessions offered by community, municipal, and state agencies. Through these collaborations, students gain access to participation in democratic governance that sometimes offers pathways to internships and employment. Moreover, these public gatherings are part of the campus’s strategic recruitment plan.<br />
<br />
The academic process encourages a spirit of open inquiry with the expectation that students become equipped with cutting-edge knowledge, literacies, and skills relevant to recognized fields of study, and awareness of the changing demographics of today’s world.<br />
<br />
The Tacoma campus is considered to be an academic program, however, it is much more. The practical realities are that the program operates in many ways like a campus. Unlike the Olympia campus, the Tacoma campus operates with an on-site director who manages the operations, public relations, and student services issues (including disability access concerns), and serves as the academic leader. The campus has one student services professional who performs multiple duties including, but not limited to, recruitment, advising, help with registration, orientation of new students, and tracking of student data. The director is also actively involved in supporting student services.<br />
<br />
At its inception, the campus responded to the need for a public college in Tacoma that would serve the broad interests of citizens in the area. The campus sought to meet the needs of local residents; however, as the student body grew and the planning directions of the City of Tacoma developed, students from five counties began to matriculate in the Tacoma program. Over the years, in response to demand from those five counties and growing enrollment, the faculty and curriculum expanded.<br />
<br />
=====Curricular Structure and Student Population=====<br />
<br />
The Tacoma Program is an upper division, full-time learning community offering a yearlong liberal arts and sciences curriculum. Throughout the academic year, individual courses address the overall theme of the program. Enrollment in the program is capped at 225 students ([[Media: Tacoma_Program_Enrollment_History_1992-2007.pdf|Enrollment History for Tacoma Program]]).<br />
<br />
Classes are offered during the day and replicated in the evening in order to facilitate accessibility and flexibility for place-bound working adults. Students between the ages of thirty-five and forty-four make up 34% of Tacoma students, 30% are between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-four, 16% are between the ages of forty-five and fifty-five, 11% are over fifty-five, and 9% are eighteen to twenty-four years of age.<br />
<br />
[[Image: Enrollment_by_Age.jpg]]<br />
<br />
Diversity of the student body is also reflected in its ethnic make-up: 49% of Tacoma students are African-American; 43% percent are European American; 4% are Latino; 2% are Native American; and 2% are Asian/Pacific Islander.<br />
<br />
[[Image: Enrollment_by_Ethnicity.jpg]]<br />
<br />
Most of the Tacoma campus students are either employed or seeking employment. In a 2005 survey of new students, 31% of the student sample indicated they were employed or planning to work thirty-five hours or more per week. Another 20.7% noted that they were employed or planning to work twenty to thirty-four hours per week, and 17.2% indicated that they were employed or planning to work nineteen hours or less. Of those responding, 17.2%, said that they did not know whether they would work during fall quarter and 13.8% indicated that they would not work in the fall ([[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Employment - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Employment - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
Nearly half of all Tacoma campus students have children in their care. In the survey cited above, 44.8% of Tacoma respondents stated that they have a dependent child living with them. Of the twenty-six respondents who indicated that they have dependent children living with them, nine respondents, or 34.6% noted that they will need childcare ([[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Dependent Children - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Dependent Children - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
Most Tacoma campus students are the first generation in their families to attend college. In the 2005 survey, Tacoma respondents reported at least one parent’s educational background, and of those reporting, 81.9% stated that they had no parent with a four-year degree or more and 49.1% reported that no parent had attended college ([[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Parental Education - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Parental Education - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
In response to a question about financial support for college, 50% of students reporting indicated that they received aid (loans) that must be repaid, while 73.2% received aid that does not need to be repaid (grants, work study, scholarships, military funding, DVR, worker retraining funds) ([[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Financial Support - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Financial Support - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
=====Faculty and Programs=====<br />
<br />
Several of the faculty have dual terminal degrees, for example, MD/PhD or PhD/JD. This interdisciplinarity affords faculty and students opportunity to come face-to-face with how distinctively different disciplines generate a variety of phenomena and meaning. Moreover, students see reflected in the faculty the complexity of the world and their places in it. Interdisciplinary, team-taught courses cover the following areas: law; political science; public policy; foreign policy; psychology; sociology; ecology; environmental policy; basic and advanced biology; life sciences, such as biochemistry, physiology, and neurosciences; environmental science; public health; bioethics; mathematics; 3D modeling; statistics; research methods; literature; Chinese cultural studies; poetry; memoir; film; media literacy; romance languages; West African languages; multimedia art and design; Web design; graphic design; video production; and sound editing.<br />
<br />
The program currently has four continuing faculty members, five visiting faculty members and two adjunct professors.<br />
<br />
===== Interdisciplinary Programs =====<br />
<br />
Each academic year, the faculty offers a theme-based interdisciplinary program. The themes of the programs are empirically grounded in community needs expressed by our community partners and collaborators. Programs have focused on disparities and injustices in the criminal justice system, education, public policy, health, and economics. Issues of class, race, gender, and religion have surfaced in the courses offered in the programs. Writing across the curriculum is one of the hallmarks of the program. Recently, laboratory time was added to classes in the liberal arts, social sciences, science, and mathematics. In order to assist students in moving from theory to practice, the faculty sought to provide a learning laboratory to extend both the depth and breadth of students’ cognitive and experiential learning. Faculty conduct and lead the laboratory activities in writing, research, science, mathematics, computer graphics, politics, iMovie editing, and curriculum design.<br />
<br />
The program includes an all-campus Lyceum in which all students in the Tacoma program are enrolled. Lyceum is the centerpiece of the curriculum through which students are exposed to knowledge that may be outside of the faculty team and contributes to the intellectual life of the campus. Lyceum forms the nexus for inclusion of the program theme, guest speakers, books, and academic work in the individual classes. Students in Lyceum are together for ninety minutes and then break into seminar groups for an additional ninety minutes. These seminar groups are led by individual faculty to whom students are assigned for the entire academic year. Through this process, students engage in reflexive thinking and practice.<br />
<br />
Individual faculty members also serve as academic advisors to their respective students during their tenure in the program. These seminar advisors, as they are called, are responsible for writing the year-end evaluation of their advisees. Each quarter, faculty complete an evaluation of all students in their classes. These are distributed to the individual student and his/her advisor. At the end of the academic year, the advisor synthesizes the evaluations gathered from the faculty into one evaluation for each student advisee. In writing the evaluation, the faculty primarily focus on the following outcomes or skills: course content mastery, writing skills, critical and analytical thinking skills, oral communication skills, collaboration/working across significant differences, quantitative skills, and attendance.<br />
<br />
The program has no requirements beyond that of achieving 180 credits, but recommends that students enroll in a memoir writing class, research methods, and statistics. Opportunities for reflexive thinking abound in the curriculum. Work in the memoir writing class allows for work that is both illuminating and emancipating. Students come to understand the process of moving from victim, and in many instances, to victor. This appears to be a recurring theme in working with adult learners.<br />
<br />
In the senior year, students may elect to enroll in an independent learning contract or an internship. Here, students are presented with application of theory to real-world situations where they explore more deeply issues and ideas related to their academic areas of concentration and/or professional pathways. It is also during this year that students are expected to write and orally present a synthesis of their learning and academic journey. Through the process, students gain reflexive praxis and synthesis of ideas and experiences.<br />
<br />
===== Student Survey Data =====<br />
<br />
In a 2006 survey of students on the Evergreen experience, 48.7% of Tacoma program students indicated that the academic workload was “just right.” Another 48.7% reported that the academic workload was “a little too heavy” or “too heavy,” and 2.6% noted that their academic workload was “too light” ([[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Workload - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Workload - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
Students indicated high levels of satisfaction with the learning environment: 66.7% of students noted that they were very satisfied with the overall quality of instruction; 65.8% noted that they were very satisfied with lectures and other presentations by the faculty; 60.5% were very satisfied with the interdisciplinary approach to course content; 2.6% of students said that they were dissatisfied with both the lectures and other presentations by faculty and with the interdisciplinary approach to course content. No student indicated dissatisfaction with the learning environment or the overall quality of instruction ([[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
The ability of students to enroll in their first choice of academic programs varied to a small extent. In the fall, 89.7% stated that they enrolled in their first choice. In winter quarter, 93.5% enrolled in their first choice. In spring, 92.1% were able to enroll in their first choice. The common barrier to enrollment in their first choice was conflicts in the schedule. Students indicated that on the Tacoma campus they do not have a lot of flexibility in the choices available ([[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - First Choice - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - First Choice - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
Students expressed their views on the importance of campus diversity to their learning. The most common response was that diversity was “very” important, as noted by 48.7% of the sample. Another 35.9% indicated “quite a bit,” 7.7% indicated “somewhat important,” and 5% indicated that diversity is “not at all” important ([[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Diversity Importance- Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Diversity Importance - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
===== Alumni Survey Data =====<br />
<br />
In a 2006 survey of alumni, 74.1% of Tacoma program alumni reported that they were currently employed one year after graduation. Of those, 95% were working in an area that was at least somewhat related to their area of primary study. In all, 84.2% felt that their Evergreen experiences prepared them adequately or very well for their current employment. Looking at fields of employment, 35% of Tacoma alumni were employed in the area of community and social service, 25% were employed in education, 10% were in business management, and another 10% were in health care. In terms of community service, 55.6% were involved in volunteer activities one year after graduation.<br />
<br />
Tacoma program graduates were asked to rate their satisfaction with Evergreen’s contribution to their academic and personal growth. In twenty-four areas, Tacoma alumni reported being mostly or very satisfied with Evergreen’s contribution. On four of the twenty-four areas, 96.3% gave the highest rating. These areas included: their abilities to do “critical analysis of written information”; “recognizing [their] rights and responsibilities and privileges as a citizen”; “functioning as a responsible member of a diverse community”; and “reading for academic purposes.” Learning independently, writing effectively, defining and understanding problems, working cooperatively in a group, giving effective presentations, synthesizing information and ideas from many sources, and managing time effectively also ranked very highly among the students surveyed.<br />
<br />
Among their Evergreen experiences, 81.5% of alumni were very satisfied with the interdisciplinary approach to education and the narrative evaluations, while 74.1% were satisfied with the quality of instruction ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Tacoma_Summary.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
===== Issues =====<br />
<br />
Functioning as a campus and a program places enormous responsibilities and time commitments on the director, faculty, and staff. In order to serve the needs of the students and to collaborate effectively with the community (Sixth Avenue Business Association, Chamber of Commerce, and community partners), faculty and staff are faced with multiple responsibilities. This situation, combined with the faculty desires and commitments to provide intellectually stimulating curricula, presents a weighty challenge. While the number of continuing faculty is small, visiting faculty and adjuncts complement the ability of the faculty to provide engaging and essential liberal arts curricula. They also perform much needed functions on the campus, such as academic advising. Visiting faculty contribute to the intellectual vibrancy of the learning environment and bring new energy and interdisciplinary perspectives to the curriculum.<br />
<br />
Similar to the Olympia campus, the Tacoma program faces imminent attrition of one-half of its continuing faculty. The latest continuing hire, the mathematics professor, did not move the program towards addressing this issue of succession planning. The faculty and the director have not had a serious conversation about how to plan for faculty replacements. There have been informal conversations about planning for the future, but nothing concrete has surfaced from those discussions.<br />
<br />
Given that the program states in its mission that it is preparing students to serve the world, there is a need for increased focus on foreign languages. Our curriculum has and continues to include courses that address global issues. However, there has neither been a concrete nor a coherent effort to include foreign languages in the curriculum. The program currently offers conversational French with the expectation of providing opportunities for students to learn the more widely spoken African languages. We also have the capacity and the faculty to offer Mandarin Chinese.<br />
<br />
Access services have increasingly become an important component of student needs. The most difficult situation is presented by students who have a disability that is not visually apparent and lack a diagnosis of a specific condition such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, or other statutorily covered condition. The cost of such a diagnosis is expensive and becomes a problem because most of our students do not have health insurance. At this juncture, the program has nothing in place to address the financial barriers to services for students with disabilities.<br />
<br />
Finally, there is a need for the college to face the paradox that is presented by this program/campus. At once, it is a campus, without adequate campus resources, and also a program that serves a population of adult learners, many of whom are first generation college students, and most of whom have incomes below the poverty index for Washington state. The needs presented are great. While the college has supplied curricular support and some student services in the past few years, especially during the current academic year, there still exists a dire need to increase the time of a psychotherapist on the campus from one day per week to minimally three days each week.<br />
<br />
====Native American Programs, Research, and Services====<br />
<br />
From the early days of the college there has been a close and distinctive link between the Native American communities of the area and the college. This link has grown and evolved in a variety of directions over the years in response to both Native faculty and staff members at the college and the interests and connections of local communities. The programs, as they have developed over the years, have involved a variety of formal educational opportunities for both Native and non-Native students, applied research in support of tribal work, support for Native arts, community gatherings, and support for training in tribal governance. Today Native students constitute 3.6% of undergraduates and 7.2% of graduate students for an overall 3.9% of the entire student body ([[Media: Fall 2007 Enrollment Summary.pdf|Fall 2007 Student Demographic Summary]]).<br />
<br />
Currently six major programs or projects comprise the area:<br />
<br />
The Evergreen Center for Educational Improvement<br />
<br />
"House of Welcome" Longhouse Education and Cultural Center<br />
<br />
Master of Public Administration in Tribal Governance<br />
<br />
Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies (NAWIPS)<br />
<br />
Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute<br />
<br />
Reservation-Based Community-Determined Program<br />
<br />
'''Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies (NAWIPS)'''<br />
<br />
The area is staffed both by staff members and by faculty. Native faculty comprises 7.2% of all regular faculty members at the college. Faculty members teach in the regular Olympia daytime curriculum, in the Master of Public Administration in Tribal Governance, and in the Reservation-Based program. Native faculty members and a few non-Native faculty members affiliate with Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies (NAWIPS) in the same way as faculty affiliate with a planning unit. Some Native faculty members affiliate with both NAWIPS and a planning unit.<br />
<br />
Faculty members affiliate primarily with NAWIPS for planning purposes. The area programs provide opportunities to engage in studies that support indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest, the Americas, and the world. The Native programs for the Olympia undergraduate program are organized and offered through the area. NAWIPS programs in the Evergreen full-time day curriculum support a variety of programs dealing with treaty relationships between tribal nations and the U.S. government. Considerable attention is given to the history of Native nations and peoples from pre-Columbian times to the present and to issues of cultural and economic revitalization. Another strand in the NAWIPS day offerings provides a student-centered research project-oriented offering that provides a home base and regular support for individual and small group research projects. The area has supported a low of 22.4 FTE in 2002-03 to a high of 118.3 two years later. The area has maintained an enrollment of more than 100 FTE for the past three years. Fluctuation arises from the small size of the area, the vagaries of enrollment in off-campus sites, and the significant reduction in teaching faculty when faculty members take leave or take on non-teaching assignments ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]).<br />
<br />
=====Reservation-Based Community-Determined Program=====<br />
<br />
The Reservation-Based Community-Determined program is designed for place-bound students on Indian reservations in western Washington. The program targets students with ninety or more college credits and operates in tribal communities at the invitation of the host tribe. Classes meet two nights a week at the program sites: Lower Elwha, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Port Gamble, Quinault, and Tulalip. Makah and Skokomish will reactivate pending sufficient student enrollment. Students also meet monthly at the Olympia campus, taking courses that provide the breadth of a liberal arts curriculum, and working collaboratively with students from all sites.<br />
<br />
A repeatable three-year core curriculum integrates distinctly local concerns with the liberal arts and provides opportunities to develop a wide range of skills in research, writing, critical thinking, public speaking, and group work. An advisory board provides input for the curriculum and ensures consistent curriculum delivery at all sites. Native students have consistently formed from 75% to 99% of the students in the program. Enrollment in the program has fluctuated significantly as competition with other institutions for students has developed and as potentially eligible persons matriculated and graduated ([[Media: Tribalenrollmenthistory.pdf|Enrollment History for Tribal: Reservation-based/Community-determined Programs]]).<br />
<br />
Students identify achieving personal success, career change, personal growth, and developing creative and effective communication skills in speaking and writing as their most common goals for seeking a degree (see [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Goals - Tribal programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Goals - Tribal programs]]). All of the students completing the survey indicated they intended to stay in the program to graduation (see [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Intent to Stay - Tribal programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Intent to Stay - Tribal programs]]). Students cite Evergreen’s particular contribution to class participation, cooperative work in a group, learning independently, and reading for academic purposes as the program’s most significant contributions to their learning (see [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Learning - Tribal Programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Learning - Tribal Programs]]). Students were satisfied with all elements of the program and were particularly pleased with their relationships with faculty, the overall quality of instruction, the quality of faculty response to work and seminars as a way of learning. Their concerns dealt with keeping up with the work and developing computer skills ([[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction - Tribal Programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction - Tribal Programs]]).<br />
<br />
The program has developed a hybrid online/face-to-face bridge program with Grays Harbor College to support lower division work for students with similar ties to tribal communities. Two major grants from the Lumina Foundation for Education support this work, and have provided curriculum support in two important ways. First, the use of electronic portfolios (e-Portfolios) allows students to electronically display and reflect on their work, and to comment on the work of others. Second, more than thirty case studies of current issues in Indian country have been produced, and are used in a case study workshop at the Saturday classes.<br />
<br />
The Reservation-Based Community-Determined program is an integral part of the NAWIPS planning unit and is documented and reviewed like any other program. Its contents are determined by its faculty, whose backgrounds and experience make them effective and knowledgeable designers of the curriculum. Supervision of this program, like all other programs, rests in the hands of the deans. Student fees are the same as those on the main campus and student activity fees are returned to the program. Standards for credit parallel those of the rest of the college. Students have not participated in the PLE program, but would participate in the regular Olympia campus process if this option were selected. Student learning is complexly documented through the evaluation procedure and the program's use of e-portfolios.<br />
<br />
=====MPA Tribal=====<br />
The Master of Public Administration in Tribal Governance is one of three tracks in the Master of Public Administration Program. This cohort-based, two-year master’s program is the only degree-granting program in the nation to focus on structures, processes, and issues specific to tribal governments. The master's program is critically important for Native nations and supports students from in-state and across the country. The basic structure of the program, requirements, and the like are described above in the Master of Public Administration section. <br />
<br />
This three-tiered approach to Native education provides crucial opportunities for Native communities to participate in shaping educational opportunities for their members, for Native students to learn in a variety of distinctively Native contexts, and for non-Native students to come to understand significant issues, policies, treaty obligations, and cultural differences.<br />
<br />
=====The Longhouse=====<br />
In addition to the directly educational function of the area, “The House of Welcome” Longhouse on the Evergreen campus serves as an important center for promoting indigenous arts and culture through gatherings of artists, continuing programs, and sales. The Longhouse also provides an important gathering place for events and classes. Staff at the Longhouse serve as a central point in helping bring the campus Native community together. Together with the academic programs, the Longhouse helps make present significant issues of cultural diversity on campus.<br />
<br />
=====The Evergreen Center for Educational Improvement=====<br />
The Center for Educational Improvement works with a number of communities across the state to develop and share the best instructional tools, techniques, and models. An important focus for the center’s work has been Native American education. The center is currently helping develop a K-2 reading curriculum and is working with the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis on a community-based history and culture curriculum of the Chehalis people. <br />
<br />
=====Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute=====<br />
Since 1999, the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute (NIARI) has worked with tribes on a wide range of issues that focus on serving Washington state tribes and Native people through work on resources, cultural revitalization, economic stability, and tribal governance. The institute has also done critical international work helping with the United League of Indigenous Nations, and critical Native issues throughout the Pacific Rim.<br />
<br />
====Study Abroad (2.G.12)====<br />
<br />
Evergreen is committed to increased internationalization. Internationalization is broader than study abroad; it encompasses language, area and cultural studies, and all the curricular and extracurricular opportunities that students have to learn about unfamiliar social and natural systems. The term internationalization is defined by Knight (1994) as “the process of integrating an international/intercultural dimension into the teaching, research, and service functions of the institution.” Programs that allow our students to study abroad are a large part of this effort. Currently, on average, 8% of Evergreen students study abroad each year; approximately 48% study through academic programs, 43% through contracts and internships, 8% through consortium partners, and 1% on student exchange. This proportion is significantly higher than any of the other four-year state universities in Washington.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"<br />
| valign="bottom" | '''Study Abroad Opportunities'''<br />
| valign="bottom" | 2005-06<br />
| valign="bottom" | 2006-07<br />
| valign="bottom" nowrap="undefined" | Average<br />
| valign="bottom" | Percent of Total Enrollment<br />
| valign="bottom" | Percent of Study Abroad<br />
|-<br />
| valign="bottom" | Academic Programs with Travel Abroad Component<br />
| 124<br />
| 223<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 174<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 4%<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 48%<br />
|-<br />
| valign="bottom" | Individual Learning Contract<br />
| 104<br />
| 153<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 129<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 3%<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 36%<br />
|-<br />
| valign="bottom" | Internship Contract<br />
| 28<br />
| 25<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 27<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 1%<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 7%<br />
|-<br />
| valign="bottom" | Consortium Agreements<br />
| 31<br />
| 27<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 29<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 1%<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 8%<br />
|-<br />
| valign="bottom" | Student Exchanges<br />
| 4<br />
| 4<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 4<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 0%<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 1%<br />
|-<br />
| '''Total'''<br />
| '''291'''<br />
| '''432'''<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | '''362'''<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | '''8%'''<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | '''100%'''<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
These study abroad opportunities are consistent with Evergreen’s five foci, in particular, linking theory with practice, teaching and learning across significant differences, and personal engagement in learning. In addition, these study abroad opportunities help fulfill the Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate. <br />
<br />
Based on these fundamental principles, the institution’s strategic plan (2007) specifically states, “Seniors attribute growth in their ability to address real-world problems to their experiences at Evergreen. Increasingly, these real-world issues involve a global context. Evergreen is committed to internationalizing its curriculum and will review and strengthen its support for international studies and study abroad opportunities for students.”<br />
<br />
''Academic Programs:'' Most students study abroad with academic programs that have a foreign travel component. These programs have an international focus and demonstrate Evergreen’s integrated approach to global learning. On average, ten academic programs travel abroad each year, but this number varies depending on their cost. For a description of the process used to select and fund these programs, see [[Media: Study_Abroad_Procedures.doc|Study Abroad Procedures]]. A list of programs that have traveled abroad over the past five years is also attached. The cost of these programs, for both the college and the students, is significant; approximately 20% of the budget for academic programs is allocated to these study abroad programs in order to cover the faculty travel expenses. Students must also pay a fee that covers their travel expenses. This fee varies depending on the location and duration, but the average fee is $3,000. Two examples of academic programs with travel abroad components are Memory of Fire: Spain and Latin America and Tropical Rainforests.<br />
<br />
Memory of Fire: Spain and Latin America offers students the opportunity for interdisciplinary study in Spanish language, history, and literature of Spain and Latin America. The program culminates in independent research or internships abroad in Santó Tomás, Nicaragua, or southern Spain, as well as internships with local Latino organizations for students who elect to stay on campus. In this program we find interconnected theoretical and practical approaches to learning in a global context. Such study produces students who not only speak Spanish, but understand the historical, political, and cultural implications of various real-world problems for Hispanic countries and people. They do this not just by theoretical study, but by engaging in practical experiences with local and global communities.<br />
<br />
Tropical Rainforests, offered every other year, takes students to Costa Rica for the final three weeks of the winter quarter. The program focuses on field ecology, the physical environment, statistical analysis of field data, conservation biology, and Latin American culture. While in Costa Rica, students visit several major field sites, including coastal habitats, tropical dry forests, cloud forests, and lowland rainforests. Students have the option of staying in Costa Rica during spring quarter to do ecological research on an individual learning contract.<br />
<br />
''Individual Learning Contracts and Internships:'' Typically reserved for junior- and senior-level students, these are student-generated projects in which the student works directly with a faculty sponsor to complete advanced academic work. Each year 100 to 200 students study abroad on a contract. A full third of all students, or approximately 1,200 students, will complete an internship, locally or globally, during their Evergreen career. <br />
<br />
''Consortium Agreements and Exchanges:'' As a small, liberal arts college, we recognize that our range of institution-sponsored study abroad programs will not meet every student’s needs. We currently offer fourteen consortium programs with destinations worldwide. Approximately thirty students participate in consortia each year. Our two yearlong Japanese exchange programs are with the University of Hyogo and University of Miyazaki.<br />
<br />
For an overview of undergraduate participation in study abroad by planning unit, please see: [[Media: Alumni_Study_Abroad_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|Alumni Study Abroad by Planning Unit]].<br />
<br />
====Extended Education====<br />
<br />
<br />
Extended Education (EE) is one of the college’s responses to declining state support for higher education. In 2003, a committee was charged with examining the feasibility of Extended Education as an additional source of revenue for Evergreen. The committee recommended moving ahead with Extended Education after an additional planning year (2003-04). After considerable discussion, EE was approved as a pilot project by a vote of the faculty on November 17, 2004. The faculty approved a $600,000 investment for this pilot stipulating that a review for quality of programs and financial viability would occur in years three and five of the program ([[Media: Facmins111704.doc|Minutes of Faculty Meeting – November 17, 2004]]). A review of the EE program, scheduled for fall 2008, will examine the financial viability of the program and the ways it intersects with the rest of the college's curriculum. <br />
<br />
Extended Education officially began at The Evergreen State College on July 1, 2005 with the appointment of a dean for Extended Education and summer school. The mission of Extended Education is to serve the professional development and life long learning needs of our community. This mission and EE programs offered reflect the mission of the college. Extended Education’s goals and activities align with the college’s strategic plan and contribute to the achievement of the goals outlined therein.<br />
<br />
Extended Education has completed its first two years as a pilot program. During this time the scope and number of course offerings, and training have increased. Student and participant evaluation of courses, workshops, and training indicate a consistently high degree of quality in EE’s offerings. Enrollment in EE courses went from 594 in 2005-06 to 1191 in 2006-07. As it begins its third year, Extended Education holds solid promise for financial viability ([[Media: EE Annual Report 2006-07.pdf|Extended Education Annual Report 2006-07]] and [[Media: EE Annual Report 2005-06.pdf|Extended Education Annual Report 2005-06]]).<br />
<br />
Extended Education’s course offerings and programs are compatible with the college’s mission in providing opportunities for students to excel in meeting their intellectual, creative, professional, and/or community service goals. EE serves students at Evergreen as well as members of the larger community in Thurston, Mason, Lewis, and Pierce counties ([[Media: Final_Evergreen_PRR_Market_Survey_Report_11Oct06.pdf|Extended Education Marketing Survey]], [[Media: PRR_EE_Summer_School_Market_Research_presentation.pdf|Extended Education/Summer School Market Survey Presentation]], and [[Media: EE_Spring_07.pdf|Extended Education Catalog Spring 2007]]; [[Media: EE_Winter_07.pdf|Extended Education Catalog Winter 2007]]; [[Media: EE_Fall_06.pdf|Extended Education Catalog Fall 2006]]). <br />
<br />
Extended Education’s offerings are administered under established institutional procedures in that Extended Education is managed by an academic dean selected by the usual institutional procedures for the appointment of deans, who rotate into academic administration from the faculty. The responsibility for the administration of Extended Education is clearly defined and its administration is an integral component of the institution’s organization as evidenced by the appointment of a dean for Extended Education who reports directly to the provost and through him to the president and board of trustees (see [[media:OrgChart.pdf|Organization chart]]).<br />
<br />
Extended Education is guided in program development by the provost, the Deans’ Group and the Extended Education Advisory Committee. Members on the advisory committee represent the faculty, the academic division, and all other major divisions at The Evergreen State College ([[Media: EEAC_Members_2007-08.doc|Extended Education Advisory Committee Membership 2007-08]]). Full-time faculty as well as part-time faculty are represented on the Extended Education Advisory Committee and as such are involved in the planning and evaluation of EE offerings. Given that Extended Education is a pilot program voted in by the faculty at The Evergreen State College, provisions were made for periodic evaluation over a period of three and five years. Extended Education is scheduled for its first review in fall 2008.<br />
<br />
Extended Education offerings focus on three areas:<br />
<br />
: 1. Courses offered for academic credit that are also open on a limited basis to community participants not seeking academic credit (blended courses);<br />
: 2. Workshops and contracted online courses not offered for academic credit;<br />
: 3. Custom training for professional skill development.<br />
<br />
Academic Credit Courses<br />
<br />
The granting of credit for Extended Education courses is based on institutional policy. Ten contact hours are required for each academic credit. Students are expected to meet the learning objectives and course requirements in order to earn academic credit. Students’ work is evaluated by the faculty and a narrative evaluation specifying number of credits awarded is submitted to the registrar upon completion of the course. Extended Education courses offered for academic credit are approved by the dean of Extended Education in consultation with the EE Advisory Committee and the curriculum deans. Faculty teaching academic credit-bearing courses through Extended Education are reviewed and evaluated according to standard institutional procedures for adjunct faculty ([[Media: Enrollment_%26_Students_in_EE-06-07.pdf|Extended Education Enrollment 2006-2007]]; [[Media: Enrollment_EE-05-06.pdf|Extended Education Enrollment 2005-06]]).<br />
<br />
Academic credit-bearing courses offered through Extended Education are subject to the same tuition, fees, registration procedures, and refund policies established for the college as a whole. Students enrolled at the college for between ten and eighteen credits who register for EE credit must pay separately for EE course credit. Extended Education does not offer academic credit-bearing courses through electronically mediated or other delivery systems.<br />
<br />
The Evergreen State College is solely responsible for the academic and fiscal elements of all programs offered through Extended Education. Extended Education does not contract or partner with non-accredited organizations to offer courses for academic credit.<br />
<br />
Issues:<br />
<br />
*Obtain faculty approval of a policy permitting continuing faculty to teach courses and/or workshops through Extended Education.<br />
*Examine current enrollment patterns in the Olympia day and Evening Weekend curriculum to determine potential for expansion of Extended Education’s revenue base by meeting additional needs of adult and part-time learners.<br />
*Expand custom training to meet the needs of local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.<br />
*Obtain dedicated administrative and classroom space. <br />
*Establish a market-based compensation system for faculty and instructors in Extended Education.<br />
*Prepare for a comprehensive review of the program that examines issues of the relation of the credit generating aspects of EE with attention to competition or duplication of efforts in Evening and Weekend Studies, issues of eligibility for employment, compensation, and costs for students.<br />
*Review over-all financial viability of Extended Education program and offerings.<br />
<br />
====Summer School====<br />
<br />
Evergreen has had a “self-supporting” summer school since 1981. Evergreen’s summer school is critical to augmenting declining funding from the state and also provides opportunities for faculty to augment their income during the summer. Over the past ten years, an average of 1,577 students per year have enrolled in summer school. Enrollment has declined in the last two years, but revenues have remained steady due to tuition increases and reductions in expenditures ([[Media: Summer_School_Enrollment_Trends_2004-2007.pdf|Summer School Enrollment Trends 2004-2007]]).<br />
<br />
In 2007, 1,424 students enrolled in summer school. Of these students, 86.5% were continuing degree-seeking Evergreen students, 4.6% were new summer school students who continued to fall 2007, and 8.5% were students new to Evergreen who did not continue to fall 2007. Total revenue for summer school 2007 was $2,311,757 ([[Media: Summer_School_Student_Demographics_2004-2007.pdf|Summer School Student Demographics 2004-2007]]).<br />
<br />
Almost all summer offerings are freestanding courses ranging from two to eight credits per session. Most of the courses are taught by a single faculty member and are more reflective of traditional disciplinary studies than are the interdisciplinary, team-taught programs offered during the regular academic year.<br />
<br />
The process for developing the summer school curriculum has remained fairly consistent over the past ten years. The first step is to analyze enrollment data from the previous summer and to review the academic calendar for the forthcoming year to help determine market demand and prerequisite requirements. This information is sent to the faculty along with a letter asking them to submit course proposals for summer school. Proposals submitted are reviewed by the planning unit coordinators, curriculum deans, and graduate program directors, who advise the summer school dean regarding curricular needs.<br />
<br />
In 2006, the college contracted with an external market research firm to conduct a market survey that assessed interest in and new prospective markets for Extended Education and summer school. The survey was collaboratively designed by Institutional Research and Assessment and the dean of Extended Education and summer school, and funding was provided by Institutional Research. The survey collected contact information from interested participants who wanted more information about future courses; thus the market survey also served to generate prospect mailing lists. A diverse group of staff and faculty attended the final presentation, as there was potential value from this study for graduate program directors, admissions recruiters, advancement, college relations, other academic deans, and other staff members. This study was useful in informing the summer curriculum and course scheduling for 2007 and, together with previous summer school enrollment data, provided a basis for the summer school dean to solicit proposals to meet market demand ([[Media: Final_Evergreen_PRR_Market_Survey_Report_11Oct06.pdf|Extended Education Marketing Survey]] and [[Media: PRR_EE_Summer_School_Market_Research_presentation.pdf|Extended Education/Summer School Market Survey Presentation]]).<br />
<br />
During 2006, considerable effort went into developing a new format for our summer school course listings for 2007. The course-listing catalog mirrored that of Extended Education. The new format made it easier to locate course descriptions by disciplinary area and the catalog was more attractive and easier to navigate than the course listing used in prior years.<br />
<br />
Issues:<br />
<br />
The most important summer school issue is to maximize summer revenues to support college operations by matching college offerings with demand. An important benefit of this is to provide support for faculty members in the design of popular, economically viable summer offerings. <br />
<br />
*Survey students in the spring to determine their needs and interests in courses for summer school.<br />
*Create flexibility in the curriculum development process to permit addressing needs/interests identified by student survey.<br />
*Analyze regular academic year enrollment patterns to determine predictive value for summer enrollment.<br />
*Use analysis to “size” and “shape” the curriculum to market demand.<br />
*Assess the quality of student experience and learning.<br />
<br />
===Standard 2.H – Non-Credit Programs and Courses===<br />
<br />
Extended Education non-credit programs and courses are subject to and administered under relevant institutional policies, regulations, and procedures. Faculty are involved in planning and evaluating non-credit programs through their representation on the Extended Education Advisory Committee. The faculty as a whole will also be involved in a third- and-fifth year review of the financial viability and quality of the Extended Education program. <br />
<br />
Extended Education maintains the following records for all non-credit courses:<br />
<br />
: 1. Course/workshop enrollment records that include name, address, Social Security or Evergreen ID number, and telephone and e-mail contact information. <br />
<br />
: 2. Course descriptions, fees, and faculty resumes.<br />
<br />
: 3. Fee collection and deposit records.<br />
<br />
: 4. Workshop instructors’ files containing contact information, current resume, course/workshop proposals, and participant evaluations of courses offered by instructor.<br />
<br />
: 5. Detailed and summary evaluations of all custom training.<br />
<br />
Extended Education contracts with Education To Go (a division of Thompson Learning, Inc.) for all of its online non-academic credit bearing courses. Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) are currently offered in partnership with St. Peter Hospital for CME and CNE units and with the National Association of Social Workers, Washington Chapter for CEU’s. These limited offerings meet all administrative requirements and provide ten hours of instruction per CEU awarded ([[Media: Thomson_Contract.pdf|Contract with Thomson Learning]]). <br />
<br />
Custom Training<br />
<br />
Extended Education currently provides custom training for professional skill development in management and in human resources. It contracts with the Washington State Department of Personnel to provide training in these areas for state employees ([[Media: Dept_Personnel.pdf|Contract with the Department of Personnel]]).<br />
<br />
Issues<br />
<br />
*Obtain faculty approval of a policy permitting continuing faculty to teach courses and/or workshops through Extended Education.<br />
*Expand custom training to meet the needs of local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.<br />
*Develop an online registration system for not-for-academic-credit-offerings.<br />
*Obtain dedicated administrative and classroom space. <br />
*Establish a market-based compensation system for faculty and instructors in Extended Education.<br />
<br />
===Standard 2 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1.) There is strong congruency between Evergreen’s mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college, its educational practices and philosophy, the experiences of students at the college, and the outcomes for its graduates.<br />
<br />
2.) Evergreen’s willingness to identify and promote public interdisciplinary liberal arts provides a strong alternative account of the democratic value, as opposed to the purely economic value, of public education.<br />
<br />
3.) Evergreen’s success with non-selective admissions and a relatively diverse population demonstrate that this model works well for the least to the best prepared.<br />
<br />
4.) The Five Foci of an Evergreen Education and the Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate provide a powerful grounding for reflexive thinking and personal responsibility as students explore not only the subject matter, but deal with the issue of how they know what they know and try to understand the implications of this knowledge for themselves and their community.<br />
<br />
5.) The college has worked hard at the process of renewing its faculty as the first generation retires. The college is still significantly informed by the concern for learning, student autonomy, interdisciplinary work, and social responsibility that cohort exemplified.<br />
<br />
6.) Figuring out how to include or provide effective professional, career-oriented instruction in the context of an evolving interdisciplinary curriculum is difficult. Nevertheless, the college affirms that that is the best approach to professional areas of student learning and is possible with the right faculty.<br />
<br />
7.) The success of Evening and Weekend Studies, especially in course work, has led to more consistent availability of prerequisites, language training, arts, mathematics, and psychology. The area has produced creative half-time programs and has supported work in programs across the curriculum. Yet the disaggregating of the curriculum into smaller/shorter programs, and the consequent broader array of curricular choices, has led to unintended consequences for the quality of learning, advising, and interdisciplinary work at the college. Better coordination of EWS offerings with the work of other planning units is a continuing issue.<br />
<br />
8.) Planning and governance time commitments are extensive. The growth of the institution, the increasing pressure from external sources, and the establishment of faculty collective bargaining suggest a need to reexamine faculty governance.<br />
<br />
9.) The college has worked well with Native American communities in the region to foster reservation–based programs and opportunities for a Tribal Master of Public Administration degree. The college stands out nationally in service to Native American populations and regional Native communities.<br />
<br />
10.) The college has significantly improved its assessment processes, data collection, and analysis. Much of this work is reflected in reports for off-campus agencies and accountability. While Institutional Research has been able to share much of its work through summer institutes, finding ways to share data more effectively with the campus to help foster improvements in instruction and curriculum design is an important goal.<br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen remains an important college at the national level as a model of public education that values and fosters democratic engagement, public participation, and self-aware responsible citizenship.<br />
<br />
2.) Evergreen’s five foci and six expectations have been successful in promoting reflexive thinking and exceptional engagement on the part of students and faculty across the curriculum.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has been very successful in expanding services to and engagement with Native American communities at multiple levels.<br />
<br />
4.) While the success of Evening and Weekend Studies, especially in course work, has led to more consistent availability of certain subjects, the college needs to carefully manage the tension between the demand for course work and the provision of longer, inquiry-based interdisciplinary programs.<br />
<br />
5.) The college’s graduates are successful and generally very pleased with their work at the college.<br />
<br />
6.) The review period has covered the implementation period of the 1995 Long Range Curriculum Report and the reorganization of the curriculum into planning units. Planning units have provided a degree of stability to the structure of the curriculum, although not necessarily to student paths through the curriculum. Early stages of the Curricular Visions process identified a need for greater flexibility in inter-area programming and hiring. The Thematic Planning Groups reflect this concern.<br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen’s capacity to link its mission, activities, and educational outcomes indicates institutional coherence.<br />
<br />
2.) Evergreen faculty are to be commended for their continuing concern for innovation and improvement in their teaching and professional development.<br />
<br />
3.) The infusing of concerns for diversity widely across the curriculum reflects Evergreen's continuing concern for social justice and the impact of reflexive thinking on students' understanding of their position and responsibility in society.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen’s willingness to continue to see student autonomy at the core of student learning is indicative of the college’s ongoing willingness to take risks to allow students to create authentic, personally meaningful education.<br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college must follow through on the good start that has been made in the Curricular Visions DTF.<br />
<br />
2.) The college should explore governance options to build capacity to respond to external pressures and act effectively within the college.<br />
<br />
3.) The college should focus attention on inter-area and Core teaching and may strengthen these areas through the use of Thematic Planning Groups.<br />
<br />
4.) The curriculum deans and faculty need to continue to maintain a balance between opportunities for large-scale, yearlong, thematic programs and shorter programs for introductory, breadth, and advanced work, remembering that three-quarter programs can be very effective sites for advanced work, advising, and reflexive learning. The deans should also pursue better coordination, articulation, and integration between the EWS curriculum and the daytime curriculum.<br />
<br />
5.) The faculty should explore mechanisms to provide systematic faculty-student advising across the curriculum.<br />
<br />
6.) The curriculum deans and faculty should continue to work on developing and supporting a strong first-year cohort proposal, and, with Student Affairs, strengthen the first-year experience and support student retention.<br />
<br />
7.) The college should expand support for Institutional Research to further facilitate reflection and action by the faculty in response to findings.<br />
<br />
== Standard 2 - Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Two|Supporting Documentation for Standard 2]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=File:2007-mpa_mission_data.pdf&diff=8864File:2007-mpa mission data.pdf2008-07-24T23:44:32Z<p>Coghlanl: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Two&diff=8863Supporting Documentation for Standard Two2008-07-24T23:44:07Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Master of Public Administration */</p>
<hr />
<div>Supporting documentation can be uploaded using the Upload file link on the left navigation bar.<br />
<br />
===General Requirements - Standard 2A===<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Degrees Conferred 2005-2007.pdf|Degrees Conferred 2005-2007]]<br />
* [[Media: Analysis_of_Over_16_Credit_Load.pdf|Analysis of Over 16 Credit Load]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Fall 2007 Enrollment Summary.pdf|Fall 2007 Student Demographic Summary]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Narrative_Evaluation_Guide.pdf|Narrative Evaluation Guide 2004]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Eval_processing_Exec_Summary.doc|Narrative Evaluation Processing DTF Report (Executive Summary)]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Reportsummary2.doc|Narrative Evaluation DTF Report Summary 2000]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Narrevalremind.doc|Narrative Evaluation DTF Recommendation 1998]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Five_foci.pdf|The Five Foci of an Evergreen Education]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: SixExpectations.pdf|The Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate]]<br />
<br />
===Undergraduate Program – Standards 2B, 2C===<br />
<br />
====Curricular Visions====<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Curricular_Visions_DTF_Charge.pdf|Curricular Visions DTF Charge]]<br />
* [[Media: Curricular_Visions_Home_Page.pdf|Curricular Visions Home Page]]<br />
*[[Media: LRC_final_charge_fac_whole_2005.doc|Curricular Visions Charge Winter 2006]]<br />
*[[Media: Deans_Governance_Group_W06_summary.doc|Summary of Winter 2006 Discussions]]<br />
*[[Media: Curricular_Visions_Intermin_Report_to_the_Faculty_507.doc|Interim Report to the Faculty May 2007]]<br />
*[[Media: Design_group_report_907.doc|Design Group Report September 2007]]<br />
* [[Media: Summary_of_Supplemental_Data_%28Upper-Lower_Division%2C_Up_Week%2C_Cohorts%2C_Fields_of_Study%29.pdf|Summary of Supplemental Data (Upper-Lower Division, Up Week, Cohorts, Fields of Study)]]<br />
* [[Media: Curricular Visions Data_Exhibits.pdf|Curricular Visions Data Exhibits]]<br />
*[[Media: LRC_final_charge_fac_whole_2005.doc|Charge - The Long Range Future of the Curriculum 2005]]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====Student Self Study Focus Group====<br />
<br />
*[[Media: student focus group_standard2_5feb08_summary.pdf|Student Focus Group - Standard 2 -Summary 5Feb2008]]<br />
*[[Media: student focus group_standard3_5feb08_summary.pdf|Student Focus Group - Standard 3 -Summary 5Feb2008]]<br />
*[[Media: student focus group_standard2_7feb08_summary.pdf|Student Focus Group - Standard 2 -Summary 7Feb2008]]<br />
*[[Media: student focus group_standard3_7feb08_summary.pdf|Student Focus Group - Standard 3 -Summary 7Feb2008]]<br />
<br />
====Planning Unit Self Studies 2005====<br />
<br />
[[Media: CTL_SelfStudy_2005_PDF.pdf|Culture, Text and Language (CTL)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: ES_self_study_2005_lauraedit_PDF.pdf|Environmental Studies (ES)]] <br />
<br />
[[Media: EWS_Self_Study_with_app.pdf|Evening and Weekend Studies (EWS)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: EA_SelfStudy_2005_PDF.pdf|Expressive Arts (ExA)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: RB_self_study_summary_2005_PDF.pdf|Reservation-Based Community-Determined Program (RBCD)]] <br />
<br />
[[Media: SI_Self-Study_PDF.pdf|Scientific Inquiry (SI)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: SPBCselfstudy_PDF.pdf|Society, Politics, Behavior and Change (SPBC)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Tacoma_Self_Study_05_w_app.pdf|Tacoma Program]]<br />
<br />
====End-of-program Review 2006-07====<br />
<br />
* [[Media: End-of-program_Review_Assessment_Web_Page.pdf|End-of-program Review Assessment Web Page]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: EPR 2006-07_-_Art_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Art Overview]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Art_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Art by Planning Unit]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences Overview]]<br />
*[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences by Planning Unit]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Humanities_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Humanities Overview]]<br />
*[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Humanities_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Humanities by Planning Unit]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Social_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Social Sciences Overview]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Social_Sciences_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Social Sciences by Planning Unit]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math Overview]]<br />
*[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math by Planning Unit]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Writing_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Writing Overview]]<br />
*[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Writing_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Writing by Planning Unit]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]<br />
*[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Critical_Thinking_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Critical Thinking Overview]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Critical_Thinking_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Critical Thinking by Planning Unit]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Oppression%2C_Privilege%2C_and_Difference_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Diversity, Difference, Privilege, and Oppression Overview]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Oppression%2C_Privilege%2C_and_Difference_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Diversity, Difference, Privilege, and Oppression by Planning Unit]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Community-based_Projects_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Community-based Projects Overview]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Community-based_Projects_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Community-based Projects by Planning Unit]]<br />
*[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Compelling_Intellectual_Experiences_and_Successful_Pedagogical_Practices.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Compelling Intellectual Experiences and Successful Pedagogical Practices]]<br />
<br />
====Summaries of End-of-program Review Results: Academic Year 2001-02 through AY 2005-06====<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Art.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Art]] <br />
* [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Science_and_Math.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Science and Math]]<br />
*[[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Science_and_Math_-_Distribution.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Science and Math Distribution]]<br />
* [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Humanities.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Humanities]] <br />
* [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Social_Sciences.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Social Sciences]] <br />
* [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Quantitative_Reasoning.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Quantitative Reasoning]] <br />
* [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Writing.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Writing]] <br />
* [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Information_Technology_Literacy.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Information Technology]] <br />
* [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Critical_Thinking.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Critical Thinking]] <br />
* [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Addressing_Diversity_and_Oppression.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Addressing Diversity and Oppression]] <br />
* [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Advanced_Work.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Advanced Work]] <br />
* [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Summary_of_Response_Rates.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Summary of Response Rates]]<br />
<br />
====End-of-program Review Workshop====<br />
* [[Media: Advanced_Work_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Advanced Work Across the Curriculum]] <br />
* [[Media: Advanced_Work%2C_A_Supplement.pdf|Advanced Work, A Supplement]] <br />
* [[Media: Advising_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Advising Across the Curriculum]] <br />
* [[Media: Art_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Art Across the Curriculum]] <br />
* [[Media: Art%2C_A_Supplement.pdf|Art, A Supplement]] <br />
* [[Media: Critical_Thinking_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum]] <br />
* [[Media: Humanities_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Humanities Across the Curriculum]] <br />
* [[Media: Information_Technology_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Information Technology Across the Curriculum]] <br />
* [[Media: Addressing_Opression_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Addressing Oppression Across the Curriculum]] <br />
*[[Media: Quantitative_Reasoning_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Quantitative Reasoning Across the Curriculum]] <br />
* [[Media: Quantitative_Reasoning%2C_A_Supplement.pdf|Quantitative Reasoning, A Supplement]] <br />
*[[Media: Science_and_Math_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Science and Math Across the Curriculum]] <br />
*[[Media: Science_and_Math%2C_A_Supplement.pdf|Science and Math Across the Curriculum, A Supplement]] <br />
* [[Media: Social_Science_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Social Science Across the Curriculum]] <br />
* [[Media: Writing_Across_the_Curriculum_by_Jeanne_Hahn.pdf|Writing Across the Curriculum - by Jeanne Hahn]] <br />
* [[Media: Writing_Across_the_Curriculum_by_Yannone_and_McLane-Higginson.pdf|Writing Across the Curriculum - by Sandy Yannone]]<br />
<br />
<br />
====Curriculum Detail====<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Curriculum_Enrollment_Detail_2006-07.pdf|Curriculum Enrollment Detail AY 2006-07]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Courses_by_General_Education_Divisions.pdf|Courses by General Education Divisions]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions Selected Trends 1997 to 2007]]<br />
<br />
====National Data Sharing====<br />
* [[Media: COPLAC DataProfile AY05-06.pdf|COPLAC DataProfile AY05-06]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: CSRDE Freshman Graduation Rates.pdf|Consortium for Student Retention Data Exchange: First-time, First-year Cohort Graduation Rates]]<br />
<br />
====Evergreen New Student Survey==== <br />
*[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_Home_Page.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey Homepage]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_Research_Methodology.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 Research Methodology]] <br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Do_you_plan_to_focus.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Do you plan to focus]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail First-time, First-years]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_Transfer_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail Transfer Students]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Prior Math.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Prior Math]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Skills_of_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Skills of First-time, First-years]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Skills_of_Transfer_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Skills of Transfer Students]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2003_-_Goals%2C_Skills%2C_and_Perceptions_Final_Report.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2003 - Goals, Skills, and Perceptions Final Report]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2003_-_Summary_of_Responses_-_First_Generation_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2003 - Summary of Responses – First Generation Students]]<br />
*[[Media: Nss2005results_and_questions_web_page.pdf|New Student Survey Questions 2005]]<br />
* [[Media: BCSS_2004_Frequencies_Evergreen.pdf|BCSS 2004 Evergreen Frequencies]]<br />
* [[Media: CIRP_2001_Report.pdf|CIRP 2001 Report]]<br />
<br />
====Evergreen Student Experience Survey==== <br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_Web_Page.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey Home Page]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Methodology.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 Methodology]] <br />
*[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Learning_Growth_for_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Learning Growth for Olympia Campus Students]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_What_is_your_primary_field_of_study_or_concentration_at_Evergreen_-_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - primary field of study – Olympia Students]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Primary_field_of_study_-_Planning_Unit_Analysis_-_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Primary Field of Study – Planning Unit Analysis – Olympia Students]]<br />
*[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Final_Report.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Final Report]]<br />
*[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Analysis_of_Differences_in_Responses_Between_Racial-Ethnic_Subgroups.pdf |Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Analysis of Differences in Response Between Racial-Ethnic Subgroups]]<br />
<br />
====General Education====<br />
<br />
'''General Education at Evergreen: The Historical Context, Current Experiments and Recommendations for Implementation (John McCann, 2002)'''<br />
<br />
*[[Media: General_Education_at_Evergreen.doc|Title Page]]<br />
*[[Media: Gen.Ed.Intro.pdf|Introduction]]<br />
*[[Media: Gen.Ed.pdf|General Education at Evergreen]]<br />
*[[Media: Gen.Ed.Append.pdf|Appendix]]<br />
<br />
====General Education Learning Indicators====<br />
<br />
* [[Media:General_Education_Learning_Indicators.pdf|General Education Learning Indicators]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media:Teaching and Learning at Evergreen_Final Assessment Study Group Report 12-17-0.pdf|Teaching and Learning at Evergreen 2002]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media:ASG_Report_2002-03_annualupdate.pdf|Update to Assessment Study Group Report for 2002-03]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media:CSEQ_2003_Learning Index.pdf|CSEQ 2003 Learning Index]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media:The_Activity_of_Information_Literacy.pdf|The Activity of Information Literacy: A Process Assessment of Student Research Skills <br />
]]<br />
<br />
====National Survey of Student Engagement====<br />
* [[Media: National_Survey_of_Student_Engagement_Web_Page.pdf|National Survey of Student Engagement Web Page]]<br />
* [[Media: Trends%2C_Highlights%2C_and_NSSE_Accountability_Performance_Indicators_2001-2007.pdf|NSSE Trends, Highlights, and Accountability Performance Indicators 2001-2007]]<br />
* [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen_Faculty_and_Student_Responses_to_Surveys_of_Student_Engagement_-_Lower-division_Comparison.pdf|Evergreen Faculty and Student Responses to Surveys of Student Engagement - Lower-division Comparison 2005]]<br />
* [[Media: NSSE_transformative education_aacu08.pdf|NSSE Transformative Education AACU presentation Jan08, Washington DC]]<br />
<br />
====Transfer Student Research====<br />
*[[Media: Illuminating_the_New_Students_in_the_Shadows_-_Background%2C_Experiences%2C_and_Outcomes_of_Transfer_Students.pdf| Illuminating the New Students in the Shadows: Background, Experiences, and Outcomes of Transfer Students]]<br />
* [[Media: Illuminating_the_Students_in_the_Shadows_%E2%80%93_Conference_PowerPoint_Presentation.pdf|Illuminating the Students in the Shadows – Conference PowerPoint Presentation]]<br />
*[[Media: Meet_Evergreen%E2%80%99s_Transfer_Students_Web_Page.pdf|Meet Evergreen’s Transfer Students Web Page]]<br />
<br />
====Alumni Surveys====<br />
Survey Results One Year After Graduation<br />
*[[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Culture%2C_Text%2C_and_Language.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Culture, Text, and Language]]<br />
*[[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Environmental_Studies.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Environmental Studies]]<br />
*[[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Expressive_Arts.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Expressive Arts]]<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Scientific_Inquiry.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Scientific Inquiry]]<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Society%2C_Politics%2C_Behavior%2C_and_Change.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Society, Politics, Behavior and Change]]<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Evening_Weekend_Studies.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Evening Weekend Studies]]<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Tacoma_Summary.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Tacoma]]<br />
* [[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2004.pdf|Alumni Survey 2004]]<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2002.pdf|Alumni Survey 2002]] <br />
<br />
<br />
Other Alumni Surveys<br />
* [[Media: Greeners_at_Work_2003_-_Alumni_and_Employers_Three_Years_After_Graduation.pdf|Greeners at Work 2003 - Alumni and Employers Three Years After Graduation]]<br />
* [[Media: Greeners_at_Work_1999_-_Alumni.pdf|Greeners at Work 1999 - Alumni]]<br />
* [[Media: Greeners_at_Work_1999_-_Employers.pdf|Greeners at Work 1999 - Employers]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Five-Year_Alumni_Survey_-_Advanced_Education%2C_Employment%2C_Volunteerism%2C_and_Reflections_on_an_Evergreen_Education.pdf|Five-Year Alumni Survey - Advanced Education, Employment, Volunteerism, and Reflections on an Evergreen Education]]<br />
<br />
<br />
Additional Alumni Outcomes<br />
*[[Media: GRE_Results_Summary_2002-2006.pdf|GRE Results Summary 2002-2006]]<br />
* [[Media: LSAT scores 2001-2006.pdf|LSAT Scores 2001-2006]]<br />
<br />
====Writing and Quantitative Reasoning Centers====<br />
<br />
[[Media: Quantitative_Reasoning_Center_Statistics.doc|Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning Center (QuaSR) Statistics 2003-2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Quantitative_and_Symbolic_Reasoning_Center_%28QuaSR%29_Initiatives_2003-2007.doc|Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning Center (QuaSR) Initiatives 2003-2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Writing_for_2008_Self-Study.doc|Writing Center Report for Self-Study 2008]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: BTJ_essay_prompt.doc|Writing Assessment Prompt for Beginning The Journey 2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: BTJ_Letter.doc|Introductory Letter for Writing Assessment]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: WC_contacts_by_year.pdf|Writing Center Contacts by Year]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: R_to_W_Final_Layout_in_11_pt_w_page_numbers_8X14.doc|READING TO WRITE: Attuning College Freshmen to a Literate Life]]<br />
<br />
====Additional 2B and 2C References====<br />
[[Media: Grissom_Humanities at Evergreen_2007.pdf|Tom Grissom on Humanities at Evergreen – Emeritus Ceremony 2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Rita_Self_eval_2007.doc|Rita Pougiales (Dean of Faculty Hiring & Development) Self-Evaluation 2007]]<br />
<br />
===Graduate Program – Standard 2D===<br />
<br />
====Master of Environmental Studies====<br />
<br />
[[Media: MES_Self-Study_2004.doc|MES Self Study 2004]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: MES_Curriculum_FQ07-SQ09.doc|MES Curriculum 2007-2009]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Enrollment_History_for_Master_of_Environmental_Studies.pdf|Enrollment History for Master of Environmental Studies]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Annual_Report_%2706-7.doc|Annual Report 2006-07]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Annual_Report_%2705-6.doc|Annual Report 2005-06]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: MES_Director_Position_2004.doc|MES Director Job Description]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: -1885_Asst_Dir_MES_REVISED_01-18-08.doc|MES Assistant Director Job Description]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Student_Handbook_07-08.pdf|MES Student Handbook 2007-08]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: ThesisHandbook12-07.pdf|MES Thesis Handbook]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: mes_coresequence.pdf|MES Core Sequence]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: messupport.pdf|MES Supported Resources]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: MES_letter_from_Dr._Focht.pdf|Focht Report 2005]]<br />
<br />
Curriculum Vita for MES Faculty:<br />
<br />
*[[Media: BastakiCV.doc|Maria Bastaki]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: DormanCV.pdf|Peter Dorman]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: StumpffCV.doc|Linda Stumpff]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: StyringCV.pdf|Alison Styring]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: WhitesellCV.doc|Ted Whitesell]]<br />
<br />
====Master of Public Administration====<br />
<br />
[[Media: MPA_self_study_2003_FINAL.doc|MPA Self Study 2004]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: MPA_Catalog_.revised.pdf|MPA Catalog]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Enrollment_History_for_Master_of_Public_Administration.pdf|Enrollment History for Master of Public Administration]]<br />
<br />
Annual Reports:<br />
<br />
*[[Media: 03.04_MPA_Annual_Report.doc|2003-04]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: MPA_04.05_Annual_Report.final.doc|2004-05]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: MPA_06.07.Annual_Report.final.doc|2006-07]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Student_survey.spring_2007.final.doc|MPA 2007 Student Data]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: 2007-mpa_mission_data.pdf|MPA Mission Data]]<br />
<br />
Faculty CV's:<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Amy_Gould_cv.doc|Amy Gould]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Bruce_Davies.cv.doc|Bruce Davies]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Larry_Geri_cv.doc|Larry Geri]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Nita_Rinehart_cv.doc|Nita Rinehart]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Cheryl_Simrell_King_cv.doc|Cheryl Simrell King]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: StumpffCV.doc|Linda Stumpff]]<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Media: MPA_FY08.xls|MPA Budget]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Student_handbook_%2707.pdf|MPA Catalog and Student Handbook]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Final_Report_Core_2_research_team_v5.doc|Final Report Core 2 research team V5. doc]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Kathy_Corey_Stephan_Presentation_Final.pdf|Kathy Corey Stephen Presentation]]<br />
<br />
====Master in Teaching====<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Enrollment_History_for_Master_in_Teaching.pdf|Enrollment History for Master in Teaching]]<br />
<br />
<br />
MIT Accreditation Report 2007<br />
<br />
*[[Media: IRcoverpage.doc|Cover Page]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: IRTableofcontents.doc|Table of Contents]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: MIT_accreditation_reformattedIR2_19.doc|Main Report 2007 to the Washington Professional Educator Standards Board]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: TablecontentProcert.doc|Table of Contents for Professional Certification Review]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Procertreview9_20_07.doc|Professional Certification Review]]<br />
<br />
<br />
Faculty CV's<br />
<br />
*[[Media: coleman_resume.doc|Scott Coleman]]<br />
*[[Media: ensign_resume.doc|Jacque Ensign]]<br />
*[[Media: ford_resume.doc|Terry Ford]]<br />
*[[Media: freeman_resume.doc|George Freeman]]<br />
*[[Media: gerst_resume.doc|Gery Gerst]]<br />
*[[Media: sugiyama_resume.doc|Masao Sugiyama]]<br />
*[[Media: walton_resume.doc|Sherry Walton]]<br />
<br />
===Continuing Education and Special Learning Activities – Standard 2G===<br />
<br />
====Extended Education====<br />
* [[Media: Final_Evergreen_PRR_Market_Survey_Report_11Oct06.pdf|Extended Education Marketing Survey]]<br />
* [[Media: PRR_EE_Summer_School_Market_Research_presentation.pdf|Extended Education/Summer School Market Survey Presentation]]<br />
*[[Media: Enrollment_%26_Students_in_EE-06-07.pdf|Extended Education Enrollment 2006-07]]<br />
*[[Media: Enrollment_EE-05-06.pdf|Extended Education Enrollment 2005-06]]<br />
* [[Media: EE Annual Report 2006-07.pdf|Extended Education Annual Report 2006-07]]<br />
* [[Media: EE Annual Report 2005-06.pdf|Extended Education Annual Report 2005-06]]<br />
*[[Media: Facmins111704.doc|Faculty Meeting Minutes from 11/17/04]]<br />
*[[Media: ExtEd_Proposal_Final.doc| Extended Education Proposal Final]]<br />
*[[Media: EE_Spring_07.pdf|Extended Education Catalog Spring 2007]]<br />
*[[Media: EE_Winter_07.pdf|Extended Education Catalog Winter 2007]]<br />
*[[Media: EE_Fall_06.pdf|Extended Education Catalog Fall 2006]]<br />
*[[Media: EEAC_Members_2007-08.doc|Extended Education Advisory Committee Membership 2007-08]]<br />
*[[Media: Members_2006-07.doc|Extended Education Advisory Committee Membership 2006-07]]<br />
*[[Media: Thomson_Contract.pdf|Contract with Thomson Learning]]<br />
*[[Media: Dept_Personnel.pdf|Contract with the Department of Personnel]]<br />
<br />
====Study Abroad====<br />
<br />
[[Media: Study_Abroad_History2.xls|Study Abroad History]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Study_Abroad_Procedures.doc|Study Abroad Procedures]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Study_Abroad.doc|Study Abroad at Evergreen]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Studyabroad_worksheet2008.doc|Study Abroad Worksheet 2008]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Travel_Waiver_07.pdf|Study Abroad Travel Waiver]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Alumni_Study_Abroad_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|Alumni Study Abroad by Planning Unit]]<br />
<br />
====Tacoma====<br />
* [[Media: Tacoma_Program_Enrollment_History_1992-2007.pdf|Enrollment History for Tacoma Program]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Skills - Tacoma.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Skills - Tacoma]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Dependent Children - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Dependent Children - Tacoma]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Employment - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Employment - Tacoma]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Financial Support - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Financial Support - Tacoma]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Parental Education - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Parental Education - Tacoma]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Campus Resource Use - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Campus Resource Use - Tacoma]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - First Choice - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - First Choice - Tacoma]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Workload - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Workload - Tacoma]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Diversity Importance- Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Diversity Importance - Tacoma]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction - Tacoma]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Learning - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Learning - Tacoma]]<br />
<br />
====Tribal Reservation-based Programs====<br />
* [[Media: Tribalenrollmenthistory.pdf|Enrollment History for Tribal: Reservation-based/Community-determined Programs]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Learning - Tribal Programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Learning - Tribal Programs]]<br />
* [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction - Tribal Programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction - Tribal Programs]]<br />
*[[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Goals - Tribal programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Goals - Tribal programs]]<br />
*[[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Intent to Stay - Tribal programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Intent to Stay - Tribal programs]]<br />
<br />
====Grays Harbor====<br />
* [[Media: Graysharborenrollhistory.pdf|Enrollment History for Grays Harbor Program]]<br />
* [[Media: Dan_EW_Grays_Harbor0001.pdf|Grays Harbor Program Self-Study 2004]]<br />
<br />
====Summer School====<br />
* [[Media: Summer_School_Enrollment_Trends_2004-2007.pdf|Summer School Enrollment Trends 2004-2007]]<br />
* [[Media: Summer_School_Student_Demographics_2004-2007.pdf|Summer School Student Demographics 2004-2007]]<br />
<br />
==General Requirements and Undergraduate Program==<br />
===Required Documentation:===<br />
1. Instruments and procedures used to measure educational program effectiveness.<br />
<br />
2. Inventory of documents that demonstrate the appraisal of educational program outcomes. The documents are to be available on campus for examination by the evaluation committee.Examples may include:<br />
*annual goals and assessment of success in their accomplishment;<br />
*studies of alumni and former students;<br />
*studies regarding effectiveness of programs and their graduates;<br />
*test comparisons that reveal beginning and ending competencies;<br />
*surveys of student satisfaction.<br />
<br />
3. Inventory of degree programs that have been added or deleted in the last five years.<br />
<br />
4. Number of degrees granted in each program for the last three years.<br />
<br />
5. Published statements or other written rationale for the general education program.<br />
<br />
===Required Exhibits:===<br />
1. Statement of degree objectives for each degree program.<br />
<br />
2. Description of curriculum development bodies and advisory groups, with rules of procedure and recent minutes.<br />
<br />
3. Complete departmental or program self-studies prepared for part of this self-study.<br />
<br />
4. Evaluation forms and summary reports of student evaluations of faculty and courses.<br />
<br />
5. Self-study and evaluation committee reports from external reviews and the most recent professional accreditation visits and documentation of resulting actions.<br />
<br />
6. Criteria and procedures for admission and retention of students, maintenance of student records, and awarding of credit, including credit for prior experiential learning.<br />
7. Policies regarding transfer of credit, including articulation agreements with other institutions.<br />
<br />
8. Policies regarding remedial work.<br />
<br />
9. Description of the materials and forms used in the academic advisement process.<br />
<br />
10. Grade distribution studies.<br />
<br />
11. Policies governing public service.<br />
<br />
===Supplemental Materials:===<br />
1. Compilation of entering freshman student ability measures.<br />
<br />
2. Samples of course examinations and other instruments used to assess student achievement or competency and, when possible, available work products determined to be of different levels of quality.<br />
<br />
3. Funds devoted to research, if applicable, for each of the past three years; principal sources of such funds.</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_One&diff=8862Supporting Documentation for Standard One2008-07-24T23:31:02Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Budget */</p>
<hr />
<div>====Planning====<br />
<br />
[[Media: Strategic_Plan_2007.pdf|Strategic Plan Update 2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Dashboard.pdf|Dashboard Indicators]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergren_Mission_Statement_2007-present.doc|Evergreen Mission Statement January 2007 - present]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Mission_Statement_2000-07.doc|Evergreen Mission Statement 2000-07]]<br />
<br />
Master Plan January 2007:<br />
<br />
*[[Media: VOLUME_I.pdf|Master Plan Volume I]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: VOLUME_II.pdf|Master Plan Volume II]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: VOLUME_III.pdf|Master Plan Volume III]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: 2007-09 Capital Budget Final 8-31-06.pdf|2007-09 Final Capital Budget]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: 10 YearAppendices.pdf|Master Plan Appendices]]<br />
<br />
<br />
Sustainability Task Force Report 2006:<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Sustain_coverdocument.pdf|Cover Document]]<br />
*[[Media: Sustain_strategicareas.pdf|Strategic Areas]]<br />
*[[Media: Sustain_detailedappendix.pdf|Detailed Appendix]] <br />
<br />
<br />
[[Media: Presidentreport.pdf|Diversity DTF Report 2006]]<br />
<br />
Faculty Advisory Panel on the College Budget:<br />
<br />
*[[Media: 09-11_Budget_Process_FAP_Summary.pdf|2009-11 Budget Process Summary for the Faculty]]<br />
*[[Media: FAPCBPresentation.pdf|Report to the Faculty 2007]]<br />
<br />
====Interim Report 2003====<br />
<br />
[[Media: NWCCU_Evaluation_Report_2003.pdf|NWCCU Interim Report 2003]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evrgrnaccred03.pdf|Interim Self-Study 2003]]<br />
<br />
====Alumni Surveys====<br />
<br />
Survey Results One Year After Graduation<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Culture%2C_Text%2C_and_Language.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 - Culture, Text, and Language]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Environmental_Studies.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 - Environmental Studies]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Expressive_Arts.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 - Expressive Arts]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Scientific_Inquiry.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 - Scientific Inquiry]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Society%2C_Politics%2C_Behavior%2C_and_Change.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 - Society, Politics, Behavior and Change]]<br />
<br />
*[[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Evening_Weekend_Studies.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 Evening Weekend Studies]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Tacoma_Summary.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006 - Tacoma]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2004.pdf|Alumni Survey 2004]]<br />
<br />
* [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2002.pdf|Alumni Survey 2002]]<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Media: Greeners_at_Work_2003_-_Alumni_and_Employers_Three_Years_After_Graduation.pdf|Greeners at Work 2003 - Alumni and Employers Three Years After Graduation]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Five-Year_Alumni_Survey_-_Advanced_Education%2C_Employment%2C_Volunteerism%2C_and_Reflections_on_an_Evergreen_Education.pdf|Five-Year Alumni Survey - Advanced Education, Employment, Volunteerism, and Reflections on an Evergreen Education]]<br />
<br />
====Enrollment====<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit 3-6 Report_on_Student_Recruitment.doc|Admissions Recruitment Plan January 2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: A_Charge_for_Enrollment_Management_Planning.doc|Strategic Enrollment Plan charge]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Enrollment_Counts_and_Demographics_Web_Page.pdf|Enrollment Counts and Demographics Web Page]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: First-time%2C_First-year_Applicants%2C_Admitted%2C_and_Enrolled_%282001-2007%29.pdf|First-time, First-year Applicants, Admitted, and Enrolled (2001-2007)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Transfer_Applicants%2C_Admitted%2C_and_Enrolled_%282001-2007%29.pdf|Transfer Applicants, Admitted and Enrolled (2001-2007)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Admissions_History_%281982-2007%29.pdf|Admissions History (1982-2007)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Total_Student_Headcount_and_FTE_%281971-2007%29.pdf|Total Student Headcount and FTE (1971-2007)]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Enrollment Growth DTF_enrollment_plan_history.pdf|Enrollment Growth DTF: Enrollment Planning History]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: ENROLLMENT_GROWTH_FINAL_REPORT_2005.doc|Enrollment Growth DTF Final Report 2005]]<br />
<br />
====General Education====<br />
<br />
General Education at Evergreen: The Historical Context, Current Experiments and Recommendations for Implementation:<br />
<br />
*[[Media: General_Education_at_Evergreen.doc|Title Page]]<br />
*[[Media: Gen.Ed.Intro.pdf|Introduction]]<br />
*[[Media: Gen.Ed.pdf|General Education at Evergreen]]<br />
*[[Media: Gen.Ed.Append.pdf|Appendix]]<br />
<br />
====Public Service Centers====<br />
<br />
*[[Media: 2006-07annualreportccbla.pdf|Center for Community-Based Learning and Action Annual Report 2007]]<br />
*[[Media: Ecieaccred2007.doc|The Evergreen Center for Educational Improvement Report 2007]]<br />
*[[Media: Labor_Center_Annual_Report_06-07.doc|Labor Education and Research Center]]<br />
*[[Media: IllumiNation_Capacity_Plan_LH.FINAL.pdf|Longhouse Educational and Cultural Center Capacity Building Plan 2006]]<br />
*[[Media: NIARI_Report_to_Provost.Aug.9.2007.doc|Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute]]<br />
*[[Media: WA_Center_Annual_Report_2006-2007.doc|Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education]]<br />
<br />
====Satisfaction Surveys====<br />
<br />
[[Media: National_Survey_of_Student_Engagement_Web_Page.pdf|National Survey of Student Engagement Web Page]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_Web_Page.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey Web Page]]<br />
<br />
====Budget====<br />
<br />
[[Media: pdf|Budget Request Schedule 09-11]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Budget101.pdf|Budget 101]]<br />
<br />
====DEEP Report====<br />
<br />
[[Media: DEEP_Final_Report_TESC.pdf|Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=File:Report_on_Student_Recruitment.pdf&diff=8861File:Report on Student Recruitment.pdf2008-07-24T23:27:55Z<p>Coghlanl: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Three&diff=8860Supporting Documentation for Standard Three2008-07-24T23:27:20Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 3D */</p>
<hr />
<div>===Required Tables===<br />
<br />
[[Media: Table_1.doc|NWCCU Table 1]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Table_2.doc|NWCCU Table 2]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Table_3.doc|NWCCU Table 3]]<br />
<br />
===Resumes===<br />
<br />
[[Media: Costantino.doc|Art Costantino, Vice President for Student Affairs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Endress_Resume_March_07.pdf|Wendy Endress, Executive Associate to the Vice President for Student Affairs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Seabert_Olsen.doc|Andi Seabert Olsen, Grievance Officer/Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Johnson.doc|Tracey Johnson, Administrative Secretary to the Vice President for Student Affairs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Lane.doc|Phyllis Lane, Dean of Student and Academic Support Services]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Richard_Stephen_HunterResume.doc|Steve Hunter, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Goodman.doc|Sharon Goodman, Director of Residential and Dining Services]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Sorger.pdf|Ed Sorger, Director of Police Services]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Stockwell.doc|Lynne Stockwell, Mediation Services Coordinator]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: daveweber.doc|Dave Weber, Director of Athletics and Recreation]]<br />
<br />
===Policies & Procedures on Student Conduct, Rights and Responsibilities===<br />
<br />
[[Media: Student Rights and Responsiblities.pdf|Student Rights and Responsiblities]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Student Right-to-Know.pdf|Student Right-to-Know]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Tuition Refunds.pdf|Tuition Refunds]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Student Fees.pdf|Student Fees]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Academic Honesty.pdf|Academic Honesty]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Athletic Handbook.pdf|Athletic Handbook]]<br />
<br />
<br />
===Institutional publications required by Campus Security Act, Drug Free Schools and Colleges Act, the Drug Free Workplace Act, and Student Right-to-Know Act===<br />
<br />
[[Media: Campus Security Act.pdf|Campus Security Act]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-24_Drug_Free_Schools_%26_Colleges_Act_-_Evergreen%27s_Biennial_Report_04-06.doc|Drug Free Schools and Colleges Act - Evergreen's Biennial Report 2004-06]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Drug Free Workplace Act.pdf|Drug Free Workplace Act]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Student Right-to-Know.pdf|Student Right-to-Know]]<br />
<br />
===Standard 3A===<br />
<br />
[[Media: First-Year_Experience_DTF_Recommendations_Final.doc|First-Year Experience DTF Recommendations]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-2_BTJ_2002.doc|Beginning the Journey Assessment 2002]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Org_chart_SA_with_names_2008.jpg|Student Affairs Organizational Chart with Names]]<br />
<br />
===Standard 3B===<br />
<br />
[[Media: Figure_3-1.doc|Annual Average Full-time Equivalent Enrollment]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Figure_3-2.doc|Composition of Fall Quarter Entering Undergraduate Degree-seeking Class]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Figure_3-3.doc|Fall Quarter Enrollment History]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Figure_3-4.doc|Distribution of Students of Color by Campus]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Retention Summary.pdf|Retention Summary]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: CSRDE Freshman Graduation Rates.pdf|First-time, First-year Cohort Graduation Rates]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: CSRDEretentiongraduation by ethnicity.pdf|Summary of College Student Retention Data Exchange (CSRDE) Data 1993 through 2003 by Race Ethnicity Gender]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-3.doc|Social Contract]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-4.doc|Student Conduct Code]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-5.doc|Student Rights and Responsibilities]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-6.doc|Grievance Forms]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Bias_Incident_Response_Protocol_Policy.doc|Bias Related Incident Response Protocol]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Mediation Center.pdf|Mediation Center Homepage]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: WRICOPS Report.pdf|WRICOPS Report]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Crimestats.pdf|Campus Crime Statistics 1999-2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-10_Police_Services-_Service_Improvements.doc|Police Services Improvements]]<br />
<br />
[http://www.evergreen.edu/catalog/2008-09/ http://www.evergreen.edu/catalog/2008-09/]<br />
<br />
[[ Media: Exhibit_3-12.doc|Professional Associations and Related Activities]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-13.doc|Retention Initiatives and Objectives]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: BTJ 2007 Survey Assessment Report.pdf|Beginning the Journey 2007: Results of Assessment Survey]] <br />
<br />
[[Media: BTJ 2007 status update 22apr08.pdf| Beginning the Journey 2007: Status Update 22apr08]]<br />
<br />
[[Media:BTJ_2004_Assessment_Final_Results.pdf|Beginning the Journey 2004: Results of an End-of-program Assessment Survey]]<br />
<br />
[[Media:BTJ_Longterm_Outcomes.pdf|Beginning the Journey Long-term Outcomes]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Campus_Life_DTF_Survey frequencies_2004.pdf|Campus Life DTF Survey Frequencies 2004]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Diversity at Evergreen webpage_may08.pdf|Diversity at Evergreen Web Page snapshot May08]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Undergraduate_Student_Disability_Demographics_2006.pdf|Evergreen Undergraduate Student Disability Demographics 2006]]<br />
<br />
====Evergreen New Student Survey====<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_Home_Page.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey Home Page]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_Responses_Web_Page.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 Responses Web Page]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2003_-_Summary_of_Responses_-_First_Generation_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2003 - Summary of Responses - First Generation Students]]<br />
<br />
====Evergreen Student Experience Survey====<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_Home_Page.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey Web Page]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Responses_Web_Page.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 Responses Web Page]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Analysis_of_Differences_in_Responses_Between_Racial-Ethnic_Subgroups.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Analysis of Differences in Responses Between Racial-Ethnic Subgroups]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_%E2%80%93_Diversity_Section_of_Report.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 – Diversity Section of Report]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Analysis_of_Utilization_of_Campus_Resources_and_Activities_%E2%80%93_On-Off_Campus.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Analysis of Utilization of Campus Resources and Activities – On-Off Campus]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Patterns Ethnicity Gender Sexual Orientation.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Exploring Patterns by Ethnicity and Gender/Sexual Orientation]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction of Olympia Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Tacoma_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction of Tacoma Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Tribal_Program_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction of Tribal Program Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006 Use of Campus_Resources - Olympia.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Use of Campus Resources - Olympia]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006 - Use of Campus_Resources_Tacoma.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Use of Campus Resources - Tacoma]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006 - Use of Campus_Resources_Tribal Programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Use of Campus Resources - Tribal Programs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Satisfaction_with_Campus_Support_Services.pdf|Satisfaction with Campus Support Services]]<br />
<br />
====National Survey of Student Engagement====<br />
<br />
[[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Trends%2C_Highlights%2C_and_NSSE_Accountability_Performance_Indicators_2001-2007.pdf|Trends, Highlights, and NSSE Accountability Performance Indicators 2001-2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: NSSE_2004_Student Affairs Excerpts.pdf|NSSE 2004 Student Affairs Excerpts]]<br />
<br />
====Special Institutional Research and Assessment Projects====<br />
<br />
[[Media: Individual_Academic_Advising_Contacts_-_Orientation_Week_Fall_2003_through_Spring_2004_Summary_Statistics.pdf|Individual Academic Advising Contacts - Orientation Week Fall 2003 through Spring 2004 Summary Statistics]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Non-native_English_Speaker_Focus_Group_Final_Report.pdf|Non-native English Speaker Focus Group Final Report]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Illuminating_the_New_Students_in_the_Shadows_-_Background%2C_Experiences%2C_and_Outcomes_of_Transfer_Students.pdf|Illuminating the New Students in the Shadows - Background, Experiences, and Outcomes of Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Illuminating_the_Students_in_the_Shadows_%E2%80%93_Conference_PowerPoint_Presentation.pdf|Illuminating the Students in the Shadows – Conference PowerPoint Presentation]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Meet_Evergreen%E2%80%99s_Transfer_Students_Web_Page.pdf|Meet Evergreen’s Transfer Students Web Page]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Results_of_Housing_Survey_-_Spring_2001.pdf|Results of Housing Survey - Spring 2001]]<br />
<br />
[[Media:Transitions_to_Success_Final_Report.pdf|Transitions to Success Final Report]]<br />
<br />
====Alumni Surveys====<br />
<br />
[[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]<br />
<br />
===Standard 3D===<br />
<br />
[[Media: Figure_3-7.doc|Trends in Fall Quarter Applications]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Figure_3-8.doc|Percent Fall Quarter Admitted Undergraduates Enrolling]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Figure_3-9.doc|Fall Undergraduate Application Process 2002-2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evrgrnaccred.pdf|2003 Interim Reaccreditation Report to the Northwest Commission]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3.15_Adm_Recruitment.doc|Admissions Self-Study]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Report_on_Student_Recruitment.pdf|Report on Student Recruitment]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: 2nd_Orientation_Guide_Schedule_2006.pdf|New Student Orientation Week Schedule]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-17.doc|Student Evaluation of Academic Planning Workshops]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: studentcommunicationsmedia.pdf|Student Communications Media Policy]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Cpj_operations.pdf|Cooper Point Journal Operating Procedures]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: amendingstudentrecords.pdf|FERPA Policy on Amending Student Records]]<br />
<br />
====Analyses of Admitted Students Who Choose NOT to Attend Evergreen====<br />
<br />
[[Media: An_Analysis_of_College_Choice_among_Admitted_Students_Who_Did_Not_Enroll_at_Evergreen_Fall_2006.pdf|An Analysis of College Choice among Admitted Students Who Did Not Enroll at Evergreen Fall 2006]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: An_Analysis_of_College_Choice_Among_Admitted_Students_Who_Did_Not_Enroll_2005.pdf|An Analysis of College Choice Among Admitted Students Who Did Not Enroll 2005]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Deciding_Not_to_Attend_Evergreen_-_Results_from_a_Survey_of_Prospective_Students_Admitted_to_Evergreen_for_Fall_2003_Who_Chose_Not_to_Enroll.pdf|Deciding Not to Attend Evergreen - Results from a Survey of Prospective Students Admitted to Evergreen for Fall 2003 Who Chose Not to Enroll]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Enrollment_Growth_Focus_Groups.pdf|Enrollment Growth Focus Groups]]<br />
<br />
====Evergreen New Student Survey 2005====<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Factors_in_Decision_to_Attend_for_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Factors in Decision to Attend for First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Factors_in_Decision_to_Attend_for_Transfer_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Factors in Decision to Attend for Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Sources_of_Information_for_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Sources of Information for First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Sources_of_Information_for_Transfer_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Sources of Information for Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Goals_of_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Goals of First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Goals_of_Transfer_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Goals of Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Skills_of_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Skills of First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Skills_of_Transfer_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Skills of Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====Campus Communications Surveys====<br />
<br />
[[Media: Web_Assessment_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Summary_of_Results.pdf|Web Assessment Survey 2005 – Summary of Results]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Web_Assessment_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Analysis_of_Open-ended_Responses.pdf|Web Assessment Survey 2005 – Analysis of Open-ended Responses]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Internal_Communications_Audit_2003.pdf|Internal Communications Audit 2003]]<br />
<br />
<br />
====Academic Advising Exhibits====<br />
<br />
[[Media: Academic_Advising_Job_Responsibilities_Organizational_Chart.pdf|Academic Advising Office Job Responsibilities Organizational Chart]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Academic_Planning_Workshops_Attendance_1998-2006.doc|Academic Planning Workshops Attendance 1998-2006.doc]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Academic_Planning_Workshop_Student_Evaluations.doc|Academic Planning Workshop: Summary of Student Evaluations]] <br />
<br />
[[Media: Advising_Drop-In_Statistics_1996_to_2007.doc|Advising Drop-In Statistics 1997 to 2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Conditional_Admission.doc|Description and statistics on Conditional Admission Advising]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Freshman_Advising_Day_and_Core_Connectors.doc|Descriptions of Freshman Advising Day and the Core Connector Program]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Statistics_on_Student_Attendance_at_FreshmanAdvisingDay_1998-2007.pdf|Statistics on Student Attendance at Freshman Advising Day 1998-2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Freshman_Advising_Day_Schedule_2007.pdf|Freshman Advising Day Schedule – 2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: How’s_it_Going_Card_Example.pdf|“How’s it Going” Card Example]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Report_on_Study_of_Academic_Warning.pdf|Report on Study of Academic Warning]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Study_Abroad_Participation_Statistics.doc|Study Abroad Participation Statistics]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-18.doc|Top Five Areas of Diagnoses for the Counseling Center]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-19.doc|Top Five Areas of Diagnoses for the Health Center]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Requests for Counseling Services from Students.pdf|Student Requests for Counseling Services]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3.21.XLS|Listing of Residential Facilities]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-22_Financial_Aid_Descriptive_Data.doc|Financial Aid Descriptive Data]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3.23_Student_Affairs_Area_Mission%2C_Goals_%26_Achievements.doc|Student Affairs Mission, Goals, and Achievements]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Exhibit_3-24_Drug_Free_Schools_%26_Colleges_Act_-_Evergreen%27s_Biennial_Report_04-06.doc|Drug Free Schools and Colleges Act - Evergreen's Biennial Report 2004-06]]<br />
<br />
===Standard 3E===<br />
<br />
[[Media: Athlete_retention_review12-01.pdf|Athlete Retention Review 2001]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Athlete_retention_update12-03.pdf|Athlete Retention Update 2003]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_8&diff=8859Standard 82008-07-24T23:20:36Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 8.A – Instructional and Support Facilities */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 8 – Physical Resources==<br />
[[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Eight#Campus_Maps|Campus Maps]]<br />
<br />
The college’s mission–to sustain a vibrant academic community and to offer students an education that will help them excel in their intellectual, creative, professional, and community service goals–is directly affected by the ability of the college to provide modern or updated facilities for students, staff, and faculty. Evergreen has received an exceptional amount of capital funding over the past nine years. The Washington State Legislature, in collaboration with the governor, has made a cumulative investment of over $110 million to add new facilities, renovate facilities, and reduce the maintenance backlog during these years. The college has a [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|ten-year capital plan]], which is continually updated every two years. The most recent update of this plan was in 2007. The college has aggressively pursued funding for renovating existing facilities and for new instructional buildings during the past nine years. The funding has produced significant improvements in the capability of the college to teach and house its students and to provide appropriate space for the staff and faculty.<br />
<br />
However, the success of the college in presenting its case for this increased funding has generated renewed discussion among the state’s higher education institutions regarding proportionality of the capital budget. The college’s challenge is to work with the larger higher education institutions though the Council of Presidents and the Higher Education Coordinating Board to ensure that we continue to receive an appropriate share of the capital budget that will allow for the renovation and modernization of the college’s facilities on a systematic basis. Along with allocation issues, there are indications that the future funding for capital projects may be reduced to all state higher education institutions due to an expected decrease in state revenues. The potential decrease in capital funding from the state will require the college to be more aggressive in its presentation of the capital funding request.<br />
<br />
As the infrastructure of the buildings continues to age, more effort is required to properly maintain and efficiently operate the physical plant. The renovation of old space and addition of new space for teaching, learning, and working has enabled the college to maintain its reputation as one of the premier public liberal arts higher education institutions in the United States. Collaboration between the academic and administrative units of the college ensures that the teaching and learning aspects of the institution receive a high priority when the capital funding request is provided to the governor. [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|Capital Budget Request and Ten-Year Plan]]<br />
<br />
Standard 1 details the development of the revised strategic plan and the importance of the strategic plan for the institution. The revision to the strategic plan was started in 2004 and was completed in 2007. The college’s revised strategic plan relied on the five foci in its development: interdisciplinary education, linking theory and practice, teaching and learning across significant differences, personal engagement in learning, and collaborative learning. The adoption of this strategic plan in 2007 and the expectation of declining capital funding were instrumental in the college’s decision to provide a clear vision of the college's future needs by completing new master plan for the next ten to fifteen years of college development. [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|10-Year Plan]] & [[Media: VOLUME_I.pdf|Master Plan Volume I;]] [[Media: VOLUME_II.pdf|Master Plan Volume II;]] [[Media: VOLUME_III.pdf|Master Plan Volume III]] <br />
<br />
During the past ten years, the college has made significant improvements in its capital planning process. In 1997 and 1998, staff engaged in a significant effort to provide a campus master plan that provided the goals and policies for land use at the college. Additionally, this master plan established the Campus Land Use Committee as a standing committee. The committee comprises a diverse group of students, faculty, and staff, and provides input and recommendations on land use. The college has natural resources, including more than 700 acres of forestland, and Puget Sound shoreline. These assets are used by academics and have potential for greater use in the future. These natural areas were largely ignored for many years, but beginning with the development of the 1998 master plan there has been a developing interest on potential uses by the educational community and the college’s neighbors, who could benefit from connections to nature trails on college property.<br />
<br />
The college began the process to provide a new facilities master plan in late 2006 and continued throughout 2007. This new plan provides an outline for the development of the campus between 2008 and 2020. The college published a request for proposals in November 2006. Between February 2007 and December 2007, the consultants and others held many meetings and forums for communication, including charettes; meetings with designated units; and work with staff, students, faculty, and the external community. An interactive Web site, individual one-on-one meetings, open forums including our external community, and participation in the Synergy Conference were used to draw response and ideas. Extensive use was made of the Web to provide the widest dissemination possible of the various drafts and to encourage review and comments on these drafts. One of the prime considerations in the development of the campus master plan was to ensure that the plan provided for sustainable development of both the built and natural environments. Additionally, the consultant collaborated with the academic programs in providing students with the opportunity to participate in the master planning effort as “consultants,” and project assistants. This input was critical in the development of the final campus master plan and ensured that there was general acceptance of the plan before its presentation to the board of trustees in January 2008, and subsequent approval by it. [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|10 Year Plan]] & [[Media: VOLUME_I.pdf|Master Plan Volume I;]] [[Media: VOLUME_II.pdf|Master Plan Volume II;]] [[Media: VOLUME_III.pdf|Master Plan Volume III]] <br />
<br />
The college will continue to renovate and modernize its facilities. There will need to be even more collaboration between the academic and administrative units to ensure that the resources gleaned from the state are applied to the highest priority areas. It will be necessary to ensure that resources are provided to properly maintain the facilities to meet the changing requirements of the staff, faculty, and students. There is an increased interest in making the college a model for sustainability and ensuring that the capital projects reflect our goals in this area. The integration of old and new will require all parties to look for new ways to do business in the area of physical resources. For example, the college has developed and refined the process for small repair and improvement capital projects, which involves the major units on campus – Student Services, Academics, Finance and Administration, and College Advancement. The projects are developed annually within each unit and submitted to the Space Management Committee for review, ranking, and approval. This method encourages participation within each unit, as well as collaboration between units to effectively use the funds available.<br />
<br />
The new campus master plan and the revised strategic plan will serve as cornerstones for the college’s funding requests and allow the college to compete with the other four-year institutions for this scarce resource. This is especially important since recent forecasts would seem to indicate that the state’s ability to provide the same level of capital funding as it currently does in the future will be significantly reduced. This change comes at a time when the college is endeavoring to modernize its facilities, especially the laboratory space, in light of the state’s increased emphasis on science and mathematics. This potential reduction in capital funding will require Evergreen to strongly articulate and demonstrate its needs for capital funding. Adding to this dilemma is the continued growth of the institution and the possibility that Evergreen may have to grow beyond its stated target of 5000 FTE. If this scenario were to become a reality, the college would need to develop additional academic facilities, as well as look to increase the utilization of the existing facilities.<br />
<br />
In the next ten-year capital plan the college expects to continue to reduce its deferred maintenance backlog, modernize its technology infrastructure, address ADA-access issues to improve accessibility throughout the campus, improve its road and trail system, and phase the modernization and renovation of its existing facilities. Evergreen will require capital funding at the level provided in the [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|2007-09 capital plan]] for the next ten years in order to meet its planned program in the minor works area – health, safety and code compliance; facility preservation; and infrastructure preservation. This level of funding will allow the college to become more accessible, significantly reduce its deferred maintenance backlog, ensure its technology infrastructure can meet the needs of the college community, and provide a safe and well-maintained road and trail system.<br />
<br />
The college plans to continue its phased approach to modernization and renovation of its existing facilities. During the 2009-11 biennium, Evergreen expects to do a major renovation to the Communications Building and begin the pre-design planning for the renovation and modernization of the Campus Recreation Center and the Lecture Hall facility. At the end of the ten-year capital plan, assuming funding is provided by the state, it is expected that all of the college’s existing facilities will have been renovated and modernized. This effort will further reduce the deferred-maintenance backlog, and with continued state support for preservation, the college’s facilities will be prepared to meet the needs of the community into the future. Another challenge that may impact the college’s program to modernize and renovate its facilities is the expectation of 61,000 new students in the state higher education system by 2018. The college is being asked to provide a plan to accommodate some of these new students. This plan may or may not require the construction of new facilities and the subsequent diversion of funds from modernization and renovation to new construction. The development of the plan will have serious implications both on the educational program and the facilities at the college. Recent projects and future projects are consistent with the college's strategic and master planning efforts. Examples of these projects are briefly described in the following paragraphs.<br />
<br />
A key project was the construction of the new Seminar II facility completed in March 2004 at a cost of $45 million. This project added 198,775 square feet to the college’s inventory. This building is significant for several reasons: First, it was the first building at a state higher education institution to achieve a LEED Gold certification; second, it was the first major new academic facility constructed at the college since the 1970s; and last, the teaching spaces were designed to enhance and complement the teaching style of the college. <br />
<br />
Another large project was the major renovation of the largest facility on campus, the Daniel J. Evans Library (about 350,000 square feet at a cost of about $45 million). This renovation affected several key components of the college and is being accomplished in two phases. The first phase, B and C wings, was completed in July 2006. The modernization of the B and C wings of the Library and the completion of the Seminar II Building has created forty-nine media and computer-capable classrooms. This phase allowed better integration of the Library, Academic Computing, and Media Services. The Library was expanded to provide additional space for the collection (including rare books), more resource space, to incorporate the Learning Center, and to improve accessibility. The academic computing area expansion provided more laboratories for the various types of computers and software and increased the size of the common computer area. The media services center renovation has provided more teaching and learning spaces, additional room for media equipment (this is extensively used by students in their various programs), and better support space for the staff.<br />
<br />
Also, during the past ten years the college renovated the Lab II building (first and third floors) and the Lab I building (first floor). These renovations provided modern laboratory space to meet the changing needs in the various science programs. The lab renovations created multi-disciplinary space corresponding more directly to the pedagogy practiced at the college. <br />
<br />
In 2004, the college completed a major renovation and expansion to the Childcare Center. This was a unique project in that it involved collaboration between students and the administration to provide the funds necessary to do the work. The students designated a portion of their student activities fee to cover their part of the funds required through a bond guaranteed by the fee. The project, which cost $1.2 million, increased the size of the facility to 6,447 square feet and the capacity from thirty-six children to seventy-two children. The expansion and renovation also allowed the Childcare Center to care for infants (beginning at three weeks) to six-year-old children. Further indication of the collaboration was the design of the playground for the center, which was done by students through a program contract.<br />
<br />
Additionally, the state has provided $1.7 million for renovation and expansion of the college’s unique facility, the Longhouse. The Longhouse renovation and expansion will improve the capability of this facility to house its programs and staff and to meet the increase demand on the facility from both the Native American constituents and regular college programs.<br />
<br />
In conjunction with the students, the state has provided funding for the renovation and expansion of the College Activities Building. This project is also unique in that it combines funding provided by the state for renovation work ($4.9 million) with bond funds secured by a per-quarter unit fee ($5.25 per unit), voted and approved by the students, which provides another $16 million for expansion and additional renovation of this facility. The design of this project began in September 2007 and is expected to be complete by December 2008 or January 2009, with construction to begin in April 2009 and be completed by August 2010.<br />
<br />
Proceeds of approximately $7.5 million from revenue bonds issued by the college for the Residential and Dining Services area funded new roofs for seventeen residential units, provided new kitchen equipment, renovated space in the high rise residential units, modernized the elevators, and updated the fire alarm system and installed sprinklers in these same units. These significant investments, along with other capital funding during the past nine years, are having a positive effect on the academic and student life programs.<br />
<br />
In addition to the major capital funding received from the state, the college has received significant continued funding for deferred maintenance in the areas of health, safety and code compliance; facilities preservation; and infrastructure preservation. Over the past nine years, the college has received more than $33 million in order to reduce this deferred maintenance backlog. Major work has been done on most of the building roofs, the data network infrastructure, roads, and those buildings and areas not impacted by major capital projects. This amount, while significant, would not have been adequate to reduce the college's deferred maintenance backlog without the major capital renovation projects. The average over the past nine years for deferred maintenance reduction was $3.7 million. Current parameters proposed by professional organizations (APPA, for example) indicate that a higher education institution requires between 1.5% and 1.75% of its facility current replacement value for maintenance in order to preclude the growth in deferred maintenance. This means that the college needs at least $6.5 million to $7.5 million annually to prevent an increase in the deferred maintenance requirement.<br />
<br />
===Standard 8.A – Instructional and Support Facilities===<br />
<br />
''Sufficient physical resources, particularly instructional facilities, are designed, maintained, and managed (at both on- and off-campus sites) to achieve the institution’s mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
====8.A.1 Instructional facilities are sufficient to achieve the institution’s mission and goals.====<br />
<br />
The addition of the Seminar II Building to the college’s inventory in 2004 provided the first new major teaching space to the college’s inventory since its inception. The number of teaching spaces went from 2,769 student stations to 3,085 student stations when the building was completed. The provision of these spaces is making it possible to do the major renovations throughout the college without reducing the college’s ability to provide teaching space for its current enrollment. Additionally, as more emphasis has been placed on science and math curriculum, the college has begun a systematic renovation of the two lab buildings. This ensures that the facilities will be available to meet this increased need. The lab buildings are being renovated a floor at a time during the summer, primarily to ameliorate the impact of the temporary loss of laboratory space. The existing classroom and laboratory inventory is adequate to meet the college’s targeted enrollment of 5,000 FTE. However, while there is sufficient classroom and laboratory space, many of the spaces are outdated and need renovation to be able to more adequately support the college’s pedagogy. [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Eight#Campus_Maps|Campus Maps]]<br />
<br />
====8.A.2 Facilities assigned to an instructional function are adequate for the effective operation of the function.====<br />
<br />
In general, the facilities provided for instructional use are more than adequate, although some of the spaces are not as electronically sophisticated as necessary for the use of electronic media. There is a plan to renovate and modernize the remaining instructional space over the next ten years. In the case of the lab buildings, it is necessary to do the renovations floor by floor in order to ensure the availability of laboratory space during the normal school year. The renovation of the lab building space is especially critical for two reasons: First, the increased emphasis on science and math education; and, second, the need to update the existing laboratories to be able to provide facilities that reflect current, and, in some cases, state-of-the-art technologies. The other four buildings scheduled for renovation, Seminar I, Communications, Campus Recreation Center, and the Lecture Halls, which are able to provide for the general instructional function, are between thirty and thirty-five years old now and need modernization of not only the instructional space but also the general infrastructure. These facilities are scheduled for modernization over the next ten years, which means some of them will be almost fifty years old before they are modernized. The college has been able to secure capital funding for small repair and improvement projects to help with the modernization of various rooms and spaces to meet new program needs or to improve the existing capability of the space. These funds averaged about $560,000 over the last ten years, with amounts ranging from $100,000 in the 1999-2001 biennium to $930,000 in the 2007-09 biennium. These funds enabled the college to provide deionized water to laboratories, an updated dance floor, improved restroom facilities, and other significant, but minor, renovations and upgrades. [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|10 Year Plan]] & [[Media: VOLUME_I.pdf|Master Plan Volume I;]] [[Media: VOLUME_II.pdf|Master Plan Volume II;]] [[Media: VOLUME_III.pdf|Master Plan Volume III]]<br />
<br />
====8.A.3 The institution’s facilities are furnished adequately for work, study, and research by students, faculty, and staff.====<br />
<br />
The college has made a commitment to ensure that the facilities are furnished and equipped adequately for all aspects of college life. All capital projects have funds designated for furniture as well as equipment. The college expended $747,748 in FY 2007. The college has also provided $6,746,000 for the new Seminar II building; $1,147,000 in the Daniel J. Evans Library Modernization, Phase I; $135,140 in Lab II, third-floor renovation; and $165,000 in Lab I, first-floor renovation. Additionally, the college has budgeted $1.12 million for furniture and equipment in the Daniel J. Evans Library Modernization, Phase II project.<br />
[[Media: Academic_Equipment_Allocation_Process.pdf|Allocation Process]] & [[Media: Equipment_InventorySeptember_2007.pdf|Equipment Inventory]] & [[Media: Equipment_Funding_HistorySeptember_2007.pdf|Equipment Funding History]] & [[Media: June_30_2007_Reconciliation_Fixed_Assets_Accred.pdf|Capital Equipment and Fixed Asset Inventory – June 30, 2007]] <br />
<br />
Academics has been consistent in providing funding for furniture and equipment as part of the ongoing facilities modernization and renovation. From 1998 to 2007, the Academic division has provided $293,000 to ensure that those programs not affected by modernization or renovation were provided with the necessary furnishings to ensure that the space was effectively utilized by faculty, staff, and students. Information regarding furnishings is provided from users and facility reviews on pending renovation or modernizations. While many spaces continue to operate effectively with decades-old furniture, the college has committed to systematically reviewing the furnishings as part of the renovation and modernization of the facilities across campus per the college’s ten-year capital plan and campus master plan.<br />
<br />
Maintaining, replacing, and procuring new instructional equipment is a constant challenge. Ranking of expenditures is based on curricular need but is predominantly for the science laboratories and media. In support of academic programs, the college has a dedicated equipment fund of $250,000 per year. In addition, $225,000 from summer school revenue is dedicated to the acquisition of computers, software, and peripherals for faculty and academic staff. When a critical need arises, the Academic Division uses its reserves to purchase equipment. An example of this is $150,000 dedicated to purchase scientific instrumentation in order to equip the lab facilities created in the Lab I first floor. Faculty, in collaboration with the Grants Office, write equipment grants to fund needed equipment that is beyond the means of the college, primarily scientific analytical equipment.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Description<br />
| FY04<br />
| FY05<br />
| FY06<br />
| FY07<br />
|-<br />
| Instructional Equipment Expenditures<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| Annual Equipment Budget<br />
| $199,456.49<br />
| $221,430.47<br />
| $253,295.44<br />
| $237,217.66<br />
|-<br />
| Academic Reserves<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| Grants<sup>1</sup><br />
| $14,360.75<br />
| $250,109.41<br />
| $168,994.00<br />
| $193,536.22<br />
|-<br />
| Vans<br />
| $0<br />
| $43,822.92<br />
| $45,953.60<br />
| $42,672.96<br />
|-<br />
| Furniture Expenditures<br />
| $2,818.40<br />
| $0<br />
| $12,474.74<br />
| $308,121.74<sup>2</sup><br />
|-<br />
| Technology Expenditures<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| Computers<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
| $141,273.24<br />
|-<br />
| Peripherals<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
| $19,442.24<br />
|-<br />
| Software<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
| $38,700.52<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<sup>1</sup>Academic Grants only<br />
<br />
<sup>2</sup>Primarily supplement to Library Phase I furniture budget<br />
<br />
====8.A.4 The management, maintenance, and operation of instructional facilities are adequate to ensure their continuing quality and safety necessary to support the educational programs and support services of the institution.====<br />
<br />
In 2006, the state of Washington Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) published the results of its 2005 comparable framework study regarding deferred maintenance in higher education. This audit indicated that the college’s facility condition index [FCI; this index measures the maintenance backlog (preservation backlog) divided by the current replacement value of the college’s facilities.] was 10.9%. In comparison with the other four-year institutions in Washington, Evergreen had the second lowest FCI of the six institutions with only the University of Washington having a lower FCI (10.3%), a clear indication that the college has been steadily working to reduce its maintenance backlog. These studies began in 2002, and were done again in 2004 and 2005. The JLARC studies tested methods to survey, assemble, convert, and translate infrastructure and building renewal information. In order to provide a more detailed look at the college’s facilities, the college contracted with Marx/Okubo Associates, Inc. in August 2005 to do a detailed facility audit of all the state-funded campus facilities and one residential facility. This facility audit used the methodology developed by JLARC. This audit was completed in December 2005 and the results were used to develop the minor works capital program for the 2007-2017 ten-year capital plan and the capital request for the 2007-2009 biennium. [[Media: Copy_of_Facility_Condition_Survey_Draft_3_March_22_2006_05-07.pdf|2005-2007 Facility Condition Survey]] & [[Media: JLARC.PDF|Refresh of Preservation]] <br />
<br />
In the legislative session which concluded in April 2007, the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) was given funding and the responsibility to update their comparable framework. The HECB has developed the methodology and schedule to complete this update by March 2008 with the final report issued in April 2008.<br />
<br />
The resources necessary to operate and maintain instructional facilities are reviewed and updated in the budget process as necessary and within the college’s overall budget. An electronic work order system is used to track maintenance and repair issues. The college is currently inputting preventive maintenance data into the system, which will allow us to monitor preventive maintenance and help identify high value systems that need to be replaced or overhauled. This information, along with the facility audit, enables the college to assign appropriate operation and maintenance resources. <br />
<br />
The capital funding request requires that the college evaluate the need for additional operation and maintenance resources for any new construction that is requested. This requirement enables the college to secure the funding resources necessary to operate and maintain a new facility. The college and the state expect any major renovation to make the facility more sustainable and decrease the utility and operational costs by providing - when economically feasible - a more energy efficient system and facility. At this time, the funds allocated for repair, operation, and maintenance of the college are adequate to maintain the utility and safety of the facilities. <br />
<br />
====8.A.5 Facilities are constructed and maintained with due regard for health and safety and for access by the physically disabled.====<br />
<br />
The college provides a portion of its capital budget specifically for health, safety, and code compliance projects. One of the categories funded over the last two biennia has been to improve access by the physically disabled. The biennial capital request uses information provided by the college’s Access Services (part of Student and Academic Support Services), as well as studies done in support of road renovation and trail and sidewalk restoration projects. Health, safety, and code compliance, including accessibility requirements, are integrated into major capital projects that involve renovation or modernization of the space. <br />
<br />
The college uses the following statutory requirements in its facilities planning to ensure the health, safety, and accessibility of the facility: Americans with Disabilities Act; Washington State Indoor Air Quality Code; Washington State Energy Code; International Building Code; International Fire Code; International Mechanical Code; Uniform Plumbing Code; National Electric Code; National Fire Protection Agency; Washington Department of Labor and Industries regulations, various Environmental Protection Agency regulations; and Occupational Safety and Health Agency regulations.<br />
<br />
====8.A.6 When programs are offered off the primary campus, the physical facilities at these sites are appropriate to the programs offered.====<br />
<br />
The college operates one off-site location that it leases in Tacoma. The Tacoma campus is maintained and operated under the same regulations and guidelines for health, safety, and disabled access as the campus in Olympia. This property was specifically renovated to house the programs currently offered when the college leased the facility in 2000. The college has one full-time maintenance custodian who is assigned to handle minor maintenance and responds with staff from Olympia on major items that are the college’s responsibility under the lease. The property manager is responsive to those needs within the owner’s responsibility. The college ensures that the maintenance operations for this facility provide the necessary program support for the students, staff, and faculty at this location. [[Media: Tacoma_site_2008.pdf|Tacoma Campus Site Map]]<br />
<br />
====8.A.7 When facilities owned and operated by other organizations or individuals are used by the institution for educational purposes, the facilities meet this standard.====<br />
<br />
The college provides additional off-site programs through its reservation-based program. These programs are located in facilities at various tribal locations in western Washington. The Nations where Evergreen has provided or currently provides these programs are: the Tulalip Tribe, the Nisqually Tribe, the Muckleshoot Tribe, the Quinault Indian Nation, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, the Makah Tribe (not currently active), and the Skokomish Tribe (not currently active). These programs receive support from the various Nations, and the facilities meet the same criteria for health, safety, and access as the Olympia facilities.<br />
<br />
===Standard 8.B – Equipment and Materials===<br />
<br />
''Equipment is sufficient in quality and amount to facilitate the achievement of educational goals and objectives of the institution.''<br />
<br />
====8.B.1 Suitable equipment (including computing and laboratory equipment) is provided and is readily accessible at on- and off-campus sites to meet educational and administrative requirements.====<br />
<br />
The college maintains and provides equipment at the main campus and its Tacoma campus to ensure it is readily accessible to meet both educational and administrative requirements. As indicated in 8.A.3 the educational equipment needs are met through a consistent provision of funds every year ($250,000), plus grant funds and, when necessary, through the use of unit reserves to ensure there is appropriate equipment available for newly constructed or renovated educational space. The strategic plan specifically addresses this standard in its strategic direction #7: “Evergreen will intentionally foster secure, sustainable, flexible, easy-to-use, and accessible information technologies that support and enhance our teaching and learning philosophies and the administrative needs of the institution...Classroom spaces will be technologically current and functional for meeting curricular needs.” Computer labs are equipped with a computer for each student and most classrooms now include a computer, along with projection and display systems. The operating budget provides funding for the purchase and maintenance of equipment in the administrative areas. Each unit prioritizes its equipment needs and uses available funds to meet these needs or to defer the purchase until the funds are available.2. [[Media: Academic_Equipment_Allocation_Process.pdf|Allocation Process]] & [[Media: Equipment_InventorySeptember_2007.pdf|Equipment Inventory]] & [[Media: Equipment_Funding_HistorySeptember_2007.pdf|Equipment Funding History]] & [[Media: June_30_2007_Reconciliation_Fixed_Assets_Accred.pdf|Capital Equipment and Fixed Asset Inventory – June 30, 2007]] <br />
<br />
====8.B.2 Equipment is maintained in proper operating condition, is inventoried and controlled, and replaced or upgraded as needed.====<br />
<br />
A recent assessment, conducted in January 2007 by an independent contractor, Edutech International, found that Evergreen spends 6.7% of its total budget on technology, ensuring that the hardware, software, and infrastructure are suitable for its educational and administrative requirements. Edutech International indicated that this percentage when dedicated to technology was about right for an institution the size of the college. In the last fiscal year, $2.3 million was spent on hardware and software in support of the college’s mission. Fifty-nine full-time equivalent staff develop and support the use of technology across campus and at the Tacoma campus.<br />
<br />
The college maintains an inventory of its fixed equipment, capital equipment (items over $5,000), and small and attractive items (cameras, PDAs, laptops, etc.). The fixed equipment, vehicles, and other motorized equipment are maintained by Facilities Services through the operating budget and the capital funds allocated by the state legislature for preventive maintenance ($760,000 this biennium). Staff plan preventive maintenance and respond to on-demand requests to repair failed fixed equipment. The costs associated with the maintenance of the various items of fixed equipment are reviewed and the item is either repaired or replaced depending on the age, the cost to repair, and the number of times repaired. The smaller non-fixed equipment is maintained via the operating budget of the unit responsible for the equipment. The college tracks equipment (worth more than $10 million) that is required to be recorded and depreciated through an inventory control system managed by Business Services.2. [[Media: Academic_Equipment_Allocation_Process.pdf|Allocation Process]] & [[Media: Equipment_InventorySeptember_2007.pdf|Equipment Inventory]] & [[Media: Equipment_Funding_HistorySeptember_2007.pdf|Equipment Funding History]] & [[Media: June_30_2007_Reconciliation_Fixed_Assets_Accred.pdf|Capital Equipment and Fixed Asset Inventory – June 30, 2007]] <br />
<br />
====8.B.3 Use, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials are in accordance with the institution’s prescribed procedures.====<br />
<br />
Disposal of hazardous materials is controlled by the environmental health and safety coordinator. Additionally, the college has established procedures for training on the handling of hazardous materials and for dealing with any type of incident involving hazardous or dangerous wastes. Individual units order, receive, and stock hazardous materials in accordance with appropriate rules, regulations, and procedures. The environmental health and safety coordinator approves products for use on campus, reviews storing of hazardous and/or dangerous materials, and manages the proper disposal of hazardous, dangerous, and universal wastes. The college continues to stay current on new regulations and policies, as well as the technologies for identifying and handling of regulated wastes. There is a continuous emphasis in Academics, Residential and Dining Services, and Facilities Services to reduce the amount of hazardous and dangerous materials handled at the college. The extent of the college’s efforts to reduce the amount of hazardous and dangerous materials is evidenced by the fact that since 2004, the amount of dangerous and hazardous materials disposed of has decreased from almost 6,500 pounds to 2,345 pounds. The college has made a serious commitment to ensuring that the environment, staff, faculty, and students have minimal exposure to potentially hazardous and dangerous wastes. The college is pesticide- and herbicide-free; green chemicals are used in the cleaning of the campus; low- and no-VOC paint and carpet materials are used in renovation and construction projects, as well as during maintenance operations; and other materials are selected based primarily on their green characteristics.<br />
<br />
The proper procedures for the use, storage, and disposal of hazardous and dangerous materials at the college are described in the various college policies, Washington Administrative Code, and college procedures developed and maintained by the environmental health and safety coordinator. All hazardous, dangerous, and universal wastes generated by the college are properly disposed of in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations. [[Media: Hazardous_Waste_2004-2006_summary_.pdf|Dangerous & Hazardous Waste Disposal]]<br />
<br />
===Standard 8.C – Physical Resources Planning===<br />
<br />
''Comprehensive physical resources planning occurs and is based on the mission and goals of the institution.''<br />
<br />
====8.C.1 The master plan for campus physical development is consistent with the mission and the long-range educational plan of the institution, and the master plan is updated periodically.====<br />
<br />
The college has just finished a major effort to update and revise its campus master plan, which was initially developed in 1998 and revised in 2005. The latest revision of the college’s campus master plan was keyed to the college’s revised strategic plan in 2007 and the need to clearly define the capital projects necessary for the future development of the campus. The campus master plan was developed to be consistent with the college’s mission “to sustain a vibrant academic community and to offer students an education that will help them excel in their intellectual, creative, professional and community service goals.” The process began in February 2007 with meetings with the college’s senior management team, the Master Plan Committee, and the students and faculty in the sustainable design program. Throughout the spring, the consultants met with a wide variety of constituencies to gather input for the development of the new facilities master plan. The board of trustees, the planning units, students, the Sustainability Task Force, and various other community organizations were engaged to gather the data necessary to ensure that the new master plan met the needs of the campus and incorporated its mission and values. <br />
<br />
In the development of the new master plan, sustainability played a key role, along with the stated goal for the campus to be carbon neutral by 2020. One of the key features of the new master plan was the recommendation to develop learning/education centers throughout the campus property that would provide learning opportunities for the students in a wide variety of areas related to sustainability: storm and wastewater education, waste stream and renewable fuels education, forest observation, and terrascope education. The draft master plan was presented to the college, the local community, and the board of trustees in November 2007 in a series of meeting to gather feedback on the draft plan in order to take the final master plan to the board of trustees in January 2008 for approval. Throughout the process, input was actively sought and all elements of the campus community were engaged to ensure that the plan reflects the mission, values, and vision of the college. The college has posted its last three master plans and revisions on its Web site. The college plans to review the 2008 campus master plan in 2010.4. [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|10 Year Plan]] & [[Media: VOLUME_I.pdf|Master Plan Volume I;]] [[Media: VOLUME_II.pdf|Master Plan Volume II;]] [[Media: VOLUME_III.pdf|Master Plan Volume III]]<br />
<br />
====8.C.2 Physical facilities development and major renovation planning include plans for the acquisition or allocation of the required capital and operating funds.====<br />
<br />
The heart of Evergreen’s planning process involves not only the campus master plan but also the ten-year state capital budget plan. The college also develops a biennial operating budget based on the college’s revised Strategic Plan and the governor’s priorities. The campus master plan, the ten-year state capital budget plan, and the biennial capital and operating budget requests identify the facilities that will be constructed or renovated, serve as the basis for developing the various timelines, and provide the capital resources necessary for the projects. The college’s revised strategic plan also serves as a guide to developing and implementing the program. <br />
<br />
The process for the ranking of capital projects for higher education institutions was changed in the last session of the Washington State Legislature that ended in March 2008. The state’s Office of Financial Management (OFM) has been charged with developing a new process for the ranking of capital projects in higher education. The college’s senior management team will establish Evergreen’s priorities for the next biennium once the process has been developed and provided to the college. OFM will coordinate the prioritization of the state’s higher education capital plan and submit the priority list to the Office of the Governor for consideration in the governor’s biennial budget. [[Media: Policy_3329-S.HBR.pdf|ESHB 3329 Prioritization of public four-year institution capital project requests]]<br />
<br />
The prioritized projects are systematically developed and revised on a continuous basis once these plans are finalized. The campus master plan serves as the base and vision for the ten-year plan and the implementation is based on the current and future needs of the college. The plans include systematic development for the pre-design (in major capital projects over $5 million), schematic, and design development to ensure the resources necessary for the implementation are available and adequate for the planned projects. The ten-year plan accounts not only for major and minor capital projects, but also for preservation and programmatic projects. There is a continuous review to update campus priorities and to identify necessary resources to ensure the biennial capital budget meets the college’s needs. New construction and major renovations require not only the development of a capital plan, but also an operating budget plan to ensure that the necessary resources are available to operate and maintain the facility.<br />
<br />
====8.C.3 Physical resource planning addresses access to institutional facilities for special constituencies including the physically impaired and provides for appropriate security arrangements.====<br />
<br />
Universal access is the goal for the campus. In the last two biennia, the college has allocated funds in the minor works program to move the college towards universal access devoting $150,000 in the 2005-07 and $275,000 in the 2007-09 capital plans. The environmental health and safety coordinator, the assistant director for planning and construction, and the director for access services are involved in the development of various major and minor projects to address the college’s goal of universal accessibility for the physically impaired. The college’s facilities were developed at two distinct elevations, which pose a problem in meeting the goal of universal accessibility. The planning stages for either new construction or a facility renovation involve various campus constituencies, as well as the architects and engineers to ensure “that the work meets the applicable federal, state and local regulations for access." The college’s next major renovation, the College Activities Building (CAB), is being planned with the intent of providing an access path from its first floor to Red Square without the use of an elevator. Security and safety issues are continually reviewed and the capital program has various projects that address these needs. In this biennium, the college has requested and was provided funding ($3 million) for health, safety, and code compliance minor works. Current processes include the continual implementation of ADA-accessibility standards to move the college to universal accessibility, electronic locking systems on college facilities, and other campus safety and security projects as appropriate. <br />
<br />
All college facilities when renovated are designed to meet or exceed current federal, state, and local regulations regarding access, safety, and security. The college works closely with the McLane Fire District, the Thurston County Fire Marshall, Department of Labor and Industries, and Thurston County to ensure that all building codes have been met prior to occupancy of the space or facility.<br />
<br />
====8.C.4 Governing board members and affected constituent groups are involved, as appropriate, in planning physical facilities.====<br />
<br />
The college’s board of trustees, as well as its internal constituents and external stakeholders, are continually presented with the appropriate information on various capital projects and minor works projects. During the development of the college’s new campus master plan, the consultants met with various groups on sixteen different dates, many times for an entire day. Additionally, the college staff and the consultants had three different meetings for the external community. Also, the new campus master plan was published on the Facilities Services Web site and comments were solicited from the entire college community from early July through mid-December 2007. A blog was also established in mid-November 2007 and remained active through the end of the calendar year 2007. The ten-year capital plan and accompanying biennial requests are also presented to senior management and the board of trustees. The various projects within the ten-year plan are discussed with various affected constituent groups to develop the preliminary program so that the cost can be estimated. The college prioritizes the capital projects by communicating on an ongoing basis with the Council of Presidents, the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Office of Financial Management, as well as the other four-year institutions, ensuring that the college receives important feedback regarding project planning and implementation.<br />
<br />
===Standard 8 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
<br />
Findings and Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The college continues to provide the physical resources necessary for it to accomplish its mission.<br />
<br />
2.) The $110 million dollars appropriated for campus facilities in the past decade has significantly enhanced the teaching and learning environment at the college. Work on the Lbrary renovations has supported the development of the conceptual integration of Library and media and computer services. Renovated laboratory space has strengthened the capacity of the college to support laboratory-based teaching.<br />
<br />
3.) The collaboration between Facilities, Academics, and students in design has both helped to improve the usability of the spaces and supported the college’s emphasis on sustainability. The new campus master plan, developed with significant input from across the community, provides a structure for campus development to the year 2020. The Facilities area has continued to develop a collaborative relationship with Academics, particularly in support of the work on the campus master plan. This work has emphasized sustainability and has helped Evergreen become a leader in sustainable facilities management.<br />
<br />
4.) There is an ongoing need for adequate state capital funding for deferred maintenance and renovation on existing buildings.<br />
<br />
5.) As the college approaches 5,000 students, the potential need for additional space may arise. Over the past several years, Facilities has found effective ways to involve and work with the college community.<br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The building of the new Seminar II Building has effectively used a process of staff, faculty, and student collaboration, along with professional architects and engineers, to help design the state of Washington’s first LEED Gold Certified Building. Seminar II is also the first major new building that has been designed and organized to facilitate student learning through collaborative, team teaching, and the integration of sophisticated computer and media capacities. The inclusion of teaching gardens into the facility and its surroundings further integrates natural history learning with the built environment.<br />
<br />
2.) Facilities has worked hard to consult broadly with staff, faculty, and students as the potential users of facilities in the design of its renovations and long-range planning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has made a concerted effort to design with Academics the new upgraded laboratories and equipment. These facilities have significantly supported teaching in chemistry, geology, botany, microscopy, environmental analysis, and others.<br />
<br />
4.) The renovation of the B and C wings of the Library allowed for and helped promote the integration of Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing facilities in an innovative and seamless way. This design has helped connect learning and teaching across these areas.<br />
<br />
5.) Over the past ten years, the college has made significant improvement on its deferred maintenance backlog with the help of consistent state funding.<br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The Facilities area should continue to involve all sectors of the campus community in the design and planning of major physical projects.<br />
<br />
2.) The Facilities area needs to continue to keep the facilities master plan updated every two years to meet the changing needs of the college.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to make sure that adequate funding exists for computers and scientific and media equipment repair and replacement.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) The college’s ten year capital plan for 2009-19 is currently being developed to identify and rank projects for state renovation and deferred maintenance.<br />
<br />
2.) The Campus Land Use Committee as an ongoing standing committee has the responsibility of reviewing the campus master plan and consulting on all significant projects.<br />
<br />
== Standard 8 - Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Eight|Supporting Documentation for Standard Eight]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_9&diff=8858Standard 92008-07-24T23:19:09Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 9 - Institutional Integrity */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 9 - Institutional Integrity==<br />
<br />
''The institution adheres to the highest ethical standards in its representation to its constituencies and the public; in its teaching, scholarship, and service; in its treatment of its students, faculty, and staff; and in its relationships with regulatory and accrediting agencies.''<br />
<br />
====9.A.1==== <br />
''The institution, including governing board members, administrators, faculty, and staff, subscribes to, exemplifies, and advocates high ethical standards in the management and operations and in all of its dealings with students, the public, organizations, and external agencies.''<br />
<br />
As a public institution, Evergreen has a framework for institutional integrity that begins with the applicable state laws. (See the [[media:ethicsrcw.pdf|Ethics in Public Service Act]], the [[media:Rcw42-30.pdf|Open Public Meetings Act]], and the [[media:Publicrecordsrcw.pdf|Public Records law]]). These laws in turn are implemented in college policies (see the [[media:Ethicspolicy.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and the [[media:Whistleblowerpolicy.pdf|Whistleblower Policy]]). In 2005, the college reestablished the staff position of internal auditor to provide a more systematic and professional implementation of these policies. In the past decade, the expansion of the Web resulted in improved transparency, as meeting minutes and other college documents are now routinely posted on the Web site.<br />
<br />
====9.A.2==== <br />
''The institution regularly evaluates and revises as necessary its policies, procedures, and publications to ensure continuing integrity throughout the institution.''<br />
<br />
The college's publications are regularly reviewed and updated. Over the last several years, the college has reviewed and revised policies and procedures as needed. In 2008, the college recognized that continued turnover of faculty and staff made clear documentation of policies and practices more urgent. At the same time, the collective bargaining environment made it important that the college clearly document its policies and procedures. In response, the president's office began a more comprehensive review of college policies and procedures, hiring a half-time policy coordinator and establishing an interdivisional Policy Coordinating Committee to undertake the project.<br />
<br />
====9.A.3==== <br />
''The institution represents itself accurately and consistently to its constituencies, the public, and prospective students through its catalogs, publications, and official statements.''<br />
<br />
Evergreen's distinctive approach to curriculum planning requires regular review and revision of the college's catalogs and other publications. Historically, the primary challenge the college faced in keeping publications accurate stemmed from changes to the curriculum that occurred after publication deadlines had passed. In the past year, the college took significant steps to address this issue by moving the online catalog into a content management database. Changes to the curriculum can now be posted online much more easily by the deans responsible for developing the curriculum. As a result, the online catalog is both more current and more easily searchable. <br />
<br />
The college's [[media:Socialcontract.pdf|Social Contract]] makes clear the responsibility for officially representing the college to external constituencies: "The Evergreen community will support the right of its members, individually or in groups, to express ideas, judgments, and opinions in speech or writing. The members of the community, however, are obligated to make statements in their own names and not as expressions on behalf of the college. The board of trustees or the president speaks on behalf of the college and may at times share or delegate the responsibility to others within the college."<br />
<br />
The college represents itself to prospective students through the Office of Admissions. As described above, Evergreen has taken care to ensure that the college catalog and other publications used to explain the college to prospective and current students and their families are accurate, up-to-date, and developed in close consultation with the faculty and academic administrators where appropriate. <br />
<br />
Representation to the local community and to state policy makers occurs through the Office of College Relations and through the director of Government Relations. Both offices are represented on the senior staff, meet regularly with the president, and so are able to accurately represent the college. Furthermore, Evergreen's location in the seat of state government ensures that the college's official statements to state policy makers match the reality on campus.<br />
<br />
====9.A.4==== <br />
''Institutional policy defines and prohibits conflict of interest on the part of governing board members, administrators, faculty, and staff''.<br />
<br />
As a public institution, trustees, faculty, staff, and administrators are bound by the state's [[media:Ethicsrcw.pdf|Ethics law]], which defines and prohibits conflicts of interest and includes strong enforcement mechanisms. <br />
<br />
====9.A.5==== <br />
''The institution demonstrates, through its policies and practices, its commitment to the free pursuit and dissemination of knowledge consistent with the institution's mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
The college’s foundational policy documents include strong statements supporting academic freedom. The college subscribes to the AAUP's Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure. Section 4.600 of the Faculty Handbook states, "It is the policy of The Evergreen State College that no faculty member will be separated from the college because of his/her written or spoken views, according to the guarantees of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The Evergreen State College subscribes to the AAUP's Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure as modified by the college's Faculty Reappointment Policy."<br />
<br />
The vice president for Student Affairs notifies new students each year of key college policies, including the Social Contract. Evergreen’s Social Contract has been in place for many years and is widely known on campus. The Social Contract includes a strong statement of academic freedom:<br />
<br />
:"Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
:"An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to and given opportunity for expression will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
:"Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices."<br />
<br />
The college has reaffirmed these commitments on several occasions during the past ten years. Following the selection of a controversial graduation speaker in 1999, President Jane Jervis resisted nationally-organized pressure to revoke the speaking invitation and used the commencement ceremony as an opportunity to speak on the importance – both to an academic community and to a democratic society -- of hearing from unpopular points of view.<br />
<br />
In 2005, in response to events at another university, the faculty passed a [[media:Facultyresolution2005.pdf|resolution reaffirming the value of academic freedom]]. In response to that resolution, President Thomas L. "Les" Purce published an [[media:2005-03olympian.pdf|essay on academic freedom]] in the local newspaper. The administration’s public statements during times of controversy and protest on campus have consistently sought to reinforce these principles. (See, for instance [[media:2003-03olympian.pdf|Dodge, “Evergreen president opens door to protest,” ''The Olympian'', March 6, 2003]], and [[media:2006-07olympian.pdf|Purce, Astolphi, Minneart, “School presidents stand united against neo-Nazi hatred,” ''The Olympian'', July 2, 2006]]).<br />
<br />
Finally, and most fundamentally, the structures and processes that Evergreen uses to construct and deliver its curriculum reflect a deep and continuing commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry. Evergreen remains committed to supporting its faculty in continuously designing and delivering the curriculum through an extraordinary interdisciplinary effort, without the constraints of academic departments or majors, under the guidance of deans who are chosen from and return to the faculty. We remain “an institution and a community that continues to organize itself so that it can clear away obstacles to learning’s academic work.”<br />
<br />
===Standard 9 - Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations and Plans===<br />
The college and its administration have actively defended academic freedom, in both policy and action. Turnover among faculty and staff, an increasingly complex external environment, and an evolving framework of collective-bargaining agreements, make it important that college policies be clear and up-to-date. The college has begun a comprehensive review and revision of college policies and should follow through on plans to continue with that work.<br />
<br />
<br />
== Standard 9 - Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Nine|Supporting Documentation for Standard 9]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_9&diff=8857Standard 92008-07-24T23:17:50Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Supporting Documentation */</p>
<hr />
<div>===Standard 9 - Institutional Integrity===<br />
<br />
''The institution adheres to the highest ethical standards in its representation to its constituencies and the public; in its teaching, scholarship, and service; in its treatment of its students, faculty, and staff; and in its relationships with regulatory and accrediting agencies.''<br />
<br />
====9.A.1==== <br />
''The institution, including governing board members, administrators, faculty, and staff, subscribes to, exemplifies, and advocates high ethical standards in the management and operations and in all of its dealings with students, the public, organizations, and external agencies.''<br />
<br />
As a public institution, Evergreen has a framework for institutional integrity that begins with the applicable state laws. (See the [[media:ethicsrcw.pdf|Ethics in Public Service Act]], the [[media:Rcw42-30.pdf|Open Public Meetings Act]], and the [[media:Publicrecordsrcw.pdf|Public Records law]]). These laws in turn are implemented in college policies (see the [[media:Ethicspolicy.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and the [[media:Whistleblowerpolicy.pdf|Whistleblower Policy]]). In 2005, the college reestablished the staff position of internal auditor to provide a more systematic and professional implementation of these policies. In the past decade, the expansion of the Web resulted in improved transparency, as meeting minutes and other college documents are now routinely posted on the Web site.<br />
<br />
====9.A.2==== <br />
''The institution regularly evaluates and revises as necessary its policies, procedures, and publications to ensure continuing integrity throughout the institution.''<br />
<br />
The college's publications are regularly reviewed and updated. Over the last several years, the college has reviewed and revised policies and procedures as needed. In 2008, the college recognized that continued turnover of faculty and staff made clear documentation of policies and practices more urgent. At the same time, the collective bargaining environment made it important that the college clearly document its policies and procedures. In response, the president's office began a more comprehensive review of college policies and procedures, hiring a half-time policy coordinator and establishing an interdivisional Policy Coordinating Committee to undertake the project.<br />
<br />
====9.A.3==== <br />
''The institution represents itself accurately and consistently to its constituencies, the public, and prospective students through its catalogs, publications, and official statements.''<br />
<br />
Evergreen's distinctive approach to curriculum planning requires regular review and revision of the college's catalogs and other publications. Historically, the primary challenge the college faced in keeping publications accurate stemmed from changes to the curriculum that occurred after publication deadlines had passed. In the past year, the college took significant steps to address this issue by moving the online catalog into a content management database. Changes to the curriculum can now be posted online much more easily by the deans responsible for developing the curriculum. As a result, the online catalog is both more current and more easily searchable. <br />
<br />
The college's [[media:Socialcontract.pdf|Social Contract]] makes clear the responsibility for officially representing the college to external constituencies: "The Evergreen community will support the right of its members, individually or in groups, to express ideas, judgments, and opinions in speech or writing. The members of the community, however, are obligated to make statements in their own names and not as expressions on behalf of the college. The board of trustees or the president speaks on behalf of the college and may at times share or delegate the responsibility to others within the college."<br />
<br />
The college represents itself to prospective students through the Office of Admissions. As described above, Evergreen has taken care to ensure that the college catalog and other publications used to explain the college to prospective and current students and their families are accurate, up-to-date, and developed in close consultation with the faculty and academic administrators where appropriate. <br />
<br />
Representation to the local community and to state policy makers occurs through the Office of College Relations and through the director of Government Relations. Both offices are represented on the senior staff, meet regularly with the president, and so are able to accurately represent the college. Furthermore, Evergreen's location in the seat of state government ensures that the college's official statements to state policy makers match the reality on campus.<br />
<br />
====9.A.4==== <br />
''Institutional policy defines and prohibits conflict of interest on the part of governing board members, administrators, faculty, and staff''.<br />
<br />
As a public institution, trustees, faculty, staff, and administrators are bound by the state's [[media:Ethicsrcw.pdf|Ethics law]], which defines and prohibits conflicts of interest and includes strong enforcement mechanisms. <br />
<br />
====9.A.5==== <br />
''The institution demonstrates, through its policies and practices, its commitment to the free pursuit and dissemination of knowledge consistent with the institution's mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
The college’s foundational policy documents include strong statements supporting academic freedom. The college subscribes to the AAUP's Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure. Section 4.600 of the Faculty Handbook states, "It is the policy of The Evergreen State College that no faculty member will be separated from the college because of his/her written or spoken views, according to the guarantees of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The Evergreen State College subscribes to the AAUP's Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure as modified by the college's Faculty Reappointment Policy."<br />
<br />
The vice president for Student Affairs notifies new students each year of key college policies, including the Social Contract. Evergreen’s Social Contract has been in place for many years and is widely known on campus. The Social Contract includes a strong statement of academic freedom:<br />
<br />
:"Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
:"An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to and given opportunity for expression will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
:"Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices."<br />
<br />
The college has reaffirmed these commitments on several occasions during the past ten years. Following the selection of a controversial graduation speaker in 1999, President Jane Jervis resisted nationally-organized pressure to revoke the speaking invitation and used the commencement ceremony as an opportunity to speak on the importance – both to an academic community and to a democratic society -- of hearing from unpopular points of view.<br />
<br />
In 2005, in response to events at another university, the faculty passed a [[media:Facultyresolution2005.pdf|resolution reaffirming the value of academic freedom]]. In response to that resolution, President Thomas L. "Les" Purce published an [[media:2005-03olympian.pdf|essay on academic freedom]] in the local newspaper. The administration’s public statements during times of controversy and protest on campus have consistently sought to reinforce these principles. (See, for instance [[media:2003-03olympian.pdf|Dodge, “Evergreen president opens door to protest,” ''The Olympian'', March 6, 2003]], and [[media:2006-07olympian.pdf|Purce, Astolphi, Minneart, “School presidents stand united against neo-Nazi hatred,” ''The Olympian'', July 2, 2006]]).<br />
<br />
Finally, and most fundamentally, the structures and processes that Evergreen uses to construct and deliver its curriculum reflect a deep and continuing commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry. Evergreen remains committed to supporting its faculty in continuously designing and delivering the curriculum through an extraordinary interdisciplinary effort, without the constraints of academic departments or majors, under the guidance of deans who are chosen from and return to the faculty. We remain “an institution and a community that continues to organize itself so that it can clear away obstacles to learning’s academic work.”<br />
<br />
===Standard 9 - Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations and Plans===<br />
The college and its administration have actively defended academic freedom, in both policy and action. Turnover among faculty and staff, an increasingly complex external environment, and an evolving framework of collective-bargaining agreements, make it important that college policies be clear and up-to-date. The college has begun a comprehensive review and revision of college policies and should follow through on plans to continue with that work.<br />
<br />
<br />
== Standard 9 - Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Nine|Supporting Documentation for Standard 9]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_8&diff=8856Standard 82008-07-24T23:15:35Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Supporting Documentation */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 8 – Physical Resources==<br />
[[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Eight#Campus_Maps|Campus Maps]]<br />
<br />
The college’s mission–to sustain a vibrant academic community and to offer students an education that will help them excel in their intellectual, creative, professional, and community service goals–is directly affected by the ability of the college to provide modern or updated facilities for students, staff, and faculty. Evergreen has received an exceptional amount of capital funding over the past nine years. The Washington State Legislature, in collaboration with the governor, has made a cumulative investment of over $110 million to add new facilities, renovate facilities, and reduce the maintenance backlog during these years. The college has a [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|ten-year capital plan]], which is continually updated every two years. The most recent update of this plan was in 2007. The college has aggressively pursued funding for renovating existing facilities and for new instructional buildings during the past nine years. The funding has produced significant improvements in the capability of the college to teach and house its students and to provide appropriate space for the staff and faculty.<br />
<br />
However, the success of the college in presenting its case for this increased funding has generated renewed discussion among the state’s higher education institutions regarding proportionality of the capital budget. The college’s challenge is to work with the larger higher education institutions though the Council of Presidents and the Higher Education Coordinating Board to ensure that we continue to receive an appropriate share of the capital budget that will allow for the renovation and modernization of the college’s facilities on a systematic basis. Along with allocation issues, there are indications that the future funding for capital projects may be reduced to all state higher education institutions due to an expected decrease in state revenues. The potential decrease in capital funding from the state will require the college to be more aggressive in its presentation of the capital funding request.<br />
<br />
As the infrastructure of the buildings continues to age, more effort is required to properly maintain and efficiently operate the physical plant. The renovation of old space and addition of new space for teaching, learning, and working has enabled the college to maintain its reputation as one of the premier public liberal arts higher education institutions in the United States. Collaboration between the academic and administrative units of the college ensures that the teaching and learning aspects of the institution receive a high priority when the capital funding request is provided to the governor. [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|Capital Budget Request and Ten-Year Plan]]<br />
<br />
Standard 1 details the development of the revised strategic plan and the importance of the strategic plan for the institution. The revision to the strategic plan was started in 2004 and was completed in 2007. The college’s revised strategic plan relied on the five foci in its development: interdisciplinary education, linking theory and practice, teaching and learning across significant differences, personal engagement in learning, and collaborative learning. The adoption of this strategic plan in 2007 and the expectation of declining capital funding were instrumental in the college’s decision to provide a clear vision of the college's future needs by completing new master plan for the next ten to fifteen years of college development. [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|10-Year Plan]] & [[Media: VOLUME_I.pdf|Master Plan Volume I;]] [[Media: VOLUME_II.pdf|Master Plan Volume II;]] [[Media: VOLUME_III.pdf|Master Plan Volume III]] <br />
<br />
During the past ten years, the college has made significant improvements in its capital planning process. In 1997 and 1998, staff engaged in a significant effort to provide a campus master plan that provided the goals and policies for land use at the college. Additionally, this master plan established the Campus Land Use Committee as a standing committee. The committee comprises a diverse group of students, faculty, and staff, and provides input and recommendations on land use. The college has natural resources, including more than 700 acres of forestland, and Puget Sound shoreline. These assets are used by academics and have potential for greater use in the future. These natural areas were largely ignored for many years, but beginning with the development of the 1998 master plan there has been a developing interest on potential uses by the educational community and the college’s neighbors, who could benefit from connections to nature trails on college property.<br />
<br />
The college began the process to provide a new facilities master plan in late 2006 and continued throughout 2007. This new plan provides an outline for the development of the campus between 2008 and 2020. The college published a request for proposals in November 2006. Between February 2007 and December 2007, the consultants and others held many meetings and forums for communication, including charettes; meetings with designated units; and work with staff, students, faculty, and the external community. An interactive Web site, individual one-on-one meetings, open forums including our external community, and participation in the Synergy Conference were used to draw response and ideas. Extensive use was made of the Web to provide the widest dissemination possible of the various drafts and to encourage review and comments on these drafts. One of the prime considerations in the development of the campus master plan was to ensure that the plan provided for sustainable development of both the built and natural environments. Additionally, the consultant collaborated with the academic programs in providing students with the opportunity to participate in the master planning effort as “consultants,” and project assistants. This input was critical in the development of the final campus master plan and ensured that there was general acceptance of the plan before its presentation to the board of trustees in January 2008, and subsequent approval by it. [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|10 Year Plan]] & [[Media: VOLUME_I.pdf|Master Plan Volume I;]] [[Media: VOLUME_II.pdf|Master Plan Volume II;]] [[Media: VOLUME_III.pdf|Master Plan Volume III]] <br />
<br />
The college will continue to renovate and modernize its facilities. There will need to be even more collaboration between the academic and administrative units to ensure that the resources gleaned from the state are applied to the highest priority areas. It will be necessary to ensure that resources are provided to properly maintain the facilities to meet the changing requirements of the staff, faculty, and students. There is an increased interest in making the college a model for sustainability and ensuring that the capital projects reflect our goals in this area. The integration of old and new will require all parties to look for new ways to do business in the area of physical resources. For example, the college has developed and refined the process for small repair and improvement capital projects, which involves the major units on campus – Student Services, Academics, Finance and Administration, and College Advancement. The projects are developed annually within each unit and submitted to the Space Management Committee for review, ranking, and approval. This method encourages participation within each unit, as well as collaboration between units to effectively use the funds available.<br />
<br />
The new campus master plan and the revised strategic plan will serve as cornerstones for the college’s funding requests and allow the college to compete with the other four-year institutions for this scarce resource. This is especially important since recent forecasts would seem to indicate that the state’s ability to provide the same level of capital funding as it currently does in the future will be significantly reduced. This change comes at a time when the college is endeavoring to modernize its facilities, especially the laboratory space, in light of the state’s increased emphasis on science and mathematics. This potential reduction in capital funding will require Evergreen to strongly articulate and demonstrate its needs for capital funding. Adding to this dilemma is the continued growth of the institution and the possibility that Evergreen may have to grow beyond its stated target of 5000 FTE. If this scenario were to become a reality, the college would need to develop additional academic facilities, as well as look to increase the utilization of the existing facilities.<br />
<br />
In the next ten-year capital plan the college expects to continue to reduce its deferred maintenance backlog, modernize its technology infrastructure, address ADA-access issues to improve accessibility throughout the campus, improve its road and trail system, and phase the modernization and renovation of its existing facilities. Evergreen will require capital funding at the level provided in the [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|2007-09 capital plan]] for the next ten years in order to meet its planned program in the minor works area – health, safety and code compliance; facility preservation; and infrastructure preservation. This level of funding will allow the college to become more accessible, significantly reduce its deferred maintenance backlog, ensure its technology infrastructure can meet the needs of the college community, and provide a safe and well-maintained road and trail system.<br />
<br />
The college plans to continue its phased approach to modernization and renovation of its existing facilities. During the 2009-11 biennium, Evergreen expects to do a major renovation to the Communications Building and begin the pre-design planning for the renovation and modernization of the Campus Recreation Center and the Lecture Hall facility. At the end of the ten-year capital plan, assuming funding is provided by the state, it is expected that all of the college’s existing facilities will have been renovated and modernized. This effort will further reduce the deferred-maintenance backlog, and with continued state support for preservation, the college’s facilities will be prepared to meet the needs of the community into the future. Another challenge that may impact the college’s program to modernize and renovate its facilities is the expectation of 61,000 new students in the state higher education system by 2018. The college is being asked to provide a plan to accommodate some of these new students. This plan may or may not require the construction of new facilities and the subsequent diversion of funds from modernization and renovation to new construction. The development of the plan will have serious implications both on the educational program and the facilities at the college. Recent projects and future projects are consistent with the college's strategic and master planning efforts. Examples of these projects are briefly described in the following paragraphs.<br />
<br />
A key project was the construction of the new Seminar II facility completed in March 2004 at a cost of $45 million. This project added 198,775 square feet to the college’s inventory. This building is significant for several reasons: First, it was the first building at a state higher education institution to achieve a LEED Gold certification; second, it was the first major new academic facility constructed at the college since the 1970s; and last, the teaching spaces were designed to enhance and complement the teaching style of the college. <br />
<br />
Another large project was the major renovation of the largest facility on campus, the Daniel J. Evans Library (about 350,000 square feet at a cost of about $45 million). This renovation affected several key components of the college and is being accomplished in two phases. The first phase, B and C wings, was completed in July 2006. The modernization of the B and C wings of the Library and the completion of the Seminar II Building has created forty-nine media and computer-capable classrooms. This phase allowed better integration of the Library, Academic Computing, and Media Services. The Library was expanded to provide additional space for the collection (including rare books), more resource space, to incorporate the Learning Center, and to improve accessibility. The academic computing area expansion provided more laboratories for the various types of computers and software and increased the size of the common computer area. The media services center renovation has provided more teaching and learning spaces, additional room for media equipment (this is extensively used by students in their various programs), and better support space for the staff.<br />
<br />
Also, during the past ten years the college renovated the Lab II building (first and third floors) and the Lab I building (first floor). These renovations provided modern laboratory space to meet the changing needs in the various science programs. The lab renovations created multi-disciplinary space corresponding more directly to the pedagogy practiced at the college. <br />
<br />
In 2004, the college completed a major renovation and expansion to the Childcare Center. This was a unique project in that it involved collaboration between students and the administration to provide the funds necessary to do the work. The students designated a portion of their student activities fee to cover their part of the funds required through a bond guaranteed by the fee. The project, which cost $1.2 million, increased the size of the facility to 6,447 square feet and the capacity from thirty-six children to seventy-two children. The expansion and renovation also allowed the Childcare Center to care for infants (beginning at three weeks) to six-year-old children. Further indication of the collaboration was the design of the playground for the center, which was done by students through a program contract.<br />
<br />
Additionally, the state has provided $1.7 million for renovation and expansion of the college’s unique facility, the Longhouse. The Longhouse renovation and expansion will improve the capability of this facility to house its programs and staff and to meet the increase demand on the facility from both the Native American constituents and regular college programs.<br />
<br />
In conjunction with the students, the state has provided funding for the renovation and expansion of the College Activities Building. This project is also unique in that it combines funding provided by the state for renovation work ($4.9 million) with bond funds secured by a per-quarter unit fee ($5.25 per unit), voted and approved by the students, which provides another $16 million for expansion and additional renovation of this facility. The design of this project began in September 2007 and is expected to be complete by December 2008 or January 2009, with construction to begin in April 2009 and be completed by August 2010.<br />
<br />
Proceeds of approximately $7.5 million from revenue bonds issued by the college for the Residential and Dining Services area funded new roofs for seventeen residential units, provided new kitchen equipment, renovated space in the high rise residential units, modernized the elevators, and updated the fire alarm system and installed sprinklers in these same units. These significant investments, along with other capital funding during the past nine years, are having a positive effect on the academic and student life programs.<br />
<br />
In addition to the major capital funding received from the state, the college has received significant continued funding for deferred maintenance in the areas of health, safety and code compliance; facilities preservation; and infrastructure preservation. Over the past nine years, the college has received more than $33 million in order to reduce this deferred maintenance backlog. Major work has been done on most of the building roofs, the data network infrastructure, roads, and those buildings and areas not impacted by major capital projects. This amount, while significant, would not have been adequate to reduce the college's deferred maintenance backlog without the major capital renovation projects. The average over the past nine years for deferred maintenance reduction was $3.7 million. Current parameters proposed by professional organizations (APPA, for example) indicate that a higher education institution requires between 1.5% and 1.75% of its facility current replacement value for maintenance in order to preclude the growth in deferred maintenance. This means that the college needs at least $6.5 million to $7.5 million annually to prevent an increase in the deferred maintenance requirement.<br />
<br />
===Standard 8.A – Instructional and Support Facilities===<br />
<br />
''Sufficient physical resources, particularly instructional facilities, are designed, maintained, and managed (at both on- and off-campus sites) to achieve the institution’s mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
====8.A.1 Instructional facilities are sufficient to achieve the institution’s mission and goals.====<br />
<br />
The addition of the Seminar II Building to the college’s inventory in 2004 provided the first new major teaching space to the college’s inventory since its inception. The number of teaching spaces went from 2,769 student stations to 3,085 student stations when the building was completed. The provision of these spaces is making it possible to do the major renovations throughout the college without reducing the college’s ability to provide teaching space for its current enrollment. Additionally, as more emphasis has been placed on science and math curriculum, the college has begun a systematic renovation of the two lab buildings. This ensures that the facilities will be available to meet this increased need. The lab buildings are being renovated a floor at a time during the summer, primarily to ameliorate the impact of the temporary loss of laboratory space. The existing classroom and laboratory inventory is adequate to meet the college’s targeted enrollment of 5,000 FTE. However, while there is sufficient classroom and laboratory space, many of the spaces are outdated and need renovation to be able to more adequately support the college’s pedagogy. [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Eight#Campus_Maps|Campus Maps]]<br />
<br />
====8.A.2 Facilities assigned to an instructional function are adequate for the effective operation of the function.====<br />
<br />
In general, the facilities provided for instructional use are more than adequate, although some of the spaces are not as electronically sophisticated as necessary for the use of electronic media. There is a plan to renovate and modernize the remaining instructional space over the next ten years. In the case of the lab buildings, it is necessary to do the renovations floor by floor in order to ensure the availability of laboratory space during the normal school year. The renovation of the lab building space is especially critical for two reasons: First, the increased emphasis on science and math education; and, second, the need to update the existing laboratories to be able to provide facilities that reflect current, and, in some cases, state-of-the-art technologies. The other four buildings scheduled for renovation, Seminar I, Communications, Campus Recreation Center, and the Lecture Halls, which are able to provide for the general instructional function, are between thirty and thirty-five years old now and need modernization of not only the instructional space but also the general infrastructure. These facilities are scheduled for modernization over the next ten years, which means some of them will be almost fifty years old before they are modernized. The college has been able to secure capital funding for small repair and improvement projects to help with the modernization of various rooms and spaces to meet new program needs or to improve the existing capability of the space. These funds averaged about $560,000 over the last ten years, with amounts ranging from $100,000 in the 1999-2001 biennium to $930,000 in the 2007-09 biennium. These funds enabled the college to provide deionized water to laboratories, an updated dance floor, improved restroom facilities, and other significant, but minor, renovations and upgrades. [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|10 Year Plan]] & [[Media: VOLUME_I.pdf|Master Plan Volume I;]] [[Media: VOLUME_II.pdf|Master Plan Volume II;]] [[Media: VOLUME_III.pdf|Master Plan Volume III]]<br />
<br />
====8.A.3 The institution’s facilities are furnished adequately for work, study, and research by students, faculty, and staff.====<br />
<br />
The college has made a commitment to ensure that the facilities are furnished and equipped adequately for all aspects of college life. All capital projects have funds designated for furniture as well as equipment. The college expended $747,748 in FY 2007. The college has also provided $6,746,000 for the new Seminar II building; $1,147,000 in the Daniel J. Evans Library Modernization, Phase I; $135,140 in Lab II, third-floor renovation; and $165,000 in Lab I, first-floor renovation. Additionally, the college has budgeted $1.12 million for furniture and equipment in the Daniel J. Evans Library Modernization, Phase II project.<br />
[[Media: Academic_Equipment_Allocation_Process.pdf|Allocation Process]] & [[Media: Equipment_InventorySeptember_2007.pdf|Equipment Inventory]] & [[Media: Equipment_Funding_HistorySeptember_2007.pdf|Equipment Funding History]] & [[Media: June_30_2007_Reconciliation_Fixed_Assets_Accred.pdf|Capital Equipment and Fixed Asset Inventory – June 30, 2007]] <br />
<br />
Academics has been consistent in providing funding for furniture and equipment as part of the ongoing facilities modernization and renovation. From 1998 to 2007, the Academic division has provided $293,000 to ensure that those programs not affected by modernization or renovation were provided with the necessary furnishings to ensure that the space was effectively utilized by faculty, staff, and students. Information regarding furnishings is provided from users and facility reviews on pending renovation or modernizations. While many spaces continue to operate effectively with decades-old furniture, the college has committed to systematically reviewing the furnishings as part of the renovation and modernization of the facilities across campus per the college’s ten-year capital plan and campus master plan.<br />
<br />
Maintaining, replacing, and procuring new instructional equipment is a constant challenge. Ranking of expenditures is based on curricular need but is predominantly for the science laboratories and media. In support of academic programs, the college has a dedicated equipment fund of $250,000 per year. In addition, $225,000 from summer school revenue is dedicated to the acquisition of computers, software, and peripherals for faculty and academic staff. When a critical need arises, the Academic Division uses its reserves to purchase equipment. An example of this is $150,000 dedicated to purchase scientific instrumentation in order to equip the lab facilities created in the Lab I first floor. Faculty, in collaboration with the Grants Office, write equipment grants to fund needed equipment that is beyond the means of the college, primarily scientific analytical equipment.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Description<br />
| FY04<br />
| FY05<br />
| FY06<br />
| FY07<br />
|-<br />
| Instructional Equipment Expenditures<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| Annual Equipment Budget<br />
| $199,456.49<br />
| $221,430.47<br />
| $253,295.44<br />
| $237,217.66<br />
|-<br />
| Academic Reserves<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| Grants<sup>1</sup><br />
| $14,360.75<br />
| $250,109.41<br />
| $168,994.00<br />
| $193,536.22<br />
|-<br />
| Vans<br />
| $0<br />
| $43,822.92<br />
| $45,953.60<br />
| $42,672.96<br />
|-<br />
| Furniture Expenditures<br />
| $2,818.40<br />
| $0<br />
| $12,474.74<br />
| $308,121.74<sup>2</sup><br />
|-<br />
| Technology Expenditures<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| Computers<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
| $141,273.24<br />
|-<br />
| Peripherals<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
| $19,442.24<br />
|-<br />
| Software<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
| $38,700.52<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<sup>1</sup>Academic Grants only<br />
<br />
<sup>2</sup>Primarily supplement to Library Phase I furniture budget<br />
<br />
====8.A.4 The management, maintenance, and operation of instructional facilities are adequate to ensure their continuing quality and safety necessary to support the educational programs and support services of the institution.====<br />
<br />
In 2006, the state of Washington Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) published the results of its 2005 comparable framework study regarding deferred maintenance in higher education. This audit indicated that the college’s facility condition index [FCI; this index measures the maintenance backlog (preservation backlog) divided by the current replacement value of the college’s facilities.] was 10.9%. In comparison with the other four-year institutions in Washington, Evergreen had the second lowest FCI of the six institutions with only the University of Washington having a lower FCI (10.3%), a clear indication that the college has been steadily working to reduce its maintenance backlog. These studies began in 2002, and were done again in 2004 and 2005. The JLARC studies tested methods to survey, assemble, convert, and translate infrastructure and building renewal information. In order to provide a more detailed look at the college’s facilities, the college contracted with Marx/Okubo Associates, Inc. in August 2005 to do a detailed facility audit of all the state-funded campus facilities and one residential facility. This facility audit used the methodology developed by JLARC. This audit was completed in December 2005 and the results were used to develop the minor works capital program for the 2007-2017 ten-year capital plan and the capital request for the 2007-2009 biennium. [[Media: Copy_of_Facility_Condition_Survey_Draft_3_March_22_2006_05-07.pdf|2005-2007 Facility Condition Survey]] & [[Media: JLARC.PDF|Refresh of Preservation]] <br />
<br />
In the legislative session which concluded in April 2007, the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) was given funding and the responsibility to update their comparable framework. The HECB has developed the methodology and schedule to complete this update by March 2008 with the final report issued in April 2008.<br />
<br />
The resources necessary to operate and maintain instructional facilities are reviewed and updated in the budget process as necessary and within the college’s overall budget. An electronic work order system is used to track maintenance and repair issues. The college is currently inputting preventive maintenance data into the system, which will allow us to monitor preventive maintenance and help identify high value systems that need to be replaced or overhauled. This information, along with the facility audit, enables the college to assign appropriate operation and maintenance resources. <br />
<br />
The capital funding request requires that the college evaluate the need for additional operation and maintenance resources for any new construction that is requested. This requirement enables the college to secure the funding resources necessary to operate and maintain a new facility. The college and the state expect any major renovation to make the facility more sustainable and decrease the utility and operational costs by providing - when economically feasible - a more energy efficient system and facility. At this time, the funds allocated for repair, operation, and maintenance of the college are adequate to maintain the utility and safety of the facilities. <br />
<br />
====8.A.5 Facilities are constructed and maintained with due regard for health and safety and for access by the physically disabled.====<br />
<br />
The college provides a portion of its capital budget specifically for health, safety, and code compliance projects. One of the categories funded over the last two biennia has been to improve access by the physically disabled. The biennial capital request uses information provided by the college’s Access Services (part of Student and Academic Support Services), as well as studies done in support of road renovation and trail and sidewalk restoration projects. Health, safety, and code compliance, including accessibility requirements, are integrated into major capital projects that involve renovation or modernization of the space. <br />
<br />
The college uses the following statutory requirements in its facilities planning to ensure the health, safety, and accessibility of the facility: Americans with Disabilities Act; Washington State Indoor Air Quality Code; Washington State Energy Code; International Building Code; International Fire Code; International Mechanical Code; Uniform Plumbing Code; National Electric Code; National Fire Protection Agency; Washington Department of Labor and Industries regulations, various Environmental Protection Agency regulations; and Occupational Safety and Health Agency regulations.<br />
<br />
====8.A.6 When programs are offered off the primary campus, the physical facilities at these sites are appropriate to the programs offered.====<br />
<br />
The college operates one off-site location that it leases in Tacoma. The Tacoma campus is maintained and operated under the same regulations and guidelines for health, safety, and disabled access as the campus in Olympia. This property was specifically renovated to house the programs currently offered when the college leased the facility in 2000. The college has one full-time maintenance custodian who is assigned to handle minor maintenance and responds with staff from Olympia on major items that are the college’s responsibility under the lease. The property manager is responsive to those needs within the owner’s responsibility. The college ensures that the maintenance operations for this facility provide the necessary program support for the students, staff, and faculty at this location. [[Media: Tacoma_site_2008.pdf|Tacoma Campus Site Map]]<br />
<br />
====8.A.7 When facilities owned and operated by other organizations or individuals are used by the institution for educational purposes, the facilities meet this standard.====<br />
<br />
The college provides additional off-site programs through its reservation-based program. These programs are located in facilities at various tribal locations in western Washington. The Nations where Evergreen has provided or currently provides these programs are: the Tulalip Tribe, the Nisqually Tribe, the Muckleshoot Tribe, the Quinault Indian Nation, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, the Makah Tribe (not currently active), and the Skokomish Tribe (not currently active). These programs receive support from the various Nations, and the facilities meet the same criteria for health, safety, and access as the Olympia facilities.<br />
<br />
===Standard 8.B – Equipment and Materials===<br />
<br />
''Equipment is sufficient in quality and amount to facilitate the achievement of educational goals and objectives of the institution.''<br />
<br />
====8.B.1 Suitable equipment (including computing and laboratory equipment) is provided and is readily accessible at on- and off-campus sites to meet educational and administrative requirements.====<br />
<br />
The college maintains and provides equipment at the main campus and its Tacoma campus to ensure it is readily accessible to meet both educational and administrative requirements. As indicated in 8.A.3 the educational equipment needs are met through a consistent provision of funds every year ($250,000), plus grant funds and, when necessary, through the use of unit reserves to ensure there is appropriate equipment available for newly constructed or renovated educational space. The strategic plan specifically addresses this standard in its strategic direction #7: “Evergreen will intentionally foster secure, sustainable, flexible, easy-to-use, and accessible information technologies that support and enhance our teaching and learning philosophies and the administrative needs of the institution...Classroom spaces will be technologically current and functional for meeting curricular needs.” Computer labs are equipped with a computer for each student and most classrooms now include a computer, along with projection and display systems. The operating budget provides funding for the purchase and maintenance of equipment in the administrative areas. Each unit prioritizes its equipment needs and uses available funds to meet these needs or to defer the purchase until the funds are available.2. [[Media: Academic_Equipment_Allocation_Process.pdf|Allocation Process]] & [[Media: Equipment_InventorySeptember_2007.pdf|Equipment Inventory]] & [[Media: Equipment_Funding_HistorySeptember_2007.pdf|Equipment Funding History]] & [[Media: June_30_2007_Reconciliation_Fixed_Assets_Accred.pdf|Capital Equipment and Fixed Asset Inventory – June 30, 2007]] <br />
<br />
====8.B.2 Equipment is maintained in proper operating condition, is inventoried and controlled, and replaced or upgraded as needed.====<br />
<br />
A recent assessment, conducted in January 2007 by an independent contractor, Edutech International, found that Evergreen spends 6.7% of its total budget on technology, ensuring that the hardware, software, and infrastructure are suitable for its educational and administrative requirements. Edutech International indicated that this percentage when dedicated to technology was about right for an institution the size of the college. In the last fiscal year, $2.3 million was spent on hardware and software in support of the college’s mission. Fifty-nine full-time equivalent staff develop and support the use of technology across campus and at the Tacoma campus.<br />
<br />
The college maintains an inventory of its fixed equipment, capital equipment (items over $5,000), and small and attractive items (cameras, PDAs, laptops, etc.). The fixed equipment, vehicles, and other motorized equipment are maintained by Facilities Services through the operating budget and the capital funds allocated by the state legislature for preventive maintenance ($760,000 this biennium). Staff plan preventive maintenance and respond to on-demand requests to repair failed fixed equipment. The costs associated with the maintenance of the various items of fixed equipment are reviewed and the item is either repaired or replaced depending on the age, the cost to repair, and the number of times repaired. The smaller non-fixed equipment is maintained via the operating budget of the unit responsible for the equipment. The college tracks equipment (worth more than $10 million) that is required to be recorded and depreciated through an inventory control system managed by Business Services.2. [[Media: Academic_Equipment_Allocation_Process.pdf|Allocation Process]] & [[Media: Equipment_InventorySeptember_2007.pdf|Equipment Inventory]] & [[Media: Equipment_Funding_HistorySeptember_2007.pdf|Equipment Funding History]] & [[Media: June_30_2007_Reconciliation_Fixed_Assets_Accred.pdf|Capital Equipment and Fixed Asset Inventory – June 30, 2007]] <br />
<br />
====8.B.3 Use, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials are in accordance with the institution’s prescribed procedures.====<br />
<br />
Disposal of hazardous materials is controlled by the environmental health and safety coordinator. Additionally, the college has established procedures for training on the handling of hazardous materials and for dealing with any type of incident involving hazardous or dangerous wastes. Individual units order, receive, and stock hazardous materials in accordance with appropriate rules, regulations, and procedures. The environmental health and safety coordinator approves products for use on campus, reviews storing of hazardous and/or dangerous materials, and manages the proper disposal of hazardous, dangerous, and universal wastes. The college continues to stay current on new regulations and policies, as well as the technologies for identifying and handling of regulated wastes. There is a continuous emphasis in Academics, Residential and Dining Services, and Facilities Services to reduce the amount of hazardous and dangerous materials handled at the college. The extent of the college’s efforts to reduce the amount of hazardous and dangerous materials is evidenced by the fact that since 2004, the amount of dangerous and hazardous materials disposed of has decreased from almost 6,500 pounds to 2,345 pounds. The college has made a serious commitment to ensuring that the environment, staff, faculty, and students have minimal exposure to potentially hazardous and dangerous wastes. The college is pesticide- and herbicide-free; green chemicals are used in the cleaning of the campus; low- and no-VOC paint and carpet materials are used in renovation and construction projects, as well as during maintenance operations; and other materials are selected based primarily on their green characteristics.<br />
<br />
The proper procedures for the use, storage, and disposal of hazardous and dangerous materials at the college are described in the various college policies, Washington Administrative Code, and college procedures developed and maintained by the environmental health and safety coordinator. All hazardous, dangerous, and universal wastes generated by the college are properly disposed of in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations. [[Media: Hazardous_Waste_2004-2006_summary_.pdf|Dangerous & Hazardous Waste Disposal]]<br />
<br />
===Standard 8.C – Physical Resources Planning===<br />
<br />
''Comprehensive physical resources planning occurs and is based on the mission and goals of the institution.''<br />
<br />
====8.C.1 The master plan for campus physical development is consistent with the mission and the long-range educational plan of the institution, and the master plan is updated periodically.====<br />
<br />
The college has just finished a major effort to update and revise its campus master plan, which was initially developed in 1998 and revised in 2005. The latest revision of the college’s campus master plan was keyed to the college’s revised strategic plan in 2007 and the need to clearly define the capital projects necessary for the future development of the campus. The campus master plan was developed to be consistent with the college’s mission “to sustain a vibrant academic community and to offer students an education that will help them excel in their intellectual, creative, professional and community service goals.” The process began in February 2007 with meetings with the college’s senior management team, the Master Plan Committee, and the students and faculty in the sustainable design program. Throughout the spring, the consultants met with a wide variety of constituencies to gather input for the development of the new facilities master plan. The board of trustees, the planning units, students, the Sustainability Task Force, and various other community organizations were engaged to gather the data necessary to ensure that the new master plan met the needs of the campus and incorporated its mission and values. <br />
<br />
In the development of the new master plan, sustainability played a key role, along with the stated goal for the campus to be carbon neutral by 2020. One of the key features of the new master plan was the recommendation to develop learning/education centers throughout the campus property that would provide learning opportunities for the students in a wide variety of areas related to sustainability: storm and wastewater education, waste stream and renewable fuels education, forest observation, and terrascope education. The draft master plan was presented to the college, the local community, and the board of trustees in November 2007 in a series of meeting to gather feedback on the draft plan in order to take the final master plan to the board of trustees in January 2008 for approval. Throughout the process, input was actively sought and all elements of the campus community were engaged to ensure that the plan reflects the mission, values, and vision of the college. The college has posted its last three master plans and revisions on its Web site. The college plans to review the 2008 campus master plan in 2010.4. [[Media: 2007-09_Capital_Budget_Final_8-31-06.pdf|10 Year Plan]] & [[Media: VOLUME_I.pdf|Master Plan Volume I;]] [[Media: VOLUME_II.pdf|Master Plan Volume II;]] [[Media: VOLUME_III.pdf|Master Plan Volume III]]<br />
<br />
====8.C.2 Physical facilities development and major renovation planning include plans for the acquisition or allocation of the required capital and operating funds.====<br />
<br />
The heart of Evergreen’s planning process involves not only the campus master plan but also the ten-year state capital budget plan. The college also develops a biennial operating budget based on the college’s revised Strategic Plan and the governor’s priorities. The campus master plan, the ten-year state capital budget plan, and the biennial capital and operating budget requests identify the facilities that will be constructed or renovated, serve as the basis for developing the various timelines, and provide the capital resources necessary for the projects. The college’s revised strategic plan also serves as a guide to developing and implementing the program. <br />
<br />
The process for the ranking of capital projects for higher education institutions was changed in the last session of the Washington State Legislature that ended in March 2008. The state’s Office of Financial Management (OFM) has been charged with developing a new process for the ranking of capital projects in higher education. The college’s senior management team will establish Evergreen’s priorities for the next biennium once the process has been developed and provided to the college. OFM will coordinate the prioritization of the state’s higher education capital plan and submit the priority list to the Office of the Governor for consideration in the governor’s biennial budget. [[Media: Policy_3329-S.HBR.pdf|ESHB 3329 Prioritization of public four-year institution capital project requests]]<br />
<br />
The prioritized projects are systematically developed and revised on a continuous basis once these plans are finalized. The campus master plan serves as the base and vision for the ten-year plan and the implementation is based on the current and future needs of the college. The plans include systematic development for the pre-design (in major capital projects over $5 million), schematic, and design development to ensure the resources necessary for the implementation are available and adequate for the planned projects. The ten-year plan accounts not only for major and minor capital projects, but also for preservation and programmatic projects. There is a continuous review to update campus priorities and to identify necessary resources to ensure the biennial capital budget meets the college’s needs. New construction and major renovations require not only the development of a capital plan, but also an operating budget plan to ensure that the necessary resources are available to operate and maintain the facility.<br />
<br />
====8.C.3 Physical resource planning addresses access to institutional facilities for special constituencies including the physically impaired and provides for appropriate security arrangements.====<br />
<br />
Universal access is the goal for the campus. In the last two biennia, the college has allocated funds in the minor works program to move the college towards universal access devoting $150,000 in the 2005-07 and $275,000 in the 2007-09 capital plans. The environmental health and safety coordinator, the assistant director for planning and construction, and the director for access services are involved in the development of various major and minor projects to address the college’s goal of universal accessibility for the physically impaired. The college’s facilities were developed at two distinct elevations, which pose a problem in meeting the goal of universal accessibility. The planning stages for either new construction or a facility renovation involve various campus constituencies, as well as the architects and engineers to ensure “that the work meets the applicable federal, state and local regulations for access." The college’s next major renovation, the College Activities Building (CAB), is being planned with the intent of providing an access path from its first floor to Red Square without the use of an elevator. Security and safety issues are continually reviewed and the capital program has various projects that address these needs. In this biennium, the college has requested and was provided funding ($3 million) for health, safety, and code compliance minor works. Current processes include the continual implementation of ADA-accessibility standards to move the college to universal accessibility, electronic locking systems on college facilities, and other campus safety and security projects as appropriate. <br />
<br />
All college facilities when renovated are designed to meet or exceed current federal, state, and local regulations regarding access, safety, and security. The college works closely with the McLane Fire District, the Thurston County Fire Marshall, Department of Labor and Industries, and Thurston County to ensure that all building codes have been met prior to occupancy of the space or facility.<br />
<br />
====8.C.4 Governing board members and affected constituent groups are involved, as appropriate, in planning physical facilities.====<br />
<br />
The college’s board of trustees, as well as its internal constituents and external stakeholders, are continually presented with the appropriate information on various capital projects and minor works projects. During the development of the college’s new campus master plan, the consultants met with various groups on sixteen different dates, many times for an entire day. Additionally, the college staff and the consultants had three different meetings for the external community. Also, the new campus master plan was published on the Facilities Services Web site and comments were solicited from the entire college community from early July through mid-December 2007. A blog was also established in mid-November 2007 and remained active through the end of the calendar year 2007. The ten-year capital plan and accompanying biennial requests are also presented to senior management and the board of trustees. The various projects within the ten-year plan are discussed with various affected constituent groups to develop the preliminary program so that the cost can be estimated. The college prioritizes the capital projects by communicating on an ongoing basis with the Council of Presidents, the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Office of Financial Management, as well as the other four-year institutions, ensuring that the college receives important feedback regarding project planning and implementation.<br />
<br />
===Standard 8 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
<br />
Findings and Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The college continues to provide the physical resources necessary for it to accomplish its mission.<br />
<br />
2.) The $110 million dollars appropriated for campus facilities in the past decade has significantly enhanced the teaching and learning environment at the college. Work on the Lbrary renovations has supported the development of the conceptual integration of Library and media and computer services. Renovated laboratory space has strengthened the capacity of the college to support laboratory-based teaching.<br />
<br />
3.) The collaboration between Facilities, Academics, and students in design has both helped to improve the usability of the spaces and supported the college’s emphasis on sustainability. The new campus master plan, developed with significant input from across the community, provides a structure for campus development to the year 2020. The Facilities area has continued to develop a collaborative relationship with Academics, particularly in support of the work on the campus master plan. This work has emphasized sustainability and has helped Evergreen become a leader in sustainable facilities management.<br />
<br />
4.) There is an ongoing need for adequate state capital funding for deferred maintenance and renovation on existing buildings.<br />
<br />
5.) As the college approaches 5,000 students, the potential need for additional space may arise. Over the past several years, Facilities has found effective ways to involve and work with the college community.<br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The building of the new Seminar II Building has effectively used a process of staff, faculty, and student collaboration, along with professional architects and engineers, to help design the state of Washington’s first LEED Gold Certified Building. Seminar II is also the first major new building that has been designed and organized to facilitate student learning through collaborative, team teaching, and the integration of sophisticated computer and media capacities. The inclusion of teaching gardens into the facility and its surroundings further integrates natural history learning with the built environment.<br />
<br />
2.) Facilities has worked hard to consult broadly with staff, faculty, and students as the potential users of facilities in the design of its renovations and long-range planning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has made a concerted effort to design with Academics the new upgraded laboratories and equipment. These facilities have significantly supported teaching in chemistry, geology, botany, microscopy, environmental analysis, and others.<br />
<br />
4.) The renovation of the B and C wings of the Library allowed for and helped promote the integration of Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing facilities in an innovative and seamless way. This design has helped connect learning and teaching across these areas.<br />
<br />
5.) Over the past ten years, the college has made significant improvement on its deferred maintenance backlog with the help of consistent state funding.<br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The Facilities area should continue to involve all sectors of the campus community in the design and planning of major physical projects.<br />
<br />
2.) The Facilities area needs to continue to keep the facilities master plan updated every two years to meet the changing needs of the college.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to make sure that adequate funding exists for computers and scientific and media equipment repair and replacement.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) The college’s ten year capital plan for 2009-19 is currently being developed to identify and rank projects for state renovation and deferred maintenance.<br />
<br />
2.) The Campus Land Use Committee as an ongoing standing committee has the responsibility of reviewing the campus master plan and consulting on all significant projects.<br />
<br />
== Standard 8 - Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Eight|Supporting Documentation for Standard Eight]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_6&diff=8855Standard 62008-07-24T23:15:08Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Supporting Documentation */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 6 - Governance and Administration==<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s governance reflects the college's distinct values. Governance arose from a conception of Evergreen as a community within which all members should have a voice. Governance was seen as a vehicle to exercise and foster collaboration across the college. For example, Evergreen has avoided standing committees, instead relying for policy guidance on the Disappearing Task Force (DTF), a short-term ad hoc committee, consultative and collaborative in nature, with a diverse, broadly-based membership. Evergreen’s governance practices seek to make decision making transparent, locatable, and accountable. <br />
<br />
'''Changing Conditions''' - Over the past decade, several trends have placed considerable stress on Evergreen’s traditional governance structures: <br />
<br />
*'''Growth''' - The college continues to grow fairly steadily. A collaborative governance system, seeking personal participation and direct communication among those affected by decision making, becomes more difficult to orchestrate as the number of participants increases. <br />
*'''Workload''' - Simply creating the time needed to do collaborative governance work becomes a challenge as we wrestle with the workload of faculty and staff. <br />
*'''Turnover'''- The college is now well into a period of significant, generational transition among faculty and staff. To the extent that the governance practices that preserve our values are a matter of tradition rather than formal policy, and to the extent that the keepers of these traditions leave the college, Evergreen will be challenged to maintain or adapt its practices while preserving its values. <br />
*'''Complexity''' - The environment in which the college operates is complex and continually changing. The pace of change in the external environment sometimes moves more quickly than the internal college systems for deliberation and discussion. The college’s funding is increasingly linked (in rhetoric and sometimes reality) to a growing list of accountability expectations, demands for degree production in specific fields, and competition for students from a wide variety of institutions.<br />
<br />
Reflecting on the major events and changes in Evergreen’s governance and administration over the past decade, the college has been generally successful in remembering its values during this period. The college’s success in actually living up to those aspirations is, of course, open to some debate. Nevertheless, at critical junctures and through longstanding institutional challenges, these principles have provided an essential governance framework for preserving Evergreen's unique identity and viability. <br />
<br />
The college-wide transitions discussed in Standard 1 are clearly evident in college governance. Evergreen’s system of governance is undergoing some significant transitions in response to changing conditions. These include:<br />
<br />
* Continued growth<br />
* Continuing generational turnover<br />
* The formation of the Geoduck Student Union, Evergreen's first formally recognized student government<br />
* The formation of the United Faculty of Evergreen, the college's first faculty union engaged in collective bargaining<br />
* Continuing emphasis by state policymakers on preparing students for careers in high-demand fields<br />
* Changing accountability expectations from policymakers and the advent of "performance contracting" as the method for setting the state's portion of the college's budget<br />
<br />
The college will need to pay close attention to governance in the years ahead to insure that the system that develops is in keeping with the college’s mission and core values.<br />
<br />
===External Environment===<br />
<br />
The administration at Evergreen (or any higher education institution) serves at the boundary of the organization, mediating between the needs and expectations of external stakeholders and those of faculty, staff, and students who make up the college. To understand the nature of systems for governance and administration at Evergreen, it is useful to first briefly review the external environment in which those systems operate.<br />
<br />
The state of Washington’s mechanisms for system-level governance are comparatively decentralized. The Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) administers the state's student financial aid programs, approves new degree programs, and is charged with long-range planning for the state’s system of higher education.<br />
<br />
The state’s six baccalaureate institutions, including Evergreen, are affiliated through the Council of Presidents (COP). In addition to meetings of the six presidents, the COP structure provides opportunities for collaboration among the state’s chief academic officers, budget officers, legislative officers, and others, as well as other groups on an ''ad hoc'' basis. From Evergreen’s perspective, a significant change in this state-wide system occurred in 2005, when the legislature required the six baccalaureate institutions, working through the COP process, to present a unified budget request for capital construction, listing all the proposed major capital construction projects in the system in a single, prioritized list. The level of capital funding provided to the college in this period demonstrates that, so far, this process has worked well for Evergreen (see Standard 8).<br />
<br />
Three other significant changes in the state-wide system of higher education have presented more significant challenges to the college during the period of this self-study: changes in tuition policy, an emphasis on “high demand” enrollment, and a continually evolving focus on accountability. A brief review of these areas serves to show how Evergreen's administration has worked to mediate between expectations in the external environment and the college's internal stakeholders.<br />
<br />
====Tuition Policy====<br />
<br />
During the period of this self-study, the authority for setting tuition levels has rested with the board of trustees, within limits set by the legislature. For instance, in 2007, the legislature gave the board authority to raise tuition for residents of the state up to 5% in each of the following two academic years. This limited local control of tuition rests uneasily at Evergreen. The [[media:TuitionPolicyStatement.pdf|stated policy of the board]] argues that the authority for setting tuition should be closely linked to the responsibility for funding the state’s financial aid programs and that both these functions properly belong to the legislature. The state has apparently recognized this concern. In each year of the period covered by this self-study, the legislature has increased funding to the State Need Grant program, the state’s primary need-based financial aid program, sufficient to hold recipients of the State Need Grant harmless from the effects of tuition increases.<br />
<br />
In most years, this apparent local control of tuition has been undermined by other provisions in the legislative budget, which reduced state support for the college by exactly the amount that would be gained by raising tuition to the maximum allowed level. (The 2007 legislative session was a notable exception to this pattern, when the authority to raise tuition was accompanied by an increase in actual state support for the college.) Given these conditions, the board has consistently elected to raise tuition for resident undergraduates by the maximum amount allowed by the legislature. Over time, the cost burden of higher education is shifting from the state General Fund to students and their families. Ensuring that Evergreen remains accessible to low-income students will require moderating tuition increases, enhanced financial aid from the state, or increased institutional aid from private giving, or some combination of the above.<br />
<br />
====High Demand Enrollment Funding====<br />
<br />
Since 2002, the legislature has adopted a policy that provides more generous funding for new enrollment in selected “high demand” fields. The selected fields are chosen to address a concern that “many employers report difficulty in hiring enough qualified graduates from Washington state institutions to fill high-skill job openings.” For example, in 2004, these fields included (1) nursing and other health services; (2) applied science and engineering; (3) teaching and speech pathology; (4) computing and information technology; and (5) viticulture and enology. ([[media:HighDemandRFP.doc|''Request For Proposals: Expansion of Enrollment Opportunities in High-demand Fields,'']] Higher Education Coordinating Board, April 27, 2004).<br />
<br />
In light of this policy, Evergreen has urged the legislature and the HECB to adopt an expansive view of “high demand” fields so that the absence of traditional majors at Evergreen and the college’s commitment to the liberal arts do not necessarily exclude us from consideration for enhanced funding under this policy. The college has had some success in this effort. Evergreen’s initial high demand proposal for a Master of Public Administration cohort with an emphasis on Tribal Governance was not selected for funding in 2003. After the college made additional arguments that graduates in this field were in high demand, the program received funding in 2004. In the 2007 legislative session, the college received funding for enrollment growth in the health sciences and to offer a new Master of Education degree with certificates in math/science and in English as a Second Language. Both the M.Ed. program and the expanded offerings in health sciences are consistent with high demand areas identified in state policy and with the college’s own enrollment growth plan. In this policy environment, the college must be politically engaged and respond creatively if Evergreen is to avoid drifting toward more professional and pre-professional training and away from its liberal arts mission.<br />
<br />
====Accountability====<br />
<br />
The Washington legislature mandates that each public four-year baccalaureate college submit a [[media:Accountability_Report_2007.pdf|biennial accountability plan to the HECB]]. Accountability plans describe Evergreen's efforts to make improvements on the state accountability measures during the past biennium, historical trends for these measures, and plans for the current biennium. The accountability measures include a set of indicators defined by the HECB and a set defined by the college. The state-mandated measures include the number of degrees awarded, time to graduation, and retention. Evergreen has also chosen three measures from the National Survey of Student Engagement that reflect key aspects of the college’s mission:<br />
<br />
* Percentage of seniors who have done or plan to do community service or volunteer work prior to graduation<br />
* Percentage of seniors reporting that Evergreen contributed “quite a bit” or “very much” to their development in solving complex real world problems<br />
* Percentage of first-year students who report having serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity “often” or “very often”<br />
<br />
To date, the college’s funding has not been directly linked to performance on state accountability measures. The legislature has shown interest, however, in exploring the concept of performance contracts that would provide financial incentives for institutions that meet accountability benchmarks. In March 2008, the legislature enacted a [[media:HB2641.pdf|new law]], significantly changing the process by which the college requests and receives state funding. In fall 2008, the college (and all the state's public baccalaureate institutions) will be required to propose a performance contract, linking biennial funding to measurable outcomes that respond to the state's goals for higher education. The college now has the task of designing a set of performance benchmarks that are meaningful to Evergreen's mission and acceptable to state-level policymakers.<br />
<br />
It is too soon to know how this new funding process may affect the college. Even if this growing emphasis on accountability does not directly affect the college's funding, the growing list of accountability reports places an added burden on the limited resources of the college's Institutional Research office. Recognizing this, the college added a position to the office in 2007, but demand for the services of the office continues to grow.<br />
<br />
===Standard 6.A - Governance System===<br />
''The institution's system of governance facilitates the successful accomplishment of its mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
====6.A.1 The system of governance ensures that the authority, responsibilities, and relationships among and between the governing board, administrators, faculty, staff, and students are clearly described in a constitution, charter, bylaws, or equivalent policy document.====<br />
<br />
A structural view of Evergreen's governing system might locate the board of trustees at the top of the chart, appointed by the governor, confirmed by the state senate, and given broad, [[media:RCW28B40120.pdf|statutory power]] to operate the college. Through a series of documented policies and delegations, discussed below, the board has focused its attention on strategic leadership and policy. The [[media:BoardPolicies.pdf|board's policies]] describe in some detail how the board delegates to the president (and through the president to the faculty and staff of the college) the day-to-day responsibility for operating the college. Immediately below the board of trustees, the organization chart would show the president and senior administration carrying out the administrative work of the college as described in ''Leadership and Administration'' below. The responsibility for academic governance, including designing and delivering the curriculum, is located in the structures described in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (See [[media:fh2200.pdf|Faculty Handbook, Section 2.200, Academic Organization]]): the provost, deans, Faculty Agenda Committee, and the faculty as a whole. These are described briefly below and at greater length in Standard 4.<br />
<br />
This structural view of Evergreen's system of governance tells only part of the story. The college's governance practices are designed to promote collaboration across divisional boundaries, consistent with the values of an interdisciplinary college. The Disappearing Task Force (DTF) is the primary example of such a practice. The DTF, as described above, is used to consider major policy questions, both academic and administrative.<br />
<br />
====6.A.2 The governing board, administrators, faculty, staff, and students understand and fulfill their respective roles as set forth by the governance system's official documents.====<br />
<br />
====6.A.3: The system of governance makes provision for the consideration of faculty, student, and staff views and judgments in those matters in which these constituencies have a direct and reasonable interest.====<br />
<br />
The process used to update the college's mission and strategic plan, described in Standard 1, illustrates the way that Evergreen's flexible system of governance can provide a structure for trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders to work collaboratively on significant governance questions. DTF members typically include administrators, faculty, staff, and students. Table 6.1 shows the breadth of topics considered by DTFs over the past ten years. Major questions of academic policy are considered at a faculty meeting, where the faculty consider the question in a committee of the whole. <br />
<br />
<div>'''Table 6.1: Disappearing Task Forces Charged: 1998-2007'''<br />
<br />
Community-Based Learning 1997-99<br />
<br />
Human Resources 1999-00<br />
<br />
Parking Expansion 1999-00<br />
<br />
Apparel Purchasing Practices 2000<br />
<br />
General Education 2000-02<br />
<br />
Running Start 2000-01<br />
<br />
Tuition Waivers 2000-01<br />
<br />
Food Services 2001<br />
<br />
Prevention of Violence 2001-03<br />
<br />
Risk & Liability 2002<br />
<br />
Faculty Governance 2002-03<br />
<br />
Faculty Reduction-in-Force 2002-03<br />
<br />
Enrollment Growth 2005<br />
<br />
Campus Life 2005-07<br />
<br />
Curriculum Visions 2006-<br />
<br />
Diversity 2006-07<br />
<br />
First-Year Experience 2006-07<br />
<br />
Exempt Staff 2007-08</div><br />
<br />
<br />
In addition to the college's DTFs, a number of broad-based standing committees exist to attend to ongoing planning and coordination. These include the Campus Land Use Committee (see the [[Media: cluc_meetings.pdf|CLUC home page]]), various budget planning groups, the Enrollment Coordinating Committee, the Health and Safety Committee (see the [[Media: healthsafetycommittee.pdf|Health & Safety Committee home page]]), IT Collaboration Hive (ITCH) (see the [[Media: itch_homepage.pdf|ITCH home page]]), Space Management Committee (see the [[Media: spacemanagement_homepage.pdf|Space Management home page]]), and the Sustainability Task Force (see the [[Media: sustainabilitytaskforce.pdf|Sustainability Task Force home page]]). In addition, Faculty Hiring Committees represent a major, ongoing governance effort on the part of the faculty. (See also Standard 4.)<br />
<br />
Two notable changes in Evergreen's governance system have occurred in the past several years. The unionization of the faculty and the formation of a student government, both discussed below, are likely to contribute to an evolution of Evergreen's governance system in the years ahead.<br />
<br />
===Standard 6.B - Governing Board===<br />
''The governing board is ultimately responsible for the quality and integrity of the institution (or institutions in the case of the multi-unit system). It selects a chief executive officer, considers and approves the mission of the institution, is concerned with the provision of adequate funds, and exercises broad-based oversight to ensure compliance with institutional policies. The board establishes broad institutional policies, and delegates to the chief executive officer the responsibility to implement and administer these policies.''<br />
<br />
====6.B.1 The board includes adequate representation of the public interest and/or the diverse elements of the institution's constituencies and does not include a predominant representation by employees of the institution. The president may be an ex officio member of the board, but not its chair. Policies are in place that provide for continuity and change of board membership.====<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s eight-member board of trustees is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate. Seven of the board members serve staggered six-year terms. The eighth member, a student, serves a one-year term. The state law establishing the college gives the board broad authority to operate the college.<br />
<br />
====6.B.2 The board acts only as a committee of the whole. No member or subcommittee of the board acts in place of the board except by formal delegation of authority.====<br />
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The [[media:BoardProcess.pdf|board's policies]] state that official inquiries and concerns directed to the board are referred to the chair, who is the spokesperson for the board, for response. The board chair is obligated to inform the other members of the board in a timely manner. Individual board members are required to make clear when they are speaking as individuals and when they are stating board positions. The chair is the official spokesperson of the board.<br />
<br />
The state’s [[media:rcw42-30.pdf|Open Public Meetings law]] governs the operation of the board of trustees. The board conducts official business as a committee of the whole in meetings that are open to the public and publicly announced in advance. Regular meetings of the board include time for the board to hear comments from members of the public, including students, staff, and faculty, who may be in attendance. In addition, the board has a longstanding practice, which was formalized as [[media:communityreps.pdf|policy]] in fall 2007, of recognizing community representatives, including a faculty representative, a staff representative, and an alumni representative. Following the formation of a student government association, the board also recognized a representative from the student government. These representatives are invited to attend all regular meetings of the board, receive all meeting materials, are seated with the board during meetings, and invited to provide oral or written reports at each meeting.<br />
<br />
====6.B.3 The duties, responsibilities, ethical conduct requirements, organizational structure, and operating procedures of the board are clearly defined in a published policy document.====<br />
<br />
In the early 1990s, the board adopted a [[media:BoardPolicies.pdf|series of policies]] to define its role at the college, its relationship with and expectations of the president, and its delegation of authority to the president. The [[media:BoardProcess.pdf|board resolved]] to “approach its task in a manner which emphasizes strategic leadership more than administrative detail, clear distinction of board and staff roles, future rather than past or present, and proactivity rather than reactivity and will be cognizant of the social contract in its relationships with the campus.” The board [[media:Board-PresidentRelationship.pdf|acknowledged]] “its responsibility as being generally confined to establishing broad policies, leaving the implementation and subsidiary policy development to the president” and established [[media:PresidentialLimitations.pdf|general limits to the president’s authority]]. In addition, the board adopted [[media:delegation.pdf|a resolution on Delegation of Authority]] to specifically enumerate those functions that the board reserved to itself and to delegate all other functions to the president and, through the president, to the faculty and staff of the college. The revision history of the Delegation of Authority demonstrates that the board has regularly reviewed and updated its policies.<br />
<br />
====6.B.4 Consistent with established board policy, the board selects, appoints, and regularly evaluates the chief executive officer.====<br />
<br />
In accordance with [[media:PresidentialEvaluation.pdf|board policy]], the trustees hire and annually evaluate the performance of the president. The president publishes a self-evaluation each spring, and faculty, staff, and students are invited to provide comment on the president’s performance either to the president or to the board or both. The board meets in executive session each July to review the president’s self-evaluation, any comments received, and discuss the board’s own assessment. After meeting with the president in executive session, the board then provides a brief summary of its evaluation in open public meeting.<br />
<br />
====6.B.5 through 6.B.9====<br />
'''6.B.5 The board regularly reviews and approves the institution's mission. It approves all major academic, vocational, and technical programs of study, degrees, certificates, and diplomas. It approves major substantive changes in institutional mission, policies, and programs.'''<br />
<br />
'''6.B.6 The board regularly evaluates its performance and revises, as necessary, its policies to demonstrate to its constituencies that it carries out its responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner.'''<br />
<br />
'''6.B.7 The board ensures that the institution is organized and staffed to reflect its mission, size, and complexity. It approves an academic and administrative structure or organization to which it delegates the responsibility for effective and efficient management.'''<br />
<br />
'''6.B.8 The board approves the annual budget and the long-range financial plan, and reviews periodic fiscal audit reports.'''<br />
<br />
'''6.B.9 The board is knowledgeable of the institution's accreditation status and is involved, as appropriate, in the accrediting process.'''<br />
<br />
The board's regular cycle of meetings includes an annual retreat for self-evaluation and goal setting (usually in October of each year), quarterly financial reports, and biennial review and approval of budget requests and allocations. Through this process, the board has reviewed and approved a change to the college's mission statement in January 2007 and approved significant program changes, such as the establishment of the Center for Community-Based Learning and Action and the Master of Education program (March 2007). The board has regularly reviewed the college's accreditation status and discussed the accreditation process.<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s board of trustees is entering a period of significant transition. The membership of the board has been markedly consistent for much of the past ten years. The average length of service for the seven regular members of the board in 1999 was 2.9 years. That average rose fairly steadily during the period of this self-study, reaching seven years in 2006, the highest in the history of the college. The college has been well served by a seasoned board well acquainted with the college’s mission and values.<br />
<br />
Late in 2006, two trustees left the board, one at the end of her term, the other upon her election to the state senate. In 2007, two more trustees left the board prior to the completion of their terms. Over the next several years, the board and the college should pay close attention to the recruitment and orientation of the next generation of the board of trustees.<br />
<br />
===Standard 6.C Leadership and Management===<br />
''The chief executive officer provides leadership through the definition of institutional goals, establishment of priorities, and the development of plans. The administration and staff are organized to support the teaching and learning environment which results in the achievement of the institution's mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
====6.C.1 The chief executive officer's full-time responsibility is to the institution.====<br />
<br />
The president is the chief executive officer of the college, with full-time responsibility to the institution.<br />
<br />
====6.C.2 The duties, responsibilities, and ethical conduct requirements of the institution's administrators are clearly defined and published. Administrators act in a manner consistent with them.====<br />
<br />
The administrative leadership of the college is organized into four divisions: Academics, Finance and Administration, Student Affairs, and College Advancement (see the [[media:OrgChart.pdf|Organizational Chart]]).<br />
<br />
====6.C.3 Administrators are qualified to provide effective educational leadership and management. The chief executive officer is responsible for implementing appropriate procedures to evaluate administrators regularly.====<br />
<br />
The ''curricula vitae'' of the president and vice presidents demonstrate the qualifications of the college administration to lead and manage the institution. By college policy, exempt professional staff are evaluated annually. Vacancies in professional staff positions are filled through open competitive searches, according to college policy. Permission to permanently fill a professional staff vacancy without an open competitive search may be granted by a committee made up of the president, vice presidents, the associate vice president for Human Resources, and the college's affirmative action officer.<br />
<br />
====6.C.4 Institutional advancement activities (which may include development and fundraising, institutional relations, alumni and parent programs) are clearly and directly related to the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
The college's institutional advancement activities are closely linked to the goals of the college. Fundraising activities are carried out by The Evergreen State College Foundation, a private non-profit established by the college's board of trustees. The foundation's staff are employees of the college, devoting time and effort to foundation activities under an agreement between the college and foundation. (see [[Media: Foundation_College_Agreement_Mark_Up.pdf|Agreement between The Evergreen State College and The Evergreen State College Foundation]].) This agreement is regularly reviewed, updated, and renewed by the college's board of trustees. The foundation-college staff working on institutional advancement participate in the college's goal-setting activities. The vice president for College Advancement, who also serves as executive director of the foundation, is a member of the college's senior staff and was a member of the steering committee that developed the college's current strategic plan.<br />
<br />
====6.C.5 Administrators ensure that the institutional decision-making process is timely.====<br />
<br />
The college’s senior staff group, made up of the president, vice presidents, an academic dean, associate vice president of Enrollment Management, associate vice president of Human Resources, executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, director of Government Relations, and executive assistant to the president, meets weekly, providing a venue for timely decision-making (see [[media: Seniorstaffminutes.pdf|Senior Staff Meeting Minutes for 2007-2008]]).<br />
<br />
====6.C.6 Administrators facilitate cooperative working relationships, promote coordination within and among organizational units, and encourage open communication and goal attainment.====<br />
<br />
The weekly senior staff meeting is one of many cross-divisional groups that promote communication and coordination among the college's administrative divisions. In addition, the college has a long tradition of relying on annual retreats to promote college-wide communication and cooperation in goal setting and goal attainment. These include an annual retreat for the president and vice presidents, a retreat of the senior staff, the academic deans' retreat, an occasional management retreat, as well as many other retreats and meetings within administrative units.<br />
<br />
====6.C.7 Administrators responsible for institutional research ensure that the results are widely distributed to inform planning and subsequent decisions that contribute to the improvement of the teaching-learning process.====<br />
<br />
The college's Office of Institutional Research conducts research and assessment for Evergreen. The office's activities include recurring surveys and assessment, as well as special, one-time projects. The office uses nationally recognized measures (e.g., the National Survey of Student Engagement) and locally developed tools crafted to meet the needs of Evergreen's unique curriculum (e.g., the End of Program Review). Institutional research reports are posted on a regularly updated Web site accessible both on- and off-campus. The office's staff regularly conduct and participate in workshops and institutes for faculty, and the office's location as part of the provost's staff helps to ensure that the college's research activities are aimed at improving the teaching and learning process at Evergreen.<br />
<br />
====6.C.8 Policies, procedures, and criteria for administrative and staff appointment, evaluation, retention, promotion, and/or termination are published, accessible, and periodically reviewed.====<br />
<br />
Many employment polices for classified staff are subject to collective bargaining and found in the [[media:WFSEContract.pdf|Union Contract]]. Other employment policies, including those for exempt professional staff, are documented on the college Web site ([[media:employmentpolicies.pdf|Employment Policies]]). Human Resource operations were extensively reviewed by the Human Resources Disappearing Task Force in 2000, and have been occasionally updated since that time as needed in order to stay current or reflect changes in employment law or collective bargaining agreements.<br />
<br />
====6.C.9 Administrators' and staff salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain competent personnel consistent with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
There has been some turnover among senior leadership during the review period. As of this writing (spring 2008), the president has served in his current position for seven years, the provost for five years, the vice president for Student Affairs for fifteen years, the vice president for Finance and Administration two years, and the vice president for College Advancement for one year. The tenure of these senior administrators is actually longer than these terms of service would seem to indicate. The president previously served terms as vice president for College Advancement, interim president, and executive vice president. The provost joined the faculty in 1989 and previously served as academic dean. The vice president for College Advancement previously served as executive associate to the president from 1991-2006. In Evergreen's comparatively flat and decentralized administrative structure, this kind of longevity has represented an important source of stability at Evergreen. As many members of the senior staff approach retirement age, the college will need to pay close attention to transitions in this area.<br />
<br />
Turnover among faculty and staff more generally has been an area of attention for Evergreen. In each of the past four years, Evergreen's Department of Human Resource Services has prepared a summary of staff turnover for the board of trustees. During that period, annual staff turnover has ranged between 9% and 11%. Although this level of staff turnover is normal and manageable, we expect an increasing number of retirements to affect staff turnover in future years. In the three-year period ending in 2006, seventeen members of the staff retired. If retirement-eligible employees leave at the same rate, we may see as many as eighty-eight employees retire by 2010.<br />
<br />
"Leaving for better opportunity" is the reason that staff most commonly cite for separating from the college (35% cited this reason in 2006). The level of staff salaries likely contributes to these departures. The college's efforts to improve staff salaries were significantly delayed by a general downturn in state revenues following 2001. For three consecutive years, the college received no funding for cost-of-living increases, and a period of budget retrenchment limited the college's ability to self-fund increases. Conditions began to improve in 2005, when the state resumed funding for cost-of-living increases. Salary increases were funded as follows:<br />
<br />
:Fiscal Year 2006 3.2%<br />
<br />
:Fiscal Year 2007 1.6%<br />
<br />
:Fiscal Year 2008 3.2%<br />
<br />
:Fiscal Year 2009 2.0%<br />
<br />
These general increases tell only part of the story for classified staff compensation. In 2005, state law changed to allow collective bargaining for wages and benefits. Since the change in the law, Evergreen and its classified staff union have bargained through a process managed by the governor's Office of Labor Relations as part of a coalition involving many of the state's two-year colleges. In addition to the general cost-of-living increases noted above, this process yielded additional salary enhancements for classified staff based on market surveys for selected job classifications (e.g., the information technology classifications). An additional pay step was also added to the classified salary grid, further raising the maximum salaries for the most senior classified employees. These changes have a cumulative effect for many employees. The average increase in our classified employee salary base was over 7.2% in the current biennium.<br />
<br />
For exempt staff, the cost-of-living increases described above have not been adequate to make up for past salary stagnation. Following the implementation of wage increases for classified staff salaries, more than 21% of our exempt managers and supervisors experienced salary compression (in which they earned less than 10% more than staff members they supervised) or salary inversion (in which they earned less than those they supervised). The college is seeking specific legislative support to address these issues.<br />
<br />
In 2006, the vice presidents jointly charged an Exempt Staff DTF. Among the DTF's tasks was making recommendations for exempt compensation policy that could be used to systematically evaluate exempt staff salaries on an ongoing basis. The DTF made its recommendations in spring 2007. Work on the compensation system that follows from the DTF's recommendations is ongoing. Human resources professional staff have collected market survey data from a variety of relevant sources: the College and University Personnel Association, the Economic Research Institute, the Millman survey, and the Washington Employment Service. From among these sources, appropriate benchmarks will be selected for each position. As of this writing (spring 2008), 45 of the 181 exempt staff positions have been benchmarked. A very preliminary estimate suggests that an annual investment of approximately $620,000 may be required to bring all the exempt positions up to the 50th percentile. An additional $250,000 might be required to address salary compression and inversion issues that emerge when classified staff salaries increase more rapidly than the salaries of exempt staff supervisors. Given the scale of this investment and other competing demands on the college's strategic reserves (discussed above), the college will need to pursue a strategy over more than a single funding biennium to achieve its goals for exempt staff compensation.<br />
<br />
Evergreen has significantly improved and expanded the its staff development efforts over the past four years. The Human Resource Services office offers between eighteen and twenty-four staff development courses each year, serving approximately two hundred members of the staff. In addition, human resources assists local departments in setting up two or three departmental staff development workshops for various departments each year. Online training is also available for staff.<br />
<br />
===Standard 6.D Faculty Role in Governance===<br />
<br />
''The role of faculty in institutional governance, planning, budgeting and policy development is made clear and public; faculty are supported in that role (see Standard 4 – Faculty).''<br />
<br />
Faculty governance at Evergreen includes planning and coordinating the curriculum and educational offerings of the college, as well as providing advice and recommendations to administrators. The faculty’s role in governance is described in the ''Faculty Handbook''. (See [[media:facultygoverance.pdf|Faculty Handbook, Section 2.200-2.400]]) The faculty meeting, in which the faculty function as a committee of the whole, is the designated forum for hearing reports, ratifying or rejecting major policy proposals, or remanding proposals for further discussion. The Faculty Agenda Committee, elected from the faculty at large, is responsible for deciding what forum is best for discussing major policy questions, setting the agenda for faculty meetings, and consulting with the provost and deans on the charge and membership of DTFs.<br />
<br />
This system of governance is undergoing significant transition. This transition reflects the changing conditions noted at the beginning of this Standard: growth, workload, turnover, and complexity. In fall 2002, a DTF was charged to study faculty governance. It published a [[media:governancedtf.pdf|final report]] two years later, generally affirming Evergreen’s system of faculty governance, while recommending changes to improve attendance at faculty meetings and noting that multiple understandings of shared governance existed on campus, ranging from consultative or distributive governance to collaborative/participatory governance. For the past two years, the Faculty Agenda Committee has returned to the practice of organizing faculty meetings so that major governance questions are discussed in Deans Groups. The Deans Groups, which mix faculty from various planning units, allow for more broad-based, interdisciplinary discussions in groups that are smaller than the full faculty meeting.<br />
<br />
On October 31, 2006, the faculty voted to unionize, establishing the United Faculty of Evergreen as their representation for collective bargaining. As of this writing (spring 2008), negotiations toward a first collective bargaining agreement between the college and the union are underway. A significant revision of the ''Faculty Handbook'' is likely to be required at the conclusion of negotiations to ensure that the policies in the Handbook comply with the new agreement. It remains to be seen how this change will affect governance at Evergreen. Clearly, the college should pay careful attention to ensure that a system of shared governance supporting the college’s mission and values is in place at the end of this transition.<br />
<br />
===Standard 6.E Student Role in Governance===<br />
<br />
''The role of students in institutional governance, planning, budgeting, and policy development is made clear and public; students are supported in fulfilling that role (see Standard 3 – Students).''<br />
<br />
Historically, students at Evergreen have participated in governance primarily through their appointment to DTFs and other committees. The Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs has maintained a list of governance opportunities for students and promoted the list to students each fall.<br />
<br />
The student role in governance at Evergreen is now in a period of significant transition. In spring 2006, Evergreen students voted to form a student government association, the Geoduck Student Union (GSU). The board of trustees recognized the GSU on May 10, 2006. An election was held to appoint twenty-one student representatives. The creation of Evergreen's first recognized and functioning student government, after several failed attempts in years past, represents a major milestone in the history of the college.<br />
<br />
During the 2006-07 academic year, the GSU developed a mission statement and bylaws and adopted formal election procedures. In its first year, the Union decided to focus on “establishing a relationship with the board of trustees, working with the Washington Student Lobby (WSL), creating late-night transportation for students, improving Aramark’s food service policy, promoting student involvement in the CAB Redesign, overseeing the college’s finances, working against oppression, improving technology, and supporting the appointment of contingent faculty to term positions.” (See the Geoduck Student Union's [[media:gsu2007.pdf|''End of Year Report for 2007'']], June 9, 2007.)<br />
<br />
Now in its second year, the GSU continues to develop. The union’s primary goals for the 2007-08 academic year included: working to reach a compromise to a proposed campus-wide smoking ban and to advocate for more comprehensive smoking cessation and counseling programs; working with students to develop recommendations for the college's 2009-11 biennial budget proposal; continuing to recruit students for committees and task forces in addition to other student activities; creating a comprehensive student body survey for the GSU, faculty, and administration to consider when setting college priorities; and revamping the student elections process. <br />
<br />
The GSU reports that the group's ultimate goal is to nurture an active and engaged student body that will have direct contact with administrators, as well as influence on administrative proceedings and decisions. They group envisions an empowered student body as not only being responsive but also proactive in all aspects of the college.<br />
<br />
During this period of transition in college governance, the administration should continue to give attention to nurturing the new student union. This will require engaging the GSU in college governance while providing room for the student government to develop its own governance agenda.<br />
<br />
===Standard 6 - Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings and Conclusion: <br />
<br />
Governance at Evergreen is in transition, from a primarily internally focused process model arising out of an understanding of Evergreen as a face-to-face community, to some as yet undefined model. From the beginning, the college viewed standing committees with suspicion. Instead, Evergreen preferred decentralized, ad hoc responses to specific issues. In place of standing committees, Evergreen has relied on the Disappearing Task Force. Instead of a faculty senate, Evergreen has had the faculty meeting. These preferences reflect the college's values, which prize an egalitarian, inclusive, community-based approach to organizing the college and responding to issues as they arise. While occasionally messy, this approach to governance has often been successful in locating community consensus. Whatever governance structures come out of this transition will need to respond to changes in scale, the emergence of new forms of representation from the Geoduck Student Union (GSU) and the collective bargaining agreement being negotiated with United Faculty of Evergreen, and the external pressure to respond to policy initiatives from the legislature, the HECB, and the governor with internally accountable and timely decisions.<br />
<br />
Commendations: <br />
<br />
1.) The board has had a clear and consistent sense of its work in providing overall guidance for the college and has worked effectively with the president.<br />
<br />
2.) The development of the GSU after thirty years with only piecemeal student representation is a major step forward for student voice and involvement at Evergreen.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has mounted three major planning efforts that have moved forward effectively with broad consultation in recent years: the Strategic Plan Update 2007, the Campus Land Use Plan, and the Strategic Enrollment Growth Plan. With these documents in place, the college is in a good position to define its role and desires to the state.<br />
<br />
Recommendations: <br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen needs to reexamine its governance processes with an eye to maintaining a governance process that fosters community and participation, while at the same time allowing the college to respond effectively to questions raised by scale, accountability, and timeliness.<br />
<br />
2.) Evergreen needs to work with the United Faculty of Evergreen, the agenda committee, the faculty meeting, and the GSU to continue to find effective ways to incorporate student and faculty voices into college decisions. <br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) The college needs to revisit the Student Conduct Code and possibly the Social Contract as a part of its review of governance at the college.<br />
<br />
2.) The college is currently reorganizing and updating its governance procedures and policies in preparation for possible college-wide work on governance.<br />
<br />
== Standard 6 - Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Six|Supporting Documentation for Standard 6]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_5&diff=8854Standard 52008-07-24T23:14:47Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Supporting Documentation */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 5 – Library and Information Resources==<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.A – Purpose and Scope===<br />
<br />
<br />
''The primary purpose for library and information resources is to support teaching, learning, and if applicable, research in ways consistent with, and supportive of, the institution’s mission and goals. Adequate library and information resources and services, at the appropriate level for degrees offered, are available to support the intellectual, cultural, and technical development of students enrolled in courses and programs wherever located and however delivered.''<br />
<br />
====Supporting the Academic Mission of the College====<br />
Library and information resources at The Evergreen State College support students as they learn to reason and communicate about freely chosen inquiries whose outcomes remain to be discovered or created (Smith, Standard 2). Library and information resources at Evergreen must therefore balance the open-ended demands of free inquiry with the need for stability, security, and efficiency in systems and services. Historically, the Library has been well funded when compared to many public baccalaureates, in recognition of the extraordinary demands of open-ended inquiry and independent study. All library and information resources are shaped by the primary mission of teaching and providing state-of-the-art facilities for academic programs and individual students in this interdisciplinary, liberal arts curriculum. Strong collaboration among library, computing and media staff, faculty, and administration assures the development of the library and information resources as centers for teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
====The Founding Vision of the Library: Any Medium, Any Location====<br />
<br />
In 1969, when the founding dean of Library Services James Holly wrote his “Position Paper No. 1,” he proposed a model which he called the generic library, in some ways anticipating the concept of today's virtual library. “By generic I include man’s [sic] recorded information, knowledge, folly, and wisdom in whatever form put down, whether in conventional print, art forms, magnetic tape, laser storage, etc. By generic, I also eliminate physical boundaries such as [a] specific building or portion limited and identified as ‘the library.’” Holly's vision motivated many aspects of library, media, and computer services, but proved in many ways untenable due to technical and budgetary constraints and because the college community expressed traditional longings for a bounded space. Today, laptops and networked data are ubiquitous and most students expect remote access to information resources, regardless of medium. Technology, as well as community values, have caught up with Holly’s founding vision, and Evergreen's library and learning resources now include all media, distributed to almost any location. Display of networked and audiovisual information now brings information technology to almost any classroom on campus. Active involvement in new consortia has led to quick access to expanded collections and information resources from around the region. Academic programs and students off-campus have access to rich, academically sound journal holdings. A wide selection of digitized media applications and advanced media labs provide access to media production. Increasingly seamless access to media, computing, and traditional information resources benefits all students. At the same time, the physical library has expanded its role as a social and intellectual space and provides an increasingly hospitable center for learning and gatherings of all kinds. A $22-million remodel connected previously disparate areas and created a more cohesive information-technology wing, providing one central entrance for the Library, Media Services, the Computer Center, and the Computing and Communications offices.<br />
<br />
====Functions and Facilities Covered in Standard 5====<br />
<br />
Reflecting these developments, Standard 5 considers information resources and services from several disparate administrative units: Library Services, including Media Services (administratively part of the Academic division); Academic Computing (administratively part of the Finance and Administration division); and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) (administratively part of the academic division, with a historical role supporting the science curriculum). The phrase "library and information resources" in Standard 5 should be understood to refer to these units collectively, while comments about separate areas will use more specific language such as the Library, Media Services, the CAL, or Academic Computing. Occasional references to Computing and Communications will address technology infrastructure when relevant to instructional and academic support functions.<br />
<br />
The information resources offered and supported by the Library, Academic Computing, and the CAL represent facilities and functions commonly found in libraries and computer centers elsewhere in academia. The Media Services section of the Library requires some explanation, as its role and location in the institution are unique. Media Services provides not only the usual audiovisual support for instruction, but also extensive collections and facilities in support of media production by students across the curriculum. Media production labs, a large circulating collection of portable media equipment, and extensive instruction represent activities, facilities, and functions which will not be found within the library at most institutions. Some media arts, communications or education departments might provide some such services to students of their curriculum, but not the library, and certainly not for general use. In the context of an interdisciplinary college, and in the light of the original ideal of the generic library, these services are provided through the Library in order to assure cross-curricular access and opportunity for students from anywhere in the curriculum, whether those students are studying media or simply wish to communicate academic content using media beyond print.<br />
<br />
====5.A.1 Sufficiency of Information Resources and Services====<br />
<br />
''The institution’s information resources and services include sufficient holdings, equipment, and personnel in all of its libraries, instructional media and production centers, computer centers, networks, telecommunication facilities, and other repositories of information to accomplish the institution’s mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
Throughout this study, library and information resources will be found to be strongly linked via face-to-face collaboration and consultation with faculty, staff, and students. These interconnections, within a flat organizational structure, assure constant feedback and redevelopment of services and facilities. Library funding generally compares very well with public institutions and correlates strongly to average funding for private liberal arts peers, peers with whom our use statistics compare favorably. An external assessment performed by Edutech described budgetary support for information technology as comparable to that of institutions with similar missions. There are no comparable institutions for studying the large activity of cross-curricular media services; however, advocacy from both the cross-curricular perspective of the Library and from the specific needs of the media faculty help ensure support. Rapid expansion in information technology access and aspirations have led to changes in personnel allocation and expertise and will continue to make increasing demands on a staff and faculty already stretched in many areas.<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[media: Major_Facilities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 & 2 of the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]]. For holdings and equipment, see Standard 5.B.1. For personnel, see Standard 5.D.1. For evaluation of budgetary support, see Standard 5.D.6.<br />
<br />
====5.A.2 Sufficiency of Core Collection and Related Resources====<br />
<br />
''The institution’s core collection and related information resources are sufficient to support the curriculum.''<br />
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Broad institutional support for cross-curricular library and information services has historically generated sufficient institutional budgetary support for core collections and facilities. During the study period, inflation and budget cuts reduced base budgets for local monograph collections. Non-state resources bridged some of the gap without building the base budget permanently. Consortial agreements created opportunities for cost-effective collective purchases of serials and for efficient resource sharing, resulting in better support for the intensive work by individual students. <br />
<br />
Collection Development, see 5.B.1 and 5.B.5<br />
<br />
====5.A.3 Education Program Drives Resources and Services====<br />
<br />
''Information resources and services are determined by the nature of the institution’s educational programs and the locations where programs are offered.''<br />
<br />
Strong connections to the curriculum inform all library and information services. A distinctive library rotation system connects the library and teaching faculty in the shared project of curriculum and program planning. Teaching alliances between media services professionals and media faculty determine the character of media services. A strong liaison system connects Academic Computing instructors and services with teaching faculty. Meanwhile, a very experienced staff with substantial managerial responsibilities manages day-to-day library services while implementing services in response to the new opportunities advancing information technology affords. (See Standard 5.B.2 - Teaching and Instruction).<br />
<br />
Information technology planning and governance are discussed in Area 5 (Planning and Governance) of the [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
The study notes that planning is collaborative and responsive to academic needs, and could be strengthened through a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH).<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.B – Information Resources and Services===<br />
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''Information resources and services are sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, and currency to support the institution’s curricular offerings.''<br />
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==== 5.B.1 Equipment and Materials to Support the Educational Program====<br />
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''Equipment and materials are selected, acquired, organized, and maintained to support the educational program.''<br />
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=====Collection Development Procedures & Methods=====<br />
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The Library faculty develops collections to support Evergreen's changeable interdisciplinary curriculum without the usual benefit of departmental allocation or structures. The librarians build collections and vendor profiles on the basis of their work as both library and teaching faculty (see 5.B.2), work which involves full-time teaching, faculty governance, extensive collegial engagement with the teaching faculty, and affiliation with planning units. The curriculum committee is the faculty as a whole, and develops the curriculum in curricular planning units, curriculum retreats, and governance groups. The Library faculty's overall knowledge of the curriculum is strengthened by teaching faculty who rotate into the Library and lavish their attention on areas of the collection related to their disciplinary expertise. Finally, librarians honor most requests from individuals for additions to the collection, working from the fact that free inquiry and individual research are central to the Library’s mission.<br />
<br />
In the past, the Library has struggled to satisfy incidental research demands outside the boundaries defined by the core, repeating curriculum. The substantial part of the curriculum which varies from year to year, the significant amount of work by independent contract students (almost 1,300 independent study contracts in 2006-07), and the opportunity for intensive individual projects within full-time, multi-quarter programs have all driven demand for specialized materials outside the core collection. Resource sharing and large, shared purchases, all made efficient because of networking technology, have eradicated this problem, although budget cuts and inflation create some difficulties keeping the core collection current. The budget for core monograph purchases has been supplemented with allocations from non-state resources in order to help bridge this gap. See 5.B.5 below.<br />
<br />
=====Media Services=====<br />
<br />
Close work with the curriculum and faculty also informs the development of media facilities and services. Media staff attend the Expressive Arts planning unit meetings, in particular the Moving Image subgroup. Budgetary processes for equipment purchase and operating costs include multiple avenues for consideration of educational program needs. Through the planning units, needs are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the Library, cross-curricular media demands are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the ITCH, cross-unit needs are coordinated and passed up to the campus-wide budget process. These three avenues help ensure that the budget process addresses both broad and specific curricular demands for media.<br />
<br />
Some stresses develop. Like the Library, Media Services serves the entire academic community, from programs to individuals. And, like the Library, Media Services strains under the pressure of answering the needs of independent study, as well as a fluid curriculum. Students working on independent media productions compete with Expressive Arts programs for scarce resources, from equipment to laboratories to teaching staff. In order to balance these competing demands, Media Services requires students and faculty to submit media request forms, which are reviewed by the Media Services manager and the head of Instruction Media, who allocate resources, both human and technological. Independent contract forms include a question about the need for special equipment or facilities, which serves as a safety net for screening intensive media use. In these ways Media Services assures that students embarking on media studies do so with appropriate support. The Expressive Arts planning unit also instituted a Student Originated Studies (SOS) group contract in media to assure that students have consistent access to facilities and instructional support as they pursue their independent projects.<br />
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=====Information Technology Equipment & Facilities=====<br />
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The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] includes equipment in its discussion of technological facilities in Area 1 of the report. The report states, "Computing, networking and information technology facilities at Evergreen are extensive and impressive. In most cases, Evergreen facilities are at or near standards for similar institutions, and in some cases surpass them. However, these standards are a moving target, and there are areas in which the college will probably have to make upgrades in the near future." The report lauded the computer labs, classroom technology, and access to computers. Recommended improvements were to extend wireless to the entire campus and permanently fund a replacement cycle for equipment.<br />
<br />
====5.B.2 Teaching and Instruction====<br />
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''Library and information resources and services contribute to developing the ability of students, faculty, and staff to use the resources independently and effectively.''<br />
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=====Defining Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
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Standard 2 links the five foci and six expectations of an Evergreen education to the idea of reflexive thinking. "Reflexive thinking begins with a question, an interrogation of the world, and an encounter with the other. As such it involves the student in the whole process of substantive learning about subjects, disciplines and methods that is the standard domain of learning. But reflexivity is the capacity that a learner has to think about the situation and conditions that underlie her own personal and collective experience of thinking and knowing." (See [[Standard_2#Reflexive_Thinking | reflexive thinking]]). This work is engaged and supported through the broad and deep resources of the collections and instruction within the library and information resources. <br />
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The professional literature and practice of librarianship defines information literacy as a reflective process. To be clear, a '''reflective''' process considers, evaluates, synthesizes, and in general, engages information discovered through research. In contrast, a '''reflexive''' process goes on to consider one's own learning and knowledge as influenced through exposure to the information under consideration. According to Jeremy J. Shapiro and Shelley K. Hughes, in their article entitled [[Media: educom_review.pdf|'Information Literacy as a Liberal Art']], information literacy should "be conceived more broadly as a new liberal art that extends from knowing how to use computers and access information to critical reflection on the nature of information itself, its technical infrastructure, and its social, cultural and end even philosophical context and impact..."<br />
<br />
The information literacy curriculum includes:<br />
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* Tool literacy - The ability to use print and electronic resources including software and online resources.<br />
* Resource literacy - The ability to understand the form, format, location, and methods for accessing information resources.<br />
* Social-structural literacy - Knowledge of how information is socially situated and produced, including understanding the scholarly publishing process.<br />
* Research literacy - The ability to understand and use information technology tools to carry out research, including the use of discipline-related software and online resources.<br />
* Publishing literacy - The ability to produce a text or multimedia report of research results.<br />
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<br />
=====ITL in the Context of Holly's Generic Library=====<br />
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Information literacy at Evergreen is itself a reflexive practice, in addition to being central to the process of reflexive thinking in the broader context of undergraduate education at Evergreen. That is, the student uses library and information resources to put herself in relation to information and thinking from a variety of sources and further, reflects about herself and her learning as she researches and learns. Within the context of library and information resources as understood and managed at Evergreen, this literacy includes not just print scholarship, but media and computing, to become not just information literacy but Information Technology Literacy (ITL). Reflection upon information includes reflection upon the nature and role of the tools themselves. Reflexive thinking includes the relation of the user to the information and the tools. <br />
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Thus, in order to assure that students have the skills to communicate about their open inquiries and the resources to support deeply reflexive thinking, library and information resources take a broad role in the curriculum. Two of the “Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate” relate directly to commitment by the library and information resources to help students achieve intellectual independence, creativity, and critical acumen. Expectation Two states that our graduates will communicate creatively and effectively; Expectation Four, that our graduates apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across the disciplines. Not only should literate students read and write astutely, they also should access, view, critique, and produce media and writing that is eloquent and complete. In this way, digital scholarship merges seamlessly with individual and formal educational goals, just as print scholarship has in the past.<br />
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=====Cross-Curricular Media Instruction=====<br />
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Library and information resources support ITL as an agenda for students across programs, disciplines, and media. Library and information resources staff and faculty collaborate with teaching teams as they instruct students in media and students who create films, multimedia, or musical works for programs or for independent study. These are the challenges of the "freely chosen inquiry," challenges that cannot all be met at all times. However, the location of Media Services administratively and physically within Library Services is meant to ensure that media studies and media production are supported appropriately both within the programs that media faculty teach and elsewhere in the inquiries of students. The spread of entry-level media applications into the general-use computer labs increases access to media production across the curriculum.<br />
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Although library and information resources instructors work to fuse teaching with program content, students are nevertheless able to access any media application or information technology beyond or without considering program content. Likewise, many programs focus entirely on technical skill building, without any formal attempt to link these practices to disciplinary content. And in other areas of the curriculum, such as the Culture, Text, and Language planning unit, critical media and information studies are often taught in a theoretical mode, without hands-on media production—the thing itself. The point is that when skills are valorized over content, or when theory ignores practice, students neglect concrete critical reflection on how technology impacts the message, the creators, the audience, or society. However, Holly's generic library model, the founding principle for library and information resources at Evergreen, has emphasized and counterbalanced the tendency to isolate skills from content. Students who read texts expect to write as well; why should they view media and not expect to create it? Early on, a rotating faculty member who helped link instruction with critical media studies and with interdisciplinary programs directed Media Services. Library and information resources continue to struggle to advocate for the critical study of media and information technology across the curriculum.<br />
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Academic computing also provides access to and instruction in information technologies through a balance of specialized and open computing facilities. With the migration of many media applications to commonly available personal computer platforms, instruction and facilities to support entry-level media production have spread to academic computing and even to the Library proper.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources faculty and staff instruct and teach in multiple modes, from basic skills instruction to more complex, content-driven teaching by faculty and professionals in the curriculum. In addition, the teaching faculty contribute substantively and collaboratively to planning and implementing information services, collections, and policies. This dynamic collaboration between the teaching faculty and the library and information resources has shaped the primary mission to support inquiry-based education. Each area within library and information resources has developed structures to connect teaching and instruction closely to the faculty, the curriculum, and the academic mission of the college. Utilization, satisfaction, and curricular surveys demonstrate the breadth and effectiveness of this work (See Planning and Evaluation 5.E).<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Librarians and Library Teaching=====<br />
<br />
Evergreen requires rotation between the librarians and the teaching faculty. Briefly stated, faculty librarians rotate out of the Library to teach full time on a regular basis and, in exchange, teaching faculty rotate into the Library to serve as librarians providing reference, instruction, and collection development. (See [[media:Learning_Communities_and_the_Academic_Library.pdf | Pedersen]] pp. 41-44 for more discussion of this system). Faculty who rotate into the Library leave with updated skills for developing information literacy within their programs and teams across the curriculum. Library faculty develop their subject specialties and enhance their ability to work across pedagogical and disciplinary realms. Perpetual faculty-wide interactions in faculty governance and team-teaching reinforce the strong connections between the library faculty and the teaching faculty. Librarians know the faculty as colleagues and teaching faculty know the librarians (probably the only basis for widespread and effective library instruction in a curriculum without requirements). Teaching teams also spread effective library instruction practices as experienced teaching faculty introduce their new faculty teammates to their library colleagues and the teaching they offer. Most new faculty also bring updated information technology skills and experience to share with their colleagues.<br />
<br />
A loose liaison system links each librarian with a subset of the curriculum, based on subject expertise, planning unit affiliation, and personal alliances. Faculty librarians provide a wide array of library and information technology-related teaching. One-time workshops designed to engage sources particular to the research projects within an academic program represent the most common format. Librarians and teaching faculty design these workshops with the assumption that the skills imparted are embedded in the interests and needs of the program learning community. At a minimum, the faculty for the program usually 1) create a research assignment which informs and motivates the students’ work; 2) attend the research workshop and participate, adding their expertise and/or questions; 3) provide the library liaison with a syllabus and a copy of the assignment and a list of the topics students are considering; and 4) ask the students to begin considering their topic before attending the workshop so they are primed to begin actual research during the workshop. <br />
<br />
Librarians teach workshops on research most frequently in the graduate programs, the sciences, and the off-campus programs. The teaching models for these more extended situations vary according to the library faculty involved and the role in the curriculum, and they evolve significantly year to year. Each year, library faculty affiliate deeply with a few such programs, meeting weekly to create stepped learning conjoined with research assignments. For documents exemplifying this teaching, see [[media:Forensics_week-by-week.doc | Forensics Syllabus]] and [[media:Chemistry_Health_Professions_Project_Description.doc | Chemistry Health Professions Project]]. During several academic years, an information technology seminar linked library internship opportunities with a hands-on Web technology workshop. In that model, a small group of students explored contemporary questions in the world of rapid digitization and its social implications. They paralleled that study with real library work and Web production practice, including wikis and Web pages designed to support library functions. The seminar and workshop have provided a venue for library faculty, staff, and Academic Computing instructors to gather and consider both the past and future of information technologies. See the syllabi for the programs Still Looking ([[media: stilllooking_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: stilllooking_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: stilllooking_spring.pdf|spring]]), Information Landscapes ([[media: infolandscapes_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: infolandscapes_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: infolandscapes_spring.pdf|spring]]), and Common Knowledge ([[media: commonknowledge_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: commonknowledge_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: commonknowledge_spring.pdf|spring]]). Each year, one librarian also offers research methods through the evening and weekend curriculum.<br />
<br />
In-depth, extended library-related teaching within programs and service to off-campus and Evening and Weekend programs can be a challenge in the context of a reduced core of library faculty. During the self-study period, one faculty line was cut during budget reductions. This causes significant stress on the quality and quantity of instruction the area is able to provide.<br />
<br />
=====Library Faculty as Service Providers=====<br />
Library faculty see themselves primarily as teachers. They tend to understand the services of the Library in the context of teaching and learning, specifically teaching as it actually happens in the Evergreen curriculum. Thus, they do not tend to work from externally defined "best practices," nor do they function in a reactive mode. They take a proactive approach to the work, suggesting tools and strategies for designing library instruction and finding the intellectual work in the world of research instruction. They position themselves to work across administrative as well as curricular boundaries and sustain an important role in the crossroads of traditional research methods, contemporary information technology, and the world of the curriculum and their teaching colleagues.<br />
<br />
=====Service and Teaching=====<br />
The faculty librarians have transformed the reference desk into a teaching space, which goes well beyond traditional service models. For this reason, there is generally a librarian at the desk during the hours the Library is open to the public. Each contact between a librarian and a patron represents an opportunity to teach and learn. In collections, Web page design, signage, collection organization, and creation of virtual services, the librarians ask not just what is easiest or matches the expectations of inexperienced users, but what can be taught through the new design, service, or collection. For example, broad aggregate databases have been purchased because they are cost effective, but the librarians also emphasize and teach comparatively complex digitized indexes, which refer students more deeply into the discipline-based literature of their inquiries. As discussed throughout this document, library and information resources are designed, planned, taught, and supported in the context of college-wide teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
=====Library Faculty and Off-Campus Programs=====<br />
Library support for the two major off-campus offerings, the Tacoma and the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs, focuses heavily on instruction, with additional support from networked technology, including specialized Web pages for these programs. See [[Media: reservation_library.pdf|services for Reservation-Based students]] and [[Media: tacoma_library.pdf|services for Tacoma-based students]]. Students of these programs have limited access to the physical library and must be alerted to the many high-quality resources available to them online through the Library. End-of-program reports show very high engagement with information technology in these programs (See [[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf |End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]). Most years, librarians work closely with the Research Methods class at Tacoma, providing laboratory-based instruction on location several weeks per quarter. As of 2007-08, this work has taken on a more formalized structure and has developed into credit-generating research classes.<br />
<br />
Library instruction at the upper-division off-campus sites of the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs has varied widely year-by-year. Recently, the program has focused on building library methods into the lower-division bridge curriculum, which has not involved the library faculty directly. Reservation-based programs report 100% teaching and use of library and Internet research in 2007; however, this work has not engaged the Library's holdings or services significantly. Rebuilding this connection should be a high priority, and a planned faculty rotation from a former director of the reservation-based program will be an opportunity to do so. Perusal of the [[Media: Achievements2.doc |Achievements]] list for the self-study period demonstrates that almost every development supports distant access to collections and services and thus the off-campus programs.<br />
<br />
=====Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing=====<br />
In all major computer and media labs, staff instructors provide group instruction designed to support the needs of specific academic programs, covering particular applications and tools relevant to the disciplines involved. Media and computing instructors teach workshops in different spaces and in different modes, depending on the discipline and the technology. There are no constraints upon which facilities may be used. In one quarter, a science program might have workshops in the Computer Center focusing on blogs, a math workshop using Excel in the Computer Applications Lab, a session on video documentation for field research in the Multimedia Lab, and a library research workshop in one of the Computer Center's general-purpose labs. In this way, academic programs leverage staff expertise and facilities as needed.<br />
<br />
Teaching faculty must be able to easily identify and contact the appropriate staff member to coordinate computer instruction, which may require significant logistical support such as lab scheduling, equipment checkout, server space, password access, personnel scheduling, and other details. In Academic Computing, program liaisons work with faculty to coordinate how programs will teach technology. For instance, the staff liaison helps set up file shares and Web spaces and schedules and teaches workshops. In Media Services, the head of instructional media provides a central location for faculty and students requesting instructional support in media to connect with appropriate media instructors and to schedule facilities and instruction. The Media Services staff work with faculty to design and integrate media into their programs. Media Services staff meet regularly with media faculty in the Expressive Arts planning unit so they can develop facilities, plan for access, and foster integration of media into academic programs.<br />
<br />
Students who work independently on media or computing projects or who decide to tackle media projects within non-media oriented programs also receive many forms of instructional support. Academic Computing offers regularly scheduled technology workshops, which are open to all. In addition, Evergreen students can access Lynda.com, which tutors students in software applications and programming languages. The Library recently subscribed to Safari Books Online, which supports the computer science curriculum and addresses technical inquiries from students across the curriculum. Academic Computing began a computing wiki in 2006-07 which hosts approximately 2,000 pages of instructions and tutorials and which continues to expand. Increasingly, students, faculty, and staff rely on the Academic Computing wiki to stay abreast of technologies hosted on campus.<br />
<br />
Any student may access most media-production facilities and check out portable media equipment once they have completed relevant hands-on training sessions called proficiencies. Media instructors run hundreds of these quick, skills-focused instructional sessions annually, which serve thousands of students, ensure proper use of the equipment, and provide supportive technical background for systems. The number of formal instructional sessions provided to programs has doubled since 2000, suggesting the rapidly expanding use and breadth of college-supported media technology. Finally, the Evening and Weekend Studies curriculum provides a coherent, regular pathway for learning more complex media-production processes.<br />
<br />
Like the library faculty, media instructors teach in a variety of modes: full-time, part-time, introductory, intensive, general, sustained, intermittent, specialized, individual, within programs, or collaboratively in small groups. Many of the media staff are artists, professionals, and faculty in their own right, with Master of Fine Arts degrees in their fields. They teach photography, electronic music, Web design, and digital imaging as adjuncts in Evening and Weekend Studies and in Extended Education. Media staff who teach as adjunct faculty are often called to teach full time as visiting artists. Their contributions to the part- and full-time curriculum are substantial and sustained, some of them having taught for more than twenty years. Their work supports the Expressive Arts. It assures access and instruction for students who do not consider themselves artists but who want to engage in technologies that constitute important developing communication media and also define the visual aesthetics of science, history, political science, psychology, and other narratives. Additionally, Photo, Electronic Media, and Media Loan staff annually teach as field supervisors for up to eight student interns who are critical to the effective functioning of labs and services. These students typically not only gain high-level technical production skills, but also develop instructional, collaborative, and administrative experience by working closely with students, faculty, and technical staff. Finally, all media staff sponsor many individual contracts, which provide opportunities for students who have identified intensive individual inquiries that are not supported in the curriculum at large. In general, media staff are central to the success of media-based programs and are viewed as colleagues by the Expressive Arts faculty, whose programs they support. These working relationships form the backbone of Media Services.<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Institutes=====<br />
As described thus far, library and information resources instructors regularly work with, instruct, and support the teaching faculty through individual collaboration. In addition, they design and teach several faculty institutes each summer. Faculty institutes create valuable connections among faculty, library, media, and academic computing instructors. Recent information technology institutes have focused on specific applications such as teaching statistics with Excel, using online collaborative tools to foster learning communities, or creating program Web pages. Some years, substantive discussions of information technology literacy as opposed to hands-on training have been offered. During institutes, faculty are often afforded paid time for self-directed work that focuses on their program planning. In these instances, faculty evaluate technology, practice using it, and plan how to incorporate applications into their programs.<br />
<br />
====5.B.3 Availability of Policies====<br />
<br />
''Policies, regulations, and procedures for systematic development and management of information resources, in all formats, are documented, updated, and made available to the institution’s constituents.''<br />
<br />
The Web provides a venue for all policies, regulations, and procedures for all information resources and services. <br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Policies,_regulations,_and_procedures_for_the_development and_management_of_library_and_information_resources,_including_collection_development_and_weeding|Required Exhibit 2: Policies, Regulations, and Procedures for the Development and Management of Library and Information Resources]]<br />
<br />
====5.B.4 Participatory Planning====<br />
<br />
''Opportunities are provided for faculty, staff, and students to participate in the planning and development of the library and information resources and services.''<br />
<br />
Faculty, staff, and students participate in the planning and development of library information resources and services. The college community values face-to-face communication and formal procedures for consultation are minimal. All learning and information resources staff and faculty receive and welcome direct requests and suggestions. As an example, good hiring represents an important decision determining how library and information services evolve and prosper. Hiring processes are broadly consultative. Committees with representation from different work units interview and recommend for all staff positions. Students, staff, and faculty representatives join in hiring committees for any major positions, especially those of administrators and faculty. These hiring processes routinely include public presentations by the candidates, which are announced to the entire college community to allow input from staff, faculty, and students.<br />
<br />
More broadly, collaborative work with teaching faculty and other clients drives the design and planning for almost all instructional and technical support. Face-to-face planning and direct engagement with teaching faculty in a program-by-program context defines the work of library and information resources across all units (see Participatory Planning 5.E.1).<br />
<br />
====5.B.5 Networks Extend Information Resources====<br />
<br />
''Computing and communications services are used to extend the boundaries in obtaining information and data from other sources, including regional, national, and international networks.''<br />
<br />
Consortial arrangements in the Orbis Cascade regional system offer Summit, a resource-sharing system that makes it possible to satisfy almost any book and most media requests generated by the individualistic interests of students working on independent projects. The Summit system includes thirty-five academic libraries from Oregon and Washington and delivers resources within two or three days. Students also use many highly specialized materials from periodicals databases, which have expanded the number of journal subscriptions Evergreen holds eight to nine times over the self-study period. This enhancement is largely due to the Cooperative Library Project (CLP), a state-funded resource-sharing project among the four-year Washington state baccalaureates.<br />
<br />
Consortial purchases have reduced per-title costs dramatically and have strengthened areas of the curriculum not necessarily the focus of a core liberal arts collection. For example, psychology, education, and business were heavily emphasized in the most recent round of shared purchasing by CLP. Finally, ILLiad, the interlibrary loan system, brings journal articles to the students' mailboxes and e-mail accounts within a few days. There are almost no discernible limits to accessing published information for any researcher except those who need to present within twenty-four hours. Effective campus networks supported by Computing and Communication's technical support staff make this possible. College-wide steps that have made efficient resource sharing and online information possible have included implementing the Banner student records system and establishing e-mail as the official student communications medium.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.C – Facilities and Access===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides adequate facilities for library and information resources, equipment, and personnel. These resources, including collections, are readily available for use by the institution’s students, faculty, and staff on the primary campus and where required off-campus.''<br />
<br />
====5.C.1 Availability of Information Resource Facilities====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources are readily accessible to all students and faculty. These resources and services are sufficient in quality, level, breadth, quantity, and currency to meet the requirements of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[Media: Major_Faciities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 and 2 of the [[Media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]] specifically considered networking, telecommunications, and other information technology relevant to accessibility. The campus network was lauded as "solid and reliable." The network itself is described technically in Area 1 of the report. Expansion of wireless access from 75% to the entire campus was recommended; this work is proceeding and has the budgetary support to continue into the future. Most classrooms have been networked with display capability, spreading library and information technology access to large portions of the curriculum. This changes the presumptions of the faculty and students and greatly increases the frequency with which social software, digitized presentations, and other multi-media information technology is incorporated in programs. The Edutech report also recommended establishing at least one dedicated teleconferencing space for general use, which is planned within the [[media: CNM.doc|Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)]]. According to Edutech, "student access to computers at Evergreen does not seem to be a problem."<br />
<br />
=====The Information Technology Wing=====<br />
<br />
'''LIR Facilities and Services Visibly Interconnect'''<br />
<br />
With the generic library as a foundation and the interdisciplinary curriculum as the context, merged collections and services build upon an alternative past. Library and information resources thus collaborate actively across academic and administrative departmental boundaries. The major remodel, implementing a newly consolidated Information Technology Wing, substantially strengthened opportunities for connecting services, facilities, and staff. One central, broad entrance now provides access to the Library, the Computer Center, Media Loan and the stairs to Electronic Media, Photo Services and Computing and Communications. See [[media: Consultant%27s_Site_Visit_Report_2004.doc | Consultant Pre-Remodel Report]] for an assessment of facility requirements produced before the project. For further detail, extensive documents describing the project are available in the documents room.<br />
<br />
'''More Teaching and Study Spaces'''<br />
<br />
The ideal of collaborative learning shaped the remodel. Shared study spaces predominate, whether open area study tables, grouped lounge furniture, pod-shaped arrangements in labs, or small group study and media viewing rooms. Wireless access allows informal group work around personal or library-owned laptops. Additional laboratory spaces provide easier scheduling for program work and more computers for individuals when classes do not use the labs. Limited quiet study areas provide an alternative for the solitary scholar; at the same time, small group work is facilitated and encouraged. Overall, the Information Technology Wing has shed barren hallways and utilitarian desks in favor of lounge areas and comfortable study spaces. Overstuffed couches and chairs, large tables, task lighting, and more room for collections all contribute to the conviviality that informs shared inquiry.<br />
<br />
'''Hospitable Spaces and Blended Access'''<br />
<br />
Art exhibitions invite patrons into lounge and study areas and help define the Library as a public space. The new basement lounge, affectionately dubbed the "Library Underground," hosts frequent campus gatherings and public readings, although flooding (a new issue since the remodel) disrupted the area several times in 2006-07. Groups from across campus meet, study, and teach in library spaces, which are open to all and where food and drink have always been allowed. The Sound and Image Library (SAIL) media collections are prominently located in the reference area, where SAIL staff work closely with the reference librarians. The newly established Assisted Technology Lab (ATL) conjoins the SAIL and has become a vital meeting place for students to work and show their art and media productions. Again, SAIL and reference staff provide service and technical support for ATL patrons. As the physical reference collection continues to shrink, reference, the SAIL, the ATL, and Circulation will continue forming a more blended and prominent shared public presence.<br />
<br />
=====More General Access Lab Facilities=====<br />
<br />
Rapid developments in networked information technology have blurred between general and specialized technology labs. The main computer center includes many specialized scientific software packages such as ArcGIS and Mathematica, while common graphic manipulation software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, appear in the CAL. Similarly, the Computer Center supports high-level statistics applications such as R, as well as digital music editing. The library computers provide basic Office applications and general Web access in addition to library-specific searches, but specific library computers also provide GIS, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, assistive/adaptive technology, and scanning applications, while the SAIL provides multiple stations for basic media dubbing, transfer, and editing. Switching to a single user domain and sign-on means simpler, more consistent access to networked resources across campus. The Digital Imaging and Multimedia facilities provide applications for advanced media production, but are open to all students. Some specialty labs have self-contained resources, such as large format printers or applications requiring more sophisticated hardware. However, the primary distinction among labs is the level of expertise and specialized knowledge of the staff. Students benefit when they know the specialized character of a lab means there will be more skilled assistance.<br />
<br />
====5.C.2 Cooperative Agreements====<br />
<br />
''In cases of cooperative arrangements with other library and information resources, formal documented agreements are established. These cooperative relationships and externally provided information sources complement rather than substitute for the institution’s own adequate and accessible core collection and services.''<br />
<br />
Despite greatly expanded information access through Summit and shared purchasing agreements, the Library continues strong support for the core collection within budgetary constraints created by budget cuts and inflation. Over time, Summit circulation data will provide specific reports on areas of the collection where students and faculty consistently or repeatedly demonstrate the need for more depth. Additionally, the Orbis Cascade Alliance is working on shared collection development guidelines to help design complementary collections. <br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures and Methods]].<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Formal.2C_written_agreements_with_other_libraries |Required Exhibit 11 Formal Agreements with Other Libraries]].<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.D – Personnel and Management===<br />
<br />
''Personnel are adequate in number and in areas of expertise to provide services in the development and use of library and information resources.''<br />
<br />
====5.D.1 Sufficiency of Staffing====<br />
<br />
''The institution employs a sufficient number of library and information resources staff to provide assistance to users of the library and to students at other learning resources sites.''<br />
<br />
The chart below suggests that library and information resources staffing is similar to that of comparable public institutions, falling between the averages of peer public liberal arts colleges (COPLAC) and the larger regional universities in the state (WA Regionals in the table below). Note that Evergreen (TESC) and other public college library staffing averages are significantly below the staffing for groups made up largely of private Ivies, DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives), and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning). <br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Staffing Comparisons'''<br />
<br />
| Library || Professionals/FTE || Total Staff/FTE <br />
|-<br />
| TESC || 1.93 || 7.5 <br />
|-<br />
| DEEP || 4.65 || 16.32 <br />
|- <br />
| CTCL || 4.79 || 14.71 <br />
|-<br />
| CIEL || 5.51 || 13.43 <br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC || 2.67 || 8.55 <br />
|-<br />
| WA Regionals || 1.41 || 5.62 <br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
(N.B. The staff count for Evergreen has been halved since approximately 50% of Library and Media Services staffing is devoted to Media Services production, instruction, and equipment check-out. At other institutions, these services, if they are offered at all, reside in academic departments such as media arts or education.) <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses staffing in Area 3. The report shows staffing to be average when compared to similar institutions in terms of size, mission, and culture. <br />
<br />
Because library use at Evergreen compares favorably to more heavily staffed private liberal arts colleges and because all areas sustain a substantial instructional role, there are areas of strain. The rapid expansion of technology-driven services and collections also creates stresses, despite reallocation of staff as media and technologies shift. Following are the primary areas of concern:<br />
<br />
* Support for rapidly expanded classroom technology, an additional demand on top of general institutional growth<br />
* Staffing for greater focus on curriculum planning and engagement with faculty in Academic Computing <br />
* Staffing to support expanding electronic library resource collections (ordering, contracts, management, evaluation, etc.)<br />
* Weakened presence of faculty librarians due to the loss of one line in budget cuts during the self-study period<br />
<br />
<br />
====5.D.2 Staff Qualifications====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources staff include qualified professional and technical support staff, with required specific competencies, whose responsibilities are clearly defined.''<br />
<br />
The balance of librarians to other library staff is weighted toward non-professionals when compared to other liberal arts college libraries. Further, as librarians rotate into the full-time curriculum, they temporarily leave behind reference work, management, administration, and collection development. Any sustained work, such as Web-page development, is interrupted by these regular absences. Further, full-time teaching faculty rotate into the Library as neophytes who need training and who present widely disparate skills, abilities, and ambitions. Beyond the system of rotation, with its concomitant duties, librarians are contractually obligated to participate in college governance and curriculum planning, not to mention their own scholarly projects and sabbaticals. Librarians have nine-month contracts and several are absent during the summer sessions when the Library is minimally staffed. These organizational facts mean that Evergreen has no managerial class of librarians. Instead, the team of faculty librarians share management with staff. Paraprofessionals head almost all departments, including Circulation, Government Publications, Periodicals, Technical Services, and Acquisitions. Their year-round presence and regular workdays provide consistency for development of services, maintenance of collections, public service, and supervision of classified staff and student workers. In this collaborative environment, staff often lead the way in adopting new services. The tremendous commitment by the staff grounds the Library and makes it an ideal teaching environment. <br />
<br />
Most library faculty carry both subject and library master's credentials in order to support their teaching as well as their role as professional librarians (see [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Vitae_of_professional_library_staff | CVs of professional library staff]]). <br />
<br />
As is the case with librarians, many media staff and instructors carry additional graduate training. Graduate degrees noted by staff other than librarians include three MPAs, two MFAs, an MA in art history, an MEd and EdS, an MSE (technical engineering), an MS in chemistry, and an MS in computer information systems. The library faculty, whose roles require substantial attention to teaching and governance outside the Library, must depend upon library staff as managers of major services and functions within the Library. Highly experienced staff with significant levels of responsibility keep the Library not just open, but anticipating and embracing change and new opportunities for service (see 5.B.2 Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing for a discussion of media instructors as artists and teaching faculty).<br />
<br />
In the realm of technical support, the Edutech report recommended assigning "staff responsibilities more specifically." More specific responsibilities and positions have been implemented in Technical Support Services. In the smaller units that provide distributed service and instruction such as the CAL, Academic Computing, and Media Services, this stricter delineation of support functions is not as clearly appropriate. Instead, it is often valuable for staff to be well versed on all or most aspects of the instruction or service required and in direct communication with the student, staff, or faculty who needs help. For example, the liaison system in Academic Computing assumes that in most cases a faculty member will receive all aspects of support from one liaison, or that the liaison will coordinate the support and instruction required.<br />
<br />
All staff and faculty have engaged new skills as the information technology evolves. Multiple reclassifications have assured that staff job descriptions and pay scales match new expectations for technological expertise. Staff have also shifted the location of their work partially or entirely as budget cuts and new programs such as Summit and ILLiad have relocated the areas of greatest stress. Increased emphasis on technology in many positions has led to reclassifications and increases in salaries for some staff, resulting in compression of salaries for some managers. A campus-wide study of exempt salaries is expected to address this issue.<br />
<br />
====5.D.3 Professional Growth====<br />
<br />
''The institution provides opportunities for professional growth for library and information resources professional staff.''<br />
<br />
The library faculty are fully funded for professional activities through the central faculty professional development funds and policies, as well as through faculty institutes. <br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultyfundingopportunities.pdf|Faculty Development at Evergreen]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionalleave_policy.pdf|Professional Leave (Faculty Handbook 6.100)]] <br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionaltravel_policy.pdf|Professional Travel (Faculty Handbook 6.200)]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development (Faculty Handbook 6.300)]]<br />
<br />
The remaining library and media services staff may request up to $500 annually from a pool of $2,500. Additional funding has been requested to bring the maximum benefit up to $750 in order to be consistent with the rest of academics, but this funding has not been granted thus far. Non-state funds from the Friends of the Library have been allocated for retreats and other staff meetings in order to compensate for some of this differential access to professional development funds. <br />
<br />
Computing and Communications allocates more than $40,000 per year to support attendance of technical staff at technical conferences and trainings. This allows staff to expand their skills with current technology, increase their knowledge of new and advancing technology, and connect with peers from other institutions and experts in specific technologies. These training opportunities are critical to the team’s ability to support teaching and learning and to provide management of the college’s administrative systems (see [[Media:CC Training spreadsheet.xls | CC Training Spreadsheet]]).<br />
<br />
====5.D.4 Organizational Structure====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services are organized to support the accomplishment of institutional mission and goals. Organizational arrangements recognize the need for service linkage among complementary resource bases (e.g., libraries, computing facilities, instructional media and telecommunication centers).''<br />
<br />
The fundamental organizing principle of library and information resources at Evergreen is that an interdisciplinary curriculum demands integrated services. Beyond that, the founding vision aspired to provide all media, in any location. Contemporary networked technology and the expectations of students now create a climate in which barriers between different information can and must be dissolved. For all these reasons, blended resources, facilities, and services predominate throughout Standard 5.<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Founding_Vision_of_the_Library:_Any_Medium.2C_Any_Location|The Founding Vision: Any Medium, Any Location]].<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Information_Technology_Wing|The Information Technology Wing]].<br />
<br />
=====Shared Technology Creates the Need for More Shared Work=====<br />
<br />
Media applications, which were once physically limited to Media Services, are now located, maintained, taught, and used throughout the facilities administered by Academic Computing and, to a degree, the Library. Similarly, library resources, which were once physically limited to the Library building, are now found anywhere within reach of the Web. Public computers, once found only in the Computer Center, are everywhere, as are privately-owned laptops. These shifts have accelerated during the past ten years and have changed the instructional roles of the areas and their relationship to the curriculum. Undoubtedly, library and information resources will continue to distribute their budgets, facilities, and staff to continue expanding access to information technology in academic programs and for individual students.<br />
<br />
As technologies have changed, so have the relationships among the Library, Media Services, and Computing, which now share in the communal project of interconnecting, teaching, and supporting our information and technological resources. At this juncture, there seems little point in redesigning the administrative structures that oversee these areas because new relationships and responsibilities have evolved organically, based on need, demand, and interest, and will continue to do so. In order to ensure that these effective working relationships continue to develop, reinforcing connections such as joint staffing, deliberately planning together, and continuing involvement across the areas when hiring for new staff and particularly administrators must be emphasized. <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]] suggested that the existing distributed structures were valuable, but recommended greatly enhancing the role and formal responsibilities of the ITCH to assure better planning in consonance with the mission of the college. See 5.E for fuller discussion of this recommendation. Edutech did not capture the centrality of the teaching role in major portions of the information resources environment at Evergreen. It is teaching and its development that assures the most important connections between the academic mission of the college, the educational program, and IT services of all kinds. While the Library and Media Services collaborate as a matter of course with Academic Computing, the real challenge remains: How to more thoroughly engage the teaching faculty across the curriculum in defining the role of information technology in the academic careers of our students.<br />
<br />
====5.D.5 Engagement in Curriculum Development====<br />
<br />
''The institution consults library and information resources staff in curriculum development.''<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures & Methods 5.B.1]]<br />
<br />
====5.D.6 Library and Information Resources Budgets====<br />
<br />
''The institution provides sufficient financial support for library and information resources and services, and for their maintenance and security.''<br />
<br />
Similar to staffing levels noted above, the Library is well funded compared to other regional public baccalaureates in the state (WA State Public in the table below) and peer public liberal arts libraries nationally (COPLAC in the table below). This comparatively rich funding reflects a historical recognition of the demands of open inquiry and independent research and the centrality of library research in a liberal arts education. Both funding and use rates closely match those of the private liberal arts libraries which predominate the DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives) and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning) peer groups. Thus, the general funding level for the Evergreen Library compares closely to that of institutions with similar missions, services, and roles within their institutions. For further discussion of the role of libraries in liberal arts colleges, see [[Standard_5#Comparing_Use_Statistics_With_Other_Libraries | Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries (5.E)]]. On the other hand, the library budget reported below includes Media Services (approximately 50% of library staffing falls into this category). Most libraries do not include any of the functions provided by Media Services at Evergreen. Instead, these functions, including media instruction, media-production facilities, media production to support college activities, and portable media production equipment check-out, if offered at all, would be part of an academic department such as education or media arts. If Media Services costs and services were not considered, then budgets are close to those of other public institutions, while use statistics are comparable to private liberal arts institutions. <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! FTE<br />
! Circulation+ILL/FTE<br />
! Expenditures/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| '''Evergreen'''<br />
| '''4153'''<br />
| '''31'''<br />
| '''$782'''<br />
|-<br />
| DEEP Colleges<br />
| 2046<br />
| 18<br />
| $829<br />
|-<br />
| CTCL<br />
| 1506<br />
| 23<br />
| $859<br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC<br />
| 3742<br />
| 16<br />
| $464<br />
|-<br />
| CIEL<br />
| 7042<br />
| 25<br />
| $794<br />
|-<br />
| WA State Public<br />
| 11,415<br />
| 15<br />
| $373<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
As budget cuts have reduced both staffing and collections, diversified revenue sources have become a high priority for library administration. Generous biennial infusions from the central academic budget have withered since earlier study periods. Indirect funds from activity grants to the faculty, major gifts from donors, book sales, and fines for lost or destroyed books have all increased to make up important non-state sources for collection development. The development of facilities and programming have been supported through major donors, with the library dean and the campus fundraisers focusing significant attention on these efforts.<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses budgets in Area 4 and compares Evergreen to similar schools on the basis of physical environment, enrollment numbers, education goals and aspirations, residential nature, tuition, and governance structure. The review determined that Evergreen devotes considerable resources to IT and is consistent with its peers. In 2005, Evergreen’s expenditure on IT—expressed as a percentage of total institutional expenditures—was 6.7%. This percentage aligns with the 6.7% reported by Computing in a 2006 survey of public four-year colleges. The average for all institutions was 6.5%. Generally, IT is funded comparably to institutions with similar missions and culture. The report recommended that budget processes should be addressed that take into account the heavy demands upon replacement, operation, and maintenance as IT becomes ubiquitous in the classroom, as well as in labs.<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Comprehensive_budget.28s.29_for_library_and_information_resources |Comprehensive Budget (Required Exhibit 9)]]<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.E – Planning and Evaluation===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources planning activities support teaching and learning functions by facilitating the research and scholarship of students and faculty. Related evaluation processes regularly assess the quality, accessibility, and use of libraries and other information resource repositories and their services to determine the level of effectiveness in support of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
====Evaluating Information Services and Collections====<br />
<br />
Assessments of Evergreen's library and information resources confirm support for the academic mission of the college as a public liberal arts college that expects a substantial number of students to engage in self-selected independent inquiry. Utilization patterns among Evergreen students correlate closely to the intensive use found among liberal arts colleges as opposed to lower use rates found among more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
'''Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries'''<br />
<br />
In 2002, Washington's four-year public baccalaureate institutions implemented the Cascade resource-sharing consortium. This start-up provided an amazing new service and an opportunity to assess how rapidly a major new service might be implemented. Evergreen patrons borrowed 9,723 items during the first year, more than any other library, even though Evergreen was by far the smallest institution in the consortium at that time. Although ten times bigger than Evergreen, the University of Washington borrowed just under 7,000 items during the first year. The quick acceptance of Cascade testified to the efficient connection between the Library, library instruction, and the teaching faculty and curriculum at large. <br />
<br />
Cascade became Orbis Cascade as the Washington and Oregon academic consortia merged. The new resource-sharing service, entitled Summit, provides ongoing comparative statistics. To continue comparison with the original members of Cascade, in 2006, Evergreen borrowed 4.52 items per FTE; almost four times the next heaviest user at 1.15 items borrowed per student. Although one might assume that small collection size drives this higher demand, the fact is that the Evergreen collection circulates at a high rate per student as well, according to federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data. <br />
<br />
IPEDS data for 2006 also provide the opportunity to compare use statistics of liberal arts colleges with Evergreen and with small master's-level universities (Carnegie Class Master's I), where strong distinctions appear again. When both circulation and interlibrary loan are counted, Evergreen circulates 31 items per FTE, liberal arts colleges nationally average 24 items per FTE, and the Master's I institutions circulate 8.34 per FTE. <br />
<br />
The same dramatic distinction between liberal arts colleges and comprehensive institutions appears in the Summit consortium, which covers a full array of colleges and universities in Oregon and Washington. The following table lists the heaviest users from the member libraries, based upon their rates of use per FTE in 2006. Evergreen places high on the list, among the most highly ranked liberal arts colleges, which placed well above usage rates at more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! Number of Items Borrowed<br />
! FTE<br />
! Items/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| Reed College<br />
| 20,480<br />
| 1,268<br />
| 16.15<br />
|-<br />
| George Fox University<br />
| 14,427<br />
| 2,392<br />
| 6.03<br />
|-<br />
| Marylhurst University<br />
| 4,548<br />
| 852<br />
| 5.34<br />
|-<br />
| Lewis & Clark College<br />
| 14,386<br />
| 2,953<br />
| 4.87<br />
|-<br />
| '''The Evergreen State College'''<br />
| '''16,118'''<br />
| ''' 4,200'''<br />
| '''3.84'''<br />
|-<br />
| Whitman College<br />
| 6,672<br />
| 1,803<br />
| 3.70<br />
|-<br />
| Willamette University<br />
| 9,164<br />
| 2,511<br />
| 3.65<br />
|-<br />
| University of Puget Sound<br />
| 7,570<br />
| 2,742<br />
| 2.76<br />
|-<br />
| Seattle Pacific University<br />
| 8,589<br />
| 3,466<br />
| 2.48<br />
|-<br />
| Linfield<br />
| 5,354<br />
| 2,331<br />
| 2.30<br />
|-<br />
| Western Oregon University<br />
| 8,623<br />
| 3,992<br />
| 2.16<br />
|-<br />
| University of Portland<br />
| 6,764<br />
| 3,211<br />
| 2.11<br />
|-<br />
| University of Oregon<br />
| 38,796<br />
| 18,880<br />
| 2.05<br />
|-<br />
| Eastern Oregon University<br />
| 4,620<br />
| 2,306<br />
| 2.00<br />
|-<br />
| Pacific University<br />
| 4,232<br />
| 2,341<br />
| 1.81<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(Source: [[Media: summit_statistics.xls|Summit Borrowing Statistics FY06]])<br />
<br />
Thus it is clear that, as of 2006, Evergreen library utilization mirrors the practices of liberal arts colleges. High-use rates also seem to reflect an academic emphasis on major student projects. For instance, at Reed College, which requires a senior thesis, the college library circulates or borrows 120 items per student. On the other hand, looking ahead, ''academic library use patterns are in a period of dramatic change.'' In 2007, the University of Washington implemented WorldCat Local, which provides immediate click-though prompts, leading the user from local catalog to Summit to some journal databases, periodical holdings, and interlibrary loan if appropriate. Summit use at the University of Washington doubled since implementation and interlibrary loan has also increased steeply. A large increase in borrowing at the University of Washington drives lending rates throughout the Summit system, but even more important, it suggests that discovery tools will dramatically increase usage without change in the library instructional program or academic practices. The Orbis Cascade consortium will soon be implementing WorldCat as the shared Summit catalog and many libraries in the consortium will undoubtedly implement WorldCat Local as their local library catalog as well.<br />
<br />
'''Library and Computer Center Use & Satisfaction Rates'''<br />
<br />
The data above demonstrate that library and information resources are comparatively well utilized. While high rates of use suggest something about effectiveness, surveys of popularity (frequency of use and satisfaction with use) provide further affirmation. Institutional Research routinely surveys alumni and students about campus resources. A summary of campus resource utilization (See [[Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]) shows that during the six-year period, the Library and the computing facilities have been the top two most used campus facilities, trading off for first place. Alumni who were somewhat or very satisfied with the services have reported in at between 87% and 92% during the period surveyed. <br />
<br />
Starting in 2006, the [[media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Campus_Resources_Utilization_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)]] included questions about using library resources online and found that 85.2% of respondents use online library resources. Internal records also suggest phenomenal growth in online use of library resources. In 2000, when the Library subscribed to three aggregate journal databases (Proquest, Ebscohost and JSTOR), users conducted 80,000 searches. In 2007, among approximately 30 subscription databases, there were well over 250,000 searches. Careful review of variations of use from year to year reveals the direct impact a fluid curriculum has on database use. For example, Modern Language Association International Bibliography statistics are quite erratic; one major project in a large academic program explains a fivefold increase of use in one year. As JSTOR has developed into a more deeply and broadly multi-interdisciplinary tool, use statistics show a shift away from heavy dependence on the less scholarly aggregates. Extensive lobbying by faculty and librarians encourages this shift toward use of scholarly resources such as JSTOR. Use statistics for periodicals and databases drive selection and instruction planning. When use statistics are low for a database seen by the library faculty as critical to a discipline or of particularly high academic value, then library faculty focus instruction on that database whenever appropriate.<br />
<br />
'''Media Services User Surveys'''<br />
<br />
Institutional Research and Assessment added Media Services to its alumni survey of campus resource utilization starting in 2004. Since then, Media Services has been listed as the fifth most utilized resource. Alumni reported being somewhat or very satisfied at a rate of 89% and 90% in the two survey years (see [[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]).<br />
<br />
The 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)asked students about their use of Media Services, which showed 48% use of Media Loan (see [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Campus_Resource_Utilization_Olympia.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Campus Resource Utilization - Olympia]]). A survey designed and implemented by staff member Lin Crowley supplemented this data. Crowley’s respondents reported an average satisfaction level for each service ranging from 3.07 to 3.62 (out of 4), which indicated that those who used current services were generally fairly satisfied with each of the services they use.<br />
<br />
Although respondents to Crowley’s survey were predominantly active Media Services users, many respondents were uninformed about some services. Respondents supported investment in new digital technologies, but most were unaware of new or planned digital facilities. One clear conclusion of the survey is that visibility and access could be better for some services. Suggested improvements often focused on access, whether longer hours, more workshops, or more facilities. The survey project director recommended that future follow-up surveys be conducted to compare whether the reasons people use each service change and to evaluate the satisfaction levels for each type of services by patron types. See [[Media : TESC_Media_Services_Assessment_Project.doc | Evergreen Media Services Assessment Project]]<br />
<br />
====Evaluation of Teaching and Instructional Programs: Information Technology Literacy====<br />
<br />
The strong focus on teaching throughout library and information resources suggests the following questions: 1) In a college without requirements, does information technology instruction reach enough students to assure that the vast majority of graduates develop skills in support of their inquiries? 2) Which students are taught? Do students receive information technology instruction in an array of disciplinary and developmentally varied situations or is it happening only in pockets of the curriculum? 3) Is it working? Are students acquiring cross-curricular information technology, including media literacy?<br />
<br />
'''How many students are taught?'''<br />
<br />
About 3,000 students attend program-based library instruction workshops annually. These statistics exclude most cases of repeated contacts with the same student and thus represent very broad coverage of the student body. <br />
<br />
From 2000 to 2007, Media Services offered a total of more than 1,500 workshops to approximately 156 academic programs. This number does not include the thousands of quick proficiencies also provided by the area. The number of formal media workshops given and students reached in 2005 and 2006 were each more than double the numbers provided in 2000. Workshops have increased along with new technologies, especially in Media Loan and in the new Multimedia and Digital Imaging Studio (DIS) labs.<br />
<br />
Most instruction provided by Academic Computing and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) serves specific academic programs. These sessions are represented in the following table:<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Computer Lab Workshops for Academic Programs''' (cells represent academic programs/number of students)<br />
<br />
| Year || 2004-05 || 2005-06 || 2006-07<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Center || 221/4,423 || 171/3,418 || 253/4,880<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Applications Lab || 50/1,368 || 50/1,248 || 52/1,344<br />
|-<br />
| Totals || 271/5,791 || 191/4,666 || 305/6,224<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Up until 2007, Academic Computing offered 30 to 40 general computer skills workshops per year in the Computer Center, attended by approximately 350 students. Professional staff focused these workshops on general technical skill building, independent of academic programs. Over time, fewer students were attending these workshops, presumably because more students come to college with strong technical skills and with specialized self-determined needs for support. In response to waning attendance, Academic Computing redesigned the workshops as student-centered support sessions to which students bring their questions or projects. This student-centered structure should more effectively meet the specific demands of students. Computing will evaluate the success of this reinvented structure. All areas of library, media, and computing find the strongest teaching and the greatest demand for instruction occurs in conjunction with programs.<br />
<br />
'''Which Students?'''<br />
<br />
The number of teaching contacts shows that library and information resources staff reach a large number of academic programs, but does not indicate which programs. End-of-program surveys conducted from 2001 to 2006 by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment asked faculty, “Did your students use technology to present work, conduct research (including library research), or solve problems? If yes, How?” Not surprisingly, faculty answered that library/Internet research skills were the most commonly used at 50%, followed by some form of presentation technology. Ninety percent of programs reported some substantial use of information technology. (See[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]])<br />
<br />
In 2006-07, questions were revised to more accurately identify programs where there was intentional focus on teaching ITL: "Did your program include activities to improve information technology literacy?" With this more restrictive language, 70% of programs reported including ITL. (See[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]) <br />
<br />
Further, in 2006-07, a follow-up question asked specifically which kind of technology was taught. Significantly different technologies predominate in different parts of the curriculum. No standard set of applications comes into play, although as of 2006-07, presentation technologies (at 42% of all programs) have increased by 70% over their use in the 2001 to 2006 reports and now begin to approach library and Internet research in their prevalence at 50%. Online communication applications were reported by 32% of programs, an increase of 19% over the 2001-2006 data. <br />
<br />
Reservation-based programs reported library and Internet research at the highest rate, at 100% of programs, although this work was weakly connected to library instruction and therefore it is unclear whether academic library-supplied resources were used. At the other end of the spectrum, Culture, Text, and Language was lowest with 21% reporting library or Internet searching. The remainder of planning units ranged between 43% and 50% library/Internet use, with Core programs at the low end with 43%.<br />
<br />
The substantial move toward presentation media and online communication in programs drives increases in multimedia applications. Presentation technology and online communication applications encourage the use of still and moving images, sound clips, graphs, and charts. These media are mixed with traditional print communication written by students or linked from Web resources. While these media and print applications involve basic, commonly used applications of information technology, they easily migrate toward more advanced media production. The increasing presence of multimedia information technology in Evergreen's learning communities drives further demand upon Media Services and Academic Computing, along with increased overlap of their teaching and service roles.<br />
<br />
Since its inception in the context of Holly’s generic library, Media Services has followed its mission to support media literacy and instruction across the curriculum. During the last ten years, Media Services have changed dramatically as the personal computer has become the platform for entry-level media production and consumption. One measure of this change has materialized in how media staff have served programs through formal workshops since fall 2000. The scheduling data shows that almost 90% of formal program-based workshops serve Expressive Arts faculty. While this scheduling data does not cover equipment proficiency workshops or one-on-one instruction, both used more broadly across the curriculum, it is nevertheless clear that formal instruction by media staff focuses heavily on Expressive Arts programs, with an emphasis on advanced production applications, the exclusive provenance of expressive arts faculty. Media Services provides this advanced instruction in specialized labs, which were enhanced and expanded during the remodel. One effect of this specialization is that entry-level students have migrated to Academic Computing, where the staff works in collaboration with media staff to provide instruction on entry-level media-production applications. In fact, during fall and winter 2006-07, 68% of the faculty who requested workshops in Computer Center were from planning units other than Expressive Arts, and many of these workshops included media instruction (Photoshop, iMovie, Flash, etc.). <br />
<br />
Just as in the Computer Center, the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) shows a trend toward more broadly used applications. Although the CAL has traditionally focused on the science curriculum in the Environmental Studies and Scientific Inquiry planning units, these users have begun to share their space with those who have less specialized demands. Roughly 60% to 70% of the classes in the CAL now work with statistical or numeric analysis, primarily Excel, but also with Graphical Analysis, R, and SPSS. Ninety percent of CAL users prepare presentations, most often with Powerpoint, Word, Illustrator and Excel. Approximately 60% of the programs meeting in the CAL still use analytical tools, including (in order of usage) ArcGIS, Mathematica, and Stella, which were once the focal point of all CAL applications. Science faculty have shifted their emphasis to on-site analysis, using advanced applications in specialized scientific labs in ways that parallel the shift in Media Services toward advanced applications. Meanwhile, the CAL and the Computer Center serve increasing numbers of students who seek instruction or support for the increasingly powerful personal computing applications in media production, statistical analysis, and presentation media.<br />
<br />
'''Does Library Instruction Result in ITL Gains?'''<br />
<br />
The Library, consistent with college-wide practices, rejects requirements and embraces students who engage in open inquiry and independent judgment. In this context, the Library supports a fluid curriculum and responds to changes that drive the needs and expectations of an innovative teaching faculty. Standard or standardized assessment methods do not apply because the Library shapes teaching according to individual students, a fluid curriculum, and highly diverse pedagogy. Instead, the Library commits to the intensive and never-ending task of recreating learning goals, student-by-student, program-by-program. Context is everything, which obviates the role of abstract standardized measures.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the Library does engage in qualitative assessment, the descriptive characterization of ITL teaching and learning. As is the case throughout the faculty (see Standard 2.B.3, Engagement and Reflection), library faculty write annual evaluations of themselves and their library and teaching colleagues. They also engage in five-year reviews in which a panel of teaching colleagues discusses their work. These evaluations consistently address instructional aspirations, successes, and failures. See [[Media: Reflections_on_library_instruction.doc | Reflections on Library Instruction]]. <br />
<br />
Further, under the leadership of the Office of Institutional Research, the librarians designed a project that assessed students as they worked through real research inquiries. The study, [[media: ActivityInfomationLiteracy.pdf |"The Activity of Information Literacy"]], documented the techniques and processes and even the thinking of several small samples of students as they collaborated intensively on research questions. The study showed that these particular students were stronger in their grasp of content than they were in their command of library research tools for their specific inquiries. In other words, a question about history might not lead them to historical abstracts. They were also strong in their ability to develop their research questions and to evaluate and synthesize the results. What these results suggest is that “Faculty may want to assess their students’ abilities to obtain information and offer tutorials or refer students to the Library when deficiencies are detected.”<br />
<br />
Beyond the immediate results, this qualitative assessment also suggested that the students benefited greatly when they collaborated. Certainly, this observation is corroborated by the gains that students make when they work together in skill building instead of in canned computer workshops outside of programs. Additionally, peer groups are widely used across the curriculum as a way to encourage students to develop research topics and individual projects. Given the results of the qualitative assessment and given the widely practiced use of peer groups, library faculty should seek ways to implement collaborative research activities when they link their instruction to programs. This model of cooperation would build on the more isolated collaborations that take place, as a matter of course, between librarians and students at the reference desk. An enlarged vision of this basic transaction—discussion, exploration, and brainstorming—will enhance the relevance and effectiveness of library teaching and workshops.<br />
<br />
'''Student Assessment of Their ITL Learning'''<br />
<br />
The Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES) asks questions that elucidate what the students themselves think they learned at Evergreen. In 2006, the ESES asked, "To what extent have your Evergreen experiences contributed to your growth in ... the following computer-related fields...?" Responses generally matched fairly well with the perspectives found in the end-of-program surveys. For the category "Studying or Doing Research via the Internet or other online sources:<br />
<br />
* 30.5% of Olympia-campus students reported at least some contribution. <br />
* 47.5% reported quite a bit or a lot, for a total of 77.5%. <br />
* More than 84% of Tacoma students reported at least some, of which 50% reported quite a bit. <br />
* More than 93% of reservation-based students reported at least some contribution; 86.2% reporting quite a bit or a lot.<br />
<br />
Considering how many students express self-confidence in their research skills, and as the Internet provides so many increasingly powerful tools for personal research, it is heartening to see that a good majority of students feel they developed their research skills as part of their education at Evergreen. <br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES also asked about "Using the computer for artistic expression (e.g., music, other audio, still images, animation, video, etc.)":<br />
<br />
* More than 42% reported that Evergreen contributed "Some," "Quite a Bit," or "A Lot"<br />
* Fully 36.8% said "Not at All"<br />
* 20.9% said "Very Little"<br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES surveyed use of non-artistic computer tools, asking about specific types of applications such as spreadsheets, GIS, Web development, posters, or programming. In general, as was found in end-of-program reviews, no single type of computer application dominated. No application type was used by more than 50% of students; instead, different types of applications were used by smaller subsets of the students surveyed.<br />
<br />
====5.E.1 Participatory Planning====<br />
<br />
''The institution has a planning process that involves users, library and information resource staff, faculty, and administrators.''<br />
<br />
=====Overall Planning for Collections & Services=====<br />
<br />
The fluidity of interdisciplinary and individual study defines library services. The dean of Library Services strengthens the ties between academics and the Library and Media Services through weekly meetings with the provost, associate vice president for academic budget and planning, and academic dean of budget, as well as weekly academic deans meetings. Once a month, the director of computing and communications and the manager of Academic Computing also join the academic deans' meeting.<br />
<br />
The interconnection of the instructional role with the planning and support functions drives the efficacy of all the services in these areas. In the [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]], Area 5 discussed planning and governance in the Evergreen information environment. The review was somewhat critical of the lack of coordination in support, planning, and governance of IT across the campus and advocated for a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH), an organization which links library, media, and computing managers and instructors. However, the report did not emphasize how the teaching function and role in Academic Computing, the CAL, and Media Services creates strong collaboration in all service and instruction design. <br />
<br />
Further, placing library and information resources within the larger ethos of the college, any major policy discussions or long-term planning processes invoke the participatory college-wide Disappearing Task Force (DTF) structure. Budgetary processes are generally collaborative and include opportunities for review and input from the campus community (see Participatory Decision-Making Culture [Standard 1 Section 2.3] and Standard 6). The college budget process and schedule drives most mid-term library planning. (See Standard 7 Section 7.A.3).<br />
<br />
Additional opportunities for community contributions to planning include faculty who rotate into the Library and who focus on collection development and other planning projects. An annual Reference Services Group retreat establishes the year's work before classes start in the fall. Faculty development reviews, also known as five-year reviews, and faculty institutes provide opportunities for conversations across campus about a range of teaching, learning, and service questions as they impact information services. The library internship program provided a reading seminar for several years within which library faculty, staff, and interns could discuss changing information technology and its cultural meaning. Finally, the librarians often engage in faculty reading seminars, frequently focused on library issues, where shared thinking about the future of libraries evolves.<br />
<br />
=====Loose Structures and Responsiveness to Rapid Change in the Information Environment=====<br />
<br />
Among the organizations included in library and information resources, the Library is the largest and most embedded in tradition and thus may be the most invested in preexisting professional structures and assumptions. Additionally, a comparative lack of top-down managerial structures could lead to a tendency to stagnate in some environments. How well does the Library balance the competing demands of conservation, teaching, and technological adaptation and innovation? The success of the Library’s flat organization can be measured by the impressive way in which the Library group has responded to institutional and profession-wide changes and challenges. See the [[Media: Achievements.doc |Achievements]] document for a description of major changes in services, faculties, and collections implemented during the study period. Most of the changes are responses to opportunities provided by technological developments and external engagement in consortia. The consortia relieve any single library from much of the burden of research and develop into new technologies, an overwhelming burden for a comparatively small library such as Evergreen's. Additionally, Evergreen's library administration and staff have worked actively in leadership roles in the Orbis Cascade consortium to assure that the consortium supports efficient, cost-effective movement into the world of networked and shared resources.<br />
<br />
====5.E.2 Planning Linkages====<br />
<br />
''The institution, in its planning, recognizes the need for management and technical linkages among information resource bases (e.g., libraries, instructional computing, media production and distribution centers, and telecommunications networks).''<br />
<br />
=====Planning Across LIR=====<br />
<br />
With networked information technology and almost universal access to digitized academic information resources, coordination of planning across library and information resources has become increasingly critical. The information technology staff and librarians from across the administrative units found that while administrative restructuring did not appear to provide a more effective connection among services, it was nevertheless wise to imagine a new structure to foster collaboration. A cross-areas collaborative group entitled the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH) was created, which provides the most formal mechanism for collaboration around technology across the various parts of the college. <br />
<br />
Evergreen supports three ITCH groups: Academic, Administrative, and Core. The Academic ITCH meets at least once a month and includes professional staff from each of the primary technology labs, faculty, and interested students. The Academic ITCH coordinates general academic IT initiatives, helps develop general academic computing policy, and guides strategic planning. Professional staff members in each of the primary technology areas have developed strong connections to discipline-specific slices of the curriculum, faculty, and academic administration. As the ITCH develops, the members will explore ways to communicate and plan in cross-disciplinary and cross-divisional programs. The ITCH provides one of the necessary cross-curricular and cross-divisional contexts for developing information technology across administratively distinct areas. The Administrative ITCH plans for administrative IT support and the Core ITCH acts as the coordinating body for all areas of IT represented in the ITCH.<br />
<br />
The ITCH created a strategic plan in conjunction with the campus-wide strategic planning process in 2007. Strategic Direction number 7 addresses technology. The statement is notable for the breadth of its concerns, with aspirations addressing media, library, and computing technology: <br />
<br />
: Use technology to enhance teaching and learning and administrative support at Evergreen.<br />
Evergreen will intentionally foster secure, sustainable, flexible, easy-to-use, and accessible information technologies (IT) that support and enhance our teaching and learning philosophies and the administrative needs of the institution. Evergreen’s continuing commitment to technology and media literacies as critical components of a liberal arts education has led us to re-envision our Television Studio into a Center for New Media [now entitled the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)] that will provide cross-curricular and extra-curricular support for computer mediated production, performance, interactivity, teleconferencing, live broadcasts, digital image storage, processing, re-broadcasting, and format conversion for all areas of the college. Accuracy and quality of information will improve and strong support will make technology and a broad range of information services available to on- and off-campus users. Security requirements of networks, software, hardware and data will be met while ensuring appropriate user access, including control of access to confidential information and the need for academic exploration. Classroom spaces will be technologically current and functional for meeting curricular needs (see the complete [[Media: itchstrategicplan_wiki.pdf|IT Strategic Plan wiki]] for more detail).<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] recommended a stronger, more formal role and status for the ITCH, which has not found support from higher-level administrators who have budgetary responsibility over the divisions of the college. This means the ITCH continues to serve as a bottom-up structure of collaboration based on the experience of direct collaboration with and support for students, staff, and faculty users.<br />
<br />
=====Continue Blending More Functions within Library and Information Resources=====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support a surprisingly diverse infrastructure of technologies and media in the curriculum. For greatest efficiency, library and information resources should consider even more coordination across boundaries to provide technology support. Students should be able to move seamlessly between different areas, such as the CAL, the Multimedia Lab (MML), and the Computer Center. Certainly, the pathways between areas could be more clearly articulated by identifying and developing more common services, including printing, building and maintaining image sets, server file space, and common software. By taking better advantage of the network infrastructure, students will experience less confusion and IT staff who directly support the curriculum could dedicate more energy toward coordinating, developing, and designing IT strategies with academic programs instead of maintaining redundant infrastructures.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources could develop a shared perspective about their public presence. One possibility for representing blended facilities and services would be a central help desk for the Information Technology Wing. The shared entrance to the wing has become a prominent architectural feature and an opportunity to reshape the community’s understanding of what the areas collectively represent. A central help desk could provide basic information about facilities, services, and staff, and it would help facilitate how efficiently patrons move between the various floors of the wing. Continued attention to the best use of the Library Underground and how to assure its connection to other floors should be part of this process; a large, flexible teaching and gathering space is developing there and appropriate equipment will be needed to support that vision. Concurrently, assuring safety for the adjacent Archives and Rare Books Collections is critical.<br />
<br />
Construction of the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM) will begin soon. This project has distinct relevance to the changing roles of Media Services, the Library, and Academic Computing within the evolving digital liberal arts. The CCAM will comprise a collection of media production studios and equipment to complement existing Media Services and Academic Computing media resources and provide the primary bridge between the campus media infrastructure and networked digital resources. For a discussion of the CCAM and related curricular projects, see [[media: CNM.doc | Center for Creative and Applied Media]].<br />
<br />
====5.E.3 Evaluation and the Future====<br />
<br />
''The institution regularly and systematically evaluates the quality, adequacy, and utilization of its library and information resources and services, including those provided through cooperative arrangements, and at all locations where courses, programs, or degrees are offered. The institution uses the results of the evaluations to improve the effectiveness of these resources.''<br />
<br />
As part of an institution constantly engaged in processes of narrative evaluation and other forms of assessment, library and information resources engage in and are the subject of extensive assessment both within library and information resources and externally through Institutional Research and Assessment surveys and studies. In addition to formal annual processes such as budget building and annual library faculty retreats, the results of these assessments feed into the development of ongoing teaching and services through constant face-to-face interactions among faculty, administrators, staff, and students, which inform all operations. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, as cited throughout this report, provides annual surveys about library and information resources, several of which are broken down by campus.<br />
<br />
See:<br />
<br />
[[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Utilization]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf | End-of program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Workshop_-_Information_Technology_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf | End-of-program Review Workshop - Information Technology Across the Curriculum]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Transfer_Students.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_and_Technology-related_Resources.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Information Technology Literacy and Technology-related Resources]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Growth_in_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Growth in Computer Skills - Olympia Campus]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | <br />
Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]<br />
<br />
=====Collections and Access=====<br />
<br />
The Web presence of the Library will, of course, continue to evolve. The Library continues work on a new library front page and database search pages. It is likely that the new library front page will become the responsibility of the college-wide Web team, freeing library staff from this unfunded work. A new federated search is being implemented. Meanwhile, the Orbis Cascade consortium is migrating to WorldCat, which the Library will consider for local use as well. A local catalog designed on the principle of Web discovery tools can be expected to generate significant changes in library use. In this context, changes in staffing may be required to support increases in use of services such as Summit and ILLiad, and the content and focus of instruction may require substantial revision. Evaluation of service and instruction via peer comparisons will change, as discovery tools will generate higher uses without increased instruction. Instruction will likely need to focus even more on evaluating sources and finding those resources not easily located via discovery tools. <br />
<br />
The continued expansion of audiovisual media collections represents a critical part of the vision of the generic library. To that end, one-time funds have frequently been infused into a small base budget for film and sound recordings, and the collection has grown significantly. Sound & Image Library (SAIL) staff and selectors have emphasized both new titles and replacement of older formats and worn copies. The Library anticipates circulating the collection through Summit, which will increase wear. See [[media:SAILacq.xls|SAIL Acquisition Statistics]]. Selectors will continue a recent change of policy allowing the purchase of any medium from their funds allocated for print monographs, but a stable and larger allocation for the SAIL budget would lessen the need to do so and reduce variations in expenditures, workload, and processing. The Resource Selection Committee is currently reviewing materials budgets with the intention of reallocating funds according to the curricular demands for video and digitized reference resources. If these discussions result in a larger budget for the SAIL, there will be more work, but also more consistency. Additionally, the staff will be more deeply involved in researching Web-based media collections. This additional workload represents a challenge for the SAIL. <br />
<br />
Digital collection development should go forward in concert with the push to digitize archival collections, including photographs, video, and copies of faculty artwork. The CCAM will take the lead in this ongoing project. <br />
<br />
Because of the Summit and ILLiad systems, the core collections do not need to support individual students who engage in inquiries that lie outside the collection profile based upon the core curriculum. However, Summit use will also allow the Library to identify whether there are any consistent weaknesses in the collection that show up as subject areas driving high borrowing rates from other institutions. The data from Summit should be analyzed over a three-year period, due to the fluidity of the curriculum, at which point the Library will decide if such data are useful in guiding collection development. <br />
<br />
The Library will continue to take advantage of the significantly increased purchasing power created by consortial agreements for periodical and other database purchases. The Library needs to keep an eye on the time and expertise required to keep up with the ever-increasing work of evaluating these agreements, purchases, and contracts and the technical work to support electronic resources, and it may want to consider creating a position for managing electronic resources. A centralized specialist working on electronic resources would potentially help the selectors by consistently researching and disseminating information about new products.<br />
<br />
Overall, long-standing assumptions about budgets for collections must be reevaluated. While major cuts were made to the monographic budget early in the study period and were only partially restored over time, it is not clear that simply restoring those funds and adding funds for inflation are the desirable next moves. The Resource Selection Committee will need to continue to explore more flexible responses to a rapidly changing publishing environment in order to match collection budgets to evolving research needs. Private fundraising and other non-state funds have helped close collection development gaps in some cases, such as the SAIL budget. Library and information resources overall have begun to receive private support for equipment and facilities projects as well. More work with the Office of College Advancement should be emphasized, as many alumni have demonstrated willingness to support the library and information resources. <br />
'''<br />
Support for Rapidly Evolving Information Technology'''<br />
<br />
While the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] gave Evergreen good marks for its budgetary support of information technology, the report also recommended that “to follow current best practices, the replacement cycle should be permanently funded and the operations budgets need to be raised regularly to reflect the increase in technology-equipped classrooms, the increased number of servers and desktop computers that must be supported, and other increases in the technology base.” The college has begun to address this issue, proposing permanent line items in the next biennium for replacing the core server and desktops. This movement toward more permanent allocations for replacement and repair will help ensure that the infrastructure can support the curriculum. Although the ITCH can play only an advisory role, it has participated actively in the process of establishing permanent allocations, setting priorities, and sharing resources. <br />
<br />
The remodeled Information Technology Wing and the construction of the Seminar II building created dramatically more technology-equipped teaching spaces. There are now forty-nine media and computer-capable classrooms, with more on the way. Labs are equipped with computers for each student, and most classrooms now include a computer along with projection and display systems. The Library plans to convert one classroom in the Library Underground to a lab, and teaching spaces on campus still without computers or display technology are on the way to being equipped. At this point, library and information resources just manage to support the computer facilities distributed across campus. As more spaces are computerized and enrollment creeps up toward the target of 5,000, the college will have to add additional staff and funding for maintenance. All capital construction and remodeling plans must include consideration of maintenance, replacement, and support for media and networked display. <br />
<br />
As media technology has changed, some faculty choose to continue teaching older analog equipment, often for good pedagogical and aesthetic reasons. In the context of doubling instruction loads, this breadth of technologies generates a daunting challenge for Media Loan as it stretches to maintain, house, and teach a very wide array of portable equipment. Media Loan should work with the Expressive Arts faculty and other major users to reduce the range of Media Loan equipment necessary to support the curriculum.<br />
<br />
=====Library Instruction=====<br />
<br />
The reduced number of library faculty has resulted in less ability to provide library instruction deeply and broadly to the entire curriculum. Further, reference desk service has changed as the Internet creates patrons who access our resources from remote locations. Most immediately, virtual patrons do not benefit from the teaching that takes place at the reference desk, although the transactions that do occur at reference tend to be more substantive. As traffic at the physical reference desk has diminished, faculty who rotate into the Library have more limited opportunities to learn about library resources through interactions with patrons. These trends should inform the reference group as they consider how to proceed in allocating team responsibilities with or without an increase in the number of library faculty.<br />
<br />
The reference group should evaluate service to areas of the curriculum that report or demonstrate less involvement in the various forms of information technology instruction (as reflected in end of program reports), and consider whether more or different instructional support would be appropriate, feasible, or desirable. <br />
<br />
Library instruction will evolve in the context of catalogs that imitate Web discovery tools. It is entirely likely that patrons will frequently discover services which have, until now, had to be pointed out to them. For the near future, however, finding and using the most effective, appropriate journal databases still requires instruction or intervention on the part of librarians or faculty. Evaluation of library instruction based upon comparative use statistics will probably be less valuable than in this past study period, as academic library finding tools will vary greatly for some time to come, creating widely disparate use statistics. Thus close attention to database use trends and their correlation to the implementation of new finding tools will be important in the near future.<br />
<br />
Intensive, embedded library and media instruction remain the most desirable and effective models. Some librarians focus on these models, including such work as evaluating bibliographies, which become the basis for assessing the quality of student research and the basis for further instruction. Faculty librarians may want to explore evaluating research results more commonly as they develop their ties with programs and faculty in all disciplines, particularly if discovery tools generate easier access to resources beyond the immediate catalog search. As librarians become more involved in each stage of research, including writing or production, they should be able to provide more consistent support to students. Time for this work with students is restricted by the number of librarians, as is time for the more extended work essential to students from Tacoma and reservation-based programs, who depend so heavily upon off-campus access and have less opportunity to confer with librarians at the reference desk. Faculty who rotate into the Library must be more fully engaged in this aspect of the librarians' work in order to help balance the external teaching demands upon library faculty. <br />
<br />
When the Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning and Writing Centers were planned into the new Information Technology Wing, the hope was for substantial collaboration. While the location of these centers within the Library brings more students in, aids the sense of hospitality, and provides convenient resources for students, collaboration has remained minimal. Thus opportunities for shared instruction and service have yet to be exploited.<br />
<br />
'''Cross-Curricular Information Technology Literacy'''<br />
<br />
As discussed above, library and information resources and the teaching faculty assure that information technology infuses the curriculum. On the other hand, the faculty has not embraced any particular set of information technology skills as fundamental to the liberal arts undergraduate at Evergreen. Instead, faculty choose and adapt information and media technologies according to the pedagogical and disciplinary requirements of their chosen inquiry. There is little work across the curriculum about critical approaches to media or basic definitions of college-level technical literacy for the liberal arts. In the immediate future, library and information resources should invite the teaching faculty into a discussion about whether the campus has any broad consensus about Information Technology Literacy (ITL), including critical approaches. Long ago, the college committed to writing across the curriculum and allocated significant institutional resources to encourage that work—without proscriptive limits or standards. A wider discussion about ITL could produce a similar vision and institutional support. In the long run, such a vision will shape our understanding of digital scholarship in the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
The expansion of entry-level media technology instruction raises questions about the staffing assumptions in Academic Computing. If critical approaches to information technology are to be addressed, and if cross-curricular information technology literacy is a priority for the contemporary liberal arts, then instructional staffing based on historical models of canned skills workshops may be insufficient. Academic Computing should continue current efforts to recruit instructional staff who have the expertise to work intensively in program planning and curriculum development, as well as on technical support for those activities. The numbers of such instructional IT staffing may also need to be evaluated in response to these new and expanding demands for work within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
====Conclusion: Holly's Generic Library Has Come to Fruition====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources have been deeply influenced by the organizational habits of the college, habits of collaboration, egalitarian ideals, fluidity, face-to-face interactions, non-departmentalization, reflexive learning, and independent and interdisciplinary inquiry. The result is a responsive, flexible, evolving set of services and resources. Library and information resources faculty and staff work across the media, regardless of where services reside administratively, in order to fuse traditional library services, information services, computing, and media. Library and information resources assess technology within the context of Evergreen’s particular curriculum and implement new applications incrementally in collaborative processes involving all three areas of service and the teaching faculty. As part of that work, library and information resources have had the distinct historical advantage of presuming that information comes in all formats and that it is not only possible but advisable to break down as many barriers as possible to access information in all its forms. In this, library and information resources are shaped by their founding vision - the generic library - an idea whose time has come.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1) Overall, library and information resources at Evergreen demonstrate effective development of collaborative planning, services, and instruction in support of the academic mission and educational programs of the college.<br />
<br />
2.) Over the past decade, the Library and Media Services have fully committed to networking and digital resources. This shift has implied a change in organization, reorganization of job classifications, and the creation of new patterns of work supported in all areas.<br />
<br />
3.) Commitment to the use of networking digital information resources has allowed and promoted the integration of all sections of library and information resources and has pushed the staff in all areas to reconceptualize their work and to find new patterns of organization and collaboration.<br />
<br />
4.) Students and faculty are thinking about and using information resources in all media. They can now reasonably expect to have seamless access to a wide array of high-quality academic information, media, and computer applications almost anywhere on campus.<br />
<br />
5.) The Library is funded like a public college, but the emphasis on projects, the array of inquiries, and the fact that it is a teaching library means that it is used as if it were a part of a private liberal arts college.<br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The Evergreen Library has always been what other libraries have striven to become: a '''teaching library''' deeply connected to the faculty and curriculum. The result is that students use the Library very actively. Historically, Media Services has had the same teaching focus. Academic computing, with a longstanding instructional role, is also moving toward more substantive teaching and collaboration with faculty. This cross-curricular emphasis on teaching must be continued.<br />
<br />
2.) The original vision of the Library was "generic," which means that it includes all media in all locations. The contemporary term in the profession is the '''virtual library. ''' Evergreen's library and information resources have been able to realize the vision due to the advent of effective, ubiquitous networking and digital resources. The new technology plus major consortial agreements have created an explosion of access to high-quality scholarly information and media.<br />
<br />
3. The remodeled and more unified Information Technology Wing is the physical manifestation of the blending of traditional print, media, and computer technology that characterizes the virtual library and information in the digital age. Despite being spread across administrative divisions, the Library, Media Services, Academic Computing, the CAL, and Computing and Communications all collaborate effectively to assure more and more seamless access to information resources. We must guard these interconnections and continue to seek opportunities for collaboration that will provide the best service, teaching, and efficiency.<br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Through consortial agreements and wise use of resources made available to the college, an extraordinary array of high-quality academic resources. For example, the number of academic journals now available is nine times larger than at the outset of the review. Active leadership in consortia such as Orbis Cascade and the Cooperative Libraries Project supported these cost-effective approaches.<br />
<br />
2.) The willingness of staff from all areas to share, collaborate, and dream as they worked through the complex reorganizations and new work necessary to create an operative virtual library has been extraordinary.<br />
<br />
3.) The creation of an accessible, integrated, well-conceived teaching space with the renovation of the B and C wings of the Library has allowed the virtual library to have a physical presence that embodies the integration of these areas, while providing hospitable spaces and programming to complement virtual use information resources.<br />
<br />
4.) The spread of digital media and computer facilities to the campus as a whole, in the Lecture Halls, and in the new classrooms of Seminar II, as well as the extension of wireless access to most of the campus has allowed the teaching resources of library and information resources to be used across the campus.<br />
<br />
5.) Both the development of the virtual library and a continued commitment to extensive instruction have led to effective library and information resources for off-campus programs and users.<br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Library and information resources must maintain the flexibility in staff’s capacity to respond to the rapidly changing digital environment.<br />
<br />
2.) Library and information services must continue to remain aware of developments in information technology, critically assess them, and carefully integrate technological capacities into the staff’s capacity for teaching.<br />
<br />
3.) Library and information resources should assure that connections between the three units (the Library, Academic Computing, and Media Services) that make up library and information resources are as seamless as possible.<br />
<br />
4.) Media Services instructors should consciously promote considerations of media among faculty across the curriculum, as well as continue to work effectively with those who depend upon media as the center of their work.<br />
<br />
5.) Staff from all areas should pursue and develop cross-curricular faculty conversations about information and technology as literacies for the liberal arts, including critical perspectives.<br />
<br />
6.) Library and information services should assure that instructional staffing and library faculty is sufficient in training and numbers to support extensive, integrated information technology literacy instruction across the curriculum and to off-campus and weekend and evening programs.<br />
<br />
7.) Library and information services should continue to develop maintenance and replacement funds to support rapidly expanding information technology, instruction, and service throughout the campus.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing staff and faculty will collaborate in planning ongoing summer faculty institutes facilitating cross-curricular faculty conversations about information technology literacy for the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
2.) The shape of expenditures on collections should evolve as inflation, consortia, networked access, and digital publications continue to change the information environment. The Library Resource Selection Committee will continue to review database, Summit, and local collection use, as well as allocation of non-state funds in order to appropriately support collections in all media. As a member of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, the Library will pursue collaborative collection development emphasizing strong core local collections and coordinated shared collections.<br />
<br />
3.) The substantial instructional role necessary to support information technology literacy across the curriculum should be recognized in campus hiring priorities.<br />
<br />
4.) The Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing will continue to emphasize shared work. Several areas of potential collaboration in addition to faculty institutes include considering a shared public presence at the newly emphasized main entrance to the Information Technology Wing, an increased role for the ITCH in planning and management of information technology on campus, shared staff positions, shared hiring processes, and more collaborative instruction for academic programs.<br />
<br />
== Standard 5 - Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Five|Supporting Documentation for Standard 5]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8853Standard 42008-07-24T23:14:25Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Supporting Documentation */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
<br />
We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
<br />
The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
<br />
The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
<br />
The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
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The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
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One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
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In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
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====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
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With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
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====Size of Teams====<br />
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The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
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====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
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In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
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====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
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We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
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New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
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The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
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Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
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====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
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With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
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===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
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All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
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====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
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The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
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Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
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====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
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=====Planning=====<br />
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At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
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Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
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There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
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* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
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One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
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While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
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=====Advising=====<br />
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Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
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Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
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Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
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The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
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There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
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=====Governance=====<br />
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Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
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The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
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Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
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Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
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====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
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=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
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Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
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The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
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=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
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There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
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* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
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* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
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* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
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* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
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*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
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*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
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There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
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*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
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In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
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Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
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Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
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*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
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Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
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* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
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====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
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The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
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Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
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Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
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We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
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====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
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Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
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Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
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* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
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Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
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Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
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The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
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====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
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The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
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The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
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* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
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Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
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* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
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We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
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Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
<br />
Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
<br />
To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
<br />
The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
<br />
For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
<br />
We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
<br />
Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
<br />
Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
<br />
In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
<br />
What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
<br />
===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
<br />
* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
<br />
====4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty====<br />
<br />
Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
<br />
====4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
<br />
====4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.====<br />
<br />
Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
<br />
New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
====4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
<br />
====4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.====<br />
<br />
One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
<br />
Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
<br />
The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
<br />
Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
<br />
In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
<br />
====4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
<br />
Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
<br />
At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
<br />
====4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.====<br />
<br />
The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
<br />
====4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.====<br />
<br />
The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
<br />
====4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.====<br />
<br />
Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
<br />
In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
<br />
In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
<br />
====4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.====<br />
<br />
As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
<br />
====4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.====<br />
<br />
The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
<br />
'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
<br />
(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
====Findings====<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
<br />
2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
<br />
3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
<br />
5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
<br />
7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
<br />
8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
<br />
====Conclusions====<br />
<br />
1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
<br />
a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
<br />
b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
<br />
c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
<br />
3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
<br />
4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
<br />
====Commendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
<br />
2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
<br />
3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
<br />
====Recommendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
<br />
2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
<br />
5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
<br />
6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
<br />
7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
<br />
8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
<br />
====Plans====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
<br />
2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
<br />
3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
<br />
== Standard 4 - Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_3&diff=8852Standard 32008-07-24T23:14:02Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Supporting Documentation */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 3 – Students==<br />
<br />
<br />
===Standard 3.A – Purpose and Organization===<br />
<br />
====3.A.1 The organization of student services is effective in providing adequate services consistent with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
The Student Affairs Division at Evergreen demonstrates a longstanding commitment to collaboration with academic programs, best practices, and provision of services to enhance student learning and success. Evergreen’s Coordinated Study Programs have been described as our “best-known and arguably most influential pedagogical vehicle to demonstrate why learning is an all-encompassing experience for Evergreen students.” [Kuh, G.D., Kinzie, J., Schuh, J.H., Whitt, E.J. & Associates (2005), ''Student Success in College: Creating Conditions That Matter.'' San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.] Because of the centrality of these highly intentional learning communities, Student Affairs staff worked since the college’s inception to embed support for students as seamlessly as possible into the academic experience.<br />
<br />
Partnerships among student affairs professionals and faculty are a cornerstone of our work. They occur through committee work intended to improve teaching and learning at Evergreen as evidenced in the deliberations and recommendations of the First-Year Experience Disappearing Task Force (see [[Media: First-Year_Experience_DTF_Recommendations_Final.doc|First-Year Experience DTF Recommendations]]). Teaching and curriculum development partnerships are intentional in our Beginning the Journey credit-bearing orientation program offered in fall quarter ([[Media: Exhibit_3-2_BTJ_2002.doc|Beginning the Journey Assessment 2002]]). Other prominent examples of collaborative efforts include Core Connectors – through which student affairs professionals are attached to first-year student programs – and faculty rotation into the office of Academic Advising. A connection to academic life is present throughout the work of Student Affairs.<br />
<br />
Student Affairs staff also collaborate across campus divisions to maintain a system of safety nets and early-warning strategies to provide students with assistance when needed. This network involves faculty, residential life staff, advising, counseling, health services, and police services staff.<br />
<br />
Consistent with our educational values and aspirations for student learning, the Student Affairs Division is committed to the affirmation and celebration of diversity. This is evidenced in the array of services and offices dedicated to diverse populations and perspectives, diversity-awareness workshops and events sponsored by the division, our collaboration with faculty in promoting diverse perspectives in the curriculum, and in a staff drawn from diverse backgrounds.<br />
<br />
Major accomplishments involving the Student Affairs Division since our 1998 reaccreditation include: technological improvements (conversion to Banner, substantial improvements to the college Web site, and transition to e-mail communication with students); physical renovations in Housing and implementation of a new meal plan for freshmen in Residential Life and Dining Services; increased outreach and sophistication in Enrollment Management and Student Recruitment in the face of increasing competition for students; formal election of a student government; intercollegiate sports expansion; and several major upgrades of physical space on campus, including the addition of a new building (Seminar II), remodel of the library building, and plans for a major renovation of the Campus Activities Building (CAB). Each of these accomplishments is discussed in greater detail in the remainder of this standard.<br />
<br />
Student Affairs staff and programs have been recognized regionally and nationally as exemplary. This recognition includes the following by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA): the Goodnight Award for outstanding service as a dean/vice president (current vice president for Student Affairs); the Fred Turner Award for outstanding service to NASPA (former Evergreen Housing director); three Evergreen Student Affairs staff served as regional vice presidents of NASPA’s Region 5; the Mid-level Professional Award (current addictive behaviors specialist); and the Innovative Program Award for Evergreen’s diversity programming for Day of Absence/Day of Presence.<br />
<br />
Major challenges facing the Student Affairs Division include the following: coordinating enrollment planning for graduate and off-campus programs; providing services to students at different physical locations and on different schedules; assisting an increasing number of younger students; providing support for counseling and health services, where budgets are limited by restrictions on fee increases; responding to a growing number of incidents and cases requiring legal interpretation; increasing student/family debt; supporting expansion of Extended Education, Summer School, and a new graduate program (M.Ed); and updating the college Web site.<br />
<br />
=====Distinctive Features of Student Affairs Work At Evergreen=====<br />
<br />
=====High Student Expectations=====<br />
<br />
Students arrive with high expectations. Nearly 90% of entering students identify Evergreen as their “first choice” among colleges. Faculty and staff in Student Affairs encounter some students who enter the college with unrealistically high expectations, or perhaps with an inaccurate picture of the college based on their own desires. These students need help in reconciling what they expect at entry with what they experience. Evergreen's own descriptions of its distinctive approach to education are an important part of this dynamic, and the college pays close attention to the messages it sends, reviewing them and discussing them in light of how they are sometimes interpreted by students. Evergreen cannot be everything to everybody and yet it is easy to read almost any fantasy a student can construct of their “ideal” college into (a) the absence of traditional academic planning structures and requirements; (b) heavy reliance on student initiative; and (c) strong language describing the college’s commitment to diversity and social justice. The college has high aspirations for the effects of its curriculum and social environment. Our performance falls short of those aspirations on occasions. At its best, the college is quite remarkable. However, it also struggles at times to meet its own high expectations. This is a real risk for students and for faculty in committing to Evergreen and it is common for both groups to go through an uncomfortable period of adjustment to Evergreen as it is experienced compared with Evergreen as it was imagined in both academic and social arenas.<br />
<br />
=====“Designing Your Own Education”=====<br />
<br />
The “opportunity to design your own education” is rated as the most influential factor in entering students’ decisions to enroll at Evergreen. This factor is followed closely by the "ability to take integrated programs instead of individual classes” and the “ability to study a variety of subjects.” The consonance between the ranking of these factors by students and Evergreen’s approach to education is heartening. Assisting students to carefully exercise their autonomy in the act of “designing your own education” is a task that distinguishes the work of Student Affairs staff at Evergreen from most other Student Affairs practitioners in the country.<br />
<br />
Major features of this facet of Student Affairs work at Evergreen include:<br />
<br />
* '''Translation''' of our distinctive academic structures/approaches and their benefits to students;<br />
* '''Navigation''' and making choices among curricular options from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year;<br />
* Helping students come to terms with what “'''designing your own''' undergraduate education” consists of in a college with “no majors and no requirements” and a comparatively fluid curriculum; and <br />
* Helping students understand how to take '''responsibility''' for their education (including determining what is within their control and what is not) and developing a sense of '''personal agency'''.<br />
<br />
===== A Wide Range of Student Skills/Abilities =====<br />
<br />
The range of skill levels that students bring to Evergreen is substantial: 42% of our fall 2006 entering freshmen brought high school GPAs of less than 3.00. This range of skill levels presents challenges in the classroom for faculty and spills over to staff in Student Affairs, especially in academic advising and academic support roles.<br />
<br />
===== Learning and Relevance =====<br />
<br />
There are also challenges to the founding concern for “relevance.” Evergreen was born out of calls for relevance and authentic learning in higher education. Looking forward now forty years from the college's inception, it is appropriate to raise the questions of what best promotes student learning in 2008 and beyond. Today, Evergreen faculty work with students for whom the 1960s and 1970s are a distant (and, perhaps in their view, largely irrelevant) history. To a lesser degree, this is also true for a growing cohort of faculty. Evergreen's survival as one of the very few alternative colleges born out of the 1960s is a testament to its success and some measure of continuing relevance. (The college also owes much to the sustained commitment of the state of Washington to fund a public alternative college for forty years through a sometimes-fractious relationship.) Today, the college is challenged to make thoughtful choices within this very different educational environment. At the time of our founding we were at the center of the educational reform movement. To remain at the forefront of colleges that enact change in education and in students’ lives, Evergreen must be responsive to changing needs and characteristics of students and of the larger society in which they will make their contributions. Evergreen cannot be hidebound in its attachment to “inviolate” traditions, but rather it must respond thoughtfully to the changing environment. Student Affairs staff conduct much of their work at the intersection of challenges to continuing relevance for students, pursuit of student learning at Evergreen, and preserving the best of the innovations in this approach to higher education.<br />
<br />
===== General Objectives for Student Affairs Staff =====<br />
<br />
In more general and comprehensive terms, staff in Student Affairs attempt to help students to:<br />
<br />
* Understand the college by translating Evergreen's approach to learning, communicating the college's expectations for students, and helping them take best advantage of the academic opportunities at Evergreen;<br />
* Successfully navigate the stages of developmental learning;<br />
* Foster self-reflection and development of “agency” – developing both the inclinations toward “agency” and the requisite skills to achieve it;<br />
* Negotiate difficult times in their academic and social lives by creating and maintaining systems to support financial, record-keeping and health/safety needs;<br />
* Develop leadership opportunities with their peers – connecting curricular with co-curricular learning; and<br />
* Create and sustain community – in academic programs, through Residential Life programs, and other social avenues.<br />
<br />
====3.A.2 Student services and programs are staffed by qualified individuals whose academic preparation and/or experience are appropriate to their assignments. Assignments are clearly defined and published. The performance of personnel is regularly evaluated.====<br />
<br />
Cooperative and collaborative working relationships are the hallmark of Evergreen’s integrated service to students within Student Affairs and across the institution. Student Affairs is responsible for most services to students that support the academic mission of the institution, including academic advising, and several auxiliary enterprises. The [[Media: Org_chart_SA_with_names_2008.jpg|divisional organization chart]] reflects the following departments within Student Affairs: <br />
<br />
<br />
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs<br />
<br />
◘ Athletics and Recreation<br />
<br />
◘ Enrollment Services<br />
<br />
: Admissions<br />
<br />
: Financial Aid<br />
<br />
: Registration and Records<br />
<br />
: Student Employment<br />
<br />
◘ Police Services<br />
<br />
: Parking<br />
<br />
: Telephone Operations<br />
<br />
◘ Residential and Dining Services<br />
<br />
: Residential Life<br />
<br />
: Residential Facilities<br />
<br />
: Administrative Services<br />
<br />
: Dining Service<br />
<br />
◘ Student and Academic Support Services<br />
<br />
: Academic Advising<br />
<br />
: Access Services for Students with Disabilities<br />
<br />
: Career Development Center<br />
<br />
: Counseling and Health Center<br />
<br />
: First Peoples’ Advising<br />
<br />
: Gaining Early Awareness & Readiness for Undergraduate Program (Gear Up)<br />
<br />
: International Advising<br />
<br />
: KEY Student Services (TRIO)<br />
<br />
: Student Activities<br />
<br />
: Upward Bound<br />
<br />
◘ Student Conduct<br />
<br />
===== Staffing, Job Descriptions, and Performance Reviews =====<br />
<br />
Since 1998, the staff head count in Student Affairs has grown 27%, from 123 employees to 156, primarily due to growth in Counseling Center and Enrollment Services staffing, expansion of the Children’s Center to serve twice as many children, and implementation of the federally funded Gear Up grant. About 42% of professional staff hold advanced degrees, police officers are fully commissioned, and the vice president, vice president’s executive associate, and the dean of Student Academic Support Services hold doctorates. Student Affairs has utilized state allocations, as available, to address compensation compression issues and to generate competitive salaries for exempt staff. A college-wide review of exempt staff compensation is being completed and recommendations are forthcoming. The division is staffed with accomplished professionals who deliver developmentally-based services that enhance students’ academic experiences. Brief resumes of the professional staff will be available during the site visit.<br />
<br />
Remaining active and current in professional literature and organizations is encouraged and in 2006-07, more than forty exempt staff participated in a regional or national conference. About ten individuals served in a leadership role with a professional association, while about twenty wrote an article or presented in a professional venue.<br />
<br />
Position descriptions for all staff are uniform in presentation and clear in assignments and expectations. These are updated regularly when vacancies occur or during performance reviews. Classified staff are reviewed annually in accordance with their employment contract and exempt staff must be reviewed every three years per college policy, although supervisors in Student Affairs are expected to administer reviews annually. It is common practice to solicit evaluative feedback from students, faculty, staff in other units, and those they supervise. In many instances, student staff are also reviewed and provided with a written evaluation of their work performance.<br />
<br />
====3.A.3 Appropriate policies and procedures for student development programs and services are established. The objectives of each operating component are compatible and support the goals of student services.====<br />
<br />
The review of policies and procedures for student development programs occurs on an ongoing basis. Such reviews are prompted by changes in the Washington Administrative Code, recommendations of Disappearing Task Forces, consultant or review board findings, identification of best practices through professional contacts, and problems experienced in interpreting or utilizing current policy.<br />
<br />
Some examples for the 2007-08 academic years are illustrative. A Disappearing Task Force (DTF) has been formed to update our student conduct code policies and procedures. The review was prompted by the fact that the code had not been revised in more than ten years, the number of students with serious mental illnesses, and identification of new best practices. Policies and procedures for large events are being reviewed because it became apparent during a recent event that our security for events needed to be enhanced. Standard operating procedures in Police Services are being examined by the director of Police Services to better address emergency and crowd-control issues. Study Abroad procedures were updated because of a need for greater clarity and reduced liability. The role and functions of the ADA Compliance Committee were recently revised by the vice president for Student Affairs because of a lack of clarity of the functions of the committee and a need to give enhanced attention to liability issues.<br />
<br />
The amount of input into policy decisions typically depends on the scope of the policy or procedural review. Those policies with the widest impact are typically addressed by DTFs composed of students, faculty, and staff with the expectation of campus-wide input. Minor changes in institutional policies can be recommended by directors to the vice president for Student Affairs. Some policies require approval by the board of trustees, which is consistent with our written policies regarding authority by the board of trustees. Almost all policies involving issues of liability or those related to the Washington Administrative Code incorporate consultation with the State Attorney General's Office.<br />
<br />
====3.A.4 Human, physical, and financial resources for student services and programs are allocated on the basis of identified needs and are adequate to support the services and programs offered.====<br />
<br />
Student need and satisfaction surveys, as well as principles and standards from professional organizations across functional areas, are consulted to assess appropriate support for services. Budget requests are made biannually, vetted with staff in the division, and prioritized with the deans and directors who report to the vice president. These requests are incorporated into a systematic institutional budget process in which budget coordinators from the four divisions (Academics, Finance and Administration, Advancement, and Student Affairs) review available funding and institutional and divisional needs and priorities to recommend appropriate budget allocations to the president. Student Affairs’ fiscal resources are, in general, adequate and when budget reductions have been necessary or reinvestments have been available, Student Affairs has been treated in a manner consistent with other divisions. In recent years, Student Affairs has had autonomy to invest in some initiatives that require “one-time” purchases due to acquisition of indirect cost recovery from a large Gear Up grant. These resources have purchased such items as computer upgrades for staff, equipment upgrades in Police Services, improved software for the Recreation Center, or staffing augmentation in Student Conduct.<br />
<br />
Since 1998, every area within Student Affairs except the Athletics and Recreation department has been remodeled and/or expanded or soon will be (Athletics and Recreation is located in the Campus Recreation Center, which was built in 1989). In 2000, the Health Center was completely remodeled and doubled in size. The Counseling Center that had shared a space with the Health Center was relocated to another floor of the building. Police Services was also remodeled at that time.<br />
<br />
In 2003-04, a new Children’s Center was built that increased the number of children that could be served from thirty-seven to seventy. It is now licensed to serve infants as young as six weeks old. The new center was jointly funded from student activity fees and institutional funds, and replaced the Child Care Center, which was located in the oldest building on campus.<br />
<br />
In 2005, most of the areas within the Student and Academic Support Services (SASS) were relocated in a newly-renovated section of the library building. The new SASS location is much more student-friendly and includes a reception area for the first time. There is also space within SASS for three federally funded programs, Keep Enhancing Yourself (KEY), Upward Bound, and Gear Up, which had been housed in satellite locations.<br />
<br />
Residential and Dining Services issued over $7 million in revenue and refinancing bonds in 2006. Of that amount, $6 million is for housing facilities renovations and upgrades. The projects were begun in the summer of 2006 and will continue through 2009.<br />
<br />
Enrollment Services (Admissions, Financial Aid, Registration and Records, and Student Employment) and the vice president and his staff were relocated to temporary offices in the summer of 2007 while a major renovation of the Library “A wing” is underway. This 18- to 24-month project will provide additional, more usable space to these areas.<br />
<br />
In 2006, Evergreen students voted to incur a new student fee to renovate and expand the College Activities Building. When completed in 2010, the expanded building will have additional space for student organizations, student activities administration and student events, a new student-operated food venue, and a remodeled bookstore and dining facility. The students voted to incorporate numerous "green" features in the project. In addition, the College Master Plan suggests the potential for expansion or renovation of the Campus Recreation Center and the possible addition of housing for students.<br />
<br />
===Standard 3.B – General Responsibilities===<br />
<br />
====3.B.1 The institution systematically identifies the characteristics of its student population and students’ learning and special needs. The institution makes provision for meeting those identified needs, emphasizing students’ achievement of their educational goals.====<br />
<br />
Student Affairs staff provide a number of programs focused on the needs of specific student groups. The following table highlights a sampling of these efforts:<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Student Population<br />
| Program(s)<br />
|-<br />
| colspan="2" |<br />
|-<br />
| rowspan="2" | Entering Freshmen<br />
| Beginning the Journey – A college readiness course<br />
|-<br />
| Core Connectors – Student Academic Support Services staff are attached to first-year academic offerings<br />
|-<br />
| All New Students<br />
| Seminar Savvy – an introduction to what seminars are and effective seminar techniques<br />
|-<br />
| Conditional Admits<br />
| One-on-one advising and orientation for students who have been admitted with a conditional status<br />
|-<br />
| Student Athletes<br />
| Comprehensive advising with emphasis on schedule challenges and focus on areas for program concentration<br />
|-<br />
| Students on Academic Warning<br />
| Advising for students who have received a warning letter to discuss a plan of action for returning to “satisfactory” status<br />
|-<br />
| rowspan="3" | Students of Color<br />
| “Critical Moments” case studies in which students from diverse backgrounds consider leaving the institution or dropping out because of incidents related to diversity issues<br />
|-<br />
| First Peoples’ Advising Services Peer Education Program – provides multicultural programming for students living in the residence halls<br />
|-<br />
| Pre-orientation Program (Scholars’ Programs) – introduces incoming students of color to learning at Evergreen and provides an opportunity for the cohort to develop community<br />
|-<br />
| First-generation, Low-Income Students<br />
| Keep Enhancing Yourself Program (KEY)<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The Office of Institutional Research provides descriptive data about students to practitioners in Student and Academic Support Services. Data from surveys are used to inform the practitioners about the characteristics and needs of new students each year. Student Affairs practitioners attend presentations by Institutional Research to explore these data and their implications, and have ready access to the data on the Institutional Research Web site.<br />
<br />
'''Academic Advising:''' There is an effective partnership between Academic Advising and Institutional Research to gather key information from new students at their point of entry to the college. As part of the Academic Planning Workshops for new students, Institutional Research administers the New Student Survey. Most recently, an in-depth analysis of the characteristics and needs of transfer students to the college has informed plans to make changes in the content of the Academic Planning Workshop for a better fit for transfer students. <br />
<br />
'''Health and Counseling Services:''' The Counseling Center used Institutional Research data from students who indicated that they experienced some level of depression prior to coming to Evergreen. The center cites this statistic frequently, as it showed that Evergreen freshmen had 2.5 times the national average of students coming to campus with the diagnosis of depression. These data indicated that 20% of first-year Evergreen students reported feeling frequently depressed, compared to 8% nationally. These statistics have been used to support the rationale for increasing services to students experiencing depression.<br />
<br />
'''KEY Student Support Services:''' Staff in this area rely upon data provided by Institutional Research to support federal grant proposal and reporting requirements. Survey data completed by Evergreen students, particularly first-generation students, are utilized to improve the pre-orientation Step-Up Program. <br />
<br />
'''Career Development Services:''' Uses the alumni survey as a reference point to assess levels of use and satisfaction with services.<br />
<br />
Information about first-time, first-year students and transfer students is gathered upon students’ entry to the institution using the Evergreen New Student Survey. This survey is administered every other year to all new students. The survey gathers information about students’ goals, levels of confidence, reasons for attending Evergreen, and demographic information not available from other sources, such as information about the percentage of non-native English speakers. Information about this survey is posted on the Institutional Research and Assessment Web site: [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_Home_Page.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey Home Page]]. The most recent results are broken out by first-time, first-year response, transfer students, and new Tacoma program students ([[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_Responses_Web_Page.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 Responses Web Page]]).<br />
<br />
Information that is specific to first-generation students has also been produced ([[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2003_-_Summary_of_Responses_-_First_Generation_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2003 - Summary of Responses - First Generation Students]]).<br />
<br />
Information about student engagement and learning is also gathered using the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Administered every year to freshmen and seniors, this survey allows for comparisons to peer institutions and to all participating institutions. Information from this survey is regularly shared with the board of trustees and discussed widely in inter-divisional conversations about the extent to which Evergreen students are engaged in both academic programs and with student services. For the most recent NSSE results, see<br />
[[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]].<br />
<br />
Information about student learning and satisfaction is gathered every other year with the Evergreen Student Experience Survey (see [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_Web_Page.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey Home page]]). Survey responses are provided specific to student population subgroups, so one can easily view the responses of first-time, first-year students; Olympia campus students; Tribal: Reservation-based program students; and Tacoma program students. The Evergreen Student Experience Survey has information about students’ satisfaction with academics and student services ([[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). It also contains students’ responses to questions about the amount that Evergreen has contributed to their learning in a variety of areas ([[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Learning_Growth_for_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Learning Growth for Olympia Campus Students]]). <br />
<br />
Special analyses of particular student subgroups are also available to faculty, staff, students, and committees who are interested in various diversity-related issues. For examples see: <br />
*[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Analysis_of_Differences_in_Responses_Between_Racial-Ethnic_Subgroups.pdf |Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Analysis of Differences in Response Between Racial-Ethnic Subgroups]]<br />
*[[Media: StudentExperienceSurveyFinalReport-diversityonly.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Diversity Questions]]<br />
*[[Media: studentexperiencesurveyPatternsRaceEthGendSexOrient.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Exploring Patterns by Race/Ethnicity and Gender/Sexual Orientation]].<br />
<br />
<br />
For information specific to transfer students see:<br />
<br />
[[Media: Illuminating_the_New_Students_in_the_Shadows_-_Background%2C_Experiences%2C_and_Outcomes_of_Transfer_Students.pdf|Illuminating the New Students in the Shadows - Background, Experiences, and Outcomes of Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Illuminating_the_Students_in_the_Shadows_%E2%80%93_Conference_PowerPoint_Presentation.pdf|Illuminating the Students in the Shadows – Conference PowerPoint Presentation]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Meet_Evergreen%E2%80%99s_Transfer_Students_Web_Page.pdf|Meet Evergreen’s Transfer Students Web Page]]<br />
<br />
===== Enrollment Growth and Student Demographics =====<br />
<br />
As of 2006-07, annual average enrollment at Evergreen is up 385 (10%) full-time equivalent (FTE) students since 1997-98. State funding has increased by 647 FTE (19%). Since the spring 2003 interim visit, enrollment has increased 59 FTE (1.5%), while funded FTE increased 306 FTE (8.0%), thus reducing patterns of over-enrollment as high as 250 FTE during the past five years to a very slight under-enrollment (-30 FTE) in 2006-07. Our fall 2007 FTE enrollment showed strong improvement, exceeding fall 2006 by 214 FTE (5%). The current estimate for FTE enrollment in 2007-08 is 4,225, up 112 FTE from 2006-07 and 60 FTE above state contract level ([[Media: Figure_3-1.doc|Annual Average Full-time Equivalent Enrollment]]).<br />
<br />
The reduction in “over-enrollment” was one part planned – to reduce pressure on the classroom and avoid legislative “re-basing” to the higher number without additional funding – and another part unanticipated, especially in 2006-07. The drop in Washington state’s 2006-07 community college transfer enrollment was sharper than expected and an increase of lower-division seats funded by the state at three branch campuses drew more freshmen away from the college than expected. The combined result was a slight drop in total enrollment (-18 FTE) and further erosion in the over-enrollment “cushion” than was planned. Our short-term enrollment target is to return to a modest level of over-enrollment (approximately 100 FTE) by the 2008-09 academic year. Our 2007-08 enrollment will move us close to our target of 100 FTE over state contract (+60), and increased application activity for fall 2008 (as of April of 2008 up 8% or 214 over 2007) indicates this target will be reached in 2008-09, as planned.<br />
<br />
The college has also gone through a period of adjusting budget assumptions about levels of nonresident enrollment and tuition revenue. During the past five years, the college has (1) reduced over-enrollment of resident fee-paying students – originally built to offset tuition revenue declines due to enrollment of fewer nonresident fee-paying students – now unnecessary because of (2) adjusting the tuition revenue and base budget assumptions to a reduced level of nonresident enrollment. We are now in a much improved enrollment and revenue position. The operating budget is no longer dependent upon over-enrollment of state residents to offset a decline in nonresidents, holding revenue support in place without inflating the student/faculty ratio. Additionally, our nonresident enrollment has begun to grow modestly and currently exceeds budget expectations.<br />
<br />
===== Student Demographics =====<br />
<br />
Distinctive characteristics of Evergreen’s student body continue as reported in past reaccreditation documents:<br />
<br />
* Transfer students typically constitute a larger proportion of our entering class than at most liberal arts colleges: 60%+ ([[Media: Figure_3-2.doc|Composition of Fall Quarter Entering Undergraduate Degree-seeking Class]])<br />
* Nonresident enrollment at the undergraduate level is high (20%+) for a public college ([[Media: Figure_3-3.doc|Fall Quarter Enrollment History]])<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Transfer Students'''<br />
<br />
Transfer students have been the mainstay of Evergreen’s enrollment for more than thirty years. Our fall quarter undergraduate entering class averaged one-third freshmen (students enrolling from high school) and two-thirds transfer or returning Evergreen students until the most recent three years when the proportion of freshmen in our entering class grew moderately, reaching 43% in fall 2007. Students from Washington community colleges are our major source of transfer students. Detail on the composition of Evergreen’s fall quarter entering class is presented below. (See [[Media: Table_3.doc|Fall 10th Day Enrollment: 1998-2007]] for a detailed history of components of Evergreen entering class.)<br />
<br />
<br />
Differences Between Transfers and Freshmen in Goals for Their Education<br />
<br />
Based on responses to [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_Responses_Web_Page.pdf|Evergreen’s 2005 New Student Survey]], transfer students attach greater importance to securing a “job of my choice/make a career change” and preparation for graduate school than freshmen students. In fact, job preparation is the goal receiving the highest proportion of “very important” ratings for transfer students at 67%, compared with 57% for freshman students. Not surprisingly for a generally older student population, practical considerations such as scheduling of classes and location of offerings play more important roles in the decision to attend Evergreen for transfer students, owing to work and family obligations. Evergreen’s transfer students also attach comparable importance to several goals (as do entering freshmen), including: “becoming an informed citizen,” “gaining an understanding of a broad range of ideas and fields of study,” and “having a better understanding and appreciation for differences (ethnic, political, etc.).” <br />
<br />
Fall-to-fall retention of transfer students runs higher than freshman retention by 7% to 9% and graduation rates are substantially higher ([[Media: Retention Summary.pdf|Retention Summary]], [[Media: CSRDE Freshman Graduation Rates.pdf|Consortium for Student Retention Data Exchange: First-time, First-year Cohort Graduation Rates]], and [[Media: Accountability_Report_2007.pdf|Accountability Report 2007]]).<br />
<br />
Because of our success in attracting larger numbers of transfer students than freshmen and observing better retention and graduation rates among this group of students, the college has tended to focus improvement efforts on freshman students both in the areas of recruitment and retention. Recent focus group interviews with transfer students and conversations among staff and faculty revealed a concern about this comparative inattention to (1) orientation, (2) academic advising, and (3) career counseling made available to transfer students.<br />
<br />
The proportion of freshmen in our entering class has risen in fall 2005 and 2006 – from consistent levels in the 32%-to-35% range to 40%. The proportion of freshmen in our fall 2007 entering class rose to 43% (an increase of 103 freshmen over 2007). The increase in freshman students is creating some staffing pressure in the curriculum and raises the importance of retaining this growing segment of our entering class well into the future.<br />
<br />
Enrollment of students of color has held at 18% for the past six years, up from 16% to 17% in the late 1990s ([[Media: Figure_3-3.doc|Fall Quarter Enrollment History]]). The proportion of students of color enrolled on the Olympia campus has increased slightly each year since fall 2003, reaching 16.4% in fall 2007. Our program located in Tacoma typically enrolls 55% to 60% students of color and our tribal program is generally between 90% and 100% students of color ([[Media: Figure_3-4.doc|Distribution of Students of Color by Campus]]).<br />
<br />
Undergraduate/graduate mix and full-time/part-time proportions have remained essentially the same over the past ten years ([[Media: Figure_3-3.doc|Fall Quarter Enrollment History]]).<br />
<br />
=====Retention and Graduation Rates=====<br />
<br />
Overall undergraduate fall-to-fall retention has remained at or near 80% since fall 2000. Freshmen are the group of students retained least well to the following fall and of that group, nonresident fee-paying freshmen tend to be retained at a lower rate. This is no doubt in some part due to the increased cost of attendance for nonresident students – nonresident transfer students are also retained at a lower rate than resident fee-paying transfers ([[Media: Retention Summary.pdf|Retention Summary]]).<br />
<br />
Overall, students of color are retained at a rate equal to or slightly above the rate for Caucasian students. Retention of students of color tends to be highest in our Tacoma program. Retention of students of color on the Olympia campus also tends to run equal to or slightly higher than for Caucasian students. We find this trend especially gratifying since our Olympia enrollment is predominantly white ([[Media: Retention Summary.pdf|Retention Summary]]).<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s first-time, full-time freshman six-year graduation rate is 55% for the most recent cohort (fall 1999). While we hope to see improvement in freshman graduation rates as fall-to-fall retention efforts yield positive results, we view the current rate as comparable or better than our peers among public institutions ([[Media: CSRDE Freshman Graduation Rates.pdf|First-time, First-year Cohort Graduation Rates]]).<br />
<br />
====3.B.2 The institution provides opportunities for students to participate in institutional governance. Faculty are involved in the development of policies for student programs and services.====<br />
<br />
For the first time in the history of the college, and after at least a half dozen serious efforts over the years, Evergreen now has a student government. Students worked hard throughout the 2006-07 school year to develop a governance proposal that would accommodate Evergreen's distinctive structure. Students voted in favor of the Geoduck Student Union and the board of trustees recognized the new student government during spring of 2006. The student government formally began its work in fall 2007. During its first year, the student government created a mission statement for the union, it composed bylaws to govern regular operations, and it established voting and election policies building on past practice. The student government also identified a group of students to work on the Campus Activities Building (CAB) design.<br />
<br />
The ''Evergreen Social Contract,'' the mission statement of the college, and the mission statement of the Division of Student Affairs, all speak to campus-wide participation in institutional governance. The college has evidenced a long-standing commitment to involving students in decision-making.<br />
<br />
In the past, staff designed processes to collect student input regarding major policy decisions that directly affected students. The nature of the issue determined the exact process used, but student input on major decisions was actively and regularly solicited. On almost every issue, community meetings and forums were held and written comments on email solicited. Phone surveys were often conducted, Web sites established, and information-gathering tables were set up in visible locations on campus. Additional steps were taken depending on the issue.<br />
<br />
Procedures governing the Student Fee Allocation Committee are being amended now that we have a student government. In the past, the Student Fee Allocation Committee selected student members. Beginning this year, these appointments were made by the student government. This new practice will need to be set forth in a bylaw by the Geoduck Student Union in the coming year.<br />
<br />
Since our last reaccreditation report, students have voted to impose fees upon themselves. In spring 2006, students voted to tax themselves $5.75 per credit per quarter for a major renovation of the CAB Building, which serves as our student union. In spring of 1999, students approved a one-dollar per credit per quarter fee, to provide free bus service to all students. In January 2005, students voted to tax themselves for "green" energy. By agreement with the college, students must also vote every two years to reauthorize the collection of an eight-dollar WashPIRG fee.<br />
<br />
Prior to the existence of our student government, these student fee initiatives were generated by small groups of students and Student Activities staff coordinated the referenda. In order to be presented to the board of trustees, 25% of the students had to vote and the majority of those voting had to approve the new fee. (There is a different standard for WashPIRG.) These operating practices have now been built into the new student government bylaws and the student government now has primary responsibility for bringing student-initiated fee proposals forward. Last spring the Geoduck Student Union oversaw two successful fee initiatives for student funding: funding for a late night shuttle bus connection to downtown Olympia and a one-time fee to establish a student-run café.<br />
<br />
Disappearing Task Forces (DTFs) have historically been the major mechanism for addressing campus-wide issues. Students serve on DTFs and most student appointments to DTFs were made by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. The responsibility for appointments to major DTFs will now rest with the student government. Students have also served on hiring committees, study groups, the parking appeal committee, hearing boards, and building design committees. Student Affairs staff are now working with representatives of the student government to determine which of those appointments will become the responsibility of student government.<br />
<br />
Students have a major role in designing the new CAB. The CAB pre-design team was composed of twenty-one individuals, thirteen of whom were students, including the co-chair. Student members of the pre-design team took the lead in seeking input from other students. They held open forums, collected survey data, held radio call-ins, established a Web site and were present at tables in the CAB to collect ideas and feedback. The current design team of sixteen members has ten student members including the student co-chair. In the spring of 2006, the design team participated in the selection of the architectural firm, which will complete the design work.<br />
<br />
The exact role of the student government in collecting student input and advocating for students is evolving. Student Affairs staff will continue to serve as student advocates and in some cases, will want to collect their own input, but it is clear that our own student government will now have primary responsibility to speak for students on many issues. This is an exciting development and we hope for even stronger student participation in governance.<br />
<br />
'''Faculty Involvement'''<br />
<br />
The vice president for Student Affairs forwards to the Provost’s Office a list of standing committees and DTFs that are charged by the vice president for student affairs. The Provost’s Office shares this list with the Faculty Agenda Committee, which then makes assignments to these groups. Since it is through DTFs that major policies are developed, this system ensures significant faculty input into the formulation of major policies, programs, and services for students.<br />
<br />
As a matter of practice, all policies involving significant changes affecting students are vetted electronically and at public forums open to the entire campus. This affords all faculty and staff an opportunity to have input. On some occasions, the Faculty Agenda Committee will ask that a policy change that affects students be reviewed with them. The agenda committee may request that the proposed change be presented at a faculty meeting. In recent years, changes to our Academic Advising policy, our sex-offender notification policy, and our Bias Incident Response Protocol were presented at faculty meetings.<br />
<br />
There are many structures at Evergreen that foster teamwork between faculty and Student Affairs practitioners as it applies to the formulation of student policies. Faculty rotate into positions in the Academic Advising Office. The dean for First Year Programs attends meetings of Student Affairs deans and directors, and the dean of Student and Academic Support Services attends meetings of the academic deans. These practices help ensure that Student Affairs practitioners and their academic colleagues are in close communication at the earliest stages when policy changes affecting students are being contemplated.<br />
<br />
====3.B.3 Policies on students’ rights and responsibilities, including those related to academic honesty and procedural rights, are clearly stated, well publicized, readily available, and implemented in a fair and consistent manner.====<br />
<br />
The [[Media: Exhibit_3-3.doc|Social Contract]] and [[Media: Exhibit_3-4.doc|Student Conduct Code]] guide students in understanding acceptable behavior at the college. Embedded within these documents are the clearly-defined procedures dictating student responsibility and administrative processes. Both found on the Web under the heading, [[Media: Exhibit_3-5.doc|Student Rights and Responsibilities]], these documents previously had also been mailed to each incoming new student. Now that we are formally employing e-mail to conduct college business with students, the documents will be sent electronically. In addition, most academic programs specifically direct students to the expectations defined in the two documents both as a handout and online. Resident assistants meet with all residential students, sharing expectations and consequences, and again referring students to the ''Student Conduct Code'' and ''Social Contract.'' This year, the college will undertake a full evaluation and revision of the ''Student Conduct Code'' and then revise the current Web site. Students will participate in this revision and the community as a whole will have opportunities to provide input through public forums.<br />
<br />
Holding students accountable to the policies and procedures defined in the ''Student Conduct Code'' follows the measures defined in the ''Student Rights and Responsibilities''. Restorative justice guides the student conduct procedures, focusing heavily on education and making appropriate amends. With most situations, this process results in a positive outcome for violator and victim, as students are supported in taking responsibility for their actions and thinking critically about the larger consequences of their actions. Students have the option to appeal any decision to a board of their peers and other community members on the rare occasion when an agreement cannot be reached or is perceived as unjust by the student.<br />
<br />
The campus grievance officer works collaboratively with faculty, campus police, and residential and dining staff, as well as student affairs professionals, to quickly address issues that arise on campus. Investigations of student conduct code violations and resulting sanctions happen in a timely manner. Officers now use Required Grievance Meeting forms ([[Media: Exhibit_3-6.doc|Grievance Forms]]), which result in students seeing the grievance officer within seventy-two hours of police contact. A case coordination team meets regularly to support students who are in crisis. The Bias Incident Response Team ([[Media: Bias_Incident_Response_Protocol_Policy.doc|Bias Related Incident Response Protocol<br />
]]) was instituted two years ago to address campus occurrences of hate crimes or bias or prejudicial incidents. The Mediation Center ([[Media: Mediation Center.pdf|Mediation Center Homepage]]) supports community members campus wide in addressing conflict. The newly evolving Center for Community Matters will fill the gap to support students and community members in navigating the options for conflict resolution on campus.<br />
<br />
====3.B.4 The institution makes adequate provision for the safety and security of its students and their property. Information concerning student safety is published and widely distributed.====<br />
<br />
Police Services includes ten commissioned officers including the police chief, two sergeants, one administrative assistant, and seven officers, parking operations (five staff), and the campus communication center (five staff). Police Services strives to create and maintain a sense of community awareness among a fluid student population. Each successive generation of students is encouraged to adopt self- and mutually-protective attitudes, just as they are encouraged to adopt basic Evergreen values of self-determination, social awareness, and individual scholarship.<br />
<br />
One June 6, 1996, The Evergreen State College armed and fully commissioned the security force, which then became Police Services. All officers were required to attend the Basic Law Enforcement Academy coordinated by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. Officers were then recognized statewide as an actual police department with full powers of arrest. To maintain this level of proficiency, officers are required to have a minimum of thirty hours of training each year to include maintaining certain qualifications and certifications required for professional status in the law enforcement community.<br />
<br />
Police Services has embraced the concept of community-oriented policing to its fullest in the delivery of services to the Evergreen campus. The partnerships are guided by our ''Professional Policing Philosophy'', which states, “The Evergreen Police Services (EPS) provides policing services based upon the following professional policing philosophies”:<br />
<br />
* '''Community-Based Policing <br />
<br />
The delivery of police services is a community-based activity that reflects a partnership with the campus community.''<br />
<br />
* '''Problem Solving Policing<br />
<br />
Police service delivery strategies and tactics are based upon community needs, crime, and quality-of-life issues.''<br />
<br />
* '''Approach to Policing<br />
<br />
The delivery of police services is based upon a proactive and aggressive approach to serious criminal activity.''<br />
<br />
* '''Preventive Policing<br />
<br />
The delivery of police services is based upon the prevention of crime and mutual understanding.''<br />
<br />
* '''Knowledge- and Innovation-Based Policing<br />
<br />
Delivery of police services is based upon a “best practices” approach and current knowledge available to the police profession.''<br />
<br />
The above Professional Policing Philosophy follows from our <u>Mission</u><u> Statement:</u> '''“The Evergreen community and the Department of Police Services, share the responsibility of providing a safe learning, working, and educational environment based on mutual trust and understanding.”<br />
<br />
'''<br />
<br />
In 2005, Evergreen Police Services went through an on-site assessment of our services by the Western Regional Institute for Community Oriented Public Safety (see [[Media: WRICOPS Report.pdf|WRICOPS Report]]). The assessment noted many areas of ongoing excellent practices and also recommended areas needing improvement. Police Services has been very active in responding to these recommendations and improving our service to the community. In addition, there have been changes in the rank structure and organization of the department to better provide for accountability by officers to our community. Police Services has also implemented several community-wide partnerships that better communicate our mission and services to the Evergreen campus. For examples of steps taken to address concerns brought forward in the assessment, see [[Media: Exhibit_3-10_Police_Services-_Service_Improvements.doc|Police Services Improvement Report]].<br />
<br />
The college’s philosophy is to quickly provide and share accurate information regarding more serious crimes with the campus to ensure a safe community. The vice president for Student Affairs and College Relations Office immediately issue security bulletins to be posted in every building on campus for these crimes. In compliance with federal law, Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics, and Clery Statistics (the landmark federal law, originally known as the [[Media: Campus Security Act.pdf|Campus Security Act]], that requires colleges and universities across the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses), crimes are reported annually and can be viewed via the Police Services Web site ([[Media: crimestats.pdf|Campus Crime Statistics 1999-2007]]), as well as the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs Web site and the Federal Office of Postsecondary Education Web site. (The differences in the statistical data among these three reports are due to the various federal and state reporting requirements that are mandated to include different classes of crimes and types of activities.) <br />
<br />
The majority of criminal activities on Evergreen’s campus are property crimes such as theft and vandalism. Uniform Crime Statistics and safety tips are presented during student orientation to every new student prior to the start of each fall quarter. Education and awareness begins with the student and families throughout New Student Orientation through panel discussions, films, plays, and workshops for men and women. The college also enjoys strong relationships with Olympia-based organizations that provide self-defense training on campus and internship opportunities for our students.<br />
<br />
Students, staff, and faculty generally feel safe because of the low crime rate and the many services provided by the police department. Statistics show the low incidence of crime and the different types of public services provided to our community by our police officers. Some examples of public services include officers providing personal safety escorts, vehicle entries, and vehicle jump-starts.<br />
<br />
Despite these efforts, an altercation during and after a concert in February 2008 exposed tensions between Police Services and some members of the Evergreen community. This incident led to concerns about some governance documents and planning procedures at the college.<br />
<br />
The Office of Sexual Assault Prevention provides information through workshops and publications for students, staff, and faculty throughout the year. Two pamphlets, one for students and one for faculty, describe the requirements for Clery reporting and offer a protocol for how to support a student who states that he or she has experienced sexual and/or interpersonal violence. A list of resources both on- and off-campus is included for students seeking support.<br />
<br />
The coordinator for the Office of Sexual Assault Prevention provides prevention education through facilitation of training on personal safety, healthy decision-making, and communication skills for students. These are initially offered during fall orientation, and continue throughout the year, often co-sponsored with a student organization, health services, counseling services, or Residential and Dining Services. The Office of Sexual Assault Prevention also provides support to victims/survivors of sexual assault and interpersonal violence by meeting with the students to assess health and safety, coordinate health care and emotional support, and assist the student in accessing the criminal justice or campus grievance system.<br />
<br />
The Office of Sexual Assault Prevention works closely with campus Police Services, faculty, staff, students, and our local community agencies to provide the highest level of support to students.<br />
<br />
====3.B.5 The institution publishes and makes available to both prospective and enrolled students a catalog or bulletin that describes: its mission, admission requirements and procedures, students’ rights and responsibilities, academic regulations, degree-completion requirements, credit courses and descriptions, tuition, fees and other charges, refund policy, and other items relative to attending the institution or withdrawing from it.====<br />
<br />
The college publishes a catalog annually describing the items listed above. A print version of Evergreen's catalog is available. Our online catalog is available at: [http://www.evergreen.edu/catalog/2008-09/ http://www.evergreen.edu/catalog/2008-09/]<br />
<br />
For other references to Evergreen’s Web site, see:<br />
<br />
Mission Statement – [[Media: Mission Statement.pdf| Mission Statement]]<br />
<br />
Admissions requirements and procedures—Freshmen: [[Media: Freshmen Admissions.pdf| Freshmen Admissions]]<br />
<br />
Admissions requirements and procedures—Transfers: [[Media: Transfer Admissions.pdf| Transfer Admissions]]<br />
<br />
Students' rights and responsibilities: [[Media: Student Rights and Responsiblities.pdf|Student Rights and Responsibilities]]<br />
<br />
Academic regulations: [[Media: Academic Standing.pdf| Academic Standing]]<br />
<br />
Degree-completion requirements: [[Media: Graduation Process.pdf| Graduation Process]]<br />
<br />
Tuition, fees and other charges: [[Media: Financial Aid 2007-08 Cost of Attendance.pdf| Financial Aid 2007-08 Cost of Attendance]] and [[Media: Student Fees 2007-08.pdf| Student Fee Detail 2007-08]]<br />
<br />
Refund Policy: [[Media: Summer Registration and Refunds.pdf| Summer Registration and Refunds]]<br />
<br />
====3.B.5 (continued) In addition, a student handbook or its equivalent is published and distributed. A student handbook normally will include information on student conduct, a grievance policy, academic honesty, student government, student organizations and services, and athletics. The student handbook may be combined with the institution’s catalog.====<br />
The [[Media: Exhibit_3-3.doc|Social Contract]] and [[Media: Exhibit_3-4.doc|Student Conduct Code]] guide students in understanding acceptable behavior at the college. Embedded within these documents are the clearly defined procedures dictating student responsibility and administrative processes. Both are found on the Web under the heading [[Media: Exhibit_3-5.doc|Student Rights and Responsibilities]].<br />
<br />
These documents previously had also been mailed to each incoming new student. Now that we are formally employing e-mail to conduct college business with students, the documents will be sent electronically. In addition, most academic programs specifically direct students to the expectations defined in the two documents, both as a handout and online. Resident assistants meet with all residential students, sharing expectations and consequences, and again referring students to the Student Conduct Code and Social Contract. This year, the college will undertake a full evaluation and revision of the Student Conduct Code and then revise the current Web site. Students will participate in this revision, and the community as a whole will have opportunities to provide input through public forums.<br />
<br />
For additional information about athletics, student organizations and services, and student government, see:<br />
<br />
Student Organizations and Services: [[Media: List of Recognized Student Organizations.pdf| List of Recognized Student Organizations]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Athletic Handbook.pdf|Athletic Handbook]]<br />
<br />
Constitution for Student Government<br />
Student Government: [[Media: Constitution for Student Government.pdf|Constitution for Student Government ]]<br />
<br />
====3.B.6 The institution periodically and systematically evaluates the appropriateness, adequacy, and utilization of student services and programs and uses the results of the evaluation as a basis for change.====<br />
<br />
As described in 3.B.1, the college employs a systematic strategy for surveying and assessing student experiences at Evergreen. The Evergreen Student Experience Survey is one way that we assess student usage of various student services. For examples of survey results, see:<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006 Use of Campus_Resources - Olympia.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Use of Campus Resources - Olympia]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006 - Use of Campus_Resources_Tacoma.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Use of Campus Resources - Tacoma]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006 - Use of Campus_Resources_Tribal Programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Use of Campus Resources - Tribal Programs]]<br />
<br />
<br />
Student feedback and satisfaction have also been reported to various offices and to the Student Affairs Division from the 2004 and 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Surveys. Reports were produced that pulled together responses to questions and comments that were specifically related to each office.<br />
<br />
Reporting of usage of campus resources by Evergreen alumni has also been gathered and shared: [[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]].<br />
<br />
Over the past few years, special attention has been given to retaining undergraduates, with specific emphasis on first-year students through outreach to new students entering the institution. A series of research-based initiatives and best practices has emerged which are directed specifically at increasing levels of student integration and congruency by helping students better understand (a) how the college works; (b) what they as students can expect of the college; (c) what will be expected of them as students; and (d) what support services and resources are available to them at the college.<br />
<br />
These objectives are pursued through a series of activities under four broad categories:<br />
<br />
* A comprehensive orientation program<br />
* Assistance in the initial transition to Evergreen<br />
* Self-care, health and safety <br />
* Diversity and community<br />
<br />
For more detailed descriptions of these activities, see relevant sections of the [[Media: Exhibit_3-13.doc|Retention Initiatives and Objectives]] report. <br />
<br />
See the [[Media: Exhibit_3-12.doc|Professional Associations and Related Activities]] for a summary of professional development activities and resulting improvements in services provided by Student Academic Support Services (SASS) practitioners in the following areas: academic advising, retention, general education, civic engagement, health and safety, student engagement in learning, diversity, legal issues, and budget management/regulations.<br />
<br />
The research of Vincent Tinto has shaped the work of SASS practitioners regarding student retention at Evergreen. Our approaches to improving retention focus on two facets of student experience: academic and social integration. In the academic arena, students interact with an academic discipline and with faculty and peers. In the social system, students develop relationships with peers, faculty, staff who provide services and operate the college, and alumni. According to the research, in order for students to persist, they need to feel a sense of integration and congruency, or “fit,” with the college in their experiences. When students experience low levels of integration or congruency they tend to exit the institution. Fit questions might include, “Does the student have similar academic or personal experiences and interests as other students, faculty, and administrators at the college?” and “Does the student share the aspirations and values of other students, faculty, and administrators at the college?”<br />
<br />
Mindful of the challenges associated with retaining students, SASS has established a set of retention strategies dedicated to providing a variety of forms of assistance to increase students' ability to function and thrive within the Evergreen environment. These initiatives increase the opportunity and probability for all students to access support, thereby increasing their sense of integration and congruency within the institution and the likelihood of their ultimate success at Evergreen.<br />
<br />
SASS practitioners actively engage in professional development through participation in key national and statewide organizations. This engagement results in implementing better approaches and strategies to serve Evergreen students in achieving their goals.<br />
<br />
===Standard 3.C – Academic Credit and Records===<br />
<br />
====3.C.1 Evaluation of student learning or achievement, and the award of credit, are based upon clearly stated and distinguishable criteria. Academic records are accurate, secure, and comprehensive. Credit is defined and awarded consonant with the Glossary definition.====<br />
<br />
The evaluation of student learning and the award of credit for that learning are the responsibility of the faculty who work closely with their program secretary and the Office of Registration and Records in maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of student records. Each academic program’s syllabus outlines the ways in which a student will be evaluated. Covenants developed and agreed to in class may also clarify aspects on which a student will be evaluated. Evergreen’s credit system differentiates between quantity and quality. The quantity of a student’s academic work is recognized by an award of credit based on satisfactory completion of a program, contract, or specific course requirements. The quality of a student’s work is expressed in a written evaluation by the faculty and by the student. Students meet individually with faculty at the end of each quarter to evaluate the work. Two perspectives on the student’s learning are brought to the discussion – that of the student and that of the faculty member.<br />
<br />
The college ensures that these records are accurate and comprehensive through a process that begins with the faculty member sending the program secretary the text for the faculty evaluation of the student. The program secretary reviews it for content and format. Once the text is complete, the secretary merges it into the college’s evaluation template and it is transmitted to Registration and Records where it is reviewed by the office’s credentials evaluators, who record the number of credits earned in the student records system. A copy of the evaluation is mailed to the student with an insert that asks the student to review the record for accuracy and seek an amendment if corrections are needed through registration, faculty, or the program secretary.<br />
<br />
In 2005, the college implemented a new evaluation process after a committee of faculty and staff spent two years reviewing processes and procedures. The project’s goal was a 50% reduction in the time of processing an evaluation. The result of this extensive process redesign has been a significant reduction in the time it now takes to process an evaluation. The effort eliminated some of the extraneous steps in the process, such as requiring a faculty signature, which previously caused much of the delays in evaluation.<br />
<br />
Each matriculated student has two files in the Registration and Records office. One file contains the materials the student submits for admission purposes, including transcripts from other colleges and universities. This file may contain the letter awarding transfer credits, academic warning letters, required leaves of absences, enrollment verification, or any other correspondence pertaining to that student’s history with the college.<br />
<br />
The second file contains all the student’s narrative evaluations from the time he or she enters the college until he or she leaves or graduates. If the student does not receive credit, the faculty’s “No Credit Report” is filed in the first file, since the college’s transcript is only a record of achievement. The amount of credit earned in a program is clearly specified at the end of the evaluation of the student’s academic performance. Full-time students at Evergreen earn twelve to sixteen credits, or quarter hours, per quarter; the maximum allowed is twenty credits. In 2007, the Registration and Records Office began imaging all narrative academic records to allow better management of these documents and continues to move the processing of narrative academic records toward a paperless procedure.<br />
<br />
The academic challenge and level of expectation for learning are appropriate to the graduate or undergraduate level of the program. The process for posting credits is the same regardless of whether it is undergraduate or graduate credit. Graduate credit is noted as such on the narrative evaluation.<br />
<br />
All college publications make a distinction between degree and non-degree credit, and between credit and no credit. As an example, credit is not awarded for Extended Education and Leisure Education classes. Participants in Evergreen’s non-credit offerings can be issued letters that verify completion of a non-credit offering, if needed.<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s catalog has a clear statement regarding the status of credit awarded for “special” non-matriculated students. Special students are limited each quarter to a maximum of eight credits per quarter unless an exception is made by the curriculum dean, which is granted only if the student is an applicant to the college for a future quarter. Students may audit by providing a written approval from their faculty and paying the required audit fee.<br />
<br />
Non-degree or pre-college credit is no longer offered at the college. When it was offered, it was primarily at the intermediate algebra level. When non-degree credit was awarded it was clearly noted on a student’s transcript and entered uniquely in the student records system so as not to count towards graduation.<br />
<br />
====3.C.2 Criteria used for evaluating student performance and achievement including those for theses, dissertations, and portfolios, are appropriate to the degree level, clearly stated and implemented.====<br />
<br />
Criteria for evaluating undergraduate and graduate student performance and achievement are determined by individual faculty for classes and teaching teams for academic programs. Academic standards for quality of work and student performance are typically articulated in program syllabi and covenants, and complemented by ongoing assessment of students' work over the course of the class or program (one to three quarters). Final assessments are documented in individual Evaluations of Student Achievement, which become a permanent part of their Evergreen transcripts.<br />
<br />
For a clear articulation of criteria used to evaluate graduate theses and other degree requirements, see:<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Media: mes_thesis.doc|MES Thesis Handbook]]<br />
<br />
<br />
MIT Student Teaching Handbook:<br />
<br />
[[Media: mit_sth_sec1.pdf|Section One: Student Teaching Guidelines]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: mit_sth_sec2.pdf|Section Two: Assessment Guide]]<br />
<br />
<br />
MPA Program requirements and Course Information:<br />
<br />
[[Media: mpa_overview.pdf|MPA Program Overview]] <br />
<br />
[[Media: mpa_coursepage.pdf|MPA Course and Schedule Information]]<br />
<br />
====3.C.3 Clear and well-publicized distinctions are made between degree and non-degree credit. Institutional publications and oral representations explicitly indicate if credit will not be recognized toward a degree, or if special conditions exist before such credit will be recognized. Any use of such terms as extension credit, X credit, continuing education credit, is accompanied by clear statements regarding the acceptability of such credit toward degrees offered by that institution. Student transcripts clearly note when any credit awarded is non-degree credit. Whenever institutions grant non-degree credit other than the Continuing Education Unit (CEU), some summary evaluation of student performance beyond mere attendance is available.====<br />
<br />
All college publications make a distinction between degree and non-degree credit and between credit and no credit. For example, credit is not awarded for Leisure Education classes nor for some Extended Education classes. Approximately one-third of Extended Education classes are offered with both credit and not-for-credit options for participants. If the class is taken for academic credit, the student must meet all of the requirements and is provided with an evaluation of their work. Participants taking classes not for credit or continuing education units are asked to meet all of the requirements of the course but their work is not evaluated nor are they giving academic credit. As appropriate, non-academic participants are provided with certificates of completion, CEUs, or clock hours that can be presented to their employers or others wanting verification of course completion.<br />
<br />
====3.C.4 Transfer credit is accepted from accredited institutions or from other institutions under procedures which provide adequate safeguards to ensure high academic quality and relevance to the students’ programs. Implementation of transfer credit policies is consistent with 2.C.4 as well as Policy 2.5 Transfer and Award of Academic Credit. The final judgment for determining acceptable credit for transfer is the responsibility of the receiving institution.====<br />
<br />
Students need to complete 180 quarter-hour credits in order to obtain a bachelor’s degree from Evergreen. They can transfer a maximum of ninety quarter-hour credits of lower division work and up to an additional forty-five quarter-hour credits of upper division work for a maximum of 135 credits. Of their final ninety quarter credits, forty-five of the ninety must be completed at Evergreen in order to earn the bachelor’s degree.<br />
<br />
A large number of articulation agreements have been negotiated with the Washington community and technical college system. These agreements are quite attractive to transfer students, especially now that seven technical degrees are accepted as Direct Transfer Degrees (described below).<br />
<br />
The policy for evaluating transfer credit varies depending on the kind of institution from which students transfer and the type of course work involved. Transfer credits can be evaluated in one of the following ways:<br />
<br />
* Direct Transfer Degree (DTA)<br />
* Associate in Science Transfer Degree (AS-T)<br />
* Direct Technical Transfer Degree<br />
* Upside Down Degree <br />
* Course-by-Course Evaluation<br />
* Nontraditional Credit<br />
<br />
Transfer credit awards are based on the official transcripts that are part of the admission application. Evergreen does not have specific subject area graduation requirements. All transfer credits are applied uniformly toward the 180 quarter-hours needed for graduation. The Direct Transfer Degree, Associate in Science Transfer Degree and the Direct Technical Transfer degree all transfer as a block of ninety quarter-hour credits.<br />
<br />
===== Direct Transfer Degree (DTA) =====<br />
<br />
The general associate's degree is known statewide as the Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA). Currently, Evergreen recognizes the DTA (both the general associate's degree and seven additional direct transfer technical degrees noted below) as a block of ninety credits and gives students top admissions priority. Because Evergreen accepts these credits as a block, students transferring with a DTA may complete a bachelor's degree with ninety additional quarter credits at Evergreen.<br />
<br />
===== Associate in Science Transfer Degree (AS-T) =====<br />
<br />
The Associate in Science Transfer Degree (AS-T) is geared to students who want to pursue study in biology or chemistry. Evergreen and the other public baccalaureate institutions in the state give admissions priority to students who earn the AS-T. In addition, Evergreen treats this degree the same as a DTA degree, giving students admissions priority and a block of ninety credits.<br />
<br />
===== Direct Technical Transfer Degree =====<br />
<br />
Evergreen has developed a special category for students transferring with certain technical degrees. Seven Upside Down agreement categories (accounting, business, computer information systems, criminal justice, early childhood education, human services, and paralegal) are often made up of 75% general education coursework, and Evergreen treats these seven technical degrees as DTA degrees. These degrees were chosen for direct transfer because of the substantial general education coursework contained in each and because of the number of students of color in these programs. For those students wanting to transfer upon graduation or after working in the field, these degrees offer a smooth transition to Evergreen.<br />
<br />
===== Upside Down Degree =====<br />
<br />
Students holding an Upside Down approved vocational or technical associate’s degree from a Washington community or technical college are eligible to transfer the approved degree as a block of ninety credits. The student must meet with an academic advisor and negotiate a plan that includes thirty-two Evergreen quarter-credits that will be earned in a coordinated studies program outside their technical degree discipline for purposes of achieving breadth. Evergreen has negotiated over three hundred Upside Down agreements with the community and technical colleges. The Upside Down agreements are very effective in communicating Evergreen’s “transfer-friendly” position to the community college system.<br />
<br />
===== Course-by-Course Evaluation =====<br />
<br />
Students transferring from another four-year college and community college students who have not earned a Washington state designated transfer degree or an acceptable degree that qualifies as a Direct Technical Transfer Degree or the Upside Down option will have their credits evaluated on a course-by-course basis. Transferable courses must meet the following criteria:<br />
<br />
* freshman level or above (usually number 100–499)<br />
* grade of A, B, C, Pass/Satisfactory, Credit, 2.0 or better<br />
* academic in nature (physical education, military science credit, and courses that are religious in nature are not transferable)<br />
<br />
Non-academic courses that are considered vocational, technical or personal development (VTPD) fall into the following categories:<br />
<br />
* occupation related (e.g., bookkeeping, law enforcement, keyboarding, nursing, secretarial training)<br />
* skill building (e.g., equipment operation, typing, etc.)<br />
* personal development (e.g., assertiveness training, personal finance)<br />
<br />
A maximum of fifteen quarter-hours of VTPD credit may be transferred. If it is community college VTPD credit, it must be within the ninety credits maximum allowed. VTPD credits must be college-level to yield transfer credit.<br />
<br />
===== Nontraditional Credit: Non-accredited Colleges and Universities =====<br />
<br />
Evergreen will accept a maximum of forty-five credits earned at non-accredited institutions, provided the student:<br />
<br />
* Has successfully completed ninety-six credits at Evergreen<br />
* Has not exceeded the maximum number of transfer credits allowed<br />
* Will earn forty-five of his/her last ninety credits at Evergreen<br />
<br />
===== Nontraditional Credit: Running Start, College in the High School, and International Baccalaureate Programs =====<br />
<br />
Evergreen accepts college credits earned while in high school through Running Start, College in the High School, and the International Baccalaureate Organization. Running Start or College in the High School students are required to submit an official transcript from the college that offers the course(s). Credit earned through the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) will be considered on a subject-by-subject basis.<br />
<br />
===== Nontraditional Credit: Credit by Examination =====<br />
<br />
Evergreen accepts credits earned through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Advanced Placement (AP) on a subject-by-subject basis as long as they do not duplicate credit earned at other institutions or at Evergreen.<br />
<br />
* CLEP—the minimum acceptable score varies for each test. However, scores of fifty or better will result in transfer credit <br />
* AP—acceptable scores are three, four, five<br />
* IBO—acceptable scores are four, five, six, seven<br />
<br />
===== Nontraditional Credit: Experiential Learning =====<br />
<br />
Evergreen recognizes that learning can take place from life experience, not just from academic studies. Students may demonstrate college-level learning as a result of life experience through extensive documentation. See also Standard 2 - Prior Learning from Experience.<br />
<br />
===== Nontraditional Credit: Military Training =====<br />
<br />
Some military training can generate transfer credit, based on recommendations from the American Counselor of Education (ACE). Students submit a combination of the following documents: DD214, DD295, training records, and/or training certificates, etc. Transfer credit is not given for MOS, LDO, NWO, NER, CGR, CGW or MCE designations.<br />
<br />
===== Nontraditional Credit: Certificated Learning =====<br />
<br />
Evergreen awards credit for some learning that earns a certificate acknowledging participation and completion of a workshop, seminar, training program, etc. This review process is performed after students have been formally admitted to the college.<br />
<br />
====3.C.5 The institution makes provision for the security of student records of admission and progress. Student records, including transcripts, are private, accurate, complete, and permanent. They are protected by fireproof and otherwise safe storage and are backed by duplicate files. Data and records maintained in computing systems have adequate security and provision for recovery in the event of disaster. The information-release policy respects the right of individual privacy and ensures the confidentiality of records and files.====<br />
<br />
To maintain a secure environment, the records of admissions and student progress for currently enrolled students are stored in a fireproof vault in the Registration and Records office. The security of these records is set at a very high standard as only authorized staff have access to the vault. With our transition to imaged records, Registration staff have access to academic records through our imaging application that is password protected and access is based on the role of the individual employee. Other areas of the college have copies of student records. Program secretaries keep copies of student evaluations for two years and faculty members also keep copies of student evaluations for their portfolios.<br />
<br />
Records for students who have left the college and for those who have graduated (inactive) are microfilmed as well as scanned on an ongoing basis. The college keeps a copy of the microfilm on campus and another copy is stored with the state archivist off campus. The imaging system is fully backed up on a nightly basis using Computing and Communications standards. Inactive student records are fully backed up for duplicate copies if necessary.<br />
<br />
Only authorized personnel have access to the student data system. Specified employees are granted access privileges through the assignment of a password. In addition, some offices have “view only” privileges, but are not able to make changes in the system. The system has a built-in audit trail that documents when a staff member alters the date in the system, the time and date and the person’s name. As we use an integrated student records system, this same process applies to all other offices throughout the college such as admissions, financial aid, student accounts and cashier.<br />
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Evergreen complies with the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), which establishes information practices regarding education records and directory information at colleges and universities who receive Department of Education funding. Student Affairs employees are required to attend FERPA training every three years. New employees in Student Affairs receive this training as a part of their orientation to the college. Employees in other divisions of the college may attend this training depending on their role at the college. Anyone who seeks access to the student records system must read and sign a FERPA statement of understanding. Faculty must read and agree to the conditions of FERPA before they can access student directory information available to them on the Web. Copies of Evergreen’s policies pertaining to the confidentiality of records are made available to students in the Office of Registration and Records in print, and are available on the homepage of Registration and Records as well as the Policy Handbook found on the college’s Web page.<br />
<br />
In the event of a disaster, the microfilmed and imaged records as well as the data maintained by Registration and Records could be recovered easily based on the excellent, extensive disaster recovery plan established by Computing and Communications.<br />
<br />
===Standard 3.D – Student Services===<br />
<br />
====3.D.1 The institution adopts student admission policies consistent with its mission. It specifies qualifications for admission to the institution and its programs, and it adheres to those policies in its admission practices.====<br />
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Qualifications for admission along with the process and deadlines are specifically outlined in the catalog and on the college Web site. These policies are well publicized and strictly adhered to by the Office of Admissions. Each applicant undergoes a comprehensive review process that is consistent with statewide minimum admissions standards and institutional match for freshman, transfer, and returning adult students. In addition to their application, transcripts, and test scores, students are encouraged to submit a personal statement in which they are asked to address previous academic and/or professional/personal experiences along with their academic plans for learning at Evergreen. Some students go through an interview process conducted by admissions counselors, faculty, or alumni.<br />
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Inter-divisional communication occurs on a regular basis in the form of the Enrollment Coordinating Committee (ECC). The ECC is an important point of contact between college deans, college relations, enrollment services, and institutional research. The ECC provides a venue for staff at varying levels to learn and participate in addressing enrollment issues at Evergreen and an environment where substantive conversations have helped improve communication and promote substantial progress on issues of shared concern.<br />
<br />
===== In-State Market Trends =====<br />
<br />
During the last two years, Evergreen has weathered a statewide decline in the Washington community college transfer market and increasing competition for transfer students among public, independent, and for-profit baccalaureate institutions. At the same time, several hundred additional freshman seats were created at three public branch campuses (UW-Tacoma, UW-Bothell, and WSU-Vancouver) in fall 2006, a period of only modest growth in the numbers of graduating high-school seniors in the state. Community college transfers are the largest component of Evergreen’s entering class, so declines in this market coupled with increased competition have a substantial impact on application activity. Opening branch campuses to freshmen in fall 2006 (these campuses had previously been restricted to upper-division students) presented an additional recruitment challenge ([[Media: Figure_3-7.doc|Trends in Fall Quarter Applications]]).<br />
<br />
===== Conversion Rates and Application Trends =====<br />
<br />
Increases in our conversion rates from admission to enrollment helped to mitigate the declines in applications from Washington freshmen and community college transfers in 2006 ([[Media: Figure_3-8.doc|Percent Fall Quarter Admitted Undergraduates Enrolling<br />
]]). Applications for both groups increased in 2007 (Washington freshmen rose 15%; Washington transfers rose 8%), which we interpret as signs that Evergreen is holding ground or improving its market share in both of these areas and that our continuing efforts to refine recruitment strategies are effective ([[Media: Figure_3-7.doc|Trends in Fall Quarter Applications]]).<br />
<br />
Applications from nonresident students also increased in 2007 (up 11%), producing a strong showing for undergraduate applications overall in 2007 ([[Media: Figure_3-9.doc|Fall Undergraduate Application Progress 2002-2007]]).<br />
<br />
Applications from students of color have followed the recent trend with transfer applications: a comparatively strong year in 2004 followed by some decline in both 2005 and 2006. Applications for 2007 showed a stronger improvement than among white students: up 17% compared with an increase of 10% for white students relative to 2006. Enrollment of undergraduate students of color increased 8% in fall 2007, which was identical to the percentage increase in enrollment of white students.<br />
<br />
===== Improvements in Recruitment Efforts =====<br />
<br />
See the [[Media: Evrgrnaccred.pdf|2003 Interim Reaccreditation Report to the Northwest Commission]] for details regarding efforts by our admissions office to continue to increase the quantity and quality of our outreach efforts. Examples include:<br />
'<br />
* '''Significant institutional support in terms of budget and shared mission''': The recruitment effort has received substantial budget support from the college, allowing improvements in quality and quantity of our work. Recognition of the importance of student recruitment and a sense of shared responsibility for this work extends across the institution.<br />
* '''Overhaul of publications and development of a targeted mailing series''': In 2001, the “mailing series” to students inquiring about enrollment consisted of one packet containing the college catalog, an application form, and a letter from Admissions. In 2006, the series consisted of fifteen different sequenced pieces with content intended to move a student from inquiry to applicant to admit to enrolled status. The series contains high-end publications (e.g., the general viewbook, academic viewbook, transfer guide, and visit Evergreen brochure), and a series of postcards reminding students of important upcoming enrollment events (e.g., Fridays at Evergreen, president’s receptions). Strategies have been developed that employ an intentional communications plan to direct the recruitment mailing series, and of equal importance, have secured a reliable delivery system for the mailing series.<br />
* ''' Comprehensive follow-up efforts''': Mail, telephone, Web/e-mail, and personal contacts with prospective students by Admissions counselors and staff, current students and Evergreen faculty have increased, including 7,434 student-to-student tele-counseling telephone calls for the 2006-07 academic year.<br />
<br />
* '''Twenty-four hour response time''': In recognition of the importance of timeliness, any e-mail, written, or telephone communication receives a response within twenty-four hours. Campus visitors are sent a “thank you for visiting” card within twenty-four hours.<br />
<br />
* '''College Web site redesign and Web support staffing''': The college’s Web site was redesigned in 2001 with special emphasis on improving communication with prospective students. Funding was provided for staff to maintain and improve the Web site the following year. Improvements have continued since then, managed from the College Relations office in coordination with Enrollment Services. Enrollment Services staff also update and improve the admissions and financial aid Web sites on a regular basis.<br />
<br />
* '''Remodel of the Admissions Office''': The space was an eyesore for students and parents in comparison with other schools visited such as the University of Puget Sound, Reed College, and Lewis & Clark College. The remodel in 2002 provided temporary improvements. As the Library Phase II remodel has advanced, Enrollment Services has taken an active role in the design process to ensure a general upgrade of appearance in Admissions. In addition, efforts are being made to accommodate guests during the remodel period and temporary move to Seminar I.<br />
<br />
* '''Articulation agreements''': Additional articulation agreements to promote easier transition from community colleges in Washington to Evergreen continue to be negotiated.<br />
<br />
* '''Reorganization of classified employees''': All classified employees in the office were reclassified as credential evaluators. Two factors prompted this effort: 1) staff previously classified as office assistants were impacted and “bumped” out of their positions during budget cuts; and 2) the old system promoted a division of labor that broke down during absences. Students often did not get an official transfer credit evaluation until well into the quarter for which they had applied. With each credential evaluator assigned to a section of the alphabet, all applications are now reviewed and awarded transfer credit prior to registration.<br />
<br />
* '''Reorganization of admissions counselors''' Whereas a division of labor was counterproductive to the classified staff responsibilities as described above, a division of responsibilities is essential to the relationship-building and long-term outcome strategies for the admissions counselors and the target audiences with whom they work. As the organizational chart indicates, each counselor now has a specific recruitment responsibility (e.g., non-resident recruitment, Student Visitor Program, etc.).<br />
<br />
* '''Capping non-resident tuition''': Resisting pressure to increase non-resident tuition during the past two years has allowed us to recover some of the competitive advantage in cost lost to private institutions when tuition increased substantially from 2002 to 2004. Each year that non-resident tuition is not increased, the college’s position on cost relative to the private school competition is improved. A 5% increase has been approved for fall 2007.<br />
<br />
* '''Tuition waivers in the form of “Scholastic Achievement Awards” (SAA)''': During the past two years, the college has provided new financial support to students aimed at making Evergreen a more competitive choice among the selective liberal arts colleges with whom it competes for non-resident freshmen. This new strategy of “tuition discounting” has clearly been successful in attracting and enrolling students who would otherwise have opted for institutions providing stronger financial aid packages.<br />
<br />
* '''Technological improvements and efficiencies''': With the 2001 conversion to the Banner software system and the 2007 conversion to Banner Recruit and Banner Apply, tools were added and upgraded to permit students to apply in a timely manner (88% apply online) and to allow staff to more easily input and systematically manage recruit information.<br />
<br />
* '''Emphasis on the campus visit''': Recruitment literature emphasizes that the campus visit has the greatest impact on a student’s choice of colleges. Evergreen has restructured its messages to prospective students to direct them toward a campus visit and greatly improved the sophistication and quality of our Campus Visit Program. The addition of “visit” pieces crafted for different recruitment events and audiences, a student visitor program coordinator, improved data collection, a well-scripted program, and an online visit calendar, have led to a substantial increase in the number of students visiting Evergreen and improvement in the quality of their visit. For fall 2007, the program accommodated a record 1,336 visitors and 1,338 guests (including 139 overnight visits and 218 program visits). <br />
<br />
* '''Additional positions added to Admissions''': Additional staffing allowed the Admissions Office to spread the word about Evergreen more broadly, process student data more quickly, provide information on a more timely basis, and emphasize personal contacts with prospective students.<br />
<br />
* '''Improved data collection and evaluation''': Compilation of outcome activity reports, including weekly counselor activity reports, bi-weekly statistics reports, and weekly application and enrollment reports, was added to monitor and assist in evaluating recruitment strategies and locations.<br />
<br />
* '''Increased faculty involvement''': Seven faculty are involved with the recruitment effort through governance assignments. This group of faculty is available to students for on-campus interviews, campus event panels, and out-of-state counselor and student/family receptions.<br />
<br />
Please see the Admissions Self-Study for a more detailed discussion of student recruitment activity and improvements. ([[Media: Exhibit_3.15_Adm_Recruitment.doc|Admissions Self-Study]])<br />
<br />
====3.D.2 The institution, in keeping with its mission and admission policy, gives attention to the needs and characteristics of its student body with conscious attention to such factors as ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious diversity while demonstrating regard for students’ rights and responsibilities.====<br />
<br />
Staff in Student and Academic Support Services (SASS) work with the entire student population to promote successful transitions to the college and achievement of educational objectives. SASS serves the student body by providing academic advice and helping students access a wide range of support services, including health services, mental health services, dispute resolution, and the like. In addition, the division helps students adjust to their experience at Evergreen and helps them see how their needs and academic desires can fit within the college's unique education structure.<br />
<br />
In SASS, several offices provide intentional and direct support to students in underrepresented and protected classes. These groups include first-generation students, low-income students, students with disabilities, and students of color. SASS also provides advising support through existing services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students and to students who are seeking support for their spiritual development, though we have not established designated offices for these services.<br />
<br />
The relocation and renovation of the SASS center in the Library building has made the work of the unit much more visible and accessible. In order to create a welcoming environment, there is a student desk that is staffed during operating hours. The design of the center is intentionally laid out to provide students easy access and amenities while maintaining a sense of privacy.<br />
<br />
Offices located in the center are Academic Advising, Access Services, Career Development, First Peoples' Advising Services, Keep Enhancing Yourself (KEY) Student Services (TRIO), Upward Bound (TRIO), Gear Up, and the Dean of Students. Prior to the relocation, not all services were housed together and many were in cramped quarters. The design of the center has located adjacent to one another the Career Development Library and the Unity Resources Center, supervised by First Peoples' Advising Services. This co-location provides students of color and low-income students access to resources that can help them think about their life’s work in a supportive environment. Student workstations are also located throughout the center, providing students with the opportunity to check e-mail or the Web site and to work on assignments with trained staff available. The center also has several workstations with assistive/adaptive technology equipment and houses the e-text equipment for students with disabilities.<br />
<br />
As the Evening and Weekend Studies Program has grown, there has been a great demand for support to students who come “after hours.” The center is open five days per week. Monday through Thursday, the center is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The center is open once each month on Saturdays to provide support to students enrolled in the reservation-based program.<br />
<br />
Emphasis over the past years has been placed on helping students acclimate to Evergreen. [[Media: KEY Student Support Services.pdf| KEY Student Support Services]] has sharpened the approach to students by creating programs that increase academic success. One example is the Step Up program that was designed as a one-week summer orientation and college readiness program for freshmen and transfer students who are first-generation students, students with disabilities, and low-income students. Because of academic need, the emphasis of the Step Up program is on understanding the learning environment at Evergreen. There is a heavy emphasis on reading as a fundamental skill and writing as a critical companion to reading. Students spend several hours a day in workshops and seminars developing and strengthening their abilities to read and write under the direction of the Writing Center director and a faculty member with a background in writing.<br />
<br />
The First Peoples' Scholars program has a similar emphasis, introducing incoming students of color to college life with the aim of developing a strong cohort. Students learn how the curriculum works, are introduced to faculty and staff of color, and explore the surrounding area to identify places which can address such personal needs as food, hair cuts/products, faith communities, and local communities of color with whom they can identify.<br />
<br />
KEY, First Peoples' Advising Services, and Access Services encourage students to follow their passions regardless of what they may feel or believe are restrictions. Students from these groups are encouraged and supported to apply for internship, study abroad, and scholarship opportunities. These programs encourage students to pursue fields or studies that the students might not have imagined were open to them.<br />
<br />
Still new to the Evergreen environment is intercollegiate athletics. SASS practitioners work closely with the associate director of Athletics to coordinate meetings with coaches; conduct advising, study sessions, and career workshops; and conduct one-on-one advising sessions so that student athletes select an appropriate program and develop an appropriate academic and career plan. One retention effort implemented in this past year is the development of a comprehensive academic advising strategy for athletes at Evergreen. More specifically, this initiative addresses the delicate balance between the demands of a full academic program and the demands of a collegiate sport.<br />
<br />
SASS practitioners are alert to the issues that create crises and emergencies in students’ lives. Students come to the center or are referred by faculty to seek help regarding academic, financial, or personal situations. Students are supported during crises by being assigned a case coordinator who can act as a resource person to assist the student in understanding his or her rights and responsibilities in navigating through the crisis situation.<br />
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Outreach to school districts which have high numbers of low-income and first-generation middle school and high school students is one of the ways SASS have aligned with the mission of the institution to serve local communities. The area has done so by administering two pre-college programs: Upward Bound and Gear Up. Each of these programs serves students in schools with at least 50% of students on reduced or free lunch programs. From these programs, the students and their families learn college-going skills; participate in college visits and after-school and summer programs; and are given professional staff support and resources to apply to the college of their choice. These efforts have transformed school culture and developed cohorts of students committed to going on to postsecondary education.<br />
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Another response to our mission is our commitment to and participation in the College Success Foundation Achiever Scholars program. The College Success Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation fund this group of students. Each institution of higher education in the state of Washington signed an agreement to provide support services to these students. Students are required to meet with a SASS practitioner at least twice a quarter.<br />
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For the past nine years, Evergreen has been involved in a project called Critical Moments. Critical Moments is an educational tool used both in and outside of the classroom. Critical Moments uses case studies of students who encounter situations that cause them to consider leaving the college. Critical Moments has been used in the classroom and in peer training. Funding from the Hewitt Foundation was received to write case studies specific to Evergreen. These stories have been used with various student groups to develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking, empathy, and deeper understanding of diversity in regards to culture, economics, age, and thought. The key here in terms of retention is that this project allows for students to practice to the fullest extent possible ways they can respond to situations which impact their persistence over the years. First Peoples’ advising has provided leadership and a home for this project.<br />
<br />
====3.D.3 Appropriate policies and procedures guide the placement of students in courses and programs based upon their academic and technical skills. Such placement ensures a reasonable probability of success at a level commensurate with the institution’s expectations. Special provisions are made for “ability to benefit” students.====<br />
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Core Programs are designed specifically for freshmen and intended to develop necessary academic and technical skills necessary for more advanced offerings. Faculty constantly assess student skills and knowledge in the context of work in academic programs. They often advise students in the context of evaluations with respect to the match of their interest and abilities with the requirements of future program opportunities.<br />
<br />
====3.D.4 The institution specifies and publishes requirements for continuation in, or termination from, its educational programs, and it maintains an appeals process. The policy for readmission of students who have been suspended or terminated is clearly defined.====<br />
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Evergreen monitors the academic standing of each student. Any student not making satisfactory academic progress is informed of his or her standing at the college and advised.<br />
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Faculty evaluation of student achievement occurs at the end of programs, contracts, courses, and internships. A student in danger of receiving less than full credit is notified in writing at mid-quarter by his or her faculty or contract sponsor. A student making unsatisfactory academic progress will receive an academic warning and may be required to take a leave of absence. Unsatisfactory academic progress is defined in the following paragraph under ''academic warning''. Students who feel a faculty evaluation is in error may seek to have the evaluation amended using a process set forth in the college catalog that complies with FERPA. The student must begin the process within thirty days of the date the student received the final evaluation. Copies of this process are also available in the Academic Deans Office and in the Faculty Handbook. It also appears on the college Web site. ([[Media: amendingstudentrecords.pdf|FERPA Policy on Amending Student Records]])<br />
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''Academic warning'' will be issued to a student by the Associate Vice President for Enrollment if the student earns less than three-fourths of the number of registered credits in two successive quarters. A student registered for six quarter-hours or more who receives no credit in any quarter will receive an academic warning. Such a warning urges the student to seek academic advice or personal counseling at the college. Students are removed from academic warning status when they receive at least three-fourths of the credit for which they register in two successive quarters.<br />
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Required leave of absence will occur when a student on academic warning receives either an incomplete or less than three-fourths of the credit for which he or she is registered. The leave is normally for one year. A waiver of required leave can be granted only by the academic dean responsible for academic standing upon the student’s presentation of evidence of extenuating circumstances. A student returning from required leave will re-enter the college on academic warning and be expected to make satisfactory progress toward a bachelor’s degree. Failure to earn three-fourths credit at the first evaluation period following a return from required leave will result in dismissal from the college.<br />
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====3.D.5 Institutional and program graduation requirements are stated clearly in appropriate publications and are consistently applied in both the certificate and degree verification process. Appropriate reference to the Student Right-to-Know Act is included in required publications.====<br />
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Graduation requirements are clearly set forth in the college catalog and described on the College Web site. ([[Media: Graduation Process.pdf|Graduation Process]])<br />
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The minimum requirements for awarding either the bachelor of arts or the bachelor of science degree are 180 quarter-credit hours. Students must meet specific graduation requirements for a bachelor of science degree. The bachelor of science degree requires seventy-two credits in mathematics, natural science, or computer science, of which forty-eight are in advanced subjects. The concurrent bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degree requires 225 credits, including ninety at Evergreen. Students pursuing a dual bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degree are required to submit their intent to pursue the dual degree one year in advance of graduating. Bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees require application one quarter prior to graduation. Each of the three graduate program catalogs addresses specific information regarding graduation requirements.<br />
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====3.D.6 The institution provides an effective program of financial aid consistent with its mission and goals, the needs of its students, and institutional resources. There is provision for institutional accountability for all financial aid awards.====<br />
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The packaging policy of the Financial Aid Office ensures that student awards are consistent with the college’s goals, the needs of our students, and the utilization of institutional resources in a fair and equitable manner. In order to accomplish these goals, we have an established priority deadline, award new students prior to awarding continuing students, and distribute funds using gift equity packaging. By establishing a priority deadline, limited funds are awarded to students who have a commitment to attending the college. To meet this deadline, students are required to have their Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) processed, be admitted to the college, and have all additional required paperwork turned in by this date (March 15 for fall applicants). Students who do not meet this deadline are awarded by their file completion date. All students who complete a FAFSA are reviewed for eligibility.<br />
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In keeping with the college’s recruitment goals and new student decision-making timelines, new Evergreen students are reviewed for eligibility and awarded first. Our goal is to have new student awards available by the first week of April, coinciding with the college’s New Student Reception events. This time frame is also consistent with other baccalaureate colleges in the state, allowing students to compare award packages and make informed decisions. Continuing students who meet the priority deadline are typically awarded by late May or early June.<br />
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Our need-based, gift equity packaging policy was established to provide a distribution of awards to students in a fair manner. Students can receive up to 55% of their financial need with gift aid, which includes Pell Grant, State Need Grant, FSEOG, Evergreen Need Grant for graduates and undergraduates, and State Tuition Waiver. The remaining 45% is awarded through self-help, which consists of the expected family contribution (EFC), loans, work-study, SMART Grant, ACG, scholarships, and other funds that are not based solely on student need.<br />
<br />
The Financial Aid Office has checks and balances in place to ensure accuracy of awards. First, the Banner system software has appropriate edits in place to alert staff of inconsistencies before file review, and staff members have the capability of adding edits to student records to hold packaging. In addition, student records are run through an automatic review through this system, which will then edit out files with further discrepancies for individual review by a counselor.<br />
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Additionally, all financial aid funds are balanced through the Financial Aid and the Student Account Offices. Totals from the financial aid system are compared with the student account system, verifying the amounts paid to students and the amounts received from the federal government and the state. Discrepancies are corrected by both offices as appropriate. This ensures that federal and state reporting are accurate and submitted in timely fashion.<br />
<br />
====3.D.7 Information regarding the categories of financial assistance (scholarships and grants) is published and made available to both prospective and enrolled students.====<br />
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The Office of the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management administers the college’s undergraduate scholarship and tuition award programs. The college offers a variety of merit and need-based opportunities. Merit is broadly defined to include achievement in the arts, sciences, humanities, community service, and overall academic achievement. Notification of recipients is forwarded to the Financial Aid Office to include in the students’ financial aid packages.<br />
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The Undergraduate Scholarship brochure describes the various opportunities available and outlines the application process. In addition to having the information available on the college’s Web site, the brochure is sent to both prospective and currently enrolled students. Scholarship information sessions are incorporated in the Financial Aid workshops conducted during Orientation Week and throughout the year. Student and Academic Support Services provide additional workshops with an emphasis on the college’s scholarship application process in December and January, leading up to the scholarship application deadline of February 1.<br />
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====3.D.8 The institution regularly monitors its student loan programs and the institutional loan default rate. Informational sessions which give attention to loan repayment obligations are conducted for financial aid recipients.====<br />
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The loan default rate is monitored annually. All students who are first-time borrowers are required to complete an online loan entrance evaluation. This process informs the student of the terms and conditions of borrowing. After the student completes the loan entrance evaluation they can then make the choice of completing their Master Promissory Note and begin the process of receiving a loan. All graduating students are required to attend a loan exit interview. Loan repayment obligations are again reviewed. Students who are not able to attend a session in person can request that a loan exit packet be mailed to them.<br />
<br />
Student Loan Default Rate<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| colspan="4" | The Evergreen State College: Student Loan Default Table<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| Fiscal Year<br />
| 2003<br />
| 2004<br />
| 2005<br />
|-<br />
| Default Rate<br />
| 4.2%<br />
| 3.9%<br />
| 3.2%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
====3.D.9 The institution provides for the orientation of new students, including special populations, at both undergraduate and graduate levels.====<br />
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The college-wide orientation program engages all facets of the college in the process of helping new students settle into the college and begin their academic careers. The new student orientation program is divided into two parts. The opening two days constitute the Family and Friends Weekend, and the remaining days are the New Student Orientation.<br />
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Family and Friends Weekend is an opportunity for family and friends of our students to participate in the transition of their students to Evergreen. The weekend includes workshops that showcase student services and academic offerings. The weekend activities also provide opportunities for family and friends to understand how the college and curriculum work and what will be expected of their students (socially and academically). The president and vice president for Student Affairs describe a liberal arts education in the context of a public institution and a senior faculty share the history of the institution. This has been the college’s opportunity to develop a partnership with the families and friends of the students, as well as to provide them with strategies they can employ to be helpful and supportive of their student's success.<br />
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Over the past eight years, the New Student Orientation program has been developed to introduce the new student to the college through the portals of the curricular and co-curricular life of the campus. The program has evolved from a series of activities sponsored by various offices into a cohesive, thematic program (self-care, care for others, and care for their new environment) directed at creating opportunities for new students to meet other new and continuing students, to be introduced to learning and teaching at Evergreen (facilitating their transition not only from high school to college but from high school to Evergreen), and to begin settling into their new environment. The new student orientation program runs for five days. During this event, a major thrust is to provide a personalized experience for students, as well as to provide a climate of support, assuring students that they made the right decision to come to Evergreen. Program offerings are both curricular and co-curricular, exposing students to the rich array of institutional resources.<br />
<br />
In order to ensure that each student starts off on a good footing, the first orientation activity is focused on the curriculum. First Year Program Previews provide opportunities for students to determine if they have selected the right academic programs. This was initiated in response to concerns about students who had enrolled in academic programs, found during the first week of the quarter that the program was not what they had expected, and did not have curriculum options. Program previews allow students to meet the faculty of the program in which they have enrolled, as well as to explore other program offerings. Students are encouraged to use this time to learn more about Evergreen’s style of teaching through Seminar Savvy and Learning to Learn. These two-hour programs identify what seminars are and explain how to be assertive, responsible, and effective in the classroom.<br />
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Students learn about the social aspect of their educational experience and governance opportunities at Evergreen by participating in the Activities Fair. The Activities Fair serves as a vehicle for new students to meet each other outside of their learning and living communities, while pursuing their interests. Health and Counseling Services focuses on healthy life styles and harm reduction and prevention. Community Service projects introduce students to the value of helping others, the importance of civic engagement, and the process of self-reflection on learning. Students move in and prepare their rooms, get their identification cards, and learn about the physical plant of the college and the layout of Olympia and other local communities. This is also a time in which peer educators in Academic Advising, Health and Counseling Services, Career Development, Residence Halls, Student Activities, and First Peoples' Advising Services are highly visible and assist with the student’s transition.<br />
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There has been a concerted effort to build academic components into the orientation program to give students exposure to and an early start in familiarizing themselves with the teaching and learning at the college. This has been done through two formats—daily workshop offerings during the week and a two-credit college-readiness course team-taught by faculty and student affairs practitioners (see [[Media: 2nd_Orientation_Guide_Schedule_2006.pdf|New Student Orientation Week Schedule]]).<br />
<br />
Along with the above-mentioned programs, site-specific orientation activities take place on the Tacoma campus and in tribal-based programs. In 2002, SASS—in conjunction with the Tacoma campus staff and faculty—designed an orientation program for new students entering the Tacoma-based program. Over the years, the emphasis has shifted to grounding the student first in the philosophy of the campus and academic perspective shared with the class by the Tacoma faculty. SASS provides more specialty workshops for new students once school begins.<br />
<br />
===== College Readiness Courses: Courage to Learn and Beginning the Journey Course Offerings =====<br />
<br />
In 1999, faculty and Student Affairs staff presented a “mini” academic program entitled Courage to Learn, which gave students some exposure to the systems of “the academic program.” The course ran concurrently with orientation. A small study group explored the possibility of attracting a larger number of students by offering a more extensive program for credit. In 2001, this program was offered with a two-credit option (at no cost to the student) entitled Beginning the Journey. This version included not only a week-long, full-day program within orientation week, but also extended five weeks into the fall quarter during which students met with teaching teams outside of their academic programs for continued skill development (building student skills in writing, decision-making, drug and alcohol awareness, etc.) and continued community development. Pre- and post-program surveys were administered to assess students’ experiences. Assessment data reported that Beginning the Journey offerings were successful in helping students understand a great deal about the structures and resources at Evergreen (see [[Media: Exhibit_3-2_BTJ_2002.doc|Beginning the Journey Assessment 2002]]). Retention data indicated that students participating in the program were retained from fall-to-fall at a higher rate than other first-year students.<br />
<br />
The course was discontinued due to transitions in the academic deans area and was not offered again until fall 2005. The second iteration of Beginning the Journey (BTJ) was embedded in several of the core programs. In this hybrid of the program described above, students participated in activities specific to Beginning the Journey, as well as scheduled activities in the orientation program. In fall 2006, another iteration of the course was offered without being identified to students as BTJ, and was embedded in the core programs and highlighted by the individual teaching teams as activities recommended to students. Beginning the Journey was offered again in fall 2007 in the original model, in which the course was a stand-alone offering and student participation was voluntary. Evaluation of this program will be completed during the summer and fall of 2008.<br />
<br />
===== Early Start Program—First Peoples' Scholars Program and KEY, Step-Up, Conditional Admits =====<br />
<br />
In order to provide support to special populations, First Peoples' Advising Services and KEY Advising Services (a federally-funded TRIO Program) offer opportunities for students of color, first-generation students, low-income students, and students with disabilities to become familiar with the workings of the college and to enhance their college-readiness skills. Emphasis includes intensive seminars on writing and reading, understanding the role of faculty, developing problem-solving skills (“Critical Moments,” which is described elsewhere in this report), and the ins and outs of living in Olympia. In addition to these programmatic efforts, attention is given to community development because these populations often experience high levels of isolation and marginalization. Each of these programs has its own specific emphases. First Peoples' Advising Services maintains contact with the students in this program throughout the academic year through specialized programs, individual follow up, and work with peer advisors. Students who are eligible to enroll in KEY are also followed by the staff and are required to meet at least twice a quarter with an advisor.<br />
<br />
Along with the early start programs, focused activities are offered for students who are conditional admits, students with disabilities, and student athletes. Conditional admits are required to attend a mandatory meeting with staff members from the Admissions Office and Academic Advising. The purpose of the meeting is to ensure that each student understands the scope of his or her responsibilities to demonstrate an ability to handle the work of an Evergreen student. They are introduced to all of the services and resources. These students attend a new student advising workshop and participate in orientation activities. Students with disabilities participate in a workshop designed to introduce them to the offerings of Access Services and their rights and responsibilities regarding accommodations, working with faculty and peers, and self-advocacy skills. Student athletes are another focus of special efforts made to orient students to Evergreen. All new student athletes and current student athletes attend a new-student advising workshop and meet with an academic advisor.<br />
<br />
In 2005, The First Year Experience DTF examined the experience of first-year students. One of the recommendations made by the DTF was to evaluate the current orientation programs. Such an analysis will begin in fall 2008.<br />
<br />
===== Graduate Student Orientation =====<br />
The three separate masters' programs (MPA, MIT, and MES) each conduct a one-day orientation every fall for new graduate students before their first quarter begins. In brief, orientation introduces students to each other, to the different program elements and people, and to the campus. The agenda includes: faculty and staff introductions, presentations by staff about essential program information for each of the degrees, presentations by representatives of key campus departments (e.g., Registration and Financial Aid), extended student introductions and group activities, an activity to introduce students to the critical Evergreen concept of learning communities, an alumni panel, and a campus tour. Students also receive a packet of information, including the student handbook and campus resource information.<br />
<br />
====3.D.10 A systematic program of academic and other educational program advisement is provided. Advisors help students make appropriate decisions concerning academic choices and career paths. Specific advisor responsibilities are defined, published, and made available to students (Standards 2 and 4, Standard Indicators 2.C.5 and 4.A.2).====<br />
<br />
Although advising is done in various units, and Evergreen faculty routinely provide advising within academic programs, organizational responsibility for advising students rests in SASS in the unit entitled Academic Advising. The work of academic advising is shared with the faculty, who support advising through the practice of narrative evaluations and evaluation conferences. The Academic Advising unit is central to the academic and student development mission of the college in that it provides guidance and support for students’ academic planning, both at the beginning of and throughout their studies at the college. The mission statement of Academic Advising is:<br />
<br />
''Academic Advising promotes Evergreen students’ access to learning and growth. We help students understand the structure of the college and realize the variety of educational options available to them. We collaborate with students in the discovery and exploration of meaningful strategies for learning.''<br />
<br />
Academic Advising has created a number of systems to enact the mission. This unit continues to refine programmatic and individual interventions that have been in use for over ten years and has undertaken new initiatives, as well. Some overarching themes in all of these are apparent: collaboration with faculty and others, support of student internships to enrich learning, and active assistance to students who are new to the college or experiencing difficulties. A high priority has been placed on staff professional development around issues of racism, bias, and privilege.<br />
<br />
Academic Advising collaborates with academic programs, other SASS units (Career Development, First Peoples’ Advising Services, Access Services, KEY Student Services, Health and Counseling Services), Residential and Dining Services, and other Student Affairs units to facilitate student learning and success. The unit seeks to increase opportunities for partnerships across the campus to support students’ learning and personal satisfaction.<br />
<br />
===== Internships to Enrich Learning =====<br />
<br />
Academic Advising provides guidance for students who participate in credit-bearing internships as a key co-curricular enrichment of student learning. Internships are one important way to embody the fifth of Evergreen’s five foci: Linking Theory with Practical Applications. Academic Advising offers:<br />
<br />
* Internship fairs featuring representatives of internship opportunities for students are held each year. This program was recently expanded to include the Center for Community-Based Learning and Action and the Student Employment office. In January 2008, more than one hundred employers participated and more than six hundred students attended.<br />
* Internships are advertised in our new shared database: the <u>C</u>ommunity <u>O</u>pportunities <u>Da</u>tabase (CODa), along with other opportunities such as jobs and volunteer experiences. This has the effect of increasing the pool of visible opportunities that may become internships, as well as increasing the number of potential paid internships. CODa is managed and supported through a partnership among Academic Advising, Career Development, Student Employment, and the Evergreen Center for Community-Based Learning and Action.<br />
* Internship documentation assistance and oversight (processes for all credit-bearing internships are the purview of Academic Advising, in collaboration with academic deans and the registrar).<br />
* Center for Community-Based Learning and Action advisory group (partnership with service learning office at the college).<br />
* Participation in academic dean reviews of internship proposals.<br />
* Facilitation of information sessions for major internship partners (e.g., Department of Transportation, state legislature, etc.).<br />
<br />
===== Advising Interventions for New Students and Students Experiencing Difficulties =====<br />
<br />
Academic Advising actively seeks to assist students who are experiencing academic or personal difficulties, paying particular attention to first-year students and new transfer students who are making the transition to the unique environment of our interdisciplinary learning communities. We help students understand the nature and demands of Evergreen’s academic programs and advise them on learning and communications skills in seminar. In these ways, we directly address three of the five foci: Interdisciplinary Study, Collaborative Learning, and Personal Engagement. Central activities intended to provide general support for students, and as targeted interventions, include:<br />
<br />
* Academic Planning Workshops (for new and continuing students). These workshops became mandatory in spring 2007. All entering students must participate in a mandatory advising session. Failure to take one of these programs results in the student’s registration being blocked (see [[Media: Exhibit_3-17.doc|Student Evaluation of Academic Planning Workshops]] for a summary of student feedback).<br />
* The Core Connectors Program (advisors in the academic programs for first-year students). Through the Core Connectors Program, Academic Advising partners with faculty so that each first-year program has an advisor involved in program activities, making academic planning a seamless part of the learning environment of the program. The Core Connectors Program is comprised of academic advisors and other SASS practitioners who are assigned to one of the core programs, providing a presence within core programs to help students settle into and adjust to college life. The core connector meets regularly with the program, makes announcements, and participates in and facilitates discussions related to academic success. Core connectors also work with faculty in conducting small group interviews that allow students to express their concerns and satisfactions with their programs. The core connectors play a major role in obtaining feedback directed toward program improvement.<br />
* A case management model through which staff members discuss student cases at staff meetings and assign one of the advisors for comprehensive follow-up of students with extraordinary academic difficulties and/or individual work with faculty who refer students in difficulty.<br />
* One-on-one outreach to first-year students (in partnership with program faculty).<br />
*“How’s It Going?” cards (written outreach for all lower-division program students each quarter, with individual follow-up for those expressing difficulties).<br />
* The Peer Advisors Program that conducts initial intake interviews with students, answers quick and simple procedural questions, refers to resources on campus, and briefs the staff on student needs. These are experienced student employees who assist with general advising and group programming.<br />
* Web resources on academic planning and problem-solving.<br />
* Outreach to students on academic warning (students who do not make satisfactory academic progress). An advisor is assigned to follow up with students who are placed on academic warning. The outreach focus is on understanding the academic warning process and identifying what it is they will need to do to return to Evergreen if they choose to do so.<br />
* Follow-up with conditionally admitted students. Beginning fall 2002, students admitted conditionally became a focus for our retention efforts. Conditional admits have one quarter to demonstrate that they can be successful at Evergreen. In order to maximize their chances of success and capitalize on their promise, the Admissions Office and SASS conduct a special orientation program. Each conditionally admitted student is required to meet with an academic advisor for a one-on-one session to learn about the resources available. Conditionally admitted students maintain this status until they achieve regular admission status.<br />
<br />
===== Staff Development Focus on Diversity =====<br />
<br />
Academic Advising staff is evaluated annually and goals for performance are established. The professional development approach is directed to the third of the five foci at Evergreen: ''Learning Across Significant Differences''. The peer and professional staff of the unit are diverse. For the past three years, Academic Advising professional staff members have met together for two hours weekly during the academic year to focus specifically on the personal and professional learning that is needed to effectively counter racism and other forms of bias which occur in human systems. Through readings and discussion, “Critical Moments” role-playing, personal storytelling, group attendance at diversity-related lectures, and honest self-reflection activities, staff members have addressed the difficult issues of privilege and oppression manifested in their work with students and with one another. Facilitation of these meetings is shared and staff members have created specific ground rules to enhance honesty and safety. This diversity-related learning is a high priority for the Academic Advising staff.<br />
<br />
===== Focus Areas for Academic Advising – Present and Future =====<br />
<br />
Major issues for Academic Advising in the past few years have been programmatic and individual outreach to first-year students and those experiencing academic difficulties, forging links with faculty for advising partnerships, creating Web-based advising resources for students and faculty, and setting a high priority for ongoing anti-oppression work as professional development for the staff. In the next few years, we plan to continue these directions, put additional efforts into our ''Beginning the Journey'' course in collaboration with Academic Affairs, assess the effects of new requirements for advising interventions for first-year students, and address the need for increased focus on advising transfer students as introduced below.<br />
<br />
===== Transfer Student Orientation, Academic Advising, and Career Development =====<br />
<br />
Recent focus group interviews with transfer students and conversations among staff and faculty revealed a concern about the comparative inattention to the (1) orientation, (2) academic advising, and (3) career counseling made available to transfer students. As a result, plans are now underway to re-evaluate support for transfer students by faculty and staff in these three areas.<br />
<br />
Based on data collected from two recent alumni surveys describing graduates’ use of and satisfaction with a variety of campus services, a general emphasis on elevating both the level of use and satisfaction with Academic Advising and Career Development services is now under discussion in the Student Academic Support Services area of Student Affairs. The table below summarizes the placement of several academic and Student Affairs services by use and satisfaction in comparison with additional services provided outside of the Student Affairs Division.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| colspan="3" | Levels of Student Use of and Satisfaction with Selected College Services<br />
<br />
Evergreen Alumni Surveys of 2004 and 2006<br />
<br />
('''Student Affairs Offices in Bold''')<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
| Higher Satisfaction<br />
<br />
(75%-95%)<br />
| Lower Satisfaction<br />
<br />
(58%-68%)<br />
|-<br />
| Highest Use<br />
<br />
(80%+)<br />
| ''Library Computing Center''<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| Higher Use<br />
<br />
(68%-79%)<br />
| '''Financial Aid Office''' ''Media Services''<br />
| '''Academic Advising'''<br />
|-<br />
| Moderate Use<br />
<br />
(48%-64%)<br />
| '''Recreation Center'''<br />
'''Health Center'''<br />
<br />
''Writing Center''<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| Lower Use<br />
<br />
(24-%-30%)<br />
| ''Math Center''<br />
| '''Counseling Center'''<br />
'''Career Development'''<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Data From the 2004 and 2006 Alumni Surveys<br />
<br />
===== Additional Information about Academic Advising =====<br />
<br />
For additional information on the organization of Academic Advising at Evergreen, examples of advising material and descriptive statistics of use, see:<br />
<br />
Web Resources for students ([[Media: Links for Current Students.pdf|Links for Current Students]])<br />
<br />
Web Resources for faculty ([[Media: faculty_academic_planning_resources.pdf|Faculty Academic Planning Resources]])<br />
<br />
[[Media: Academic_Advising_Job_Responsibilities_Organizational_Chart.pdf|Academic Advising Office Job Responsibilities/Organizational Chart]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Academic_Planning_Workshops_Attendance_1998-2006.doc|Academic Planning Workshops Attendance 1998-2006.doc]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Advising_Drop-In_Statistics_1996_to_2007.doc|Advising Drop-In Statistics: 1997-2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Academic_Planning_Workshop_Student_Evaluations.doc|Academic Planning Workshop: Summary of Student Evaluations]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Statistics_on_Student_Attendance_at_FreshmanAdvisingDay_1998-2007.pdf|Statistics on Student Attendance at Freshman Advising Day 1998-2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Study_Abroad_Participation_Statistics.doc|Data on Student Participation in Study Abroad Opportunities 2005-2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Conditional_Admission.doc|Description and Statistics on Conditional Admission Advising]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Report_on_Study_of_Academic_Warning.pdf|Report on Study of Academic Warning]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Freshman_Advising_Day_Schedule_2007.pdf|Freshman Advising Day Schedule – 2007]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: How%E2%80%99s_it_Going_Card_Example.pdf|“How’s it Going” Card Example]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Freshman_Advising_Day_and_Core_Connectors.doc|Descriptions of Freshman Advising Day and the Core Connector Program]]<br />
<br />
====3.D.11 Career counseling and placement services are consistent with student needs and institutional mission.====<br />
<br />
The mission of the [[Media: Career Development Center.pdf|Career Development Center]] is to provide consistent, quality career and life work planning for students and alumni of the college. Embracing the value of a liberal arts education, the center connects the learning of students to the content of academic programs and plans and implements services and activities to complement the curriculum. In programming, the Career Development Center works collaboratively across campus with faculty, staff, and students to connect theory and practice. The Career Development Center is closely allied with Academic Advising and intentionally designs programs that address career and academic pathways in the college curriculum.<br />
<br />
To assist students with self-knowledge, academic direction, employment, graduate school information, community service, and life work planning, the center provides individual career counseling, workshops, resources, referral, Career Fair, Graduate School Fair, coursework, clinics, and technological access. Professional staff provide specialized career counseling to students preparing for graduate study, working with the offices of the Veteran’s Administration, Labor and Industries, the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, graduate programs, and the Evening and Weekend Studies Program.<br />
<br />
Students receive assistance and support with assessment including: Transcript Review, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS), Self Directed Search (SDS), John Holland’s RIASEC, and the Washington Occupational Information System (WOIS). Students receive support with occupational research utilizing a seven-thousand-volume Career Resource Library and a three-hundred-file Web site at the [[Media: Career Development Center.pdf| Career Development Center]]. Workshops and individual sessions provide help with orientation, resume writing, job search strategy, interviewing skills, mock interviewing, portfolio development, graduate school advising, GRE/LSAT/MCAT practice testing, networking, transition, job keeping and job coping, and re-careering.<br />
<br />
Current students access career mentors through the Alumni Career Educator (ACE) files, which provide opportunities to get advice on occupations, employment, travel and study abroad, and graduate school from Evergreen alumni. The conversion from BlackBaud Raiser’s Edge software to Banner was accomplished with a partnership between the Alumni Office, the Office of College Advancement, and the Career Development Center. The transition of the database has provided greater opportunity for access to students and an increase in alumni participation in the ACE program.<br />
<br />
The Career Development Center has worked closely with faculty to plan and present a number of workshops and trainings within nine academic programs, assisting students with academic and career pathways in the life sciences, environmental science, computer science, performing arts, language arts, and social science.<br />
<br />
In the 2006-07 academic year, the center participated in the Curricular Visions DTF envisioning long-term curriculum planning. Staff are partnering with Academic Advising and faculty to teach the freshman advising program, '''Beginning The Journey'''. A hallmark partnership is the recent collaboration between the science faculty and the Career Development Center. For the past two years, a career counseling specialist has provided specific career and academic advising for National Science Foundation (NSF) Computer Science, Engineering, and Math Scholarship (CSEMS) students. This year, the director of the Career Development Center is serving as assistant project director for the four-year NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (S-STEMS) grant.<br />
<br />
The new Student Athlete program partners the Career Development Center, the Athletic Department, Academic Advising, and faculty to insure our student athletes receive ongoing career and life work planning and advising. This fledgling program is staffed by the career development facilitator, who also serves the college as the assistant women’s basketball coach.<br />
<br />
====3.D.12 Professional health care, including psychological health and relevant health education, is readily available to residential students and to other students, as appropriate.====<br />
<br />
Health and Counseling Services includes the Health Center, Counseling Center, and Office of Sexual Assault Prevention. These three separate offices work together under one umbrella with the goal of providing seamless transition and management of students seeking care.<br />
<br />
The mission of Health and Counseling Services is to support the academic mission of the college by helping students stay healthy and maintain a sense of well-being in their daily lives. This is done directly through patient care, and by providing community education and information to help students care for themselves, use healthcare resources wisely, and to be an advocate for themselves and others regarding health and medical care.<br />
<br />
Campus health services provide a baseline level of care designed to meet the general needs of most students. When the scope of care exceeds our capacity, the providers in the Health Center assist with the coordination of care for our students through consultation and referral, helping students get connected with the appropriate clinic or agency.<br />
<br />
The Counseling Center provides psychological care to students both individually and in groups. Student requests and needs are evaluated in an initial intake appointment and they are either assigned to a counselor in the clinic or referred to a community provider if the needs or request exceed the capacity of the center. Walk-in hours are available four days a week for students who are struggling or in crisis.<br />
<br />
The initial paperwork for both health and counseling centers is designed to screen students and get a general picture of overall current state of health, past health issues, and identification of any risk factors for future problems, including personal safety and substance use.<br />
<br />
Providing coordination of care is a significant part of the work in Health and Counseling Services. Many students lack insurance, or if they have insurance, are at a loss as to how and where to access care. Increasingly, the health and counseling centers are feeling overwhelmed by the number of students with physical and psychological problems and the lack of resources for managing these problems. Referral options to community providers are limited and uninsured students are understandably reluctant to navigate the process for getting basic health insurance coverage. Funded by a student health fee, which by state mandate can only be increased by very small amounts, the health center has had to increasingly pass along the cost of care to the students in order to keep up with skyrocketing costs of medical care. In addition to trying to meet the basic health care needs of college students, we have been looking to students and parents to help identify the needs of their student prior to coming to Evergreen. <br />
<br />
For data describing the top five areas of diagnoses, see [[Media: Exhibit_3-18.doc|Top Five Areas of Diagnoses for the Counseling Center<br />
]] and [[Media: Exhibit_3-19.doc|Top Five Areas of Diagnoses for the Health Center]]. <br />
<br />
Requests for counseling services from students have increased by 20% since 2004, while enrollment at the college has increased by 4%. ([[Media: Requests for Counseling Services from Students.pdf|Student Requests for Counseling Services]])<br />
<br />
===== Health Education =====<br />
<br />
The Health Center has a unique program where undergraduate students are able to complete the academic and clinical work necessary to become licensed healthcare assistants in the state of Washington. These students are carefully selected and are typically in upper division science courses in preparation for medical school or other health-related careers.<br />
<br />
One of the training components for our student medical assistants is the Certified Peer Educator (CPE) Training offered through the BACCHUS Network. The CPE training complements the clinical training component in addressing the social and clinical skills needed to work effectively with peers. Students are able to learn valuable skills around communication, boundaries, referral, and programming in a college setting. This allows our student medical assistants to serve as a valuable campus resource, promoting health education through workshops, tabling, PSAs, articles for the campus paper, and other events.<br />
<br />
The topics are relevant to the student population and are scheduled at certain times during the academic year. Some examples include information on immunizations, particularly meningococcal vaccine and vaccination for influenza; colds, flus and self-care; the impact of sleep on mental health; the impact of substance use on cognitive function and sleep; personal safety; and sexual responsibility. The clinical foundation enhances the student medical assistants' credibility as health educators for their fellow students.<br />
<br />
Over the last five years, Health and Counseling Services staff members have increased contact and collaboration with faculty. Evergreen has been involved with the Bringing Theory to Practice Project through the Association of American Colleges and Universities. As a result of our work on this project, clinicians from Health and Counseling Services have been included in the faculty summer planning institutes. These summer institutes are an opportunity for clinicians from Health and Counseling Services to provide training and support to faculty as they do their academic planning for the upcoming year. By helping increase faculty members’ understanding of mental health issues and providing tools for initiating conversations with students and making interventions when needed, the hope is that students who are experiencing difficulties will be recognized early on and referred appropriately if needed. Students are educated about health and wellness in a variety of ways.<br />
<br />
During orientation week prior to the start of school, several workshops are offered aimed at reducing the risks faced by new freshmen as they move into the college environment. Personal safety, healthy decision-making, stress management, and self-care are a few examples of workshops available to students. In winter and spring quarters, new students are greeted at a new student orientation and given brief presentations about available student support services.<br />
<br />
Additional workshops are offered throughout the year, including Health and Counseling Services as a component with other student and academic support services. Some academic programs invite clinicians to speak on a topic specific to college health issues and related to the academic content. Residential and Dining Services has included student health and wellness, especially mental health and substance use issues, as part of their resident advisor training and also host a number of workshops in the residence halls.<br />
<br />
====3.D.13 Student housing, if provided, is designed and operated to enhance the learning environment. It meets recognized standards of health and safety; it is competently staffed.====<br />
<br />
Residential and Dining Services is a self-sustaining service that consists of Residential Dining, Residential Facilities, Residential IT, and Residential Life staffs responsible for providing a student-centered living/learning environment which is purposeful, just, and sustainable for resident and non-resident students. Nearly one thousand students reside on campus in facilities ranging from traditional high-rise to townhouse-style apartments and stand-alone duplex (modular) units. For a full listing of residential facilities, see [[Media: Exhibit_3.21.XLS|Listing of Residential Facilities<br />
]]. This capacity has been adequate to fulfill student needs, since the residence halls have been full or nearly full during the past ten years. There has been a small but steady increase in occupancy each of the past three years with fall 2007 opening at 103% occupancy. This increase is due primarily to the recent upward trend in the freshman population. Resident numbers lessen slightly as the academic year progresses due to internships, study abroad programs, and attrition from the school.<br />
<br />
The primary method of enhancing the learning environment is through the Residential Life program. The Residential Life program was reorganized in 2005, eliminating a mid-manager position, and creating a coordinator of residential life and programming resident director positions. The residential staff is trained to facilitate an environment that encourages learning and living skills. Examples of the facilitation include: student groups that help students build support systems, educational/cultural programs that enlighten students and provide them with skills, policy enforcement that creates quiet and safe areas to study and live, mediations where students learn to be responsible to themselves and others, and liaisons with other campus offices such as the Campus Grievance Office, Police Services, and the Counseling Center. In addition, the Prime Time Advising and Writing Center located in Residence Hall A provides on-site after-hours academic advising and writing tutor services in the residence halls.<br />
<br />
The selection and training of Residential Life staff also reflect an emphasis on living/learning environments. Topics covered in the spring two-credit academic class and the fall ten-day training include community development, diversity, academic success, student development, referral skills, and awareness of campus and community resources. The learning environment is also enhanced by the provision of living themes such as Freshman Halls, Quiet, Substance-Free, Community Action, and Sustainability. Students requesting to live in these themed residences agree to certain community standards that are more specific and demanding than in other parts of the residential community.<br />
<br />
Residential facilities are subject to visits and reporting by a number of agencies including the campus safety officer (hazardous materials), state building inspectors (remodels and new construction), fire marshal (fire alarm systems), and the state labor and industry inspectors (elevators). When improvements are suggested or requested, corrections are implemented in an appropriate time frame and manner. Notable examples include the renovation of all five elevators, installation of new metal roofs, and the renovation of buildings B, C and D. The B, C and D renovation included abatement of all asbestos, updating HVAC, replacement/resurfacing of all surfaces, and new furniture. Capital improvements were made possible by a $7 million refinancing in 2006 and the development of a ten-year financial plan building sustainable capital reserves.<br />
<br />
Residential and Dining Services conducts exit surveys, needs assessments, and satisfaction surveys of its residents. The information provided has led to more student involvement in community policy development, development of more social space, and the creation of a Resident Hall Association named the Greener Organization by residents. Residential and Dining Services moved from a departmentally developed survey instrument to an Educational Benchmarking Incorporated/Association of College and University Housing Officers—International survey instrument. The four-year longitudinal comparison indicates overall residential satisfaction with Evergreen and Residential and Dining Services. General strengths included student staff, programming, room/floor environment, tolerance towards others, and safety/security. Challenges include Dining Services, laundry, and cell phone service.<br />
<br />
====3.D.14 Appropriate food services are provided for both resident and nonresident students. These services are supervised by professionally trained food service staff and meet recognized nutritional and mandated health and safety standards.====<br />
<br />
A 2001 Disappearing Task Force of faculty, staff, and students completed a review to clarify campus expectations of Dining Services and its future direction. Included among the many programmatic and policy-oriented recommendations was the need to create a sustainable financial base and develop a capital facilities plan. Later in 2001, Bon Appetit was selected as the Dining Services provider featuring a debit-based meal plan. In 2002, a mandatory meal plan for all first-year students living in the residence halls was implemented for students with forty or fewer credits. In 2004, Aramark Campus Services became the Dining Services contract provider featuring an “all you care to eat” meal plan and the management of the provider was transferred from the division of Finance and Administration to the division of Student Affairs (Residential Services).<br />
<br />
Dining Services is comprised of four locations: The Greenery, the Market, Seminar II Café, and the Corner Store. The table below provides a listing of all dining facilities locations and capacities. All food services on campus meet county and state health and safety standards. In addition to cash, customers may purchase a variety of block/declining meal plans. Dining Services invites user suggestions and comments that are posted and answered in visible dining locations.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Dining Facilities<br />
| Type of Service<br />
| Location<br />
| Capacity<br />
|-<br />
| Greenery<br />
| All you care to eat<br />
| CAB 1<sup>st</sup> Floor<br />
| 220<br />
|-<br />
| Market Café<br />
| A la carte<br />
| CAB 2<sup>nd</sup> Floor<br />
| 100<br />
|-<br />
| Sem II Café<br />
| A la carte coffee bar<br />
| Sem II B Building<br />
| 30<br />
|-<br />
| Corner Store<br />
| Convenience store<br />
| Housing Community Center<br />
| N/A<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Dining Services conducts satisfaction and national benchmarking surveys. In 2005, Dining Services began participating in the National Association of College and University Food Services Operating Performance Benchmarking Survey. This information and the satisfaction surveys conducted by the provider have led to more student-centered meal plans; changes in hours of operations; improved menu selections; and a more financially sound food service.<br />
<br />
Dining Services faces challenges and opportunities with the Campus Activities Building renovation scheduled for 2009-10. The challenge of temporarily relocating the main kitchen during renovation is offset by the wonderful opportunity of updating a thirty-five-year-old cafeteria into a modern dining hall providing multiple food platforms, expanded seating, and improved flow.<br />
<br />
====3.D.15 Co-curricular activities and programs are offered that foster the intellectual and personal development of students consistent with the institution’s mission. The institution adheres to the spirit and intent of equal opportunity for participation. It ensures that appropriate services and facilities are accessible to students in its programs. Co-curricular activities and programs include adaptation for traditionally under-represented students, such as physically disabled, older, evening, part-time, commuter, and, where applicable, those at off-campus sites.====<br />
<br />
There are over seventy active student organizations at Evergreen. They represent a broad range of student interests, including academic support, political, environmental, social, religious, and cultural. As part of the annual registration process, student coordinators are required to sign a covenant that states their organization will not discriminate against persons on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or status as a disabled or Vietnam-era veteran.<br />
<br />
The Student Activities Office strives to make all its programs and services accessible to all students. We practice this in a number of ways. Mandatory training and workshops are scheduled at different days and times to better meet the needs of students. The Student Activities Office staff also make themselves available outside of normal business hours when a student is unable to meet during regular office hours. The names of student coordinators are placed on an access list that allows them access to the student activities area after regular business hours.<br />
<br />
The development of services for the two off-campus programs, in Tacoma and through the Reservation Based Community Determined Program, has been one of the major successes of the Student Activities Office staff over the past ten years. In May of 2002, the board of trustees approved guidelines establishing Service and Activity Fee Allocation Committees at the two off-campus programs. This has given the programs control over their student activity fees. The director of student activities meets with the Tacoma students every Tuesday afternoon and meets with the students in the reservation-based program one Saturday a month during the academic year. The students in these programs receive the same training and support as the students at the Olympia campus. The level of services and activities available to the two off-campus programs has grown significantly.<br />
<br />
====3.D.16 The co-curricular program includes policies and procedures that determine the relationship of the institution with its student activities; identifying the needs, evaluating the effectiveness, and providing appropriate governance of the program are joint responsibilities of students and the institution.====<br />
<br />
All student organizations are required to register annually. As part of the registration process, student coordinators are required to attend three workshops where they learn about relevant policies and procedures, appropriate uses of student activity fees, and event planning. A student activities handbook is provided to all student organizations and the coordinators of all student groups are required to sign a covenant that lists the role and responsibilities of a student coordinator.<br />
<br />
In July 1993, the board of trustees approved Guidelines Governing Establishment and Funding of Programs Supported by Services and Activities Fees. In May 2002, the trustees approved revised guidelines that gave authority to the off-campus programs. [[Media: Student Activities Fee Guidelines.pdf| Student Activities Fee Guidelines]]<br />
<br />
During the 2005-06 academic year, the constitution of the newly created Geoduck Student Union was approved by the board of trustees. The constitution of the new student union can be found in the [[Media: gsuconstitution.pdf|Geoduck Student Union Charter]].<br />
<br />
=====Identifying Needs=====<br />
<br />
All student coordinators are required to submit a Leadership Activities Report every five weeks during the academic year. In the report, students are asked to identify additional training and resources they and their student group need. The Services and Activities Fee Allocation Board (S&A Board) conducts a survey of the student body every other year. S&A Productions, which organizes large stage events for the Evergreen campus, consistently surveys student entertainment interests throughout the year. The biennial review by the S&A Board of all S&A fee-funded organizations is an example of how evaluation of program effectiveness is done jointly. This is also done by the S&A committees at the two off-campus programs. Another example is the quarterly community gatherings facilitated by the senior coordinator. The newly created Geoduck Student Union will also serve in helping to jointly evaluate the program.<br />
<br />
====3.D.17 If appropriate to its mission and goals, the institution provides adequate opportunities and facilities for student recreational and athletic needs apart from intercollegiate athletics.====<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s Athletics and Recreation Department carries out a similar mission to such departments at other institutions, but with an important difference. The college has no physical education, recreation, or sports management programs, and thus lacks academic support for staffing, equipment, or other costs.<br />
<br />
Funding is acquired from three sources: a state budget allocation, funds granted to the department by the student S&A Board, and revenues generated by the department’s various programs, including facility permit fees, contracted rental of the facilities, class registration fees, summer camp registration fees, and intercollegiate athletic gate receipts and guarantees. By percentage, each of the three sources account in any given year for between 30% and 40% of a roughly $1 million overall budget.<br />
<br />
During the past decade, Evergreen’s recreation and athletic facilities, already of high quality, have been improved significantly. Fitness equipment, once scattered throughout both Phase I and Phase II of the College Recreation Center (CRC), has been consolidated into coherent cardiovascular, free weight, and machine weight rooms. Superior exercise flooring has been added in these rooms and carpeting installed in the locker rooms. A significant amount of replacement of decaying equipment and the addition of “trendier” equipment has also taken place in these areas. A brand new sprung dance floor was installed in the main dance areas during 2007. Upgrades to areas such as storage and laundry facilities have been ongoing and have resulted in better operations to the benefit of students and other patrons. The main intercollegiate basketball/volleyball court was made user-friendlier by the removal of many unneeded lines and the use of more neutral colors in the lines that remain. College and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) logos were added to create a more pleasant experience for both players and spectators. An advertising plan for the gym was created to generate both revenue and recognize community support for Geoduck teams. A new timing system and scoreboard were installed in the swimming pool area.<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s outdoor athletics and recreation facilities have been improved as well. The college’s four tennis courts, used exclusively for recreation, have been resurfaced. The intercollegiate soccer field has been widened to the width expected of a college field and a large, high quality scoreboard installed. <br />
<br />
The recreation pavilion – a quasi-indoor facility located in the field area – was vastly improved in 2004 with the addition of a FieldTurf surface secured with private funding. This has made the facility usable year-round for soccer, baseball, and softball practice and summer camps wishing to be in the shade.<br />
<br />
The Evergreen Student Experience Survey has shown that the recreation facilities, located very close to Evergreen’s Residential Life areas, are used by 52% of all students and 57.7% of first-time, first-year students. Between 15% and 20% of all students use the facilities heavily. Roughly eighty of Evergreen’s faculty and staff buy permits to use the CRC and, despite an explosion of for-profit fitness centers and the expansion of a still-new YMCA in the community since 1998, many community members still purchase permits as well. [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006 Use of Campus_Resources - Olympia.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Use of Campus Resources - Olympia]]<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Final_Report.pdf| Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Final Report]]. Recreational facilities are an important resource for some students and an occasional resource for a majority. <br />
<br />
Many areas for informal recreation within Evergreen’s boundaries exist as well. The college has two main trail systems through its 1,033-acre campus and a half-mile of shoreline along Eld Inlet on the Puget Sound. The college’s annual cross-country invitational, named for long-time coach and former Director of Recreation and Athletics Pete Steilberg, has become a popular one for visiting teams because of the beauty, challenge, and fairness of the course. The NAIA’s Pacific Northwest Region staged its championships at Evergreen in 2007.<br />
<br />
Community members have also made heavy use of Evergreen’s swim lessons for children, youth sports camps, and Leisure Education classes. Camps have grown from one week of half-day basketball camp in 2000 to twelve weeks of full-day camps offered by Evergreen’s soccer, basketball, cross country, and volleyball teams in 2007. The Leisure Education program is undergoing a transformation that will ultimately lead to a name change as its mission is refined. With the establishment of another non-credit course center on campus, Extended Education, the Leisure Education program has dropped many of the classes it once offered that were outside the norm of a gym- and pool-centered department: business classes, writing classes, art classes, etc. In process is a plan to refocus on proven and emerging fitness offerings, including dance and martial arts.<br />
<br />
At the time of the last accreditation report, staff turnover was cited as a problem for the department. This has been lessened. The director of Athletics and Recreation, associate director, facilities and events manager, and operations manager have all been in their positions since at least 2000. The women’s basketball coach is in her seventh year, as is the cross country/track and field coach. The certified athletic trainer begins her fourth year at Evergreen in 2008. Among the newer coaches is Evergreen’s men’s and women’s soccer coach who, although in just his third season, is an alumnus of the college and played here in the 1980s. Through a strategy of combining part-time coaching duties with other duties within the department – for example, the head volleyball coach also serves as recreation and fitness coordinator – Evergreen now has each of its head coaches as a permanent, benefits-receiving employee. In 2000, there was one such employee, the men’s basketball coach.<br />
<br />
A main goal for this department in the future is to create a vision for a new recreation-only facility to bring to the student body for a referendum vote. Each of Washington’s other five public universities has created such a center after such a vote with great success and appreciation from their respective student bodies. It is anticipated that such a vote might be asked for in roughly 2010. Other goals are to strengthen the intercollegiate program’s spring sport season offerings through an expansion of the track and field program and the potential upgrade of baseball and softball from club to intercollegiate status.<br />
<br />
====3.D.18 If the institution operates a bookstore, it supports the educational program and contributes to the intellectual climate of the campus community. Students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity to participate in the development and monitoring of bookstore policies and procedures.====<br />
<br />
The college owns and operates a bookstore located in the College Activities Building (CAB). Its mission is to support the educational needs of students, faculty, and staff and contribute to the academic and social environment.<br />
<br />
The current space is in need of renovation. The College Activities Building is slated for renovation in 2009-11 and will include the bookstore. Some pre-design work was done, but bookstore staff have begun visiting new or recently renovated college bookstores in the region to gather additional information on ways to improve the operations. Some ideas gathered so far include using mobile fixtures for flexibility in retail space layout, providing good display lighting, and the use of security cameras. The bookstore will be in temporary quarters for a period of up to two years.<br />
<br />
Students and faculty are accustomed to purchasing via the Internet, so for the past few years the bookstore has begun focusing efforts on selling their products through their Web site. The bookstore is currently designing a new Web page and Web sales now account for about 8% of total sales.<br />
<br />
The bookstore carries program books and a selection of general books, office supplies, gift items, clothing, and sundries. Because there are no commercial retail establishments close to the college, the bookstore tries to provide a wide range of items for the campus, especially for the on-campus housing students.<br />
<br />
We have not been successful in recruiting students or faculty to sit on the Bookstore Advisory Committee. However, the students formed a union for the first time in 2006, and we intend to approach them, as well as interested faculty, to reestablish this committee to strengthen the community involvement in the bookstore operations.<br />
<br />
====3.D.19 When student media exist, the institution provides for a clearly defined and published policy of the institution’s relationship to student publications and other media.====<br />
<br />
The [[Media: studentcommunicationsmedia.pdf|Student Communications Media Policy]] is posted on the college’s Web site. ''The Cooper Point Journal'', the campus newspaper, has clearly written guidelines in their Operations and Ethics Web page <br />
([[Media: Cpj_operations.pdf|Cooper Point Journal Operating Procedures]]). KAOS-FM, the campus radio station, is governed by the FCC. All aspiring programmers are required to attend a six-week training course and pass a proficiency test before being allowed to host their own radio program.<br />
<br />
=== Standard 3.E - Intercollegiate Athletics ===<br />
<br />
====Introduction====<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s intercollegiate athletics program has undergone many changes – and made great progress – since 1998. At present, Geoduck teams compete in men’s soccer, cross country/track and field, and basketball, while women’s teams compete in soccer, volleyball, cross country/track and field, and basketball.<br />
<br />
At the time of the college’s last accreditation report, Evergreen was in the process of leaving the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Division III. This was a natural step at the time as across the Northwest, once an NAIA stronghold, nearly every mid-sized and small college left that organization for either NCAA II or NCAA III. However, Evergreen’s choice of Division III proved problematic. The smaller, private Washington and Oregon schools that had formed the Northwest Conference (NWC) blocked Evergreen’s bid for membership. The college, often seen by Washington residents as “small” because it is the smallest of the state’s six public institutions, was too large for the NWC schools and had a tuition rate low enough that the high-cost privates believed would create an advantage for Evergreen under NCAA III rules, which do not allow athletic scholarships. Thus, Evergreen ended its bid to join the NCAA during the probationary period and returned to full-time membership in the NAIA and a berth in the Cascade Collegiate Conference.<br />
<br />
This affiliation has proved to be an excellent one for Evergreen. Since 2002, Geoduck teams have reached national competition in four sports, doing so for the first time ever in men’s basketball and men’s soccer. Eleven of the fifteen athletes who have been selected NAIA All-America in Evergreen’s athletic history have played since 2001. Several men’s basketball players have gone on to play professionally in Europe and American minor leagues and one soccer player is now an acknowledged star in the United Soccer League, earning Most Valuable Player honors in North America’s second highest league.<br />
<br />
The increase in on-field success has not come at the cost of any compromise in Evergreen’s academic integrity or style of pedagogy. The Athletic Department views participation on a college team as an excellent example of Evergreen’s commitment to collaborative learning and stresses this with its coaches and student-athletes.<br />
<br />
====3.E.1 Institutional control is exercised through the governing board’s periodic review of its comprehensive statement of philosophy, goals, and objectives for intercollegiate athletics. The program is evaluated regularly and systematically to ensure that it is an integral part of the education of athletes and is in keeping with the educational mission of the institution.====<br />
<br />
The board of trustees exercises control on such matters as conference affiliation and which sports the college chooses to compete in. The director of Athletics and the vice-president for Student Affairs make periodic appearances before the board of trustees to review each of the program’s goals and objectives.<br />
<br />
====3.E.2 The goals and objectives of the intercollegiate athletic program, as well as institutional expectations of staff members, are provided in writing to candidates for athletic staff positions. Policies and rules concerning intercollegiate athletics are reviewed, at least annually, by athletics administrators and all head and assistant coaches. The duties and authority of the director of athletics, faculty committee on athletics, and others involved in athletics policy-making and program management are stated explicitly in writing.====<br />
<br />
The department’s goals and policies regarding the experience we desire for our student-athletes are made clear in writing to all participants and applicants for staff and coaching positions. The director of Athletics meets weekly with each head coach and consistently discusses with him or her, as a matter of course, NAIA and conference rules, as well as Evergreen’s policies, philosophy, and rules regarding competition. The role of each person or committee involved in the governance of the program is specific and clearly defined in either a job description or a written charge to the committee. In the case of major changes in policy – such as when Evergreen became, in 2006, one of the first NAIA schools to institute a system of random and for-cause drug testing of student-athletes – a work group is typically formed to study the issue, public forums are conducted to receive input, and then the new policy is provided in writing to those affected.<br />
<br />
====3.E.3 Admission requirements and procedures, academic standards and degree requirements, and financial aid awards for student athletics are vested in the same institutional agencies that handle these matters for all students.====<br />
<br />
The institution’s requirements and procedures for all students, particularly with regard to academic standards, are absolutely no different for athletes than for other students. No athlete can be admitted to the college who does not meet the normal standards of admission for the college, and all admissions decisions rest in the hands of the director of admissions and his staff. Once enrolled, faculty grant no favors to athletes when it comes to the completion of class work, and thus academic standards are not compromised. While tuition waivers, most often partial and based upon athletic accomplishment, are awarded, they are part of the student’s complete financial aid package and are administered by the Financial Aid Office.<br />
<br />
====3.E.4 Athletic budget development is systematic; funds raised for and expended on athletics by alumni, foundations, and other groups shall be subject to the approval of the administration and be accounted for through the institution’s generally accepted practices of documentation and audit.====<br />
<br />
Development of the intercollegiate athletics budget has been systematic. With the input and approval of the director of Athletics, operations manager for Athletics, vice president for Student Affairs and executive associate to the vice president for Student Affairs, this process has followed a basic pattern for at least the last decade: State funding covers most salary expenses and some state money is available for travel and equipment. A second layer of funding comes from the student S&A Board’s Tier I budget allocation to the department. This money has grown over the years to include expenses that the S&A Board sees as essential to a quality experience for the student participating in intercollegiate sports at Evergreen. Examples include bus travel with a professional driver on longer road trips to increase safety, and the addition of a tenth month to the certified athletic trainer’s salary to allow her to work with track and field athletes through the national championships and soccer players during spring practice, as well as to provide services to the club sports of men’s baseball and women’s crew. The final layer of funding comes from the revenues produced by the department’s camps, sponsorships, gate receipts and guarantees, and fundraising. Money raised from these sources is used for non-essential items that nonetheless add to the quality of the experience our athletes have. This can include long out-of-state non-conference road trips to broaden the competitive experience, an additional assistant coach, or higher-quality uniforms and equipment.<br />
<br />
====3.E.5 The institution demonstrates its commitment to fair and equitable treatment of both male and female athletes in providing opportunities for participation, financial aid, student-support services, equipment, and access to facilities.====<br />
<br />
Evergreen has been scrupulous in following the proportionality method of insuring equity between women’s and men’s teams in its intercollegiate programming. Since enrollment typically runs 52% to 55% female, Evergreen provides 55% of the potential roster slots on its teams to women’s sports and allocates 55% of available scholarship funds to female athletes. At year’s end, these numbers may be slightly different depending upon recruitment success of various coaches in a given year, but Evergreen’s Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) reports consistently reflect a commitment to gender equity, both in participation and in budgeting. Additionally, when Evergreen’s commitment to a separate state law mandating equity was last measured by the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board and a state senate subcommittee, we were found to be 98% in compliance. This, along with a 101 score for Central Washington University, was one of the two best among the state’s six public institutions.<br />
<br />
====3.E.6 The institution publishes its policy concerning the scheduling of intercollegiate practices and competition for both men and women that avoids conflicts with the instructional calendar, particularly during end-of-term examinations.====<br />
<br />
College policy does not allow for any preferential treatment of athletes. Evergreen’s student-athlete handbook makes clear that it is the job of the student to arrange to make up work missed in seminar, lectures, or group work because of a road trip or other lengthy competition. Further, student-athletes are informed that in every case, class time may not be missed for practice or other team events not directly related to formal competition.<br />
<br />
====Conclusion - Athletics====<br />
<br />
Evergreen has made significant progress in intercollegiate athletics over the past decade, going from an afterthought in the Cascade Conference to a regular contender for playoff positions. Our teams have been an excellent bridge between Evergreen and the local community. Geoduck Sports Camp T-shirts are now routinely spotted on kids around town. Areas for improvement remain. Chief among these is the development of more private support for our programs. Progress in that area could lead to success in Evergreen’s goals of one day fielding intercollegiate baseball and softball teams, as well as providing financial assistance to more student-athletes as they navigate the sometimes difficult path of committing to academics and athletics while still having to make ends meet.<br />
<br />
===Standard 3 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings and Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) After thirty years, the students of Evergreen have designed and developed a new student government (The Geoduck Student Union) to represent student voices and concerns about campus issues, and provide student representatives to campus-wide committees and DTFs.<br />
<br />
2.) Student Affairs staff have been actively involved in the Library Phase II Remodel that will house Student Affairs services. In addition, they have played a central role in the major renovations to campus housing and the design of the Community Activities Building.<br />
<br />
3.) Conversion to Banner Information Systems has resulted in more accurate and timely service to students, communication with prospective students, registration, advising, notification of financial aid awards, billing, and student accounts. This conversion has produced greater efficiency. Greater volumes of students have been accommodated while staffing has remained stable. These efficiencies have also streamlined the interface with academic program services, especially enrollment and the processing of evaluations.<br />
<br />
4.) The registrar and the academic program secretaries have established new protocols for the handling of evaluation documents that have sped up the complex task of producing transcript narrative evaluations.<br />
<br />
5.) The transition to e-mail communications has allowed clearer and more current communication with students by student affairs, academics, and the business office. This transition has resulted in significant savings in costs and time.<br />
<br />
6.) The continuing upgrading and development of the campus Web site has provided more and better information about student services. The conversion of the college catalog to a Web-based format allows much more current information and easier searching.<br />
<br />
7. SASS has provided a wide range of student services that help promote diversity, including KEY and First Peoples' Advising, and a wide range of services to the reservation-based program and Tacoma program off site. The reach-back programs Gear Up and Upward Bound have been supported with grants. The area has worked hard on recruitment of a diverse student body and has provided significant training in diversity issues to its staff.<br />
<br />
8.) Academic Advising has provided a solid voluntary foundation for advising work. The more fragmented structure of the curriculum suggests that a more systematic advising structure, which implicates faculty, as well as staff, should be explored.<br />
<br />
9.) The renovation of student housing and the establishment of a campus meal plan have helped put both residential services on a more stable footing. The development of sustainability initiatives in this area, which connect food services to the Organic Farm, and the establishment of an office of Residential Life have strengthened the area.<br />
<br />
10.) Demands on health, counseling, and police services have increased. Staff in these areas have worked hard to meet these needs with limited resources.<br />
<br />
11.) Recruitment of new students has been improved by more strategic use of resources, careful consideration of basic markets, overhaul of publications, the targeted use of tuition waivers, efficient response to inquiries, provision of high quality campus visits, and increased faculty involvement.<br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The area has made critical and substantial gains in its basic technological infrastructure. The use of the Banner information system has allowed the college to integrate its information system over several divisions, to improve the accuracy and completeness of its data, and to provide more current information to students, faculty, and student services on campus. Further, the improvements in e-mail communication have allowed for much clearer and more current communication with students. The development of the campus Web site has allowed for much more timely information about services and academic programs to students, staff, and visitors to campus. Finally, the development of new protocols and processes in the handling of narrative transcript evaluations has sped up this process significantly.<br />
<br />
2.) The area has participated effectively in the design and development of plans for the renovation of campus facilities to improve student access to services and the quality of life in the residences.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has successfully recruited an ever-increasing number of new students in the face of increasing competition for students.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen students have successfully organized a functional student government to represent student concerns across the campus.<br />
<br />
5.) The area has demonstrated a significant commitment to diversity and inclusiveness in its goals and its services.<br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The Academic Advising area should continue its good work with students and work with faculty to devise a comprehensive plan to provide regular advising to all students.<br />
<br />
2.) The staff in Student Affairs should continue to work carefully with the Geoduck Student Union to help the group develop the capacity to respond to the demands and desires of administrative units for representation, while allowing the group to develop student voice and presence.<br />
<br />
3.) In response to the ''Strategic Plan'', the area will work on developing strategic enrollment planning and coordination with curriculum enrollment growth, and institutional promotion.<br />
<br />
== Standard 3 - Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Three|Supporting Documentation for Standard Three]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_2&diff=8851Standard 22008-07-24T23:13:36Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Supporting Documentation */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 2 – Educational Program and Its Effectiveness==<br />
<br />
''The institution offers collegiate level programs that culminate in identified student competencies and lead to degrees or certificates in recognized fields of study. The achievement and maintenance of high quality programs is the primary responsibility of an accredited institution; hence, the evaluation of educational programs and their continuous improvement is an ongoing responsibility. As conditions and needs change, the institution continually redefines for itself the elements that result in educational programs of high quality.''<br />
<br />
<br />
Evergreen's strategic plan identifies the college as unique in American higher education, locating itself as “the nation’s leading public interdisciplinary liberal arts college.” Since the early years of the college, Evergreen has expected students to assume significant responsibility for their learning. They were expected to define their own work and design their own course of study from the opportunities offered by the faculty in programs (full-time learning communities) and through work designed with individual faculty members. This concept of the student differed sharply from the one presupposed by both large public universities and small private colleges. The new college in Olympia would offer a reinvigorated liberal arts teaching for all. The college’s commitment to interdisciplinarity, student engagement, and collaboration rests on this vision of an inclusive, public, egalitarian liberal arts education. <br />
<br />
Evergreen traces its origins to debates within higher education in the 1960s and 1970s. These debates involve two quite distinct critiques that contributed profoundly to the college’s pedagogical assumptions and practices. First came a critique of the multiversity, the large-scale public multi-disciplinary institution that blossomed in the post-war years. From the point of view of this critique, most forcefully embodied in the Berkeley Free Speech Movement, the multiversity existed primarily for the benefit of corporate/governmental interests. It functioned to maintain a supply of useful technicians and professionals. This critique saw the public university as serving class interests rather than living up to the ideals of a democratic educational system that would educate citizens broadly. The second critique assessed the liberal arts tradition as manifested in the small private liberal arts colleges. This critique began with the stodginess and irrelevance of the canon, and the unwillingness of liberal arts colleges to take on the issues of race, class, war, and revolution. This critique centered on the failure of the liberal arts colleges collectively to act on their own professed values as they distanced themselves from the world of action. In the face of the crisis of civil rights, the Vietnam war, and questions of class privilege the liberal arts were stuck defending texts, traditions, and positions that did not question the status quo. The critique of the multiversity questioned the failure of democratic education and the lack of moral judgment about public policy. The critique of the small liberal arts college viewed the moral tradition and ethical questions as outdated, abstracted from the world, and hence irrelevant. These debates in the context of the turmoil of the times made it possible for such important moderates as then Governor Dan Evans and State Senator Gordon Sandison to call for a new college that would take a new and alternative approach to college education. <br />
<br />
The founding faculty of Evergreen, for the most part men in their thirties and early forties, envisioned a college that, above all, was engaging. They wanted a public college that could provide the best elements of the liberal arts college – a college that could acknowledge and deal with ethical issues, one which saw the world as intellectually comprehensible and one which offered students opportunities to learn and to act for the good of the community, not simply for individual or corporate aggrandizement. In the planning year, the work of Alexander Meiklejohn, Joseph Tussman, and John Dewey provided models of educational reform that took intellectual rigor and public engagement as fundamental goals. In short, they believed in public education as a public good. They hoped for an education that would support action, engagement, and collaboration with diverse others; an education within a meaningful community context. They created an education that offered opportunities and curricular structures geared to engaged learning, not passivity. They wanted students to take control of their own education, to make real value-centered coherent choices about what they learned, how they learned, and what they did with the education they received. At the heart of these desires was a passionate debate about concern for authentic learning. All of the above characterizations of the college were contested, but in the crafting of the structure, a template the college has been tinkering with and transforming ever since, these were central values.<br />
<br />
As was argued in the opening pages of this self-study, the president and the founding faculty wanted to create a public college devoted to teaching and learning in an interdisciplinary, collaborative framework within which students must exercise autonomy and judgment. Charles McCann’s four nos – no academic departments, no faculty ranks, no academic requirements, and no grades – were seen as a vehicle to liberate faculty and students. The lack of departments and ranks allowed faculty to work and collaborate across disciplinary boundaries and across differences in age and experience. The lack of requirements and grades freed students to work together to share and collectively create their learning without endangering their own class standing. Collaboration, not competition, became the fundamental vehicle for organizing teaching and learning. While within the college the breadth of the challenge to the conventions of higher education was reasonably well understood, the external world tended to know the college in its first decades primarily on the basis of the above negatives and on the basis of the inevitable conflation of long hair, protest, and defiant optimism with a hippie haven and/or radical protest.<br />
<br />
It is in this context of extraordinary student and faculty autonomy that the college has developed. The individual student is responsible for the content of his or her degree. The faculty, while they exercise significant control over the work of students in programs, frames its desires for the overall outcomes of student work at the college in terms of expectation rather than requirements. As part of the response to the last round of accreditation the college developed Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate:<br />
<br />
* to articulate and assume responsibility for your own work;<br />
* to participate collaboratively and responsibly in our diverse society;<br />
* to communicate creatively and effectively;<br />
* to demonstrate integrative, independent, critical thinking;<br />
* to apply qualitative, quantitative and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across disciplines; and<br />
* to demonstrate depth, breadth, and synthesis of learning and the ability to reflect on personal and social significance of learning as a culmination of your education.<br />
<br />
These are clearly expectations, not requirements. The faculty, when they adopted them, saw them as both an appropriate response to a concern for breadth across disciplines and as an articulation of the need for students to identify and take responsibility for their work at the college.<br />
<br />
<br />
===Standard 2.A – General Requirements===<br />
<br />
<br />
====2.A.1 Institutional Support to Academics====<br />
''The institution demonstrates its commitment to high standards of teaching and learning by providing sufficient human, physical, and financial resources to support its educational programs and to facilitate student achievement of program objectives whenever and however they are offered.''<br />
<br />
<br />
Academic offerings are supported by faculty, facilities, equipment, and staff support. <br />
<br />
Facilities supporting academics include teaching spaces and offices. Each faculty member teaching half-time or more is provided an office. Those teaching less than half-time may be allocated a shared office space. Faculty offices average 140 square feet, in accord with state standards. <br />
<br />
Faculty are allocated computers, software, and peripherals in accordance with their teaching and professional development needs. Regular faculty are provided new computers with a turnover rate that averages four years. Visitors and adjuncts are provided reassigned computers from inventory when possible or new computers if adequate computers are not available. Faculty and academic staff computers are funded from a dedicated summer school revenues pool that provides $225,000 per year for this purpose. Due to the wide range in computing needs, faculty request and receive a variety of computers: laptops, desktops, Apple, PC, high-end processors, and more standard configurations. This also applies to software and peripherals.<br />
<br />
In addition to individual faculty resources, space and equipment are also provided for specialized facilities including computer labs, media labs, science labs, art studios, performance spaces, galleries, research space, etc. The college has a dedicated equipment fund of approximately $250,000 per year, often supplemented by additional funds when special initiatives, such as renovations, warrant it. Each year academics, like other divisional units across the campus, identifies new and replacement equipment needs that support the curriculum. These lists are prioritized in a master list for funding. In general, roughly one-third of the equipment requested by the academic division in any given year is actually funded. This is sufficient to meet the most critical curricular needs, but not enough to provide anywhere near all of the equipment requested. The college depends on equipment grants to partially or completely fund the most expensive equipment. Faculty collaborate with the grants office to pursue this funding.<br />
<br />
Each academic program is also awarded a budget based on the number of students expected to enroll and the kind of goods and services that will be needed to deliver the curriculum. Program faculty complete budget requests that include expenses for photocopying, honoraria for guest speakers, supplies, motor pool vans for field trips, film/video rentals, laboratory and studio expenses, etc. Programs anticipating higher-than-usual expenses, such as those with an international travel component, may include additional support in their request.<br />
<br />
Approximately $340,000 per year is available for program budgets. This is on average two-thirds of the total requests from the faculty. There is an additional budget of $300,000 to fund student aides in support of academic programs. These budgets are divided among approximately 150 academic programs during the academic year (Summer School, Tacoma, Graduate Programs and the Reservation-Based program have their own budgets for program support). This provides approximately $40/student/quarter (ranging from $300/student/quarter to $10/student/quarter) in direct academic program support. This may appear high, but one needs to bear in mind that the Evergreen academic program operates in a very decentralized mode; without departments, there is little budgetary structure between the organizational top and the individual faculty member or faculty team. Hence, faculty are given direct control over the many resources required to support their academic program. In most cases, these resources prove to be adequate for the goals faculty have in mind. <br />
<br />
A number of academic support services are centralized, including academic budgeting, support for travel, institutional research, and grants. Professional staff provide technical support for both the arts and sciences, and these are budgeted through the Provost’s office. Again, this support is typically adequate although demand for this support varies from quarter to quarter and year to year depending on the curricular offerings. Faculty are assigned program secretaries that support the narrative evaluation process and provide administrative support to program activities.<br />
<br />
Programs at off-campus sites (Tacoma and the Reservation-Based programs) are an integral part of the college's offerings, and are supported at the same or higher level.<br />
<br />
====2.A.2 Educational Goals====<br />
''The goals of the institution’s educational programs, whenever and however offered, including instructional policies, methods, and delivery systems, are compatible with the institution’s mission. They are developed, approved, and periodically evaluated under established institutional policies and procedures through a clearly defined process.''<br />
<br />
<br />
In the work leading to the college’s first strategic plan and in the 1988 self-study for accreditation, the ''Five Foci of an Evergreen Education'' were first enunciated. They have served the college well over the years as a central articulation of its mission. The following section lays out the five foci and articulates the ways in which these foci are implicated by the work of reflexive thinking, and lead the educational practices of the college.<br />
<br />
The Five Foci of an Evergreen Education – interdisciplinary study, personal engagement in learning, linking theory with practice, collaborative/cooperative work, and teaching across significant differences – have played a central role in creating both a curriculum and a rationale for a curriculum. They inform both the programs and our articulation of them at all levels of the institution. These foci capture much, but not all, of what is done at Evergreen. Many of our actual activities contribute to more than one focus.<br />
<br />
<br />
=====The Five Foci of an Evergreen Education=====<br />
<br />
'''Interdisciplinary Education'''<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study is fundamental at Evergreen. At the heart of such study is the intellectual conviction that academic disciplines have limits inherent in their epistemology, their explanatory concepts, and the like and that, in the presence of complex phenomena, the inadequacy of isolated accounts from different disciplines is revealed. Seldom if ever are the accounts of any one discipline all that can or needs to be said about such phenomena. Further, the attempt to understand phenomena apart from their context in the world often simply misses the critical importance of the phenomena and their meaning. For us to know complexly and think reflexively demands that we see from diverse perspectives and ask our own questions of the phenomena we study. An interdisciplinary approach provides students with at least three crucial intellectual understandings that help them recognize their perspectives and generate their questions. First, different disciplines can indeed hold different and valid understandings about a particular phenomenon. Interdisciplinary thinking pushes students beyond a disciplinary understanding and forces them to complicate and contextualize their views of what is at issue. Second, interdisciplinary study illustrates the ways in which different disciplines illuminate differing aspects of reality, thus extending and complicating student views of what a phenomenon actually is. Finally, an interdisciplinary understanding more accurately reflects the world as students encounter it in internships, volunteer service, and field research. The significance of interdisciplinary work and the ways in which it supports students as they move beyond Evergreen is echoed in alumni survey data and qualitative accounts.<br />
<br />
There is little orthodoxy about which church of interdisciplinarity Evergreen faculty members attend. Acolytes of instrumental multi-disciplinary, thematic study, project-based experience and more teach at the college, yet nearly all agree that interdisciplinary work provides the essential pattern that allows for the emergence of connections, the creation of new kinds of understandings, and ultimately the possibility for students to find their own way to work in the curriculum. Students experience interdisciplinarity in a variety of ways, but at the center is the sense that the pieces of work that they are asked to do within a program fit together in complex and surprising ways ([[Media: student focus group_standard2_7feb08.pdf|Student Focus Group - Standard 2 - Feb 7, 2008]]). Faculty, as they become effective as interdisciplinary teachers, retain skills and competencies they brought with them to the college and expand into new competencies and connections as they work and learn with colleagues and students over the years (David Marr, Personal Comments 2/08). All that is interdisciplinary is not team teaching and vice versa. Individual faculty members often expose students to more than one discipline and single programs with two faculty members with similar backgrounds may or may not be interdisciplinary.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Personal Engagement'''<br />
<br />
The founders of Evergreen wanted to create a college where students felt deeply engaged with the process and substance of learning. At its heart, personal engagement in learning was understood to be the students’ development of a capacity to know, to speak, and to act on the basis of their own self-conscious beliefs, understandings, and commitments. The reflexive capacity to think about one's own work that emerges and develops throughout a student’s engagement with the material and other people over time is central to their sense of commitment. The emphasis on participation, on reasoned evaluation and involvement in their own, their colleagues, and their faculty members’ work, strengthen this engagement. Engagement then is more than interest. It involves complex reflection on the significance and meaning of what we know; it reflects a concern for the consequences, effects, and implications of understanding as a part of knowing. Such engagement is supported in the college’s emphasis on full-time study for sixteen quarter-hours credit per quarter. The lack of graduation requirements compels students to make personal choices about their work. Such work in the end could be something quite conventional, such as medicine or art history or it could be rather unconventional, such as becoming a kayak maker, an independent filmmaker, or a specialty vegetable farmer. What distinguishes this work is the way the work implicates the person as whole.<br />
<br />
Work in programs, especially programs that extend across several quarters, is engagement in a full-time learning community. Here the relations are to the material, but also to the persons with whom one works. This conflation of persons and materials can lead to an intensification of engagement that creates powerful, shared intellectual, social, personal, and aesthetic excitement. Students discover that personal growth and engagement in a community are often complementary realities. This complex reality in which students pursue their own goals through shared endeavor and cooperation is the center of the experience of a learning community and critical to most students' experience of Evergreen. The capacity students develop to know, learn from, and accept the work of others constitutes a challenging exercise in representational thinking – thinking through the eyes of another.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Linking Theory and Practice'''<br />
<br />
Linking theory with practice arises from student engagement in a social context. Engaging in a dialogue between their intellectual understandings and direct experience with the phenomena they study (texts, social behavior, scientific or artistic work) strengthens both and allows students to place their growing sense of personal work and commitment into a realistic and purposeful context. The necessity of linking theory with practice arises out of a central concern for educational relevance and the college’s commitment to providing an education that will promote effective citizenship.<br />
<br />
Theory, central concepts, or ideas then are regularly tested in three major ways in students' experience at the college. First, students are asked to take their experience in the classroom into the world, in hands-on projects, internships, performances, presentations, case studies, and a wide variety of research work. Learning about a phenomenon is tested against the experience of it. Ideally an Evergreen student should be learning and being challenged in the classroom and the world outside the college. Beyond this, theory and ideas are tested against the disciplinary and interdisciplinary phenomena they are purported to explain. Does the theory in fact illuminate the phenomena? If so, how and to what extent? Finally, theories and ideas are tested against the context of culture and society within which they arise. How do theory and ideas inform cultural practices? How are theories and ideas explained by power relations, religious interpretation, or some larger cultural/social reality? Thus the linkage of theory and practice is fundamental to the development of judgment, to the awareness of the cultural and political dimensions of knowledge, and the creation of active citizens who are capable of entering into dialogue with the world in which they live. In the learning community of the program and the broader community, students are challenged to take responsibility for their work and their judgments. By bringing the experience of the classroom into the world and vice-versa, the student is pressed to understand her knowledge as a substantive description, as a personal experience, and as a political and social phenomenon.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Collaborative/Cooperative Work'''<br />
<br />
Collaborative/cooperative work anchors the educational experience at Evergreen. The capacity for sharing and creating work within a cooperative context of respect for individuals and their diversity of perspectives, abilities, and experiences, is a central motif of nearly all Evergreen studies. In an array of practices such as seminars, group projects, narrative evaluations, peer critique of student work in all fields, and the inclusion of students from widely diverse backgrounds and experiences within programs, the fundamental assumption is that students benefit from participating in a learning community to create their own educations. This practice takes the idea of representational thinking head-on and suggests that as we come to see, understand, and incorporate others' understandings of experience, our own becomes deeper and more complex. Reciprocally, as we are seen and understood by others, we come to know ourselves differently and better. As students share their understandings of their learning they transform their experience and learning into meanings. Thus work in the context of a community of learners is central to the development of a capacity for risk, judgment, and responsibility.<br />
<br />
The fundamental pedagogic assumption is that learning is both a personal and social activity. The work of the college assumes collaboration is in the long run more conducive to the creation and acquisition of complex understandings and useful knowledge than is self-centered competition. By creating collaborative learning communities the college seeks to create both a context within which quite diverse ideas and concepts can be examined, but also a context that allows students to bring to the classroom some of that array of conversation and learning that in most schools occurs informally. This inclusiveness of experiences and ideas from other portions of the program and from student lives creates learning communities that can capture and promote the experience of real dialogue about ideas, texts, art, and experience that make education engaging and exciting. The college encourages cooperation because we believe, despite the rhetoric of competition in this society, that most of the work that is accomplished in the world is a product of cooperative, engaged choices. The capacity to collaborate is the most fundamental of public skills.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Teaching and Learning Across Significant Differences'''<br />
<br />
Teaching and learning across significant differences reflects the fundamental recognition that as learners we do not bring to our experience of education the same array of qualities and life experiences. These differences provide the source of our capacity to learn from each other and, potentially, a barrier to that learning. These socially defined and personally experienced differences include such obvious and important categories as race, ethnicity, religion, class, sexuality and gender which underlie so much of American experience, but they also include less obvious and well defined and understood experiences as age, disability, first generation college experience, rural or urban upbringing, or personal qualities such as intelligence, shyness, mental illness, and the like. Within the context of the college, differences bring both a potential for great learning and a possibility of great damage. They call upon us to develop qualities of respect, attentive listening, and sensitive and thoughtful speaking. They are at the heart of our capacity to communicate and to participate responsibly in a diverse seminar and community. <br />
<br />
Central to Evergreen’s experience of these differences is the practice of narrative evaluation and the desire to promote collaboration. While these practices have their own pitfalls, they suggest that a single standard and an assumed uniformity of experience is not the case and that respectful recognition and awareness of difference is an essential element in working with students to help them define and achieve the overall goals of an Evergreen liberal arts education. As with cooperation and collaboration, this focus suggests that the role of representational thinking through the eyes of the other is a critical capacity in the development of a complex reflexive understanding and worldview. Learning and the reflexive thinking about the embeddedness of knowledge in history, in critical social differences, creates a context in which the exercise of freedom to promote new understandings entails a responsibility to imagine and know the impact of our acts on others.<br />
<br />
=====The Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate=====<br />
<br />
In the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 school years, at the urging of the Commission, the college undertook a review of its understanding of General Education. During two years of debate, discussion, and struggle, the college rejected requirements and produced an important document that articulated the goals of an Evergreen education from the point of view of the student. This document – The Six Expectations of an Evergreen Education - has proved useful in expressing for advisers, students, and prospective students some of the elements that describe an effective pathway through Evergreen. The goals are understood to be just that – goals – not subject matter requirements nor mandatory skills. Thus while students may, and often do, undertake meeting these goals, the requirement in fact falls on faculty to make sure that as often as it makes sense, opportunities to meet the goals are present in the curriculum and their teaching. As will be more explicitly argued below, the goals map in complex and important ways onto the five foci and can be seen as a rearticulation of the foci in terms of potential outcomes for students.<br />
<br />
''The Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate'' are:<br />
<br />
* to articulate and assume responsibility for your own work;<br />
* to participate collaboratively and responsibly in our diverse society;<br />
* to communicate creatively and effectively;<br />
* to demonstrate integrative, independent, critical thinking;<br />
* to apply qualitative, quantitative and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across disciplines; and<br />
* to demonstrate depth, breadth, and synthesis of learning and the ability to reflect on personal and social significance of learning as a culmination of your education.<br />
<br />
The work students are capable of is seen as complex. They link and engage analysis from different disciplinary perspectives. They see cultural/social contexts. They communicate understandings that are significant to themselves and their society. Such an education then neither replicates the faculty, nor simply replicates the disciplines, traditions, professions, and skills that they profess. Instead, it encourages each student to ask his own questions, to test his own hypotheses, and to make new mistakes. This education is at once potentially conservative and radical. It's conservative in that the work is tested against the society and academic disciplines broadly, and radical in that it is always implicitly a challenge to existing conventions and knowledge. <br />
<br />
At the heart of Evergreen’s understanding of education is a belief that whatever that education is in terms of substance, it should be self-consciously and thoughtfully chosen by the student. Each student should see and articulate his own work in the context of engagement with others. Skills and capacities are not autonomous and instrumental, but embedded in the context of a person’s education as a whole and more broadly embedded in the social order through participation in and reflection on that order by students. Thus the fundamental goal can be seen as developing a capacity for reflexive thought on the part of students. This reflexive capacity demands both engagement with and inquiry into the world and the work of the student as an active, self-conscious participant in the world.<br />
<br />
The five foci and the six expectations are different articulations of very similar understandings about the central nature of Evergreen. The foci speak primarily to the content and nature of the curriculum offered. They articulate the emphasis on interdisciplinarity, cooperation, work across difference, the constant interplay of theory and practice, and student engagement. The six expectations are an expression of how the qualities of a curriculum organized around these ideas should be manifest in its graduates. Here is one version of the relationship of the foci and expectations:<br />
<br />
'''Personal Engagement''' – Articulate and assume responsibility for your own work. Participate collaboratively and responsibly in our diverse society. Reflect on the personal and social significance of your learning.<br />
<br />
'''Teaching and Learning Across Significant Difference''' – Participate collaboratively and effectively in our diverse society. Communicate clearly and effectively.<br />
<br />
'''Collaboration''' - Participate collaboratively and effectively in our diverse society. Communicate clearly and effectively. Articulate and assume responsibility for your own work.<br />
<br />
'''Linking Theory and Practice''' - Apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across disciplines. Demonstrate integrative, independent, critical thinking. Demonstrate depth, breadth, and synthesis of learning and the ability to reflect on the personal and social significance of that learning.<br />
<br />
'''Interdisciplinary''' – Communicate creatively and effectively. Demonstrate integrative, independent and critical thinking. Apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across disciplines.<br />
<br />
=====Reflexive Thinking=====<br />
<br />
As a part of the work on reaccreditation this year, the college invited Elizabeth Minnich to talk with the deans and a small group of faculty working on the self-study. Her discussion of reflexive thinking captured a good deal of what Evergreen sees as distinctive and important about the education and experience that Evergreen students engage as they work in and around the curriculum as it is structured by the five foci and the six expectations. (Elizabeth K. Minnich, "Knowledge, Thinking, Judgment: For Good or For Ill,” Long Island University: TASA Award Lecture, April 27, 2006; Elizabeth K. Minnich, Teaching and Thinking: Moral and Political Considerations,” ''Change'', September/October 2003, pp.19-24)<br />
<br />
Reflexive thinking begins with a question, an interrogation of the world, and an encounter with the other. As such, it involves the student in the whole process of substantive learning about subjects, disciplines and methods that is the standard domain of learning. But reflexivity is the capacity that a learner has to think about the situation and conditions that underlie her own personal and collective experience of thinking and knowing. She can be aware of how she has learned and what she has become through the process of learning. Minnich, following Nietzsche, argues this form of thinking makes the learner a “problem” for herself. Not only does the learner come to know the ostensible subject of the learning (a text, a geological strata, or a piece of music), but through that knowing new questions emerge such as: how the subject is involved in a whole array of questions about the learner’s own motives; his embeddedness in society; or his desires and development. Beyond that, reflexive thinking allows the student to ask questions about how the ostensible subject has come into being in a society and become enmeshed in a complex historical and social web of connections and power that underlie that discipline. Students learn to see the accounts of disciplines as partial. Thinking that makes our understanding of self and society problematic creates inquiry that is unbound by disciplinary concerns. As a person strives to understand his situation, an extraordinary range of understanding from the very personal to that of any array of disciplines can become critical lenses for seeing or understanding the situation. The student emerges as problems for herself that can be seen as arising from multiple points of view.<br />
<br />
As learners come to understand themselves and learning in this complex way, they exercise freedom and judgment about what they have learned about themselves, and the material, social conditions that allow this way of knowing to exist. In other words, the learner starts to exercise freedom and responsibility about the knowledge he has about the society, himself. Through judgment he creates new meanings. These meanings typically do not take the given assumptions that lie behind the disciplines as settled truths; they inherently challenge established understandings. This process of creating new meanings necessarily engages the learner with others in a public process of sharing understandings. Participating in this world of reflexivity pushes the individual learner to recognize difference and diversity of views and positions. In particular it demands that the learner engage not simply in reflection, but in representational thinking, thinking through the eyes of others. This extraordinarily difficult and never completely successful mode of thinking forces a learner to take seriously the understandings and ways of perceiving and knowing that exist in the world. This process of thinking through the eyes of others demands that the learner, and indeed the community she is a part of, must learn to think historically. This means that she sees how the structure of ideas that define our views of others has come into being and is changed over time. It also implies that she sees how social institutions have grown up historically to define the place of others and ourselves in a society. Finally, knowing of this sort is iterative, each encounter, each attempt at restatement, each expanded understanding or more clearly defined insight, opens the door to response and further learning. The fun never stops. Thus reflexive and representational thinking are ultimately necessarily both very personal and public.<br />
<br />
This way of thinking about an Evergreen education is attractive because the questions that underlie it are so simple to pose and so powerful when fully examined. “How do you know what you know?” and “So what?” are the fundamental questions. These questions open up for the student the whole range of conditions that make up her position in the world and ask her to take responsibility for understanding some of the consequences of her situation and her knowledge. Evergreen programs make a wide range of choices about how much they engage in these questions, but nearly all pose them for students and urge students to take on these issues as they think about their work and evaluate their experience.<br />
<br />
====2.A.3 Degree Programs Offered====<br />
''Degree and certificate programs demonstrate a coherent design; are characterized by appropriate breadth, depth, sequencing of courses, synthesis of learning, and the assessment of learning outcomes; and require the use of library and other information sources.''<br />
<br />
At the time of this writing, Evergreen offers three graduate degrees, Master in Teaching (MIT), Master in Public Administration (MPA), and Master in Environmental Studies (MES). A fourth master's program, the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with endorsements in Mathematics and English as a Second Language (M.Ed.), is scheduled to begin enrolling students in the summer of 2008. All three of the established master's programs have regular structures and well-established requirements that organize their work and the award of degrees. See Standard 2.D., 2.E. and 2.F. <br />
<br />
The college offers two degree programs at the undergraduate level – the bachelor of arts degree and the bachelor of science degree. The bachelor of arts degree requires the successful completion of 180 quarter-hours of college level work. The bachelor of science degree requires 180 quarter-hours of work, including credits in mathematics, natural science, or computer science, of which 48 of which must be upper division science credit. The college has worked to identify upper division science work and faculty who have appropriate credentials to award such credit over the past several years. A combined bachelor of arts/bachelor of science degree requires at least 225 quarter-hours credit, 90 of which must be earned at Evergreen (see [http://www.evergreen.edu/catalog/2008-09/ http://www.evergreen.edu/catalog/2008-09/]).<br />
<br />
====2.A.4 Degree Requirements====<br />
''The institution uses degree designators consistent with program content. In each field of study or technical program, degree objectives are clearly defined: the content to be covered, the intellectual skills, the creative capabilities, and the methods of inquiry to be acquired; and, if applicable, the specific career-preparation competencies to be mastered.'' <br />
<br />
The institution offers two undergraduate degrees, the bachelor of arts and the bachelor of science as described above. Each degree program requires 180 quarter-hours of credit. As shown above, the Six Expectations ask students to develop a focus for their work using the college’s offerings and independent work developed with faculty to complete their program of study. The bachelor of science requires a minimum of 72 quarter-hours in natural science, mathematics, or computer science, including at least 48 upper division quarter-hours awarded by faculty in the sciences. Each master's program has program-specific outcomes for the degrees offered as described in sub-section 2.D.<br />
<br />
====2.A.5 Intensive programs====<br />
''The institution provides evidence that students enrolled in programs offered in concentrated or abbreviated timeframes demonstrate mastery of program goals and course objectives.''<br />
<br />
Over the past ten years, Evergreen has moved to offer weekend intensive programs at both the graduate and undergraduate level. This schedule has increased the accessibility of our programs to place-bound students. Programs offered on either the regular or intensive schedule expect approximately 30 hours of study and class attendance for each unit of credit earned.<br />
<br />
====2.A.6 Program Tuition====<br />
''The institution is able to equate its learning experiences with semester or quarter credit hours using practices common to institutions of higher education, to justify the lengths of its programs in comparison to similar programs found in regionally accredited institutions of higher education, and to justify any program-specific tuition in terms of program costs, program length, and program objectives.'' <br />
<br />
Evergreen expects contact hours with students and the quarter-long length of its programs to be similar to those expected at other Washington public universities. Evergreen tuition is based on level (bachelor's or master's), residency, and the number of credits. There is no special program-specific tuition.<br />
<br />
====2.A.7 Curriculum Planning====<br />
''Responsibility for design, approval, and implementation of the curriculum is vested in designated institutional bodies with clearly established channels of communication and control. The faculty has a major role and responsibility in the design, integrity, and implementation of the curriculum.''<br />
<br />
The curriculum at Evergreen is planned by the faculty, the academic deans, and the directors of off-site programs. The undergraduate curriculum at Evergreen is a complex mixture of regularly repeating offerings, irregularly repeating offerings, and one-time efforts. The curriculum is revised annually. Each planning unit (see glossary) is responsible for defining and staffing its offerings and is expected to contribute 20% of its faculty time to Core (first-year) programs and another 20% to inter-area (teams involving faculty from two or more planning units) work. Planning in any given year is designed to develop a catalog for two years hence. Thus in the 2008-09 school year, faculty will be designing the curriculum for the 2010-11 school year. The curriculum dean(s) in collaboration with the Planning Unit Coordinators (PUCs) organize a series of all-faculty meetings in early fall quarter that are designed to solicit ideas, proposals, and suggestions for inter-area work at the first year and above level.<br />
<br />
Usually planning units meet at the fall faculty retreat and in the latter half of the quarter to identify their ongoing staffing needs and identify planning unit members interested in working in inter-area and Core. These meetings involve looking at the curriculum of the unit over a four-year period: the year being planned, the current year, the next year, and usually considering the year following the year being planned for. This iterative retrospective-prospective overview helps identify the needs for prerequisites; identify the appropriate cycle year for regularly, but not annually, repeating programs; identify questions of balance in subject matter; and clarify individual contributions to the units’ work. Most of the ongoing repeated work and advanced disciplinary work at the college is organized by planning units.<br />
<br />
Core and inter-divisional planning, which began early in the fall with the meeting to share ideas, continues more or less informally as faculty follow up ideas with each other and attend meetings called by either the Core dean or the curriculum dean to firm up and identify programs. In addition to the intricate matchmaking that occurs within program teams, the PUCs and curriculum deans are involved in a complex process of informal negotiation and planning to ensure the appropriate number of first-year seats (those in Core and then those seats identified for freshmen in all-level or lower-division programs) and appropriate coverage of planning unit repeated offerings. All of these decisions are made in negotiations among faculty and deans and are vetted to the planning unit meetings in winter quarter so that faculty can evaluate and respond to the area’s curriculum and its relation to other Core and inter-area offerings. This complex two-tracked process within and between the planning units culminates in a draft curriculum by the end of winter quarter. The final negotiations between planning units and the deans, the creation of catalog copy for programs, and the identification of staffing needs is carried out by PUCs who are given release time spring quarter to complete these duties. One important byproduct of the curriculum planning process is the awareness of areas of demand in the curriculum and supplementary short-term and long-term hiring needs.<br />
<br />
Unlike the full-time curriculum, the Evening and Weekend Studies (EWS) curriculum is planned on a one-year cycle. This structure allows the curriculum to adapt more quickly to shifts in the student body and is an aspect of the service orientation of the EWS area. The EWS dean and the continuing faculty in the area jointly control planning for the area.<br />
<br />
Planning in the graduate programs is controlled by their respective faculty and is described in 2.D.<br />
<br />
====2.A.8 Library and Information Resources====<br />
''Faculty, in partnership with library and information resources personnel, ensure that the use of library and information resources is integrated into the learning process.''<br />
<br />
The tension between the demands of discipline-based curriculum where programs are created to meet known (or presumed) needs with known prerequisites and outcomes on the one hand, and the demands of freely chosen inquiry based on broad skills of knowing, reasoning, and communicating about issues whose outcome remain to be discovered through experience on the other, is the context within which the curriculum comes into being at Evergreen. The college puts a premium on student research work in both independent learning contracts, and group and individual research projects within programs. Library and information services at Evergreen have from the very beginning had to adapt themselves to the complex ever changing focus of the programs and faculty. This has meant that these services have had to be very broad and carefully coordinated with emerging curricular needs. Standard 5.B.2. details the complex intersection of library and information resource instruction at the college.<br />
<br />
====2.A.9 Structural Elements of the Evergreen Curriculum====<br />
''The institution’s curriculum (programs and courses) is planned both for optimal learning and accessible scheduling.''<br />
<br />
The curriculum at Evergreen is designed by the faculty to further students’ ability to develop and meet the goals of an Evergreen education. The practices and structures that make up the educational experience embody both complex substantive learning and the capacities identified in the five foci. Four critical elements underlie the structure of the curriculum at Evergreen: team-taught coordinated study, full-time study, student self-direction, and narrative evaluation. These elements are universally present and they most clearly and distinctively embody the practices and goals of the Evergreen educational experience. These elements are designed to optimize a student’s capacity to understand and integrate material, develop complex insight, and create schedules that facilitate program level work and interaction. <br />
<br />
=====Programs=====<br />
<br />
Programs are the distinctive mode of study at the college. A program consists of two to four (in the deep past as many as seven) faculty who together plan and deliver, generally full-time, a course of study organized around a theme or body of knowledge to 50 to 100 students. The terminology about programs has changed over this period – at the beginning programs were referred to as coordinated studies. Programs can be as short as one quarter or as long as three. These programs are often centered on a specific theme or set of questions that invite exploration from two or more disciplinary points of view, or they may be linked conceptually around method or subject matter in a way that promotes more complex understanding of disciplines by being taught in a collaborative fashion. In addition to coordinated study programs, Evergreen offers single faculty programs that provide full-time study of advanced topics. <br />
<br />
=====Programs as Academic Communities===== <br />
<br />
By providing a structure which links ideas, questions, and disciplinary understandings together with a specific ongoing group of faculty and students, coordinated study lays the groundwork for the formation of an academic community. By having the full attention of students and extraordinary freedom to design programs, faculty members are empowered to create very different, often innovative, usually exciting, learning experiences. Programs can, and often do, require major field trips, built in research times, intensive laboratory work, opportunities for travel, productions, exhibitions, and a wide variety of smaller scale curricular innovations. Ideally, faculty members help shape a multi-dimensional, multi-leveled conversation that helps students form and shape their own work and builds a knowledgeable audience for their writing and research. Within a coordinated study, students and faculty can develop strong friendships, working relationships, and intense conversations that draw heavily on the shared experiences of the texts and activities of the program. Coordinated study as a concept has been usefully adapted to a wide variety of time frames, persons, and levels of work. Today it is found in some form or another in graduate programs, off-campus programs, and throughout both the full-time and part-time undergraduate curriculum.<br />
<br />
Coordinated studies, their part-time counterparts, and single faculty full-time programs are organized into the curriculum of the graduate programs (MPA, MIT, and MES), the Tacoma Program, and the Reservation-Based Program, as well as into the undergraduate program on the Olympia campus. On the Olympia campus the array of offerings is organized and coordinated through five planning units (Culture, Text and Language; Environmental Studies; Expressive Arts; Scientific Inquiry; and Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change) and the Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Center. These areas will be discussed fully below.<br />
<br />
=====Full-Time Study=====<br />
<br />
Most student work at Evergreen is carried out in one form or another of full-time study. The pedagogical rationale here arises out of the coordinated study programs, especially those with a thematic base. These complex, multi-stranded, highly integrated programs make little or no sense when significant elements are removed. Similar intensive full-time work is often expected in single faculty full-time programs. This feature of the college provides the intellectual intensity described above, but also provides the flexibility of scheduling that allows the college to offer genuinely innovative work in a number of fields where large blocks of time and travel are required. Beyond this, the reality that most faculty, in most programs, have control of most of their students’ time in class, and meet with those students generally fourteen to twenty hours per week, means that they know their students' needs, capacities, and desires well. This knowledge allows for strong guidance and modification of program tasks, allows complex reflective evaluations of students, and lays the groundwork for effective advising. The college has allowed significantly more part-time work in recent years in Evening and Weekend Studies. The part-time study is structured both through half-time coordinated studies and course work.<br />
<br />
=====Student Self-Directed Study=====<br />
<br />
While the structure of the college’s curriculum provides a series of pathways that students may follow in pursuing their education, there are no requirements for graduation beyond the accumulation of 180 quarter-hours credit. Many of the pathways will be described in the discussion of planning units below. This open invitation to students to design their own work at the college has been a central feature of student experience from the beginning of the college. Our assumption is that working with multiple faculty and being exposed to a variety of disciplines, questions, and practices helps each student to develop a clear pattern of interests and can, with faculty and advising help, help them build an exciting, demanding, and persuasive educational path. Choices are not entirely unconstrained. Prerequisites, finding an appropriate faculty member for an individual study or internship, and the nature of the programs offered by the faculty in a particular year, limit a student’s choices, but underlying all this is the understanding that students can use the opportunities presented to identify and pursue their own work. Clearly the decision of the college to put students in charge of the choices to create their education is a radical one. Indeed of all the founding “Nos” the most radical in many ways is the relinquishment of the faculty’s authority to determine for students what is important for the student to study. Students who take this challenge seriously create an education that necessarily implicates themselves as persons, not simply as products of an educational system or consumers of educational prescriptions. Individual contracts and internships are an important manifestation of student autonomy.<br />
<br />
=====Narrative Evaluation=====<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s origins as an innovative “experimental” college, the rejection of tenure and the substitution of three-year renewable contracts, and a flat administrative structure imbued the college with a “culture of evaluation” at the institutional level. The decision to reject standardized grading provided an impetus for careful work on evaluation of student achievement by both faculty and students. Narrative evaluation of student work assumes that to create a community in which cooperation is central, evaluation must be individual, not comparative. Attempting to place each student on one scale when each student is pursuing the work of the program for different ends with different backgrounds and capacities makes little sense.<br />
<br />
Evaluation takes many forms at Evergreen, but at the heart of the educational process is the faculty evaluation of students. This document reflects the faculty’s authority to grant or withhold credit, and to identify the transferable content of the work. More importantly, it attempts to identify the strengths and capabilities of the student and to locate his or her most important work within the context of the program’s themes, content and experience.<br />
<br />
Student narratives offer a critical response to the educational experience and often provide the rationale that links one educational experience to the next. The capacity for students to provide their accounts in the transcript evaluation speaks to the college’s commitment to taking students and their account of their experience seriously. For further reflection on the narrative evaluation process, please see the [[Media: Narrative_Evaluation_Guide.pdf|Narrative Evaluation Guide 2004]].<br />
<br />
=====Learning and Planning Through Evaluation=====<br />
<br />
Formal evaluations, the ones that appear in the transcripts, are important, but their significance is primarily documentary and retrospective. Informal evaluations, the ones that occur within programs, have the quality of being retrospective and reflective on the one hand and prospective on the other. They situate the student and the experience in midstream and ask for and elicit an assessment, adjustment, and reframing. Student self-evaluations review their work and introduce their in-program portfolio. In individual conferences, a faculty member asks students to connect their experience in the program with their work, and to think about how they can come to own this experience as their own education. The conference provides an opportunity for assessment from the student's and faculty member’s perspective. This process of reflecting examines not only the direct content of the program, but often the experience of learning. Students are asked how they have changed as learners; how such basic acts as reading, knowing, and writing have changed for them through experience. This reflexive evaluation practice, seeing one's learning and competency develop, opens up questions and helps students see a path within the program and, at the end of the program, provides a key to where to go next.<br />
<br />
Much of the evaluation process focuses on advising. Informal evaluations by both faculty and students focus on the students' learning, opportunities for improvement, and possible future directions. The preparation for this review by both students and faculty is a major opportunity to reflect on future directions and to develop a reflective critical assessment of the work of the student and the program.<br />
<br />
Three major initiatives in the past ten years have considered transcript evaluations. All of these start from the premise that a complete and well written transcript is an asset to students as they proceed from Evergreen and from a resistance to the idea of reducing evaluation to grades or rating forms. They reflect the need to create more concise and well-voiced evaluations in a timely and coherent manner. Two major committees, the first in 1996-1997 and the second in 2003-2004, produced a set of arguments for the continuing utility of the evaluation process and support for the idea that there was no single universal process for evaluation. The latter DTF developed an important document on faculty narrative strategies and provided guidelines on the length and nature of the evaluation process. A second study group (Evaluation Processing) in 2002-2004 focused on procedures for the reorganization of the handling of evaluations and their storage and maintenance as electronic documents. This process has sped the production of transcript evaluations. The formal faculty evaluation documents contain a program description identifying the work of the program, a formal assessment of the student’s work, and the identification of the program’s activities as subject equivalencies.<br />
<br />
====2.A.10 Prior Learning from Experience====<br />
''Credit for prior experiential learning is awarded only in accordance with Policy 2.3 Credit for Prior Experiential Learning''<br />
<br />
Prior Learning from Experience<br />
<br />
The Prior Learning from Experience (PLE) Program faculty assesses the student's past academic experience and past life experience before recommending Evergreen's PLE program. The full-time staff position was cut from the budget in spring of 2003 when the program was reorganized into the Evening and Weekend Studies curriculum. The coordinator from the previous staff position moved into the adjunct faculty position. The adjunct faculty forms teams of full-time continuing faculty to assess the PLE documents. A central tenet of Evergreen's PLE program is that credit is granted for learning and not for experience. Students must document that learning by drawing on current theories in particular academic fields. They accomplish this by interviewing appropriate faculty about their documents and by completing necessary research. Because faculty members grant credit for PLE documents, they grant credit only for learning that would normally occur within regular curricular offerings.<br />
<br />
The documentation currently required for credit through PLE at Evergreen is rigorous. Most interested students, beginning in fall of 2003, take "Writing from Life," a course taught by the adjunct faculty. Course requirements include writing an autobiography, their PLE document outline, and one learning essay or chapter of their PLE document. Students then move into PLE document writing (taught by the same adjunct faculty) the following quarter and take that course for four, six, or eight credits until they have earned sixteen credits. At that time their essay writing is finished and they are ready for a faculty review. All students include a resume, an autobiography, a narrative description of their learning, and appendices documenting that learning, such as reports or guidelines the student developed. Faculty reviewing the PLE process found the documentation to be generally more demanding than other undergraduate credit they awarded.<br />
<br />
Evergreen awards up to a maximum of forty-five PLE credits, but sixteen of those forty-five are earned in PLE document writing. They can be awarded additional credit above sixteen to achieve the full forty-five, but most are awarded less than that. Credit awards are based on documentation and students are not assured of receiving the credit that they may request at any time in this process. Credit is identified as PLE via the narrative evaluation of the student's work.<br />
<br />
The Prior Learning adjunct faculty ensures that requested credit does not duplicate credit already on the student's transcript. After the faculty team awards credit, the student receives a formal evaluation, is billed for the credit awarded, and the credit is entered on his transcript (see [[Media: ple_infopage.pdf|PLE Homepage]]).<br />
<br />
====2.A.11/12 Program additions or deletions====<br />
''Policies, regulations, and procedures for additions and deletions of courses or programs are systematically and periodically reviewed.''<br />
<br />
Evergreen has added relatively few new degree programs during the past five years<br />
and has not deleted any programs. The new programs include: <br />
<br />
*A new concentration track in Tribal Governance and Administration within the existing Master of Public Administration (MPA) program.<br />
*The Extended Education program.<br />
*A new pathway for students seeking to earn a dual Master of Public Administration and Master of Environmental Studies degree.<br />
*One additional site for the Tribal Reservation-based/Community-determined Program (RBCD).<br />
*The Master of Education (M.Ed.) program.<br />
<br />
New academic programs are vetted through the deans, planning unit coordinators, Faculty Agenda Committee, and ultimately the faculty. If approved, the provost requests board of trustee approval. <br />
<br />
The new Tribal MPA concentration and Extended Education were approved in this manner. The additional RBP site consisted of an expansion of an already approved academic program and was approved by the board of trustees.<br />
<br />
The M.Ed. had been included in the [[Media: ENROLLMENT_GROWTH_FINAL_REPORT_2005.doc|Enrollment Growth DTF Final Report 2005]] as one of three graduate programs that ought to be studied further for feasibility of implementation. Normally, approval of the M.Ed. program would have been vetted through the channels described above culminating in a faculty meeting discussion and vote. Given the unusual circumstances in which the college received funding for the M.Ed. program, this process was transposed. Essentially, the governor’s office informed Evergreen during winter break that they intended to include additional high demand enrollment growth funds for Evergreen in the state budget (funds that Evergreen did not include in its biennial budget request). This forced Evergreen’s academic administration to determine, within a very brief window of time, that the M.Ed. program was the most feasible to implement in the subsequent 07-09 biennium. This decision was immediately taken to the first faculty meeting in winter quarter for discussion. The faculty was justifiably upset that the normal a priori faculty vetting and approval process occurred after the fact, but did not actively oppose the decision to accept the funds and to initiate the new M.Ed. program. This incident illustrates the tension between the pace of internal processes and external demands on the institution and faculty governance processes.<br />
<br />
===Standard 2.B – Educational Program Planning and Assessment===<br />
''Educational program planning is based on regular and continuous assessment of programs in light of the needs of the disciplines, the fields or occupations for which programs prepare students, and other constituencies of the institution.''<br />
<br />
Evergreen has a multi-leveled, multi-faceted, and reflective culture of planning and assessment. Ongoing assessment and planning activities are regular and continuous, and each year, specific issues that arise from the ongoing processes are identified for in-depth investigation. Assessment takes place at the level of each curricular offering, at the planning unit level and during the ongoing annual processes of curriculum design, at the level of institutional research and assessment, in governance activities and work groups tasked with investigating specific issues and problems, and by individuals who want to look deeply into particular areas of interest. <br />
<br />
<br />
====2.B.1 Curriculum Assessment and Planning====<br />
''The institution's processes for assessing its educational programs are clearly defined, encompass all of its offerings, are conducted on a regular basis, and are integrated into the overall planning and evaluation plan. These processes are consistent with the institution's assessment plan as required by Policy 2.2 Educational Assessment. While key constituents are involved in the process, the faculty have a central role in planning and evaluating the educational programs.''<br />
<br />
At the level of individual curricular offerings, faculty design their programs and courses to challenge students and provide opportunities to demonstrate their learning in myriad ways such as through writing, student research, performance, testing, lab work, community-based projects, seminar, creative work, and collaborative work. Each program, course, individual contract, and internship closes with the faculty writing an evaluation of each student's work and each student writing a self-evaluation of their own work and an evaluation of the faculty. Faculty write self-evaluations of their work for their own portfolios that are integrated into faculty peer review processes. The self-evaluation and peer evaluation processes encourage deep learning and personal responsibility and provide directions for improvement and growth. (Student and faculty evaluation processes are addressed more thoroughly in Standards 2.A.9 and 4.A.5.)<br />
<br />
The curriculum at Evergreen is planned by the faculty, the academic deans, and the directors of the graduate and off-site programs. Planning units meet regularly throughout the year to discuss current issues, faculty initiatives, and future curriculum planning and staffing needs. Each planning unit has one or more faculty designated as planning unit coordinators (PUCs). The PUCs also meet regularly during the year with the curriculum deans, which serves as a space for intentional dialogue across planning units. Each summer, the dean of faculty hiring and development offers a series of planning institutes in which faculty teaching teams convene to plan the specifics of their upcoming programs, share practices, and explore mission-critical questions. The dean of first-year programs offers a special colloquium for faculty teams who will be teaching first-year programs each June. The PUCs and the academic deans each hold a summer retreat where they assess the previous year and plan for the coming year. Two faculty curriculum planning retreats are held in fall and spring where faculty get to know one another, share current scholarly interests, identify future teaching partners, and discuss pressing issues. All of these curriculum planning activities draw upon experiential data, the evolving interests of faculty and students, institutional strategic directions, data from Institutional Research and Assessment, ongoing planning unit dialogues, and the research and recommendations of work groups and disappearing task forces. (Curricular planning details can be found in Standard 2.A.7; the organizational structure and functions of planning units are elaborated in the introduction to Standard 2.C; planning institutes and faculty development are also addressed in Standard 4.A.2.) <br />
<br />
=====Role of Institutional Research and Assessment=====<br />
<br />
The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment supports the assessment and planning of educational programs through a series of regular surveys and administrative data analyses. In addition, the office convenes assessment workshops, provides existing data and collects specialized data for college work groups and task forces, responds to state-level accountability requirements, coordinates inter-institutional data-sharing and assessment activities, and supports faculty-initiated research about teaching and learning. Institutional Research and Assessment continuously refines its data collection strategies and reporting techniques to improve the usefulness of collected data for assessment and planning purposes. All of the data collection practices present in the 1998 accreditation self-study have been refined to some extent over the past decade. The overall effect of the changes in practice is that the results represent a wider range of students, research approaches and presentations are better aligned to evolving needs and goals of the college and external reporting requirements, and engagement in the results by stakeholders has improved.<br />
<br />
'''New Student Survey'''<br />
<br />
Evergreen administered the Cooperative Institutional Research Project (CIRP) freshmen survey for the last time in 2001. Students found many of the survey questions to be offensive and excessively personal. The incentive of paying each participant to complete the survey had become less effective with the response rate dropping from 38% in 1999 to only 19% in 2001. Furthermore, Institutional Research staff concurred with the recommendation of the Commission in 1998 that assessment processes should include transfer students given that they make up an even greater proportion of the incoming class than freshmen do. The CIRP excluded this important part of Evergreen's student body (see [[Media: CIRP_2001_Report.pdf|CIRP 2001 Report]]).<br />
<br />
The Institutional Research staff developed the Evergreen New Student Survey in collaboration with staff, faculty, and students. The entering class of 2003 were the first participants. The collaborative design resulted in a survey reflecting the concerns and understandings of Evergreen respondents and audiences. Subsequent revisions have been made based on feedback from faculty, staff, and students who have used the results. New first-years and transfer students are surveyed every two years, which allows time to analyze and share results. The survey has a strong response rate. In 2005, 57% of all new transfer students and 69% of all new first-years participated in the survey. Survey results have been distributed widely and many audiences have engaged in dialogue and consideration of the results. The questions collect information about the goals, expectations, confidence, demographics, intended fields of study, and college selection process specific to Evergreen. The ability to ask Evergreen-specific questions, control question refinement, achieve improved response rates, and include previously omitted transfer populations – including new Tacoma and Tribal: Reservation-based students – has been worth the trade-off of losing the national comparison which the CIRP provided (see [[Media: Nss2005results_and_questions_web_page.pdf|New Student Survey Questions 2005]]).<br />
<br />
In 2004, Evergreen participated in the pilot of the national Beginning College Student Survey (BCSS) (see [[Media: BCSS_2004_Frequencies_Evergreen.pdf|BCSS 2004 Evergreen Frequencies]]). Response rates were very low, which did not allow for strong comparison potential with its partner survey, the National Survey of Student Engagement. Given the strong response rates of the locally developed Evergreen New Student Survey and the stronger buy-in of college stakeholders, the college has not chosen to participate again in the BCSS.<br />
<br />
'''Student Experience Surveys'''<br />
<br />
A second survey, the Evergreen Student Experience Survey, was developed as a companion survey to the Evergreen New Student Survey. The Evergreen Experience Survey is administered every other spring to collect feedback from students about their learning growth, fields of study, satisfaction with experiences, use of campus resources, and other variables of interest to particular committees and interest groups at Evergreen. The survey is administered to a random sample of undergraduates, stratified by class standing, and to a targeted oversample that includes all remaining respondents to the New Student Survey and all Tribal: Reservation-based program students. Students are assigned a common sample identification number to allow for longitudinal analysis of the relationship between incoming goals and characteristics from the New Student Survey and subsequent experiences collected through the Evergreen Experience Survey and Alumni Surveys (see [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Methodology.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 Methodology]]). Over the three administrations of the survey, questions have been added to the survey to respond to the needs of newer work groups, such as the Sustainability Task Force and Curricular Visions Disappearing Task Force.<br />
<br />
Evergreen has participated annually in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) since 2000. This survey collects a set of data from first-year students and seniors related to student engagement and satisfaction with learning growth. For a national survey, it has a surprising relevance, in that many of the teaching and learning experiences addressed by the survey are common, mission-related practices at Evergreen. In addition, NSSE provides the opportunity to understand our students' feedback relative to three comparison groups each year. This context is especially important, since our local new student, student experience, and alumni surveys do not provide external reference. NSSE data are used for accountability measures with the Higher Education Coordinating Board and as supplemental indicators of learning for our general education assessment; both of these purposes make the external comparisons especially useful (see [[Media: Trends%2C_Highlights%2C_and_NSSE_Accountability_Performance_Indicators_2001-2007.pdf|NSSE Trends, Highlights, and Accountability Performance Indicators 2001-2007]]). <br />
<br />
Evergreen had been locally administering the learning growth index of the College Student Experience Questionnaire (CSEQ) on an annual basis and using selected results for an earlier iteration of Washington performance accountability. Evergreen administered that survey for a final time in 2003 (see [[Media:CSEQ_2003_Learning Index.pdf|CSEQ 2003 Learning Index]]). By that time, the college had sufficient experience with NSSE to understand its effectiveness in engaging college stakeholders in the assessment, and the Office of Institutional Research implemented the Evergreen Student Experience Survey in spring 2004.<br />
<br />
In spring 2005, all Evergreen faculty who taught undergraduates during academic year 2004-05 were asked to participate in the NSSE’s companion survey, the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE). The results of the student NSSE survey and the faculty FSSE provided the opportunity to explore the relationship between faculty and student perceptions of Evergreen. Faculty self-identified on the survey as to whether they primarily taught lower-division, upper-division, or "other" students. The most useful analysis of Evergreen's results was a comparison of the twenty-one lower-division faculty members to the results for first-year students (see [[Media: Evergreen_Faculty_and_Student_Responses_to_Surveys_of_Student_Engagement_-_Lower-division_Comparison.pdf|Evergreen Faculty and Student Responses to Surveys of Student Engagement - Lower-division Comparison 2005]]).<br />
<br />
'''Alumni Surveys'''<br />
<br />
The regular series of Evergreen undergraduate alumni surveys are the least changed since the last ten-year self-study. Washington State's Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) no longer requires its public baccalaureate institutions to conduct biannual alumni surveys, but external incentives are not necessary to recognize the importance to the college of seeking alumni feedback. Institutional Research and Assessment continues to administer the following:<br />
<br />
*Biannual Alumni Surveys, one-year after graduation (see [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2004.pdf|Alumni Survey 2004]])<br />
<br />
*Greeners at Work, every four years which surveys alumni three years after graduation and their current employers (see [[Media: Greeners_at_Work_2003_-_Alumni_and_Employers_Three_Years_After_Graduation.pdf|Greeners at Work 2003 - Alumni and Employers Three Years After Graduation]])<br />
<br />
*Five-year and Ten-year Alumni Survey, once per accreditation cycle (see [[Media: Five-Year_Alumni_Survey_-_Advanced_Education%2C_Employment%2C_Volunteerism%2C_and_Reflections_on_an_Evergreen_Education.pdf|Five-Year Alumni Survey - Advanced Education, Employment, Volunteerism, and Reflections on an Evergreen Education]])<br />
<br />
Alumni surveys are now administered via the Web with paper survey follow-up for non-respondents. Response rates with these methods continue to be about 30% of the locatable members of the graduating class, despite discontinuing the telephone completion option. The list of self-reported learning outcomes has been updated and aligned with the Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate and Evergreen's other longitudinal surveys. Employment data collection has been refined to allow for the complexity of alumni employment activities and to allow categorization and comparison in terms of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Standard Occupational Classification codes. Since 2002, the survey is requested from the entire graduating class and is no longer limited to graduates of the Olympia campus. Volunteer activities of alumni are now captured by the survey. Graduate school acceptance, as opposed to simply attendance, is collected and is a new legislatively mandated performance measure. Results are disaggregated by the alumni-reported primary planning unit of their studies at Evergreen and for off-campus sites as possible given staffing and sample size constraints. An unfortunate side-effect of the removal of alumni surveys from the HECB accountability agenda is that the "14 common items" that were previously shared by our public baccalaureate peers are no longer collected and shared between institutions. Each institution exercised the freedom to update the series of alumni learning growth items to better align with their own educational objectives. Thus, each institution has more mission-specific learning outcome data from alumni, but they lost a peer context through which to explore their results. <br />
<br />
'''General Education Assessment'''<br />
<br />
New techniques were developed by the Assessment Study Group in academic year 2001-02 to assess the implementation of the new general education initiatives. The End-of-Program Review instrument collects information from all programs as to whether they included work in art, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, quantitative reasoning, writing, critical thinking, and information technology literacy. Advising practices were collected during the first few years. Based on the evolving emphases of the Evergreen community, several new data collection elements have been added to include oppression, privilege, and difference; opportunities for advanced work; community-based learning/service learning; and most recently sustainability. Results of the annual End-of-Program Review are presented in Standard 2.C.3 as evidence of the teaching of general education. <br />
<br />
A team of faculty, staff, and a student developed a rubric based on the Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate that was used in summers of 2002 and 2005 to assess a random sample of transcripts of graduates. A credit equivalency analysis was also conducted on the set of transcripts. The transcript review is the primary method of assessing learning outcomes related to general education at Evergreen. The review will take place every four years to allow changes in practice and curriculum to be evidenced in the transcripts. A set of indicators of learning in terms of the Expectations were identified from surveys of students and alumni to supplement the information obtained from the transcript review activities. Learning outcomes are detailed in Standard 2.B.2.<br />
<br />
'''Administrative Data Analysis'''<br />
<br />
Administrative data analysis is an integral aspect of the overall assessment strategy. Annual analyses of the curriculum; student retention and graduation rates; and demographics of students, faculty, and staff are shared through the Web site, targeted presentations, and with various external audiences. Institutional Research has been a key participant in providing data for the college's development of new dashboard indicator metrics for senior staff and the governing board (see [[Media: Dashboard.pdf|Dashboard Indicators]]). Periodic in-depth analysis of faculty-student load is also undertaken. These regular processes are continually expanded to include new programs and areas of interest. Most recently, new processes have been developed to track data about the Extended Education program, revised demographic definitions for low-income and first-generation students, and specific analyses for each of the graduate programs. Survey results are often linked to administrative variables in order to explore potential differences in student and alumni experiences. In-depth analysis is also conducted to understand the impact of new initiatives and major changes in policy e.g. raising the credit limit or implementing a new graduate degree pathway. <br />
<br />
'''External Data Resources'''<br />
<br />
External data resources have been incorporated into research and analysis approaches. The National Student Clearinghouse is used annually to explore the enrollment of prospective students who were offered admission to Evergreen but chose not to attend. These data help identify institutions with applicant overlap for different student market groups. This resource has also been used to explore the subsequent enrollment of former Evergreen students, such as non-retained students and alumni. The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) peer analysis database, the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) annual data-sharing process (see [[Media: COPLAC DataProfile AY05-06.pdf|COPLAC Data Profile AY05-06]]), and annual participation in the Consortium for Student Retention Data Exchange (see [[Media: CSRDE Freshman Graduation Rates.pdf|First-time, First-year Cohort Graduation Rates]]) provide sources to explore Evergreen’s demographics and performance indicators. These sources are used to set accountability targets, research potential peer groups, and benchmark Evergreen performance. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and Law School Admission (LSAT) scores of Evergreen alumni were obtained in response to prospective student inquiries (see [[Media: GRE Results 2002-2006.pdf|GRE Results 2002-2006]] and [[Media: LSAT scores 2001-2006.pdf|LSAT Scores 2001-2006]]).<br />
<br />
Institutional Research and Assessment also participates in a variety of ongoing state-level research, assessment, and accountability initiatives. Some activities are ongoing regular work such as the accountability process coordinated by the Higher Education Coordinating Board, serving on the Public Centralized Higher Education Enrollment Statistics (PCHEES) Steering Committee, Statewide Institutional Research Directors, Statewide Assessment Coordinators, and workgroups associated with the new legislatively mandated Education Research Data Center. As a public baccalaureate institution, Evergreen also participates in other special statewide projects, such as the Statewide Transfer Study, Writing Assessment Project, Graduate Follow-up Study, Transitions Math Project, Workforce Board Alumni Wage Match, and other periodic research. Staff participate annually in the Pacific Northwest Teaching and Learning Conference to share Evergreen assessment results, build relationships with other professionals, and learn about emerging practices. State-level research activities support practice sharing and strategic thinking across institutions and educational sectors.<br />
<br />
'''Special Projects'''<br />
<br />
Each year as new committees and task forces are charged by college administrators, Institutional Research and Assessment connects relevant data to the workgroups. Excerpts are drawn from the rich collection of existing data generated through regular institutional assessment activities and often conducting or supporting additional specialized research in support of the work. Recent examples of workgroups that used Institutional Research data in their work include the Diversity task force, First-year Experience task force, ''Beginning the Journey'', Sustainability work group, Campus Spaces Assessment, Enrollment Growth task force, and Curricular Visions DTF. (For example, see [[Media: Curricular Visions Data_Exhibits.pdf|Curricular Visions Data Exhibits]]). In addition, the office provides grant-related research for National Science Foundation scholarship grants, TRIO Student Support Services, and the Lumina Foundation grant supporting new Tribal Program activities. As staff time and resources allow, the office supports other specialized queries and research initiated by deans, faculty, staff, and students.<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s institutional researchers also participate in other occasional national educational quality improvement projects, including Symposia on Diversity in the Sciences, Documenting Effective Educational Practices, Campus Compact community-based learning/service learning coalition, and Consortium for Innovative Environments in Learning (CIEL).<br />
<br />
=====Planning Unit Self-Assessments=====<br />
<br />
The following sections serve as a demonstration of how data are integrated in planning and program assessment. Each planning unit provides a self-assessment of its primary themes and educational objectives and integrates evidence from faculty experience, planning unit dialogues, curriculum analyses, and surveys of alumni and students to explore how well they are acheiving their goals.<br />
<br />
<br />
======Culture, Text, and Language======<br />
<br />
'''Theme and Mission''' <br />
<br />
The Culture, Text, and Language planning unit organizes itself around the study of culture as webs of meaning that individuals and groups create to make sense of their experience in the world, around a diverse range of texts as embodiments of these meanings, and around languages both as means of communication and as carriers of transformative potential. The faculty and students design work together to create living links between their past and their present, in order to become, in the words of Charles McCann, Evergreen’s first president, “undogmatic citizens and uncomplacently confident individuals in a changing world.” <br />
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The area provides four direct and distinctive contributions to the college. It directly supports student engagement with the five foci and the achievement of the six expectations through the provision of skills and capacities for critical thinking, reading, writing, and interpretation. It offers students an opportunity to do focused work in humanities and interpretive social science. It provides strong support for general education through its support for Core and all-level programs. And it provides an orientation to a global worldview through its language and culture programs and its attention to larger questions of ethics and action. The planning unit organizes nearly all of the advanced humanities, and much of the interpretive social sciences at Evergreen.<br />
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'''Faculty and Programs''' <br />
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Faculty in the area cover a wide range of humanities and interpretive social science disciplines including: literature, history, women’s studies, philosophy, religion, classics, art history, linguistics, anthropology, sociology, politics, folklore, creative writing, French, Spanish, Russian, and Japanese. <br />
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'''Interdisciplinary Programs'''<br />
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Typically the faculty offer several interdisciplinary, theme-based programs, inclusive inter-area programs offered in teams with a diverse range of faculty from other planning units. Themes in these programs explore the social origins and meanings of a broad array of questions in the arts, social sciences, and environmental studies. CTL offers a curriculum based in diverse cultures and languages so that students have opportunity to learn about shared legacies and significant differences across issues of race, class, sexuality, and gender. The area offers interdisciplinary studies dealing with these issues in the context of community and historical studies that include service work or research that draws upon interpretive social science. The planning unit also provides opportunity for studies in philosophy, European history, British and American literature, and other literature in translation. Many of the programs are area studies understood as the interdisciplinary study of topics framed by geography, language, culture, and history. These programs usually provide opportunity for study abroad, and a complex combination of language and culture studies. The planning unit is committed to offering regular language and culture programs in American studies, French language and the Francophone world, Japan, Middle East studies, Russian language and Eastern Europe, Spanish and the Hispanic world. <br />
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'''Introductory Programs'''<br />
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Language-based programs are available to students in their sophomore year and typically offer both introductory and advanced language study. CTL as a whole does not have a single repeating introductory offering, but builds introductory work in library and qualitative field research, critical thinking, essay writing, and issues of complex and layered reading into all-level programs which admit freshman through senior students, and sophomore-level programs that emphasize similar skills. Sophomore entry and all-level programs in the area support the development of distinct skills in such areas as languages, historical method, and literary interpretation. They also provide broad support for and help students see the importance of interpretation and the creation of cultural meaning as a social process. Creative expression of complex social and personal experience and effective communication of these experiences is fostered in most programs. All CTL programs report an emphasis on critical thinking and 93% report a major emphasis. Critical thinking in CTL focuses particularly around issues of analysis of texts and synthesis of ideas, as well as critiques and argument and diverse perspectives ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Critical_Thinking_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Critical Thinking by Planning Unit]]). All of these capacities directly support meeting the Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate. <br />
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While the exact percentages vary from year to year, CTL faculty members are consistently among the most committed to inter-area teaching both in Core and in inter-area programs. During the review period, CTL provided nearly 40% or more of its faculty to teaching in either Core or inter-area programs ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]). The widespread involvement of area faculty in inter-area and Core programs helps to support general education expectations of exposure and engagement of students across the curriculum with issues of writing, interpretation, and expression.<br />
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'''Pathways'''<br />
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Pathways in CTL exist primarily within those sections of the curriculum dealing with language and culture. The existence of introductory language classes in the Evening and Weekend Studies program, the use of area studies programs especially in French and Spanish, and the provision of some support for advanced work through one-faculty programs and contract work constitute a pathway that has been effective for many students. The difficulty of providing more than two years of language training has been a serious issue for the development of language and culture pathways. <br />
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Other areas in the curriculum are less systematically organized, but there is the capacity to do both work that supplements and broadens original entry-level work, and opportunities to do more advanced work in small one-person programs. Often groups of students who have formed particular attachments to subject matter and each other form a cohort of students in a series of programs leading to advanced work. Individual students can and often do find advanced contract work, either individual work or small student originated study groups engaged in contracts with a single faculty member. <br />
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'''Student Response to the Curriculum'''<br />
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Over the past five years CTL has carried an average of 400 FTE per year in programs within the planning unit and has contributed an average 305 additional FTE in Core and inter-area programs ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]). The area has typically been among the most consistent contributors of faculty to Core and inter-area programs and has in recent years been a location of a great number of all-level programs. In some measure these tendencies reflect the propensity of the area to take on broad issues and develop thematic programs that pull into conversation a variety of disciplines, rather than attention to what at most schools would be seen as survey courses. Further the relative lack of curricular hierarchy within the area and the willingness of faculty to work with younger students to include them in the conversation has allowed for an expansion of all-level programs in the area. <br />
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Clearly humanities teaching occurs widely across the curriculum and is not restricted exclusively to the programs of CTL. The EPR data for 2001-02 to 2005-06 show that between 81% and 86% of all programs included elements of humanities and that a significant majority of those programs (55-67%) had a major substantive interest in the humanities. Major elements of humanities are embedded in CTL, Expressive Arts (EA), Evening/Weekend, inter-area, and often Core programs. More minor elements of humanities show up in Scientific Inquiry (SI), Environmental Studies (ES), and Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change (SPBC) where humanities content was much more often illustrative of issues rather than the subject of direct inquiry. To further confuse issues, the fact that there are both humanities faculty and social science faculty within the area means that often programs within CTL may not necessarily be humanities programs. <br />
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'''Alumni Survey Data'''<br />
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A critical mode of assessing the work of the area is satisfaction of area graduates with their experience. All data in this discussion are drawn from the 2006 Alumni Survey of the class of 2004-05 – the latest set of data on alumni satisfaction. Alumni are self-identified as having done their primary work in CTL ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Culture%2C_Text%2C_and_Language.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Culture, Text, and Language]]). Overall, students report very high rates of satisfaction with Evergreen’s contribution to their academic and personal growth. In twenty-one of twenty-four aspects of their Evergreen work, more than 80% of CTL alumni were somewhat to very satisfied with their experience. Students were most satisfied with their capacity to work independently, followed by participation in class discussions, understanding different philosophies and cultures, knowledge of a broad range of subjects, capacity for critical analysis, and working cooperatively in groups. For 15 of 24 categories, mean satisfaction was four or better on a five-point scale. Students gave low marks for their perceived readiness for a career and for their capacity to use mathematical and scientific principles. <br />
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When alumni were directly asked their satisfaction with Evergreen experiences, more than 90% reported being somewhat or very satisfied with interdisciplinary education, faculty narrative evaluation, quality of instruction, the education they were able to construct, self-evaluation process, individual contracts, community service, culminating projects, internships, and study abroad. Students were most dissatisfied with opportunities for advanced undergraduate work, tolerance for different or opposing views, and advice from faculty. <br />
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In terms of ten work-related skills, a plurality of CTL alumni rated themselves as "good" in four categories and "excellent" in six more. Evergreen was seen as contributing to some extent or a great deal in all skill areas with particular help in the development of skills in creative thinking, independence and initiative, and willingness and aptitude to learn new skills. They saw themselves as learners with an ability and willingness to take on new tasks. <br />
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In terms of employment, 78.5% of the CTL alumni were employed one year after graduation compared with 84% of all alumni. Of those employed, 69.3% of CTL alumni were employed in an area that was at least somewhat related to their area of primary study at Evergreen. 75.8% of employed CTL alumni felt that their Evergreen experience had prepared them adequately or very well for their current positions. <br />
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In terms of graduate or professional school, 32% of CTL alumni applied to graduate/professional school within one year of graduation. Of twenty-four alumni who applied, twenty-one had been offered admission (87.5%) and three applications were pending. Of seventy-nine CTL alumni, nineteen attended or are currently attending graduate or professional school within one year of graduation. The nineteen alumni were continuing their work in Washington (eleven), other states (six), and internationally (two). Two had enrolled in graduate studies at Evergreen in this time frame. The rate of 25% of alumni going directly to graduate school was slightly higher than the 21% of all Evergreen alumni respondents who entered graduate school in this period.<br />
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'''Issues''' <br />
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The most pressing issue in the area is number of faculty. The number of faculty members affiliated with the area has declined from a high of forty-nine active full-time teaching members in the 1997-98 school year to twenty-eight active full-time teaching members in the 2007-08 school year. If we restrict the range from 1998-99 to 2006-07, the loss is 46 to 30. (Data from catalogs for 1998-99, 2006-07, 2007-08 and faculty retention master list.) Obviously, the area has suffered significant attrition during the past ten years. This attrition affected two broad tendencies in the area. First, the planning unit in its formation in 1995 drew heavily on a pool of older experienced faculty who saw this area as the most open and creative location for “traditional” coordinated study work. This group of faculty formed the creative heart of the early years of the college. Many of these people were not obviously humanities hires in terms of training, but all addressed themselves and pushed the college to address issues from a deeply humanist perspective. (For a clear sense of the loss that this transition has signified for the area and the college please read [[Media: Grissom_Humanities at Evergreen_2007.pdf|Tom Grissom on Humanities at Evergreen – Emeritus Ceremony 2007]]). Over the past ten years, nearly all of these people have retired. This has meant that these positions have reverted to the faculty-wide pool of positions. <br />
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Once the area is competing faculty-wide, a second tendency develops from the propensity of the area to see its curriculum as addressing broad themes and issues and the consequent refusal of the area to define its curriculum in ordered hierarchical patterns (with the partial exception of language programs). This has meant that the area has had a difficult time asserting the need for any particular position in order to meet the demands of a particular field of study. Thus, until very recently, the area has not been particularly effective in obtaining positions from the faculty-wide pool. Even with the institution-wide recognition of a need for more humanities hires in the last two years, the area has serious issues in terms of hiring in support of Spanish, American history, religion, American literature, art history, creative writing, and philosophy. The efforts of the curriculum deans during the 2007-08 school year to reorganize the roles of planning units by diversifying the locations for the identification of possible hires and by creating inter-divisional positions has begun to make some inroads on this problem. In addition the area has entered into conversations that have explicitly addressed CTL's role, its rationale, and the implications of that role for new hires. <br />
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Related to this set of issues is the development and continuity of teaching in languages. This issue is connected to the choice of languages to be taught, the support of these languages within the full-time faculty, and the relation of full-time teaching to part-time language offerings. Recently the college has moved to support the teaching of Russian by adding a second faculty member in Russian history and is moving to hire a second classics hire to support the teaching of Latin and ancient Greek. Yet there is clearly a need to hire additional support in Spanish and there are complex questions about how to support languages that are occasionally included within repeating language and culture programs, e.g. Arabic, Chinese, or Gaelic.<br />
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But the call for more faculty members in the area is only part of the issue. While it is indeed the case that the area “needs” more faculty members in a wide range of subject areas, the area also need more people who have the capacity to bring to programs a broad sense of inquiry about fundamental questions such as what it means to be human and to engage in the making of culture and social life. While such a formulation is vague and very broad, it points at the central issue of liberal arts education; the development of reflexive and engaged thinkers. This sensibility is characteristic of Evergreen students and graduates. It is a way of being that asks students not just to know a particular skills, or a specific piece of information, but to synthesize, reflect, critically analyze, and engage knowledge as it affects students as individuals and as members of groups and the political universe. If the area is going to continue to lead in the creation of such students across the campus, it needs faculty members who can inspire such broad views, not simply those who possess specific disciplinary skills and knowledge. <br />
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Finally the area needs to clarify and advocate for its central mission. The essential nature of the questions of cultural and personal meaning, the critical nature of language and interpretation, and the central responsibility to engage the world in a way that speaks to values and choices that lie at the heart of humanistic studies need to be seen as essential to all of the work at the college. The area needs colleagues in other planning units to see the importance of these questions and potential students to see the value in these studies. This will require us to articulate what the planning unit can do and what it can offer both in terms of general education and in terms of breadth and complexity of experience within the area and across the college.<br />
<br />
======Environmental Studies======<br />
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'''Theme and Mission'''<br />
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The Environmental Studies planning unit is organized around the study of the interactions between human systems and the natural world in order to support and sustain both. Environmental Studies includes both natural and social sciences and provides students with the opportunity to:<br />
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* Qualitatively and quantitatively investigate the chemical, physical and biological elements that define terrestrial and marine ecosystems;<br />
* Understand the physical systems that underlie life on Earth;<br />
* Understand the nature, development and interactions of human societies with the environment;<br />
* Examine the richness and limits of environmental and social resources available to sustain both human and natural systems; and<br />
* Engage in applied research and work to develop skills that support this effort.<br />
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Environmental Studies utilizes Evergreen’s full-time modes of study to provide a curriculum that emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning in field and community studies. The area is deeply committed to the engagement of students with active efforts to find scientific, social, and personal understanding of and responses to ecological destruction.<br />
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'''Faculty and Programs'''<br />
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The Environmental Studies faculty have a wide range of training in environmental chemistry, geology, hydrology, botany, marine science, sustainability, ecology, vertebrate biology, land use and environmental planning, forest and plant ecology, cultural/ecological anthropology, geography, zoology, evolutionary biology, entomology, environmental health, law and policy, environmental economics, forest ecology, community studies, agriculture, ornithology, conservation, and ecological agriculture. Faculty members in the Environmental Studies area are shared with the Master in Environmental Studies Program and provide a wide range of resources for students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. In the 1998-99 school year there were twenty-six full-time regular faculty actively teaching in the area. In 2006-07 school year the number was twenty-seven. While the numbers are stable, the personnel of the area has changed significantly with eleven new hires over the period. It is important to note that four to six faculty each year teach in the Master in Environmental Studies program.<br />
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Environmental Studies offers introductory work at the freshman and sophomore level and more advanced work in three major areas: Human Communities and the Environment, Natural History, and Environmental Science. Environmental Studies is the one planning unit where interdivisional work is the central core of the unit. Thus while three major areas are identified, teaching in the area very often deliberately and necessarily integrates natural science and social science (particularly policy) issues into its offerings at all levels. In addition to the work directly identified in the area, the campus-wide initiatives in sustainability (see the President’s Sustainability task force and the faculty initiative on sustainability and social justice) have significant implications for work that is broadly environmental across the curriculum.<br />
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'''Introductory Program'''<br />
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The area teaches two sophomore or all-level two-quarter programs that serve as useful introductions to major concepts, techniques and foci of study within the area. In addition, the area often teaches a Core program that provides a strong introduction to the unit’s work. These programs are deliberately kept relatively small (usually one social science and one science faculty member and fifty students) in order to accommodate field trips and the use of laboratory facilities, and to provide somewhat different foci for students entering the area with differing concerns. The central issue in introductory programs is to help students develop a complex multi-disciplinary understanding of environmental issues and to begin to acquire the scientific tools and social scientific understandings that will allow them to work effectively as practitioners or more generally as citizens. In addition to these programs, the Introduction to Natural Sciences program offered by SI provides a very useful alternative entry point. Environmental Studies is a major contributor to the fulfillment of general education goals at the college. The 2006-07 EPR data shows 100% of area programs included some mathematics in their work with nearly 45% reporting extensive to moderate uses of mathematics. Even more clearly, 100% of the programs in Environmental Studies reported extensive scientific work. The strong scientific and social scientific base of the area helps push students who arrive with simply “a love of nature” into thinking precisely in scientific, often mathematical terms and in terms of a sophisticated political economy of environmental issues ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math by Planning Unit]], [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences Overview]], and [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Social_Sciences_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Social Sciences by Planning Unit]]).<br />
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'''Pathways'''<br />
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The area groups its offerings under three major headings. These headings include both repeating programs and annual programs and often involve students in inter-area work that supports their understandings of major issues. The first deals with Human Communities and the Environment. These programs have a strong emphasis on issues involving environmental policy, economics, history, geography and law, multi-cultural perspectives, planning, design and ecological agriculture. Programs in these areas often involve community study and advanced work in group projects. Second, natural history – the focus on observation, identification and interpretation of flora and fauna using scientific field methods as a primary approach – is one of the unique strengths of Environmental Studies at Evergreen. Full-time studies provide the opportunity to do introductory and advanced fieldwork at sites throughout the United States as well as in Central America. Studies in botany, ecology, entomology, geography, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate evolution, mammalogy, herpetology, mycology, and ornithology are undertaken in support of understanding ecology and biodiversity. Finally, Environmental Sciences engages students in the study of the underlying mechanism and structure of natural systems both living and non-living. Students are involved in a wide array of laboratory and field studies including biology, geology, chemistry, climatology, evolutionary biology, forest ecology, hydrology, marine biology, and oceanography. Students who intend to focus in the environmental sciences are encouraged to participate in such programs in SI as ''Introduction to Natural Sciences'','' Molecule to Organism'', and ''Environmental Analysis'' regularly offered programs beyond the introductory level include: ''Practice of Sustainable Agriculture, Animal Behavior, Ecological Agriculture, Hydrology, Marine Life, Plant Ecology and Taxonomy, Temperate Rain Forests'', and ''Tropical Rain Forests''. Students in this concentration often work toward a BS or combined BA/BS degree.<br />
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'''Enrollment and Student Response to the Area'''<br />
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Environmental Studies is one of the primary fields of interest identified by both new first-year and transfer students who made a choice. In the 2006 New Student Survey, fully 16.4% of all first-year students identified Natural Resources and Conservation as their primary interest, making it the second most popular field of study at the college. Among out-of-state students, Natural Resources and Conservation was the most popular option with over 30% of students identifying this choice. Given the significance of out of state enrollment to the college budget, having broad environmentally appealing first-year programs makes both pedagogical and fiscal sense. Among transfer students both in and out of state, Natural Resources and Conservation was the third most popular choice of fields of study. On the most recent Evergreen Student Experience survey, 8.3% of respondents who identified one planning unit as an area of focus chose Environmental Studies. Another 5.7% of students had Environmental Studies as one of multiple choices ([[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail First-time, First-years]], <br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_Transfer_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail Transfer Students]]).<br />
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The area has generated between 300 and 400 FTE per year since the 1998-99 school year. The contribution to Core programs has varied widely over the time with a high of 100 FTE in 2002-03 and a low of twenty-seven FTE two years later. The area’s contribution to inter-area programs has hovered between thirty and sixty FTE with a high of eighty FTE in the 2005-06 school year. In only one of the years from 1998-99 did the area contribute at least 40% to Core and Inter-area programs. In part, the relatively weak showing in these segments of the curriculum reflects a choice to respond to demand for advanced work in the area ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]).<br />
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'''Alumni Survey Data'''<br />
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The last major survey of alumni was the 2006 review of 2004-05 graduates. The data cited in this section comes from this survey ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Environmental_Studies.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Environmental Studies]]).<br />
The survey demonstrated a very high level of satisfaction with the Evergreen experience on the part of alumni who identified Environmental Studies as one primary area of studies. On a four-point scale "very satisfied," the highest category, was the modal score on all but one of 14 categories. Overall, the quality of instruction and the interdisciplinary approach to instruction were ranked highest. The 60% of respondents who had participated in internships and 75% who had participated in contracts and individual research work with faculty ranked these experiences very highly. The 40% who had studied abroad were also very satisfied with their learning from these experiences. Students were less satisfied with senior culminating experiences, academic advice from faculty, learning interactions with other students, and the tolerance shown for opposing viewpoints.<br />
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When asked about Evergreen’s contribution to their own growth, “learning independently” followed immediately by “working cooperatively in a group” occupied the first two positions. All of the rankings had a mean of 3.33 or better on a five-point scale. The lowest score was of “readiness for a career.” That is ironic since 90% of graduates indicated they were employed and 65.7% of these said that their work was "somewhat in" or "in" their primary field of study at Evergreen. Nearly 78% of employed Environmental Studies alumni felt that their Evergreen experience had prepared them adequately or very well for their current positions. <br />
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In terms of ten work-related skills, a plurality of Environmental Studies alumni rated themselves as good in six categories and excellent in four more. Evergreen was seen as contributing to some extent or a great deal in all skill areas with particular help in the development of skills in effective communication, independence and initiative, and research skills. <br />
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In terms of graduate or professional school, 18.4% of ES alumni applied to graduate/professional school within one year of graduation. Of seven alumni who applied five had been offered admission (71.4%) and two had been denied. Of forty-one ES alumni, four attended or are currently attending graduate or professional school within one year of graduation. The four alumni were continuing their work in Washington (three), and internationally (one). Two had enrolled in graduate studies at Evergreen in this time frame. The rate of 10.5% of alumni going directly to graduate school was lower than the 21% of all Evergreen alumni respondents who entered graduate school in this period.<br />
<br />
'''Issues'''<br />
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Environmental Studies confronts two significant issues as it moves forward. The first is simply to replace retiring faculty and expand the hiring of new faculty who can support the present offerings of the area and their growth. In particular, the college’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2020, the sustainability initiative, and the faculty sustainability and social justice curriculum initiative create the need for a revived commitment to community organization, architectural design, land use planning, environmental economics, and policy. These areas, which were major elements of the first years of the college, have diminished within the curriculum. A hiring effort that sustains the social science side of the area is crucial as the area takes on policy initiatives as a part of the undergraduate program. Finding a way to engage, support, and guide the sustainability initiatives is a major task that is made a bit more difficult by the necessity to include a significant number of the area’s social science faculty in the MES program. Finally, the disproportionate number of Environmental Studies faculty members who have taken on administrative duties at the college over the past 20 years has meant that there have been and continue to be significant impacts on the ability of the area to offer its curriculum. Replacement hiring for long term (three-to-eight-year) administrative appointments should be a matter of course.<br />
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A second major issue is teaching, logistics, and facilities support. The area needs better and more consistent maintenance and support for teaching facilities. Current requests from the area are for a greenhouse facility to support botany, agriculture, and organismal biology. Other ongoing projects include planning for an aquarium and a forest canopy walkway. In addition to the building of these facilities, better coordination, planning, repair, and maintenance of such facilities as the Organic Farm and teaching gardens is a high priority.<br />
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Beyond this, current faculty student ratios make it very difficult to do significant fieldwork without support of knowledgeable teaching partners. This reality has been a major force in pushing upper division work into smaller and more specific one-person, one-quarter programs. To create a more interdisciplinary upper division program, and in particular to allow collaboration between faculty who have very different backgrounds and knowledge (field science and social science), it is important to make upper division or graduate assistants available to help with both the logistics and the instruction in the field. This issue is shared (as indeed the facilities and technicians are shared) with Scientific Inquiry.<br />
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Finally, the area needs to provide a consistent presence in the first-year curriculum. The college has a strong reputation in Environmental Studies, particularly though not exclusively in natural history and field studies. The fact that in many years Environmental Studies was weakly represented in the curriculum at the Core level may well discourage students from attending the college. In particular, the lack of first-year options may discourage first-time, first-year students from out of state, 30% of whom identify ES as their first choice field.<br />
<br />
======Expressive Arts======<br />
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'''Themes and Mission'''<br />
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Expressive Arts provides an opportunity for students to undertake significant rigorous work in visual, performing, and media arts within the context of a liberal arts education. The work of the area is designed to provide an opportunity for students to gain skills and experiences in the arts that both encourage collaborative work and the application of theoretical questions to the practice of making art. Programs emphasize the development of hands-on skills in the arts within the context of theme-based programs. The planning unit sees creative work as a central element in a broad, liberal arts education. Thus students in the arts are often required to do work outside the arts for admission to arts programs and interdisciplinary work is incorporated into arts programs. The area has high student demand and controls access to many arts programs quite rigorously through portfolios and prerequisites. In the years since the last review, the area has made significant and successful efforts to develop programs that more widely integrate arts across the curriculum. The unit has made significant efforts to provide increased opportunity for building writing and quantitative reasoning skills into their programs while continuing to emphasize the provision of visual media and performance literacies. The emphasis on projects that involve hands-on work helps students develop a sense of their own work and their own engagement with the techniques and skills that area programs provide. The planning unit emphasizes the development of learning communities within the programs that help students develop responsible and useful critical responses to each others work. These aspects of the area’s work help connect it directly to the expectations. <br />
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The Expressive Arts planning unit, supplemented by courses in Evening and Weekend Studies, provides nearly all of the advanced teaching in the arts with the exception of creative writing. Yet significant amounts of work in the arts occurs across the college with 66% of all programs reporting at least some work in the arts and CTL and inter-area programs reporting well over 80% of their programs reporting work in the arts. There is incredible variety of use of the arts in the college’s programs, and faculty across the college have worked hard to include some experience with arts in their programs ( [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Art_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Art by Planning Unit]], [[Media: Art_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Art Across the Curriculum]], and [[Media: Art%2C_A_Supplement.pdf|Art, A Supplement]]).<br />
<br />
'''Faculty and Programs'''<br />
<br />
The Expressive Arts planning unit is divided into sub-areas that not only plan somewhat independently, but also provide distinct curricula in visual arts, media, and performance. The Expressive Arts area, like the Scientific Inquiry area, has worked very had over the years to develop and systematically staff its offerings. Each sub-area offers a yearlong introductory program, and both individual and group opportunities for more advanced work. The planning unit as a whole systematically supports individual contracts and senior thesis work in the arts with personnel and funds. Currently there are twenty-four full-time faculty actively teaching associated with the area. At the time of the last review there were twenty-three. While there have been seven new hires over the period, nearly all of these faculty have been hired to replace retired faculty, rather than to open new initiatives. <br />
<br />
The Moving Image Group (MIG) sub-area sees media production as a fundamentally interdisciplinary activity. Five faculty members are associated with this sub-area. The pedagogy that develops from this interdisciplinary perspective links theoretical understanding and critical analysis of images with the practice of working together to create new images. The group focuses its work on non-fiction film and video and supports work in animation, multi-media, performance, and installation. The sub-area is confronted by continually and rapidly evolving technology. The constant revisions of formats, equipment, and access have challenged the area’s faculty and staff. The remodel of the media facilities in the library has caused considerable disruption. However, it will be a significant support of the area when it is finished in the fall of 2009. <br />
<br />
The Visual and Environmental Arts sub-area organizes around the recognition that in an increasingly complex and visually oriented society, the visual arts and environmental design have a vital role in all aspects of culture. Curricular offerings address critical analysis of visual culture, strategies for visual thinking and communication, and the role of creative expression in addressing social and environmental problems. The sub-area provides full-time interdisciplinary, theme-based programs as well as specifically focused studio work for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students. Facilities support drawing, art history, painting, printmaking, photography (analog and digital), sculpture (wood and metal), sustainable design, fine metals, fibers, ceramics, installation, and performance art. Many faculty teaching in the sub-area teach skills in multiple areas. Currently there are ten full-time faculty, four full-time staff (to manage facilities in wood and metal, printmaking, and photography), one half-time staff (for ceramics) and six to eight adjunct faculty teaching in Evening and Weekend Studies and Extended Education. Most part-time studies are skill-oriented. The area has recently completed a redesign of its curricular pathways and looks forward to collaborative longer-term planning for the full-time and part-time curriculum with arts faculty in Evening and Weekend Studies.<br />
<br />
Performing Arts offers work in theater, music, and dance. The sub-area currently has nine faculty members (four music, two dance, three theater) and is supported in its efforts by four theater staff and two full-time building staff. The area supports interdisciplinary performance work, inter-arts work, and disciplinary work. Faculty emphasize commonalities between the performance disciplines and collaborative project work. Programs stress the role and function of the performing arts in human culture and history; they also investigate social and political situations. In recent years there has been significant reevaluation of the sub-area’s offerings. The introductory-level program in the area has undergone changes in the way it is staffed to better prepare students for advanced work. The upcoming hire in modern dance and kinesiology (to begin in fall 2008) will bring dance faculty numbers into balance with the other performing arts faculty, and is expected to ease the burden of the dance faculty from having to fully staff their own programs as well as part-time offerings.<br />
<br />
'''Introductory Programs and Pathways'''<br />
<br />
Expressive Arts focuses attention in first- and second-year programs in developing skills in inquiry, critical thinking, and arts literacies. In addition, Visual Arts is experimenting with studio skills at the Core level to improve the general skills of lower division students and prepare them more effectively for advanced work. Faculty across the Expressive Arts have consistently offered introductory programs, which have experienced increasingly strong enrollments. In the case of Visual Arts, a portfolio is required for entry to the program. In the case of Mediaworks, faculty members request a written application for consideration. The programs have required significant time in out-of-area study for entry and have been aimed at advanced sophomores, juniors, or seniors. These programs have served as prerequisites for advanced work, in small Student Originated Study (SOS) group projects, in Senior Thesis projects, and in admission to upper-level programs. ''Performance Works'' (the new title of the introductory program in the Performing Arts) is offered annually. There is variation among the Performing Arts faculty about pedagogical priorities in the area. The sub-area’s changes are yielding better enrollments.<br />
<br />
EA's introductory programs have helped to define some clear basic competencies, and have encouraged not simply the acquisition of skills, but the development of a broader perspective on the role and place of arts in society. Faculty have taken on a series of strong collaborative efforts with colleagues in other areas, specifically Scientific Inquiry; Culture, Text, and Language; and Environmental Studies. Overall the area has worked to provide sufficient support to inter-area and Core programs. Expressive Arts is the only planning unit that systematically provides not only financial, but faculty and staff support for Senior Thesis projects. The area also provides support for students to do advanced work in all three areas.<br />
<br />
'''Student Response to the Curriculum'''<br />
<br />
Expressive arts is popular with students. Among students brand new to the college, 16.5% of transfers and 27.7% of freshmen indicate that they want to pursue work in the visual and performing arts ([[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail First-time, First-years]] and <br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_Transfer_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail Transfer Students]]). On the Evergreen Student Experience Survey, 22% of students who identified only one planning unit (75.2% of respondents) indicate that Expressive Arts is their primary field of study or concentration. Another 12.4 % of respondents identified EA as one of multiple areas they were studying ([[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Primary_field_of_study_-_Planning_Unit_Analysis_-_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Primary Field of Study – Planning Unit Analysis – Olympia Campus Students]]). Enrollment in the area’s offerings has remained essentially stable between 1998-99 and 2005-06 at approximately 440 FTE per year. The area has made significant efforts to contribute to Core and inter-area teaching over the period, contributing between 35% and 52% of its teaching effort to work in these two modes ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]).<br />
<br />
'''Alumni Survey Data'''<br />
<br />
A critical mode of assessing the work of the area is satisfaction of area graduates with their experience. The 2006 Alumni Survey of the class of 2004-05 is the latest set of data on alumni satisfaction. All data in this discussion is drawn from this data set. ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Expressive_Arts.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Expressive Arts]])<br />
<br />
Overall, alumni who concentrated their studies in Expressive Arts report very high rates of satisfaction with Evergreen’s contribution to their academic and personal growth. In twenty-one of twenty-four aspects of their Evergreen work, over 80% of Expressive Arts students were "somewhat" to "very satisfied" with their experience. Students were most satisfied with capacity to express themselves in a creative or artistic way, their understanding and appreciation of the arts, their capacity to work independently, their capacity to work in groups, their functioning as a responsible member of a diverse community, and their knowledge of a broad range of subjects. For ten of twenty-four categories mean satisfaction was four or better on a five-point scale. All but three means were greater than three and a half. Students gave lower marks to their perceived readiness for a career and further education and to their capacity to use mathematical and scientific principles. <br />
<br />
When alumni were directly asked their satisfaction with Evergreen experiences, more than 90% reported being somewhat or very satisfied with interdisciplinary education, faculty narrative evaluation, quality of instruction, the education they were able to construct, advice from faculty, self-evaluation process, individual contracts, culminating projects, internships, and study abroad. Students were most dissatisfied with opportunities for advanced undergraduate work and tolerance for different or opposing views. <br />
<br />
In terms of ten work-related skills, Expressive Arts students scored a modal score of excellent on a four-point scale. Evergreen was seen as contributing to some extent or a great deal in all skill areas with particular help in the development of skills in creative thinking, effective communications, independence and initiative, and willingness and aptitude to learn new skills. They saw themselves as learners with an ability and willingness to take on new tasks. <br />
<br />
In terms of employment, 84.3% of the Expressive Arts concentration alumni were employed one year after graduation compared with 84% of all alumni. Of those employed, 55% of Expressive Arts alumni were employed in an area that was at least somewhat related to their area of primary study at Evergreen. 66.7% of employed Expressive Arts alumni felt that their Evergreen experience had prepared them adequately or very well for their current positions. <br />
<br />
In terms of graduate or professional school, 24.5% of Expressive Arts alumni applied to graduate/professional school within one year of graduation. Of twelve alumni who applied, eight had been offered admission (67.5%), two applications were pending, and two had been denied. Of fifty-one Expressive Arts alumni, eight attended or are currently attending graduate or professional school within one year of graduation. The eight alumni were continuing their work in Washington (three), other states (four), and internationally (one). Two had enrolled in graduate studies at Evergreen in this time frame. The rate of 16.3% of alumni going directly to graduate school was slightly lower than the 21% of all Evergreen alumni respondents who entered graduate school in this period.<br />
<br />
'''Issues'''<br />
<br />
The most persistent issue voiced by faculty in the area is faculty/student ratio. Faculty have several concerns that emerge from this question. First, in some spaces there are fewer pieces of necessary equipment than there are students in the class. This either means students do not get to do all of the work or that faculty or staff repeat workshops. Several faculty members noted that they regularly carry thirty or more contact hours in studio per week. Second, the ratio of 25/1 is seen to be too high for effective critical support of student work. Many noted that simply speaking effectively to each student’s work was difficult and that the need to add important skills development and written work beyond that made finding time to do a good job very problematic. Finally, several faculty members noted that students coming to the college were younger and often in need of quite basic skills. This presumed relative weakness of students in comparison to years past led to a faculty perception of more academic and psychological difficulties. The high student-faculty ratio means it is extremely difficult and time consuming for faculty to meet the needs of challenged students. Finally, higher student-faculty ratios make it harder to maintain safety in such areas as dance, and in the wood and metal shops.<br />
<br />
The relationship of the planning unit to Evening and Weekend Studies, and especially to Extended Education initiatives by the college, raises considerable concern about whether these activities are supplementing or supplanting the area's offerings. There have also been concerns raised about hiring processes and decisions in these areas.<br />
<br />
The current temporary use of teaching areas in Seminar II by staff displaced by the major remodel of the library, as well as the continuing remodeling of this major facility that houses important media facilities, has inconvenienced faculty as they try to allocate scarce space resources and diminished opportunities for students in this period.<br />
<br />
EA identified issues dealing with replacing retiring faculty and the replacement of support to the unit when faculty members go on leave without pay. They argue strongly for more permanent lines in order to assure effective planning and consistent curriculum.<br />
<br />
======Scientific Inquiry======<br />
<br />
The central concern of the Scientific Inquiry planning unit is the scientific understanding of nature. Its goals are to engage students in a community within which ways of scientific thinking about the natural world are developed and utilized to create an understanding of natural phenomena. Scientific thinking is understood to involve the identification of hypotheses and the use of appropriate instruments, theory, and models to arrive at sound conclusions about the hypothesis. The SI area understands scientific thinking as a valuable piece of a liberal arts education in its own right. Scientific thinking is seen as a necessary part of a general education for a democratic society within which science and technology play a major role. Reciprocally, scientists are understood to need a broader social, historical, and ethical context within which to consider the consequences of their work. The area sees its responsibility to both provide depth for students who hope to become members of the scientific community and to provide breadth for students who will be citizens within a democratic society. SI is the primary location for instruction in chemistry, mathematics, computer science, biology, and physics in the college curriculum.<br />
<br />
'''Faculty and Programs'''<br />
<br />
Faculty in the SI area are trained and provide instruction in a wide variety of scientific disciplines including: chemistry, biology, computer science, mathematics, physics, and history of science and technology. In the period from the 1998-99 school year to end of the 2006-07 school year, the SI area grew from twenty to twenty-five active regular faculty. Fourteen of this twenty-five are new to the faculty since 1998-99.<br />
<br />
Faculty in SI have developed and organized a set of repeating programs that provide increasingly sophisticated instruction in five major areas: biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, and physics. These programs emphasize laboratory work, engagement with real world phenomena, and collaborative work. Students are taught to formulate questions and devise means for solving problems, collecting data, and analyzing data in light of underlying theory. Evergreen’s teaching of the sciences is notable for hands-on work, collaborative effort, attention to integration across disciplines, and the ways in which each discipline contextualizes others. Undergraduate access to sophisticated analytic equipment – including mass spectrometry, NMR, scanning electron microscopy, and infrared spectrometry – allows students to do advanced work.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Biology<br />
| Chemistry<br />
| Computer Science<br />
| Mathematics<br />
| Physics<br />
|-<br />
| Foundations of Health Science<br />
<br />
Introduction to Natural Science<br />
| Foundations of Health Science<br />
<br />
Introduction to Natural Science<br />
| Algebra to Algorithm<br />
<br />
Computer Science Foundations<br />
<br />
Models of Motion<br />
| Models of Motion<br />
<br />
Computer Science Foundations<br />
| Models of Motion<br />
<br />
Astronomy and Cosmology<br />
|-<br />
| Molecule to Organism<br />
<br />
Advanced Biology<br />
| Molecule to Organism<br />
<br />
Environmental Analysis<br />
<br />
Atoms Molecules Research<br />
|<br />
<br />
Computability<br />
<br />
Student Originated Software<br />
| Methods of Applied Math<br />
<br />
Computability<br />
<br />
Mathematical Systems<br />
| Energy Systems<br />
<br />
Physical Systems<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Introductory Programs and Pathways'''<br />
<br />
The SI area systematically provides introductory programs to the five major pathways in its curriculum. Programs such as ''Introduction to Health Sciences'' and ''Introduction to Natural Science'' provide alternative vehicles for entering work in the biology and chemistry paths. The former emphasizes allied health science while the latter is a more general college-level introduction to science. Similarly, ''Models of Motion'' and ''Computer Science Foundations'' are shared between mathematics and computer science. Together they provide a strong introduction to mathematics, computer science and physics. Advanced work in the area is reflected in End of Program Review data, where SI faculty were far more likely than faculty from other areas to identify advanced work in their area as doing upper division work in upper division programs versus doing independent work. In addition, the area provides significant opportunities to work with faculty on faculty research projects as another vehicle for advanced work. These projects have frequently led to professional presentation and publication by Evergreen science students. SI makes a major contribution to the teaching of both mathematics and science to students who undertake some work in the sciences during their time at Evergreen and to students who participate in Core and inter-area programs where SI faculty teach. Fully 100% of area programs report using mathematics and quantitative reasoning in their programs and 75% of those report this as a major emphasis ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math by Planning Unit]]). Nearly 90% (88%) of SI programs reported natural or physical sciences with 81% of these reporting extensive use of Science. Clearly SI faculty members are instrumental in teaching both mathematics and sciences in first-year and inter-area programs ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences by Planning Unit]]).<br />
<br />
The significant and continuing effort to provide systematic and coherent pathways for science students has been a major effort on the part of SI faculty. This effort has led historically to a relatively low participation of science faculty in Core. Between 1997-98 and 2005-06 the area’s participation in Core has ranged from a high of 14.4% of the FTE generated in the area to a low of 1.6%. The participation of SI faculty in inter-area programs has been much more substantial, ranging from a low of 13.2% of FTE generated to a high of 28.4% ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]). The area has made significant efforts in the past few years to increase its participation in Core and has opened up a considerable number of freshman seats to students in ''Foundations of Health Science, Introduction to Natural Science'' and other programs by treating them as all-level or lower division programs. This has meant that finding consistent faculty support for the teaching of quantitative and scientific concepts in a general education setting in Core and inter-area has been difficult. Hiring faculty in health sciences is meant to lead to a new integration around issues of health between social science and science faculty. The success of these efforts depends heavily on the recruitment of science students and involvement of social science faculty interested in working on health issues. SI has collaborated effectively with visual arts in recent years to create some exciting inter-area programs.<br />
<br />
'''Student Participation and Satisfaction'''<br />
<br />
In the time since the last accreditation, faculty in SI area have accounted for between 16% and 20% of the total FTE generated in undergraduate full-time programs, or between 370 and 461 FTE. There is no distinct trend in the data, although the numbers seem to have stabilized around 17%. Students who are attracted to the area have strong interests in biology and in health-related fields as well as a smaller number with interests in computer science and physical sciences (see [[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail First-time, First-years]] and <br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Field_of_Study_Detail_Transfer_Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Field of Study Detail Transfer Students]]). On the Evergreen Experience Survey, 14.6% of the 75% of students who indicated a single area of focus identified themselves as studying in Scientific Inquiry. Another 9% of students listed SI as among the areas in which they were working ([[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Primary_field_of_study_-_Planning_Unit_Analysis_-_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Primary Field of Study – Planning Unit Analysis – Olympia Campus Students]]). <br />
<br />
'''Alumni Survey Data'''<br />
<br />
A critical mode of assessing the work of the area is satisfaction of area graduates with their experience. The 2006 Alumni Survey of the class of 2004-05 is the latest set of data on alumni satisfaction. All data in this discussion is drawn from this data set ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Scientific_Inquiry.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Scientific Inquiry]]).<br />
<br />
Overall, alumni who reported that Scientific Inquiry was a primary focus of study at Evergreen noted very high rates of satisfaction with Evergreen’s contribution to their academic and personal growth. In twenty-two of twenty-four aspects of their Evergreen work, over 80% of Scientific Inquiry students were somewhat to very satisfied with their experience. Alumni were most satisfied with learning independently, understanding and applying scientific principles, working cooperatively in groups, defining and understanding problems, participating in class discussions, and critically analyzing information. Indeed, for fifteen of twenty-four categories, mean satisfaction was four or better on a five-point scale. All but one mean were greater than three and a half. Students gave lower marks to their perceived readiness for a career and understanding different philosophies and cultures. <br />
<br />
When alumni were directly asked their satisfaction with Evergreen experiences, more than 90% reported being somewhat or very satisfied with interdisciplinary education, faculty narrative evaluation, quality of instruction, the education they were able to construct, individual contracts, community service, culminating projects, internships, and study abroad. Students were most dissatisfied with quality of learning interactions with other students and the self-evaluation process. <br />
<br />
In terms of ten work-related skills, a plurality of Scientific Inquiry alumni rated themselves as excellent on five skills and good on five more on a four-point scale. Evergreen was seen as contributing to some extent or a great deal in all skill areas with particular help in the development of skills in independence and initiative and research skills. SI graduates saw themselves as well organized, capable of taking initiative, communicating, making decisions, and willing and able to learn new skills. <br />
<br />
In terms of employment, 91.5% of the Scientific Inquiry concentration alumni were employed one year after graduation compared with 84% of all alumni. Of those employed, 65.1% of Scientific Inquiry alumni were employed in an area that was at least somewhat related to their area of primary study at Evergreen. 67.4% of employed Scientific Inquiry alumni felt that their Evergreen experience had prepared them adequately or very well for their current positions. <br />
<br />
In terms of graduate or professional school, 41.3% of Scientific Inquiry alumni applied to graduate/professional school within one year of graduation. Of nineteen alumni who applied, twelve had been offered admission (63.2%), four applications were pending, and three had been denied. Of forty-nine Scientific Inquiry alumni, twelve attended or are currently attending graduate or professional school within one year of graduation. The twelve alumni were continuing their work in Washington (five) and other states (seven). No one had enrolled in graduate studies at Evergreen in this time frame. The rate of 26.1% of alumni going directly to graduate school was slightly higher than the 21% of all Evergreen alumni respondents who entered graduate school in this period.<br />
<br />
'''Issues'''<br />
<br />
A major issue confronting the area is the creation of a large enough faculty and a small enough central curriculum that a sufficient number of faculty are available for work outside of the regular offerings of the curriculum. While many students do gain significant exposure to scientific and mathematical ideas through SI’s introductory programs, and another significant group gain some exposure to scientific concepts through the participation of some SI faculty in Core and inter-area programs, concern with coherent and legitimate paths that allow Evergreen students access to graduate work have made engagement with more general science education difficult. In the past three years the area has worked to restructure the planning process to put a higher priority on creating more freshman seats by opening some programs as all-level and allowing freshman registration, by converting programs from sophomore-level programs to lower division programs, and by staffing Core and inter-area programs. This highlighting of the necessity of providing instruction for freshmen has led to more all-level teaching, the development of some lower division programs, and greater participation of area faculty in Core programs. While this solution works well to increase the number of science-based seats available to freshmen, it does little to expand the teaching of science to a non-science constituency.<br />
<br />
The SI self-study notes that although there is considerably more talk about what science for “non-majors” should look like at Evergreen, there is no well developed agreement. Concomitantly, there is no clear idea of what the non-science portions of the major scientific introductory and mid-level programs should be. This difficulty, when combined with quite different levels of integration of program concepts from year to year, makes it difficult to create a consistent set of concepts to frame a context for thinking about broader scientific and social issues.<br />
<br />
SI also identifies the difficulties that accompany the decision to offer major disciplines in coordinated studies structures. Primary among these is difficulty supplementing math skills and other prerequisites for transfer students or students who avoided mathematics early in their college careers. The tension between the desire for integration and full-time coordinated study work and the need for particular pieces of content is a continuing tension, one which will necessarily engage a conversation with Evening and Weekend Studies and Evergreen's Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning (QuaSR) Center.<br />
<br />
======Society, Politics, Behavior and Change======<br />
<br />
'''Themes and Mission'''<br />
<br />
The SPBC planning unit provides the overall umbrella for most of the formal teaching in the social sciences and also includes most faculty members who rotate in and out of the Master in Teaching (MIT) and the Master in Public Administration (MPA) programs. The planning unit was drawn together from five quite different specialty areas. To this day, the planning unit represents the very different understandings of the social sciences that were embodied in these earlier planning groups. The overall goal of the area is to use a variety of social science disciplines to provide students with a better understanding of society as it operates at a local, regional, and international level. Within the generally shared concern with an analysis of issues of diversity, the area also helps students understand how to use different levels of analysis from the individual through the global level to develop an understanding of social issues. Student work is seen as requiring the development of a variety of writing, research skills, practices, and theoretical perspectives. Five major sub-units organize the area’s work: Master of Public Administration (MPA), Master in Teaching (MIT), Political Economy, Psychology, and Business/Management. In addition, several other faculty members trained in social sciences affiliate with the unit. Finally, although the area is the primary place where social sciences are taught, it is far from being the only place. Important elements of social sciences are taught in Culture, Text, and Language, Environmental Studies, and the Master in Environmental Studies areas.<br />
<br />
'''Faculty and Programs'''<br />
<br />
The disciplines of anthropology, law, economics, history, public policy, public administration, labor studies, management, political science, international affairs, philosophy, sociology, health sciences, business, teaching and learning, and psychology are represented in the area. The Master in Teaching (MIT) program and the newly approved Master of Education (M.Ed.) program provide advanced work in public K-12 education and the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program offers work in public, nonprofit, and tribal administration. The presence of graduate programs in the area simultaneously enlarges the range of capacities and the number of faculty available to teach in the area and imposes significant demands on those resources. The work of the graduate programs is discussed in section three of this chapter. Thus, while the list of faculty affiliated with the area is large (thirty-four plus eight visitors in 2006-07), the actual numbers of faculty regularly participating in the undergraduate curriculum varies between twenty-five and thirty per year. The disciplinary concentration of the area has shifted in the past decade, with a growth of six faculty in business and MPA, two in psychology, and two in MIT, and the loss of six faculty in general social sciences. <br />
<br />
The area offers thee major undergraduate foci: political economy, administration and business, and psychology. Political economy focuses on the intersection of politics and economics and emphasizes global political economy and its impact on issues of gender, race, and class within the United States. In past years an introductory political economy program with faculty trained in economics, political science, and a variety of other disciplines has been offered along with a variety of more advanced offerings. More recently, finding staffing for the introductory program has been difficult. Approximately eight faculty members are associated with this group.<br />
<br />
A second focus is the undergraduate-level curriculum in administration and business. The college has made new hires in business in recent years and currently an introductory business program is offered and a second-year program is anticipated. Six faculty members have some affiliation with management and business at the undergraduate level. Within this group there are faculty who exclusively identify with either business or management. <br />
<br />
The third focus is on psychology with a particular emphasis on counseling. Five faculty members currently teach psychology. There is a pathway in psychology beginning with some variant of Human Health and Development. An alternative introduction is taught regularly in the one-quarter ''So You Want to Be a Psychologist'' program. The pathway culminates with a unique ''Multi-cultural Counseling'' Program that incorporates both academic and experiential work in counseling. There are also opportunities for psychological research, queer studies, social psychology and other topics with the area’s faculty. Individual contracts and internships support work in counseling.<br />
<br />
Planning in the area tends to occur within sub-groups. The lines between groups are not hard and fast and there are a number of faculty members in the area who work in more than one group as well as a number of faculty members each year who rotate either into or out of graduate programs.<br />
<br />
Although pathways exist in parts of SPBC (political economy, psychology, administration, and business), creating a more general pathway into the social sciences has proved difficult, because of the range of disciplines, the lack of a broadly shared paradigm, and limited staff. Nevertheless, there is a substantial consensus that skills in reading, library research, critical thinking, and writing are essential. In addition, significant efforts have been made in the past several years to incorporate more quantitative reasoning, primarily in statistics and research methods, into the offerings of the planning unit.<br />
<br />
There is a strong consensus that students should develop skills in general liberal arts, understandings of disciplinary perspectives, and be effective personally and in groups to engage in efforts to bring about change. They should have the opportunity to develop necessary disciplinary skills for graduate work. The area emphasizes resisting inequality and striving for equity, re-conceptualizing the self in the face of a critical analysis of power and privilege, and moving towards creating and generating change at different levels of social systems.<br />
<br />
The planning unit is the site of some excellent teaching about a wide range of subjects, including global political economy, counseling psychology, anti-oppression work at a variety of levels, organization, business, and management. The area has made a series of attempts to strengthen its internal organization and participation including time to share work, to work on planning, and to address pedagogy. <br />
<br />
'''Student Response to the Area'''<br />
<br />
The SPBC planning unit is the most popular on campus according to the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey. Some 26.7% of students who identified a single area of focus found a home in SPBC. Another 16.6% of students interested in more than one area identify SPBC as a choice. Students in the area are roughly evenly split among those who identify business and management, education, psychology, and social sciences, as their primary choices with a smattering of law and public service professions rounding out the list ([[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_What_is_your_primary_field_of_study_or_concentration_at_Evergreen_-_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - primary field of study – Olympia Students]]).<br />
<br />
SPBC contributed an average of 425 FTE to the undergraduate curriculum per year between the 1997-98 and 2005-06 school years. The area’s contribution increased significantly in the last four years of the period to nearly 500 FTE. The area overall has contributed an annual average of 15.3% of its teaching effort to Core programs over the same period. The area has made a consistent and significant contribution of just over 30% of its teaching effort to the teaching of inter-area programs ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]).<br />
<br />
'''Alumni Survey Data'''<br />
<br />
A critical mode of assessing the work of the area is satisfaction of area graduates with their experience. The 2006 Alumni Survey of the class of 2004-05 is the latest set of data on alumni satisfaction. The following data is based on a subset of Olympia alumni from the 2006 Alumni Survey of the class of 2004-05 who identified that education, business, or other SPBC fields were a primary area of study while at Evergreen ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Society%2C_Politics%2C_Behavior%2C_and_Change.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Society, Politics, Behavior and Change]]).<br />
<br />
Overall, alumni report very high rates of satisfaction with Evergreen’s contribution to their academic and personal growth. SPBC alumni were most satisfied with learning independently, participating in class discussions, synthesizing information and ideas, and critically analyzing information. For eighteen of twenty-four categories, mean satisfaction was between mostly and very satisfied (four) or better on a five-point scale. All of the mean ratings were above “somewhat satisfied” (three) on the rating scale. Alumni gave lower marks to their perceived readiness for a career, depth in a particular field, and understanding and applying quantitative and scientific principles. <br />
<br />
When alumni were directly asked their satisfaction with Evergreen experiences, more than 90% reported being somewhat or very satisfied with interdisciplinary education, quality of instruction, the education they were able to construct, faculty narrative evaluation, and study abroad. Alumni were most dissatisfied with tolerance for different or opposing views and culminating senior experiences.<br />
<br />
In terms of ten work-related skills, a plurality of SPBC alumni rated themselves as excellent on eight skills and good on the other two skills on a four-point scale. Evergreen was seen as contributing to some extent or a great deal in all skill areas with particular help in the development of skills in creative thinking, communication, independence and initiative, research skills, and willingness and aptitude to learn new skills. SPBC graduates saw themselves as strong thinkers and communicators who are able to work effectively in culturally diverse environments, take initiative, and learn new skills. <br />
<br />
In terms of employment, 85.6% of the SPBC alumni were employed one year after graduation, compared with 84% of all alumni. Of those employed, 71.7% were employed in an area that was at least somewhat related to their area of primary study at Evergreen. And 79.8% of employed SPBC alumni felt that their Evergreen experience had prepared them adequately or very well for their current positions. <br />
<br />
In terms of graduate or professional school, 30.4% of SPBC alumni applied to graduate/professional school within one year of graduation. Of thirty-five alumni who applied, twenty-seven had been offered admission (77.1%), six applications were pending, and two had been denied. Of 122 SPBC alumni, twenty-two attended or are currently attending graduate or professional school within one year of graduation. The twenty-two alumni were continuing their work in Washington (fifteen), other states (three), and internationally (four). Six had enrolled in graduate studies at Evergreen in this time frame. The rate of 19.1% of alumni going directly to graduate school was slightly lower than the 21% of all Evergreen alumni respondents who entered graduate school in this period.<br />
<br />
'''Issues'''<br />
<br />
The primary issues facing the planning unit are its function and staffing. While most other planning units have a reasonably well-defined sense of their central work and effort, SPBC is drawn in several different directions. The appearance of master's-level faculty and several emeritus faculty on the rolls of the planning unit make it appear that there is an appropriate number of faculty to staff the area’s diverse offerings. Actually, the area has around twenty-five faculty members at the undergraduate level. Yet within this limited range of faculty whose efforts are directed at undergraduates, a significant number of individual faculty members operate somewhat autonomously, and the three major sub-areas have little substantial necessity to interact in order to plan curriculum. Like EA, the SPBC faculty have chosen not to pursue an area-wide introductory program, but to allow the three major tracks to operate somewhat autonomously. <br />
<br />
It can be argued that there is a need for serious reflection on the teaching and place of the social sciences at Evergreen and the relationship of professional training to the undergraduate curriculum. The different missions of the groups in this area and the significant work done by social scientists in other areas need to be discussed and rethought, not necessarily to create more and better training in social sciences, but to find ways to integrate rigorous work in social sciences with a social, political, and engaged policy dimension in the work of all areas of the college.<br />
<br />
The area is arguably understaffed. It can strengthen its programs through the development of a broad rationale connecting its work to the liberal arts core of the college. Such a case might well help the SPBC's representatives make convincing cases for additional hires. It is notable that the recent hiring in the area has developed in some large measure from administrative interest in developing curriculum in graduate programs and business rather than from a broad area-wide consensus.<br />
<br />
======Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Planning Unit======<br />
<br />
This unit is described in Section 2.G. as a part of the larger discussion of the college's engagement with Native communities in Washington state.<br />
<br />
======Evening and Weekend Studies======<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Themes and Mission'''<br />
<br />
Whereas other planning units have typically been organized around a collection of various fields of study, the Evening and Weekend Studies (EWS) planning unit is centered on providing specific schedules and modes of study to students while covering all fields of study. The students served by EWS fall into two categories. There is one set of students who are taking all of their coursework for that quarter in EWS, and there is another set of students who are taking two or four credits in EWS on top of the program or contract work they are doing in other planning units. These two sets of students provide the two primary functions for the EWS curriculum. For the former set of students, EWS offers a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum that covers much of the range of subject matter found in other planning units. This subject matter is presented in a combination of part-time interdisciplinary programs (eight or twelve credits per quarter) and more focused courses (two or four credits per quarter). For the latter set of students, EWS offers focused courses (two or four credits per quarter) which allow the students to explore new fields of study, deepen their understanding of a particular academic field, or pursue prerequisites for specific undergraduate and graduate programs. The evening and weekend curriculum provides a way for students to explore visual arts, music, and dance courses; to acquire prerequisites in mathematics, social and natural sciences, and other disciplines; and to take foreign language sequences. Part-time programs and courses in EWS support pathways for students in American studies; arts and culture; body, mind, and health; computers and society; environmental studies; government, justice and citizenship; international studies; literature and writing; management, markets and entrepreneurship; work, workers and social change; and math and science. Each year, the area also supports a part-time program in conjunction with Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen.<br />
<br />
There has been major growth in EWS since the last accreditation report, and the role of EWS in the college has changed as its contribution to the undergraduate curriculum has grown. Originally, EWS was designed to support continuing study towards a degree by part-time students at the college. The evening and weekend schedule was seen as a way to support place-bound and schedule-bound students who were working or supporting a family and were unable to commit to the full-time programs offered during the day. The evening and weekend schedule continues to support these students, but they have not turned out to be part-time students. Today EWS enrollment comprises 16% of the total student FTE at the college, and most of the students enrolled in EWS programs and course work are full-time students at the college. Thus the mission has moved to incorporate both part-time students and full-time students undertaking either supplementary work or taking full-time work within the EWS offerings.<br />
<br />
One of the major factors contributing to the growth of EWS and the change in its role in the undergraduate curriculum was the decision in the 2001-02 school year to allow students to attempt as many as twenty hours per quarter. Students had previously been restricted to a maximum of sixteen quarter-hours per quarter. This change was undertaken to allow students access to a broader array of courses that might supplement their general education. This development helped spur growth in the use of EWS by full-time students, particularly in languages. At the same time, the number of faculty lines dedicated to staffing the evening and weekend curriculum was increased. The growth in EWS has been an important component in the college’s overall growth in the past ten years. Growth in the part-time programs has been modest, up merely 4% over the period. But enrollment in courses has risen 30% from 320.9 to 416.8 FTE in this period ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]).<br />
<br />
'''Faculty and Programs'''<br />
<br />
Since 1996, the college has had a dean whose primary responsibility has been organizing and staffing the evening and weekend curriculum. Currently, the EWS planning unit is staffed by twelve half-time, continuing faculty, a pool of about fifteen adjunct faculty who frequently teach in part-time programs, and an additional pool of about eighty adjunct faculty, some of whom are regular Evergreen staff, who teach two- and four-unit courses. Continuing faculty members have expertise in American studies, art history, literature, theater, labor studies, political and international studies, management, psychology, organizational development, social informatics/information sciences, environmental studies, environmental science, biology, mathematics, computer studies, and physics. Currently, two half-time-continuing faculty are serving as deans.<br />
<br />
The program offerings of the area are consistently interdisciplinary and often inter-divisional in their focus. They are designed explicitly to incorporate elements of the five foci within them and to help students move toward fulfilling the six expectations. Courses offered typically include several offerings each quarter in each of the following areas: foreign language, writing, mathematics, sciences, business, psychology, and the visual arts. In addition, there are usually offerings in history, literature, dance, music, education, and sociology. Evening and Weekend Studies faculty also offer an upper-division program at Grays Harbor College. The content of the program often focuses on organizations and management. Recently, a focus on health and service has been added. Although enrollment in the Grays Harbor program dropped in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 academic years, changes to the structure and content of the program have produced a clear increase in enrollment in the past two academic years ([[Media: Graysharborenrollhistory.pdf|Enrollment History for Grays Harbor Program]] and [[Media: Dan_EW_Grays_Harbor0001.pdf|Grays Harbor Program Self-Study 2004]]).<br />
<br />
End of Program Review (EPR) data demonstrates that the program component of the planning unit has focused most of its subject matter work on social sciences, humanities, and to a lesser degree, arts. [Data for this and the following paragraphs is taken from the EPR 2000-2005 Summaries of EPR Data] Data for Evening and Weekend Studies deals only with the half-time programs offered by the planning unit. The EPR data does not cover the significant growth in course offerings in this period. As pointed out above, the number of part-time programs and the number of seats in such programs has remained quite steady over the period. In the 2000-01 to 2005-06 period, between 67% and 93% of programs taught humanities, and over half of those programs made extensive use of humanities in their subject matter ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Humanities.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Humanities]] ). In 2006-07, 94% reported some use of humanities, and 61% reported extensive humanities work ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Humanities_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Humanities by Planning Unit]]). Similarly, in social science 2006-07 data, 89% of programs reported using social sciences compared to 77% of all programs, and 55% of all programs made extensive use of social sciences ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Social_Sciences_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Social Sciences by Planning Unit]]). The role of arts in programs has varied from 56% in the 2006-07 data to as high as 75% for several years previous. However, intensive use of arts was present in only 22% of programs ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Art_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Art by Planning Unit]]). 2000-01 to 2005-06 EPR data combine science and mathematics. While the number of programs reporting the use of science and math fluctuated from a high of 64% to a low of 19%, for the most part programs reported a minor emphasis on mathematics and science. The 2006-07 data show only 28% of programs had mathematics and 44% had science components; only 6% of programs reported extensive use of math and 16% reported extensive use of sciences ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math by Planning Unit]] and [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences Overview]]).<br />
<br />
In terms of skills in writing, information technology literacy (ITL), and critical thinking, the planning unit has, like most other areas, been active in supporting general education goals. Both in writing and critical thinking, 100% of programs report working on these areas in significant ways. Writing was not simply expected but actively taught in most EWS programs. A particular emphasis was placed on response writing and critical essay writing. Work on critical thinking focused on the recognition of diverse perspectives (including analysis of one’s own perspective) on materials covered and analysis of the content of texts, images, and data. ITL 2006-07 data show that ITL was a component in over 80% of programs. Like most program areas, the primary uses of ITL were for information acquisition, presentation, and online communication and social software. Fully 83% of EWS programs, as opposed to 70% of all programs, reported work on ITL ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Writing_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Writing Overview]], [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Critical_Thinking_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Critical Thinking Overview]], and [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]).<br />
<br />
Data on student experience and satisfaction with EWS programs and courses requires the difficult task of disaggregating these students from the student body in general. A subgroup of 2006 Alumni Survey respondents from the class of 2004-05 who took 50% or more of their curricular offerings through EWS formed the subgroup described in this analysis ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Evening_Weekend_Studies.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Evening Weekend Studies]]). While students use EWS at all levels of their college experience, it is notable that transfer students entering as juniors constitute nearly half of those reporting extensive use of EWS offerings. EWS alumni were also significantly older than other alumni with a mean age of 31.2. However, EWS alumni are indistinguishable from alumni in other planning units when asked about Evergreen’s contribution to their education. Learning independently, participation in class discussion, critically analyzing information, and working cooperatively cluster at the top in terms of satisfaction. Readiness for a career, quantitative principles and understanding scientific principles cluster at the lower end (although the mean is still 3.29 or better on a five-point scale). Similarly, students were satisfied with the interdisciplinary approach, the education they could construct at Evergreen, the quality of instruction, and narrative evaluations. Dissatisfactions were a bit different with academic advice from faculty and opportunities for advanced work as areas where students could see room for improvement. In some measure this may reflect the smaller amount of contact with faculty in courses and part-time programs, the difficulty of providing a full range of advanced work within the confines of a limited faculty pool, and the dispersion of students in classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
One year out of college, 89% of EWS alumni reported employment with 71% of those employed reporting that their work was somewhat or directly related to their primary studies at Evergreen. These numbers are directly comparable to other planning units. Fully 72% reported that their education had prepared them adequately or very well for their current job. Eleven of eighty-two EWS alumni reported attending or acceptance to graduate school in a wide variety of fields: library science, law, social science, teaching, and public administration. Students reported that Evergreen had prepared them adequately (54%) or very well (46%) for graduate school. While the rate of students attending graduate school was slightly lower than the college average, many of those not yet attending graduate school intended to apply to graduate school in the future. <br />
<br />
Once again, the most compelling data in terms of EWS alumni is their similarity in terms of their experience, satisfactions, and results with alumni who identified as members of the other concentration area subgroups. <br />
<br />
<br />
'''Issues'''<br />
<br />
There are several curricular concerns which are unique to the EWS curriculum or which involve the coordination of the EWS curriculum with the rest of the undergraduate curriculum. The EWS curriculum is planned on a one-year cycle rather than the two-year cycle followed by the daytime curriculum. This structure allows the curriculum to adapt more quickly to shifts in the student body and other demands on the curriculum. This flexibility is enhanced by the fact that adjunct faculty staff much of the EWS curriculum. However, both of these characteristics have associated problems. The planning cycle makes it difficulty to collaborate with, rather than just react to, the curriculum offerings in the daytime. And the high number of adjunct faculty raises issues of faculty status just as it does in other institutions. The result is a sense of separation between the EWS faculty and the rest of the faculty. The faculty status issue is compounded by a lower pay rate for adjunct faculty. Even the status of continuing, half-time faculty can be questioned in terms of the equity of governance assignments and the ability to rotate into different areas of the curriculum.<br />
<br />
The policy change in the 2001-02 academic year to allow students to take a total of twenty credits per quarter has arisen as an issue for EWS faculty in recent years. There are questions about whether students are generally successful when they attempt this increased credit load, and there is evidence that this issue disproportionately affects EWS faculty ([[Media: Analysis_of_Over_16_Credit_Load.pdf|Analysis of Over 16 Credit Load]]).<br />
<br />
There are also specific issues of separation between the daytime and the EWS curriculum in terms of service to students. Over the past ten years, many improvements have been made in the services provided to EWS students and faculty, everything from access to media services to access to food services. There are still areas where further improvements are needed.<br />
<br />
Finally, there is a question about the role of two- and four-credit courses in relation to the eight, twelve, and sixteen-credit programs offered at the college. Courses are generally offered on an evening and weekend schedule. Housed in a separate planning unit and taught on a separate schedule, they become easy to ignore during the overall curriculum planning efforts which center on the development of programs. At the same time, they become attractive to students because of their accessible schedule as well as their more familiar, narrow content. As mentioned in other sections of this document, there has been consistent growth in courses over the past ten years. The college needs to develop a more intentional approach to the development and delivery of courses. More advanced offerings need to be provided to match the upper-division standing of the majority of the students who enroll in the EWS curriculum. And faculty need to become more involved in setting goals for both the number and content of courses offered throughout the curriculum. At the same time, more attention needs to be paid to the development of programs that allow students to take a two- or four-credit course without overloading themselves by taking a total of eighteen or twenty credits. In other words, to meet the needs of students and advance the mission of the college, there needs to be greater coordination of program and course offerings.<br />
<br />
====2.B.2 Learning Assessment====<br />
''The institution identifies and publishes the expected learning outcomes for each of its degree and certificate programs. Through regular and systematic assessment, it demostrates that students who complete their programs, no matter where or how they are offered, have achieved these outcomes.''<br />
<br />
=====Assessment of Undergraduate Learning=====<br />
<br />
In response to a recommendation from the NWCCU to address issues of general education, the Evergreen faculty adopted Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate in spring 2001. By approving expectations of graduates, rather than requirements to graduate, the faculty acted on a central principle of education at Evergreen – that students are responsible for their own work. The expectations tell the students what they are generally expected to learn, but the choices of exactly what and how to learn are the responsibility of each student. <br />
<br />
In addition to adopting the expectations, the faculty also approved an expanded advising plan and other support structures for implementation of the new general education initiatives. New curriculum models were developed to promote breadth and depth opportunities for students. The Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning Center (QuaSR), the Writing Center, faculty development funds, and faculty hiring priorities were also enhanced. At the end of their senior year, students are now encouraged to create a new summative student self-evaluation that addresses the Expectations and is submitted to their official transcript. An Assessment Study Group of faculty, staff, and students was charged in 2002 to develop an assessment plan for the new general education initiatives. Collaboration in the development of the assessment plan (and its subsequent revisions) were essential in promoting ownership and responsibility for both the process and use of the results. The Assessment Study Group developed two new assessment tools, the End-of-Program Review and the Transcript Review ([[Media:Teaching and Learning at Evergreen_Final Assessment Study Group Report 12-17-0.pdf|Teaching and Learning at Evergreen 2002]]).<br />
<br />
The assessment of the general educational program at Evergreen is framed as two related parts: teaching and learning. Teaching assessment focuses on how the curriculum provides students with “a substantial, coherent, and articulated exposure to the broad domains of knowledge” (as set out in Standard 2.C and detailed in 2.C.3). Learning assessment focuses on evidence that students are meeting the Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate; this is the part of the institutional assessment plan detailed here. Evergreen’s approach to learning assessment is guided by the standards of regional accreditation, including, but not limited to the following: <br />
*“The Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities expects each institution and program to adopt an assessment plan responsive to its mission and its needs.” (Policy 2.2 Educational Assessment)<br />
*“The institution identifies and publishes the expected learning outcomes for its degree programs. Through regular and systematic assessment, it demonstrates that students who complete their programs, no matter where or how they are offered, have achieved these outcomes.” (Standard 2.B.2)<br />
*“While key constituents are involved in the [assessment] process, the faculty have a central role in planning and evaluating the educational programs.” (Standard 2.B.1)<br />
*“The institution provides evidence that its assessment activities lead to the improvement of teaching and learning.” (Standard 2.B.3)<br />
<br />
Evergreen has a rich method of assessing student achievements at the level of particular study: narrative evaluations, comprising both the faculty evaluation of student achievement (the faculty evaluation) and the student's own evaluation of achievement (the self-evaluation). The student transcript, consisting of records of transfer credits, program descriptions, as well as both student self-evaluations and faculty evaluations of students, serve as the primary basis for assessing student learning. The Transcript Review is a meta-assessment of a collection of authentic evaluation data that was documented at the time of the students’ work by the individuals who knew that work the best – students and their immediate faculty. <br />
<br />
In August 2002, a group of faculty from across planning units, several staff, and a student assessed a random sample of transcripts of recent graduates using a rubric they developed based on the Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate. The 2002 transcript review served as a baseline measure, since the students whose transcripts were studied left the college just as the general education initiatives (including the formal adoption of the Expectations) were implemented. A second transcript review of a new random sample of graduates was completed in summer 2005. Both assessments have provided valuable information about student learning and about how well our transcripts demonstrate learning in terms of the Expectations. By repeating the assessment activity periodically, the college is able to assess evidence of change over time in how many of our graduates are fulfilling the Expectations. A second phase of the transcript assessment entailed coding all of the credits that students earned to complete their degree into six broad fields of study: humanities, social science, art, science, quantitative and symbolic reasoning, and other credits. This second step allows comparison of breadth and depth of education as assessed through credit accumulation to the results of the narrative assessment of student learning.<br />
<br />
The undergraduate learning assessment strategies include all undergraduates at Evergreen, including those studying at off-site programs and students taking Extended Education courses for academic credit. While student Transcript Review is the primary tool for assessing learning at Evergreen, the assessment is costly and time-intensive, so it can only be repeated every three to four years. Other complementary assessment activities focus on other areas of interest during intervening years. A further consideration is to allow sufficient time between transcript reviews to allow new initiatives and program changes to be evidenced in graduating student records. Thus, the transcript assessment results are supplemented by selected indicators of student self-reported learning using the results of other more regularly occurring surveys. Survey items that correspond to each of the Evergreen Expectations have been selected from the annually-administered National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE); biannual alumni surveys of recent Evergreen graduates; and every four years the Greeners at Work Survey of alumni three years after completion, and their current employers.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Evidence of Learning in Terms of the Expectations'''<br />
<br />
(See Standard 2 Supporting Documentation: [[Media:General_Education_Learning_Indicators.pdf|General Education Learning Indicators]])<br />
<br />
'''Additional Learning Assessment Activities'''<br />
<br />
Evergreen is also engaged in a variety of other educational assessment activities and projects that focus on critical learning outcomes in accordance with our mission. Following are a few examples.<br />
<br />
In 2006, the Tribal: Reservation-based/Community-determined programs launched an e-portfolio program. Students in the program build and maintain portfolios in which they select examples of their work that they feel best demonstrate their progress in meeting the Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate (and their program-specific goal of indigenous knowledge). The students provide a reflective narrative to explain how their selection addresses the goals of the program. Their portfolio Web sites are open to review and comment by their faculty and fellow students. The portfolio is primarily a learning approach, but also provides a rich resource for developmental assessment.<br />
<br />
A group of library faculty, staff, library interns, and students conducted two process assessments to explore student learning in information technology literacy (ITL). These assessments involved student participants as co-researchers who helped the college understand how students frame research questions, determine and implement research strategies, and make decisions about the value and meaning of information while conducting genuine research projects. The students attended a two-day workshop in the library while working on authentic research projects from their academic programs. They worked individually and in peer-review teams; all research activities were documented and debriefed, and all keystrokes were collected from Camtasia software loaded onto their laptops. The project was first conducted in 2003 with graduating seniors, and it was found to be very valuable for identifying strengths and weaknesses in our approaches to teaching information technology literacy. The assessment was then repeated with first-year participants in 2004 to gain a clearer picture of the skills which first-year students bring with them to college ([[Media:The_Activity_of_Information_Literacy.pdf|The Activity of Information Literacy: A Process Assessment of Student Research Skills]]).<br />
<br />
The college supports a mini-grant award program for faculty members who are willing to document evidence of the relationship of teaching practices and student learning. The faculty must describe how their research proposals connect to the mission and goals of the college. A growing collection of evidence-based learning assessment projects is now available to other faculty at Evergreen and the public ([[Media: Faculty_Assessment_Web_Page.pdf|Faculty Assessment Web page]]). Institutional Research and Assessment is sponsoring two faculty members' assessment projects this year. One faculty member has developed an innovative, multi-faceted assessment of student diversity learning, and another faculty member is working to develop a model of student flow into and out of Evergreen to assist with future curriculum planning. A team of Evergreen faculty is also working with the Washington Center for Undergraduate Education in a national multi-institution evidence-based interdisciplinary learning assessment project.<br />
<br />
A group of faculty and staff members is engaged in an ethnographic research project to better understand the nature and conditions of interdisciplinary teaching and learning. During the 2006-07 academic year, faculty members from several full-time, team-taught academic programs were interviewed regularly about their teaching and learning experiences and insights throughout the school year. As the multi-term programs came to a close, students from the programs participated in focus groups in which they articulated their learning and helped us better understand how students perceive interdisciplinary work. The ethnographic faculty interview data, observation of student work, and students’ focus group reflections are supporting the college’s ongoing dialogue about how well we are achieving our mission as a public, interdisciplinary liberal arts college. The experiential data and reflections of faculty and students evidence the shared teaching and learning experiences that occur in interdisciplinary learning community programs. A subsequent exploration of evidence of integrative learning and transformative educational experiences from NSSE data demonstrates that the experiences of the individual participants in the project are characteristic of many students at Evergreen ([[Media: NSSE_transformative education_aacu08.pdf|NSSE Transformative Education AACU presentation Jan 08, Washington, DC]]).<br />
<br />
The directors of the Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning Center and the Writing Center each developed and piloted skills assessments for incoming first-year students who enrolled in the latest iteration of the ''Beginning the Journey'' program in fall 2007. The assessments were designed to help new students understand their own abilities in writing and quantitative reasoning and to facilitate conversations about student learning with tutors and faculty members.<br />
<br />
In the recent past, Evergreen participated with our Washington public baccalaureate peers in the statewide learning assessment projects related to writing, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and information technology literacy. All of these projects brought together faculty from across institutions and disciplines to study student work, reflect on their own practices and values, learn about effective practices that lead to student learning, explore strengths and challenges, and improve their own teaching strategies. We continue to participate in strategy conversations about how to reinstitute this valuable work with our statewide colleagues, including pursuit of external funding to support developmental portfolio-based writing assessment, and other methods of sustaining the statewide collaborative conversation about common learning outcomes for students.<br />
<br />
=====Evergreen Experience and Evergreen Graduates=====<br />
<br />
Feedback from students and alumni about their experiences provides evidence of how well Evergreen is achieving its goals of providing engaging and relevant liberal arts education. One important source of such evidence is the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), in which Evergreen first-years and senior-class students participate annually. Evergreen students’ 2007 Level of Academic Challenge benchmark score was significantly higher (p<.001) than those for each of our three comparison populations: Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), other Master's-Smaller Program schools who share our Carnegie classification, and all participating institutions. First-years and seniors score so highly in this area because they spend more time preparing for class and their coursework has a greater emphasis on high level mental activities such as synthesis and organization, making judgments about the value of information, and analysis than other seniors. The NSSE also reveals that Evergreen students spend significantly more time on assignments that require integration of information from different sources and that they more frequently put together ideas from different courses in their work. These elements combined characterize Evergreen’s educational practices as those which regularly engage students in activities which contribute to deep learning. <br />
<br />
Evergreen’s performance on NSSE’s Active and Collaborative Learning benchmark distinguishes us even further from our peer context. Again, both first-year and senior scores are significantly higher (p<.001) than all three comparison groups, and as with Academic Challenge, our students are as engaged as students in the top 10% (high-performing) NSSE institutions. In 2007, none of the survey items which make up this benchmark score had significantly lower scores than any of the peer groups. The intellectual activities captured by this benchmark illustrate common experiences for students at Evergreen. Students at Evergreen regularly work with other students in and outside of class to complete their work. They are expected to be active participants in class discussions, and they are encouraged to pose their own questions. They more frequently teach each other and participate in community-based projects than students at most other institutions. Finally, they regularly carry ideas from class with them into discussions with others outside of class. The evidence of Active and Collaborative Learning gleaned from the NSSE supports the college’s efforts to provide educational programs that encourage students to be personally engaged in their learning and active participants in community.<br />
<br />
The NSSE also asks a series of questions which collect students’ perceptions of how their institution has contributed to their growth and development in a series of knowledge and skill areas. These data provide a sense of the relative strength of various learning domains present in Evergreen’s undergraduate program. In 2007, Evergreen first-year students perceived higher growth than students at all three comparison groups in five of the sixteen learning domains: thinking critically and analytically, learning effectively on your own, understanding yourself, understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds, and solving complex real-world problems. Additionally, they reported higher growth than other students in at least one of the comparison groups in another six areas: speaking clearly and effectively, working effectively with others, voting in elections, developing a personal code of values and ethics, contributing to the welfare of your community, and developing a deepened sense of spirituality. Seniors attribute significantly more growth to their Evergreen experiences than all three comparison groups in eight of the sixteen learning domains. As with first-years, thinking critically and analytically, learning effectively on your own, understanding yourself, understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds, and solving complex real-world problems are again among the areas which differentiate Evergreen students’ experiences. In addition, seniors reported higher growth than all three comparison groups in acquiring a broad general education, working effectively with others, and contributing to the welfare of your community. Beyond those eight areas, in another five domains, Evergreen seniors perceive significantly higher growth than seniors in at least one of the comparison groups: writing clearly and effectively, speaking clearly and effectively, voting in elections, developing a personal code of values and ethics, and developing a deepened sense of spirituality. They are neither higher nor lower than any comparison group in analyzing quantitative problems ([[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
A similar set of strengths rise to the top of the list of learning growth areas which alumni rate in biannually administered surveys of baccalaureate degree recipients. Alumni from the class of 2005 were surveyed in summer and fall 2006. Participants are asked to rate their satisfaction with Evergreen’s contribution to their growth in twenty-four areas. It is notable that seventeen of the twenty-four learning areas received an average rating above four on a five-point scale, which placed the average satisfaction in these areas between “mostly” and “very” satisfied. Further none of the items had an average satisfaction rating below the midpoint “somewhat satisfied” on the scale. The highest rated learning areas provide additional evidence of Evergreen’s concurrent emphases on personal autonomy and responsibility for your own work, collaborative and responsible participation, and complex thinking. The top five highest average ratings were attributed to growth in learning independently, participation in discussions, working cooperatively in a group, critically analyzing information, and synthesizing information and ideas from many sources. (Alumni Survey 2006).<br />
<br />
Every four years, Institutional Research and Assessment administers the “Greeners at Work” survey which first collects information from alumni three years after graduation, and then asks the alum’s current supervisor to provide information about the abilities and expectations of the graduate in the workplace. Two Greeners at Work surveys have been completed during this ten-year accreditation cycle, in 1999 and 2003, and data collection just wrapped up from the 2007 administration. The survey affirms the ability of Evergreen graduates to self-assess their relative strengths in terms of work-related skill areas, since in most skills areas there is strong correspondence between alumni and employer ratings. Of the seventeen work-related skills rated, alumni and employers assigned the highest average skill levels to the same five areas, although in a slightly different order. Employers rated Evergreen alumni highest in their willingness and aptitude to learn new skills and their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment; alumni average ratings of their own skills simply switched the order of these top two skill areas. The next three highest areas in order of employer average ratings were ability to work cooperatively on team efforts, creative thinking skills, and independence and initiative. Again the areas of collaborative participation, independence and willingness to engage in personal challenge, and thinking skills rise to the top from another view of the outcomes of an Evergreen education ([[Media: Greeners_at_Work_2003_-_Alumni_and_Employers_Three_Years_After_Graduation.pdf|Greeners at Work 2003 - Alumni and Employers Three Years After Graduation]]).<br />
<br />
=====Assessment of Graduate Learning=====<br />
<br />
Each graduate program has its own set of expected learning outcomes for its students. The programs provide information about their ongoing assessment practices in Standard 2.D.<br />
<br />
====2.B.3 Engagement and Reflection====<br />
''The institution provides evidence that its assessment activities lead to the improvement of teaching and learning.''<br />
<br />
The participatory assessment approach at Evergreen draws upon some of same pedagogies of engagement found in our educational programs. At its heart, assessment at Evergreen is about bringing people together to collaboratively engage with collected data to make meaning. Assessment is collaborative work which necessarily involves faculty, staff, and students. Members of the college often work in small groups to dig into questions, explore their own values and practices, share ideas, and report back to the broader community with recommendations based on their research. Individuals who engage directly in constructing meaning from various kinds of data are more likely to own the implications gleaned from that work.<br />
<br />
Multiple modes of inquiry are employed in initial research methodology and subsequent assessment activities. Research methodologies include surveys, administrative data analysis, focus groups, experiential data, ethnography, participatory research, qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry. Reporting methods include publishing materials on the Web site and conducting staff development workshops to raise awareness of the availability and contents of this resource. Email announcements of new research, printed reports, appearances at regular committee meetings, planning retreats, activities for new faculty and staff, other presentations, intensive assessment workshops, and posters are also used.<br />
<br />
Questions for research are framed both by internal questions and external reporting needs. At times the assessment agenda is needed to address external requirements, but just as often the agenda is influenced by authentic, immediate questions generated by faculty, staff, and students. The impact of assessment activities is heightened when the topics are aligned with current questions under consideration by members of the community. Institutional Research and Assessment staff often mine existing data resources that inform the work of ongoing task forces, academic deans, student affairs staff, senior staff, and planning units. By listening for the topics that have caught the attention of the community, the data is more likely to be used to make positive change. In addition, Institutional Research staff members also initiate dialogue when interesting trends or results emerge from our data collection and analysis, especially when multiple sources of information begin to point at particular issues worthy of deeper consideration. Staff members invite dialogue and group reflection, and encourage engagement by the stakeholders who have the greatest power to make a difference. <br />
<br />
Regularly collected data is often a good starting place to develop further questions and explore implications for practice. As one example, the Diversity DTF received several presentations from research staff who shared data with stakeholders who were currently engaged in studying issues of diversity. The DTF engaged in consideration of data excerpts and analyses from multiple sources of existing information, including various quantitative and narrative survey results, demographics, and other administrative data analyses. This dialogue pointed to new and deeper questions that were then analyzed for the task force. Ultimately the task force made specific recommendations to the college for areas of improvement and attention that were based in part on their engagement with research data and its own experiences. <br />
<br />
This cycle of gathering data resources and sharing them with ongoing work groups and planning efforts is regular practice at Evergreen. It is also common for a study group to initiate its own research to fill in gaps in knowledge and explore problems in new ways. The Assessment Study Group, Transcript Review Assessment Workshops, Enrollment Growth DTF, Curricular Visions, First-year Experience DTF, and the Extended Education Advisory Committee are other recent examples of groups which received existing and special data analyses from Institutional Research and Assessment to inform their inquiry. Many of the reports and analysis processes developed for these efforts have now been adopted into ongoing practice.<br />
<br />
===Standard 2.C – Undergraduate Curriculum===<br />
<br />
====Description====<br />
<br />
''The undergraduate program is designed to provide students with a substantial, coherent, and articulated exposure to the broad domains of knowledge.''<br />
<br />
''The Commission encourages a tripartite structure for baccalaureate and academic or transfer associate degree programs: (1) general education requires students to master competencies for independent learning and to develop an awareness of the fundamental areas of knowledge; (2) the major requires students to achieve a knowledge base in a specific area of concentration; and (3) electives provide the opportunity for students to pursue other intellectual interests. The instructional program, as a whole, is based on a clear rationale with the component parts designed to reflect that rationale. Degree and certificate programs are characterized by clarity and order which are discernible in model curricula shown in official publications and are recorded in official student records of actual programs pursued.''<br />
<br />
''Baccalaureate degree programs include a substantial core of general education instruction with identifiable outcomes and require competence in (a) written and oral communication, (b) quantitative reasoning, (c) critical analysis and logical thinking, and (d) literacy in the discourse or technology appropriate to the program of study.''<br />
<br />
<br />
In a college without departments, majors, or requirements the issue of how to organize the faculty to deliver a curriculum that has an appropriate distribution of beginning, intermediate, and advanced work, that provides disciplinary and interdisciplinary work, and supports general education while allowing both students and faculty broad autonomy is clearly central. Historically the answers have included no formal organization in the early years and multiple small interest groups (Specialty Areas) in the 1980s and early 1990s. The current structure, first developed in 1995, is organized around six planning units, first-year (Core) programs, inter-area programs, and individual contract and internship work.<br />
<br />
====Planning Units and the Curriculum====<br />
<br />
Planning in the undergraduate curriculum is organized around six major Planning Units: Scientific Inquiry (SI); Culture, Text, and Language (CTL); Expressive Arts (EA); Environmental Studies (ES); Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change (SPBC); and Evening and Weekend Studies (EWS). As seen in 2.B.1, the planning units correspond roughly to traditional divisions, but retain one explicitly inter-divisional planning unit (ES) and one based on a different schedule (EWS). (In this section we will discuss the nature and functions of planning units in the curriculum. A more detailed discussion of the current planning units’ work was presented in section 2.B.1.). The Native American, World Indigenous Peoples Center also offers programs each year and houses the Reservation-Based, Community-Determined Program that offers programs in Native communities in the western half of the state. In addition, the Tacoma Program serves upper division students in Tacoma and is discussed separately. Each planning unit is responsible for developing an entry point(s) into the program of study in the area and for providing a variety of more or less formally organized advanced work. Finally, each area is expected to contribute 20% of its teaching to Core (first-year) programs and an additional 20% to inter-area programs each year. <br />
<br />
'''Faculty Membership in Planning Units'''<br />
<br />
Each faculty member is affiliated with one planning unit. This affiliation usually, but not always, reflects their professional training. Faculty members can and occasionally do change their affiliation as their interests and capacities change. Planning units themselves occasionally change their focus or reorganize. Planning units select a coordinator (PUC) from among their ranks to organize and conduct meetings and coordinate with other units and with the curriculum dean. Planning units can be distinguished from departments by their lack of budget, lack of permanent assigned faculty lines, and lack of control over the hiring of new faculty. They are based on a strange amalgam of faculty autonomy and collective suasion. <br />
<br />
'''Variation among Planning Units''' <br />
<br />
While the formal structure of the areas is similar, the areas vary considerably in the extent to which they organize repeated offerings, the degree of demand they put on their members to teach within the area’s offerings, and the degree to which advanced work is formally identified. Each unit strikes a different and distinctive balance between disciplinary coverage and open-ended inquiry for both faculty and students. In the past few years, concerns about the role of planning units have motivated considerable discussion and debate on the campus. Questions have arisen not only about the curricular role of planning units, but their influence over hiring and their responsibility for providing seats to Core and inter-area programs ([[Media: Rita_Self_eval_2007.doc|Rita Pougiales' Self-Evaluation 2007]], and [[Media: Deans_Governance_Group_W06_summary.doc|Curricular Visions Summary of Winter 2006 Discussions]]).<br />
<br />
'''Planning Units, Coverage, and Pathways'''<br />
<br />
The tension about what planning units should do and mean for the college exists not only within and between planning units, but also in how planning units are seen to serve the needs of faculty, students, advising staff recruitment and admissions. Planning units typically, though not always, serve as a vehicle for organizing faculty for disciplinary or divisional commitments about coverage, skill, and mastery. They help ensure that introductory, intermediate, and advanced work is present in areas of the curriculum where such distinctions are seen to be critical. There is considerable variability between planning units both in their focus on coverage and in their aspirations for student mastery of the discipline(s) involved. In some planning units, open-ended inquiry in the area’s offerings comes after considerable disciplinary work, in others such inquiry is the predominant structure of their work. Despite faculty's sense of delineated paths through the curriculum, data from student transcripts and conversations with students indicate that few students are actively aware of pathways or even the planning unit structure. This is less true in Environmental Studies and Scientific Inquiry where the bachelor of science degree requirements help guide student choices. Similarly, some student aid recipients must take care to remain on track for the BS in order to maintain eligibility for scholarships or grants they have received (including federal SMART grants). In some areas (SPBC and CTL) students would be hard pressed to name the area. To the extent students do use pathways, their diversion from them often represents the development of and focus on a particular skill or project. Thus, while student work typically does result in what students (but not the college) represent as a majors, these are often either somewhat narrower or somewhat broader than area-defined pathways. <br />
<br />
Academic Advising sees the planning units as the source of stability in the curriculum. They value the idea of repeating programs and regular offerings. Advising uses planning units as the locus for disciplinary work in the curriculum. As major translators of the work of programs, Advising urges faculty to define areas and programs in easily accessible disciplinary language. Pathways are seen by Advising as important suggestions for students about potential ways to work their way through the curriculum. As Advising is concerned with clarity and stability in the curriculum, Admissions is concerned with the question of how to sell this curriculum to incoming students and their parents. This creates a pressure on planning units not simply to produce curriculum that is stable and transparent, but also to hire in such a way that the likelihood of marketable programs is increased. Thus pressure for hires in health and in business have emerged in part from external pressures. Despite these tensions, planning units have served since 1995 as the primary intermediate structure between the individual faculty member and the college curriculum as a whole. They are central to the process of planning both the 60% of the curriculum they directly organize and the 40% of the curriculum taught in Core and inter-area programs. An alternative approach to making the curriculum transparent and attractive has been the Fields of Study approach arising out of the Curricular Visions process. This approach is designed to allow groups of faculty to more clearly identify ongoing opportunities for study in the curriculum.<br />
<br />
====Modes of Study (An Overview)====<br />
<br />
The single most important structure for offering the curriculum is the coordinated studies program described above (2.A.9). In addition to coordinated studies programs within planning units, there are inter-area programs where faculty members from across two or more planning units come together to pursue an issue. These programs are generally substantial two- and three-quarter-long investigations whose audience is often open to students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Core programs are inter-area programs designed for first-year students. They typically are broad two- to three-quarter offerings centered on a theme or inquiry with specific support for the development of college-level skills in reading, writing, and seminar work. Several other modes of study are used to deliver the curriculum. The single faculty member program offers a specific piece of full-time study for one to three quarters. This format is usually offered for advanced disciplinary work. Half-time coordinated studies programs are the foundation of the evening and weekend program. Like full-time programs, they can be offered for one to three quarters. The evening and weekend program also offers a range of courses designed to stand on their own or to supplement other offerings. Courses in such areas as languages, mathematics, art, and writing both offer alternative vehicles for meeting program prerequisites and are used to support teaching in both arts and language programs. In addition, courses in other areas support graduate programs and part-time studies students. Individual contracts and internships round out the curriculum. Such contracts are most frequently for advanced work. Internship learning contracts are agreements between the student, an internship field supervisor, the school, and a faculty member. They are most frequently undertaken as an individual study, but may be required as a part of the work within a coordinated study or group contract. Both internship learning contracts and individual learning contracts are reviewed and signed off on by the academic deans.<br />
<br />
====First-Year Programs and Options====<br />
<br />
Freshman students at Evergreen may enter a diverse array of programs. The three most important choices available to them are Core programs, designed explicitly for freshmen, all-level programs in which a percentage, usually 25% of the seats, are reserved for freshmen, and introductory/lower division programs where as many as 50% of the seats are reserved for first-year students. All-level programs that cater to the largest numbers are often, though not always, inter-area programs that involve faculty from two or more planning units.<br />
<br />
Core programs are almost always interdisciplinary and frequently interdivisional offerings involving two to four faculty members and often taught for two quarters or a full year. They are distinguished by slightly smaller faculty student ratio (1/23), a strong collaborative relationship with Academic Advising, and extensive support from the Writing and Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning centers as appropriate. The primary virtue of the broadly interdivisional core programs is the provision of a base from which a student may develop her college education. These programs are usually thematically organized and inquiry-based. They provide a wide ranging, often quite sophisticated, interdisciplinary perspective on contemporary and historical questions of human experience. All Core programs work to support general education and the development of skills in writing, reading, seminar participation, collaborative work more generally, and critical thinking. In many programs, quantitative reasoning, library research, creative expression, and field research skills of various sorts are supported as well. <br />
<br />
'''Changes in Core and All-Level Programs'''<br />
<br />
In recent years Core has shown, along with the rest of the curriculum, a tendency for narrower two-faculty-member programs. The difficulty which arises is that the breadth of the offerings usually suffers. Further, in the first years of this review period, 1997-98 and 1998-99, many and often most Core programs lasted through three full quarters. Today most programs are one or two quarters long. (Catalog 1997-98, 1998-99, 2005-06, 2006-07) For many years Core programs were the preponderant first-year experience, today, fewer than half of all first-year students get this sort of support. Indeed there has been a marked shift in terms of where first-year slots are located in the full-time curriculum. Over this period, a growing proportion of first-years enrolled in all-level program seats (programs which enroll freshmen through seniors) compared to Core programs (targeted at freshmen and new first-time, first-year students). In AY 1997-98, 71% of first-year program FTE was generated in Core programs, but by AY 2006-07, only 40% was generated in Core. Lower-division programs (which enroll freshmen and sophomores) began to appear in AY 2004-05. By AY 2006-07, lower-division programs represented 14% of all first-year program FTE.<br />
<br />
[[Image:FTE_Generated_by_FT_Programs.JPG]]<br />
<br />
All-level programs have become increasingly important in the first year curriculum. Many if not most of the inter-area programs have opened their work to first-year students and some areas (notably CTL) have a long history of offering all-level work. Because such programs are supposed to be attractive and available to students with quite different educational backgrounds, most programs, even when they include art or science, do not have prerequisites. Inter-area programs usually provide less systematic support for freshmen students, but offer a challenge to some of the better prepared freshman students who want to work in what is sometimes a more demanding environment. All-level programs, especially inter-area ones, can be an excellent beginning point for a student's work at the college.<br />
<br />
'''Lower Division Programs'''<br />
<br />
Finally, some areas have opened up lower division programs or introductory programs to allow some (often as many as half) of the students to be freshmen. The argument for this kind of work in the first year is centered on the desire that many students have to get into the subject matter that draws them to college in the first place. Again, this has significant advantages for some students in as much as they are directly challenged and engaged in material that they find important. Yet such a program may not provide the range of support for more general skills, nor does it provide the kind of inter-divisional breadth we prefer for first-year students.<br />
<br />
'''Complexity and Evolution of Core Planning'''<br />
<br />
Historically, Core programs have been among the broadest and most thoroughly interdisciplinary programs on campus. In theory, but not always in practice, they are supposed to occupy a priority position in the planning process. A major tension exists in the planning process between the process of planning Core programs that tend to be ad hoc in any given year and the systematic planning of many planning units that attempt to stabilize and identify curricular paths some years into the future. This tension has led to two major developments over the past ten years. First, as areas have attempted to both provide 20% of the seats taught by their faculty as freshman seats, planning units have attempted to serve both planning unit needs and freshman seat needs by moving introductory planning unit offerings into lower division work, thus opening introductory lower division offerings to large numbers of freshman students. Alternatively, areas and individual faculty members have attempted to meet their collective/personal obligation to provide freshman seats by declaring their program all-level and allocating 25% or more of their seats to freshmen without significant modification of their content. Both of these tendencies are supported by the switch some years ago from planning units being responsible for providing faculty to teach in Core to being responsible to provide 20% of the seats taught by their faculty as available to freshmen. To the extent that these programs are intra-area programs, the pool of faculty available for inter-divisional team teaching is diminished.<br />
<br />
In recent years, recruiting faculty to teach in Core programs and creating effective social and intellectual opportunities for inter-divisional teams to emerge has been a serious issue for the college. These difficulties rest in some measure on the ambiguity of whether the obligation to teach in Core rests on individual faculty or on the planning unit. Prior to the 1995 curriculum revision, the obligation rested ambiguously, but decidedly, with the faculty. Faculty members were expected to teach Core one out of four years. Today the burden is often presumed to lie with the area and teaching in Core is seen in some areas as a scheduled assignment. <br />
<br />
Planning a good program team is a matter of intellectual, pedagogical, and personal fit. Effective teams depend upon each other in innumerable ways. The continuous turnover in faculty over the past ten years has made developing planning and social time that underlies the possibility of making effective matches a high priority especially for newer faculty. Recruiting engaged and committed faculty teams, finding enough time to develop effective teaching themes and plans, providing opportunities to reflect on those experiences, and developing both intellectual and pedagogical skills are crucial to making teaching first-year students worthwhile and intellectually rewarding for new faculty. This, almost of necessity, requires a new core faculty recruitment and planning structure that can sustain faculty engagement with interdisciplinary issues and concerns about pedagogy for freshman students over time. The provision of paid faculty planning time in the summer has helped, but as the audience is primarily established teams, it has not made a great difference in terms of locating potential future teaching partners. (See Standard 4 for more discussion of issues around incorporating new faculty). <br />
<br />
The movement over the past ten to fifteen years towards shorter, smaller programs and pieces of work for first-year students has allowed more exploration and often exposure to a wider array of choices. Clearly this move has made it possible for more students to find program offerings, as opposed to dropping out or taking contracts or internships in the spring quarter. But by the same token, smaller, shorter programs may have cut down on the opportunity to get to the kind of depth and familiarity with issues that allows for the complexity of reflexive thinking on the part of younger students. Certainly, the ability to plan long range complex programs is made difficult by the growing tendency to reduce teaching assignments to smaller and smaller bits, thus increasing the need for immediate short-term planning time and increasing the experienced, if not the headcount, workload of faculty. The tension between exposure to a number of faculty, disciplines, and issues on the one hand and the experience of doing a deep, often transformative piece of work on the other is a tension that has long plagued the college. <br />
<br />
The perception of Core programs by incoming students is mixed. Core programs often are demanding and academically rigorous. Yet they are sometimes seen by incoming freshmen as less demanding than lower division or all-level programs. The attempts in Core to develop skills and to introduce the college, while appreciated and useful to some, are seen as hand-holding and dumbing down by others. To the extent that Core programs are not rigorous and demanding or to the extent that they are not matching a particular student’s interest, they are often described as boring.<br />
<br />
Finally, fall-to-fall retention is a serious issue for the college in its first-year offerings. Matching students to their choices within first-year programs is one challenge. Ironically, as we open more choices to students the number of students getting their first choice has dropped as many of the openings in all-level, specialized, single-faculty programs and small inter-area programs may be very broadly attractive, but represent very few freshman seats.<br />
<br />
====Inter-Area Programs====<br />
<br />
Inter-area programs are some of the most exciting and innovative programs at the college. They draw together unique faculty teams to teach complex theme-based programs that stimulate multi-dimensional, creative, and reflexive work. Inter-area programs involve faculty from two or more planning units offering programs which deal with a theme or question, and are designed for students at upper division, sophomore and above, or all-level. By design, students typically bring a distinctly mixed background to these programs, not only in terms of years of college experience, but also in terms of specialization and interests. Inter-area programs are a primary location for the teaching of general education skills. Inter-area programs often involve faculty with quite different skills and backgrounds. Faculty often teach some aspect of these distinct capacities in the program. Thus inter-area programs along with Core were a primary location where faculty with particular skills in quantitative reasoning, mathematics, and art were able to share this information with students who typically avoided such learning. Thus between 65% and 85% of inter-area programs in the 2001-02 to 2005-06 End of Program Reviews reported some emphasis on mathematics, while 60-80% of the programs in the same period reported an emphasis on art ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Art.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Art]] and <br />
[[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Science_and_Math.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Science and Math]]). Inter-area programs are also a place where a great deal of theme-based, inquiry-based teaching occurs, as they often invite students to engage in complex, reflective work about an issue. In recent years, inter-area programs have frequently been all-level and have, through this mechanism, contributed a very significant number of freshman seats. According to the 1995-96 Long Range Curriculum DTF Report, planning units were expected to contribute 20% of their teaching effort to both Core and inter-area programs. That goal was seldom reached between the 1997-98 AY and the 2000-01 AY, but has been the norm since that time, with the proportion of Core programs shrinking consistently ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]). An ongoing issue for inter-area programs is the creation of new faculty teams. There are no regularized formal mechanisms for generating inter-area teams and new faculty often feel a strong pressure to participate in the ongoing curriculum within their planning units.<br />
<br />
====Individual Study Options: Contracts and Internships====<br />
<br />
Individual contracts and internships allow students to follow their passions, define their own work, and expand their opportunities beyond the walls of the college in very important ways. Developing and negotiating a contract with faculty and with internship field supervisors forces reflection about their work and compels students to take responsibility for their own education as they move into doing advanced work. Work with faculty, though often limited, is very different and more personal compared to working in the confines of a program. These modes of learning are the ultimate mode for students taking responsibility for their own education.<br />
<br />
'''Individual Contracts'''<br />
<br />
Individual contracts are critical elements in the education of many students at the college. They allow for advanced work, they accommodate idiosyncratic life situations, and they provide opportunities for student initiative. Consultation with the academic deans who read and approve all contracts and internships reveals that contracts serve two very different functions. The first and most important function is as a location for students to undertake significant, usually advanced, independent research or inquiry. The second is as a stopgap measure that accommodates a student’s schedule, life circumstance, or inability to get into programs that they want or need. Typically, but not always, the former are more effective and more carefully thought through, and provide more demonstration of learning than the latter. Students may write individual contracts for two to sixteen quarter-hours credit. Usually smaller contracts supplement work in a part-time program, support language learning, or provide a small piece of prerequisite learning for admission to a future program or graduate school. In 2006-07, students and faculty wrote a total of 1279 individual learning contracts: 300 in fall, 454 in winter, and 525 in spring. These contracts generated approximately 922 FTE. Contracts and internships together generated some 1322.8 FTE during the year.<br />
<br />
In good contracts, students define what they want to learn, demonstrate a background that allows them to deal with the project, define the activities that will help them learn, and have a plan to demonstrate that learning. Coherence between the learning objectives of the contract and the activities they undertake is central. The deans report that a significant majority of contracts are reasonably well developed and define substantial individual work that coherently defines learning objectives and the work undertaken.<br />
<br />
'''Internships'''<br />
<br />
Internships provide opportunities for students to gain exposure to work experience, apply lessons learned in class to the real world, and learn about the complexities, skills, and culture of a potential workplace. Internships involve a complex three-way negotiation between a student, a field supervisor at a job site, and a member of the faculty. Students work with Academic Advising and increasingly with the Center for Community-Based Learning and Action (CCBLA) to identify internships that extend their studies. The CCBLA locates work sites and provides a systematic conduit for student volunteers into community work. The center has also helped facilitate volunteer and internship activity for work within programs. In the past two years, the center has helped twenty programs set up service-learning projects within those programs and has supported more than 140 individual students in setting up community-based learning opportunities ([[Media: 2006-07annualreportccbla.pdf|Center for Community-Based Learning and Action Annual Report 2007]]). Negotiations between the student, faculty member, and field supervisor are supported by Academic Advising to identify the goals of the internship experience, the amount of credit earned, the academic work that accompanies the internship, the work undertaken, the reporting lines, and the roles of the field supervisor, faculty member and student in evaluation of the work. Students undertake internships at different points in their education. Longer, more substantial internships, such as legislative internships or work within a social service agency, are usually undertaken in the junior or senior year. Shorter internships are often directed toward community service work. <br />
<br />
Students undertook 506 internships in the 2006-07 school year with 26% in fall, 36% in winter, and 38% in spring. In most instances, internship work constituted a portion of the student’s work, while course work and written reflection about the experience make up the balance. Internships link the college to the broader community, help students gain experience for a successful transition to work after graduation, and allow students to design important components of their education. They are an important means of linking theory to practice and are consistently popular with students. They also provide important opportunities for public service and significant engagement with public issues and political practice.<br />
<br />
These three important modes of study – first-year, inter-area, and individual work – when combined with the divisional offerings from the planning units (see Standard 2.B.1) constitute the central structures of the college. As such, they embody the five foci and the central tensions of disciplinary work and interdisciplinary inquiry, of individual autonomy and collaborative work. They also provide a wide array of opportunities for students to engage in written and oral communication, quantitative reasoning, critical analysis and logical thinking, and literacy in the appropriate discourse or technology.<br />
<br />
====2.C.1 General Education Philosophy and Practices====<br />
''The institution requires of all its degree and pre-baccalaureate programs a component of general education and/or related instruction that is published in its general catalog in clear and complete terms.''<br />
<br />
Evergreen's academic practices, structures, and expectations create a series of contexts within which the connection of disciplinary understandings to other disciplines, experiences, and understandings is seen as a necessary part of a general education. Students are, to an important degree, encouraged at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels to undertake studies that contribute to breadth as well as depth in their education. Practices such as full-time study as the preferred structure of student work, problem-centered thematic programs, interdisciplinary work, seminars as central learning spaces, workshops and small group practice are mechanisms that link the theory of the foci to student experience. The most critical practice, the one that has the most powerful impact on student experience writ large, is student autonomy.<br />
<br />
At the center of the foci and expectations, as two articulations of the college’s ambitions for its curriculum and its students, is the individual student. The first of the expectations is to articulate and assume responsibility for your own work. Central among the foci is personal engagement with their educational experience. The student is understood in both these articulations as the central actor in their own education. The primacy of the student is most clearly and powerfully exemplified in the lack of degree requirements. 180 quarter-credit hours of anything earns you a BA at Evergreen. On the one hand, this is a terrifying recognition for faculty and administrators. Here, in one simple action, the whole apparatus of curriculum/requirements/majors/established disciplinary boundaries is relinquished into the hands of students. On the other hand, this student autonomy is the foundation of those most prized qualities of student engagement – creative independent thinking, interdisciplinary work, work across difference – for the autonomy that students face forces them to ask their own questions. As students ask these questions and work with others to understand them, they are pushed toward deeper and more complex engagement and come to see the necessity for more complex interdisciplinary critical and creative thinking.<br />
<br />
The End-of-Program Review data provide an extensive overview of the extraordinary array of teaching practices at the college. Four critical qualities emerge from this data. (A caveat: not all programs possess all qualities, but all qualities can be found in all areas of the college.) First, teaching practices at the college are distinctly and exceptionally collaborative. At the root of this is the central notion that individual evaluation, not competitive grading, is the fundamental form of assessment. This root practice makes a huge difference in the classroom. Students are not penalized for sharing information and understanding and indeed the sharing of discoveries is the central focus of that most Evergreen of institutions, the seminar. Collaboration is built into the structured workshops used to teach everything from writing and philosophy to botany and mathematics. Small group research projects, whose audience is the program as a whole, are common. The idea that each person is responsible to the group to participate, to help build understandings, and to share what they know is fundamental to the life of programs as learning communities.<br />
<br />
Second, teaching practices at Evergreen ask students to find ways to use the understandings they have developed in class to deepen their study and to engage issues in the world outside the classroom. Connections to the real world are built into field trips, field study, art making, internships, community service, fiction writing, laboratory research in the sciences, the composition of music, the creation of computer applications, qualitative and quantitative field research, ethnographic research, life history research, filmmaking, travel, and cultural studies. The list goes on, but the point is that learning is not just talk about acting; it is an interaction of acting and carefully reflecting.<br />
<br />
Inquiry-based teaching practices are fundamental to much of what happens at Evergreen. Nearly all programs have a set of central questions that animate the inquiry. Here are a few from the 2007-08 Catalog.<br />
<br />
*“What is the structure, composition, and function of a temperate rain forest? How does this relate to the ecology of other systems, land management, and the physical environment?"<br />
<br />
*"What do chemists do? What is life exactly? What are the physical and chemical processes of life that distinguish it from ordinary matter? Are there mathematical rules that govern the formation and growth of life?"<br />
<br />
*"This program is an inquiry into the numinous, which Rudolph Otto, amidst the turmoil of WWI, explained as a 'non-rational, non-sensory experience or feeling whose primary and immediate object is outside the self.'" <br />
<br />
*"Have you wondered about the ways languages work? Do you think about how thoughts get translated into language?”<br />
<br />
Within programs, students are encouraged to choose questions to answer about the texts. Often they are urged to develop major questions as independent inquiry/research papers about issues developing around the program’s themes. Students are actively taught how to use the library, computer resources, media production, writing resources, and experimentation, among other skills, as vehicles for answering questions that they pose, to find answers (or further questions) that they have a stake in.<br />
<br />
Finally, students exercise choice. Most importantly and obviously they exercise choice over the whole structure and content of their education. But at the level of the program, and in the work undertaken in any given quarter, students exercise a wide range of choice as well. Internships, individual contracts, research projects, and supplementary classes are all major opportunities for students to fashion components of their work around their choices. Even when students only select a program, their capacity to see that program as a part of their own larger choice-driven project makes the act of taking it somewhat different from choosing to take another course towards a major in a conventional school.<br />
<br />
These four elements then – collaboration, application, inquiry, and choice – characterize the vast array of teaching practices that translate the language of the five foci into the experiences that produce students whose educations can be characterized by the expectations and the data we have reviewed. They provide the matrix of choices and opportunities that frame the dilemma of how to put together his/her work that each student must confront. And typically they require students to develop a broad array of skills and capacities.<br />
<br />
====2.C.2 General Education Rationale====<br />
''The general education component of the institution’s degree programs is based on a rationale that is clearly articulated and is published in clear and complete terms in the catalog. It provides the criteria by which the relevance of each course to the general education component is evaluated.'' <br />
<br />
The basic understanding of general education at Evergreen is embedded within the Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate published in the catalog. Each specific program provides a descriptive overview of the issues and contents of the program including a statement of the areas where students can expect to receive credit. The rationale for taking any particular program rests on the relationship between that program’s content and the particular student’s plans and aspirations.<br />
<br />
====2.C.3 General Education Offerings====<br />
''The general education program offerings include the humanities and fine arts, the natural sciences, mathematics, and the social sciences. The program may also include courses that focus on the interrelationships between these major fields of study.''<br />
<br />
The End-of-Program Review (EPR) Survey is the baseline measure of the kinds of work that are contained within programs. This survey, administered in its original form between AY 2001-02 and 2005-06, and in a somewhat modified form in 2006-07, allows the college to see within programs the various components and elements that constitute the work of the program. The revision of the instrument in the summer of 2006 was the result of a major assessment of the EPR data carried out by faculty and staff during a weeklong assessment workshop hosted by Institutional Research and Assessment. The new survey clarifies categories and facilitates both ease of response and comparability of data ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Summary_of_Response_Rates.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Summary of Response Rates]]). The response rate to the survey has grown over the years and showed a marked increase to 82% with the new survey in 2006-07. The data presented here provides an overview of how Evergreen programs incorporate various general education elements. The detailed survey results provide considerable insight into the extraordinary array of activities in each of these areas. For this information, see especially charts labeled EPR 2006-07 – Name of Planning Unit Overview.<br />
<br />
Comments on the distribution of general education across the curriculum will focus on the most recent data (2006-07) and note significant trends from the 2001-2005 data. In general, the data show that general education is distributed across all sectors of the college and exposure to general education is available in all areas and inescapable in many. Data from the EPR refers to activities in programs. In addition, significant amounts of student work occur in individual contracts, internships, and courses. A major opportunity for advanced work occurred in research projects with faculty or in Student Originated Studies clusters.<br />
<br />
Note: The percentages reported in this document reflect a recognition that, given the original modes of computing the percentage in the 2003 report (number of programs reporting activity X/ number of programs in the curriculum), apparent trends in the data could simply reflect growth in the response rate. Thus the current data is computed as follows (Number of Programs Reporting Activity X/ Number of Programs Reporting) in order to keep sample size from distorting results.<br />
<br />
=====Art=====<br />
Two-thirds of all reporting programs indicated an emphasis on art. Art was especially well represented in Expressive Arts, Culture Text, and Language; Inter-Area; Tribal; and Environmental Studies (see [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Art.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Art]]; [[Media: EPR 2006-07_-_Art_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Art Overview]]; <br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Art_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Art by Planning Unit]]; [[Media: Art_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Art Across the Curriculum]]; and [[Media: Art%2C_A_Supplement.pdf|Art, A Supplement]]). Approximately 35% of these programs indicated an extensive or moderate teaching of art. Art was taught at all levels with a preponderance of introductory teaching. In addition, there were sixty-four different two- to four-credit art courses taught during 2006-07, which compares to forty art courses in 2000-01, before the implementation of the new general education initiatives ([[Media: Courses_by_General_Education_Divisions.pdf|Courses by General Education Divisions]]). Faculty in Expressive Arts taught 204 individual contracts and fifty-nine internships ([[Media: Curriculum_Enrollment_Detail_2006-07.pdf|Curriculum Enrollment Detail AY 2006-07]]<br />
). Expressive Arts organizes students into Student Originated Studies (SOS) groups in Media, Music, Performance, and Visual Arts. An average of 50.1 student FTE are generated each quarter through Student Originated Studies in the arts ([[Media: Curriculum_Enrollment_Detail_2006-07.pdf|Curriculum Enrollment Detail AY 2006-07]]).<br />
<br />
=====Science and Mathematics=====<br />
<br />
In the 2001-2005 data, mathematics and science were surveyed together. Over this period, the proportion of programs indicating an emphasis on mathematics or science grew from 55% in 2001-02 to 70% in 2005-06. Both Scientific Inquiry and Environmental Studies reported that 100% of their programs included science or mathematics. Core programs over the period ranged between 67% of programs to 100% of programs including mathematics or sciences. Similarly inter-area programs reported a low of 64% and a high of 86% with some emphasis on mathematics and/or science ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Science_and_Math.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Science and Math]]).<br />
<br />
In this same period, 2001-2005, programs were asked to report on the use of quantitative reasoning in programs. A high of 74% of all programs reporting indicated an emphasis on quantitative reasoning in 2001-02, and a low of 59% of programs reported an emphasis on quantitative reasoning in 2004-05. Scientific Inquiry; Environmental Studies; and Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change areas reported relatively strong emphasis on quantitative reasoning ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Quantitative_Reasoning.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Quantitative Reasoning]]). For a discussion of the variety of ways in which quantitative reasoning was used in programs, and the confusion that arose in the survey between mathematics and quantitative reasoning, see ([[Media: Quantitative_Reasoning_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Quantitative Reasoning Across the Curriculum]] and<br />
[[Media: Quantitative_Reasoning%2C_A_Supplement.pdf|Quantitative Reasoning, A Supplement]]).<br />
<br />
The 2006-07 EPR survey disaggregated science and mathematics. Under this structure, 53% of programs reported an emphasis on science. Science was particularly strong in Environmental Studies where 100% of programs reported teaching science extensively and in Scientific Inquiry where 88% reported some science (the other programs were in mathematics and computer science). In comparison, 56% of Core and 52% of inter-area programs reported an emphasis on science ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences Overview]]<br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences by Planning Unit]]). In addition there were thirty-five different courses in natural, physical, and computer sciences taught during the 2006-07. This compares to only twenty different science courses in 2000-01, when the general education initiatives were adopted by faculty ([[Media: Courses_by_General_Education_Divisions.pdf|Courses by General Education Divisions]]).<br />
<br />
In 2006-07, 58% of all programs reporting indicated an emphasis on mathematics. Both Scientific Inquiry and Environmental Studies reported 100% of programs with an emphasis on mathematics, although math was much more extensively used as a part of SI teaching. Core and inter-area programs both reported 67% of their programs had an emphasis on mathematics. SPBC reported 63% of programs with an emphasis on mathematics ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math Overview]], <br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math by Planning Unit]]). In addition, there were ten different mathematics courses taught in 2006-07, compared to only six math courses taught in 2000-01 ([[Media: Courses_by_General_Education_Divisions.pdf|Courses by General Education Divisions]]). <br />
<br />
Faculty in Scientific Inquiry and Environmental Studies taught 211 contracts and one hundred internships over the course of 2006-07. Additional undergraduate research opportunities with faculty are provided through Advanced Research in Environmental Studies, which generated an average of 6.3 student FTE each quarter of 2006-07. Scientific Inquiry offers close faculty-student applied research opportunities through Undergraduate Research in SI which generated 13.1 FTE per quarter in 2006-07 ([[Media: Curriculum_Enrollment_Detail_2006-07.pdf|Curriculum Enrollment Detail AY 2006-07]]).<br />
<br />
=====Humanities=====<br />
<br />
In all, 89% of programs reporting indicated an emphasis on humanities. Of those programs, more than 70% indicated that they taught humanities moderately or extensively. In Core; Culture, Text, and Language; and Expressive Arts, 100% of programs indicated an emphasis on humanities. The lowest score was 73% for environmental studies. Clearly the use of humanities as basic vehicle for engaging students and linking program elements is widespread ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Humanities_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Humanities Overview]].<br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Humanities_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Humanities by Planning Unit]]). Data from 2001-02 to 2005-06 demonstrate the ubiquity of humanities at Evergreen ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Humanities.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Humanities]]; [[Media: Humanities_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Humanities Across the Curriculum]]). In addition, faculty in Culture, Text, and, Language sponsored some 266 individual learning contracts, and ninety-two internships ([[Media: Curriculum_Enrollment_Detail_2006-07.pdf|Curriculum Enrollment Detail AY 2006-07]]). There were sixty-one different courses in the humanities taught during 2006-07. This divisional area has seen the greatest growth in the number of courses since the implementation of new general education initiatives. Only twenty-nine different humanities courses were offered in 2000-01, the year before the credit limit was increased, the six expectations were adopted, and the Writing Center was enhanced ([[Media: Courses_by_General_Education_Divisions.pdf|Courses by General Education Divisions]]).<br />
<br />
=====Social Science===== <br />
<br />
In 2006-07, 77% of all programs reporting indicated an emphasis on social sciences. Data for the 2001-2005 period range between 74% and 88% of programs reporting this emphasis ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Social_Sciences.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Social Sciences]]). Social sciences were particularly significant in Core programs, inter-area programs, EWS programs, and, of course, in Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change offerings. Significant amounts of social sciences were included in Culture, Text, and Language programs and in Environmental Studies. Social sciences were taught at all levels with a preponderance at the beginning and intermediate level. Faculty reported that 36.4% of all programs, 44.4% of Core programs, and 47.6% of inter-area programs used social science extensively within the program. Clearly, like the humanities, social sciences are widespread in the curriculum. And again like humanities, social sciences served an important role in pulling together inter-divisional work ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Social_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Social Sciences Overview]]<br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Social_Sciences_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Social Sciences by Planning Unit]]; [[Media: Social_Science_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Social Science Across the Curriculum]]). The Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change planning unit sponsored some 212 contracts and ninety-one internship opportunities over the course of the year ([[Media: Curriculum_Enrollment_Detail_2006-07.pdf|Curriculum Enrollment Detail AY 2006-07]]). In addition, there were sixty different courses in social sciences taught during academic year 2006-07, a strong increase from the thirty-five different courses taught in 2000-01 ([[Media: Courses_by_General_Education_Divisions.pdf|Courses by General Education Divisions]]).<br />
<br />
=====Information Technology Literacy (ITL)=====<br />
<br />
This section provides an overview of the use of Information Technology Literacy (ITL). For more information and an analysis of ITL as it is taught and affects the Library, Media Services, and the Computer Center, please consult Standard 5 on Libraries and Information Services. Nearly 70% of programs included activities to improve the information technology literacy of their students in the 2006-07 EPR data. This number is lower than the 90% of programs reporting use of information technology literacy in the 2001-2006 school years. The drop reflects a shift in the question from "use" of ITL to an emphasis on "active teaching" of ITL, and the removal of the prompt for library research within the question. In terms of active teaching, the 70% figure is more accurate; in terms of use, 90% is more accurate. For 2007, the level of use varied from a low of 28.6% reported by Culture, Text, and Language (CTL) programs to highs of 100% in the Reservation-Based Program, and more than 80% in Environmental Studies (ES), Scientific Inquiry (SI), and Evening and Weekend Studies (EWS). Among programs reporting teaching ITL, the most common use of ITL was in information acquisition, including library/internet searching (71.3%), presentation technology (60%), and media production (45%), followed by data analysis (41.3%), and data acquisition (37.5%). The high numbers for ITL use by the Reservation-Based programs reflects the use of information technology to bring library, data, and presentation resources to these sites. Overall, ITL is being taught broadly across campus. While library use generally has remained somewhat stable, the use of presentation technology has grown by 70% and online communication technology has increased substantially, by 19%. What is specifically taught varies considerably by the nature and demands of the disciplines and issues being investigated by a particular program or area. See library standard description (Standard 5) for uses of information technology by planning unit ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]<br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]; [[Media: Information_Technology_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Information Technology Across the Curriculum]]).<br />
<br />
=====Writing=====<br />
<br />
In the 2006-07 EPR, 100% of programs reported writing as an emphasis. The figure was nearly 100% in the 2001-05 period as well. Nearly 52% reported extensive use of writing and an additional 41.5 % reported moderate use. Only 5.9% reported a small amount of writing. Culture, Text, and Language was the one area where all programs reported using writing extensively. Yet the fact that 50% or more of Core, Environmental Studies, inter-area, and EWS programs reported using extensive writing is an indication of the ubiquity of the effort ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Writing_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Writing Overview]]). Programs were asked specifically about writing instruction as opposed to simply requiring writing. In all, 63.5% reported extensive or moderate amounts of instruction and only 5.9% provided no instruction. The writing report provides a complex overview of writing effort ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Writing_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Writing by Planning Unit]]). The 2001-05 data illustrate the ubiquity of writing in the curriculum over the years, but have less detail ([[Media: Writing_Across_the_Curriculum_by_Jeanne_Hahn.pdf|Writing Across the Curriculum - by Jeanne Hahn]]; [[Media: Writing_Across_the_Curriculum_by_Yannone_and_McLane-Higginson.pdf|Writing Across the Curriculum - by Sandy Yannone]]; [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Writing.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Writing]]).<br />
The college has a Writing Center open to all students for help with a wide variety of writing projects, from essays and research papers to academic journals and fiction. The center uses a tutor-based model and provides training in writing instruction to tutors in the center. The center works with programs, especially Core programs, to develop workshops, and to provide dedicated writing support. The center also works with faculty to help develop pedagogical skills in support of the college's writing across the curriculum model ([[Media: Writing_for_2008_Self-Study.doc|Writing Center Report for Self-Study 2008]]; [[Media: R_to_W_Final_Layout_in_11_pt_w_page_numbers_8X14.doc|READING TO WRITE: Attuning College Freshmen to a Literate Life]]; [[Media: BTJ_essay_prompt.doc|Writing Assessment Prompt for Beginning The Journey 2007]]; [[Media: BTJ_Letter.doc|Introductory Letter for Writing Assessment]]; [[Media: WC_contacts_by_year.pdf|Writing Center Contacts by Year]]).<br />
<br />
=====Critical Thinking=====<br />
<br />
100% of programs reporting indicated an emphasis on critical thinking in the 2006-07 EPR. This number continues a trend that has persisted since 2001. However, as a result of the work in the summer of 2006 reviewing the claims and understandings of critical thinking by different planning units, a much more complex understanding of the meaning of critical thinking and its relationship to learning in different areas of the curriculum emerges from the much more detailed data in the 2006-07 survey ([[Media: Critical_Thinking_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum]]; [[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Critical_Thinking.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Critical Thinking]]; [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Critical_Thinking_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Critical Thinking Overview]]<br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Critical_Thinking_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Critical Thinking by Planning Unit]]). The new data is based on identifying specific intellectual activities: analysis, synthesis, judgment, argument, problem solving, and diverse perspectives. These more specific characteristics illustrate both differences in emphasis among the planning units and the extent to which Core and inter-area programs stress teaching about various modes of critical thinking within the programs ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Critical_Thinking_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Critical Thinking by Planning Unit]]).<br />
<br />
=====Oppression, Privilege, and Difference=====<br />
<br />
The college's concern for issues of oppression, privilege, and difference is reflected in its concern for diversity and equity in the strategic plan and foci. EPR data are helpful as the college moves to increase diversity experiences and improve climate around diversity. The college started measuring this in the 2004-05 school year. The 2004-05 and 2005-06 data reveal that 74% and 75% of programs reporting indicated some emphasis on addressing oppression ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Addressing_Diversity_and_Oppression.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Addressing Diversity and Oppression]]). All programmatic areas with the exception of Environmental Studies (ES) and Scientific Inquiry (SI) reported more than 70% of their programs had some emphasis on this set of issues. The 2006-07 survey, which has more compete data, reports 83% of all programs reporting some emphasis. With the exception of SI, more than 70% of reported programs in each unit offered some work in this area. In Core programs, Expressive Arts (EA), Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change (SPBC), and the Tribal Reservation-Based program, 100% of programs reporting showed some work in this area. Interestingly, the areas showing the most extensive attention were Core programs, CTL, and inter-area programs. In SPBC and the Tribal program, more than 65% of programs incorporated extensive or moderate teaching of these materials. Significantly, both Core and inter-area programs found this a fertile area for developing program themes and activities. Work in all areas dealt with a wide variety of subjects and spoke not simply to issues of gender, race, culture, and ethnicity, but also to ability, class, and status ([[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Oppression%2C_Privilege%2C_and_Difference_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Diversity, Difference, Privilege, and Oppression Overview]];<br />
[[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Oppression%2C_Privilege%2C_and_Difference_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Diversity, Difference, Privilege, and Oppression by Planning Unit]]).<br />
<br />
=====Opportunities for Advanced Work=====<br />
<br />
<br />
Advanced work at Evergreen, like general education, can occur at many different stages in a student’s career. Although the particular activities, skills, analytic work, papers, productions, and projects that constitute advanced work vary considerably from area to area and instructor to instructor, given the full-time structure of work at the college, it is possible for some students to do very sophisticated work at any level of the curriculum. The 2001-2005 EPR data showed approximately 80% of programs reporting identified “Opportunities for Advanced Work.” While most of these programs would identify possibilities for beginning or intermediate work as well, the percentage of advanced work is extraordinarily high. The reviewers of these responses suggested that the ambiguity about what constitutes “advanced work” and what, indeed, constitutes an “opportunity” was sufficient to warrant a different approach to the issue ([[Media: EPR_2001-2005_-_Advanced_Work.pdf|EPR 2001-2005 - Advanced Work]], [[Media: Advanced_Work_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Advanced Work Across the Curriculum]] <br />
[[Media: Advanced_Work%2C_A_Supplement.pdf|Advanced Work, A Supplement]]).<br />
<br />
In the 2006-07 survey, respondents were asked to identify the presence of specific types of work in their programs and report the level as introductory, intermediate, or advanced. Of the forty-one programs identifying themselves as doing work in the sciences, 27.4% reported advanced work. Of the forty-nine programs identifying themselves as doing mathematics, 20.6% reported advanced work. In social sciences, 22% of fifty-eight programs identified advanced work. In humanities, 28.6% of fifty-nine programs identified advanced work. And finally, in art, 11.5% of the fifty-three programs identified advanced work. Many programs identified teaching a subject or skill at two or even three different levels ([[Media: EPR 2006-07_-_Art_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Art Overview]], [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Humanities_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Humanities Overview]], [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Natural_and_Physical_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Natural and Physical Sciences Overview]], [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Social_Sciences_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Social Sciences Overview]], [[Media: EPR_2006-07_-_Math_Overview.pdf|EPR 2006-07 - Math Overview]]).<br />
<br />
====2.C.4 Credit Policy====<br />
''The institution’s policies for the transfer and acceptance of credit are clearly articulated. In accepting transfer credits to fulfill degree requirements, the institution ensures that the credits accepted are comparable to its own courses. Where patterns of transfer from other institutions are established, efforts to formulate articulation agreements are demonstrated.''<br />
<br />
Transfer policies, acceptance of credit policies, and articulation agreements are described in full in section 3.C.4.<br />
<br />
====2.C.5 Academic Advising====<br />
''The institution designs and maintains effective academic advising programs to meet student needs for information and advice, and adequately informs and prepares faculty and other personnel responsible for the advising function.''<br />
<br />
'''Academic Advising Support for Students'''<br />
<br />
Academic advising at Evergreen is complex and multi-leveled. Evergreen students are free to fashion their own education from the wide variety of structures made available: programs of all durations, part-time programs, courses, individual contracts, and internships of all sizes. Their choices are formally guided only by the entrance requirements that faculty create for their programs and by the procedural and intellectual agreements necessary to create contracts and internships. The Evergreen faculty – in its various planning units, inter-area, and Core programs – annually recreates the curriculum, devising new program ideas, reorganizing the content and coverage offered under repeating titles, and offering work at a variety of levels of sophistication. While curricular pathways and repeating programs provide significant structure in some areas of the curriculum, other programs, especially Core and inter-area programs, are unique creations of given groups of faculty members. It is within this complex context that advising at Evergreen occurs. Advising then, if it is to work well, functions on at least two important levels. The first is figuring out what questions, issues, and ideas the student takes to be his or her work. The second is to create a strategy that will allow the student to accomplish this work. This process should be iterative, allowing the basic questions and strategy to be revisited regularly. <br />
<br />
Central to Evergreen is the idea that its students should understand the primary function of college as finding their own work. The concept is that students can and often do know what they want to know, what they want to be, and how they want to accomplish their goals. The faculty's role is to help students pursue their work through their own initiative and collaboration with faculty and other students. Nearly 77% of new transfer students and 53% of new first-year students expressed a desire to focus on a particular field or discipline. Another 39.8% and 18.5% didn’t know ([[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_-_Do_you_plan_to_focus.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 – Do you plan to focus]]). Students gradually come to a more sophisticated understanding of their work and its place. It is this freedom, this chance to make their own way, that often attracts students to Evergreen. In this context, advising has two functions. First, it helps students develop a judgment about what their work is. Second, advising helps students identify the possible options – programs, internships, contracts, subjects, and skills – that might help the students engage with their work. <br />
<br />
As was discussed in Section 2.A.9 under Narrative Evaluations, the narrative evaluation process has a major component of reflection and assessment built into it. The evaluation conference, with its review of faculty and student evaluations and assessment of students’ growth and learning, is the primary location where faculty members interact with students around their intellectual development and, often, their plans. Faculty members can draw upon their own familiarity with the curriculum, the pathways identified in the catalog, the planning unit structure, their work with and knowledge of their colleagues, and, of course, their knowledge of the student’s work and capacities, to help shape general ideas about possible future plans. The catalog in particular is carefully reconsidered annually at the "catalog summit," and is indexed in a variety of ways to allow students to see how many programs can contribute to their education. Planning units put significant effort over the past few years into identifying pathways (see Standard 2.C.3). The Olympia undergraduate catalog has recently been transitioned into a database that allows for complex searches. While these steps are important, work needs to continue to familiarize faculty, staff advisers, and students with these resources. <br />
<br />
'''Changing Structures'''<br />
<br />
Historically, the college shaped student choices through two crucial features of the curriculum. First, most programs were offered full-time for a year. These programs have provided significant blocks of study around coherent subject and/or project/thematic work that have, in yearlong versions, structured students’ work in ways similar to a major. Student autonomy then arose in the context of large-scale, long-term choices among full-time offerings. Thus, each year’s work provided substantive structure for student choices. <br />
<br />
The second device derives from the first. Working closely with students full-time over the course of a year can create a substantive intellectual bond between students and faculty. It can also create real knowledge about the student and his/her capacity, interests, and plans and can then, in the evaluation process, lead to real opportunities to help students think about their work and their future educational choices on the basis of this shared knowledge. <br />
<br />
Today, while Evergreen faculty members still have considerably closer ties to their students than faculty at most colleges ([[Media: Trends%2C_Highlights%2C_and_NSSE_Accountability_Performance_Indicators_2001-2007.pdf|NSSE Trends, Highlights, and Accountability Performance Indicators 2001-2007]]), students and faculty generally have a more abbreviated relationship than they have in the past. Faculty/student ratio is not 1-17 as it was in the first years of the college. Many programs are two quarters or often one quarter long. The average team size is two. Many students enroll in part-time evening studies rather than full-time day programs. Many students in full-time programs opt to take an additional two to four credits. And yearlong programs are no longer the norm. There are, simply put, many more choices and pieces of curriculum to know and choose. The college has lost some of the structure that supported the capacity to know students well and provide strong advice. <br />
<br />
'''Kinds of Faculty Advice'''<br />
<br />
Yet the quarter-by-quarter process of evaluation and assessment of student work by faculty and students still provides a natural ground for advising. The EPR data found that advising happened in all sorts of ways within programs. Much of the advice had to do with work within programs – the development of skills. Less frequently but significantly, advice had to do with program choice or graduate or career goals. However, advising of a deeper sort – for example, the students’ educational choices and academic learning in the context of a life/career plan – was not frequent ([[Media: Advising_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf|Advising Across the Curriculum]]). Faculty expressed a willingness to advise their students, but put the onus of making the choice to seek advice on the student. One other important location of faculty advising is the Academic Fair held a few weeks prior to the beginning of each quarter. These sessions allow a student to meet faculty and check out the syllabus, logistics, and personnel of a small range of program choices. However, these informational sessions are too busy and chaotic for long-term advising work. Clearly, some very good advice and some good planning happens, but the report concludes there are no systematic, robust, ongoing conversations with the student population in general about their plans and goals, and no written plan. <br />
<br />
In summer institutes and planning workshops throughout the self-study period, faculty worked with their program teams to fold advising into the structure of programs with some important success. Practices such as early meetings with first-year students, fifth-week conferences, and the integration of advising faculty into Core and some all-level program activities were widely accepted. In the 2006 summer institutes, faculty focused on developing advising that supported student planning. Faculty in these workshops seemed willing to accept major responsibility for advising work. As in the years immediately after the General Education DTF however, these often-successful experiments with intensifying awareness and the practice of advising did not automatically carry over into succeeding years. They were too sporadic and unsystematic to consistently help students map their course.<br />
<br />
'''Student Satisfaction''' <br />
<br />
Overall, students are happy with faculty advice. In surveys of both current students and alumni 85% indicate that they were satisfied with academic advice from faculty ([[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]] and Alumni Survey 2006). The issue, however, is whether they are satisfied with immediate ad hoc advice regarding in-program activities (e.g. comments on papers, suggestions regarding projects, and the like), intermediate-term advice on program choice, or longer-term, big-picture, planning regarding careers, broad expectations of an Evergreen graduate, or broad scale reflection on their work. The EPR data tend to support the view that advice from faculty in general tends to be short- to intermediate-term advice. Finally, when students in the 2002 and 2004 alumni surveys were asked what one or two things they would change about Evergreen, 16% in 2002 and 12% in 2004 identified advising and guidance, making this one of the top five issues noted. <br />
<br />
Students commented on the need for more advising and guidance early on at Evergreen. They were interested in more career and graduate school advice. Several freshman, transfers, and older returning students commented on feeling lost and felt that required meetings with advisors on a regular basis would have helped. Some of course had the honesty to say that they might well have resisted advice when it was offered. Some in both years really wanted to be pushed by their faculty to pursue specific academic territory as a part of their work ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2004.pdf|Alumni Survey 2004]] and [[Media: Alumni_Survey_2002.pdf|Alumni Survey 2002]]).<br />
<br />
'''Student Services: Academic Advising'''<br />
<br />
Student and Academic Support Services provides a substantial professional academic advising service. This service is described in Standard 3.D.10 of this report. The Academic Advising office is just one of the student service offices where advising occurs. Academic advising is also a prominent piece of the services provided by KEY Student Services for first-generation and low-income students and those with disabilities, First Peoples’ Advising Services, the Career Development Center (Standard 3.D.11), and Access Services for students with disabilities. All of these offices help students think broadly about their education and identify opportunities for study through program offerings, courses, internships, and individual contracts. As a fundamental resource for students and faculty, the college publishes an annual catalog of programs and courses and maintains a constantly updated online catalog. As of the 2008-09 school year, the online catalog will be fully searchable. Within Academic Advising, counselors participate in a variety of professional and institution-specific trainings, develop contacts and connections to faculty throughout the curriculum, and work alongside faculty members who rotate into the Academic Advising office on an annual basis. <br />
<br />
According to surveys of alumni, all students use Academic Advising services at some point in their education. Both the proportion of students reporting satisfaction and the proportion of students using academic advising appears to have slipped in recent years. <br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Survey Year<br />
| 2002<br />
| 2004<br />
| 2006<br />
|-<br />
| % Used Academic Advising Office<br />
| 86%<br />
| 71%<br />
| 74%<br />
|-<br />
| % of Users Dissatisfied<br />
| 24%<br />
| 20%<br />
| 34%<br />
|-<br />
| % of Users Satisfied<br />
| 76%<br />
| 80%<br />
| 66%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
([[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]])<br />
<br />
'''More Structured Advising'''<br />
<br />
In the 2001 response to the Commission’s concerns about general education, the college undertook to establish an advising system that would require a long-term advising plan for each student and a required annual meeting with faculty or advising staff to update the plan (see [[Media: Gen.Ed.pdf|General Education at Evergreen]]). While faculty voted in favor of this plan, due to changing personnel and a failure of follow through, the required plan never was put into effect. It is clearly time to revisit this issue and rethink how best to provide long-range planning support that maintains student autonomy and choice. Implementing this initiative, of course, will significantly impact faculty workload and Student Affairs staffing needs. Student Affairs staff will not be able to provide these services on their own. Active faculty advising will be required.<br />
<br />
====2.C.6 Developmental Work Admission Policy====<br />
''Whenever developmental or remedial work is required for admission to the institution or any of its programs, clear policies govern the procedures that are followed, including such matters as ability to benefit, permissible student load, and granting of credit. When such courses are granted credit, students are informed of the institution’s policy of whether or not the credits apply toward a degree.'' <br />
<br />
The college does not offer admission contingent on the completion of remedial work.<br />
<br />
====2.C.7 Adequacy of Faculty====<br />
''The institution’s faculty is adequate for the educational levels offered, including full-time faculty representing each field in which it offers major work.''<br />
<br />
The institution’s faculty is adequate in number and highly skilled in teaching. A description of the faculty, its capacities, and qualifications is provided in Standard 4 of this report. For an overview of faculty qualifications and their assignment to planning units, please consult the college’s catalog.<br />
<br />
====2.C.8 No Pre-baccalaureate Programs====<br />
''In an effort to further establish an institution’s success with respect to student achievement, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities shall require those institutions that offer pre-baccalaureate vocational programs to track State licensing examination pass rates, as applicable, and job placement rates.''<br />
<br />
Evergreen does not offer such programs.<br />
<br />
===Standards 2.D, 2.E., 2.F. – Graduate Programs===<br />
<br />
Evergreen currently offers three graduate programs: a Master of Environmental Studies (MES), a Master in Teaching (MIT), and a Master of Public Administration (MPA). In addition, the college offers a joint MES/MPA degree. Within the MPA program, the college supports public policy, nonprofit and public administration, and tribal governance tracks. The MIT program supports certification at the elementary, middle and high school levels in a wide variety of disciplines. The MES program offers a yearlong core sequence that includes work in both natural and social sciences, a variety of elective courses and a thesis. In early 2008, the college established a Master of Education (M.Ed.) program for currently certificated teachers. Evergreen is not authorized to offer a Ph.D. program.<br />
<br />
All of these programs actively support Evergreen’s mission as a public, interdisciplinary liberal arts college. In the approaches to the professional areas the programs cover, faculty in these areas have created an interdisciplinary pedagogy that stresses theoretical and applied work, teaching across significant differences, and individual and collaborative effort. Each of the programs has found creative ways to include coverage of important disciplinary and professional subject matter while incorporating important innovations in pedagogy. The graduate programs have been developed to respond to the clear need for public school teachers, environmental specialists, and professional administrators in Washington generally and in the Olympia area in particular.<br />
<br />
The three programs are described in their annual reports, self-studies, or certification documents. The mission statement and/or catalog of each describes the program's educational objectives and the expectations of students. All of the graduate programs report to the provost.<br />
<br />
Evergreen does not have a separate graduate faculty. Although some faculty are hired specifically for master's-level teaching, all faculty rotate into the undergraduate curriculum as well, and faculty who teach in the undergraduate curriculum have an opportunity to teach in appropriate graduate programs. In addition to their teaching, faculty members in the graduate programs are expected to undertake significant research or community service work. This work is designed to provide a way for faculty to keep pace with developing issues and methods in their fields. Each master's program provides appropriate support for faculty and students.<br />
<br />
All three graduate programs are located on campus. Each program has published its admissions policies and guidelines, and admissions are based on formal applications. Graduate faculty have designed admissions policies, application procedures and separate graduate catalogs.<br />
<br />
====Master of Public Administration====<br />
<br />
'''Overview.''' The Master of Public Administration program was founded in 1980 to meet the needs of the many government workers residing and working in Olympia, Washington. The mission of the MPA, adopted in 2003, is:<br />
<br />
"Our students, faculty and staff create learning communities to explore and implement socially just, democratic public service. We:<br />
<br />
* think critically and creatively; <br />
* communicate effectively; <br />
* work collaboratively; <br />
* embrace diversity; <br />
* value fairness and equity; <br />
* advocate powerfully on behalf of the public; and,<br />
* imagine new possibilities and accomplish positive change in our workplaces and in our communities."<br />
<br />
The MPA program serves as a vehicle for the college’s mission and commitment to a meaningful public liberal arts education. Educating and training future public leaders embodies Evergreen’s commitment to responsible social change. The MPA program also strengthens the college’s town/gown relationships, and represents the college in regional communities and in local, regional, and state governmental entities. Our Tribal Governance MPA is the only MPA of this kind in the country and serves a significant need to prepare indigenous peoples to govern and sustain their tribal communities.<br />
<br />
The work of the program is actively linked to many of the core initiatives or values of the college including promoting democracy, social justice, and sustainability.<br />
<br />
The MPA program reflects and practices Evergreen's six expectations and five foci. Critical thinking and collaboration are encouraged at all levels of the program. Students are both personally and professionally engaged in their learning and in the learning community. Theory to practice (and vice versa) is at the heart the program and many classroom assignments are focused on applied action in communities, agencies, and organizations. Students and faculty in the MPA program teach and learn across significant differences, both in terms of classroom diversity and in terms of diverse responses to public problems and issues. In 2003, the program adopted Mahatma Gandhi’s statement as its tagline: “you must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Faculty and students (as measured by classroom performance and through assessment) agree that the educational environment encourages students to work, with passion, toward positive public and social change.<br />
<br />
There are more than 700 Evergreen MPA graduates, hundreds of whom are living and working in the region, serving communities through their pursuit of better governance processes and procedures.<br />
<br />
'''Change in the Past Five Years and Overview of the Curriculum.''' <br />
<br />
In 2002, the program implemented a major redesign, the first since the program was founded. The program needed to meet the increasingly diversified needs of a student population that had expanded significantly to include state, local/regional, and tribal governments as well as nonprofit organizations.<br />
<br />
The re-visioning suggested students needed more choice and flexibility in their studies. The redesign included significant curriculum changes that make it easier for students to pursue the program at their own pace and established three concentrations: public and nonprofit administration, public policy; and tribal governance (a separate cohort of students). In 2006, the MPA program partnered with the Master of Environmental Studies (MES) program to matriculate the first joint MES/MPA degree students.<br />
<br />
The course of study in all MPA concentrations requires sixty quarter-hours of academic work (for more detail, see the [[Media: MPA_Catalog_.revised.pdf|MPA catalog]]). All students participate in a twenty-six quarter-hour core, taught over two years, covering what the faculty consider to be the essential foundational knowledge of an Evergreen MPA. Core programs are team-taught in interdisciplinary or inter-field teams, in learning communities. Students complete the program by participating in a four credit-hour capstone experience which, in addition to reflection and integration, also includes developing a demonstration project that puts theory and experience to work in an applied setting, working on an applied problem or situation.<br />
<br />
There are three concentrations through which the students can study beyond the core classes:<br />
<br />
''Public and Nonprofit Administration:'' students select thirty quarter-hours of elective coursework that covers the critical elements of administration—budgeting, strategic planning, human resources and information systems, public law, leadership and ethics, multicultural competencies, and more—as well as the unique nature and needs of nonprofit and government organizations.<br />
<br />
''Public Policy:'' students prepare for work as policy analysts, budget analysts, or evaluators. Students in this concentration complete two public policy concentration courses (''Foundations of Public Policy'' and ''Advanced Research Methods''), plus twenty-two quarter-hours of elective work in specific policy areas.<br />
<br />
The ''Tribal Governance'' concentration develops administrators who work in both tribal governments and public agencies to further the development of tribes in the Pacific Northwest. Students in the tribal concentration move through the program as a cohort over a two-year period and complete twenty quarter-hours of required Tribal concentration courses and ten quarter-hours of electives.<br />
<br />
In the late 1990s, Northwest tribal leaders approached Evergreen’s MPA program with a vision to combine broad principles of public administration with the specialized knowledge necessary to work within tribal governance and in public and nonprofit agencies that work closely with tribes. In 2002, the MPA program admitted its first tribal cohort. The program accepts up to thirty students every other year to study in this unique program, specializing in contemporary tribal governance subject areas. Concentration courses include sovereignty, intergovernmental relations, tribal organization and structure, reservation economies, and policy for tribal governments.<br />
<br />
The three cohorts of students (2002; 2004; 2006) have included people from all around the Puget Sound, as well as students from as far away as Gila River/Maricopa, Aleut, Apache, Tlingit, Lakota, Taos Pueblo, Wichita, Turtle Mountain, Hawaii, and the Philippines. The range of tribal backgrounds adds to the quality and depth of the class discussions. Graduates of the Tribal Governance concentration are working in tribal governments, and in liaison roles in other agencies, throughout the region.<br />
<br />
Recently, Douglas Luckerman, a nationally prominent attorney working in national tribal law sat in on an MPA Tribal Governance class and had this to say after his visit:<br />
<br />
“Providing an academic setting for tribal administrators and elected officials to have an opportunity to think about the complex matters that face tribal governments and communities outside of the day to day pressures of work or Tribal Council demands and have them share insights on how to approach these challenges allows the students to acquire some critical tools needed for success in today's world. This type of educational opportunity is a necessary step in building strong tribal governments and communities that can meet the challenges of the 21st century. I was impressed with the program, the faculty, and the students.”<br />
<br />
=====MPA Assessment=====<br />
The MPA program is serving more students than ever. In AY 2000-01, the program served, on average, 56.7 FTEs (target = 55); in AY 2006-07, the program served, on average, 95.5 FTEs (target = 80) (For more detail, see the MPA enrollment data at: [[Media: Enrollment_History_for_Master_of_Public_Administration.pdf|Enrollment History for Master of Public Administration]]). In addition, the MPA program has been successively serving more students (matriculated MPA students, graduate special students, other graduate students, and undergraduates) since fall 2002. In fall 2006, the program served 133 students, compared to 66 students in fall 2002. More information can be found in our annual reports ([[Media: 03.04_MPA_Annual_Report.doc|2003-04]], [[Media: MPA_04.05_Annual_Report.final.doc|2004-05]], [[Media: MPA_06.07.Annual_Report.final.doc|2006-07]]). <br />
<br />
The redesigned MPA program meets the needs of students by giving them greater choice not only in the concentration areas, but also in the length of time to complete the program. Some students choose to complete the program within two years, while others may choose three to five years. To meet the needs of working students, classes meet in the evening, on Saturdays, and in intensive weekend formats.<br />
<br />
Students are satisfied with their educational experiences: 94% of student respondents in a spring 2007 survey indicated they were either very satisfied (42%) or satisfied (52%) with their overall experiences in the MPA program ([[Media: Student_survey.spring_2007.final.doc|MPA 2007 Student Data]]). Most students indicated that their capabilities in mission-related areas have been enhanced to a great or moderate extent. Consistent with past patterns, program strengths seem to be in the following mission areas (as measured by 85% or more responding either “great” or “moderate”): thinking critically, communicating effectively, working collaboratively, thinking creatively, and advocating for the public ([[Media: 2007-student_mission_data.doc|MPA Mission Data]]).<br />
<br />
In 2007, students indicated that there is some room for improvement in the following mission areas (81% or below “great” or “moderate”): imagining new possibilities, accomplishing positive change, valuing fairness and equity, and embracing diversity.<br />
<br />
Alumni data are consistent with student evaluation data indicating that the program is teaching teamwork/collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills. (See [[Media: Final_Report_Core_2_research_team_v5.doc|The Final Report from the Core 2 research team]] and [[Media: Kathy_Corey_Stephan_Presentation_Final.pdf|The Kathy Corey Stephen Powerpoint Presentation]].)<br />
<br />
Alumni are also satisfied with their experiences, with a statistically significant difference in satisfaction between those who graduated before the redesign and those who graduated after. Those who graduated after the redesign are slightly more satisfied and are more likely to recommend the program to others.<br />
<br />
Anecdotal data indicate that employers like Evergreen MPA graduates because they know how to think and communicate, they have strong analytical skills that can transfer to a variety of situations, and they put their critical faculties to work toward positive change in their work and in their communities. Evergreen MPA graduates do not shrink from hard work, have the capacity to take positive risks, and are not afraid of change.<br />
<br />
=====MPA Faculty and Staff and Related Resources (Standard 2.E)=====<br />
The MPA program is staffed by a half-time director (who also teaches half-time) and two full-time assistant directors (MPA assistant director and TMPA assistant director). The director position is a rotational position, typically held by a faculty member who regularly teaches in the MPA program. The director is typically contracted for a three-to-four year term.<br />
<br />
The MPA program receives a sufficient budget each year to pay staff salaries, employ student assistants (graduate assistant to support staff/director and writing assistant to support students), and fund administrative, classroom, and program activities ([[Media: MPA_FY08.xls|MPA Budget 2007-2008]]).<br />
<br />
The MPA program has access to, and use of, all necessary classrooms as well as library, media and computing facilities (including statistical software licensed throughout the college and in one easy to access computer lab). Our library capacities have significantly improved with electronic search databases and regional inter-library loan systems. Our students and faculty can get most, if not all, of their graduate-level research needs met through our library (this was not the case in the past when students sometimes had to travel to other universities to access appropriate library resources). A resource room for graduate students, including computers for their exclusive use, is located in the graduate studies area (third floor of Lab I). Many faculty members also have their offices in this area, along with staff, which promotes programmatic collegiality and ease of administration. These facilities, save the graduate student resource room, are in common with the rest of the college and are more than adequate to run the program.<br />
<br />
To date, six continuing faculty members who hold terminal degrees in public administration or related fields regularly teach in the MPA program (see vitae for [[Media: Amy_Gould_cv.doc|Amy Gould]], [[Media: Bruce_Davies.cv.doc|Bruce Davies]], [[Media: Larry_Geri_cv.doc|Larry Geri]], [[Media: Nita_Rinehart_cv.doc|Nita Rinehart]], [[Media: Cheryl_Simrell_King_cv.doc|Cheryl Simrell King]], [[Media: StumpffCV.doc|Linda Moon Stumpff]]). In addition, for the past few years the program has been consistently staffed with longer-term visiting faculty who are also trained in the field (Nita Rinehart and Russ Lehman, among others) and many qualified practitioner-adjuncts. The college does not hire faculty to specific programs; all faculty members are hired to the college.<br />
<br />
Faculty who regularly teach in the MPA program usually teach in MPA for two to three years and then rotate out into other curricular or administrative areas of the college for one to two years, returning to MPA at the end of their rotation. MPA faculty also often serve in administrative posts at the college (the provost regularly taught in the MPA program before be became dean and then provost). Rotations, illness, sabbaticals, and leaves without pay all challenge our ability to ensure that most courses in MPA are taught by continuing faculty who hold terminal degrees in an administrative or policy discipline/field. In addition, every year since the redesign, the program has consistently relied upon at least 1.5 visitors to offer the curriculum, and numerous adjunct faculty. The MPA program is in significant need of additional continuing faculty members; college administration is aware of this and, yet, is hard pressed to help MPA boost their faculty base, given all other college-wide demands for resources. Nonetheless, the continued success of the program depends on a solid base of continuing faculty members and several continuing faculty hires must be made in the next two years.<br />
<br />
=====MPA Graduate Records and Academic Credit (Standard 2.F)=====<br />
The MPA program is governed and administered by the MPA faculty/staff team, who meet regularly to address issues of strategy and policy. The faculty and staff of the MPA program, with record-keeping assistance from Admissions, administer their own admissions. The admissions policies and procedures are completely spelled out in the [[Media: Student_handbook_%2707.pdf|MPA Catalog and Student Handbook]]. Admissions processes are managed by the staff, and MPA faculty teams (not staff), in concert with the director, make admissions decisions. Yearly, faculty re-evaluate mission criteria and processes and revise as needed, based upon experiences in previous years.<br />
<br />
The ''Student Handbook'', which is also revised and reviewed annually, clearly states all graduation criteria, transfer credit policies (the director makes transfer credit decisions), internship and individual studies policies and procedures. Students receive academic advising from faculty members and the assistant directors work very closely with students on non-academic student issues (financial aid, credits, prerequisites, etc.). Every new cohort attends a daylong orientation session to help ground them in their program. The orientation is organized and implemented by the staff and first-year core faculty team.<br />
<br />
''Strategic Goals:'' Now that a structure exists that works well for students, the MPA faculty believe it is time to ensure the curriculum meets the program mission and that what gets taught, with room for variance, is a curriculum that reflects national and regional expectations of an MPA degree. This issue has been the focus of AY 2007-08 MPA faculty governance. The program also needs to address the curricular inconsistencies that can result from a program staffed by a faculty that rotates in and out of the program.<br />
<br />
As the program continues to grow, the limits to growth must be determined – at what point does the program become too large to sustain a cohort-based, interdisciplinary, team-taught MPA? Finally, the program needs to continue to work on the question of overall quality and costs of delivery, responding to the following question: “What does it take, irrespective of FTEs, to deliver a quality MPA program?”<br />
<br />
====Master in Teaching====<br />
<br />
'''Program Description''' <br />
<br />
The MIT program is a nationally recognized, state accredited teacher preparation program. In 2003, the MIT program received the Richard Wisniewski Award from the ''[[Media: societyofprofessorsofeducation.pdf|Society of Professors of Education]]'' in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of teacher education. The program is proud of this recognition of the quality of the program, of its faculty, and of its candidates. Admission to the program is competitive and the content and processes are quite rigorous. Participants earn a master’s degree of ninety-six credits and certification while obtaining the critical understanding and skills needed to teach in today’s diverse public schools. Its structure, content, expectations, and outcomes are clearly outlined in the program catalog and Web site, and have been approved regularly by the State of Washington’s Board of Education since the program’s inception. MIT also completed a successful state accreditation visit in late October 2007, having met all five standards for an advisory board, accountability, unit governance and resources, program design, and knowledge and skills.<br />
<br />
MIT is a two-year cohort-based program that enters forty-five candidates each fall. Year one of each cohort is devoted to coursework on the essential knowledge and skills for teaching, including foundations of education, learning theories, educational research, assessment, curriculum development, strategies for working with diverse learners, classroom management, school law, and content area pedagogies. Candidates spend one day a week observing and participating in curriculum development and guided teaching in regional schools. During year two students complete two full-time student teaching quarters in fall and again in spring, with generally one of the placements in a diverse, urban setting. Winter quarter is devoted to reflection on teaching and learning, the development of a Professional Growth Plan, and professional development related to job searches. The program has been graduating about thirty-six to thirty-eight students annually. Candidates are well prepared to positively affect the students who enter their classrooms. MIT's high placement rate, first or second in the state for the last five years, suggests that principals and hiring committees agree. The University of Washington’s retention and mobility study, which indicated that nearly 80% of alumni who graduated in 2001 are still teaching, reflects MIT’s own data which suggests that the great majority of graduates tend to remain in teaching. Data from alumni, principal, and mentor teacher surveys all attest to the excellent preparation and effectiveness of MIT graduates.<br />
<br />
Teacher education began at Evergreen in 1986, when a faculty team crafted the Teacher Education Program (TEP) to embody the same values and visions as those that permeated the Evergreen undergraduate curriculum. At the heart of TEP was the belief in learning and the power of the learner working in collaboration with other learners. Evergreen's approach to teacher preparation emphasized building a community of learners, developing a strong theoretical foundation, and learning to apply theory through extensive opportunities for practice in public school classrooms. The Master in Teaching (MIT) Program replaced the TEP in 1992, but retained its core values.<br />
<br />
As documented in the ''MIT Institutional Report'' and accreditation Web site, a variety of individual components contribute to the whole of the program, including the commitments embedded in Evergreen’s vision of education and in the MIT Conceptual Framework (Democracy and Schooling, Developmentally Appropriate Teaching and Learning, Multicultural/Anti-Bias Perspective); the unique experiences and talents represented by the faculty and candidates in each cohort; research about learning and effective teaching practices; ongoing program and individual assessment; and attention to the State of Washington's Learning Goals and Essential Academic Learning Requirements. The creative integration of these components is what makes Evergreen's MIT program unique, responsive to individual and cultural diversity, and able to support the development of skilled and compassionate teachers who care to create just and educative learning experiences for their students.<br />
<br />
MIT candidates and graduates are supported by faculty who are skilled and dedicated educators. MIT faculty members create significant learning opportunities that incorporate emerging local, state, and national initiatives and they also make time for scholarly work and service to Evergreen and to the larger community. For example, in two recent cohorts, faculty skillfully responded to Washington State HB 1495 by including studies of tribal histories through reservation-based work and through curriculum development projects that may be included in the Chehalis culturally-appropriate social studies curriculum. The two most recent cohorts have benefited from statewide math research in which one of our math faculty has participated. Two recent cohorts experimented successfully with innovative ways of incorporating arts across the curriculum. In all cohorts, candidates review and critique educational research that can help them become more effective teachers.<br />
<br />
'''Responses to Community Needs Beyond Initial Residency Certification Since Last Accreditation''' <br />
<br />
In response to the ''Washington Learns'' report, state data about understaffed curricular areas in public schools, and requests from public school personnel, the MIT program has provided a number of learning opportunities for practicing teachers. We offer a strand of classes that prepare teachers to endorse in Special Education, one of the top shortage areas in the state. In addition, we offer a Professional Certificate Program that leads to the required second certification stage for teachers in Washington. Finally, MIT’s certification officer meets individually with teachers seeking endorsements in a wide range of areas, helps assess their coursework, and supports them in creating plans of study that lead to their ability to add endorsements to their teaching certificates.<br />
<br />
The college’s most recent response to identified shortage areas in public education was the development of a new Master of Education program, a collaborative effort among the Master in Teaching program, the Evergreen Center for Educational Improvement, and Evergreen’s Grants Office. This program will allow certified teachers to earn a master's degree while improving their knowledge and skills in two other state-identified shortage areas: mathematics and ESL. In keeping with Evergreen’s mission and the mission of the Master in Teaching program, the new master's program will also have at its center the development of teachers who can provide just and equitable learning opportunities for all children and youth.<br />
<br />
<br />
===== MIT Graduate Faculty and Related Resources (Standard 2.E)=====<br />
<br />
''Essential to graduate education are the recruitment and retention of a faculty that excels in scholarship, teaching, and research. To provide an acceptable level of instruction for the graduate student, faculty whose responsibilities include a major commitment to graduate education are involved in keeping pace with, and advancing the frontiers of, knowledge. Successful graduate programs demand a substantial institutional commitment of resources for faculty, space, equipment, laboratories, library and information resources.''<br />
<br />
Teacher preparation at Evergreen was extended in January 2008 to include a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum and Instruction for those seeking a master's degree, but not teacher certification. The M.Ed. focuses specifically on the needs of diverse learners and the state-identified need to prepare highly qualified ESL and mathematics teachers.<br />
<br />
The institution has been responsive in providing adequate funds to cover the costs of day-to-day operations of the program, including faculty and staff salaries, mileage reimbursement for travel to supervise student teachers, money to pay work-study students and a graduate assistant, honoraria for mentor teachers and guest speakers within the program, printing of catalogs and recruiting materials, and office supplies, etc., as well as unusual costs such as those incurred as part of preparing for and hosting the MIT accreditation visit. Computer upgrades for faculty and staff are regularly available and some funds are available to support the directors and associate directors to attend state meetings. The MIT program receives 18 one-quarter tuition waivers to award to AmeriCorps volunteers and applicants with demonstrated financial need. In addition, the MIT program requested and received $30,000 in 2005 and 2006 to help recruit and retain out-of-state candidates. In the last year, the MIT director and associate director have regularly requested more systematic support for out-of-state students and more tuition waivers for AmeriCorps candidates and candidates with financial need. The MIT director has also requested increased budget support for faculty and staff development and for an increase in honoraria for mentor teachers. For particulars about MIT’s current budget and a comparison to the budgets for the Master of Public Administration and Master of Environmental Studies programs, see [[Media: mitbudget.xls|MIT Budget]] and [[Media: gradbudgetcomp.xls|Graduate Program Budget Comparison]].<br />
<br />
MIT faculty, like the liberal arts faculty, are dedicated to creating learning experiences that reflect education for the development of self-reflective, life-long learners. The MIT faculty are skilled at creating learning experiences that support candidates in aspiring to this vision. An essential aspect of those learning experiences is the process of self-evaluation – all faculty and candidates regularly review, assess, and critique their work.<br />
<br />
Though Evergreen does not require faculty to publish in order to gain tenure, all of the six core MIT faculty have presented at national, state, or local conferences and have published books, software, and/or articles in scholarly journals. Three of the core faculty (Coleman, Lenges, Vavrus) are currently involved in significant research projects in their areas of interest.<br />
<br />
Core and visiting faculty have served public schools and the community including, but not limited to, participating in WEA and the ACLU; mentoring a high school teacher; collaborating to provide support to middle school students who did not pass the math WASL; acting as the project evaluator for a project that assessed the effectiveness of a district-wide science project; meeting with school board members and offering study sessions; teaching math in Upward Bound; helping to organize and support a group of teachers interested in teaching for social justice; assessing the reading abilities of middle school students and providing extensive written assessments and suggestions for interventions; offering math workshops in various districts; and participating as the college partner with a local elementary school in the League of Small Democratic Schools<br />
([[Media: mitfaculty.pdf|MIT Faculty]]).<br />
<br />
Faculty in MIT, like all faculty at the college, participate actively in the creation and development of curriculum at both the graduate level while teaching in MIT and the undergraduate level when working in the undergraduate curriculum. MIT faculty are hired, evaluated, and retained in the same manner as all other faculty. (See Standard 4 detailed description of hiring, faculty planning, assignment, retention, and participation in research, teaching and evaluation.) MIT faculty members typically teach in a two-year cycle and often participate in the undergraduate program in the third year. Like all other faculty members, MIT faculty members participate in quarterly and annual reviews of their teaching work through the process of student-faculty evaluation conferences and documents, and also through faculty team reviews. Like all other regular Evergreen faculty, MIT faculty move through a series of annual evaluations by the deans and, when moved to continuing contract, participate in a five-year review cycle. (Again see evaluation processes in Standard 4).<br />
<br />
Student Evaluations of MIT Faculty - <br />
[[Media: MIT_faculty_evaluation.pdf|Faculty summaries of student feedback]]<br />
<br />
MIT Faculty Scholarship - [[Media: MIT_scholarship.pdf|Faculty summaries of scholarship]]<br />
<br />
MIT Faculty Service - [[Media: MIT_service.pdf|Faculty summaries of service]]<br />
<br />
MIT Faculty Collaboration - [[Media: MIT_collaboration.pdf|Faculty summaries of collaboration]]<br />
<br />
=====MIT Graduate Records and Academic Credit (Standard 2.F)=====<br />
<br />
''Graduate admission and retention policies ensure that student qualifications and expectations are compatible with institutional mission and goals. Graduate program faculty are involved in specifying admission criteria, transfer of graduate credit, and graduation requirements.''<br />
<br />
As indicated in state accreditation requirements for teacher preparation program accreditation, “Candidates who demonstrate potential for acquiring the content and pedagogical knowledge and skills for success as educators in schools are recruited, admitted, and retained (WAC 181-78A-200 Candidates Admission Policies). These candidates include members from under represented groups.” Evergreen’s recruitment, admission, and retention policies are published in hard-copy catalogs and on the MIT program Web site '' <br />
([[Media: MIT_admissionspage.pdf|MIT Admissions Page]]).<br />
<br />
The Master in Teaching program clearly states its expectations for program participants on its Web site, in its catalog, in the Master in Teaching Program Guidebook to Policies, Procedures, and Resources, in the Student Teaching Handbook, and on cohort Web sites. Whether criteria for admission to the program, criteria for benchmark portfolios and projects, expectations for the master's project, clear explanations about the program’s Conceptual Framework and the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a performance-based teacher education program, candidates have ready access to expectations. In addition, these expectations reflect the Conceptual Framework and state standards. Candidates are regularly asked to demonstrate that they have developed the knowledge, skills, and dispositions articulated in the expectations. For ways in which candidate performance is assessed, please see NEED<br />
([[Media: MIT_studentassessment.pdf|MIT Student Assessment]]).<br />
<br />
The prime requirements for admission are academic excellence and the potential to succeed as a teacher in a broad range of classroom settings. The admissions committee considers both qualitative and quantitative written evidence and, if possible, a personal interview.<br />
<br />
Each applicant's admission information – which includes essays, a résumé, transcripts, letters of recommendation, content area preparation worksheets, and test results – is evaluated in these areas:<br />
<br />
* general graduate-level academic ability, including liberal arts breadth, completion of general education prerequisites, and strong writing and reading comprehension;<br />
* quality of endorsement area content preparation;<br />
* experience within the past two years in a public school classroom, observing or working with students at the grade level the candidate wishes to teach;<br />
* experience with individuals from diverse cultural (racial/ethnic) backgrounds;<br />
* study or work indicating an interest in the intellectual and social development of young people and a commitment to a teaching career in a K-12 setting;<br />
* interpersonal communication skills and professionalism in public settings;<br />
* completeness of application materials and the care with which the content has been prepared.<br />
<br />
Graduate faculty collaborate to specify admissions and retention criteria. In the Master in Teaching program, faculty teams are also members of the Admissions Committee that evaluates applications and recommends or denies admission to the program<br />
([[Media: MIT_faculty_expectations.pdf|MIT Faculty Expectations]]).<br />
<br />
Transfer credit – The MIT Program does not accept transfer credit.<br />
<br />
Master in Teaching Program (MIT): The State of Washington accreditation standards for teacher preparation programs require that teacher candidates have field and clinical teaching experiences. (Standard IV[G a-c]: Field Experiences and Clinical Practices: The unit and its school partners design, implement, and evaluate field experiences and clinical practices so that candidates demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to help all students learn.) MIT requires candidates to spend time in diverse public school classrooms each quarter of the first year and awards credit for these experiences. All candidates spend time in rural, urban, and suburban schools and in elementary, middle school, and high school classrooms during the first quarter of the program. In the second and third quarters of the program, candidates work in one classroom under the guidance of a certified teacher. Each quarter of the first year, candidates spend approximately forty to fifty guided hours a quarter working in a public school classroom. In the second year of the program, candidates complete two, ten-week student teaching (intern) experiences. One of these is usually in an urban setting to provide significant experiences with diverse populations of students. The [[Media: mitstudentteachinghandbook.pdf|Student Teaching Handbook]] outlines the responsibilities of the student teacher, the mentor teacher, and the college supervisor. Successful completion results in sixteen graduate credits each of the two quarters.''<br />
<br />
'''Issues to be Addressed''' <br />
<br />
* Currently, the Master in Teaching Program is the only teacher preparation entity on Evergreen’s campus that leads to state certification. The director for the Master in Teaching Program has primary responsibility for administering this program but has also, by default, assumed responsibility for the Special Education Endorsement sequence, the Professional Certificate program, and the addition of endorsements for certified teachers, none of which are included in the MIT program. For greater efficiency and consistency in supervision, hiring, and accreditation, the college might want to consider how to officially bring all of these education components under the supervision of a director of education. <br />
* The accreditation process for teacher preparation programs has become considerably more rigorous and data-driven in the last two to three years. The college administration may need to review the needs and relationship of graduate teacher preparation to the undergraduate college. Specifically, what resources and intentions need to be available for hiring appropriate faculty and completing data analysis related to successful accreditation reviews?<br />
<br />
====Master of Environmental Studies====<br />
<br />
'''Overview'''<br />
<br />
The Evergreen State College began its Master of Environmental Studies program in 1984. The program integrates the study of the biological, physical, and social sciences with public policy and leads to the Master of Environmental Studies (MES) degree. The program aims to produce graduates who combine an interdisciplinary understanding of the social and natural sciences with the skills and wisdom to intelligently address environmental problems. The program is centered on highly participatory evening classes that accommodate full- or part-time students. Many alumni are employed in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, while others continue their graduate study in related Ph.D. programs. The perspectives of the MES program are national and international, but extensive use is made of the environmental issues in the Pacific Northwest.<br />
<br />
Faculty members come from biological, physical, and social sciences and a balance of these disciplinary fields is maintained in the teams of two to three faculty members who teach each of the four required “core” courses. These faculty members rotate into the graduate program for, typically, two years before returning to teach full-time in the undergraduate programs of the college. At Evergreen, it is not possible for faculty members to teach both graduate and undergraduate courses at the same time because of the time commitments of teaching a full-time undergraduate program. Service of two years at any one time in the MES program allows faculty members and students to get to know each other and to form close working relationships for purposes of research and thesis writing.<br />
<br />
The MES program admits up to forty students each year. Each entering class takes the core sequence as a group during their first four quarters. (These core courses are described below. Also see [[Media: mes_coresequence.pdf|MES Core Sequence]] document.) Students develop a cohesive and cooperative approach to learning that cannot be matched by taking a scattering of individual courses. Continuing students work to integrate their first-year colleagues into a strong, supportive learning community of about eighty to one hundred students overall, dedicated to increasing their knowledge and understanding of the many facets of professional environmental work. About two-thirds of Evergreen's MES students have undergraduate degrees in the natural sciences, primarily biology or environmental studies. The rest have degrees in the social sciences and humanities. Some come directly from undergraduate work. Many bring to the program work or volunteer experience in diverse areas. MES students have ranged in age from twenty-two to well over sixty. We are also privileged to have two to three international students enroll each year. The students and faculty report that this diversity of backgrounds, experience, and ages contributes significantly to their overall learning. Each year, approximately twenty-five students graduate with their master's degrees.<br />
<br />
The MES curriculum consists of three closely integrated components: (1) the four required core programs; (2) electives, offered to provide more specialized training in subjects related to environmental studies; and (3) thesis work, which often takes the form of applied research. Students are also encouraged to undertake internship and independent learning activities in their second year. An MES degree requires seventy-two quarter-hours of credit, including thirty-two credits of core work and eight or sixteen credits of thesis, along with twenty-four or thirty-two credits of electives. The exact mix of elective credits and thesis credits will vary according to which of two thesis options a student selects. Students enrolled full time (twelve quarter-hours) can complete all degree requirements in six quarters. A new joint MES/MPA degree has been offered since 2006, which requires ninety-six quarter-hours of work in both graduate programs.<br />
<br />
=====MES Curriculum=====<br />
<br />
The MES program is designed so working students can attend part time. Core and elective programs meet in the evening and late afternoon. Students who enroll for eight hours per quarter require a minimum of nine quarters to complete the MES degree. These students usually take the core sequence before enrolling in electives or beginning the thesis project. Electives and thesis work are also available in the summer.<br />
<br />
The MES core sequence starts with a general view of environmental study, in the course Political Economic and Ecological Processes. This program provides a framework for understanding current environmental issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. Students begin to develop the skills to become producers of new knowledge, rather than being strictly learners of information already available. Multiple methods of data acquisition and analysis are introduced through examples drawn from many fields of study. The philosophy of science and the problematic relationship between science and policy are also introduced.<br />
<br />
The second core course is Ecological and Social Sustainability. This course addresses central issues in contemporary sustainability studies on theoretical and practical levels. Emphasis is on ways to promote both environmental and social sustainability. Areas covered may include environmental quality at regional, national, and global scales; energy use and alternative energies; resource availability and access to resources; social and cultural issues of sustainability; and indicators to guide policy. As part of this program, students write and present a research paper to provide evidence of their readiness to advance to candidacy.<br />
<br />
The third core course is Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analysis for Environmental Studies. In this course, students learn how to integrate the use of inferential statistics and qualitative data analysis to conduct rigorous examinations of the social, biological, and physical aspects of environmental issues. This knowledge prepares students for their own research and for understanding and critiquing research articles and reports in fields of their choosing.<br />
<br />
The final core course is Case Studies and Thesis Research Design, in which students apply and strengthen the skills they gained in their first year of MES core studies, by carrying out individual or small group projects. Students and faculty also work together to apply what has been learned throughout the core sequence about interdisciplinary environmental research to design individual thesis research plans that will be ready to carry out by the end of the fall quarter of the student’s second year.<br />
<br />
Four-credit electives offer students the opportunity to study a specific subject in more depth than is possible in core programs (see a list of electives in [[Media: MES_Curriculum_FQ07-SQ09.doc|MES Curriculum 2007-2009]]). MES students may also enroll in MPA electives and apply the credits earned toward their MES elective requirements. Additionally, students can take up to eight elective credits of course work in the form of internships and individual contracts.<br />
<br />
The MES program offers two ways to fulfill the thesis requirement, namely the eight-credit “Thesis: Essay of Distinction” and the sixteen-credit “Thesis.” Both require the student to engage in research on a significant topic and consider its political, economic, and scientific aspects. It can be an individual or a team effort. The project preferably should be of value to an external client or organization as well as meeting high academic and theoretical standards. Primary differences between the two thesis options lie in the scope of the problem examined and the manner in which the research is conducted. The Thesis: Essay of Distinction reviews and analyzes an existing body of information and does not involve substantial original field or survey research. This thesis option is written in a workshop setting during winter and spring quarters of the student's final year. Students selecting this option take eight hours of thesis credits and thirty-two hours of elective credits. The sixteen-credit thesis option represents a substantial research project conducted independently by the student with the support and guidance of a three-person thesis committee. It offers the opportunity for extended fieldwork, data collection, and analysis. The thesis committee includes two Evergreen faculty members plus an outside reader appropriate to the topic. Students selecting this option take sixteen hours of thesis credits and twenty-four hours of elective credits. As the culmination of the thesis project, students share results with faculty and students in a public, oral presentation. See the [[Media: ThesisHandbook12-07.pdf|MES Thesis Handbook]] for additional detail.<br />
<br />
=====MES Assessment=====<br />
<br />
MES assessment is a continuing process that includes assessment of student work, faculty performance, and program effectiveness. Student work is assessed in detail during and at the culmination of each course through feedback on assignments and through the narrative evaluation process. Student/faculty evaluation conferences and narrative evaluations are carried out in the same manner as in Evergreen’s undergraduate program. With a maximum student/faculty ratio of 15/1, faculty and students have close working relationships and excellent opportunities for assessment. Students also provide assessment of faculty and program performance through this process. The MES director and assistant director regularly seek and receive informal assessments of program performance from students at all points in their academic trajectories. This is done mostly through personal meetings, but also through correspondence. Faculty performance is assessed by the MES director through regular communications with faculty and students and through formal evaluation conferences between the director and adjunct faculty.<br />
<br />
A detailed program assessment was carried out in a self-study completed in November 2004 ([[Media: MES_Self-Study_2004.doc|MES Self-Study 2004]]). A year later, an intensive, two-day program assessment was conducted in September of 2005 in a “summer institute” called The Future of Graduate Environmental Studies at Evergreen. The purpose of the summer institute was to assess where the MES program had been, where it should be going, and how to get there. Readings, presentations, and working groups were organized to foster creative thinking about strengthening the MES program. MES was assessed within the broader context of the evolving field of graduate environmental studies programs and, for that reason, Dr. Will Focht was invited to assess our program ([[Media: MES_letter_from_Dr._Focht.pdf|Focht Report]]) and to participate in the summer institute as a resource person and facilitator. Dr. Focht, who is director of the Environmental Institute and director of the Environmental Science Graduate Program at Oklahoma State University, has many years of experience leading a comprehensive survey of environmental studies and science programs offered in U.S. universities. Participants in the summer institute included every previous MES director except one; many current, former, and future MES faculty members; current students; alumni; and MES support staff. These participants formed working groups to develop recommendations for the MES program from a variety of perspectives.<br />
<br />
These assessments found that the ways in which we taught research methods were overdue for reform and a number of improvements were needed in the content and consistency of our other offerings as well. Instruction in research methods needed to be integrated into the entire sequence of required courses, which has now been done. Instead of teaching only quantitative data analysis, as was the practice in the recent past, introductions to both qualitative and quantitative methods has now been instituted in the core sequence. The old case studies core course was assessed as not serving an essential, generic function. The thesis writing process needed to be strengthened as well, by starting the process earlier and by providing more instruction in research methods. To solve this problem, the old case studies course was replaced with a new ''Case Studies/Thesis Research Design'' course, which was highly successful in its first iteration in the fall of 2007. Finally, it was found that there should be more fieldwork throughout the curriculum and this is being addressed with more field-based electives and some field work has even been introduced into the core classes this year.<br />
<br />
=====MES Faculty and Related Resources (Standard 2.E)=====<br />
<br />
The MES program regularly uses classroom facilities, the Computer Applications Lab, the Computer Center, the library and, for some courses, support for field classes, including motor pool vans and equipment from lab stores. Students also make use of a graduate student lounge, furnished with student mailboxes, three computer terminals, a telephone, food storage and preparation facilities, and areas for working and meeting. There are five faculty members serving exclusively in the MES program at any one time and they all have doctoral degrees and practical experience in their fields, representing a range of natural and social sciences (see vitae for [[Media: BastakiCV.doc|Maria Bastaki]], [[Media: DormanCV.pdf|Peter Dorman]], [[Media: StumpffCV.doc|Linda Moon Stumpff]], [[Media: StyringCV.pdf|Alison Styring]], and [[Media: WhitesellCV.doc|Ted Whitesell]]). MES faculty members rotate in and out of the graduate program from the undergraduate program, typically remaining in MES for two to three years at a time.<br />
<br />
=====MES Graduate Records and Academic Credit (Standard 2.F)=====<br />
<br />
The MES director’s position is described in the Master of Environmental Studies Director Position Description. The MES director is a faculty member who typically teaches an eight-credit, core MES course in the fall quarter, teaches a four-credit MES elective in the winter quarter, serves as a thesis reader throughout the year, and works as a half-time administrator in the summer. An MES faculty member reviews applications and makes detailed admissions recommendations to the director, who then makes final admissions decisions. The director also makes decisions about the acceptability of transfer credits.<br />
<br />
There is one full-time MES assistant director, who is responsible for providing services to alumni, prospective students, and current students in the program (see the [[Media: -1885_Asst_Dir_MES_REVISED_01-18-08.doc|MES Assistant Director Job Description]]). The assistant director is also responsible for recruitment, marketing, and community outreach. The key focus of the position's work is to: (1) support outreach efforts to prospective students, which will result in recruitment to the program; and (2) provide student service assistance (advising, internships, financial aid, employment and careers, personal) to existing students, in order to increase retention to graduation. The position also supports efforts to cultivate the involvement of alumni, an advisory board, and members of the community in the program's affairs.<br />
<br />
There is also a work-study student who serves as program assistant. This position provides administrative and clerical support to the assistant director and director.<br />
<br />
The MES Program budget is adequate and is currently as follows:<br />
<br />
: Organization 25101, MES Support: $88,827.00 total<br />
<br />
:: Account 6100 - Salaries and Wages: $58,152.00<br />
<br />
:: Account 6200 - Benefits: $15,515.00<br />
<br />
:: Account 7230 - Goods and Services: $10,360.00<br />
<br />
:: Account 7250 - Travel: $4,800.00<br />
<br />
: Organization 25102, MES Academic: $9,800.00 total<br />
<br />
:: Account 7230 - Goods and Services: $9,800.00<br />
<br />
All MES faculty are involved in revising admissions or graduation requirements. Program policies and regulations are distributed at orientation and are always available on the program Web site (see MES Student Policy Handbook and also [[Media: messupport.pdf|MES Supported Resources]]). All admissions and graduation requirements are clearly posted on the program Web site ([[Media: mes_admissionspage.pdf|MES Admissions Requirements]] and [[Media: mes_graduationpage.pdf|MES Graduation Requirements]]) as well as being spelled out in the ''Student Policy Handbook'' and the ''Thesis Handbook.'' These handbooks are revised and updated annually by the MES director and assistant director.<br />
<br />
====MES/MPA Dual Degree====<br />
<br />
<br />
Starting in fall 2006, the Master of Environmental Studies and Master of Public Administration programs began offering a combined MES/MPA degree. This joint program is designed both for environmental professionals who wish to improve their administrative skills and for public administrators and public policy professionals who want to gain expertise in the analysis of environmental issues. Three students applied and were accepted in fall 2007. The first two students to earn this joint degree will graduate in 2008. The third joint-degree student is on track to graduate in either 2009 or 2010. The program has four serious prospective students who plan to apply to enter the program in fall 2008. All of these students have started out as MES students, before applying to become joint MES/MPA students.<br />
<br />
Students must complete a total of ninety-six credits in both programs to obtain the degree, including core coursework and electives in both programs. Electives should be approximately equally divided between MES and MPA. If a student is in the MPA-Tribal program, s/he must take five MPA-tribal concentration courses. The MPA and MES directors must approve students' educational plans for elective work. All joint-degree students are required to complete an eight- or sixteen-credit MES thesis instead of the MPA capstone or thesis. The MES/MPA thesis prospectus requires approval by both the MPA and MES directors. Students may choose either the MES or MPA research methods/design programs in the MES or MPA core.<br />
<br />
===Standard 2.G – Off-Campus and Continuing Education===<br />
<br />
====Tacoma Program====<br />
<br />
=====Location and Mission of the Tacoma Program=====<br />
<br />
The Tacoma campus is located in the Hilltop area of Tacoma, an inner city, mixed-use zone of businesses, private homes, multi-unit dwellings and three hospitals. The area is in the process of change, evolving from one of primarily low-income residents to one of new and expanding businesses and multi-unit dwellings for urban professionals.<br />
<br />
The mission of the Tacoma Program is to prepare students to serve their local communities, the state, the nation, and the world through interdisciplinary, team-taught, community-based academic programs. This mission is accomplished through instructional, inter-institutional, and community partnerships that place value and emphasis on educating students while meeting the needs of our communities.<br />
<br />
The guiding philosophy of the program is “enter to learn, depart to serve.” Its values are hospitality, inclusiveness, civility, and reciprocity. There is intentionality in the program’s approach to its mission of serving communities. The campus maintains an environment that is open, welcoming, and inclusive. In keeping with its mission of service, the campus gives back to local and state communities by opening its doors to seminars and training sessions offered by community, municipal, and state agencies. Through these collaborations, students gain access to participation in democratic governance that sometimes offers pathways to internships and employment. Moreover, these public gatherings are part of the campus’s strategic recruitment plan.<br />
<br />
The academic process encourages a spirit of open inquiry with the expectation that students become equipped with cutting-edge knowledge, literacies, and skills relevant to recognized fields of study, and awareness of the changing demographics of today’s world.<br />
<br />
The Tacoma campus is considered to be an academic program, however, it is much more. The practical realities are that the program operates in many ways like a campus. Unlike the Olympia campus, the Tacoma campus operates with an on-site director who manages the operations, public relations, and student services issues (including disability access concerns), and serves as the academic leader. The campus has one student services professional who performs multiple duties including, but not limited to, recruitment, advising, help with registration, orientation of new students, and tracking of student data. The director is also actively involved in supporting student services.<br />
<br />
At its inception, the campus responded to the need for a public college in Tacoma that would serve the broad interests of citizens in the area. The campus sought to meet the needs of local residents; however, as the student body grew and the planning directions of the City of Tacoma developed, students from five counties began to matriculate in the Tacoma program. Over the years, in response to demand from those five counties and growing enrollment, the faculty and curriculum expanded.<br />
<br />
=====Curricular Structure and Student Population=====<br />
<br />
The Tacoma Program is an upper division, full-time learning community offering a yearlong liberal arts and sciences curriculum. Throughout the academic year, individual courses address the overall theme of the program. Enrollment in the program is capped at 225 students ([[Media: Tacoma_Program_Enrollment_History_1992-2007.pdf|Enrollment History for Tacoma Program]]).<br />
<br />
Classes are offered during the day and replicated in the evening in order to facilitate accessibility and flexibility for place-bound working adults. Students between the ages of thirty-five and forty-four make up 34% of Tacoma students, 30% are between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-four, 16% are between the ages of forty-five and fifty-five, 11% are over fifty-five, and 9% are eighteen to twenty-four years of age.<br />
<br />
[[Image: Enrollment_by_Age.jpg]]<br />
<br />
Diversity of the student body is also reflected in its ethnic make-up: 49% of Tacoma students are African-American; 43% percent are European American; 4% are Latino; 2% are Native American; and 2% are Asian/Pacific Islander.<br />
<br />
[[Image: Enrollment_by_Ethnicity.jpg]]<br />
<br />
Most of the Tacoma campus students are either employed or seeking employment. In a 2005 survey of new students, 31% of the student sample indicated they were employed or planning to work thirty-five hours or more per week. Another 20.7% noted that they were employed or planning to work twenty to thirty-four hours per week, and 17.2% indicated that they were employed or planning to work nineteen hours or less. Of those responding, 17.2%, said that they did not know whether they would work during fall quarter and 13.8% indicated that they would not work in the fall ([[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Employment - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Employment - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
Nearly half of all Tacoma campus students have children in their care. In the survey cited above, 44.8% of Tacoma respondents stated that they have a dependent child living with them. Of the twenty-six respondents who indicated that they have dependent children living with them, nine respondents, or 34.6% noted that they will need childcare ([[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Dependent Children - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Dependent Children - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
Most Tacoma campus students are the first generation in their families to attend college. In the 2005 survey, Tacoma respondents reported at least one parent’s educational background, and of those reporting, 81.9% stated that they had no parent with a four-year degree or more and 49.1% reported that no parent had attended college ([[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Parental Education - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Parental Education - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
In response to a question about financial support for college, 50% of students reporting indicated that they received aid (loans) that must be repaid, while 73.2% received aid that does not need to be repaid (grants, work study, scholarships, military funding, DVR, worker retraining funds) ([[Media: Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Financial Support - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Financial Support - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
=====Faculty and Programs=====<br />
<br />
Several of the faculty have dual terminal degrees, for example, MD/PhD or PhD/JD. This interdisciplinarity affords faculty and students opportunity to come face-to-face with how distinctively different disciplines generate a variety of phenomena and meaning. Moreover, students see reflected in the faculty the complexity of the world and their places in it. Interdisciplinary, team-taught courses cover the following areas: law; political science; public policy; foreign policy; psychology; sociology; ecology; environmental policy; basic and advanced biology; life sciences, such as biochemistry, physiology, and neurosciences; environmental science; public health; bioethics; mathematics; 3D modeling; statistics; research methods; literature; Chinese cultural studies; poetry; memoir; film; media literacy; romance languages; West African languages; multimedia art and design; Web design; graphic design; video production; and sound editing.<br />
<br />
The program currently has four continuing faculty members, five visiting faculty members and two adjunct professors.<br />
<br />
===== Interdisciplinary Programs =====<br />
<br />
Each academic year, the faculty offers a theme-based interdisciplinary program. The themes of the programs are empirically grounded in community needs expressed by our community partners and collaborators. Programs have focused on disparities and injustices in the criminal justice system, education, public policy, health, and economics. Issues of class, race, gender, and religion have surfaced in the courses offered in the programs. Writing across the curriculum is one of the hallmarks of the program. Recently, laboratory time was added to classes in the liberal arts, social sciences, science, and mathematics. In order to assist students in moving from theory to practice, the faculty sought to provide a learning laboratory to extend both the depth and breadth of students’ cognitive and experiential learning. Faculty conduct and lead the laboratory activities in writing, research, science, mathematics, computer graphics, politics, iMovie editing, and curriculum design.<br />
<br />
The program includes an all-campus Lyceum in which all students in the Tacoma program are enrolled. Lyceum is the centerpiece of the curriculum through which students are exposed to knowledge that may be outside of the faculty team and contributes to the intellectual life of the campus. Lyceum forms the nexus for inclusion of the program theme, guest speakers, books, and academic work in the individual classes. Students in Lyceum are together for ninety minutes and then break into seminar groups for an additional ninety minutes. These seminar groups are led by individual faculty to whom students are assigned for the entire academic year. Through this process, students engage in reflexive thinking and practice.<br />
<br />
Individual faculty members also serve as academic advisors to their respective students during their tenure in the program. These seminar advisors, as they are called, are responsible for writing the year-end evaluation of their advisees. Each quarter, faculty complete an evaluation of all students in their classes. These are distributed to the individual student and his/her advisor. At the end of the academic year, the advisor synthesizes the evaluations gathered from the faculty into one evaluation for each student advisee. In writing the evaluation, the faculty primarily focus on the following outcomes or skills: course content mastery, writing skills, critical and analytical thinking skills, oral communication skills, collaboration/working across significant differences, quantitative skills, and attendance.<br />
<br />
The program has no requirements beyond that of achieving 180 credits, but recommends that students enroll in a memoir writing class, research methods, and statistics. Opportunities for reflexive thinking abound in the curriculum. Work in the memoir writing class allows for work that is both illuminating and emancipating. Students come to understand the process of moving from victim, and in many instances, to victor. This appears to be a recurring theme in working with adult learners.<br />
<br />
In the senior year, students may elect to enroll in an independent learning contract or an internship. Here, students are presented with application of theory to real-world situations where they explore more deeply issues and ideas related to their academic areas of concentration and/or professional pathways. It is also during this year that students are expected to write and orally present a synthesis of their learning and academic journey. Through the process, students gain reflexive praxis and synthesis of ideas and experiences.<br />
<br />
===== Student Survey Data =====<br />
<br />
In a 2006 survey of students on the Evergreen experience, 48.7% of Tacoma program students indicated that the academic workload was “just right.” Another 48.7% reported that the academic workload was “a little too heavy” or “too heavy,” and 2.6% noted that their academic workload was “too light” ([[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Workload - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Workload - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
Students indicated high levels of satisfaction with the learning environment: 66.7% of students noted that they were very satisfied with the overall quality of instruction; 65.8% noted that they were very satisfied with lectures and other presentations by the faculty; 60.5% were very satisfied with the interdisciplinary approach to course content; 2.6% of students said that they were dissatisfied with both the lectures and other presentations by faculty and with the interdisciplinary approach to course content. No student indicated dissatisfaction with the learning environment or the overall quality of instruction ([[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
The ability of students to enroll in their first choice of academic programs varied to a small extent. In the fall, 89.7% stated that they enrolled in their first choice. In winter quarter, 93.5% enrolled in their first choice. In spring, 92.1% were able to enroll in their first choice. The common barrier to enrollment in their first choice was conflicts in the schedule. Students indicated that on the Tacoma campus they do not have a lot of flexibility in the choices available ([[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - First Choice - Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - First Choice - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
Students expressed their views on the importance of campus diversity to their learning. The most common response was that diversity was “very” important, as noted by 48.7% of the sample. Another 35.9% indicated “quite a bit,” 7.7% indicated “somewhat important,” and 5% indicated that diversity is “not at all” important ([[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Diversity Importance- Tacoma Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Diversity Importance - Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
===== Alumni Survey Data =====<br />
<br />
In a 2006 survey of alumni, 74.1% of Tacoma program alumni reported that they were currently employed one year after graduation. Of those, 95% were working in an area that was at least somewhat related to their area of primary study. In all, 84.2% felt that their Evergreen experiences prepared them adequately or very well for their current employment. Looking at fields of employment, 35% of Tacoma alumni were employed in the area of community and social service, 25% were employed in education, 10% were in business management, and another 10% were in health care. In terms of community service, 55.6% were involved in volunteer activities one year after graduation.<br />
<br />
Tacoma program graduates were asked to rate their satisfaction with Evergreen’s contribution to their academic and personal growth. In twenty-four areas, Tacoma alumni reported being mostly or very satisfied with Evergreen’s contribution. On four of the twenty-four areas, 96.3% gave the highest rating. These areas included: their abilities to do “critical analysis of written information”; “recognizing [their] rights and responsibilities and privileges as a citizen”; “functioning as a responsible member of a diverse community”; and “reading for academic purposes.” Learning independently, writing effectively, defining and understanding problems, working cooperatively in a group, giving effective presentations, synthesizing information and ideas from many sources, and managing time effectively also ranked very highly among the students surveyed.<br />
<br />
Among their Evergreen experiences, 81.5% of alumni were very satisfied with the interdisciplinary approach to education and the narrative evaluations, while 74.1% were satisfied with the quality of instruction ([[Media: Alumni_Survey_2006_-_Tacoma_Summary.pdf|Alumni Survey 2006: Tacoma]]).<br />
<br />
===== Issues =====<br />
<br />
Functioning as a campus and a program places enormous responsibilities and time commitments on the director, faculty, and staff. In order to serve the needs of the students and to collaborate effectively with the community (Sixth Avenue Business Association, Chamber of Commerce, and community partners), faculty and staff are faced with multiple responsibilities. This situation, combined with the faculty desires and commitments to provide intellectually stimulating curricula, presents a weighty challenge. While the number of continuing faculty is small, visiting faculty and adjuncts complement the ability of the faculty to provide engaging and essential liberal arts curricula. They also perform much needed functions on the campus, such as academic advising. Visiting faculty contribute to the intellectual vibrancy of the learning environment and bring new energy and interdisciplinary perspectives to the curriculum.<br />
<br />
Similar to the Olympia campus, the Tacoma program faces imminent attrition of one-half of its continuing faculty. The latest continuing hire, the mathematics professor, did not move the program towards addressing this issue of succession planning. The faculty and the director have not had a serious conversation about how to plan for faculty replacements. There have been informal conversations about planning for the future, but nothing concrete has surfaced from those discussions.<br />
<br />
Given that the program states in its mission that it is preparing students to serve the world, there is a need for increased focus on foreign languages. Our curriculum has and continues to include courses that address global issues. However, there has neither been a concrete nor a coherent effort to include foreign languages in the curriculum. The program currently offers conversational French with the expectation of providing opportunities for students to learn the more widely spoken African languages. We also have the capacity and the faculty to offer Mandarin Chinese.<br />
<br />
Access services have increasingly become an important component of student needs. The most difficult situation is presented by students who have a disability that is not visually apparent and lack a diagnosis of a specific condition such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, or other statutorily covered condition. The cost of such a diagnosis is expensive and becomes a problem because most of our students do not have health insurance. At this juncture, the program has nothing in place to address the financial barriers to services for students with disabilities.<br />
<br />
Finally, there is a need for the college to face the paradox that is presented by this program/campus. At once, it is a campus, without adequate campus resources, and also a program that serves a population of adult learners, many of whom are first generation college students, and most of whom have incomes below the poverty index for Washington state. The needs presented are great. While the college has supplied curricular support and some student services in the past few years, especially during the current academic year, there still exists a dire need to increase the time of a psychotherapist on the campus from one day per week to minimally three days each week.<br />
<br />
====Native American Programs, Research, and Services====<br />
<br />
From the early days of the college there has been a close and distinctive link between the Native American communities of the area and the college. This link has grown and evolved in a variety of directions over the years in response to both Native faculty and staff members at the college and the interests and connections of local communities. The programs, as they have developed over the years, have involved a variety of formal educational opportunities for both Native and non-Native students, applied research in support of tribal work, support for Native arts, community gatherings, and support for training in tribal governance. Today Native students constitute 3.6% of undergraduates and 7.2% of graduate students for an overall 3.9% of the entire student body ([[Media: Fall 2007 Enrollment Summary.pdf|Fall 2007 Student Demographic Summary]]).<br />
<br />
Currently six major programs or projects comprise the area:<br />
<br />
The Evergreen Center for Educational Improvement<br />
<br />
"House of Welcome" Longhouse Education and Cultural Center<br />
<br />
Master of Public Administration in Tribal Governance<br />
<br />
Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies (NAWIPS)<br />
<br />
Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute<br />
<br />
Reservation-Based Community-Determined Program<br />
<br />
'''Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies (NAWIPS)'''<br />
<br />
The area is staffed both by staff members and by faculty. Native faculty comprises 7.2% of all regular faculty members at the college. Faculty members teach in the regular Olympia daytime curriculum, in the Master of Public Administration in Tribal Governance, and in the Reservation-Based program. Native faculty members and a few non-Native faculty members affiliate with Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies (NAWIPS) in the same way as faculty affiliate with a planning unit. Some Native faculty members affiliate with both NAWIPS and a planning unit.<br />
<br />
Faculty members affiliate primarily with NAWIPS for planning purposes. The area programs provide opportunities to engage in studies that support indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest, the Americas, and the world. The Native programs for the Olympia undergraduate program are organized and offered through the area. NAWIPS programs in the Evergreen full-time day curriculum support a variety of programs dealing with treaty relationships between tribal nations and the U.S. government. Considerable attention is given to the history of Native nations and peoples from pre-Columbian times to the present and to issues of cultural and economic revitalization. Another strand in the NAWIPS day offerings provides a student-centered research project-oriented offering that provides a home base and regular support for individual and small group research projects. The area has supported a low of 22.4 FTE in 2002-03 to a high of 118.3 two years later. The area has maintained an enrollment of more than 100 FTE for the past three years. Fluctuation arises from the small size of the area, the vagaries of enrollment in off-campus sites, and the significant reduction in teaching faculty when faculty members take leave or take on non-teaching assignments ([[Media: curricular visions_selected trends_97to07_update.pdf|Curricular Visions_Selected Trends_97to07_update]]).<br />
<br />
=====Reservation-Based Community-Determined Program=====<br />
<br />
The Reservation-Based Community-Determined program is designed for place-bound students on Indian reservations in western Washington. The program targets students with ninety or more college credits and operates in tribal communities at the invitation of the host tribe. Classes meet two nights a week at the program sites: Lower Elwha, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Port Gamble, Quinault, and Tulalip. Makah and Skokomish will reactivate pending sufficient student enrollment. Students also meet monthly at the Olympia campus, taking courses that provide the breadth of a liberal arts curriculum, and working collaboratively with students from all sites.<br />
<br />
A repeatable three-year core curriculum integrates distinctly local concerns with the liberal arts and provides opportunities to develop a wide range of skills in research, writing, critical thinking, public speaking, and group work. An advisory board provides input for the curriculum and ensures consistent curriculum delivery at all sites. Native students have consistently formed from 75% to 99% of the students in the program. Enrollment in the program has fluctuated significantly as competition with other institutions for students has developed and as potentially eligible persons matriculated and graduated ([[Media: Tribalenrollmenthistory.pdf|Enrollment History for Tribal: Reservation-based/Community-determined Programs]]).<br />
<br />
Students identify achieving personal success, career change, personal growth, and developing creative and effective communication skills in speaking and writing as their most common goals for seeking a degree (see [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Goals - Tribal programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Goals - Tribal programs]]). All of the students completing the survey indicated they intended to stay in the program to graduation (see [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Intent to Stay - Tribal programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Intent to Stay - Tribal programs]]). Students cite Evergreen’s particular contribution to class participation, cooperative work in a group, learning independently, and reading for academic purposes as the program’s most significant contributions to their learning (see [[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Learning - Tribal Programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Learning - Tribal Programs]]). Students were satisfied with all elements of the program and were particularly pleased with their relationships with faculty, the overall quality of instruction, the quality of faculty response to work and seminars as a way of learning. Their concerns dealt with keeping up with the work and developing computer skills ([[Media: Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction - Tribal Programs.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction - Tribal Programs]]).<br />
<br />
The program has developed a hybrid online/face-to-face bridge program with Grays Harbor College to support lower division work for students with similar ties to tribal communities. Two major grants from the Lumina Foundation for Education support this work, and have provided curriculum support in two important ways. First, the use of electronic portfolios (e-Portfolios) allows students to electronically display and reflect on their work, and to comment on the work of others. Second, more than thirty case studies of current issues in Indian country have been produced, and are used in a case study workshop at the Saturday classes.<br />
<br />
The Reservation-Based Community-Determined program is an integral part of the NAWIPS planning unit and is documented and reviewed like any other program. Its contents are determined by its faculty, whose backgrounds and experience make them effective and knowledgeable designers of the curriculum. Supervision of this program, like all other programs, rests in the hands of the deans. Student fees are the same as those on the main campus and student activity fees are returned to the program. Standards for credit parallel those of the rest of the college. Students have not participated in the PLE program, but would participate in the regular Olympia campus process if this option were selected. Student learning is complexly documented through the evaluation procedure and the program's use of e-portfolios.<br />
<br />
=====MPA Tribal=====<br />
The Master of Public Administration in Tribal Governance is one of three tracks in the Master of Public Administration Program. This cohort-based, two-year master’s program is the only degree-granting program in the nation to focus on structures, processes, and issues specific to tribal governments. The master's program is critically important for Native nations and supports students from in-state and across the country. The basic structure of the program, requirements, and the like are described above in the Master of Public Administration section. <br />
<br />
This three-tiered approach to Native education provides crucial opportunities for Native communities to participate in shaping educational opportunities for their members, for Native students to learn in a variety of distinctively Native contexts, and for non-Native students to come to understand significant issues, policies, treaty obligations, and cultural differences.<br />
<br />
=====The Longhouse=====<br />
In addition to the directly educational function of the area, “The House of Welcome” Longhouse on the Evergreen campus serves as an important center for promoting indigenous arts and culture through gatherings of artists, continuing programs, and sales. The Longhouse also provides an important gathering place for events and classes. Staff at the Longhouse serve as a central point in helping bring the campus Native community together. Together with the academic programs, the Longhouse helps make present significant issues of cultural diversity on campus.<br />
<br />
=====The Evergreen Center for Educational Improvement=====<br />
The Center for Educational Improvement works with a number of communities across the state to develop and share the best instructional tools, techniques, and models. An important focus for the center’s work has been Native American education. The center is currently helping develop a K-2 reading curriculum and is working with the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis on a community-based history and culture curriculum of the Chehalis people. <br />
<br />
=====Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute=====<br />
Since 1999, the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute (NIARI) has worked with tribes on a wide range of issues that focus on serving Washington state tribes and Native people through work on resources, cultural revitalization, economic stability, and tribal governance. The institute has also done critical international work helping with the United League of Indigenous Nations, and critical Native issues throughout the Pacific Rim.<br />
<br />
====Study Abroad (2.G.12)====<br />
<br />
Evergreen is committed to increased internationalization. Internationalization is broader than study abroad; it encompasses language, area and cultural studies, and all the curricular and extracurricular opportunities that students have to learn about unfamiliar social and natural systems. The term internationalization is defined by Knight (1994) as “the process of integrating an international/intercultural dimension into the teaching, research, and service functions of the institution.” Programs that allow our students to study abroad are a large part of this effort. Currently, on average, 8% of Evergreen students study abroad each year; approximately 48% study through academic programs, 43% through contracts and internships, 8% through consortium partners, and 1% on student exchange. This proportion is significantly higher than any of the other four-year state universities in Washington.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"<br />
| valign="bottom" | '''Study Abroad Opportunities'''<br />
| valign="bottom" | 2005-06<br />
| valign="bottom" | 2006-07<br />
| valign="bottom" nowrap="undefined" | Average<br />
| valign="bottom" | Percent of Total Enrollment<br />
| valign="bottom" | Percent of Study Abroad<br />
|-<br />
| valign="bottom" | Academic Programs with Travel Abroad Component<br />
| 124<br />
| 223<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 174<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 4%<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 48%<br />
|-<br />
| valign="bottom" | Individual Learning Contract<br />
| 104<br />
| 153<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 129<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 3%<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 36%<br />
|-<br />
| valign="bottom" | Internship Contract<br />
| 28<br />
| 25<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 27<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 1%<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 7%<br />
|-<br />
| valign="bottom" | Consortium Agreements<br />
| 31<br />
| 27<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 29<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 1%<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 8%<br />
|-<br />
| valign="bottom" | Student Exchanges<br />
| 4<br />
| 4<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 4<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 0%<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | 1%<br />
|-<br />
| '''Total'''<br />
| '''291'''<br />
| '''432'''<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | '''362'''<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | '''8%'''<br />
| nowrap="undefined" | '''100%'''<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
These study abroad opportunities are consistent with Evergreen’s five foci, in particular, linking theory with practice, teaching and learning across significant differences, and personal engagement in learning. In addition, these study abroad opportunities help fulfill the Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate. <br />
<br />
Based on these fundamental principles, the institution’s strategic plan (2007) specifically states, “Seniors attribute growth in their ability to address real-world problems to their experiences at Evergreen. Increasingly, these real-world issues involve a global context. Evergreen is committed to internationalizing its curriculum and will review and strengthen its support for international studies and study abroad opportunities for students.”<br />
<br />
''Academic Programs:'' Most students study abroad with academic programs that have a foreign travel component. These programs have an international focus and demonstrate Evergreen’s integrated approach to global learning. On average, ten academic programs travel abroad each year, but this number varies depending on their cost. For a description of the process used to select and fund these programs, see [[Media: Study_Abroad_Procedures.doc|Study Abroad Procedures]]. A list of programs that have traveled abroad over the past five years is also attached. The cost of these programs, for both the college and the students, is significant; approximately 20% of the budget for academic programs is allocated to these study abroad programs in order to cover the faculty travel expenses. Students must also pay a fee that covers their travel expenses. This fee varies depending on the location and duration, but the average fee is $3,000. Two examples of academic programs with travel abroad components are Memory of Fire: Spain and Latin America and Tropical Rainforests.<br />
<br />
Memory of Fire: Spain and Latin America offers students the opportunity for interdisciplinary study in Spanish language, history, and literature of Spain and Latin America. The program culminates in independent research or internships abroad in Santó Tomás, Nicaragua, or southern Spain, as well as internships with local Latino organizations for students who elect to stay on campus. In this program we find interconnected theoretical and practical approaches to learning in a global context. Such study produces students who not only speak Spanish, but understand the historical, political, and cultural implications of various real-world problems for Hispanic countries and people. They do this not just by theoretical study, but by engaging in practical experiences with local and global communities.<br />
<br />
Tropical Rainforests, offered every other year, takes students to Costa Rica for the final three weeks of the winter quarter. The program focuses on field ecology, the physical environment, statistical analysis of field data, conservation biology, and Latin American culture. While in Costa Rica, students visit several major field sites, including coastal habitats, tropical dry forests, cloud forests, and lowland rainforests. Students have the option of staying in Costa Rica during spring quarter to do ecological research on an individual learning contract.<br />
<br />
''Individual Learning Contracts and Internships:'' Typically reserved for junior- and senior-level students, these are student-generated projects in which the student works directly with a faculty sponsor to complete advanced academic work. Each year 100 to 200 students study abroad on a contract. A full third of all students, or approximately 1,200 students, will complete an internship, locally or globally, during their Evergreen career. <br />
<br />
''Consortium Agreements and Exchanges:'' As a small, liberal arts college, we recognize that our range of institution-sponsored study abroad programs will not meet every student’s needs. We currently offer fourteen consortium programs with destinations worldwide. Approximately thirty students participate in consortia each year. Our two yearlong Japanese exchange programs are with the University of Hyogo and University of Miyazaki.<br />
<br />
For an overview of undergraduate participation in study abroad by planning unit, please see: [[Media: Alumni_Study_Abroad_by_Planning_Unit.pdf|Alumni Study Abroad by Planning Unit]].<br />
<br />
====Extended Education====<br />
<br />
<br />
Extended Education (EE) is one of the college’s responses to declining state support for higher education. In 2003, a committee was charged with examining the feasibility of Extended Education as an additional source of revenue for Evergreen. The committee recommended moving ahead with Extended Education after an additional planning year (2003-04). After considerable discussion, EE was approved as a pilot project by a vote of the faculty on November 17, 2004. The faculty approved a $600,000 investment for this pilot stipulating that a review for quality of programs and financial viability would occur in years three and five of the program ([[Media: Facmins111704.doc|Minutes of Faculty Meeting – November 17, 2004]]). A review of the EE program, scheduled for fall 2008, will examine the financial viability of the program and the ways it intersects with the rest of the college's curriculum. <br />
<br />
Extended Education officially began at The Evergreen State College on July 1, 2005 with the appointment of a dean for Extended Education and summer school. The mission of Extended Education is to serve the professional development and life long learning needs of our community. This mission and EE programs offered reflect the mission of the college. Extended Education’s goals and activities align with the college’s strategic plan and contribute to the achievement of the goals outlined therein.<br />
<br />
Extended Education has completed its first two years as a pilot program. During this time the scope and number of course offerings, and training have increased. Student and participant evaluation of courses, workshops, and training indicate a consistently high degree of quality in EE’s offerings. Enrollment in EE courses went from 594 in 2005-06 to 1191 in 2006-07. As it begins its third year, Extended Education holds solid promise for financial viability ([[Media: EE Annual Report 2006-07.pdf|Extended Education Annual Report 2006-07]] and [[Media: EE Annual Report 2005-06.pdf|Extended Education Annual Report 2005-06]]).<br />
<br />
Extended Education’s course offerings and programs are compatible with the college’s mission in providing opportunities for students to excel in meeting their intellectual, creative, professional, and/or community service goals. EE serves students at Evergreen as well as members of the larger community in Thurston, Mason, Lewis, and Pierce counties ([[Media: Final_Evergreen_PRR_Market_Survey_Report_11Oct06.pdf|Extended Education Marketing Survey]], [[Media: PRR_EE_Summer_School_Market_Research_presentation.pdf|Extended Education/Summer School Market Survey Presentation]], and [[Media: EE_Spring_07.pdf|Extended Education Catalog Spring 2007]]; [[Media: EE_Winter_07.pdf|Extended Education Catalog Winter 2007]]; [[Media: EE_Fall_06.pdf|Extended Education Catalog Fall 2006]]). <br />
<br />
Extended Education’s offerings are administered under established institutional procedures in that Extended Education is managed by an academic dean selected by the usual institutional procedures for the appointment of deans, who rotate into academic administration from the faculty. The responsibility for the administration of Extended Education is clearly defined and its administration is an integral component of the institution’s organization as evidenced by the appointment of a dean for Extended Education who reports directly to the provost and through him to the president and board of trustees (see [[media:OrgChart.pdf|Organization chart]]).<br />
<br />
Extended Education is guided in program development by the provost, the Deans’ Group and the Extended Education Advisory Committee. Members on the advisory committee represent the faculty, the academic division, and all other major divisions at The Evergreen State College ([[Media: EEAC_Members_2007-08.doc|Extended Education Advisory Committee Membership 2007-08]]). Full-time faculty as well as part-time faculty are represented on the Extended Education Advisory Committee and as such are involved in the planning and evaluation of EE offerings. Given that Extended Education is a pilot program voted in by the faculty at The Evergreen State College, provisions were made for periodic evaluation over a period of three and five years. Extended Education is scheduled for its first review in fall 2008.<br />
<br />
Extended Education offerings focus on three areas:<br />
<br />
: 1. Courses offered for academic credit that are also open on a limited basis to community participants not seeking academic credit (blended courses);<br />
: 2. Workshops and contracted online courses not offered for academic credit;<br />
: 3. Custom training for professional skill development.<br />
<br />
Academic Credit Courses<br />
<br />
The granting of credit for Extended Education courses is based on institutional policy. Ten contact hours are required for each academic credit. Students are expected to meet the learning objectives and course requirements in order to earn academic credit. Students’ work is evaluated by the faculty and a narrative evaluation specifying number of credits awarded is submitted to the registrar upon completion of the course. Extended Education courses offered for academic credit are approved by the dean of Extended Education in consultation with the EE Advisory Committee and the curriculum deans. Faculty teaching academic credit-bearing courses through Extended Education are reviewed and evaluated according to standard institutional procedures for adjunct faculty ([[Media: Enrollment_%26_Students_in_EE-06-07.pdf|Extended Education Enrollment 2006-2007]]; [[Media: Enrollment_EE-05-06.pdf|Extended Education Enrollment 2005-06]]).<br />
<br />
Academic credit-bearing courses offered through Extended Education are subject to the same tuition, fees, registration procedures, and refund policies established for the college as a whole. Students enrolled at the college for between ten and eighteen credits who register for EE credit must pay separately for EE course credit. Extended Education does not offer academic credit-bearing courses through electronically mediated or other delivery systems.<br />
<br />
The Evergreen State College is solely responsible for the academic and fiscal elements of all programs offered through Extended Education. Extended Education does not contract or partner with non-accredited organizations to offer courses for academic credit.<br />
<br />
Issues:<br />
<br />
*Obtain faculty approval of a policy permitting continuing faculty to teach courses and/or workshops through Extended Education.<br />
*Examine current enrollment patterns in the Olympia day and Evening Weekend curriculum to determine potential for expansion of Extended Education’s revenue base by meeting additional needs of adult and part-time learners.<br />
*Expand custom training to meet the needs of local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.<br />
*Obtain dedicated administrative and classroom space. <br />
*Establish a market-based compensation system for faculty and instructors in Extended Education.<br />
*Prepare for a comprehensive review of the program that examines issues of the relation of the credit generating aspects of EE with attention to competition or duplication of efforts in Evening and Weekend Studies, issues of eligibility for employment, compensation, and costs for students.<br />
*Review over-all financial viability of Extended Education program and offerings.<br />
<br />
====Summer School====<br />
<br />
Evergreen has had a “self-supporting” summer school since 1981. Evergreen’s summer school is critical to augmenting declining funding from the state and also provides opportunities for faculty to augment their income during the summer. Over the past ten years, an average of 1,577 students per year have enrolled in summer school. Enrollment has declined in the last two years, but revenues have remained steady due to tuition increases and reductions in expenditures ([[Media: Summer_School_Enrollment_Trends_2004-2007.pdf|Summer School Enrollment Trends 2004-2007]]).<br />
<br />
In 2007, 1,424 students enrolled in summer school. Of these students, 86.5% were continuing degree-seeking Evergreen students, 4.6% were new summer school students who continued to fall 2007, and 8.5% were students new to Evergreen who did not continue to fall 2007. Total revenue for summer school 2007 was $2,311,757 ([[Media: Summer_School_Student_Demographics_2004-2007.pdf|Summer School Student Demographics 2004-2007]]).<br />
<br />
Almost all summer offerings are freestanding courses ranging from two to eight credits per session. Most of the courses are taught by a single faculty member and are more reflective of traditional disciplinary studies than are the interdisciplinary, team-taught programs offered during the regular academic year.<br />
<br />
The process for developing the summer school curriculum has remained fairly consistent over the past ten years. The first step is to analyze enrollment data from the previous summer and to review the academic calendar for the forthcoming year to help determine market demand and prerequisite requirements. This information is sent to the faculty along with a letter asking them to submit course proposals for summer school. Proposals submitted are reviewed by the planning unit coordinators, curriculum deans, and graduate program directors, who advise the summer school dean regarding curricular needs.<br />
<br />
In 2006, the college contracted with an external market research firm to conduct a market survey that assessed interest in and new prospective markets for Extended Education and summer school. The survey was collaboratively designed by Institutional Research and Assessment and the dean of Extended Education and summer school, and funding was provided by Institutional Research. The survey collected contact information from interested participants who wanted more information about future courses; thus the market survey also served to generate prospect mailing lists. A diverse group of staff and faculty attended the final presentation, as there was potential value from this study for graduate program directors, admissions recruiters, advancement, college relations, other academic deans, and other staff members. This study was useful in informing the summer curriculum and course scheduling for 2007 and, together with previous summer school enrollment data, provided a basis for the summer school dean to solicit proposals to meet market demand ([[Media: Final_Evergreen_PRR_Market_Survey_Report_11Oct06.pdf|Extended Education Marketing Survey]] and [[Media: PRR_EE_Summer_School_Market_Research_presentation.pdf|Extended Education/Summer School Market Survey Presentation]]).<br />
<br />
During 2006, considerable effort went into developing a new format for our summer school course listings for 2007. The course-listing catalog mirrored that of Extended Education. The new format made it easier to locate course descriptions by disciplinary area and the catalog was more attractive and easier to navigate than the course listing used in prior years.<br />
<br />
Issues:<br />
<br />
The most important summer school issue is to maximize summer revenues to support college operations by matching college offerings with demand. An important benefit of this is to provide support for faculty members in the design of popular, economically viable summer offerings. <br />
<br />
*Survey students in the spring to determine their needs and interests in courses for summer school.<br />
*Create flexibility in the curriculum development process to permit addressing needs/interests identified by student survey.<br />
*Analyze regular academic year enrollment patterns to determine predictive value for summer enrollment.<br />
*Use analysis to “size” and “shape” the curriculum to market demand.<br />
*Assess the quality of student experience and learning.<br />
<br />
===Standard 2.H – Non-Credit Programs and Courses===<br />
<br />
Extended Education non-credit programs and courses are subject to and administered under relevant institutional policies, regulations, and procedures. Faculty are involved in planning and evaluating non-credit programs through their representation on the Extended Education Advisory Committee. The faculty as a whole will also be involved in a third- and-fifth year review of the financial viability and quality of the Extended Education program. <br />
<br />
Extended Education maintains the following records for all non-credit courses:<br />
<br />
: 1. Course/workshop enrollment records that include name, address, Social Security or Evergreen ID number, and telephone and e-mail contact information. <br />
<br />
: 2. Course descriptions, fees, and faculty resumes.<br />
<br />
: 3. Fee collection and deposit records.<br />
<br />
: 4. Workshop instructors’ files containing contact information, current resume, course/workshop proposals, and participant evaluations of courses offered by instructor.<br />
<br />
: 5. Detailed and summary evaluations of all custom training.<br />
<br />
Extended Education contracts with Education To Go (a division of Thompson Learning, Inc.) for all of its online non-academic credit bearing courses. Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) are currently offered in partnership with St. Peter Hospital for CME and CNE units and with the National Association of Social Workers, Washington Chapter for CEU’s. These limited offerings meet all administrative requirements and provide ten hours of instruction per CEU awarded ([[Media: Thomson_Contract.pdf|Contract with Thomson Learning]]). <br />
<br />
Custom Training<br />
<br />
Extended Education currently provides custom training for professional skill development in management and in human resources. It contracts with the Washington State Department of Personnel to provide training in these areas for state employees ([[Media: Dept_Personnel.pdf|Contract with the Department of Personnel]]).<br />
<br />
Issues<br />
<br />
*Obtain faculty approval of a policy permitting continuing faculty to teach courses and/or workshops through Extended Education.<br />
*Expand custom training to meet the needs of local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.<br />
*Develop an online registration system for not-for-academic-credit-offerings.<br />
*Obtain dedicated administrative and classroom space. <br />
*Establish a market-based compensation system for faculty and instructors in Extended Education.<br />
<br />
===Standard 2 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1.) There is strong congruency between Evergreen’s mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college, its educational practices and philosophy, the experiences of students at the college, and the outcomes for its graduates.<br />
<br />
2.) Evergreen’s willingness to identify and promote public interdisciplinary liberal arts provides a strong alternative account of the democratic value, as opposed to the purely economic value, of public education.<br />
<br />
3.) Evergreen’s success with non-selective admissions and a relatively diverse population demonstrate that this model works well for the least to the best prepared.<br />
<br />
4.) The Five Foci of an Evergreen Education and the Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate provide a powerful grounding for reflexive thinking and personal responsibility as students explore not only the subject matter, but deal with the issue of how they know what they know and try to understand the implications of this knowledge for themselves and their community.<br />
<br />
5.) The college has worked hard at the process of renewing its faculty as the first generation retires. The college is still significantly informed by the concern for learning, student autonomy, interdisciplinary work, and social responsibility that cohort exemplified.<br />
<br />
6.) Figuring out how to include or provide effective professional, career-oriented instruction in the context of an evolving interdisciplinary curriculum is difficult. Nevertheless, the college affirms that that is the best approach to professional areas of student learning and is possible with the right faculty.<br />
<br />
7.) The success of Evening and Weekend Studies, especially in course work, has led to more consistent availability of prerequisites, language training, arts, mathematics, and psychology. The area has produced creative half-time programs and has supported work in programs across the curriculum. Yet the disaggregating of the curriculum into smaller/shorter programs, and the consequent broader array of curricular choices, has led to unintended consequences for the quality of learning, advising, and interdisciplinary work at the college. Better coordination of EWS offerings with the work of other planning units is a continuing issue.<br />
<br />
8.) Planning and governance time commitments are extensive. The growth of the institution, the increasing pressure from external sources, and the establishment of faculty collective bargaining suggest a need to reexamine faculty governance.<br />
<br />
9.) The college has worked well with Native American communities in the region to foster reservation–based programs and opportunities for a Tribal Master of Public Administration degree. The college stands out nationally in service to Native American populations and regional Native communities.<br />
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10.) The college has significantly improved its assessment processes, data collection, and analysis. Much of this work is reflected in reports for off-campus agencies and accountability. While Institutional Research has been able to share much of its work through summer institutes, finding ways to share data more effectively with the campus to help foster improvements in instruction and curriculum design is an important goal.<br />
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Conclusions:<br />
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1.) Evergreen remains an important college at the national level as a model of public education that values and fosters democratic engagement, public participation, and self-aware responsible citizenship.<br />
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2.) Evergreen’s five foci and six expectations have been successful in promoting reflexive thinking and exceptional engagement on the part of students and faculty across the curriculum.<br />
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3.) The college has been very successful in expanding services to and engagement with Native American communities at multiple levels.<br />
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4.) While the success of Evening and Weekend Studies, especially in course work, has led to more consistent availability of certain subjects, the college needs to carefully manage the tension between the demand for course work and the provision of longer, inquiry-based interdisciplinary programs.<br />
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5.) The college’s graduates are successful and generally very pleased with their work at the college.<br />
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6.) The review period has covered the implementation period of the 1995 Long Range Curriculum Report and the reorganization of the curriculum into planning units. Planning units have provided a degree of stability to the structure of the curriculum, although not necessarily to student paths through the curriculum. Early stages of the Curricular Visions process identified a need for greater flexibility in inter-area programming and hiring. The Thematic Planning Groups reflect this concern.<br />
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Commendations:<br />
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1.) Evergreen’s capacity to link its mission, activities, and educational outcomes indicates institutional coherence.<br />
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2.) Evergreen faculty are to be commended for their continuing concern for innovation and improvement in their teaching and professional development.<br />
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3.) The infusing of concerns for diversity widely across the curriculum reflects Evergreen's continuing concern for social justice and the impact of reflexive thinking on students' understanding of their position and responsibility in society.<br />
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4.) Evergreen’s willingness to continue to see student autonomy at the core of student learning is indicative of the college’s ongoing willingness to take risks to allow students to create authentic, personally meaningful education.<br />
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Recommendations:<br />
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1.) The college must follow through on the good start that has been made in the Curricular Visions DTF.<br />
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2.) The college should explore governance options to build capacity to respond to external pressures and act effectively within the college.<br />
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3.) The college should focus attention on inter-area and Core teaching and may strengthen these areas through the use of Thematic Planning Groups.<br />
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4.) The curriculum deans and faculty need to continue to maintain a balance between opportunities for large-scale, yearlong, thematic programs and shorter programs for introductory, breadth, and advanced work, remembering that three-quarter programs can be very effective sites for advanced work, advising, and reflexive learning. The deans should also pursue better coordination, articulation, and integration between the EWS curriculum and the daytime curriculum.<br />
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5.) The faculty should explore mechanisms to provide systematic faculty-student advising across the curriculum.<br />
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6.) The curriculum deans and faculty should continue to work on developing and supporting a strong first-year cohort proposal, and, with Student Affairs, strengthen the first-year experience and support student retention.<br />
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7.) The college should expand support for Institutional Research to further facilitate reflection and action by the faculty in response to findings.<br />
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== Standard 2 - Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Two|Supporting Documentation for Standard 2]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_1&diff=8850Standard 12008-07-24T23:13:12Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Supporting Documentation */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 1 - Institutional Mission and Goals, Planning and Effectiveness==<br />
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===Standard 1.A Mission and Goals===<br />
'''''The institution’s mission and goals define the institution, including its educational activities, its student body, and its role within the higher education community. The evaluation proceeds from the institution’s own definition of its mission and goals. Such evaluation is to determine the extent to which the mission and goals are achieved and are consistent with the Commission’s eligibility requirements and standards for accreditation.'''''<br />
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The Evergreen State College, chartered in 1967, celebrates its fortieth birthday as it prepares the self-study for the 2007 accreditation visit. The college has matured yet remains true to its founding principles and essential innovations as a public, experimental, liberal arts college. <br />
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The college mission, as articulated in its strategic plan, honors the vision of its first president, Charles McCann, who forty years ago took seriously the legislative mandate that encouraged innovation. Dean Claybaugh's early history articulates this mandate. <br />
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Perhaps most important was the mandate to the college by the governor and legislature for an innovative approach. Governor Evans declared the need for a "flexible and sophisticated educational instrument," as opposed to the "vast and immobile establishment," and expressed the need to "unshackle our educational thinking from traditional patterns." Senator Gordon Sandison, Chairman of the Advisory Council, remarked: "It was not the intent of the Legislature that this would be just another four-year college; [the college would be] a unique opportunity to meet the needs of the students today and the future because the planning would not be bound by any rigid structure of tradition as at the existing colleges nor by any overall central authority as is the case in many states." <br />
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McCann and Evergreen’s founding faculty created a college devoted to teaching and learning, infused by a culture of innovation and opposition. Their innovations were influenced by the ideas of Alexander Meiklejohn – that education should prepare students for a purposive public life within a democratic society. The founding faculty created coordinated studies programs and processes to foster collaborative, team-taught interdisciplinary learning communities. McCann established the "Four Nos" that set the foundation for Evergreen's distinctive competence: no academic departments, no faculty ranks, no academic requirements, no grades. Embedded in this set of negatives was his vision that the authority to determine what constitutes a liberal arts education should be centered on student learning fostered by the relationships among students and faculty. Evergreen’s pedagogical practices evolved from this collective effort of the early faculty to create an innovative liberal arts education and foster the qualities associated with student learning, for example, deep engagement, a wide range of knowledge, and reflective thinking. This is reflected in the mission and the maintenance of a culture that supports engaged, active citizens, community participation, and the qualities associated with publicness/community, i.e., autonomy, responsibility, problem solving, and teamwork.<br />
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Ernest Ettlich, in his 2003 interim accreditation report, captured the creative tension that has sustained Evergreen since its founding: <br />
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"The tensions between being able to assure uniformly the achievement by all students of general education goals particularly in writing, critical thinking and quantitative reasoning even as all students are being required to take responsibility for their own education is a healthy tension which should be a continuing hallmark at the institution and its evaluations. It is at the heart of the institution and contributes to its health and strength."<br />
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The founding faculty came to Evergreen to "make a difference" and recruited students interested in doing the same. Today, Evergreen is one of two public colleges cited in Loren Pope's ''Colleges That Change Lives: Forty Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College,'' which he wrote to "help youths of many levels of academic aptitude find catalytic colleges that will change their lives, help them find themselves, raise their aspirations, and empower them. In doing so it will free them from our system's obscene obsession with academic aptitude, which does not determine achievement, satisfaction with life, or the merit of a human being." <br />
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Forty years later, Evergreen is still an experimental college with an impressive track record of student engagement and success fostering and disseminating interdisciplinary teaching and learning, anchored by a vibrant community of scholars committed to providing an affordable education to Washington residents and nonresidents alike and to serving underrepresented and non-traditional students.<br />
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====1.A.1 ''The institution’s mission and goals derive from, or are widely understood by, the campus community, are adopted by the governing board, and are periodically reexamined.''====<br />
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Over the years, the college has had a variety of mission statements and goals. The latest iteration of the college's mission was adopted after a three-year review process by the board of trustees in January 2007. In May 2004, the president directed the provost to lead the update of Evergreen’s 2000 Strategic Plan. The Strategic Planning Coordinating Committee conducted a collaborative, multi-year strategic-planning process that reinforced Evergreen’s core values, articulated its mission, established strategic priorities for the allocation of resources, and set guideposts for the Campus Master Plan. The committee foregrounded the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities' 2003 interim recommendations during its planning process. In the three years leading up to the accreditation self-study, Evergreen’s Strategic Planning Coordinating Committee collected and coordinated the work completed by multiple Disappearing Task Forces (DTFs), work groups, and faculty,<sup>1</sup> and linked several central themes: a dynamic and collaborative academic community, a focus on student learning, attention to the quality of faculty and staff work life, stewardship of our natural resources, community partnerships, and the reality that state accountability requirements would likely increase at the same time state operating support, as a percent of total operating revenue, would likely flatten or decrease. The mission statement reiterated Evergreen’s core values and its distinctive competence:<br />
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: "As the nation’s leading public interdisciplinary liberal arts college, Evergreen's mission is to sustain a vibrant academic community and to offer students an education that will help them excel in their intellectual, creative, professional, and community service goals."<br />
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====1.A.2 ''The mission, as adopted by the governing board, appears in appropriate institutional publications, including the catalog.''==== <br />
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The mission is prominent in college publications but, more importantly, it has sustained an ongoing faculty conversation at the heart of the self-study, i.e., what it means to be a "public" "interdisciplinary" "liberal arts" "college." This faculty conversation is occurring at the same time the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board's (HECB) Master Plan calls for a significant increase in baccalaureate degree production to align with state workforce needs. Further, the Washington legislature enacted "performance contract" legislation to link higher education funding to these degree production outcomes (in contrast to the current practice of funding inputs, i.e., student FTEs). The process of developing and reinforcing the mission and goals of the college over the past several years has allowed the faculty and administration to think hard about what the college is and to create a vocabulary that allows us to articulate the college's mission in a way that can be understood by external agencies.<br />
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At both the national and state level there has been a discrediting of liberal arts and a growing demand for professionalization, e.g., the Department of Education is promoting standardized tests of college graduates and greater control over regional accreditation agencies to enforce accountability standards and student learning outcomes. The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) champions the relevance of liberal arts in an increasingly professional-oriented educational environment. Their Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP) initiative asserts that "college graduates need more cross-disciplinary knowledge, more skills in a range of areas – especially in the areas of communication, teamwork, and critical thinking and analytic reasoning – and more real world applications to succeed in a demanding global environment." Their recent publication, ''How Should Colleges Assess Student Learning: Employer's Views of the Accountability Challenge,'' presents survey information suggesting that: <br />
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: "Few employers believe that multiple choice tests of general content knowledge are very effective in ensuring student achievement. Instead, employers have the most confidence in assessments that demonstrate graduates ability to apply their college learning to complex real world challenges, as well as projects or tests that integrate problem-solving, writing, and analytical reasoning skills." <br />
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Evergreen's Master In Teaching (MIT) accreditation visit in October 2007 was a case study of this challenge and demonstrates how an ability to clearly articulate our goals helps the college achieve strong career preparation in the context of a liberal arts education. The Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) accreditation standards were geared for graduate ''professional'' schools of education, including strict standards for centralized assessment and clear expectations that programs demonstrate "positive impact on student learning." The Evergreen MIT program is purposely embedded within its liberal arts mission and pedagogy and not the traditional professional school of education model. There were clear cross-cultural communication issues at play between the accreditation team and Evergreen during the entire four-day visit as Evergreen simply did not fit the standard teach-to-the-test mold. Gradually, as they met with various stakeholder groups on campus and in the community, the team began to translate and ultimately to appreciate. At the exit interview, the accreditation team leader indicated that the MIT program met all of the accreditation standards and complimented the staff and the faculty for the design and delivery of a teacher educator program that turns out well-trained educators as evidenced by the team’s interviews with local school superintendents, principals, teachers, and MIT graduates. Evergreen's ongoing challenge, as evidenced by the MIT accreditation visit, is to retain its founding mandate, its mission, and its distinctive interdisciplinary liberal arts competence while complying with increased regulatory and accountability requirements.<br />
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====1.A.3 ''Progress in accomplishing the institution’s mission and goals is documented and made public.''====<br />
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The ''Strategic Plan Update 2007'' was approved by the board of trustees in March 2007 following several on-campus and local community fora with college stakeholders ([[Media: Strategic_Plan_2007.pdf|Strategic Plan Update 2007]]). The senior staff held a retreat in March to use the plan as a framework to guide budget priorities for the 2007-09 biennium, craft annual work plans, and finalize the development of forty institutional indicators to assess progress towards the strategic plan priorities on an annual basis. The board of trustees directed staff to distill these forty indicators into a set of [[Media: Dashboard.pdf|Dashboard Indicators]] for their own use. The ''Strategic Plan Update 2007'' set the stage for the ''Campus Master Plan'' (CMP) and the ''Strategic Enrollment Plan'' (SEP) launched in March 2007. <br />
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The vice presidents, in their annual self-evaluations, assess progress meeting the annual goals and send these self evaluations to the entire community and the president as the basis for their annual performance evaluations. Similarly, the strategic plan is being used to frame the 2009-11 budget planning process. The president's Office of Planning and Budget coordinates the institutional budget process. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment prepares the accountability documentation required by the state and posts it on its Web site. [[Media: Trends%2C_Highlights%2C_and_NSSE_Accountability_Performance_Indicators_2001-2007.pdf|NSSE Trends, Highlights, and Accountability Performance Indicators 2001-2007]].<br />
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====''1.A.4 Goals are determined consistent with the institution’s mission and its resources - human, physical, and financial.'' ====<br />
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The strategic plan established nine strategic priorities within three broad goal areas:<br />
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Educational Goal: Evergreen’s tradition as an experimental public liberal arts college devoted to scholarship, teaching, and learning, and strengthening its commitment to our original principles remains intact. At the same time we must adapt to growth, new students, and a new generation of faculty.<br />
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:1a. Reinvigorate Evergreen’s interdisciplinary liberal arts mission.<br />
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:1b. Deepen the teaching and learning experience at Evergreen, focusing on student success.<br />
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:2. Improve student recruitment and retention.<br />
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:3. Recruit, retain, and revitalize faculty and staff.<br />
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:4. Provide institution-wide support for diversity and equity initiatives.<br />
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Supporting Goal: We will continue to strive for an administrative culture that mirrors and supports Evergreen's pedagogy (interdisciplinary, collaborative learning environments) and uses human and physical resources to support teaching and learning. Two examples include cross-divisional collaborations around student success and campus sustainability.<br />
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:5. Evergreen: A place for sustainability.<br />
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:6. The college’s physical resources will imaginatively enhance the learning and working environment.<br />
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:7. Use technology to enhance teaching and learning and administrative support at Evergreen.<br />
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:8. Evergreen’s local, regional, and national partnerships are a rich resource conduit to its unique mission. The college both contributes to these partnerships and learns from them.<br />
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Financial Goal: Evergreen faces decreasing state support, prompting tuition increases, yet remains committed to serving underrepresented students. Evergreen must, in order to sustain its mission and principle augment and diversify revenue streams, improve net tuition revenue, control operating expenditures to sustainable levels, and make prudent use of existing resources.<br />
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:9a. Diversify revenue streams.<br />
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:9b. Keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels.<br />
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The strategic plan was used as the framework to guide the 2007-09 biennial budget allocations, the annual goals and work plans, and the ''Campus Master Plan'' (CMP). Each year, the senior staff retreat sets the annual divisional and college goals for the year. The strategic plan was used to set those goals for the 2007-08 biennium and again in the 2009-11 budget request. Examples of how resources have been allocated to these nine goal areas occur throughout the self-study. Specific examples in each of the nine goals include: <br />
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1) Enhancements to the Office of Institutional Assessment to provide multiple methods to assess student learning, report back to faculty in summer institutes, and provide mini-grants to faculty to conduct assessment projects; <br />
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2) Convened a cross-divisional Strategic Enrollment Group and provided them with resources to increase student recruitment (see Standard 3); <br />
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3) Convened an Exempt Salaries DTF to prepare an exempt compensation plan and set aside operating funds to enhance faculty and exempt staff compensation; <br />
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4) Charged a Diversity DTF and subsequent Diversity Implementation Team and augmented budgets for annual diversity activities; <br />
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5) Convened a Sustainability Task Force to produce a plan and hired a new sustainability coordinator; <br />
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6) Completed a campus master plan; <br />
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7) Added several new media/technology teaching laboratories (see Standard 5); <br />
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8) Expanded its Public Service Centers to include a new Center for Community-Based Learning and Action to enhance students' service-learning opportunities within the curriculum linked to community projects; and <br />
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9) Significantly enhanced the college's fund raising capacities with noteworthy results (see Standard 7).<br />
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====1.A.5 ''The institution’s mission and goals give direction to all its educational activities, to its admission policies, selection of faculty, allocation of resources, and to planning.''====<br />
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"Every organization has a culture that is a persistent, patterned way of thinking about the central task of and human relationships within an organization. Personality is to the individual as culture is to the organization. It includes the predisposition of members, the technology of the organization, and the situational imperatives with which the agency must cope."<sup>2</sup> The founding faculty sought to eliminate traditional barriers to learning by inculcating a culture with a healthy distrust of administration. This has helped create an ideal of a communitarian, relatively egalitarian culture at the college. Evergreen's academic administrative structures, established in the founding period, valued a flat non-hierarchical organization, a rotating deanery with close ties between academic administration and teaching, and semi-autonomous work groups (academic program teams) loosely coupled to the academic administrative structure (deanery/provost). Evergreen has sustained itself as an innovative experimental college in large part because it has retained a high degree of congruence among its critical task/mission/distinctive competence, its organizational structure, and its culture (shared values, beliefs, practices). The critical elements of collaboration, autonomy, accountability, and interdisciplinary learning have persisted over all the years of Evergreen's history.<br />
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The strategic plan mission and goals reinforced these values and gave direction to its admissions policies (discussed in Standard 3). Central to this policy is the recruitment process that is open to and looks for a wide diversity in the student body. The ideal of a public, interdisciplinary liberal arts college compels the college to look for faculty who are strong teachers, with broad interests and concerns and a capacity to work well with others to create interdisciplinary inquiry (full discussion in Standard 4). And of course these same qualities underlie the structure and content of the curriculum as described in Standard 2.<br />
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The allocation of resources and planning is clearly linked to the goals of the college. For example, the strategic plan and goals established one immediate priority – to develop a strategic enrollment plan ([[Media: A_Charge_for_Enrollment_Management_Planning.doc|Strategic Enrollment Plan charge]]) to increase enrollments due to a mandated increase in the supply of college seats in Washington, coupled with a significant softening of the in-state transfer student market. The vice presidents charged a Strategic Enrollment Group to oversee implementation of the plan. In fall 2007, the college admitted the largest freshman class in its history. Preliminary indications are that the fall 2008 freshman class will be even larger.<br />
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====1.A.6 ''Public service is consistent with the educational mission and goals of the college.''==== <br />
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As a public, interdisciplinary liberal arts college, Evergreen honors the traditions of a liberal education: educating students to be thoughtful, well-educated, ethical, and active citizens. Evergreen’s culture of innovation is evident within its public service centers as they deepen Evergreen’s mission and extend the reach of the college outward from local to international communities.<br />
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Evergreen’s public service centers represent a unique resource and contribution to public service that extends well beyond the campus. They have grown in number and scope since the last accreditation. These centers enact, through their work, the central values of the college: community, diversity, cross-disciplinary approaches, social justice, and education with local, state, and national constituencies. <br />
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The centers position themselves in a reciprocal and collaborative relationship with the communities and organizations they work with. The assumption is that the centers will work in partnership with their constituents to identify needs and resources, establish goals and objectives, and collaboratively develop and implement programs and services that respond to the issues and resources that were mutually identified.<br />
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The result of this co-teaching and learning is that the experience and knowledge gained are reciprocal and of benefit to each party involved.<br />
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The seven centers enrich the campus environment in a variety of ways: by bringing guest lecturers, artists, and scholars to campus; teaching throughout various areas of the curriculum; providing public forums for presentation and dialogue; serving as consultants (subject matter experts) to faculty and staff who are developing programs; providing resource rooms with books, films, newsletters, etc., that are open to students, faculty, staff, and community members; linking students with internship opportunities in the broader community; writing and publishing materials that are available to Evergreen and beyond; partnering with other educational institutions and with community organizations on research and educational programs that inform teaching and learning at Evergreen; and so on.<br />
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As the work of the centers proceeds, the skills and capacities of the centers expand and they come to take on more complex roles in the local, regional, national, and international work in their areas of focus.<br />
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The Center for Community-Based Learning and Action, founded in 2004, works with academic programs to integrate service-learning and community project work as an integral part of the Evergreen student’s experience. They provide connections for students to work with nonprofit and community-based projects such as trail maintenance, food banks, or low-income housing. One such project is the Gateway Program that helps incarcerated youth at Maple Lane and Green Hill (youth correctional facilities) obtain pathways to higher education while promoting the youths’ awareness of their own cultural identities. ([[Media: ccbla_homepage.pdf|CCBLA home page]])<br />
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The Evergreen Center for Educational Improvement works to improve teaching and learning in the K-12 system. Established in 1993, the center partners with school districts and trains teachers on educational reform in math, science, and culturally appropriate curricula. ([[Media: ecei_homepage.pdf|ECEI home page]])<br />
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The Labor Education and Research Center opened in 1987 to provide a safe forum for workers, community members, and students to examine their work and lives in the context of labor history and political economy. The center develops credit and not-for-credit educational programs for Washington state residents, often contracting with labor unions to provide continued education for their membership. ([[Media: laborcenter_homepage.pdf|Labor Center home page]])<br />
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The Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute, established in 1999, works with tribes to address issues important to the future of their communities, such as cultural revitalization, tribal governance, resource management, and economic sustainability. The institute played a major role in the establishment of our MPA program in Tribal Governance, the first of its kind in the U.S. ([[Media: niari_homepage.pdf|NIARI home page]])<br />
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Since 1983, the mission of The Washington State Institute for Public Policy has been to conduct practical, non-partisan research on issues important to Washington’s citizens. Through the work of its own policy analysts, economists, and consultants, the institute works with legislators, government agencies and experts in the field to provide recommendations on relevant public policy questions in education, criminal justice, welfare, children and adult services, health, utilities, and government relations. ([[Media: wsipp_homepage.pdf|WSIPP home page]])<br />
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Since 1985, The Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education has successfully fostered collaborative approaches to educational reform by conducting campus-based, statewide and national professional development workshops based in principles of access, equity, and significant student learning using a variety of curricular approaches including integrative learning and ongoing assessment. For the past ten years, the center has held the National Summer Institute on Learning Communities at Evergreen, which draws twenty to thirty campus teams from all over the U.S. each year. ([[Media: washingtoncenter_homepage.pdf|Washington Center home page]])<br />
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The Longhouse Education and Cultural Center celebrated its tenth anniversary in September 2005. The “House of Welcome” was built in collaboration with Northwest Indian tribes. Its mission is to promote indigenous arts and cultures. As a gathering place for people of all cultural backgrounds to teach and learn with each other, the Longhouse also provides a venue for hosting cultural ceremonies, classes, conferences, performances, art exhibits, and community events. More recently, the Longhouse has evolved into one of the premier Native arts management and cultural preservation centers, fostering cross-cultural exchange and expanding an indigenous Pacific Rim network. The 2006 [[Media: IllumiNation_Capacity_Plan_LH.FINAL.pdf|''Capacity Building Plan'']] and the current Web site demonstrate the center's growing importance in Native arts locally, regionally, and nationally. ([[Media: longhouse_homepage.pdf|Longhouse home page]])<br />
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====1.A.7 ''The institution reviews with the Commission, contemplated changes that would alter its mission, autonomy, ownership or locus of control, or its intention to offer a degree at a higher level than is included in its present accreditation, or other changes in accordance with Policy A-2 Substantive Change.''====<br />
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Evergreen has experienced few changes of this nature during the past ten years. In each case, it has notified the Commission in advance of the contemplated changes, e.g., the dual Master of Public Administration/Master of Environmental Studies degree and the newly approved Master of Education degree.<br />
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===Standard 1.B - Planning and Effectiveness, Accountability and Assessment===<br />
'''''The institution engages in ongoing planning to achieve its mission and goals. It also evaluates how well, and in what ways, it is accomplishing its mission and goals and uses the results for broad based, continuous planning and evaluation. Through its planning process, the institution asks questions, seeks answers, analyzes itself, and revises its goals, policies, procedures, and resource allocation.''''' <br />
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The college has long had a culture of evaluation and collaboration. Evaluation has been seen as a fundamental part of the learning process that lies at the heart of the college for students and staff. This culture has emerged out of the experience of the college as an experiment that needs to be accounted for and from a widespread desire to make Evergreen distinctive and demanding. Long before the era of numerical accountability, the college had a culture of mutual narrative evaluation that underlay all members of the Evergreen community. Some of that practice and the ethos that surrounded it have supported the move toward more formal assessment in the late 1980s and 1990s. These developments helped create the college as it was described in the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) report in 2003. ([[Media: DEEP_Final_Report_TESC.pdf|DEEP Report]])<br />
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'''Positive Restlessness: A Culture of Evaluation'''<br />
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The most extensive external assessment of Evergreen during the past five years occurred with a visit from George Kuh and his team of educational researchers from the DEEP program at Indiana University. Their report, dated December 31, 2003, was a remarkable affirmation of Evergreen’s pedagogy and a clear, accurate depiction of Evergreen’s culture and practice: “the operating philosophy: innovation leavened with autonomy, personal responsibility, and egalitarianism.” The DEEP team reported on Evergreen’s success in each of their five benchmarks of effective educational practice (academic challenge, active and collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, enriching educational experiences, and a supportive campus environment) and was effusive in its praise for Evergreen in all five areas. “Evergreen has created a structure for putting higher order mental skills into practice.”<br />
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The DEEP team’s work is anchored by the concept “student engagement,” of which there are two elements: (1) the amount of time and effort students put into their studies and other educationally purposeful activities, and (2) how an institution allocates its resources and organizes the curriculum and other learning opportunities and support services to encourage students to participate in activities that lead to student success (learning, persistence, satisfaction, graduation).<br />
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Subsequently, in their book, ''Student Success in College: Creating Conditions That Matter''<sup>3</sup>, the DEEP researchers identified twenty “gemstone” colleges which share six features that foster student engagement and persistence. These features are:<br />
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1. A “living” mission and “lived” educational philosophy;<br />
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2. An unshakable focus on student learning;<br />
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3. Environments adapted for educational enrichment;<br />
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4. Clearly marked pathways to student success;<br />
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5. An improvement oriented ethos; and <br />
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6. Shared responsibility for educational quality and student success.<br />
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Evergreen was one of the twenty gemstone colleges. The study cited several of Evergreen's practices and characterized our culture as one of “positive restlessness” meaning:<br />
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*Restless in a positive way, never satisfied with their performance, continually revisiting policies and practices to get better;<br />
*They simply want to be the best they can be; and<br />
*Focused on the quality of their work and its impact on students and institutional performance.<br />
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Simply put, Evergreen has a rich culture of evaluation. At the conclusion of each academic program, faculty members write narrative evaluations of each student. Students write self-evaluations of their own work and a narrative evaluation of the faculty. Faculty teaching colleagues prepare and exchange written evaluations of each other. Each faculty writes a self-evaluation. At the end of the year, the academic deans write annual evaluations of faculty on term contracts. All of these evaluations are kept within each faculty’s portfolio and reviewed annually by the deans until conversion to continuing status, and then every five years hence by teaching colleagues and an academic dean. Feedback loops abound within the academic culture of Evergreen, a hallmark of reflexive thinking.<br />
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====1.B.1 ''The institution clearly defines its evaluation and planning processes. It develops and implements procedures to evaluate the extent to which it achieves institutional goals.''==== <br />
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Since the college's founding, several core values have guided the development of all its programs and services. These values continue to define Evergreen‘s distinctive competence including a focus on teaching students to think critically and reflectively. Elizabeth Minnich’s recent work captures the essence of Evergreen’s pedagogy and purpose, wherein she argues that the center of a liberal arts education, especially one that is interdisciplinary, is the act of ''reflexive thinking, ''not simply that the learner is reflecting on what it is that she has learned, but that she is reflecting on how she has learned and what she has become as she has learned. This pedagogy stands in stark contrast to mainstream efforts to emphasize standardized test scores. <br />
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Legislators at the national and state levels have increased their demands on colleges to be more accountable, to improve – and provide evidence of – student learning, and to be more productive. Evergreen has responded to this challenge in a manner consistent with its mission by actively participating in state work groups to develop accountability indicators in national efforts to develop interdisciplinary assessment tools and rubrics. Multiple assessment efforts have continued, following the commission’s 2003 visit, to strengthen and reinforce the emphasis on interdisciplinary learning at Evergreen.<br />
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Nationally, researchers rely on indirect quality indicators that directly address the epistemic dimension of interdisciplinary work. Evergreen, a college with narrative evaluations in lieu of grades, and devoted to interdisciplinary and integrative learning, has had to develop its own set of interdisciplinary assessment rubrics. Student engagement is an overarching theme and guiding principle for Evergreen’s assessment work. Evergreen uses the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) scores as an indicator of academic quality. The End of Program Review (EPR) was created by Evergreen's Assessment Study Group to improve cross-curricular general education and to help the college recognize and articulate curricular offerings. In academic year 2001-02, the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment began surveying faculty at the end of each program. Faculty were asked how they integrated the four main divisions of liberal arts (arts, sciences, humanities, social science), as well as several skill areas (critical thinking, information technology literacy, quantitative reasoning, and writing), into their programs. Alumni surveys and Greeners at Work surveys are used to assess student learning, query about alumni employment and advanced education, gauge the level of alumni satisfaction with their Evergreen experience, and gather suggestions for improvements to the college. Transcript reviews are conducted to assess the degree to which students demonstrate evidence of the six expectations of an Evergreen graduate (see Standard 2).<br />
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For the institution as a whole, the strategic planning process has led to the development of a wide range of approximately fifty indicators drawn from the strategic plan to help align resources with the mission of the college. Enrollment, fund raising, net revenue/expenses, retention and graduation rates, academic quality and student success, workforce, diversity, stewardship and sustainability, public service and community service, and public relations constitute the major categories of these indicators ([[Media: Dashboard.pdf|Dashboard Indicators]]).<br />
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====1.B.2 ''The institution engages in systematic planning for, and evaluation of, its activities, including teaching, research, and public service consistent with institutional mission and goals.''====<br />
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Evidence that the college engages in systematic planning and evaluation at the institutional, divisional, and program levels is presented throughout the self-study in the form of institutional accountability metrics, multiple academic assessment methodologies, and internal program reviews. Much of the college's planning and evaluation work begins with off-campus retreats, an integral part of Evergreen culture. Annual retreats include, but are not limited to: board of trustees, management, senior staff, president/vice presidents, faculty, deans, agenda committee, divisional and unit. Faculty summer institutes provide focused venues for faculty to engage in curriculum planning and other strategic planning work. <br />
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Broad-based steering committees or Disappearing Task Forces (DTFs) are convened to undertake planning. In the last ten years at least eighteen major DTFs were charged, covering a wide range of issues including human resources, general education, risk and liability, enrollment growth, and diversity among other topics (See Standard 6 for a complete list). In addition, numerous study groups, advisory panels, and standing committees engaged in important elements of planning for particular areas of the college. DTFs and other planning groups use a wide variety of data and techniques to both gather data and disseminate policy ideas. Community fora on campus and in the community are held and a wiki Web site with summaries of iterative drafts of the works in progress is utilized. <br />
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Several of the work groups that emerged from the strategic plan priorities are now permanent and have institutional support, e.g., Sustainability Task Force, Diversity Task Force, Strategic Enrollment Group, and the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH).<br />
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====1.B.3 ''The planning process is participatory, involving constituencies appropriate to the institution such as board members, administrators, faculty, staff, students, and other interested parties.''==== <br />
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Evergreen has a forty-year history and culture of inclusive, participatory processes and decision-making. The previous section referred to eighteen major DTFs in the past ten years. In addition, there have been numerous additional advisory committees, standing committees, the Agenda Committee, S and A Boards, and, indeed, the Faculty Meeting, which have had a role in the college's governance and decision making. During the past ten years, Evergreen has experienced steady growth. This, combined with increased complexity and faculty/staff workload pressures, contributed to a sense that Evergreen’s shared governance model was deteriorating. The Governance DTF's work galvanized this sentiment and resulted in an institutional re-commitment to experiment with new structures and participatory processes (e.g., the Governance Groups convened by the Agenda Committee, the Provost and Agenda Committee co-charging DTFs, Faculty Advisory Panel on the Budget, and the United Faculty of Evergreen). Sustaining a participatory culture in this transitional era is a challenge facing Evergreen. <br />
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In recent years, the strategic plan, the CMP, and this accreditation self-study have used a combination of methods to increase participation. For example, the self-study process began three years prior to the accreditation visit, first with the strategic plan, followed by the Curricular Visions work (see below), and the CMP. By taking considerable time and working over several years, the college used this participatory model to make important progress in clarifying and articulating its institutional goals and begin a process of important incremental changes in the curriculum.<br />
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In addition to issues of size and complexity, the college's participatory governance structure is challenged by the increasing pressure on the college from the legislature, the Higher Education Coordinating Board, and other state offices to persuade the college to grow and develop in specific externally determined ways. These pressures, which have serious long-range consequences, tend to press for decisions on a much shorter time line than most internal processes. During the past five years, Washington state exerted increased pressure on the public baccalaureates to align their enrollment growth goals with those of the state. For example, the 2008 Strategic Master Plan for Higher Education in Washington, "Moving The Blue Arrow: Pathways to Educational Opportunities," which was published in December 2007, set two statewide aspirational goals: 1) create a high-quality higher education system that provides expanded opportunity for more Washingtonians to complete postsecondary degrees, certificates, and apprenticeships; and 2) create a higher education system that drives greater economic prosperity, innovation, and opportunity. The HECB plan articulates ambitious policy goals to raise, by the year 2018, baccalaureate degree production to 42,400 per year (an increase of 13,900 degrees annually) and advanced degree production to 19,800 per year (an increase of 8,600 annually). Overall, the HECB advocates a total higher education enrollment of 297,000 Student Full-Time Equivalents (SFTEs), an increase of 27% over the current biennium. These Master Plan enrollment goals, if funded, represent a significant increase in planned enrollment growth for Evergreen over the next ten years (775 new enrollments versus the planned 250) and would exceed the projected enrollment-ceiling target of 5,000 total SFTE for the college. <br />
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Increasingly, over the past three biennia, the state provided ''targeted'' enrollment growth funds in specific “high demand” degrees such as biological science, engineering, computer science, nursing, and teacher education in math/science. Clearly, legislators expect the public baccalaureates to increase degree production and do so in high-demand math/science areas while four-year college participation rates in Washington are near the lowest in the nation ([[Media: hetrends_section4.pdf|Washington State Higher Education Trends and Highlights]]). 40% of students in four-year colleges take remedial courses (National Center for Education Statistics), the diversity of students is increasing, and access to higher education is decreasing due to the rising costs of tuition ([[Media: HECB_2008MasterPlan_excerpt.pdf|excerpt from the 2008 Strategic Master Plan for Higher Education in Washington]]).<br />
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These pressures raise three challenges for Evergreen's participatory decision-making culture. First, given Evergreen’s particular emphasis on learning communities and student engagement, pressure for growth makes it more difficult to both preserve and adapt its culture and distinctive competence as an interdisciplinary learning community of scholars. Second, the emphasis on high-demand degrees, combined with increased competition for students, challenges Evergreen to find ways to grow in areas that are less liberal arts oriented. Third, over the past three biennia (2001-07), Evergreen's enrollment growth of about five hundred new SFTEs was combined with periods of budget cuts and a plethora of accountability requirements imposed by legislators and regulators upon the four-year baccalaureate institutions. A summary of these state-mandated accountability requirements is displayed in the supporting documentation at the end of this chapter. Evergreen continues to seek ways to meet its obligations to the state's Master Plan and accountability requirements while maintaining its core mission as the state's liberal arts college and honoring its participatory decision-making culture. <br />
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In its 2007-09 biennium budget request, Evergreen requested no-growth in SFTEs but was subsequently directed to add high-demand degree enrollment Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs). Within its own enrollment growth planning process, Evergreen had enhanced its upper division health sciences program enrollments and has added a new Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with emphases in Mathematics and English as a Second Language. As a result, Evergreen was able to meet these high-demand degree requirements. <br />
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Evergreen's faculty is in the midst of a generational turnover. During the ten-year period 1999-2009, about seventy-five faculty, or 50%, of Evergreen’s regular, continuing full-time faculty will retire or leave the college. One indication of the impact of this turnover is that during the three-year period 2005-07, nineteen faculty retired with a combined 598 years of service to Evergreen (an average of thirty-one and a half years each)! And at the 2007 convocation, Evergreen recognized seven faculty members, each with thirty-five years of service to the college. The faculty has been at the center of planning efforts since the early years, but with growth in the size of the college, new models of governance structures such as the Faculty Advisory Panel on the Budget whose goal is to make the budget process more transparent and inclusive are being tested.<br />
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Evergreen is in the midst of a transitional era wherein it must balance the retention of its culture and core values with adaptation to a rapidly changing external environment, a new generation of faculty, staff, and students, a new student union, and a new faculty union and collective bargaining process. Strategic planning has played an important role in this process as it reinforced the college's commitment to a set of core values and deepened its commitment to others (e.g., sustainability, diversity). When faced with the imposition of new accountability or accreditation requirements that threaten to divert it from its mission, Evergreen turns to its core values, its unique pedagogy, and its culture of innovation and creativity to make the case for its importance and distinctiveness.<br />
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====1.B.4 ''The institution uses the results of its systematic evaluation activities and ongoing planning processes to influence resource allocation and to improve its instructional programs, institutional services, and activities.''==== <br />
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The accreditation self-study is the overarching systematic evaluation activity. The Commission's recommendations dictate specific areas to improve instructional programs, institutional services, and activities over a five-year planning horizon and much of the current self-study speaks to those efforts in general education, assessment, salaries, financial planning, and fund raising. Biennial state accountability requirements provide another external evaluation mechanism and time frame that guides resource allocation, planned activities, and program improvements (e.g., in such areas as enrollment management, assessment, and student retention). The strategic plan provided another five-year evaluation framework to guide biennial budget requests and resource allocation. Two distinct areas emerged in the recent strategic plan (sustainability and diversity) that influenced final budget allocations. Allocations within academics were directed at program planning, interdisciplinary work, curricular visions, and improving teaching in mathematics, writing, and technological literacy (See Standard 4 Institutes). Budget requests put faculty salaries as the top priority. The budget and budgeting process is described in Standard 7.A.2, 3, and 4 and illustrates the paths by which information influences the resource allocation process. <br />
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Three specific examples of how Evergreen uses systemic evaluation activities to influence resource allocation and improve programs are: 1) the Campus Master Plan, 2) faculty development summer institutes, and 3) the Evergreen Fund for Innovation.<br />
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The Campus Master Plan (CMP) consultants took the strategic plan as their starting point, and employed three core principles (learning, community, and sustainability) as the foundation for the CMP. They employed a broad, extensive, community-wide process as they developed several iterations of the CMP, held several campus fora to solicit input and feedback, and employed an Evergreen student in the process. They succeeded in capturing the spirit of Evergreen and its future aspirations, especially in the manner in which they infused sustainability into all aspects of the plan. The CMP was approved by the board of trustees in January 2008. This plan served as the basis for the formulation of Evergreen's ten-year capital plan and to establish private fundraising priorities.<br />
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Faculty summer institutes, described in Standard 4, are both faculty-driven (i.e., faculty propose topics that, by their own assessment, are priorities for improving their teaching) and data-driven (i.e., the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment suggests areas, based upon multiple assessment tools, for inclusion in the summer faculty team curriculum planning institutes such as interdisciplinary learning and assessment, handling difficult seminar topics such as racism, and freshmen retention). The preface describes how summer institutes have been used to improve general education at Evergreen. <br />
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The Evergreen Fund For Innovation supports ideas that may be sustained after the award and represent the best that Evergreen has to offer in interdisciplinary and cross-divisional collaboration, as well as pioneering efforts by members of the Evergreen community for projects that will shape the college’s future. This year, the call for proposals utilized the strategic plan priorities as criteria for awarding the funds. The team of Sally Cloninger, Peter Randlette, Randy Stilson, and Jules Unsel received an award to establish The Evergreen Visual History Archive, which will preserve the visual and aural media record of Evergreen’s academic mission and accomplishments since the college’s inception. The team of Rob Cole, Dylan Fischer, and Alexandra Kazakova received a Fund for Innovation Award for their proposal, "Carbon Fluxes in Our Forest and Carbon Offsets as a Piece of Evergreen’s Goal of Carbon Neutrality by 2020." The research team will work to examine and address the efficacy of purchasing carbon offsets and will also address the carbon uptake and carbon-offset potential associated with the management of the un-built Evergreen State College forest reserves.<br />
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====1.B.5 ''The institution integrates its evaluation and planning processes to identify institutional priorities for improvement.''==== <br />
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Central to the strategic planning process was the work of the faculty that began in 2006-07 and is still in progress. The agenda committee and the provost co-charged a Governance Group Curricular Visions DTF to guide faculty discussion of “what adjustments are needed to bring current curricula, structures, responsibilities, and practices into alignment” with Evergreen’s mission as a public, interdisciplinary liberal arts college.<br />
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Positive restlessness emerged among the faculty in 2005, when many felt that the planning unit structure (implemented in 1995 as the result of a Long Range Curriculum DTF process) was moving Evergreen towards departments and threatening its core educational values. The curriculum seemed to be drifting away from full-time interdisciplinary coordinated studies programs. In response, the Faculty Agenda Committee reinstituted dean's governance groups to facilitate faculty conversations outside of the planning units and within interdisciplinary venues. As a result of these lively and well-attended conversations, the agenda committee and the provost co-charged a Curricular Visions DTF in fall 2006 to "summarize and disseminate the content of these discussions and produce coherent proposals that substantially reflect the governance groups' discussions."<br />
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Faculty governance group discussions during 2006-07, as well as several summer institutes in 2007, highlighted the central questions about what is meant by "public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education" and about what obligations faculty have to offer curricula that provide this education. The DTF produced an interim report on May 18, 2007, wherein three proposals were cited that were “ready-to-go”: Thematic Planning Groups, Fields of Study, and First-Year Cohort. The DTF also recommended that the provost provide summer funds for faculty to develop proposals for the next year. Summer work groups developed recommendations that were sent to faculty for review during the fall of 2007. Briefly, these recommendations include:<br />
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1) Fields of Study – Make the curriculum more transparent and accessible to those using a disciplinary lens: create Web-based content descriptions of the fields of study available at Evergreen; ''offerings ''in the field affiliated with the field; ''news'' and ''discussion'' sections; ''on-campus resources'' that support the field; some links to ''professional resources; ''Web pages designed so that all faculty affiliated with a field can edit the page at will and offerings will be updated automatically to match the online catalog; and brief profiles of alumni and students with examples of work done by those who’ve studied the field at Evergreen.<br />
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2) Thematic Planning Groups – This speaks to the need to reinvigorate Evergreen’s curricular structures and invites faculty to form broadly interdisciplinary groups to explore topics and issues of high interest. Faculty would create and join groups on themes they genuinely want to teach and study over a sustained period of time keyed to matters of public significance, revisable on a regular basis, and drawing together faculty from across the college who share common interests but might never realize it otherwise. These groups signal a fertile new direction in Evergreen’s life as an interdisciplinary institution.<br />
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3) First-year cohort – This idea, originating in the First-Year Experience DTF report, calls for a more integrated academic experience that will give both faculty and first-year students a sense of themselves as a teaching and learning cohort and for multi-year commitments by faculty to teaching first-year programs (e.g., an initial cohort model with a three-year cycle wherein faculty commit to teaching core two of the three years. Each core program would be twelve credits with a common four-credit module with a shared reading list, lecture series, films, etc., and a faculty seminar). A group of faculty has met during fall 2007 to begin the planning for a fall 2009 implementation date.<br />
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Several of Evergreen's major innovations (learning communities, interdisciplinarity) have been adopted by the other public baccalaureates in Washington state as well as nationally. The Washington Center for Educational Improvement is a major exporter of these innovations. Their weeklong National Institute on Learning Communities draws twenty to thirty campus teams from across the U.S. each summer.<br />
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====1.B.6 ''The institution provides the necessary resources for effective evaluation and planning processes.''==== <br />
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Increased external accountability demands combined with increased internal data-driven decision-making has put significant stress on the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (IR). Since the 1998 re-accreditation visit, Evergreen has increased its IR staff from three to four FTE. While small in size relative to the other state baccalaureates, Evergreen's IR staff has played a big role at the national level through presentations at national conferences, including the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU), the Consortium for Innovative Environments for Learning (CIEL), and numerous assessment conferences. They have garnered national awards for their poster displays. The IR director assumed a leadership role at the statewide level among her peers and plays a key role in the Council of Presidents deliberations of a variety of statewide educational policy issues. Internally, IR is in constant demand across the campus and in the provost's office. Institutional research has played an important role in framing the primary message to external audiences, i.e., Evergreen is committed to assessment but let Evergreen continue to develop its own learning outcome measures that fit its unique pedagogy and experimental mission rather than forcing it to conform to standardized tests and traditional assessment techniques.<br />
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====1.B.7 ''The institution’s research is integrated with and supportive of institutional evaluation and planning.''====<br />
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The strategic plan heightened the awareness of the need to coordinate and focus institutional research on strategic priorities. Three examples include sustainability, diversity, and the First-Year Experience. Evergreen's sustainability initiatives have resulted in a remarkable degree of congruence among academics (hands-on, real world academic programs such as Eco-design); facilities projects (Seminar II green building design, composting facility, green purchasing); students (green energy fees); faculty research (carbon neutrality); and advancement (sustainability fundraising priorities). The Evergreen Fund for Innovation funded a faculty research project to develop methods to measure the college's carbon footprint to support its strategic planning goal to attain carbon neutrality. The Sustainability Task Force has been funded to hire a coordinator. <br />
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The Diversity Implementation team has been launched with an emphasis on outcome indicators and program assessment. Several disparate activities and budgets have been consolidated to support this effort, including speaker series, summer institutes, and curriculum development.<br />
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The First-Year Experience has received institutional research support to assess the effectiveness of Orientation and Beginning the Journey initiatives. The Office of Institutional Research provides mini-grants to faculty for academic program assessments. The public service centers support institutional planning and evaluation with their community service work. Summer faculty institutes provide venues for faculty to deepen their work and skills on a variety of subjects that support the institutional mission.<br />
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====1.B.8 ''The institution systematically reviews its institutional research efforts, its evaluation processes, and its planning activities to document their effectiveness.''====<br />
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Evergreen submits annual accountability reports to the Washington State Legislature through the Higher Education Coordinating Board. During the current biennium, the legislature inserted budget performance indicators into the appropriations bill [freshman retention (1st time, full-time), seniors graduating within 125% of expected credits, and job placement/graduate school attendance rates].<br />
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Washington passed legislation that now requires all state agencies, including colleges and universities, to submit an application for the Washington State Quality Award (based on the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award) once every three years, which will provide another indicator to the degree that Evergreen’s planning, management, and evaluation efforts are reviewed and improved.<br />
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====1.B.9 ''The institution uses information from its planning and evaluation processes to communicate evidence of institutional effectiveness to its public.''====<br />
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Over the past five years pressure to fill enrollments has grown as the supply of seats has increased and the number of students able to afford attendance at full-time four-year institutions has declined. The state has funded two new four-year branch campuses to the north (Tacoma) and south (Vancouver) that directly compete with Evergreen. Additionally, private online colleges and mega-universities increase the supply of seats. Thus, Washington ranks forty-nine of fifty states in the participation rates for four-year colleges among eighteen to twenty-five year olds. An important part of Evergreen’s strategic planning work over the past two years has been the development and implementation of a strategic enrollment plan. The college has developed a much more sophisticated enrollment and mailing plan that helps move prospective students towards visiting campus and enrollment (See Standard 3). In addition, Evergreen has enhanced its Web team staff in order to more effectively communicate its distinctive qualities, its educational opportunities and its institutional effectiveness to the public in general and to prospective students specifically. <br />
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Student engagement, success (learning, satisfaction, graduation), and autonomy to devise their own academic pathways are core educational values at Evergreen as articulated within its five foci and six expectations. <br />
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Evergreen’s Five Foci: <br />
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:1) Interdisciplinary education, <br />
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:2) Personal engagement in learning, <br />
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:3) Linking theory and practice, <br />
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:4) Collaborative learning, and <br />
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:5) Teaching and learning across significant difference.<br />
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The Six Expectations for all Evergreen graduates: <br />
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:1) Articulate and assume responsibility for your own work, <br />
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:2) Participate collaboratively and responsibly in our diverse society, <br />
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:3) Communicate creatively and effectively, <br />
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:4) Demonstrate integrative, independent and critical thinking, <br />
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:5) Apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across disciplines, and <br />
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:6) As a culmination of your education, demonstrate depth, breadth, and synthesis of learning and the ability to reflect on the personal and social significance of that learning.<br />
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Evergreen's educational assessment methodologies derive from these core goals. This assessment data demonstrates that there is a remarkable degree of congruence among what the college purports to do (above), why students select Evergreen, and what employers say about its graduates. To summarize briefly, the top three factors in students' decisions to attend Evergreen are 1) opportunity to design their own education, 2) interdisciplinary learning, and 3) integrated learning. The top four fields of interest for entering first-year students are visual/performing arts, natural resources, psychology, and social science. For transfer students they are visual/performing arts, education, natural resources, and public administration/social science. The top three goals, cited by entering Evergreen students for earning their degree are 1) personal success or satisfaction, 2) personal growth and development, and 3) creative and effective communication skills (for first-year students) and job or career change (for transfer students). ''[[Media: Greeners_at_Work_2003_-_Alumni_and_Employers_Three_Years_After_Graduation.pdf|Greeners at Work 2003 - Alumni and Employers Three Years After Graduation]]'' is a survey research project studying how Evergreen prepares its graduates for the workplace, consisting of a survey of alumni who graduated in 1999-2000. The survey also includes supervisors of alumni and indicates that supervisors rated Evergreen alumni highest on their willingness and aptitude to learn new skills, ability to work in a culturally diverse environment, and ability to cooperate on team efforts.<br />
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An important piece of the work of the strategic enrollment planning group and the new Web site is to convey to prospective students the ways in which Evergreen can help them create and develop successful and meaningful educational and career paths at the college. Much of the analysis that supports these efforts draws on the experience of college recruiters, and on their understanding of why first-year and transfer students choose Evergreen. <br />
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One important consequence of Evergreen's growth and distinctiveness is the question of identifying appropriate peers for comparisons with other institutions. The lack of comparison groups for peer benchmarking represents a challenge for Evergreen. The new Carnegie classification of colleges and universities was unveiled in 2006. Evergreen’s peer college rankings are based upon these Carnegie classifications, e.g., the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) benchmarks, ''U.S. News and World Report'' rankings, and HECB accountability measures, to name a few. Evergreen is no longer in the baccalaureate liberal arts college classification due to the fact that it awards greater than fifty graduate degrees per year. This bumps Evergreen into a different peer group entitled Masters, Smaller Programs (MSP). Given the MSP criteria (size, selectivity, residential, four-year, public/private, etc.), various sub-groups can be delineated within the MSP universe. Interestingly, Evergreen is literally in a class by itself, or “peerless,” because no other college shares all of our characteristics. This forces Evergreen to merge sub-groups using one or two Carnegie characteristics in order to create an adequate peer comparison group. Whereas in the past Carnegie classification Evergreen had several legitimate peers, in the new MSP classification, there are only five legitimate peer institutions. Without a consistent set of peers, Evergreen’s challenge is to find realistic benchmarks for the variety of data sets and indicators that are monitored and reported both internally and externally. <br />
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<sup>1</sup> Sustainability, First Year Experience, Campus Life, Curricular Visions, Enrollment Growth, Governance, Exempt Staff Work Group, Student Evaluation Process Review Study Group, Hiring Priorities, Information Technology Collaboration Hive (ITCH)<br />
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<sup>2</sup> James Q. Wilson. ''Bureaucracies: What Government Agencies Do and Why They Do It''. (New York: Basic Books, 1989), 91.<br />
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<sup>3</sup> Kuh, George, et al. <u>Student Success in College: Creating Conditions that Matter</u>. (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005), 24.<br />
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<sup>4</sup> Kuh 146.<br />
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<sup>5</sup> In 1982, tuition payments covered 17% of Evergreen’s costs per SFTE. Today, it’s up to 47%. Put another way, state General Fund support per Evergreen SFTE dropped from 83% in 1982 to 53% today.</div></div><br />
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===Standard 1 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
This chapter demonstrates Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to its mission as a public, interdisciplinary liberal arts college. It argues that the college has a strong sense of its mission, that it has a strong commitment to student learning, to innovative and collaborative teaching, to public service, and to effective communication of its distinctiveness and accomplishments. Beyond this, the college has worked hard to develop a useful system of evaluating its academic program and, in conjunction with the effort around the strategic plan, it has developed institutional measures to help align the use of resources and institutional goals. The college has used its research and assessment efforts to strengthen teaching, program planning, and institutional policies. Efforts at assessment within the college and nationally continue to help convey the effectiveness and worth of educating liberal arts graduates.<br />
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'''Commendations and Recommendations:''' The college has managed to maintain its commitment to its mission and its distinctive pedagogy in a time when there are increasing pressures to standardize and measure its outcomes. It has continued to place reflexive student learning at the center of its commitments and efforts. In the years ahead, the effort to maintain the commitment to its mission will continue to be a major effort. As the college is pressed to grow, maintaining a collaborative internal ethos and governance process in the face of growing numbers and complexity will prove a major challenge. Recruiting students to study in the liberal arts will continue to be difficult and may push the college toward more professional high-demand growth based on legislative mandates. Containing such pressures while finding ways to respond to external demands will be an important job for faculty and administrators. The development of the strategic plan and the subsequent development of the CMP will help provide a rationale and a framework for future growth. The Curricular Visions process, in conjunction with the long history of annual planning of the curriculum, should allow for continuing development and strengthening of the curriculum. The college will need to continue to reflect carefully on its experience as it has in this self-study process as it goes forward.<br />
<br />
== Standard 1 - Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard One|Supporting Documentation for Standard One]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_7&diff=8849Standard 72008-07-24T23:12:48Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 7 Supporting Documentation */</p>
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<div>==Standard 7 – Finance==<br />
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=== Introduction ===<br />
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The financial goals of the college are to support quality educational opportunities to meet the intellectual, academic, career, personal, and developmental needs of our students and members of the community. The financial and business functions of the college are managed and led with the ideal of making this mission a reality through enhanced funding. Toward this end, the college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our visions and strategic plan, and a record of audit reports with no major findings. The college's growth and development reflect sound financial planning guided by policies and decisions made by the college board of trustees and president. The financial and business functions of the college are under the leadership and responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration and a capable group of employees who manage fiscal operations, capital facilities planning and construction, physical plant, human resources, information technology, and auxiliary operations.<br />
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The college continues to rely on state funding and tuition as the major sources of operating funds. State operating support has increased by 19% per student FTE since 2003, and as a percent of total operating revenue has remained at a range of 36% to 39% from 2003 to 2007.<br />
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The college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations. Most of our auxiliaries (Dining and Food Service, Bookstore and Parking) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations supported by operating revenues. Increasing the revenues to these auxiliary enterprises would increase student's cost of attendance or have a negative impact on departmental operating expenditures. <br />
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An internal auditor was hired in December 2005 and reports directly to the president. She has recommended several improvements in areas such as cash handling and internal controls of fixed assets, which have been implemented. She will continue to perform audits on the entire financial operations and make recommendations.<br />
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The college purchased and implemented a major administrative software system from SCT Banner. The student system has been in place since 2004 and the finance module since 2005. This is a comprehensive administrative program designed for higher education and is used by hundreds of colleges and universities. We are in the process of searching for a new human resource/payroll system and budgeting system.These systems will be expensive and time consuming to implement, but are necessary for a comprehensive administrative system.<br />
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Fundraising has increased significantly over the past ten years. Overall giving has increased 141% during this period and net assets have grown from $1,673,000 in 1997 to $7,847,027 in 2007. A new vice president for Advancement was hired in 2006, and several vacant and new positions in Advancement were recently filled.<br />
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===Standard 7.A – Financial Planning===<br />
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====7.A.1 Governing boards and, where applicable, state agencies have given the institution appropriate autonomy in financial planning and budgeting matters within overall mandates and priorities.====<br />
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The college operates as part of a system of higher education institutions in the state of Washington coordinated by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. The governance of the college has been vested with the board of trustees as set forth in RCW 28B.40.120. Their general powers and duties include: full control of the college’s property; employment of the faculty and staff; and purchase of all goods and services necessary to conduct the business of the college, except as otherwise provided by law.<br />
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The president and senior staff along with the board of trustees establish a legislative agenda and budget request, which is then presented to the Office of Financial Management (the governor’s budget agency) for review, clarification, and inclusion into the governor's budget request. This legislative agenda, after consultation with the Office of Financial Management, is submitted to the legislature as part of the governor’s budget. The legislative agenda also includes capital funding and an enrollment plan with potential new enrollments for the college. The legislature establishes the college’s budgeted enrollment level and at this time controls the maximum allowable resident tuition increases.<br />
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====7.A.2 The institution demonstrates that financial planning for the future is a strategically guided process. This planning includes a minimum of a three-year projection of major categories of income, specific plans for major categories of expenditures, and plans for the management of capital revenue and expenditures. Short and long-range capital budgets reflect the institution’s goals and objectives and relate to the plans for physical facilities and acquisition of equipment.====<br />
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Financial planning for the college is directly tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. The “strategic directions” for the financial goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels." All major budget decisions are reviewed to ensure they are in alignment with the strategic plan.<br />
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Although the legislature funds new enrollment levels, state appropriations as a percent of total operating revenue have been slowly declining for several years. This decline has been offset by tuition and fee increases. To help keep tuition rates affordable, fundraising is identified as the main source of new revenue. Increased revenue from fundraising will be used for a variety of efforts including increasing student scholarships; funding faculty development and scholarly work; and course and curriculum improvements such as equipment procurement, outreach, and student service programs. <br />
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Goods and services expenditures are controlled by state and college policies that dictate procedures that result in getting quality products and services at the best possible price. One example of this is the recent state Smart Buy contract with a vendor for office supplies. Energy efficiency is addressed during new construction and other capital projects. Vacancies in existing staff positions and requests for new positions are evaluated before hiring is approved to achieve staff efficiencies. <br />
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The state has a two-year budget cycle which the college begins a year in advance. During this process the college prepares budgets for major revenue and expense categories based on expected enrollment levels and other program needs, including a capital budget. In the even numbered years, the legislature considers a supplemental budget.<br />
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The college’s physical resources are specifically addressed in the strategic plan’s support goals. The college has a ten-year capital construction plan which is updated every two years. Funding for capital projects comes from two main sources, the legislature and a portion of student fees. The college updated its campus master plan in 2008 based on the strategic plan and this will help guide future capital requests.<br />
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====7.A.3 The institution publishes an annual budget distributed to appropriate constituencies, and the policies, guidelines, and processes for developing the budget are clearly defined and followed. Budget revisions are made promptly, and, when necessary, a revised budget or schedule of budget changes is developed and distributed to appropriate constituencies.====<br />
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In the spring of each odd-numbered year, while the state legislature is approaching their final budget policy framework, Evergreen’s internal allocation process begins.<br />
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The Office of Operational Planning and Budget anticipates changes to our base funding levels such as state budget reductions (or enhancements), enrollment growth funding, and tuition or fee increases to establish an overall revenue policy framework.<br />
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The president and vice presidents discuss the implications of the anticipated revenue policy framework with the deans and directors to determine the budget themes that need to be addressed in the college’s allocation process. Normally, priorities will be consistent with those themes included in the college’s biennial budget request and may also include other priorities that have emerged since the college’s budget request was developed. It is at this stage that the president will decide if any college contingency strategies such as budget reductions or internal reallocation planning will be necessary.<br />
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The vice presidents are responsible for reviewing all budget decisions and modifications. The divisional budget coordinators, executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, and the director of Business Services will provide the necessary staff support for the vice presidents in this regard.<br />
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The vice presidents are responsible for 360-degree consultation while they are formulating an overall budget implementation strategy recommendation to the president. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget will be responsible for core coordination activities and posting budget planning material on the college Web site.<br />
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The vice presidents will conduct divisional and campus-wide budget hearings to provide information regarding the college’s most pressing needs and how those needs translate into budget priorities. Included in this discussion is the relationship of the proposed actions outlined in the college long-range plans for both the operating and capital budgets. In setting budget priorities, the vice presidents consult with the faculty budget advisory committee, the student union and the campus community.<br />
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The president is responsible for finalizing a recommended budget to the board of trustees for their approval. The president’s proposal shall highlight any changes to the previously board-approved budget policy. The president will also identify modifications she/he made in the recommendations to the course of action recommended to her/him by the vice presidents.<br />
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The college publishes the president’s biennial operating and capital budget requests, which are available on the college’s Web site. See ''[[Media: Exhibit_7-20_Legislature_101_A_Guide_to_the_Washington_State_Legislature.doc|Legislature 101: A Guide to the Washington State Legislature]]'' and ''[[Media: Budget101.pdf|Budget 101: A Guide to Evergreen’s Budget]]'', documents that were developed to inform the campus community about the various budget processes.<br />
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====7.A.4 Debt for capital outlay purposes is periodically reviewed, carefully controlled, and justified,so as not to create an unreasonable drain on resources available for educational purposes. The institution has a governing board policy guiding the use and limit of debt.====<br />
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Funding for most state-system capital projects is from three main sources (capital appropriations from the legislature, Timber Trust Fund earnings and a portion of student fees) and therefore no college debt is incurred. However, capital funding for auxiliary services such as housing, food services, and the bookstore, is provided through revenue bonds or capital lease agreements with the Office of the State Treasurer.<br />
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In 2006, the students voted to self-impose a fee to support a remodel and expansion of the College Activities Building. The revenue from this fee will used to repay bonds issued to accomplish the remodel.<br />
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The college carefully reviews any requests for auxiliary capital funding to ensure that resources are sufficient for repayment. The board of trustees authorizes the borrowing of money and the issuance and sale of revenue bonds and certain lease agreements. In 2006, the college issued Housing Revenue bonds in the amount of $7.5 million, with a current balance of $7.2 million. The bond proceeds were used to refund $1.4 million in existing bonds, and over $6 million is being used to renovate various buildings including roof replacement, elevator refurbishing, and furniture replacement. As of June 30, 2007, the college has capital lease agreements with the state treasurer’s office in the amount of $463,000 for some equipment purchases and renovation of the childcare facility.<br />
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===Standard 7.B – Adequacy of Financial Resources===<br />
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====7.B.1 The institution provides evidence that it seeks and utilizes different sources of funds adequate to support its programs and services. The commitment of those resources among programs and services reflects appropriately the mission and goals and priorities of the institution.====<br />
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Between state appropriations and tuition revenue, the college has a stable funding base. The college also receives funding from federal, state, and local grants, auxiliary funds, local dedicated funds, and fundraising. <br />
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For the past several years, the college has been able to carry forward more than $3.6 million in institutional operating reserve, or more than 5% of the operating budget. This flexibility has allowed the college to meet unforeseen demands and make better strategic decisions. For the last two biennia, the college has not allocated 100% of the operating revenue in order to plan and implement goals in the strategic plan, without reducing the quality of the academic programs or student services. In the 2007-09 operating budget, funding was approved to support strategic initiatives in sustainability and diversity.<br />
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The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. The college continues to seek new revenue streams. An Extended Education program was initiated in 2005 and start-up funding was provided. This program will be reviewed in the fall of 2008 to determine if it should continue.<br />
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====7.B.2 Adequate resources are available to meet debt service requirements of short-term and long-term indebtedness without adversely affecting the quality of educational programs. A minimum of three years’ history of the amount borrowed (whether internally or externally) for capital outlay and for operating funds is maintained. A five-year projection of future debt repayments is maintained.====<br />
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The college’s resources are sufficient to meet its debt service requirements without negatively impacting operations. Evergreen keeps a minimum three-year history on funds borrowed and operating funds. A five-year projection of future debt service requirements is maintained and included in the notes to the annual financial statements.<br />
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====7.B.3 Financial statements indicate a history of financial stability for the past five years. If an accumulated deficit has been recorded, a realistic plan to eliminate the deficit is approved by the governing board.====<br />
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The financial condition of the college has been stable for the past five years and there have been no material deficits. Operating revenues are budgeted and divisions are not allowed to deficit spend. Other operations are required to plan and operate in a fiscally responsible manner. Some individual accounts have had deficits during some periods, and these are addressed by the manager, director, and vice-president responsible.<br />
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====7.B.4 Transfers among the major funds and interfund borrowing are legal and guided by clearly stated policies in accordance with prudent financial planning and control.====<br />
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Mandatory and non-mandatory transfers among funds are controlled and approved by the appropriate person. These transfers are included in the financial statements and in the operating budget requests. Budget transfers in the operating fund between divisions must be approved by the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget.<br />
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====7.B.5 The institution demonstrates the adequacy of financial resources for the support of all of its offerings including specialized occupational, technical, and professional programs.====<br />
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Evergreen allocates its resources to protect the academic programs and support the educational goals in the strategic plan. When the college receives legislative funding for enrollment growth and tuition increases, instructional costs are funded first at the same level as existing programs. The balance of these funds, combined with internal reallocations, savings from efficiencies, and other new revenue streams, is allocated to non-instructional areas for overhead, other growth-related costs, and a responsible contingency reserve. This reserve is available for funding new prioritized strategic initiatives, unknown contingencies such as union contract agreements, large one-time purchases, or unexpected increases in areas like utility costs. The budget and allocation processes establish a comprehensive practice for college leadership to employ when making decisions on effectively funding the educational goals of the institution.<br />
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====7.B.6 The institution identifies the sources of its student financial aid for current enrollments and provides evidence of planning for future financial aid in light of projected enrollments. It monitors and controls the relationship between unfunded student financial aid and tuition revenues.====<br />
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Evergreen’s student financial aid comes from three main sources, federal and state programs, The Evergreen State College Foundation scholarships, and institutional aid. Federal and state aid is defined by the various government programs, and foundation scholarships are governed by the fundraising efforts. Institutional aid, in the form of tuition waivers, was historically funded at 6% of tuition until 2007. In the 2007-09 budget request, the college asked for and received legislative approval to increase the funded waiver amount from 6% to 10% over the next five years. This will increase the amount of institutional waivers by 67%. For student recruitment and retention efforts, the college can and has allocated more than the 6% for tuition waivers with the approval of the board of trustees. Financial aid from state grants has increased over 35% from 2005 to 2007.<br />
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====7.B.7 The institution maintains adequate financial reserves to meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service.====<br />
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To meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service, Evergreen maintains a diversity of reserves. These reserves include:<br />
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: Funds available from the operating budget that are not fully allocated. These funds are usually set aside for new initiatives and unknown needs.<br />
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: Divisional and institutional operating reserves. These are allocated operating funds that are under-spent in one year and carried forward either by a division or the institution. These reserves have been in excess of $6 million for several years. They are usually used to support one-time or temporary requests.<br />
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: The college’s rainy day fund. This fund of approximately $1 million is funded from miscellaneous local income and is for emergency use only.<br />
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Some self-supporting units, like summer school, have substantial fund balances that are used to augment otherwise unfunded requests in academics and elsewhere.<br />
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In addition, the college is conservative in estimating tuition revenue in the event enrollment levels or the mix of resident and non-resident students is different than projected.<br />
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====7.B.8 The institution demonstrates an understanding of the financial relationship between its education and general operations and its auxiliary enterprises and their respective contributions to the overall operations of the institution. This includes the institution’s recognition of whether it is dependent on auxiliary enterprise income to balance education and general operations or whether the institution has to use education and general operations income to balance auxiliary enterprises.====<br />
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At Evergreen, auxiliary services are of unique value to the overall operations of the college. Evergreen is physically located in a rural area with little or no services within several miles, except for a few apartment units. Therefore, the services and products provided by auxiliaries such as dining, housing, parking, and the bookstore are not readily available from private retailers. It would be extremely inconvenient for the students, staff, and faculty if these services were not available on campus. This also means some services are provided even though they may not be financially viable. <br />
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Evergreen is not dependent on the income of its auxiliaries to financially support the operations of the college. All auxiliaries are charged for services provided them by operating units of the college. A schedule showing the ten-year profit/loss of the major auxiliaries is included in the exhibits (see [[Media: Exhibit_7-25_Ten_Year_Income_History_of_Auxiliary_Enterprises.xls|Ten-Year Income History of Auxiliary Enterprises]]).<br />
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For several years, food services suffered significant losses. Beginning in 2004, steps were taken to improve the financial condition, including contracting with a new food service vendor, combining food services with the housing operation, and requiring all housing freshmen to purchase meal plans. These actions have greatly reduced the losses and may result in breaking even in 2008. The food service facility is slated for a complete renovation in 2009-11, which should have a significant positive impact on their financial success.<br />
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Housing has always been self-supporting. In 2006, Housing issued a $7.5 million bond to pay off the remaining balance of the previous bond issue, and perform some major renovations on its oldest buildings. It has met its bond obligations, developed a ten-year financial plan, and is building a reserve to continue capital improvements. In 2007, the operation posted a net profit exceeding $1 million.<br />
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The bookstore has been self-supporting over time, but has carried a negative fund balance since it first opened. For the past ten years it has had a total net profit of over $300,000, but it incurred losses for both 2006 and 2007. Most of the current decline is due to competition from online bookstores and a facility that is in need of a major renovation. The bookstore, located in the College Activities Building, is also planning a complete renovation in 2009-11. For a one- to two-year period, the bookstore will be in a temporary location, but will move back to a new facility which should have a positive impact on their profitability. Other efforts are being made to improve its financial picture including promoting Web sales and adding new services after the remodel.<br />
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Conference Services has been self-supporting, but in recent years it has been challenged with finding space on campus to hold conferences. This challenge was due to major remodeling of existing buildings, both general academic buildings and housing buildings. This challenge will continue as major renovations of most major campus buildings are planned for the next several years. Although Conference Services is not highly profitable, its operations create significant revenue for food services, housing, and other operations on campus. Because of changes made in 2006, this department did record a small profit in 2007, and this should improve for 2008.<br />
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Other auxiliaries such as Motor Pool and Duplicating Services are internal service functions that are self-sufficient but are not designed to provide direct financial support to the college.<br />
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===Standard 7.C – Financial Management===<br />
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====7.C.1 The president reports regularly to the governing board about the financial adequacy and stability of the institution.====<br />
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Quarterly, the president and vice president for Finance and Administration provide financial information to the board of trustees that includes standard year to date financial statements for the entire college, and specific financial information on operating budgets and expenditures to date, auxiliary financial reports, capital expenditures and local dedicated fund activity. The president informs the board about any concerns relating to the financial health of the college. In the fall the board receives a financial report for the year ending June 30. The college’s audited report is reviewed by the full board and at least one board member attends the audit exit meeting with the State Auditor’s Office.<br />
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====7.C.2 Financial functions are centralized and are under a single qualified financial officer responsible to the president. Institutional business functions are under one or more qualified officers, are well organized, and function effectively. The complexity of the business organization reflects the size of the institution and the significance of its transactions.====<br />
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The financial management of the college is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The director of Business Services, who reports to the vice president, is responsible for all day to day financial transactions and the centralized major financial functions including payroll, purchasing, reporting, investments, cashiering and general accounting. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, who reports directly to the president, is responsible for budget development and monitoring, and long-range planning. He consults with the budget coordinators located within each division and who report directly to the appropriate vice president. Qualified professionals occupy positions responsible for accounting functions and financial management.<br />
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====7.C.3 All expenditures and income from whatever source, and the administration of scholarships, grants in aid, loans, and student employment, are fully controlled by the institution and are included in its regular planning, budgeting, accounting, and auditing procedures.====<br />
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The college’s expenditures and income are recorded and coordinated through the college’s financial processes which are governed in their basic structure by the state. The state sets financial standards and policy through the Office of Financial Management. Financial information is input and reported via the SCT Banner system, a computerized software program used by Evergreen and other four-year institutions in the state. This system interfaces with the state government accounting system and meets accounting and auditing guidelines. The Banner system’s financial management reporting module includes control tables, general ledger accounting, accounts payable, purchasing, customer accounts, and cashiering. The annual college operating budget is input and processed through this system. The college has established organization codes to track and monitor financial activity within the departments of the college.<br />
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Each unit/department head is responsible for monitoring the budgets under their control. They have Web access to current data on their budget and expenditures to date. The budget coordinator for each division is responsible for monitoring all the budgets in their division. The budget coordinators and the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget meet regularly, and also meet quarterly with the vice presidents to review and discuss the budget. The vice presidents meet regularly with the president.<br />
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Historical financial information is readily available in the accounting system and is used to effectively prepare and budget for future years.<br />
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The administration and accounting of financial aid is administered jointly by the Financial Aid office and Business Services office. Financial Aid also uses an integrated Banner program that provides needs analysis, application tracking, award management, student loans, student employment monitoring, external reporting, and disbursement. The Financial Aid director has responsibility for the college’s financial aid programs.<br />
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====7.C.4 The institution has clearly defined and implemented policies regarding cash management and investments which have been approved by the governing board.====<br />
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The Office of Financial Management establishes the standards and guidelines for cash management and investments. The college’s investment policy provides additional guidelines. The director of Business Services and the accounting manager monitor the college’s investments. Investment options are very limited by Washington state law, resulting in a conservative and safe investment strategy. Decisions on investments are based on current market conditions, interest rates, and the long- and short-term cash needs of the college. The college manages its exposure to interest rate changes by limiting the duration of investments to no more than twelve months and structuring the maturity of investments to mature at various times in the year. Final approval for all investments is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The accounting supervisor, under the auspices of the director of Business Services, reviews all accounts and keeps the college cash management account in balance. The vice president of Finance and Administration is provided a monthly report on all college investments.<br />
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Most of the college’s endowment funds are invested with a private investment firm, and the balance of the college’s cash assets are invested in certificates of deposit or with the state’s Local Government Investment Pool. These are endowments held by the college, not the foundation.<br />
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====7.C.5 The institution’s accounting system follows generally accepted principles of accounting.====<br />
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The college maintains an accounting system that records all transactions to facilitate reporting in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The professional accounting staff is fully knowledgeable of accounting principles.<br />
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====7.C.6 – 7.C.10====<br />
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''7.C.6: For independent institutions, the governing board is responsible for the selection of an auditing firm and receives the annual audit report.''<br />
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''7.C.7: Independent institutions are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and the audit is conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The audit includes a management letter. A summary of the latest audited financial statement is made available to the public.''<br />
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''7.C.8: A proprietary institution makes available annually a financial summary which includes, as a minimum, a list of company officers, a statement of profit and loss, expenditures, indebtedness, and companies which have a controlling interest in the institution.''<br />
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''7.C.9: If public institutions are, by law, audited by a state agency, an independent audit is not required except for any funds not subject to governmental audit.''<br />
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''7.C.10: All funds for financial aid and other specific programs not subject to governmental audit are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and include a management letter.''<br />
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The college is audited annually by the Washington State Auditor’s Office for compliance and financial statements. The audits are conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing principals, and all college funds are subject to the audit including financial aid and other specific programs. The audit is a combined process covering both federal and state funds. The college has had only one finding since 2003.<br />
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Since 2005, the audited financial statements have been available to the public on the college’s Web site. Prior to 2005, printed financial statements were available upon request.<br />
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====7.C.11 The institution demonstrates a well-organized program of internal audit (where appropriate) and control that complements the accounting system and the external audit.====<br />
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The college’s internal auditor, a qualified professional, reports directly to the president. The internal auditor has developed a comprehensive audit plan and has full access to all college financial records and transactions. The internal auditor meets regularly with the board of trustees to discuss the results of internal audits performed. The auditor also meet regularly with the vice president for Finance and Administration and the director of Business Services to discuss the results of audits and recommended corrections.<br />
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====7.C.12 The institution demonstrates that recommendations in the auditor’s management letter accompanying the audit report have been adequately considered.====<br />
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The college takes recommendations from the state auditor and the internal auditor very seriously and strives to correct any items of concern expressed in the audits. Audit results from the State Auditor’s Office are reviewed by the board of trustees and published in a statewide audit report.<br />
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====7.C.13 Federal, state, external, and internal audit reports are made available for examination as part of any evaluation conducted by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.====<br />
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Recent audits and other federal, state, and external reports are available for review (see [[Media: Annualreport_2007.pdf|2007 Annual Report for College and Foundation]]).<br />
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===Standard 7.D – Fund Raising and Development===<br />
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As state funding for higher education and tuition increases have not kept pace with academic needs, it has become increasingly clear that private dollars will be essential for not only supporting students, but also to ensure the quality of public higher education.<br />
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The Evergreen State College Foundation was established by the college board of trustees in July of 1976 and is governed by Articles of Incorporation adopted that same year and by-laws which were most recently reviewed and significantly updated in the Spring of 2007. In 1988, the development office became a unit of the newly created College Advancement division. By policy adopted February 1, 1990, all campus fundraising is cleared through the Office of College Advancement.<br />
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Historically, the fundraising efforts of the college foundation have focused on providing financial assistance to students in the form of scholarships and activity grants, and increasingly in recent years, providing support for faculty development and research. Significant foundation and corporate grants have helped expand and deepen the work of several of the college’s public service centers, most notably the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center and the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute.<br />
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In 2004, the college president secured the services of The Collins Group to review and assess the organizational structure of the College Advancement division and provide recommendations intended to move the operation to the next level. Significant recommendations included the need to more directly tie fundraising initiatives and long-term plans to the institutional strategic plan. Along with preparation for accreditation, this was a significant factor in the decision to launch the recent update to the college’s strategic plan. Other major recommendations of The Collins Group included the expansion and maturing of the Evergreen Annual Fund program, which provides significant dollars for scholarships and other critical college needs, the need to establish a major local fundraising event, and a number of organizational recommendations that would provide the level of fiscal and personnel resources necessary for the college to consider entering into a major fundraising campaign.<br />
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Subsequent to these recommendations, The Campbell Company was hired to help further enhance the Evergreen Annual Fund program. Working together, a three-year plan was developed to raise the level of giving and expand the number of alumni supporting the institution. In 2006, the first levels of recommendations were implemented and there was a remarkable 30% increase in the Evergreen Annual Fund, from $338,000 to $448,000. Normally a mature annual fund program will experience a 3% to 5% increase per year. The second level of recommendations was implemented in 2007 with another jump of more than 10%, raising the fund to nearly $485,000. The goal for 2008 is to raise a half million dollars in the Evergreen Annual Fund. Donations through January 2008 have put the foundation on track to exceed this goal by a substantial margin.<br />
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Through the efforts of our president, the college was successful in 2005 in receiving a $1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help in building its fundraising program. These funds have provided the ability to work with additional consultants to train and develop staff, expand and deepen the fundraising infrastructure, and fund additional staff for the effort. In addition the college itself, through its internal budget process, has provided significant new resources to College Advancement as a whole. These new infusions of funds have provided resources for not only fundraising staff, but also for marketing and college relations staff and programs. This assists the fundraising efforts by expanding the understanding and reputation of the college.<br />
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There have been significant changes to the staff in the past couple of years, both through turnover and through additional resources that added new staff positions. All of the leadership is relatively new. The vice president, having served for fifteen years as the executive associate to the president, stepped into the leadership of this effort in August of 2006. In the past year she has hired a director of development, director of alumni affairs, executive director of marketing and communications, alumni assistant, administrative assistant, two major gifts officers, and a new communications manager. While the staff is relatively new, it has already formed a closely knit and powerful team that collaborates well and understands how each of their areas can and must work together to assure a more stable financial future for the college and its students.<br />
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The board of governors itself has undergone intensive work in the past year to strengthen its ability to support fundraising efforts on behalf of the college. They have reviewed and revised many of their policies, reorganized the committee structure, and particularly strengthened committees for fundraising and development and evaluation of the board itself. In the summer of 2007, the board met in a two-day retreat for the first time concentrating on understanding the major college initiatives in need of fundraising in the coming year. That work was guided by the college’s updated strategic plan.<br />
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====7.D.1 All college/university fundraising activities are governed by institutional policies, comply with governmental requirements, and are conducted in a professional and ethical manner.====<br />
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College staff and members of the foundation board of governors engaged in fundraising efforts are guided by a variety of policies, procedures, and guidelines designed to ensure that fundraising is conducted in a professional and ethical manner. Board members annually sign a conflict of interest policy declaration. An independent private auditor is secured each year to ensure ongoing adherence to gift accounting standards, consistent reporting procedures, and avoidance of conflicts of interest on the part of members of the board of governors. In order to assure that board and staff members stay current with ethical standards, the college is affiliated with a number of profession fundraising associations. The college maintains an institutional membership in CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education), and individual staff memberships in AFP (Association of Fund Raising Professionals) and other local, regional, and national groups. All of these professional associations provide ethical guidance. AFP has developed standards that provide guidance around issues of professional competence and commitment, stewardship, charitable mission, privacy, cultural diversity, and conflicts of interest. The Standards of Professional Practice address issues involving civil and criminal laws, professional conduct, advocacy, compensation, and donor/prospect information.<br />
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New foundation board members attend an orientation session with staff and other board members at their first quarterly meeting. This orientation includes a review of ethical issues and considerations as well as information about legal and ethical requirements. Each board member has a Foundation Board Member Handbook covering these and other policies that is updated regularly. As part of the annual evaluation of staff and the board, the college continues to provide professional development opportunities that keep everyone current and mindful of ethical obligations.<br />
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The institutional development program is administered by the Office of College Advancement, which includes management of The Evergreen State College Foundation, development (including donor relations), development services and research, alumni affairs, marketing communications, and college relations. Academic grant development is administered through the academic grants office under the auspices of the Provost’s Office. The academic grants manager works closely with development officers in planning fundraising initiatives and identifying corporate and foundation prospects.<br />
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====7.D.2 Endowment and life income funds and their investments are administered by an appropriate institutional officer, foundation, or committee designated by the governing board. The organization maintains complete records concerning these funds and complies with applicable legal requirements.====<br />
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Management oversight of the foundation endowments is provided by the vice president for College Advancement, with day-to-day management, accounting, and record keeping of all foundation assets provided by the vice president for Finance and Administration who also serves as the assistant treasurer for the foundation. The foundation signed an agreement with the University of Washington in 2003 to pool the foundation’s funds with the University of Washington’s Consolidated Endowment Fund. The foundation’s investment committee reviews the health of endowments on a monthly basis and the vice president for Finance and Administration manages the pooling of any unrestricted cash balances.<br />
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Through the foundation's work, the college's students, faculty, and staff now receive financial assistance from a wide range of endowment funds. Current funds are divided between those funds held by the foundation and those held by the college. The college endowments are funds raised through the foundation but matched through state matching programs. By statute those funds are then held by the college and invested according to state rules and not under control of the foundation. These funds have increased substantially since our last accreditation report.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| ''Endowments*''<br />
| '''''1997'''''<br />
| '''''2002'''''<br />
| '''''2007'''''<br />
| '''''1997-2007 Increase'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Foundation''<br />
| ''1,987,773''<br />
| ''2,277,315''<br />
| ''6,502,504''<br />
| ''227%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''College''<br />
| ''993,773''<br />
| ''2,052,389''<br />
| ''2,661,032''<br />
| ''168%''<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NOTE*: Foundation endowment amounts include other temporarily restricted funds.<br />
<br />
The foundation agreement with the University of Washington has dramatically increased the earnings potential for those endowments.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''''Total Giving'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Dollars raised from all sources''<br />
| ''$778,678''<br />
| ''$1,038,807''<br />
| ''1,874,508''<br />
| ''141%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of donors''<br />
| ''4,351''<br />
| ''3,232''<br />
| ''4,199''<br />
| ''-3%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Average gift amount''<br />
| ''$179''<br />
| ''$321''<br />
| ''$446''<br />
| ''149%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''2,395''<br />
| ''1,627''<br />
| ''2,418''<br />
| ''1%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Percentage of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''13%''<br />
| ''5%''<br />
| ''8%''<br />
| ''-37%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| '''''Evergreen Annual Fund'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Total Income''<br />
| ''$187,352''<br />
| ''$269,975''<br />
| ''$484,506''<br />
| ''159%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Donors''<br />
| ''3,184''<br />
| ''2,391''<br />
| ''3,522''<br />
| ''11%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
====7.D.3 The institution has a clearly defined relationship with any foundation bearing its name or which has as its major purpose the raising of funds for the institution.====<br />
<br />
<br />
The foundation is subject to rules and regulations of the IRS as a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) “public” charity, and to regulations of the state of Washington governing non-profit organizations, as specified in chapter 24.03 RCW. According to its bylaws, the foundation operates “exclusively for the purposes of promoting, supporting, maintaining, developing, increasing and extending educational offerings and the pursuit thereof at or in connection with The Evergreen State College…” The relationship between the foundation and the college is established through a contract signed by both boards, which follows the state attorney general’s model for foundations affiliated with public institutions of higher education. That contract provides for state support of staff and provisions of resources – including offices – in exchange for dollars raised to support the institution and its students. The contract is reviewed and renewed every three years.<br />
<br />
The College Advancement division serves as the principal liaison with The Evergreen State College Foundation. The executive director of the foundation is also the vice president for the division of College Advancement. In addition to the executive director, ex-officio members of the foundation board of governors include a member of the board of trustees, the college president, and the vice president for Finance and Administration.<br />
<br />
The college and the foundation work together to insure that fundraising activities by different college groups are coordinated, and the external community sees any solicitation of funds as coming from a single entity. The foundation works closely with the college community to determine what fundraising and development activities would best serve the needs of the college.<br />
<br />
For example, in FY 2008 the Development office is focused on a concise list of projects ranging from media equipment for a new campus facility to endowments for scholarships and visiting scholars. Conversations are underway with the board of governors to respond to the ever-increasing need for student financial assistance.<br />
<br />
===Summary===<br />
<br />
The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Furthermore, the state will most likely be facing economic challenges that could result in reduced funding for higher education for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7 - Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our vision and strategic plan, and a record of external auditor reports with no major findings.<br />
<br />
2.) The college’s financial planning is tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. These goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels.” The president and the board of trustees provide the sound financial planning embodied in the college’s decisions and policies.<br />
<br />
3.) The college relies on state funding and tuition revenues to provide a stable base of funding for the institution.<br />
<br />
4.) The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. However, the college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations because most auxiliaries (e.g., the bookstore, parking, or housing services) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations, and increasing revenues to auxiliaries would increase students' cost of attendance or hurt operating budgets. <br />
<br />
5.) The college has purchased and implemented the SCT Banner Student and Finance administrative software modules, resulting in improved student and financial services. <br />
<br />
6.) The changes in the College Advancement division has helped the college to significantly increase fundraising over the last few years. <br />
<br />
7.) Because state funding for higher education has not kept pace with academic needs, the college must find private dollars for supporting students and ensuring the quality of public education. <br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Higher education will be competing with K-12, prisons, and services for the elderly for limited state funding that could result in reduced funding for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
2.) Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
3.) The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
4.) In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts. <br />
<br />
5.) Efforts to sustain and grow the breadth and depth of fundraising will be essential to the college’s capacity to support students and faculty innovation in the years ahead. <br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has developed substantial reserve funds to help meet contingencies, thus helping to insure stability in campus operations.<br />
<br />
2.) The college has improved administrative software and better integrated financial services.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has recently made significant strides in fundraising, supporting student and faculty opportunities for study, program development, and research. <br />
<br />
4.) The hiring of an internal auditor has helped improve internal controls and procedures. <br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college needs to complete the improvement of its internal administrative systems by acquiring human resource and budgeting software.<br />
<br />
2.) The college should continue to work on developing broad and deep fundraising efforts to help diversify revenue to support teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to continue to improve auxiliary enterprises so they are all self-supporting.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) In keeping with the strategic plan, continued efforts to improve fundraising and to increase revenues in auxiliary services are critical components in the financial goal of the strategic plan. The college is currently making plans and creating outcome measures to assess work in this area. <br />
<br />
2.) Improvements in internal administrative systems in human resources and budgeting are elements of the college’s upcoming budget requests to the legislature.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 - Supporting Documentation==<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven|Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_7&diff=8848Standard 72008-07-24T23:10:38Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 7 - Findings and Conclusions */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 7 – Finance==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
<br />
The financial goals of the college are to support quality educational opportunities to meet the intellectual, academic, career, personal, and developmental needs of our students and members of the community. The financial and business functions of the college are managed and led with the ideal of making this mission a reality through enhanced funding. Toward this end, the college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our visions and strategic plan, and a record of audit reports with no major findings. The college's growth and development reflect sound financial planning guided by policies and decisions made by the college board of trustees and president. The financial and business functions of the college are under the leadership and responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration and a capable group of employees who manage fiscal operations, capital facilities planning and construction, physical plant, human resources, information technology, and auxiliary operations.<br />
<br />
The college continues to rely on state funding and tuition as the major sources of operating funds. State operating support has increased by 19% per student FTE since 2003, and as a percent of total operating revenue has remained at a range of 36% to 39% from 2003 to 2007.<br />
<br />
The college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations. Most of our auxiliaries (Dining and Food Service, Bookstore and Parking) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations supported by operating revenues. Increasing the revenues to these auxiliary enterprises would increase student's cost of attendance or have a negative impact on departmental operating expenditures. <br />
<br />
An internal auditor was hired in December 2005 and reports directly to the president. She has recommended several improvements in areas such as cash handling and internal controls of fixed assets, which have been implemented. She will continue to perform audits on the entire financial operations and make recommendations.<br />
<br />
The college purchased and implemented a major administrative software system from SCT Banner. The student system has been in place since 2004 and the finance module since 2005. This is a comprehensive administrative program designed for higher education and is used by hundreds of colleges and universities. We are in the process of searching for a new human resource/payroll system and budgeting system.These systems will be expensive and time consuming to implement, but are necessary for a comprehensive administrative system.<br />
<br />
Fundraising has increased significantly over the past ten years. Overall giving has increased 141% during this period and net assets have grown from $1,673,000 in 1997 to $7,847,027 in 2007. A new vice president for Advancement was hired in 2006, and several vacant and new positions in Advancement were recently filled.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.A – Financial Planning===<br />
<br />
====7.A.1 Governing boards and, where applicable, state agencies have given the institution appropriate autonomy in financial planning and budgeting matters within overall mandates and priorities.====<br />
<br />
<br />
The college operates as part of a system of higher education institutions in the state of Washington coordinated by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. The governance of the college has been vested with the board of trustees as set forth in RCW 28B.40.120. Their general powers and duties include: full control of the college’s property; employment of the faculty and staff; and purchase of all goods and services necessary to conduct the business of the college, except as otherwise provided by law.<br />
<br />
The president and senior staff along with the board of trustees establish a legislative agenda and budget request, which is then presented to the Office of Financial Management (the governor’s budget agency) for review, clarification, and inclusion into the governor's budget request. This legislative agenda, after consultation with the Office of Financial Management, is submitted to the legislature as part of the governor’s budget. The legislative agenda also includes capital funding and an enrollment plan with potential new enrollments for the college. The legislature establishes the college’s budgeted enrollment level and at this time controls the maximum allowable resident tuition increases.<br />
<br />
====7.A.2 The institution demonstrates that financial planning for the future is a strategically guided process. This planning includes a minimum of a three-year projection of major categories of income, specific plans for major categories of expenditures, and plans for the management of capital revenue and expenditures. Short and long-range capital budgets reflect the institution’s goals and objectives and relate to the plans for physical facilities and acquisition of equipment.====<br />
<br />
Financial planning for the college is directly tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. The “strategic directions” for the financial goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels." All major budget decisions are reviewed to ensure they are in alignment with the strategic plan.<br />
<br />
Although the legislature funds new enrollment levels, state appropriations as a percent of total operating revenue have been slowly declining for several years. This decline has been offset by tuition and fee increases. To help keep tuition rates affordable, fundraising is identified as the main source of new revenue. Increased revenue from fundraising will be used for a variety of efforts including increasing student scholarships; funding faculty development and scholarly work; and course and curriculum improvements such as equipment procurement, outreach, and student service programs. <br />
<br />
Goods and services expenditures are controlled by state and college policies that dictate procedures that result in getting quality products and services at the best possible price. One example of this is the recent state Smart Buy contract with a vendor for office supplies. Energy efficiency is addressed during new construction and other capital projects. Vacancies in existing staff positions and requests for new positions are evaluated before hiring is approved to achieve staff efficiencies. <br />
<br />
The state has a two-year budget cycle which the college begins a year in advance. During this process the college prepares budgets for major revenue and expense categories based on expected enrollment levels and other program needs, including a capital budget. In the even numbered years, the legislature considers a supplemental budget.<br />
<br />
The college’s physical resources are specifically addressed in the strategic plan’s support goals. The college has a ten-year capital construction plan which is updated every two years. Funding for capital projects comes from two main sources, the legislature and a portion of student fees. The college updated its campus master plan in 2008 based on the strategic plan and this will help guide future capital requests.<br />
<br />
====7.A.3 The institution publishes an annual budget distributed to appropriate constituencies, and the policies, guidelines, and processes for developing the budget are clearly defined and followed. Budget revisions are made promptly, and, when necessary, a revised budget or schedule of budget changes is developed and distributed to appropriate constituencies.====<br />
<br />
In the spring of each odd-numbered year, while the state legislature is approaching their final budget policy framework, Evergreen’s internal allocation process begins.<br />
<br />
The Office of Operational Planning and Budget anticipates changes to our base funding levels such as state budget reductions (or enhancements), enrollment growth funding, and tuition or fee increases to establish an overall revenue policy framework.<br />
<br />
The president and vice presidents discuss the implications of the anticipated revenue policy framework with the deans and directors to determine the budget themes that need to be addressed in the college’s allocation process. Normally, priorities will be consistent with those themes included in the college’s biennial budget request and may also include other priorities that have emerged since the college’s budget request was developed. It is at this stage that the president will decide if any college contingency strategies such as budget reductions or internal reallocation planning will be necessary.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents are responsible for reviewing all budget decisions and modifications. The divisional budget coordinators, executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, and the director of Business Services will provide the necessary staff support for the vice presidents in this regard.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents are responsible for 360-degree consultation while they are formulating an overall budget implementation strategy recommendation to the president. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget will be responsible for core coordination activities and posting budget planning material on the college Web site.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents will conduct divisional and campus-wide budget hearings to provide information regarding the college’s most pressing needs and how those needs translate into budget priorities. Included in this discussion is the relationship of the proposed actions outlined in the college long-range plans for both the operating and capital budgets. In setting budget priorities, the vice presidents consult with the faculty budget advisory committee, the student union and the campus community.<br />
<br />
The president is responsible for finalizing a recommended budget to the board of trustees for their approval. The president’s proposal shall highlight any changes to the previously board-approved budget policy. The president will also identify modifications she/he made in the recommendations to the course of action recommended to her/him by the vice presidents.<br />
<br />
The college publishes the president’s biennial operating and capital budget requests, which are available on the college’s Web site. See ''[[Media: Exhibit_7-20_Legislature_101_A_Guide_to_the_Washington_State_Legislature.doc|Legislature 101: A Guide to the Washington State Legislature]]'' and ''[[Media: Budget101.pdf|Budget 101: A Guide to Evergreen’s Budget]]'', documents that were developed to inform the campus community about the various budget processes.<br />
<br />
====7.A.4 Debt for capital outlay purposes is periodically reviewed, carefully controlled, and justified,so as not to create an unreasonable drain on resources available for educational purposes. The institution has a governing board policy guiding the use and limit of debt.====<br />
<br />
Funding for most state-system capital projects is from three main sources (capital appropriations from the legislature, Timber Trust Fund earnings and a portion of student fees) and therefore no college debt is incurred. However, capital funding for auxiliary services such as housing, food services, and the bookstore, is provided through revenue bonds or capital lease agreements with the Office of the State Treasurer.<br />
<br />
In 2006, the students voted to self-impose a fee to support a remodel and expansion of the College Activities Building. The revenue from this fee will used to repay bonds issued to accomplish the remodel.<br />
<br />
The college carefully reviews any requests for auxiliary capital funding to ensure that resources are sufficient for repayment. The board of trustees authorizes the borrowing of money and the issuance and sale of revenue bonds and certain lease agreements. In 2006, the college issued Housing Revenue bonds in the amount of $7.5 million, with a current balance of $7.2 million. The bond proceeds were used to refund $1.4 million in existing bonds, and over $6 million is being used to renovate various buildings including roof replacement, elevator refurbishing, and furniture replacement. As of June 30, 2007, the college has capital lease agreements with the state treasurer’s office in the amount of $463,000 for some equipment purchases and renovation of the childcare facility.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.B – Adequacy of Financial Resources===<br />
<br />
====7.B.1 The institution provides evidence that it seeks and utilizes different sources of funds adequate to support its programs and services. The commitment of those resources among programs and services reflects appropriately the mission and goals and priorities of the institution.====<br />
<br />
Between state appropriations and tuition revenue, the college has a stable funding base. The college also receives funding from federal, state, and local grants, auxiliary funds, local dedicated funds, and fundraising. <br />
<br />
For the past several years, the college has been able to carry forward more than $3.6 million in institutional operating reserve, or more than 5% of the operating budget. This flexibility has allowed the college to meet unforeseen demands and make better strategic decisions. For the last two biennia, the college has not allocated 100% of the operating revenue in order to plan and implement goals in the strategic plan, without reducing the quality of the academic programs or student services. In the 2007-09 operating budget, funding was approved to support strategic initiatives in sustainability and diversity.<br />
<br />
The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. The college continues to seek new revenue streams. An Extended Education program was initiated in 2005 and start-up funding was provided. This program will be reviewed in the fall of 2008 to determine if it should continue.<br />
<br />
====7.B.2 Adequate resources are available to meet debt service requirements of short-term and long-term indebtedness without adversely affecting the quality of educational programs. A minimum of three years’ history of the amount borrowed (whether internally or externally) for capital outlay and for operating funds is maintained. A five-year projection of future debt repayments is maintained.====<br />
<br />
The college’s resources are sufficient to meet its debt service requirements without negatively impacting operations. Evergreen keeps a minimum three-year history on funds borrowed and operating funds. A five-year projection of future debt service requirements is maintained and included in the notes to the annual financial statements.<br />
<br />
====7.B.3 Financial statements indicate a history of financial stability for the past five years. If an accumulated deficit has been recorded, a realistic plan to eliminate the deficit is approved by the governing board.====<br />
<br />
The financial condition of the college has been stable for the past five years and there have been no material deficits. Operating revenues are budgeted and divisions are not allowed to deficit spend. Other operations are required to plan and operate in a fiscally responsible manner. Some individual accounts have had deficits during some periods, and these are addressed by the manager, director, and vice-president responsible.<br />
<br />
====7.B.4 Transfers among the major funds and interfund borrowing are legal and guided by clearly stated policies in accordance with prudent financial planning and control.====<br />
<br />
Mandatory and non-mandatory transfers among funds are controlled and approved by the appropriate person. These transfers are included in the financial statements and in the operating budget requests. Budget transfers in the operating fund between divisions must be approved by the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget.<br />
<br />
====7.B.5 The institution demonstrates the adequacy of financial resources for the support of all of its offerings including specialized occupational, technical, and professional programs.====<br />
<br />
Evergreen allocates its resources to protect the academic programs and support the educational goals in the strategic plan. When the college receives legislative funding for enrollment growth and tuition increases, instructional costs are funded first at the same level as existing programs. The balance of these funds, combined with internal reallocations, savings from efficiencies, and other new revenue streams, is allocated to non-instructional areas for overhead, other growth-related costs, and a responsible contingency reserve. This reserve is available for funding new prioritized strategic initiatives, unknown contingencies such as union contract agreements, large one-time purchases, or unexpected increases in areas like utility costs. The budget and allocation processes establish a comprehensive practice for college leadership to employ when making decisions on effectively funding the educational goals of the institution.<br />
<br />
====7.B.6 The institution identifies the sources of its student financial aid for current enrollments and provides evidence of planning for future financial aid in light of projected enrollments. It monitors and controls the relationship between unfunded student financial aid and tuition revenues.====<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s student financial aid comes from three main sources, federal and state programs, The Evergreen State College Foundation scholarships, and institutional aid. Federal and state aid is defined by the various government programs, and foundation scholarships are governed by the fundraising efforts. Institutional aid, in the form of tuition waivers, was historically funded at 6% of tuition until 2007. In the 2007-09 budget request, the college asked for and received legislative approval to increase the funded waiver amount from 6% to 10% over the next five years. This will increase the amount of institutional waivers by 67%. For student recruitment and retention efforts, the college can and has allocated more than the 6% for tuition waivers with the approval of the board of trustees. Financial aid from state grants has increased over 35% from 2005 to 2007.<br />
<br />
====7.B.7 The institution maintains adequate financial reserves to meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service.====<br />
<br />
To meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service, Evergreen maintains a diversity of reserves. These reserves include:<br />
<br />
: Funds available from the operating budget that are not fully allocated. These funds are usually set aside for new initiatives and unknown needs.<br />
<br />
: Divisional and institutional operating reserves. These are allocated operating funds that are under-spent in one year and carried forward either by a division or the institution. These reserves have been in excess of $6 million for several years. They are usually used to support one-time or temporary requests.<br />
<br />
: The college’s rainy day fund. This fund of approximately $1 million is funded from miscellaneous local income and is for emergency use only.<br />
<br />
Some self-supporting units, like summer school, have substantial fund balances that are used to augment otherwise unfunded requests in academics and elsewhere.<br />
<br />
In addition, the college is conservative in estimating tuition revenue in the event enrollment levels or the mix of resident and non-resident students is different than projected.<br />
<br />
====7.B.8 The institution demonstrates an understanding of the financial relationship between its education and general operations and its auxiliary enterprises and their respective contributions to the overall operations of the institution. This includes the institution’s recognition of whether it is dependent on auxiliary enterprise income to balance education and general operations or whether the institution has to use education and general operations income to balance auxiliary enterprises.====<br />
<br />
At Evergreen, auxiliary services are of unique value to the overall operations of the college. Evergreen is physically located in a rural area with little or no services within several miles, except for a few apartment units. Therefore, the services and products provided by auxiliaries such as dining, housing, parking, and the bookstore are not readily available from private retailers. It would be extremely inconvenient for the students, staff, and faculty if these services were not available on campus. This also means some services are provided even though they may not be financially viable. <br />
<br />
Evergreen is not dependent on the income of its auxiliaries to financially support the operations of the college. All auxiliaries are charged for services provided them by operating units of the college. A schedule showing the ten-year profit/loss of the major auxiliaries is included in the exhibits (see [[Media: Exhibit_7-25_Ten_Year_Income_History_of_Auxiliary_Enterprises.xls|Ten-Year Income History of Auxiliary Enterprises]]).<br />
<br />
For several years, food services suffered significant losses. Beginning in 2004, steps were taken to improve the financial condition, including contracting with a new food service vendor, combining food services with the housing operation, and requiring all housing freshmen to purchase meal plans. These actions have greatly reduced the losses and may result in breaking even in 2008. The food service facility is slated for a complete renovation in 2009-11, which should have a significant positive impact on their financial success.<br />
<br />
Housing has always been self-supporting. In 2006, Housing issued a $7.5 million bond to pay off the remaining balance of the previous bond issue, and perform some major renovations on its oldest buildings. It has met its bond obligations, developed a ten-year financial plan, and is building a reserve to continue capital improvements. In 2007, the operation posted a net profit exceeding $1 million.<br />
<br />
The bookstore has been self-supporting over time, but has carried a negative fund balance since it first opened. For the past ten years it has had a total net profit of over $300,000, but it incurred losses for both 2006 and 2007. Most of the current decline is due to competition from online bookstores and a facility that is in need of a major renovation. The bookstore, located in the College Activities Building, is also planning a complete renovation in 2009-11. For a one- to two-year period, the bookstore will be in a temporary location, but will move back to a new facility which should have a positive impact on their profitability. Other efforts are being made to improve its financial picture including promoting Web sales and adding new services after the remodel.<br />
<br />
Conference Services has been self-supporting, but in recent years it has been challenged with finding space on campus to hold conferences. This challenge was due to major remodeling of existing buildings, both general academic buildings and housing buildings. This challenge will continue as major renovations of most major campus buildings are planned for the next several years. Although Conference Services is not highly profitable, its operations create significant revenue for food services, housing, and other operations on campus. Because of changes made in 2006, this department did record a small profit in 2007, and this should improve for 2008.<br />
<br />
Other auxiliaries such as Motor Pool and Duplicating Services are internal service functions that are self-sufficient but are not designed to provide direct financial support to the college.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.C – Financial Management===<br />
<br />
====7.C.1 The president reports regularly to the governing board about the financial adequacy and stability of the institution.====<br />
<br />
Quarterly, the president and vice president for Finance and Administration provide financial information to the board of trustees that includes standard year to date financial statements for the entire college, and specific financial information on operating budgets and expenditures to date, auxiliary financial reports, capital expenditures and local dedicated fund activity. The president informs the board about any concerns relating to the financial health of the college. In the fall the board receives a financial report for the year ending June 30. The college’s audited report is reviewed by the full board and at least one board member attends the audit exit meeting with the State Auditor’s Office.<br />
<br />
====7.C.2 Financial functions are centralized and are under a single qualified financial officer responsible to the president. Institutional business functions are under one or more qualified officers, are well organized, and function effectively. The complexity of the business organization reflects the size of the institution and the significance of its transactions.====<br />
<br />
The financial management of the college is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The director of Business Services, who reports to the vice president, is responsible for all day to day financial transactions and the centralized major financial functions including payroll, purchasing, reporting, investments, cashiering and general accounting. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, who reports directly to the president, is responsible for budget development and monitoring, and long-range planning. He consults with the budget coordinators located within each division and who report directly to the appropriate vice president. Qualified professionals occupy positions responsible for accounting functions and financial management.<br />
<br />
====7.C.3 All expenditures and income from whatever source, and the administration of scholarships, grants in aid, loans, and student employment, are fully controlled by the institution and are included in its regular planning, budgeting, accounting, and auditing procedures.====<br />
<br />
The college’s expenditures and income are recorded and coordinated through the college’s financial processes which are governed in their basic structure by the state. The state sets financial standards and policy through the Office of Financial Management. Financial information is input and reported via the SCT Banner system, a computerized software program used by Evergreen and other four-year institutions in the state. This system interfaces with the state government accounting system and meets accounting and auditing guidelines. The Banner system’s financial management reporting module includes control tables, general ledger accounting, accounts payable, purchasing, customer accounts, and cashiering. The annual college operating budget is input and processed through this system. The college has established organization codes to track and monitor financial activity within the departments of the college.<br />
<br />
Each unit/department head is responsible for monitoring the budgets under their control. They have Web access to current data on their budget and expenditures to date. The budget coordinator for each division is responsible for monitoring all the budgets in their division. The budget coordinators and the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget meet regularly, and also meet quarterly with the vice presidents to review and discuss the budget. The vice presidents meet regularly with the president.<br />
<br />
Historical financial information is readily available in the accounting system and is used to effectively prepare and budget for future years.<br />
<br />
The administration and accounting of financial aid is administered jointly by the Financial Aid office and Business Services office. Financial Aid also uses an integrated Banner program that provides needs analysis, application tracking, award management, student loans, student employment monitoring, external reporting, and disbursement. The Financial Aid director has responsibility for the college’s financial aid programs.<br />
<br />
====7.C.4 The institution has clearly defined and implemented policies regarding cash management and investments which have been approved by the governing board.====<br />
<br />
The Office of Financial Management establishes the standards and guidelines for cash management and investments. The college’s investment policy provides additional guidelines. The director of Business Services and the accounting manager monitor the college’s investments. Investment options are very limited by Washington state law, resulting in a conservative and safe investment strategy. Decisions on investments are based on current market conditions, interest rates, and the long- and short-term cash needs of the college. The college manages its exposure to interest rate changes by limiting the duration of investments to no more than twelve months and structuring the maturity of investments to mature at various times in the year. Final approval for all investments is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The accounting supervisor, under the auspices of the director of Business Services, reviews all accounts and keeps the college cash management account in balance. The vice president of Finance and Administration is provided a monthly report on all college investments.<br />
<br />
Most of the college’s endowment funds are invested with a private investment firm, and the balance of the college’s cash assets are invested in certificates of deposit or with the state’s Local Government Investment Pool. These are endowments held by the college, not the foundation.<br />
<br />
====7.C.5 The institution’s accounting system follows generally accepted principles of accounting.====<br />
<br />
The college maintains an accounting system that records all transactions to facilitate reporting in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The professional accounting staff is fully knowledgeable of accounting principles.<br />
<br />
====7.C.6 – 7.C.10====<br />
<br />
''7.C.6: For independent institutions, the governing board is responsible for the selection of an auditing firm and receives the annual audit report.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.7: Independent institutions are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and the audit is conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The audit includes a management letter. A summary of the latest audited financial statement is made available to the public.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.8: A proprietary institution makes available annually a financial summary which includes, as a minimum, a list of company officers, a statement of profit and loss, expenditures, indebtedness, and companies which have a controlling interest in the institution.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.9: If public institutions are, by law, audited by a state agency, an independent audit is not required except for any funds not subject to governmental audit.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.10: All funds for financial aid and other specific programs not subject to governmental audit are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and include a management letter.''<br />
<br />
The college is audited annually by the Washington State Auditor’s Office for compliance and financial statements. The audits are conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing principals, and all college funds are subject to the audit including financial aid and other specific programs. The audit is a combined process covering both federal and state funds. The college has had only one finding since 2003.<br />
<br />
Since 2005, the audited financial statements have been available to the public on the college’s Web site. Prior to 2005, printed financial statements were available upon request.<br />
<br />
====7.C.11 The institution demonstrates a well-organized program of internal audit (where appropriate) and control that complements the accounting system and the external audit.====<br />
<br />
The college’s internal auditor, a qualified professional, reports directly to the president. The internal auditor has developed a comprehensive audit plan and has full access to all college financial records and transactions. The internal auditor meets regularly with the board of trustees to discuss the results of internal audits performed. The auditor also meet regularly with the vice president for Finance and Administration and the director of Business Services to discuss the results of audits and recommended corrections.<br />
<br />
====7.C.12 The institution demonstrates that recommendations in the auditor’s management letter accompanying the audit report have been adequately considered.====<br />
<br />
The college takes recommendations from the state auditor and the internal auditor very seriously and strives to correct any items of concern expressed in the audits. Audit results from the State Auditor’s Office are reviewed by the board of trustees and published in a statewide audit report.<br />
<br />
====7.C.13 Federal, state, external, and internal audit reports are made available for examination as part of any evaluation conducted by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.====<br />
<br />
<br />
Recent audits and other federal, state, and external reports are available for review (see [[Media: Annualreport_2007.pdf|2007 Annual Report for College and Foundation]]).<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.D – Fund Raising and Development===<br />
<br />
As state funding for higher education and tuition increases have not kept pace with academic needs, it has become increasingly clear that private dollars will be essential for not only supporting students, but also to ensure the quality of public higher education.<br />
<br />
The Evergreen State College Foundation was established by the college board of trustees in July of 1976 and is governed by Articles of Incorporation adopted that same year and by-laws which were most recently reviewed and significantly updated in the Spring of 2007. In 1988, the development office became a unit of the newly created College Advancement division. By policy adopted February 1, 1990, all campus fundraising is cleared through the Office of College Advancement.<br />
<br />
Historically, the fundraising efforts of the college foundation have focused on providing financial assistance to students in the form of scholarships and activity grants, and increasingly in recent years, providing support for faculty development and research. Significant foundation and corporate grants have helped expand and deepen the work of several of the college’s public service centers, most notably the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center and the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute.<br />
<br />
In 2004, the college president secured the services of The Collins Group to review and assess the organizational structure of the College Advancement division and provide recommendations intended to move the operation to the next level. Significant recommendations included the need to more directly tie fundraising initiatives and long-term plans to the institutional strategic plan. Along with preparation for accreditation, this was a significant factor in the decision to launch the recent update to the college’s strategic plan. Other major recommendations of The Collins Group included the expansion and maturing of the Evergreen Annual Fund program, which provides significant dollars for scholarships and other critical college needs, the need to establish a major local fundraising event, and a number of organizational recommendations that would provide the level of fiscal and personnel resources necessary for the college to consider entering into a major fundraising campaign.<br />
<br />
Subsequent to these recommendations, The Campbell Company was hired to help further enhance the Evergreen Annual Fund program. Working together, a three-year plan was developed to raise the level of giving and expand the number of alumni supporting the institution. In 2006, the first levels of recommendations were implemented and there was a remarkable 30% increase in the Evergreen Annual Fund, from $338,000 to $448,000. Normally a mature annual fund program will experience a 3% to 5% increase per year. The second level of recommendations was implemented in 2007 with another jump of more than 10%, raising the fund to nearly $485,000. The goal for 2008 is to raise a half million dollars in the Evergreen Annual Fund. Donations through January 2008 have put the foundation on track to exceed this goal by a substantial margin.<br />
<br />
Through the efforts of our president, the college was successful in 2005 in receiving a $1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help in building its fundraising program. These funds have provided the ability to work with additional consultants to train and develop staff, expand and deepen the fundraising infrastructure, and fund additional staff for the effort. In addition the college itself, through its internal budget process, has provided significant new resources to College Advancement as a whole. These new infusions of funds have provided resources for not only fundraising staff, but also for marketing and college relations staff and programs. This assists the fundraising efforts by expanding the understanding and reputation of the college.<br />
<br />
There have been significant changes to the staff in the past couple of years, both through turnover and through additional resources that added new staff positions. All of the leadership is relatively new. The vice president, having served for fifteen years as the executive associate to the president, stepped into the leadership of this effort in August of 2006. In the past year she has hired a director of development, director of alumni affairs, executive director of marketing and communications, alumni assistant, administrative assistant, two major gifts officers, and a new communications manager. While the staff is relatively new, it has already formed a closely knit and powerful team that collaborates well and understands how each of their areas can and must work together to assure a more stable financial future for the college and its students.<br />
<br />
The board of governors itself has undergone intensive work in the past year to strengthen its ability to support fundraising efforts on behalf of the college. They have reviewed and revised many of their policies, reorganized the committee structure, and particularly strengthened committees for fundraising and development and evaluation of the board itself. In the summer of 2007, the board met in a two-day retreat for the first time concentrating on understanding the major college initiatives in need of fundraising in the coming year. That work was guided by the college’s updated strategic plan.<br />
<br />
====7.D.1 All college/university fundraising activities are governed by institutional policies, comply with governmental requirements, and are conducted in a professional and ethical manner.====<br />
<br />
College staff and members of the foundation board of governors engaged in fundraising efforts are guided by a variety of policies, procedures, and guidelines designed to ensure that fundraising is conducted in a professional and ethical manner. Board members annually sign a conflict of interest policy declaration. An independent private auditor is secured each year to ensure ongoing adherence to gift accounting standards, consistent reporting procedures, and avoidance of conflicts of interest on the part of members of the board of governors. In order to assure that board and staff members stay current with ethical standards, the college is affiliated with a number of profession fundraising associations. The college maintains an institutional membership in CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education), and individual staff memberships in AFP (Association of Fund Raising Professionals) and other local, regional, and national groups. All of these professional associations provide ethical guidance. AFP has developed standards that provide guidance around issues of professional competence and commitment, stewardship, charitable mission, privacy, cultural diversity, and conflicts of interest. The Standards of Professional Practice address issues involving civil and criminal laws, professional conduct, advocacy, compensation, and donor/prospect information.<br />
<br />
New foundation board members attend an orientation session with staff and other board members at their first quarterly meeting. This orientation includes a review of ethical issues and considerations as well as information about legal and ethical requirements. Each board member has a Foundation Board Member Handbook covering these and other policies that is updated regularly. As part of the annual evaluation of staff and the board, the college continues to provide professional development opportunities that keep everyone current and mindful of ethical obligations.<br />
<br />
The institutional development program is administered by the Office of College Advancement, which includes management of The Evergreen State College Foundation, development (including donor relations), development services and research, alumni affairs, marketing communications, and college relations. Academic grant development is administered through the academic grants office under the auspices of the Provost’s Office. The academic grants manager works closely with development officers in planning fundraising initiatives and identifying corporate and foundation prospects.<br />
<br />
====7.D.2 Endowment and life income funds and their investments are administered by an appropriate institutional officer, foundation, or committee designated by the governing board. The organization maintains complete records concerning these funds and complies with applicable legal requirements.====<br />
<br />
<br />
Management oversight of the foundation endowments is provided by the vice president for College Advancement, with day-to-day management, accounting, and record keeping of all foundation assets provided by the vice president for Finance and Administration who also serves as the assistant treasurer for the foundation. The foundation signed an agreement with the University of Washington in 2003 to pool the foundation’s funds with the University of Washington’s Consolidated Endowment Fund. The foundation’s investment committee reviews the health of endowments on a monthly basis and the vice president for Finance and Administration manages the pooling of any unrestricted cash balances.<br />
<br />
Through the foundation's work, the college's students, faculty, and staff now receive financial assistance from a wide range of endowment funds. Current funds are divided between those funds held by the foundation and those held by the college. The college endowments are funds raised through the foundation but matched through state matching programs. By statute those funds are then held by the college and invested according to state rules and not under control of the foundation. These funds have increased substantially since our last accreditation report.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| ''Endowments*''<br />
| '''''1997'''''<br />
| '''''2002'''''<br />
| '''''2007'''''<br />
| '''''1997-2007 Increase'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Foundation''<br />
| ''1,987,773''<br />
| ''2,277,315''<br />
| ''6,502,504''<br />
| ''227%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''College''<br />
| ''993,773''<br />
| ''2,052,389''<br />
| ''2,661,032''<br />
| ''168%''<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NOTE*: Foundation endowment amounts include other temporarily restricted funds.<br />
<br />
The foundation agreement with the University of Washington has dramatically increased the earnings potential for those endowments.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''''Total Giving'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Dollars raised from all sources''<br />
| ''$778,678''<br />
| ''$1,038,807''<br />
| ''1,874,508''<br />
| ''141%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of donors''<br />
| ''4,351''<br />
| ''3,232''<br />
| ''4,199''<br />
| ''-3%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Average gift amount''<br />
| ''$179''<br />
| ''$321''<br />
| ''$446''<br />
| ''149%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''2,395''<br />
| ''1,627''<br />
| ''2,418''<br />
| ''1%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Percentage of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''13%''<br />
| ''5%''<br />
| ''8%''<br />
| ''-37%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| '''''Evergreen Annual Fund'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Total Income''<br />
| ''$187,352''<br />
| ''$269,975''<br />
| ''$484,506''<br />
| ''159%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Donors''<br />
| ''3,184''<br />
| ''2,391''<br />
| ''3,522''<br />
| ''11%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
====7.D.3 The institution has a clearly defined relationship with any foundation bearing its name or which has as its major purpose the raising of funds for the institution.====<br />
<br />
<br />
The foundation is subject to rules and regulations of the IRS as a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) “public” charity, and to regulations of the state of Washington governing non-profit organizations, as specified in chapter 24.03 RCW. According to its bylaws, the foundation operates “exclusively for the purposes of promoting, supporting, maintaining, developing, increasing and extending educational offerings and the pursuit thereof at or in connection with The Evergreen State College…” The relationship between the foundation and the college is established through a contract signed by both boards, which follows the state attorney general’s model for foundations affiliated with public institutions of higher education. That contract provides for state support of staff and provisions of resources – including offices – in exchange for dollars raised to support the institution and its students. The contract is reviewed and renewed every three years.<br />
<br />
The College Advancement division serves as the principal liaison with The Evergreen State College Foundation. The executive director of the foundation is also the vice president for the division of College Advancement. In addition to the executive director, ex-officio members of the foundation board of governors include a member of the board of trustees, the college president, and the vice president for Finance and Administration.<br />
<br />
The college and the foundation work together to insure that fundraising activities by different college groups are coordinated, and the external community sees any solicitation of funds as coming from a single entity. The foundation works closely with the college community to determine what fundraising and development activities would best serve the needs of the college.<br />
<br />
For example, in FY 2008 the Development office is focused on a concise list of projects ranging from media equipment for a new campus facility to endowments for scholarships and visiting scholars. Conversations are underway with the board of governors to respond to the ever-increasing need for student financial assistance.<br />
<br />
===Summary===<br />
<br />
The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Furthermore, the state will most likely be facing economic challenges that could result in reduced funding for higher education for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7 - Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our vision and strategic plan, and a record of external auditor reports with no major findings.<br />
<br />
2.) The college’s financial planning is tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. These goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels.” The president and the board of trustees provide the sound financial planning embodied in the college’s decisions and policies.<br />
<br />
3.) The college relies on state funding and tuition revenues to provide a stable base of funding for the institution.<br />
<br />
4.) The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. However, the college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations because most auxiliaries (e.g., the bookstore, parking, or housing services) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations, and increasing revenues to auxiliaries would increase students' cost of attendance or hurt operating budgets. <br />
<br />
5.) The college has purchased and implemented the SCT Banner Student and Finance administrative software modules, resulting in improved student and financial services. <br />
<br />
6.) The changes in the College Advancement division has helped the college to significantly increase fundraising over the last few years. <br />
<br />
7.) Because state funding for higher education has not kept pace with academic needs, the college must find private dollars for supporting students and ensuring the quality of public education. <br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Higher education will be competing with K-12, prisons, and services for the elderly for limited state funding that could result in reduced funding for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
2.) Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
3.) The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
4.) In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts. <br />
<br />
5.) Efforts to sustain and grow the breadth and depth of fundraising will be essential to the college’s capacity to support students and faculty innovation in the years ahead. <br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has developed substantial reserve funds to help meet contingencies, thus helping to insure stability in campus operations.<br />
<br />
2.) The college has improved administrative software and better integrated financial services.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has recently made significant strides in fundraising, supporting student and faculty opportunities for study, program development, and research. <br />
<br />
4.) The hiring of an internal auditor has helped improve internal controls and procedures. <br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college needs to complete the improvement of its internal administrative systems by acquiring human resource and budgeting software.<br />
<br />
2.) The college should continue to work on developing broad and deep fundraising efforts to help diversify revenue to support teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to continue to improve auxiliary enterprises so they are all self-supporting.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) In keeping with the strategic plan, continued efforts to improve fundraising and to increase revenues in auxiliary services are critical components in the financial goal of the strategic plan. The college is currently making plans and creating outcome measures to assess work in this area. <br />
<br />
2.) Improvements in internal administrative systems in human resources and budgeting are elements of the college’s upcoming budget requests to the legislature.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 Supporting Documentation==<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven|Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_7&diff=8847Standard 72008-07-24T23:10:26Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Summary */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 7 – Finance==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
<br />
The financial goals of the college are to support quality educational opportunities to meet the intellectual, academic, career, personal, and developmental needs of our students and members of the community. The financial and business functions of the college are managed and led with the ideal of making this mission a reality through enhanced funding. Toward this end, the college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our visions and strategic plan, and a record of audit reports with no major findings. The college's growth and development reflect sound financial planning guided by policies and decisions made by the college board of trustees and president. The financial and business functions of the college are under the leadership and responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration and a capable group of employees who manage fiscal operations, capital facilities planning and construction, physical plant, human resources, information technology, and auxiliary operations.<br />
<br />
The college continues to rely on state funding and tuition as the major sources of operating funds. State operating support has increased by 19% per student FTE since 2003, and as a percent of total operating revenue has remained at a range of 36% to 39% from 2003 to 2007.<br />
<br />
The college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations. Most of our auxiliaries (Dining and Food Service, Bookstore and Parking) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations supported by operating revenues. Increasing the revenues to these auxiliary enterprises would increase student's cost of attendance or have a negative impact on departmental operating expenditures. <br />
<br />
An internal auditor was hired in December 2005 and reports directly to the president. She has recommended several improvements in areas such as cash handling and internal controls of fixed assets, which have been implemented. She will continue to perform audits on the entire financial operations and make recommendations.<br />
<br />
The college purchased and implemented a major administrative software system from SCT Banner. The student system has been in place since 2004 and the finance module since 2005. This is a comprehensive administrative program designed for higher education and is used by hundreds of colleges and universities. We are in the process of searching for a new human resource/payroll system and budgeting system.These systems will be expensive and time consuming to implement, but are necessary for a comprehensive administrative system.<br />
<br />
Fundraising has increased significantly over the past ten years. Overall giving has increased 141% during this period and net assets have grown from $1,673,000 in 1997 to $7,847,027 in 2007. A new vice president for Advancement was hired in 2006, and several vacant and new positions in Advancement were recently filled.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.A – Financial Planning===<br />
<br />
====7.A.1 Governing boards and, where applicable, state agencies have given the institution appropriate autonomy in financial planning and budgeting matters within overall mandates and priorities.====<br />
<br />
<br />
The college operates as part of a system of higher education institutions in the state of Washington coordinated by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. The governance of the college has been vested with the board of trustees as set forth in RCW 28B.40.120. Their general powers and duties include: full control of the college’s property; employment of the faculty and staff; and purchase of all goods and services necessary to conduct the business of the college, except as otherwise provided by law.<br />
<br />
The president and senior staff along with the board of trustees establish a legislative agenda and budget request, which is then presented to the Office of Financial Management (the governor’s budget agency) for review, clarification, and inclusion into the governor's budget request. This legislative agenda, after consultation with the Office of Financial Management, is submitted to the legislature as part of the governor’s budget. The legislative agenda also includes capital funding and an enrollment plan with potential new enrollments for the college. The legislature establishes the college’s budgeted enrollment level and at this time controls the maximum allowable resident tuition increases.<br />
<br />
====7.A.2 The institution demonstrates that financial planning for the future is a strategically guided process. This planning includes a minimum of a three-year projection of major categories of income, specific plans for major categories of expenditures, and plans for the management of capital revenue and expenditures. Short and long-range capital budgets reflect the institution’s goals and objectives and relate to the plans for physical facilities and acquisition of equipment.====<br />
<br />
Financial planning for the college is directly tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. The “strategic directions” for the financial goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels." All major budget decisions are reviewed to ensure they are in alignment with the strategic plan.<br />
<br />
Although the legislature funds new enrollment levels, state appropriations as a percent of total operating revenue have been slowly declining for several years. This decline has been offset by tuition and fee increases. To help keep tuition rates affordable, fundraising is identified as the main source of new revenue. Increased revenue from fundraising will be used for a variety of efforts including increasing student scholarships; funding faculty development and scholarly work; and course and curriculum improvements such as equipment procurement, outreach, and student service programs. <br />
<br />
Goods and services expenditures are controlled by state and college policies that dictate procedures that result in getting quality products and services at the best possible price. One example of this is the recent state Smart Buy contract with a vendor for office supplies. Energy efficiency is addressed during new construction and other capital projects. Vacancies in existing staff positions and requests for new positions are evaluated before hiring is approved to achieve staff efficiencies. <br />
<br />
The state has a two-year budget cycle which the college begins a year in advance. During this process the college prepares budgets for major revenue and expense categories based on expected enrollment levels and other program needs, including a capital budget. In the even numbered years, the legislature considers a supplemental budget.<br />
<br />
The college’s physical resources are specifically addressed in the strategic plan’s support goals. The college has a ten-year capital construction plan which is updated every two years. Funding for capital projects comes from two main sources, the legislature and a portion of student fees. The college updated its campus master plan in 2008 based on the strategic plan and this will help guide future capital requests.<br />
<br />
====7.A.3 The institution publishes an annual budget distributed to appropriate constituencies, and the policies, guidelines, and processes for developing the budget are clearly defined and followed. Budget revisions are made promptly, and, when necessary, a revised budget or schedule of budget changes is developed and distributed to appropriate constituencies.====<br />
<br />
In the spring of each odd-numbered year, while the state legislature is approaching their final budget policy framework, Evergreen’s internal allocation process begins.<br />
<br />
The Office of Operational Planning and Budget anticipates changes to our base funding levels such as state budget reductions (or enhancements), enrollment growth funding, and tuition or fee increases to establish an overall revenue policy framework.<br />
<br />
The president and vice presidents discuss the implications of the anticipated revenue policy framework with the deans and directors to determine the budget themes that need to be addressed in the college’s allocation process. Normally, priorities will be consistent with those themes included in the college’s biennial budget request and may also include other priorities that have emerged since the college’s budget request was developed. It is at this stage that the president will decide if any college contingency strategies such as budget reductions or internal reallocation planning will be necessary.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents are responsible for reviewing all budget decisions and modifications. The divisional budget coordinators, executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, and the director of Business Services will provide the necessary staff support for the vice presidents in this regard.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents are responsible for 360-degree consultation while they are formulating an overall budget implementation strategy recommendation to the president. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget will be responsible for core coordination activities and posting budget planning material on the college Web site.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents will conduct divisional and campus-wide budget hearings to provide information regarding the college’s most pressing needs and how those needs translate into budget priorities. Included in this discussion is the relationship of the proposed actions outlined in the college long-range plans for both the operating and capital budgets. In setting budget priorities, the vice presidents consult with the faculty budget advisory committee, the student union and the campus community.<br />
<br />
The president is responsible for finalizing a recommended budget to the board of trustees for their approval. The president’s proposal shall highlight any changes to the previously board-approved budget policy. The president will also identify modifications she/he made in the recommendations to the course of action recommended to her/him by the vice presidents.<br />
<br />
The college publishes the president’s biennial operating and capital budget requests, which are available on the college’s Web site. See ''[[Media: Exhibit_7-20_Legislature_101_A_Guide_to_the_Washington_State_Legislature.doc|Legislature 101: A Guide to the Washington State Legislature]]'' and ''[[Media: Budget101.pdf|Budget 101: A Guide to Evergreen’s Budget]]'', documents that were developed to inform the campus community about the various budget processes.<br />
<br />
====7.A.4 Debt for capital outlay purposes is periodically reviewed, carefully controlled, and justified,so as not to create an unreasonable drain on resources available for educational purposes. The institution has a governing board policy guiding the use and limit of debt.====<br />
<br />
Funding for most state-system capital projects is from three main sources (capital appropriations from the legislature, Timber Trust Fund earnings and a portion of student fees) and therefore no college debt is incurred. However, capital funding for auxiliary services such as housing, food services, and the bookstore, is provided through revenue bonds or capital lease agreements with the Office of the State Treasurer.<br />
<br />
In 2006, the students voted to self-impose a fee to support a remodel and expansion of the College Activities Building. The revenue from this fee will used to repay bonds issued to accomplish the remodel.<br />
<br />
The college carefully reviews any requests for auxiliary capital funding to ensure that resources are sufficient for repayment. The board of trustees authorizes the borrowing of money and the issuance and sale of revenue bonds and certain lease agreements. In 2006, the college issued Housing Revenue bonds in the amount of $7.5 million, with a current balance of $7.2 million. The bond proceeds were used to refund $1.4 million in existing bonds, and over $6 million is being used to renovate various buildings including roof replacement, elevator refurbishing, and furniture replacement. As of June 30, 2007, the college has capital lease agreements with the state treasurer’s office in the amount of $463,000 for some equipment purchases and renovation of the childcare facility.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.B – Adequacy of Financial Resources===<br />
<br />
====7.B.1 The institution provides evidence that it seeks and utilizes different sources of funds adequate to support its programs and services. The commitment of those resources among programs and services reflects appropriately the mission and goals and priorities of the institution.====<br />
<br />
Between state appropriations and tuition revenue, the college has a stable funding base. The college also receives funding from federal, state, and local grants, auxiliary funds, local dedicated funds, and fundraising. <br />
<br />
For the past several years, the college has been able to carry forward more than $3.6 million in institutional operating reserve, or more than 5% of the operating budget. This flexibility has allowed the college to meet unforeseen demands and make better strategic decisions. For the last two biennia, the college has not allocated 100% of the operating revenue in order to plan and implement goals in the strategic plan, without reducing the quality of the academic programs or student services. In the 2007-09 operating budget, funding was approved to support strategic initiatives in sustainability and diversity.<br />
<br />
The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. The college continues to seek new revenue streams. An Extended Education program was initiated in 2005 and start-up funding was provided. This program will be reviewed in the fall of 2008 to determine if it should continue.<br />
<br />
====7.B.2 Adequate resources are available to meet debt service requirements of short-term and long-term indebtedness without adversely affecting the quality of educational programs. A minimum of three years’ history of the amount borrowed (whether internally or externally) for capital outlay and for operating funds is maintained. A five-year projection of future debt repayments is maintained.====<br />
<br />
The college’s resources are sufficient to meet its debt service requirements without negatively impacting operations. Evergreen keeps a minimum three-year history on funds borrowed and operating funds. A five-year projection of future debt service requirements is maintained and included in the notes to the annual financial statements.<br />
<br />
====7.B.3 Financial statements indicate a history of financial stability for the past five years. If an accumulated deficit has been recorded, a realistic plan to eliminate the deficit is approved by the governing board.====<br />
<br />
The financial condition of the college has been stable for the past five years and there have been no material deficits. Operating revenues are budgeted and divisions are not allowed to deficit spend. Other operations are required to plan and operate in a fiscally responsible manner. Some individual accounts have had deficits during some periods, and these are addressed by the manager, director, and vice-president responsible.<br />
<br />
====7.B.4 Transfers among the major funds and interfund borrowing are legal and guided by clearly stated policies in accordance with prudent financial planning and control.====<br />
<br />
Mandatory and non-mandatory transfers among funds are controlled and approved by the appropriate person. These transfers are included in the financial statements and in the operating budget requests. Budget transfers in the operating fund between divisions must be approved by the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget.<br />
<br />
====7.B.5 The institution demonstrates the adequacy of financial resources for the support of all of its offerings including specialized occupational, technical, and professional programs.====<br />
<br />
Evergreen allocates its resources to protect the academic programs and support the educational goals in the strategic plan. When the college receives legislative funding for enrollment growth and tuition increases, instructional costs are funded first at the same level as existing programs. The balance of these funds, combined with internal reallocations, savings from efficiencies, and other new revenue streams, is allocated to non-instructional areas for overhead, other growth-related costs, and a responsible contingency reserve. This reserve is available for funding new prioritized strategic initiatives, unknown contingencies such as union contract agreements, large one-time purchases, or unexpected increases in areas like utility costs. The budget and allocation processes establish a comprehensive practice for college leadership to employ when making decisions on effectively funding the educational goals of the institution.<br />
<br />
====7.B.6 The institution identifies the sources of its student financial aid for current enrollments and provides evidence of planning for future financial aid in light of projected enrollments. It monitors and controls the relationship between unfunded student financial aid and tuition revenues.====<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s student financial aid comes from three main sources, federal and state programs, The Evergreen State College Foundation scholarships, and institutional aid. Federal and state aid is defined by the various government programs, and foundation scholarships are governed by the fundraising efforts. Institutional aid, in the form of tuition waivers, was historically funded at 6% of tuition until 2007. In the 2007-09 budget request, the college asked for and received legislative approval to increase the funded waiver amount from 6% to 10% over the next five years. This will increase the amount of institutional waivers by 67%. For student recruitment and retention efforts, the college can and has allocated more than the 6% for tuition waivers with the approval of the board of trustees. Financial aid from state grants has increased over 35% from 2005 to 2007.<br />
<br />
====7.B.7 The institution maintains adequate financial reserves to meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service.====<br />
<br />
To meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service, Evergreen maintains a diversity of reserves. These reserves include:<br />
<br />
: Funds available from the operating budget that are not fully allocated. These funds are usually set aside for new initiatives and unknown needs.<br />
<br />
: Divisional and institutional operating reserves. These are allocated operating funds that are under-spent in one year and carried forward either by a division or the institution. These reserves have been in excess of $6 million for several years. They are usually used to support one-time or temporary requests.<br />
<br />
: The college’s rainy day fund. This fund of approximately $1 million is funded from miscellaneous local income and is for emergency use only.<br />
<br />
Some self-supporting units, like summer school, have substantial fund balances that are used to augment otherwise unfunded requests in academics and elsewhere.<br />
<br />
In addition, the college is conservative in estimating tuition revenue in the event enrollment levels or the mix of resident and non-resident students is different than projected.<br />
<br />
====7.B.8 The institution demonstrates an understanding of the financial relationship between its education and general operations and its auxiliary enterprises and their respective contributions to the overall operations of the institution. This includes the institution’s recognition of whether it is dependent on auxiliary enterprise income to balance education and general operations or whether the institution has to use education and general operations income to balance auxiliary enterprises.====<br />
<br />
At Evergreen, auxiliary services are of unique value to the overall operations of the college. Evergreen is physically located in a rural area with little or no services within several miles, except for a few apartment units. Therefore, the services and products provided by auxiliaries such as dining, housing, parking, and the bookstore are not readily available from private retailers. It would be extremely inconvenient for the students, staff, and faculty if these services were not available on campus. This also means some services are provided even though they may not be financially viable. <br />
<br />
Evergreen is not dependent on the income of its auxiliaries to financially support the operations of the college. All auxiliaries are charged for services provided them by operating units of the college. A schedule showing the ten-year profit/loss of the major auxiliaries is included in the exhibits (see [[Media: Exhibit_7-25_Ten_Year_Income_History_of_Auxiliary_Enterprises.xls|Ten-Year Income History of Auxiliary Enterprises]]).<br />
<br />
For several years, food services suffered significant losses. Beginning in 2004, steps were taken to improve the financial condition, including contracting with a new food service vendor, combining food services with the housing operation, and requiring all housing freshmen to purchase meal plans. These actions have greatly reduced the losses and may result in breaking even in 2008. The food service facility is slated for a complete renovation in 2009-11, which should have a significant positive impact on their financial success.<br />
<br />
Housing has always been self-supporting. In 2006, Housing issued a $7.5 million bond to pay off the remaining balance of the previous bond issue, and perform some major renovations on its oldest buildings. It has met its bond obligations, developed a ten-year financial plan, and is building a reserve to continue capital improvements. In 2007, the operation posted a net profit exceeding $1 million.<br />
<br />
The bookstore has been self-supporting over time, but has carried a negative fund balance since it first opened. For the past ten years it has had a total net profit of over $300,000, but it incurred losses for both 2006 and 2007. Most of the current decline is due to competition from online bookstores and a facility that is in need of a major renovation. The bookstore, located in the College Activities Building, is also planning a complete renovation in 2009-11. For a one- to two-year period, the bookstore will be in a temporary location, but will move back to a new facility which should have a positive impact on their profitability. Other efforts are being made to improve its financial picture including promoting Web sales and adding new services after the remodel.<br />
<br />
Conference Services has been self-supporting, but in recent years it has been challenged with finding space on campus to hold conferences. This challenge was due to major remodeling of existing buildings, both general academic buildings and housing buildings. This challenge will continue as major renovations of most major campus buildings are planned for the next several years. Although Conference Services is not highly profitable, its operations create significant revenue for food services, housing, and other operations on campus. Because of changes made in 2006, this department did record a small profit in 2007, and this should improve for 2008.<br />
<br />
Other auxiliaries such as Motor Pool and Duplicating Services are internal service functions that are self-sufficient but are not designed to provide direct financial support to the college.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.C – Financial Management===<br />
<br />
====7.C.1 The president reports regularly to the governing board about the financial adequacy and stability of the institution.====<br />
<br />
Quarterly, the president and vice president for Finance and Administration provide financial information to the board of trustees that includes standard year to date financial statements for the entire college, and specific financial information on operating budgets and expenditures to date, auxiliary financial reports, capital expenditures and local dedicated fund activity. The president informs the board about any concerns relating to the financial health of the college. In the fall the board receives a financial report for the year ending June 30. The college’s audited report is reviewed by the full board and at least one board member attends the audit exit meeting with the State Auditor’s Office.<br />
<br />
====7.C.2 Financial functions are centralized and are under a single qualified financial officer responsible to the president. Institutional business functions are under one or more qualified officers, are well organized, and function effectively. The complexity of the business organization reflects the size of the institution and the significance of its transactions.====<br />
<br />
The financial management of the college is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The director of Business Services, who reports to the vice president, is responsible for all day to day financial transactions and the centralized major financial functions including payroll, purchasing, reporting, investments, cashiering and general accounting. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, who reports directly to the president, is responsible for budget development and monitoring, and long-range planning. He consults with the budget coordinators located within each division and who report directly to the appropriate vice president. Qualified professionals occupy positions responsible for accounting functions and financial management.<br />
<br />
====7.C.3 All expenditures and income from whatever source, and the administration of scholarships, grants in aid, loans, and student employment, are fully controlled by the institution and are included in its regular planning, budgeting, accounting, and auditing procedures.====<br />
<br />
The college’s expenditures and income are recorded and coordinated through the college’s financial processes which are governed in their basic structure by the state. The state sets financial standards and policy through the Office of Financial Management. Financial information is input and reported via the SCT Banner system, a computerized software program used by Evergreen and other four-year institutions in the state. This system interfaces with the state government accounting system and meets accounting and auditing guidelines. The Banner system’s financial management reporting module includes control tables, general ledger accounting, accounts payable, purchasing, customer accounts, and cashiering. The annual college operating budget is input and processed through this system. The college has established organization codes to track and monitor financial activity within the departments of the college.<br />
<br />
Each unit/department head is responsible for monitoring the budgets under their control. They have Web access to current data on their budget and expenditures to date. The budget coordinator for each division is responsible for monitoring all the budgets in their division. The budget coordinators and the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget meet regularly, and also meet quarterly with the vice presidents to review and discuss the budget. The vice presidents meet regularly with the president.<br />
<br />
Historical financial information is readily available in the accounting system and is used to effectively prepare and budget for future years.<br />
<br />
The administration and accounting of financial aid is administered jointly by the Financial Aid office and Business Services office. Financial Aid also uses an integrated Banner program that provides needs analysis, application tracking, award management, student loans, student employment monitoring, external reporting, and disbursement. The Financial Aid director has responsibility for the college’s financial aid programs.<br />
<br />
====7.C.4 The institution has clearly defined and implemented policies regarding cash management and investments which have been approved by the governing board.====<br />
<br />
The Office of Financial Management establishes the standards and guidelines for cash management and investments. The college’s investment policy provides additional guidelines. The director of Business Services and the accounting manager monitor the college’s investments. Investment options are very limited by Washington state law, resulting in a conservative and safe investment strategy. Decisions on investments are based on current market conditions, interest rates, and the long- and short-term cash needs of the college. The college manages its exposure to interest rate changes by limiting the duration of investments to no more than twelve months and structuring the maturity of investments to mature at various times in the year. Final approval for all investments is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The accounting supervisor, under the auspices of the director of Business Services, reviews all accounts and keeps the college cash management account in balance. The vice president of Finance and Administration is provided a monthly report on all college investments.<br />
<br />
Most of the college’s endowment funds are invested with a private investment firm, and the balance of the college’s cash assets are invested in certificates of deposit or with the state’s Local Government Investment Pool. These are endowments held by the college, not the foundation.<br />
<br />
====7.C.5 The institution’s accounting system follows generally accepted principles of accounting.====<br />
<br />
The college maintains an accounting system that records all transactions to facilitate reporting in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The professional accounting staff is fully knowledgeable of accounting principles.<br />
<br />
====7.C.6 – 7.C.10====<br />
<br />
''7.C.6: For independent institutions, the governing board is responsible for the selection of an auditing firm and receives the annual audit report.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.7: Independent institutions are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and the audit is conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The audit includes a management letter. A summary of the latest audited financial statement is made available to the public.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.8: A proprietary institution makes available annually a financial summary which includes, as a minimum, a list of company officers, a statement of profit and loss, expenditures, indebtedness, and companies which have a controlling interest in the institution.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.9: If public institutions are, by law, audited by a state agency, an independent audit is not required except for any funds not subject to governmental audit.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.10: All funds for financial aid and other specific programs not subject to governmental audit are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and include a management letter.''<br />
<br />
The college is audited annually by the Washington State Auditor’s Office for compliance and financial statements. The audits are conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing principals, and all college funds are subject to the audit including financial aid and other specific programs. The audit is a combined process covering both federal and state funds. The college has had only one finding since 2003.<br />
<br />
Since 2005, the audited financial statements have been available to the public on the college’s Web site. Prior to 2005, printed financial statements were available upon request.<br />
<br />
====7.C.11 The institution demonstrates a well-organized program of internal audit (where appropriate) and control that complements the accounting system and the external audit.====<br />
<br />
The college’s internal auditor, a qualified professional, reports directly to the president. The internal auditor has developed a comprehensive audit plan and has full access to all college financial records and transactions. The internal auditor meets regularly with the board of trustees to discuss the results of internal audits performed. The auditor also meet regularly with the vice president for Finance and Administration and the director of Business Services to discuss the results of audits and recommended corrections.<br />
<br />
====7.C.12 The institution demonstrates that recommendations in the auditor’s management letter accompanying the audit report have been adequately considered.====<br />
<br />
The college takes recommendations from the state auditor and the internal auditor very seriously and strives to correct any items of concern expressed in the audits. Audit results from the State Auditor’s Office are reviewed by the board of trustees and published in a statewide audit report.<br />
<br />
====7.C.13 Federal, state, external, and internal audit reports are made available for examination as part of any evaluation conducted by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.====<br />
<br />
<br />
Recent audits and other federal, state, and external reports are available for review (see [[Media: Annualreport_2007.pdf|2007 Annual Report for College and Foundation]]).<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.D – Fund Raising and Development===<br />
<br />
As state funding for higher education and tuition increases have not kept pace with academic needs, it has become increasingly clear that private dollars will be essential for not only supporting students, but also to ensure the quality of public higher education.<br />
<br />
The Evergreen State College Foundation was established by the college board of trustees in July of 1976 and is governed by Articles of Incorporation adopted that same year and by-laws which were most recently reviewed and significantly updated in the Spring of 2007. In 1988, the development office became a unit of the newly created College Advancement division. By policy adopted February 1, 1990, all campus fundraising is cleared through the Office of College Advancement.<br />
<br />
Historically, the fundraising efforts of the college foundation have focused on providing financial assistance to students in the form of scholarships and activity grants, and increasingly in recent years, providing support for faculty development and research. Significant foundation and corporate grants have helped expand and deepen the work of several of the college’s public service centers, most notably the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center and the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute.<br />
<br />
In 2004, the college president secured the services of The Collins Group to review and assess the organizational structure of the College Advancement division and provide recommendations intended to move the operation to the next level. Significant recommendations included the need to more directly tie fundraising initiatives and long-term plans to the institutional strategic plan. Along with preparation for accreditation, this was a significant factor in the decision to launch the recent update to the college’s strategic plan. Other major recommendations of The Collins Group included the expansion and maturing of the Evergreen Annual Fund program, which provides significant dollars for scholarships and other critical college needs, the need to establish a major local fundraising event, and a number of organizational recommendations that would provide the level of fiscal and personnel resources necessary for the college to consider entering into a major fundraising campaign.<br />
<br />
Subsequent to these recommendations, The Campbell Company was hired to help further enhance the Evergreen Annual Fund program. Working together, a three-year plan was developed to raise the level of giving and expand the number of alumni supporting the institution. In 2006, the first levels of recommendations were implemented and there was a remarkable 30% increase in the Evergreen Annual Fund, from $338,000 to $448,000. Normally a mature annual fund program will experience a 3% to 5% increase per year. The second level of recommendations was implemented in 2007 with another jump of more than 10%, raising the fund to nearly $485,000. The goal for 2008 is to raise a half million dollars in the Evergreen Annual Fund. Donations through January 2008 have put the foundation on track to exceed this goal by a substantial margin.<br />
<br />
Through the efforts of our president, the college was successful in 2005 in receiving a $1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help in building its fundraising program. These funds have provided the ability to work with additional consultants to train and develop staff, expand and deepen the fundraising infrastructure, and fund additional staff for the effort. In addition the college itself, through its internal budget process, has provided significant new resources to College Advancement as a whole. These new infusions of funds have provided resources for not only fundraising staff, but also for marketing and college relations staff and programs. This assists the fundraising efforts by expanding the understanding and reputation of the college.<br />
<br />
There have been significant changes to the staff in the past couple of years, both through turnover and through additional resources that added new staff positions. All of the leadership is relatively new. The vice president, having served for fifteen years as the executive associate to the president, stepped into the leadership of this effort in August of 2006. In the past year she has hired a director of development, director of alumni affairs, executive director of marketing and communications, alumni assistant, administrative assistant, two major gifts officers, and a new communications manager. While the staff is relatively new, it has already formed a closely knit and powerful team that collaborates well and understands how each of their areas can and must work together to assure a more stable financial future for the college and its students.<br />
<br />
The board of governors itself has undergone intensive work in the past year to strengthen its ability to support fundraising efforts on behalf of the college. They have reviewed and revised many of their policies, reorganized the committee structure, and particularly strengthened committees for fundraising and development and evaluation of the board itself. In the summer of 2007, the board met in a two-day retreat for the first time concentrating on understanding the major college initiatives in need of fundraising in the coming year. That work was guided by the college’s updated strategic plan.<br />
<br />
====7.D.1 All college/university fundraising activities are governed by institutional policies, comply with governmental requirements, and are conducted in a professional and ethical manner.====<br />
<br />
College staff and members of the foundation board of governors engaged in fundraising efforts are guided by a variety of policies, procedures, and guidelines designed to ensure that fundraising is conducted in a professional and ethical manner. Board members annually sign a conflict of interest policy declaration. An independent private auditor is secured each year to ensure ongoing adherence to gift accounting standards, consistent reporting procedures, and avoidance of conflicts of interest on the part of members of the board of governors. In order to assure that board and staff members stay current with ethical standards, the college is affiliated with a number of profession fundraising associations. The college maintains an institutional membership in CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education), and individual staff memberships in AFP (Association of Fund Raising Professionals) and other local, regional, and national groups. All of these professional associations provide ethical guidance. AFP has developed standards that provide guidance around issues of professional competence and commitment, stewardship, charitable mission, privacy, cultural diversity, and conflicts of interest. The Standards of Professional Practice address issues involving civil and criminal laws, professional conduct, advocacy, compensation, and donor/prospect information.<br />
<br />
New foundation board members attend an orientation session with staff and other board members at their first quarterly meeting. This orientation includes a review of ethical issues and considerations as well as information about legal and ethical requirements. Each board member has a Foundation Board Member Handbook covering these and other policies that is updated regularly. As part of the annual evaluation of staff and the board, the college continues to provide professional development opportunities that keep everyone current and mindful of ethical obligations.<br />
<br />
The institutional development program is administered by the Office of College Advancement, which includes management of The Evergreen State College Foundation, development (including donor relations), development services and research, alumni affairs, marketing communications, and college relations. Academic grant development is administered through the academic grants office under the auspices of the Provost’s Office. The academic grants manager works closely with development officers in planning fundraising initiatives and identifying corporate and foundation prospects.<br />
<br />
====7.D.2 Endowment and life income funds and their investments are administered by an appropriate institutional officer, foundation, or committee designated by the governing board. The organization maintains complete records concerning these funds and complies with applicable legal requirements.====<br />
<br />
<br />
Management oversight of the foundation endowments is provided by the vice president for College Advancement, with day-to-day management, accounting, and record keeping of all foundation assets provided by the vice president for Finance and Administration who also serves as the assistant treasurer for the foundation. The foundation signed an agreement with the University of Washington in 2003 to pool the foundation’s funds with the University of Washington’s Consolidated Endowment Fund. The foundation’s investment committee reviews the health of endowments on a monthly basis and the vice president for Finance and Administration manages the pooling of any unrestricted cash balances.<br />
<br />
Through the foundation's work, the college's students, faculty, and staff now receive financial assistance from a wide range of endowment funds. Current funds are divided between those funds held by the foundation and those held by the college. The college endowments are funds raised through the foundation but matched through state matching programs. By statute those funds are then held by the college and invested according to state rules and not under control of the foundation. These funds have increased substantially since our last accreditation report.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| ''Endowments*''<br />
| '''''1997'''''<br />
| '''''2002'''''<br />
| '''''2007'''''<br />
| '''''1997-2007 Increase'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Foundation''<br />
| ''1,987,773''<br />
| ''2,277,315''<br />
| ''6,502,504''<br />
| ''227%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''College''<br />
| ''993,773''<br />
| ''2,052,389''<br />
| ''2,661,032''<br />
| ''168%''<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NOTE*: Foundation endowment amounts include other temporarily restricted funds.<br />
<br />
The foundation agreement with the University of Washington has dramatically increased the earnings potential for those endowments.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''''Total Giving'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Dollars raised from all sources''<br />
| ''$778,678''<br />
| ''$1,038,807''<br />
| ''1,874,508''<br />
| ''141%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of donors''<br />
| ''4,351''<br />
| ''3,232''<br />
| ''4,199''<br />
| ''-3%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Average gift amount''<br />
| ''$179''<br />
| ''$321''<br />
| ''$446''<br />
| ''149%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''2,395''<br />
| ''1,627''<br />
| ''2,418''<br />
| ''1%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Percentage of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''13%''<br />
| ''5%''<br />
| ''8%''<br />
| ''-37%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| '''''Evergreen Annual Fund'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Total Income''<br />
| ''$187,352''<br />
| ''$269,975''<br />
| ''$484,506''<br />
| ''159%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Donors''<br />
| ''3,184''<br />
| ''2,391''<br />
| ''3,522''<br />
| ''11%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
====7.D.3 The institution has a clearly defined relationship with any foundation bearing its name or which has as its major purpose the raising of funds for the institution.====<br />
<br />
<br />
The foundation is subject to rules and regulations of the IRS as a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) “public” charity, and to regulations of the state of Washington governing non-profit organizations, as specified in chapter 24.03 RCW. According to its bylaws, the foundation operates “exclusively for the purposes of promoting, supporting, maintaining, developing, increasing and extending educational offerings and the pursuit thereof at or in connection with The Evergreen State College…” The relationship between the foundation and the college is established through a contract signed by both boards, which follows the state attorney general’s model for foundations affiliated with public institutions of higher education. That contract provides for state support of staff and provisions of resources – including offices – in exchange for dollars raised to support the institution and its students. The contract is reviewed and renewed every three years.<br />
<br />
The College Advancement division serves as the principal liaison with The Evergreen State College Foundation. The executive director of the foundation is also the vice president for the division of College Advancement. In addition to the executive director, ex-officio members of the foundation board of governors include a member of the board of trustees, the college president, and the vice president for Finance and Administration.<br />
<br />
The college and the foundation work together to insure that fundraising activities by different college groups are coordinated, and the external community sees any solicitation of funds as coming from a single entity. The foundation works closely with the college community to determine what fundraising and development activities would best serve the needs of the college.<br />
<br />
For example, in FY 2008 the Development office is focused on a concise list of projects ranging from media equipment for a new campus facility to endowments for scholarships and visiting scholars. Conversations are underway with the board of governors to respond to the ever-increasing need for student financial assistance.<br />
<br />
===Summary===<br />
<br />
The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Furthermore, the state will most likely be facing economic challenges that could result in reduced funding for higher education for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 - Findings and Conclusions==<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our vision and strategic plan, and a record of external auditor reports with no major findings.<br />
<br />
2.) The college’s financial planning is tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. These goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels.” The president and the board of trustees provide the sound financial planning embodied in the college’s decisions and policies.<br />
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3.) The college relies on state funding and tuition revenues to provide a stable base of funding for the institution.<br />
<br />
4.) The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. However, the college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations because most auxiliaries (e.g., the bookstore, parking, or housing services) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations, and increasing revenues to auxiliaries would increase students' cost of attendance or hurt operating budgets. <br />
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5.) The college has purchased and implemented the SCT Banner Student and Finance administrative software modules, resulting in improved student and financial services. <br />
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6.) The changes in the College Advancement division has helped the college to significantly increase fundraising over the last few years. <br />
<br />
7.) Because state funding for higher education has not kept pace with academic needs, the college must find private dollars for supporting students and ensuring the quality of public education. <br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Higher education will be competing with K-12, prisons, and services for the elderly for limited state funding that could result in reduced funding for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
2.) Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
3.) The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
4.) In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts. <br />
<br />
5.) Efforts to sustain and grow the breadth and depth of fundraising will be essential to the college’s capacity to support students and faculty innovation in the years ahead. <br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has developed substantial reserve funds to help meet contingencies, thus helping to insure stability in campus operations.<br />
<br />
2.) The college has improved administrative software and better integrated financial services.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has recently made significant strides in fundraising, supporting student and faculty opportunities for study, program development, and research. <br />
<br />
4.) The hiring of an internal auditor has helped improve internal controls and procedures. <br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college needs to complete the improvement of its internal administrative systems by acquiring human resource and budgeting software.<br />
<br />
2.) The college should continue to work on developing broad and deep fundraising efforts to help diversify revenue to support teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to continue to improve auxiliary enterprises so they are all self-supporting.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) In keeping with the strategic plan, continued efforts to improve fundraising and to increase revenues in auxiliary services are critical components in the financial goal of the strategic plan. The college is currently making plans and creating outcome measures to assess work in this area. <br />
<br />
2.) Improvements in internal administrative systems in human resources and budgeting are elements of the college’s upcoming budget requests to the legislature.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 Supporting Documentation==<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven|Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_7&diff=8846Standard 72008-07-24T23:09:46Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 7.D – Fund Raising and Development */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 7 – Finance==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
<br />
The financial goals of the college are to support quality educational opportunities to meet the intellectual, academic, career, personal, and developmental needs of our students and members of the community. The financial and business functions of the college are managed and led with the ideal of making this mission a reality through enhanced funding. Toward this end, the college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our visions and strategic plan, and a record of audit reports with no major findings. The college's growth and development reflect sound financial planning guided by policies and decisions made by the college board of trustees and president. The financial and business functions of the college are under the leadership and responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration and a capable group of employees who manage fiscal operations, capital facilities planning and construction, physical plant, human resources, information technology, and auxiliary operations.<br />
<br />
The college continues to rely on state funding and tuition as the major sources of operating funds. State operating support has increased by 19% per student FTE since 2003, and as a percent of total operating revenue has remained at a range of 36% to 39% from 2003 to 2007.<br />
<br />
The college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations. Most of our auxiliaries (Dining and Food Service, Bookstore and Parking) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations supported by operating revenues. Increasing the revenues to these auxiliary enterprises would increase student's cost of attendance or have a negative impact on departmental operating expenditures. <br />
<br />
An internal auditor was hired in December 2005 and reports directly to the president. She has recommended several improvements in areas such as cash handling and internal controls of fixed assets, which have been implemented. She will continue to perform audits on the entire financial operations and make recommendations.<br />
<br />
The college purchased and implemented a major administrative software system from SCT Banner. The student system has been in place since 2004 and the finance module since 2005. This is a comprehensive administrative program designed for higher education and is used by hundreds of colleges and universities. We are in the process of searching for a new human resource/payroll system and budgeting system.These systems will be expensive and time consuming to implement, but are necessary for a comprehensive administrative system.<br />
<br />
Fundraising has increased significantly over the past ten years. Overall giving has increased 141% during this period and net assets have grown from $1,673,000 in 1997 to $7,847,027 in 2007. A new vice president for Advancement was hired in 2006, and several vacant and new positions in Advancement were recently filled.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.A – Financial Planning===<br />
<br />
====7.A.1 Governing boards and, where applicable, state agencies have given the institution appropriate autonomy in financial planning and budgeting matters within overall mandates and priorities.====<br />
<br />
<br />
The college operates as part of a system of higher education institutions in the state of Washington coordinated by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. The governance of the college has been vested with the board of trustees as set forth in RCW 28B.40.120. Their general powers and duties include: full control of the college’s property; employment of the faculty and staff; and purchase of all goods and services necessary to conduct the business of the college, except as otherwise provided by law.<br />
<br />
The president and senior staff along with the board of trustees establish a legislative agenda and budget request, which is then presented to the Office of Financial Management (the governor’s budget agency) for review, clarification, and inclusion into the governor's budget request. This legislative agenda, after consultation with the Office of Financial Management, is submitted to the legislature as part of the governor’s budget. The legislative agenda also includes capital funding and an enrollment plan with potential new enrollments for the college. The legislature establishes the college’s budgeted enrollment level and at this time controls the maximum allowable resident tuition increases.<br />
<br />
====7.A.2 The institution demonstrates that financial planning for the future is a strategically guided process. This planning includes a minimum of a three-year projection of major categories of income, specific plans for major categories of expenditures, and plans for the management of capital revenue and expenditures. Short and long-range capital budgets reflect the institution’s goals and objectives and relate to the plans for physical facilities and acquisition of equipment.====<br />
<br />
Financial planning for the college is directly tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. The “strategic directions” for the financial goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels." All major budget decisions are reviewed to ensure they are in alignment with the strategic plan.<br />
<br />
Although the legislature funds new enrollment levels, state appropriations as a percent of total operating revenue have been slowly declining for several years. This decline has been offset by tuition and fee increases. To help keep tuition rates affordable, fundraising is identified as the main source of new revenue. Increased revenue from fundraising will be used for a variety of efforts including increasing student scholarships; funding faculty development and scholarly work; and course and curriculum improvements such as equipment procurement, outreach, and student service programs. <br />
<br />
Goods and services expenditures are controlled by state and college policies that dictate procedures that result in getting quality products and services at the best possible price. One example of this is the recent state Smart Buy contract with a vendor for office supplies. Energy efficiency is addressed during new construction and other capital projects. Vacancies in existing staff positions and requests for new positions are evaluated before hiring is approved to achieve staff efficiencies. <br />
<br />
The state has a two-year budget cycle which the college begins a year in advance. During this process the college prepares budgets for major revenue and expense categories based on expected enrollment levels and other program needs, including a capital budget. In the even numbered years, the legislature considers a supplemental budget.<br />
<br />
The college’s physical resources are specifically addressed in the strategic plan’s support goals. The college has a ten-year capital construction plan which is updated every two years. Funding for capital projects comes from two main sources, the legislature and a portion of student fees. The college updated its campus master plan in 2008 based on the strategic plan and this will help guide future capital requests.<br />
<br />
====7.A.3 The institution publishes an annual budget distributed to appropriate constituencies, and the policies, guidelines, and processes for developing the budget are clearly defined and followed. Budget revisions are made promptly, and, when necessary, a revised budget or schedule of budget changes is developed and distributed to appropriate constituencies.====<br />
<br />
In the spring of each odd-numbered year, while the state legislature is approaching their final budget policy framework, Evergreen’s internal allocation process begins.<br />
<br />
The Office of Operational Planning and Budget anticipates changes to our base funding levels such as state budget reductions (or enhancements), enrollment growth funding, and tuition or fee increases to establish an overall revenue policy framework.<br />
<br />
The president and vice presidents discuss the implications of the anticipated revenue policy framework with the deans and directors to determine the budget themes that need to be addressed in the college’s allocation process. Normally, priorities will be consistent with those themes included in the college’s biennial budget request and may also include other priorities that have emerged since the college’s budget request was developed. It is at this stage that the president will decide if any college contingency strategies such as budget reductions or internal reallocation planning will be necessary.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents are responsible for reviewing all budget decisions and modifications. The divisional budget coordinators, executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, and the director of Business Services will provide the necessary staff support for the vice presidents in this regard.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents are responsible for 360-degree consultation while they are formulating an overall budget implementation strategy recommendation to the president. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget will be responsible for core coordination activities and posting budget planning material on the college Web site.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents will conduct divisional and campus-wide budget hearings to provide information regarding the college’s most pressing needs and how those needs translate into budget priorities. Included in this discussion is the relationship of the proposed actions outlined in the college long-range plans for both the operating and capital budgets. In setting budget priorities, the vice presidents consult with the faculty budget advisory committee, the student union and the campus community.<br />
<br />
The president is responsible for finalizing a recommended budget to the board of trustees for their approval. The president’s proposal shall highlight any changes to the previously board-approved budget policy. The president will also identify modifications she/he made in the recommendations to the course of action recommended to her/him by the vice presidents.<br />
<br />
The college publishes the president’s biennial operating and capital budget requests, which are available on the college’s Web site. See ''[[Media: Exhibit_7-20_Legislature_101_A_Guide_to_the_Washington_State_Legislature.doc|Legislature 101: A Guide to the Washington State Legislature]]'' and ''[[Media: Budget101.pdf|Budget 101: A Guide to Evergreen’s Budget]]'', documents that were developed to inform the campus community about the various budget processes.<br />
<br />
====7.A.4 Debt for capital outlay purposes is periodically reviewed, carefully controlled, and justified,so as not to create an unreasonable drain on resources available for educational purposes. The institution has a governing board policy guiding the use and limit of debt.====<br />
<br />
Funding for most state-system capital projects is from three main sources (capital appropriations from the legislature, Timber Trust Fund earnings and a portion of student fees) and therefore no college debt is incurred. However, capital funding for auxiliary services such as housing, food services, and the bookstore, is provided through revenue bonds or capital lease agreements with the Office of the State Treasurer.<br />
<br />
In 2006, the students voted to self-impose a fee to support a remodel and expansion of the College Activities Building. The revenue from this fee will used to repay bonds issued to accomplish the remodel.<br />
<br />
The college carefully reviews any requests for auxiliary capital funding to ensure that resources are sufficient for repayment. The board of trustees authorizes the borrowing of money and the issuance and sale of revenue bonds and certain lease agreements. In 2006, the college issued Housing Revenue bonds in the amount of $7.5 million, with a current balance of $7.2 million. The bond proceeds were used to refund $1.4 million in existing bonds, and over $6 million is being used to renovate various buildings including roof replacement, elevator refurbishing, and furniture replacement. As of June 30, 2007, the college has capital lease agreements with the state treasurer’s office in the amount of $463,000 for some equipment purchases and renovation of the childcare facility.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.B – Adequacy of Financial Resources===<br />
<br />
====7.B.1 The institution provides evidence that it seeks and utilizes different sources of funds adequate to support its programs and services. The commitment of those resources among programs and services reflects appropriately the mission and goals and priorities of the institution.====<br />
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Between state appropriations and tuition revenue, the college has a stable funding base. The college also receives funding from federal, state, and local grants, auxiliary funds, local dedicated funds, and fundraising. <br />
<br />
For the past several years, the college has been able to carry forward more than $3.6 million in institutional operating reserve, or more than 5% of the operating budget. This flexibility has allowed the college to meet unforeseen demands and make better strategic decisions. For the last two biennia, the college has not allocated 100% of the operating revenue in order to plan and implement goals in the strategic plan, without reducing the quality of the academic programs or student services. In the 2007-09 operating budget, funding was approved to support strategic initiatives in sustainability and diversity.<br />
<br />
The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. The college continues to seek new revenue streams. An Extended Education program was initiated in 2005 and start-up funding was provided. This program will be reviewed in the fall of 2008 to determine if it should continue.<br />
<br />
====7.B.2 Adequate resources are available to meet debt service requirements of short-term and long-term indebtedness without adversely affecting the quality of educational programs. A minimum of three years’ history of the amount borrowed (whether internally or externally) for capital outlay and for operating funds is maintained. A five-year projection of future debt repayments is maintained.====<br />
<br />
The college’s resources are sufficient to meet its debt service requirements without negatively impacting operations. Evergreen keeps a minimum three-year history on funds borrowed and operating funds. A five-year projection of future debt service requirements is maintained and included in the notes to the annual financial statements.<br />
<br />
====7.B.3 Financial statements indicate a history of financial stability for the past five years. If an accumulated deficit has been recorded, a realistic plan to eliminate the deficit is approved by the governing board.====<br />
<br />
The financial condition of the college has been stable for the past five years and there have been no material deficits. Operating revenues are budgeted and divisions are not allowed to deficit spend. Other operations are required to plan and operate in a fiscally responsible manner. Some individual accounts have had deficits during some periods, and these are addressed by the manager, director, and vice-president responsible.<br />
<br />
====7.B.4 Transfers among the major funds and interfund borrowing are legal and guided by clearly stated policies in accordance with prudent financial planning and control.====<br />
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Mandatory and non-mandatory transfers among funds are controlled and approved by the appropriate person. These transfers are included in the financial statements and in the operating budget requests. Budget transfers in the operating fund between divisions must be approved by the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget.<br />
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====7.B.5 The institution demonstrates the adequacy of financial resources for the support of all of its offerings including specialized occupational, technical, and professional programs.====<br />
<br />
Evergreen allocates its resources to protect the academic programs and support the educational goals in the strategic plan. When the college receives legislative funding for enrollment growth and tuition increases, instructional costs are funded first at the same level as existing programs. The balance of these funds, combined with internal reallocations, savings from efficiencies, and other new revenue streams, is allocated to non-instructional areas for overhead, other growth-related costs, and a responsible contingency reserve. This reserve is available for funding new prioritized strategic initiatives, unknown contingencies such as union contract agreements, large one-time purchases, or unexpected increases in areas like utility costs. The budget and allocation processes establish a comprehensive practice for college leadership to employ when making decisions on effectively funding the educational goals of the institution.<br />
<br />
====7.B.6 The institution identifies the sources of its student financial aid for current enrollments and provides evidence of planning for future financial aid in light of projected enrollments. It monitors and controls the relationship between unfunded student financial aid and tuition revenues.====<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s student financial aid comes from three main sources, federal and state programs, The Evergreen State College Foundation scholarships, and institutional aid. Federal and state aid is defined by the various government programs, and foundation scholarships are governed by the fundraising efforts. Institutional aid, in the form of tuition waivers, was historically funded at 6% of tuition until 2007. In the 2007-09 budget request, the college asked for and received legislative approval to increase the funded waiver amount from 6% to 10% over the next five years. This will increase the amount of institutional waivers by 67%. For student recruitment and retention efforts, the college can and has allocated more than the 6% for tuition waivers with the approval of the board of trustees. Financial aid from state grants has increased over 35% from 2005 to 2007.<br />
<br />
====7.B.7 The institution maintains adequate financial reserves to meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service.====<br />
<br />
To meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service, Evergreen maintains a diversity of reserves. These reserves include:<br />
<br />
: Funds available from the operating budget that are not fully allocated. These funds are usually set aside for new initiatives and unknown needs.<br />
<br />
: Divisional and institutional operating reserves. These are allocated operating funds that are under-spent in one year and carried forward either by a division or the institution. These reserves have been in excess of $6 million for several years. They are usually used to support one-time or temporary requests.<br />
<br />
: The college’s rainy day fund. This fund of approximately $1 million is funded from miscellaneous local income and is for emergency use only.<br />
<br />
Some self-supporting units, like summer school, have substantial fund balances that are used to augment otherwise unfunded requests in academics and elsewhere.<br />
<br />
In addition, the college is conservative in estimating tuition revenue in the event enrollment levels or the mix of resident and non-resident students is different than projected.<br />
<br />
====7.B.8 The institution demonstrates an understanding of the financial relationship between its education and general operations and its auxiliary enterprises and their respective contributions to the overall operations of the institution. This includes the institution’s recognition of whether it is dependent on auxiliary enterprise income to balance education and general operations or whether the institution has to use education and general operations income to balance auxiliary enterprises.====<br />
<br />
At Evergreen, auxiliary services are of unique value to the overall operations of the college. Evergreen is physically located in a rural area with little or no services within several miles, except for a few apartment units. Therefore, the services and products provided by auxiliaries such as dining, housing, parking, and the bookstore are not readily available from private retailers. It would be extremely inconvenient for the students, staff, and faculty if these services were not available on campus. This also means some services are provided even though they may not be financially viable. <br />
<br />
Evergreen is not dependent on the income of its auxiliaries to financially support the operations of the college. All auxiliaries are charged for services provided them by operating units of the college. A schedule showing the ten-year profit/loss of the major auxiliaries is included in the exhibits (see [[Media: Exhibit_7-25_Ten_Year_Income_History_of_Auxiliary_Enterprises.xls|Ten-Year Income History of Auxiliary Enterprises]]).<br />
<br />
For several years, food services suffered significant losses. Beginning in 2004, steps were taken to improve the financial condition, including contracting with a new food service vendor, combining food services with the housing operation, and requiring all housing freshmen to purchase meal plans. These actions have greatly reduced the losses and may result in breaking even in 2008. The food service facility is slated for a complete renovation in 2009-11, which should have a significant positive impact on their financial success.<br />
<br />
Housing has always been self-supporting. In 2006, Housing issued a $7.5 million bond to pay off the remaining balance of the previous bond issue, and perform some major renovations on its oldest buildings. It has met its bond obligations, developed a ten-year financial plan, and is building a reserve to continue capital improvements. In 2007, the operation posted a net profit exceeding $1 million.<br />
<br />
The bookstore has been self-supporting over time, but has carried a negative fund balance since it first opened. For the past ten years it has had a total net profit of over $300,000, but it incurred losses for both 2006 and 2007. Most of the current decline is due to competition from online bookstores and a facility that is in need of a major renovation. The bookstore, located in the College Activities Building, is also planning a complete renovation in 2009-11. For a one- to two-year period, the bookstore will be in a temporary location, but will move back to a new facility which should have a positive impact on their profitability. Other efforts are being made to improve its financial picture including promoting Web sales and adding new services after the remodel.<br />
<br />
Conference Services has been self-supporting, but in recent years it has been challenged with finding space on campus to hold conferences. This challenge was due to major remodeling of existing buildings, both general academic buildings and housing buildings. This challenge will continue as major renovations of most major campus buildings are planned for the next several years. Although Conference Services is not highly profitable, its operations create significant revenue for food services, housing, and other operations on campus. Because of changes made in 2006, this department did record a small profit in 2007, and this should improve for 2008.<br />
<br />
Other auxiliaries such as Motor Pool and Duplicating Services are internal service functions that are self-sufficient but are not designed to provide direct financial support to the college.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.C – Financial Management===<br />
<br />
====7.C.1 The president reports regularly to the governing board about the financial adequacy and stability of the institution.====<br />
<br />
Quarterly, the president and vice president for Finance and Administration provide financial information to the board of trustees that includes standard year to date financial statements for the entire college, and specific financial information on operating budgets and expenditures to date, auxiliary financial reports, capital expenditures and local dedicated fund activity. The president informs the board about any concerns relating to the financial health of the college. In the fall the board receives a financial report for the year ending June 30. The college’s audited report is reviewed by the full board and at least one board member attends the audit exit meeting with the State Auditor’s Office.<br />
<br />
====7.C.2 Financial functions are centralized and are under a single qualified financial officer responsible to the president. Institutional business functions are under one or more qualified officers, are well organized, and function effectively. The complexity of the business organization reflects the size of the institution and the significance of its transactions.====<br />
<br />
The financial management of the college is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The director of Business Services, who reports to the vice president, is responsible for all day to day financial transactions and the centralized major financial functions including payroll, purchasing, reporting, investments, cashiering and general accounting. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, who reports directly to the president, is responsible for budget development and monitoring, and long-range planning. He consults with the budget coordinators located within each division and who report directly to the appropriate vice president. Qualified professionals occupy positions responsible for accounting functions and financial management.<br />
<br />
====7.C.3 All expenditures and income from whatever source, and the administration of scholarships, grants in aid, loans, and student employment, are fully controlled by the institution and are included in its regular planning, budgeting, accounting, and auditing procedures.====<br />
<br />
The college’s expenditures and income are recorded and coordinated through the college’s financial processes which are governed in their basic structure by the state. The state sets financial standards and policy through the Office of Financial Management. Financial information is input and reported via the SCT Banner system, a computerized software program used by Evergreen and other four-year institutions in the state. This system interfaces with the state government accounting system and meets accounting and auditing guidelines. The Banner system’s financial management reporting module includes control tables, general ledger accounting, accounts payable, purchasing, customer accounts, and cashiering. The annual college operating budget is input and processed through this system. The college has established organization codes to track and monitor financial activity within the departments of the college.<br />
<br />
Each unit/department head is responsible for monitoring the budgets under their control. They have Web access to current data on their budget and expenditures to date. The budget coordinator for each division is responsible for monitoring all the budgets in their division. The budget coordinators and the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget meet regularly, and also meet quarterly with the vice presidents to review and discuss the budget. The vice presidents meet regularly with the president.<br />
<br />
Historical financial information is readily available in the accounting system and is used to effectively prepare and budget for future years.<br />
<br />
The administration and accounting of financial aid is administered jointly by the Financial Aid office and Business Services office. Financial Aid also uses an integrated Banner program that provides needs analysis, application tracking, award management, student loans, student employment monitoring, external reporting, and disbursement. The Financial Aid director has responsibility for the college’s financial aid programs.<br />
<br />
====7.C.4 The institution has clearly defined and implemented policies regarding cash management and investments which have been approved by the governing board.====<br />
<br />
The Office of Financial Management establishes the standards and guidelines for cash management and investments. The college’s investment policy provides additional guidelines. The director of Business Services and the accounting manager monitor the college’s investments. Investment options are very limited by Washington state law, resulting in a conservative and safe investment strategy. Decisions on investments are based on current market conditions, interest rates, and the long- and short-term cash needs of the college. The college manages its exposure to interest rate changes by limiting the duration of investments to no more than twelve months and structuring the maturity of investments to mature at various times in the year. Final approval for all investments is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The accounting supervisor, under the auspices of the director of Business Services, reviews all accounts and keeps the college cash management account in balance. The vice president of Finance and Administration is provided a monthly report on all college investments.<br />
<br />
Most of the college’s endowment funds are invested with a private investment firm, and the balance of the college’s cash assets are invested in certificates of deposit or with the state’s Local Government Investment Pool. These are endowments held by the college, not the foundation.<br />
<br />
====7.C.5 The institution’s accounting system follows generally accepted principles of accounting.====<br />
<br />
The college maintains an accounting system that records all transactions to facilitate reporting in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The professional accounting staff is fully knowledgeable of accounting principles.<br />
<br />
====7.C.6 – 7.C.10====<br />
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''7.C.6: For independent institutions, the governing board is responsible for the selection of an auditing firm and receives the annual audit report.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.7: Independent institutions are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and the audit is conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The audit includes a management letter. A summary of the latest audited financial statement is made available to the public.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.8: A proprietary institution makes available annually a financial summary which includes, as a minimum, a list of company officers, a statement of profit and loss, expenditures, indebtedness, and companies which have a controlling interest in the institution.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.9: If public institutions are, by law, audited by a state agency, an independent audit is not required except for any funds not subject to governmental audit.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.10: All funds for financial aid and other specific programs not subject to governmental audit are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and include a management letter.''<br />
<br />
The college is audited annually by the Washington State Auditor’s Office for compliance and financial statements. The audits are conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing principals, and all college funds are subject to the audit including financial aid and other specific programs. The audit is a combined process covering both federal and state funds. The college has had only one finding since 2003.<br />
<br />
Since 2005, the audited financial statements have been available to the public on the college’s Web site. Prior to 2005, printed financial statements were available upon request.<br />
<br />
====7.C.11 The institution demonstrates a well-organized program of internal audit (where appropriate) and control that complements the accounting system and the external audit.====<br />
<br />
The college’s internal auditor, a qualified professional, reports directly to the president. The internal auditor has developed a comprehensive audit plan and has full access to all college financial records and transactions. The internal auditor meets regularly with the board of trustees to discuss the results of internal audits performed. The auditor also meet regularly with the vice president for Finance and Administration and the director of Business Services to discuss the results of audits and recommended corrections.<br />
<br />
====7.C.12 The institution demonstrates that recommendations in the auditor’s management letter accompanying the audit report have been adequately considered.====<br />
<br />
The college takes recommendations from the state auditor and the internal auditor very seriously and strives to correct any items of concern expressed in the audits. Audit results from the State Auditor’s Office are reviewed by the board of trustees and published in a statewide audit report.<br />
<br />
====7.C.13 Federal, state, external, and internal audit reports are made available for examination as part of any evaluation conducted by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.====<br />
<br />
<br />
Recent audits and other federal, state, and external reports are available for review (see [[Media: Annualreport_2007.pdf|2007 Annual Report for College and Foundation]]).<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.D – Fund Raising and Development===<br />
<br />
As state funding for higher education and tuition increases have not kept pace with academic needs, it has become increasingly clear that private dollars will be essential for not only supporting students, but also to ensure the quality of public higher education.<br />
<br />
The Evergreen State College Foundation was established by the college board of trustees in July of 1976 and is governed by Articles of Incorporation adopted that same year and by-laws which were most recently reviewed and significantly updated in the Spring of 2007. In 1988, the development office became a unit of the newly created College Advancement division. By policy adopted February 1, 1990, all campus fundraising is cleared through the Office of College Advancement.<br />
<br />
Historically, the fundraising efforts of the college foundation have focused on providing financial assistance to students in the form of scholarships and activity grants, and increasingly in recent years, providing support for faculty development and research. Significant foundation and corporate grants have helped expand and deepen the work of several of the college’s public service centers, most notably the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center and the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute.<br />
<br />
In 2004, the college president secured the services of The Collins Group to review and assess the organizational structure of the College Advancement division and provide recommendations intended to move the operation to the next level. Significant recommendations included the need to more directly tie fundraising initiatives and long-term plans to the institutional strategic plan. Along with preparation for accreditation, this was a significant factor in the decision to launch the recent update to the college’s strategic plan. Other major recommendations of The Collins Group included the expansion and maturing of the Evergreen Annual Fund program, which provides significant dollars for scholarships and other critical college needs, the need to establish a major local fundraising event, and a number of organizational recommendations that would provide the level of fiscal and personnel resources necessary for the college to consider entering into a major fundraising campaign.<br />
<br />
Subsequent to these recommendations, The Campbell Company was hired to help further enhance the Evergreen Annual Fund program. Working together, a three-year plan was developed to raise the level of giving and expand the number of alumni supporting the institution. In 2006, the first levels of recommendations were implemented and there was a remarkable 30% increase in the Evergreen Annual Fund, from $338,000 to $448,000. Normally a mature annual fund program will experience a 3% to 5% increase per year. The second level of recommendations was implemented in 2007 with another jump of more than 10%, raising the fund to nearly $485,000. The goal for 2008 is to raise a half million dollars in the Evergreen Annual Fund. Donations through January 2008 have put the foundation on track to exceed this goal by a substantial margin.<br />
<br />
Through the efforts of our president, the college was successful in 2005 in receiving a $1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help in building its fundraising program. These funds have provided the ability to work with additional consultants to train and develop staff, expand and deepen the fundraising infrastructure, and fund additional staff for the effort. In addition the college itself, through its internal budget process, has provided significant new resources to College Advancement as a whole. These new infusions of funds have provided resources for not only fundraising staff, but also for marketing and college relations staff and programs. This assists the fundraising efforts by expanding the understanding and reputation of the college.<br />
<br />
There have been significant changes to the staff in the past couple of years, both through turnover and through additional resources that added new staff positions. All of the leadership is relatively new. The vice president, having served for fifteen years as the executive associate to the president, stepped into the leadership of this effort in August of 2006. In the past year she has hired a director of development, director of alumni affairs, executive director of marketing and communications, alumni assistant, administrative assistant, two major gifts officers, and a new communications manager. While the staff is relatively new, it has already formed a closely knit and powerful team that collaborates well and understands how each of their areas can and must work together to assure a more stable financial future for the college and its students.<br />
<br />
The board of governors itself has undergone intensive work in the past year to strengthen its ability to support fundraising efforts on behalf of the college. They have reviewed and revised many of their policies, reorganized the committee structure, and particularly strengthened committees for fundraising and development and evaluation of the board itself. In the summer of 2007, the board met in a two-day retreat for the first time concentrating on understanding the major college initiatives in need of fundraising in the coming year. That work was guided by the college’s updated strategic plan.<br />
<br />
====7.D.1 All college/university fundraising activities are governed by institutional policies, comply with governmental requirements, and are conducted in a professional and ethical manner.====<br />
<br />
College staff and members of the foundation board of governors engaged in fundraising efforts are guided by a variety of policies, procedures, and guidelines designed to ensure that fundraising is conducted in a professional and ethical manner. Board members annually sign a conflict of interest policy declaration. An independent private auditor is secured each year to ensure ongoing adherence to gift accounting standards, consistent reporting procedures, and avoidance of conflicts of interest on the part of members of the board of governors. In order to assure that board and staff members stay current with ethical standards, the college is affiliated with a number of profession fundraising associations. The college maintains an institutional membership in CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education), and individual staff memberships in AFP (Association of Fund Raising Professionals) and other local, regional, and national groups. All of these professional associations provide ethical guidance. AFP has developed standards that provide guidance around issues of professional competence and commitment, stewardship, charitable mission, privacy, cultural diversity, and conflicts of interest. The Standards of Professional Practice address issues involving civil and criminal laws, professional conduct, advocacy, compensation, and donor/prospect information.<br />
<br />
New foundation board members attend an orientation session with staff and other board members at their first quarterly meeting. This orientation includes a review of ethical issues and considerations as well as information about legal and ethical requirements. Each board member has a Foundation Board Member Handbook covering these and other policies that is updated regularly. As part of the annual evaluation of staff and the board, the college continues to provide professional development opportunities that keep everyone current and mindful of ethical obligations.<br />
<br />
The institutional development program is administered by the Office of College Advancement, which includes management of The Evergreen State College Foundation, development (including donor relations), development services and research, alumni affairs, marketing communications, and college relations. Academic grant development is administered through the academic grants office under the auspices of the Provost’s Office. The academic grants manager works closely with development officers in planning fundraising initiatives and identifying corporate and foundation prospects.<br />
<br />
====7.D.2 Endowment and life income funds and their investments are administered by an appropriate institutional officer, foundation, or committee designated by the governing board. The organization maintains complete records concerning these funds and complies with applicable legal requirements.====<br />
<br />
<br />
Management oversight of the foundation endowments is provided by the vice president for College Advancement, with day-to-day management, accounting, and record keeping of all foundation assets provided by the vice president for Finance and Administration who also serves as the assistant treasurer for the foundation. The foundation signed an agreement with the University of Washington in 2003 to pool the foundation’s funds with the University of Washington’s Consolidated Endowment Fund. The foundation’s investment committee reviews the health of endowments on a monthly basis and the vice president for Finance and Administration manages the pooling of any unrestricted cash balances.<br />
<br />
Through the foundation's work, the college's students, faculty, and staff now receive financial assistance from a wide range of endowment funds. Current funds are divided between those funds held by the foundation and those held by the college. The college endowments are funds raised through the foundation but matched through state matching programs. By statute those funds are then held by the college and invested according to state rules and not under control of the foundation. These funds have increased substantially since our last accreditation report.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| ''Endowments*''<br />
| '''''1997'''''<br />
| '''''2002'''''<br />
| '''''2007'''''<br />
| '''''1997-2007 Increase'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Foundation''<br />
| ''1,987,773''<br />
| ''2,277,315''<br />
| ''6,502,504''<br />
| ''227%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''College''<br />
| ''993,773''<br />
| ''2,052,389''<br />
| ''2,661,032''<br />
| ''168%''<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NOTE*: Foundation endowment amounts include other temporarily restricted funds.<br />
<br />
The foundation agreement with the University of Washington has dramatically increased the earnings potential for those endowments.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''''Total Giving'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Dollars raised from all sources''<br />
| ''$778,678''<br />
| ''$1,038,807''<br />
| ''1,874,508''<br />
| ''141%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of donors''<br />
| ''4,351''<br />
| ''3,232''<br />
| ''4,199''<br />
| ''-3%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Average gift amount''<br />
| ''$179''<br />
| ''$321''<br />
| ''$446''<br />
| ''149%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''2,395''<br />
| ''1,627''<br />
| ''2,418''<br />
| ''1%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Percentage of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''13%''<br />
| ''5%''<br />
| ''8%''<br />
| ''-37%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| '''''Evergreen Annual Fund'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Total Income''<br />
| ''$187,352''<br />
| ''$269,975''<br />
| ''$484,506''<br />
| ''159%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Donors''<br />
| ''3,184''<br />
| ''2,391''<br />
| ''3,522''<br />
| ''11%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
====7.D.3 The institution has a clearly defined relationship with any foundation bearing its name or which has as its major purpose the raising of funds for the institution.====<br />
<br />
<br />
The foundation is subject to rules and regulations of the IRS as a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) “public” charity, and to regulations of the state of Washington governing non-profit organizations, as specified in chapter 24.03 RCW. According to its bylaws, the foundation operates “exclusively for the purposes of promoting, supporting, maintaining, developing, increasing and extending educational offerings and the pursuit thereof at or in connection with The Evergreen State College…” The relationship between the foundation and the college is established through a contract signed by both boards, which follows the state attorney general’s model for foundations affiliated with public institutions of higher education. That contract provides for state support of staff and provisions of resources – including offices – in exchange for dollars raised to support the institution and its students. The contract is reviewed and renewed every three years.<br />
<br />
The College Advancement division serves as the principal liaison with The Evergreen State College Foundation. The executive director of the foundation is also the vice president for the division of College Advancement. In addition to the executive director, ex-officio members of the foundation board of governors include a member of the board of trustees, the college president, and the vice president for Finance and Administration.<br />
<br />
The college and the foundation work together to insure that fundraising activities by different college groups are coordinated, and the external community sees any solicitation of funds as coming from a single entity. The foundation works closely with the college community to determine what fundraising and development activities would best serve the needs of the college.<br />
<br />
For example, in FY 2008 the Development office is focused on a concise list of projects ranging from media equipment for a new campus facility to endowments for scholarships and visiting scholars. Conversations are underway with the board of governors to respond to the ever-increasing need for student financial assistance.<br />
<br />
==Summary==<br />
<br />
The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Furthermore, the state will most likely be facing economic challenges that could result in reduced funding for higher education for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 - Findings and Conclusions==<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our vision and strategic plan, and a record of external auditor reports with no major findings.<br />
<br />
2.) The college’s financial planning is tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. These goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels.” The president and the board of trustees provide the sound financial planning embodied in the college’s decisions and policies.<br />
<br />
3.) The college relies on state funding and tuition revenues to provide a stable base of funding for the institution.<br />
<br />
4.) The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. However, the college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations because most auxiliaries (e.g., the bookstore, parking, or housing services) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations, and increasing revenues to auxiliaries would increase students' cost of attendance or hurt operating budgets. <br />
<br />
5.) The college has purchased and implemented the SCT Banner Student and Finance administrative software modules, resulting in improved student and financial services. <br />
<br />
6.) The changes in the College Advancement division has helped the college to significantly increase fundraising over the last few years. <br />
<br />
7.) Because state funding for higher education has not kept pace with academic needs, the college must find private dollars for supporting students and ensuring the quality of public education. <br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Higher education will be competing with K-12, prisons, and services for the elderly for limited state funding that could result in reduced funding for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
2.) Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
3.) The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
4.) In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts. <br />
<br />
5.) Efforts to sustain and grow the breadth and depth of fundraising will be essential to the college’s capacity to support students and faculty innovation in the years ahead. <br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has developed substantial reserve funds to help meet contingencies, thus helping to insure stability in campus operations.<br />
<br />
2.) The college has improved administrative software and better integrated financial services.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has recently made significant strides in fundraising, supporting student and faculty opportunities for study, program development, and research. <br />
<br />
4.) The hiring of an internal auditor has helped improve internal controls and procedures. <br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college needs to complete the improvement of its internal administrative systems by acquiring human resource and budgeting software.<br />
<br />
2.) The college should continue to work on developing broad and deep fundraising efforts to help diversify revenue to support teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to continue to improve auxiliary enterprises so they are all self-supporting.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) In keeping with the strategic plan, continued efforts to improve fundraising and to increase revenues in auxiliary services are critical components in the financial goal of the strategic plan. The college is currently making plans and creating outcome measures to assess work in this area. <br />
<br />
2.) Improvements in internal administrative systems in human resources and budgeting are elements of the college’s upcoming budget requests to the legislature.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 Supporting Documentation==<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven|Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_7&diff=8845Standard 72008-07-24T23:08:54Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 7.C – Financial Management */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 7 – Finance==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
<br />
The financial goals of the college are to support quality educational opportunities to meet the intellectual, academic, career, personal, and developmental needs of our students and members of the community. The financial and business functions of the college are managed and led with the ideal of making this mission a reality through enhanced funding. Toward this end, the college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our visions and strategic plan, and a record of audit reports with no major findings. The college's growth and development reflect sound financial planning guided by policies and decisions made by the college board of trustees and president. The financial and business functions of the college are under the leadership and responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration and a capable group of employees who manage fiscal operations, capital facilities planning and construction, physical plant, human resources, information technology, and auxiliary operations.<br />
<br />
The college continues to rely on state funding and tuition as the major sources of operating funds. State operating support has increased by 19% per student FTE since 2003, and as a percent of total operating revenue has remained at a range of 36% to 39% from 2003 to 2007.<br />
<br />
The college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations. Most of our auxiliaries (Dining and Food Service, Bookstore and Parking) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations supported by operating revenues. Increasing the revenues to these auxiliary enterprises would increase student's cost of attendance or have a negative impact on departmental operating expenditures. <br />
<br />
An internal auditor was hired in December 2005 and reports directly to the president. She has recommended several improvements in areas such as cash handling and internal controls of fixed assets, which have been implemented. She will continue to perform audits on the entire financial operations and make recommendations.<br />
<br />
The college purchased and implemented a major administrative software system from SCT Banner. The student system has been in place since 2004 and the finance module since 2005. This is a comprehensive administrative program designed for higher education and is used by hundreds of colleges and universities. We are in the process of searching for a new human resource/payroll system and budgeting system.These systems will be expensive and time consuming to implement, but are necessary for a comprehensive administrative system.<br />
<br />
Fundraising has increased significantly over the past ten years. Overall giving has increased 141% during this period and net assets have grown from $1,673,000 in 1997 to $7,847,027 in 2007. A new vice president for Advancement was hired in 2006, and several vacant and new positions in Advancement were recently filled.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.A – Financial Planning===<br />
<br />
====7.A.1 Governing boards and, where applicable, state agencies have given the institution appropriate autonomy in financial planning and budgeting matters within overall mandates and priorities.====<br />
<br />
<br />
The college operates as part of a system of higher education institutions in the state of Washington coordinated by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. The governance of the college has been vested with the board of trustees as set forth in RCW 28B.40.120. Their general powers and duties include: full control of the college’s property; employment of the faculty and staff; and purchase of all goods and services necessary to conduct the business of the college, except as otherwise provided by law.<br />
<br />
The president and senior staff along with the board of trustees establish a legislative agenda and budget request, which is then presented to the Office of Financial Management (the governor’s budget agency) for review, clarification, and inclusion into the governor's budget request. This legislative agenda, after consultation with the Office of Financial Management, is submitted to the legislature as part of the governor’s budget. The legislative agenda also includes capital funding and an enrollment plan with potential new enrollments for the college. The legislature establishes the college’s budgeted enrollment level and at this time controls the maximum allowable resident tuition increases.<br />
<br />
====7.A.2 The institution demonstrates that financial planning for the future is a strategically guided process. This planning includes a minimum of a three-year projection of major categories of income, specific plans for major categories of expenditures, and plans for the management of capital revenue and expenditures. Short and long-range capital budgets reflect the institution’s goals and objectives and relate to the plans for physical facilities and acquisition of equipment.====<br />
<br />
Financial planning for the college is directly tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. The “strategic directions” for the financial goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels." All major budget decisions are reviewed to ensure they are in alignment with the strategic plan.<br />
<br />
Although the legislature funds new enrollment levels, state appropriations as a percent of total operating revenue have been slowly declining for several years. This decline has been offset by tuition and fee increases. To help keep tuition rates affordable, fundraising is identified as the main source of new revenue. Increased revenue from fundraising will be used for a variety of efforts including increasing student scholarships; funding faculty development and scholarly work; and course and curriculum improvements such as equipment procurement, outreach, and student service programs. <br />
<br />
Goods and services expenditures are controlled by state and college policies that dictate procedures that result in getting quality products and services at the best possible price. One example of this is the recent state Smart Buy contract with a vendor for office supplies. Energy efficiency is addressed during new construction and other capital projects. Vacancies in existing staff positions and requests for new positions are evaluated before hiring is approved to achieve staff efficiencies. <br />
<br />
The state has a two-year budget cycle which the college begins a year in advance. During this process the college prepares budgets for major revenue and expense categories based on expected enrollment levels and other program needs, including a capital budget. In the even numbered years, the legislature considers a supplemental budget.<br />
<br />
The college’s physical resources are specifically addressed in the strategic plan’s support goals. The college has a ten-year capital construction plan which is updated every two years. Funding for capital projects comes from two main sources, the legislature and a portion of student fees. The college updated its campus master plan in 2008 based on the strategic plan and this will help guide future capital requests.<br />
<br />
====7.A.3 The institution publishes an annual budget distributed to appropriate constituencies, and the policies, guidelines, and processes for developing the budget are clearly defined and followed. Budget revisions are made promptly, and, when necessary, a revised budget or schedule of budget changes is developed and distributed to appropriate constituencies.====<br />
<br />
In the spring of each odd-numbered year, while the state legislature is approaching their final budget policy framework, Evergreen’s internal allocation process begins.<br />
<br />
The Office of Operational Planning and Budget anticipates changes to our base funding levels such as state budget reductions (or enhancements), enrollment growth funding, and tuition or fee increases to establish an overall revenue policy framework.<br />
<br />
The president and vice presidents discuss the implications of the anticipated revenue policy framework with the deans and directors to determine the budget themes that need to be addressed in the college’s allocation process. Normally, priorities will be consistent with those themes included in the college’s biennial budget request and may also include other priorities that have emerged since the college’s budget request was developed. It is at this stage that the president will decide if any college contingency strategies such as budget reductions or internal reallocation planning will be necessary.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents are responsible for reviewing all budget decisions and modifications. The divisional budget coordinators, executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, and the director of Business Services will provide the necessary staff support for the vice presidents in this regard.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents are responsible for 360-degree consultation while they are formulating an overall budget implementation strategy recommendation to the president. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget will be responsible for core coordination activities and posting budget planning material on the college Web site.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents will conduct divisional and campus-wide budget hearings to provide information regarding the college’s most pressing needs and how those needs translate into budget priorities. Included in this discussion is the relationship of the proposed actions outlined in the college long-range plans for both the operating and capital budgets. In setting budget priorities, the vice presidents consult with the faculty budget advisory committee, the student union and the campus community.<br />
<br />
The president is responsible for finalizing a recommended budget to the board of trustees for their approval. The president’s proposal shall highlight any changes to the previously board-approved budget policy. The president will also identify modifications she/he made in the recommendations to the course of action recommended to her/him by the vice presidents.<br />
<br />
The college publishes the president’s biennial operating and capital budget requests, which are available on the college’s Web site. See ''[[Media: Exhibit_7-20_Legislature_101_A_Guide_to_the_Washington_State_Legislature.doc|Legislature 101: A Guide to the Washington State Legislature]]'' and ''[[Media: Budget101.pdf|Budget 101: A Guide to Evergreen’s Budget]]'', documents that were developed to inform the campus community about the various budget processes.<br />
<br />
====7.A.4 Debt for capital outlay purposes is periodically reviewed, carefully controlled, and justified,so as not to create an unreasonable drain on resources available for educational purposes. The institution has a governing board policy guiding the use and limit of debt.====<br />
<br />
Funding for most state-system capital projects is from three main sources (capital appropriations from the legislature, Timber Trust Fund earnings and a portion of student fees) and therefore no college debt is incurred. However, capital funding for auxiliary services such as housing, food services, and the bookstore, is provided through revenue bonds or capital lease agreements with the Office of the State Treasurer.<br />
<br />
In 2006, the students voted to self-impose a fee to support a remodel and expansion of the College Activities Building. The revenue from this fee will used to repay bonds issued to accomplish the remodel.<br />
<br />
The college carefully reviews any requests for auxiliary capital funding to ensure that resources are sufficient for repayment. The board of trustees authorizes the borrowing of money and the issuance and sale of revenue bonds and certain lease agreements. In 2006, the college issued Housing Revenue bonds in the amount of $7.5 million, with a current balance of $7.2 million. The bond proceeds were used to refund $1.4 million in existing bonds, and over $6 million is being used to renovate various buildings including roof replacement, elevator refurbishing, and furniture replacement. As of June 30, 2007, the college has capital lease agreements with the state treasurer’s office in the amount of $463,000 for some equipment purchases and renovation of the childcare facility.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.B – Adequacy of Financial Resources===<br />
<br />
====7.B.1 The institution provides evidence that it seeks and utilizes different sources of funds adequate to support its programs and services. The commitment of those resources among programs and services reflects appropriately the mission and goals and priorities of the institution.====<br />
<br />
Between state appropriations and tuition revenue, the college has a stable funding base. The college also receives funding from federal, state, and local grants, auxiliary funds, local dedicated funds, and fundraising. <br />
<br />
For the past several years, the college has been able to carry forward more than $3.6 million in institutional operating reserve, or more than 5% of the operating budget. This flexibility has allowed the college to meet unforeseen demands and make better strategic decisions. For the last two biennia, the college has not allocated 100% of the operating revenue in order to plan and implement goals in the strategic plan, without reducing the quality of the academic programs or student services. In the 2007-09 operating budget, funding was approved to support strategic initiatives in sustainability and diversity.<br />
<br />
The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. The college continues to seek new revenue streams. An Extended Education program was initiated in 2005 and start-up funding was provided. This program will be reviewed in the fall of 2008 to determine if it should continue.<br />
<br />
====7.B.2 Adequate resources are available to meet debt service requirements of short-term and long-term indebtedness without adversely affecting the quality of educational programs. A minimum of three years’ history of the amount borrowed (whether internally or externally) for capital outlay and for operating funds is maintained. A five-year projection of future debt repayments is maintained.====<br />
<br />
The college’s resources are sufficient to meet its debt service requirements without negatively impacting operations. Evergreen keeps a minimum three-year history on funds borrowed and operating funds. A five-year projection of future debt service requirements is maintained and included in the notes to the annual financial statements.<br />
<br />
====7.B.3 Financial statements indicate a history of financial stability for the past five years. If an accumulated deficit has been recorded, a realistic plan to eliminate the deficit is approved by the governing board.====<br />
<br />
The financial condition of the college has been stable for the past five years and there have been no material deficits. Operating revenues are budgeted and divisions are not allowed to deficit spend. Other operations are required to plan and operate in a fiscally responsible manner. Some individual accounts have had deficits during some periods, and these are addressed by the manager, director, and vice-president responsible.<br />
<br />
====7.B.4 Transfers among the major funds and interfund borrowing are legal and guided by clearly stated policies in accordance with prudent financial planning and control.====<br />
<br />
Mandatory and non-mandatory transfers among funds are controlled and approved by the appropriate person. These transfers are included in the financial statements and in the operating budget requests. Budget transfers in the operating fund between divisions must be approved by the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget.<br />
<br />
====7.B.5 The institution demonstrates the adequacy of financial resources for the support of all of its offerings including specialized occupational, technical, and professional programs.====<br />
<br />
Evergreen allocates its resources to protect the academic programs and support the educational goals in the strategic plan. When the college receives legislative funding for enrollment growth and tuition increases, instructional costs are funded first at the same level as existing programs. The balance of these funds, combined with internal reallocations, savings from efficiencies, and other new revenue streams, is allocated to non-instructional areas for overhead, other growth-related costs, and a responsible contingency reserve. This reserve is available for funding new prioritized strategic initiatives, unknown contingencies such as union contract agreements, large one-time purchases, or unexpected increases in areas like utility costs. The budget and allocation processes establish a comprehensive practice for college leadership to employ when making decisions on effectively funding the educational goals of the institution.<br />
<br />
====7.B.6 The institution identifies the sources of its student financial aid for current enrollments and provides evidence of planning for future financial aid in light of projected enrollments. It monitors and controls the relationship between unfunded student financial aid and tuition revenues.====<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s student financial aid comes from three main sources, federal and state programs, The Evergreen State College Foundation scholarships, and institutional aid. Federal and state aid is defined by the various government programs, and foundation scholarships are governed by the fundraising efforts. Institutional aid, in the form of tuition waivers, was historically funded at 6% of tuition until 2007. In the 2007-09 budget request, the college asked for and received legislative approval to increase the funded waiver amount from 6% to 10% over the next five years. This will increase the amount of institutional waivers by 67%. For student recruitment and retention efforts, the college can and has allocated more than the 6% for tuition waivers with the approval of the board of trustees. Financial aid from state grants has increased over 35% from 2005 to 2007.<br />
<br />
====7.B.7 The institution maintains adequate financial reserves to meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service.====<br />
<br />
To meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service, Evergreen maintains a diversity of reserves. These reserves include:<br />
<br />
: Funds available from the operating budget that are not fully allocated. These funds are usually set aside for new initiatives and unknown needs.<br />
<br />
: Divisional and institutional operating reserves. These are allocated operating funds that are under-spent in one year and carried forward either by a division or the institution. These reserves have been in excess of $6 million for several years. They are usually used to support one-time or temporary requests.<br />
<br />
: The college’s rainy day fund. This fund of approximately $1 million is funded from miscellaneous local income and is for emergency use only.<br />
<br />
Some self-supporting units, like summer school, have substantial fund balances that are used to augment otherwise unfunded requests in academics and elsewhere.<br />
<br />
In addition, the college is conservative in estimating tuition revenue in the event enrollment levels or the mix of resident and non-resident students is different than projected.<br />
<br />
====7.B.8 The institution demonstrates an understanding of the financial relationship between its education and general operations and its auxiliary enterprises and their respective contributions to the overall operations of the institution. This includes the institution’s recognition of whether it is dependent on auxiliary enterprise income to balance education and general operations or whether the institution has to use education and general operations income to balance auxiliary enterprises.====<br />
<br />
At Evergreen, auxiliary services are of unique value to the overall operations of the college. Evergreen is physically located in a rural area with little or no services within several miles, except for a few apartment units. Therefore, the services and products provided by auxiliaries such as dining, housing, parking, and the bookstore are not readily available from private retailers. It would be extremely inconvenient for the students, staff, and faculty if these services were not available on campus. This also means some services are provided even though they may not be financially viable. <br />
<br />
Evergreen is not dependent on the income of its auxiliaries to financially support the operations of the college. All auxiliaries are charged for services provided them by operating units of the college. A schedule showing the ten-year profit/loss of the major auxiliaries is included in the exhibits (see [[Media: Exhibit_7-25_Ten_Year_Income_History_of_Auxiliary_Enterprises.xls|Ten-Year Income History of Auxiliary Enterprises]]).<br />
<br />
For several years, food services suffered significant losses. Beginning in 2004, steps were taken to improve the financial condition, including contracting with a new food service vendor, combining food services with the housing operation, and requiring all housing freshmen to purchase meal plans. These actions have greatly reduced the losses and may result in breaking even in 2008. The food service facility is slated for a complete renovation in 2009-11, which should have a significant positive impact on their financial success.<br />
<br />
Housing has always been self-supporting. In 2006, Housing issued a $7.5 million bond to pay off the remaining balance of the previous bond issue, and perform some major renovations on its oldest buildings. It has met its bond obligations, developed a ten-year financial plan, and is building a reserve to continue capital improvements. In 2007, the operation posted a net profit exceeding $1 million.<br />
<br />
The bookstore has been self-supporting over time, but has carried a negative fund balance since it first opened. For the past ten years it has had a total net profit of over $300,000, but it incurred losses for both 2006 and 2007. Most of the current decline is due to competition from online bookstores and a facility that is in need of a major renovation. The bookstore, located in the College Activities Building, is also planning a complete renovation in 2009-11. For a one- to two-year period, the bookstore will be in a temporary location, but will move back to a new facility which should have a positive impact on their profitability. Other efforts are being made to improve its financial picture including promoting Web sales and adding new services after the remodel.<br />
<br />
Conference Services has been self-supporting, but in recent years it has been challenged with finding space on campus to hold conferences. This challenge was due to major remodeling of existing buildings, both general academic buildings and housing buildings. This challenge will continue as major renovations of most major campus buildings are planned for the next several years. Although Conference Services is not highly profitable, its operations create significant revenue for food services, housing, and other operations on campus. Because of changes made in 2006, this department did record a small profit in 2007, and this should improve for 2008.<br />
<br />
Other auxiliaries such as Motor Pool and Duplicating Services are internal service functions that are self-sufficient but are not designed to provide direct financial support to the college.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.C – Financial Management===<br />
<br />
====7.C.1 The president reports regularly to the governing board about the financial adequacy and stability of the institution.====<br />
<br />
Quarterly, the president and vice president for Finance and Administration provide financial information to the board of trustees that includes standard year to date financial statements for the entire college, and specific financial information on operating budgets and expenditures to date, auxiliary financial reports, capital expenditures and local dedicated fund activity. The president informs the board about any concerns relating to the financial health of the college. In the fall the board receives a financial report for the year ending June 30. The college’s audited report is reviewed by the full board and at least one board member attends the audit exit meeting with the State Auditor’s Office.<br />
<br />
====7.C.2 Financial functions are centralized and are under a single qualified financial officer responsible to the president. Institutional business functions are under one or more qualified officers, are well organized, and function effectively. The complexity of the business organization reflects the size of the institution and the significance of its transactions.====<br />
<br />
The financial management of the college is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The director of Business Services, who reports to the vice president, is responsible for all day to day financial transactions and the centralized major financial functions including payroll, purchasing, reporting, investments, cashiering and general accounting. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, who reports directly to the president, is responsible for budget development and monitoring, and long-range planning. He consults with the budget coordinators located within each division and who report directly to the appropriate vice president. Qualified professionals occupy positions responsible for accounting functions and financial management.<br />
<br />
====7.C.3 All expenditures and income from whatever source, and the administration of scholarships, grants in aid, loans, and student employment, are fully controlled by the institution and are included in its regular planning, budgeting, accounting, and auditing procedures.====<br />
<br />
The college’s expenditures and income are recorded and coordinated through the college’s financial processes which are governed in their basic structure by the state. The state sets financial standards and policy through the Office of Financial Management. Financial information is input and reported via the SCT Banner system, a computerized software program used by Evergreen and other four-year institutions in the state. This system interfaces with the state government accounting system and meets accounting and auditing guidelines. The Banner system’s financial management reporting module includes control tables, general ledger accounting, accounts payable, purchasing, customer accounts, and cashiering. The annual college operating budget is input and processed through this system. The college has established organization codes to track and monitor financial activity within the departments of the college.<br />
<br />
Each unit/department head is responsible for monitoring the budgets under their control. They have Web access to current data on their budget and expenditures to date. The budget coordinator for each division is responsible for monitoring all the budgets in their division. The budget coordinators and the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget meet regularly, and also meet quarterly with the vice presidents to review and discuss the budget. The vice presidents meet regularly with the president.<br />
<br />
Historical financial information is readily available in the accounting system and is used to effectively prepare and budget for future years.<br />
<br />
The administration and accounting of financial aid is administered jointly by the Financial Aid office and Business Services office. Financial Aid also uses an integrated Banner program that provides needs analysis, application tracking, award management, student loans, student employment monitoring, external reporting, and disbursement. The Financial Aid director has responsibility for the college’s financial aid programs.<br />
<br />
====7.C.4 The institution has clearly defined and implemented policies regarding cash management and investments which have been approved by the governing board.====<br />
<br />
The Office of Financial Management establishes the standards and guidelines for cash management and investments. The college’s investment policy provides additional guidelines. The director of Business Services and the accounting manager monitor the college’s investments. Investment options are very limited by Washington state law, resulting in a conservative and safe investment strategy. Decisions on investments are based on current market conditions, interest rates, and the long- and short-term cash needs of the college. The college manages its exposure to interest rate changes by limiting the duration of investments to no more than twelve months and structuring the maturity of investments to mature at various times in the year. Final approval for all investments is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The accounting supervisor, under the auspices of the director of Business Services, reviews all accounts and keeps the college cash management account in balance. The vice president of Finance and Administration is provided a monthly report on all college investments.<br />
<br />
Most of the college’s endowment funds are invested with a private investment firm, and the balance of the college’s cash assets are invested in certificates of deposit or with the state’s Local Government Investment Pool. These are endowments held by the college, not the foundation.<br />
<br />
====7.C.5 The institution’s accounting system follows generally accepted principles of accounting.====<br />
<br />
The college maintains an accounting system that records all transactions to facilitate reporting in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The professional accounting staff is fully knowledgeable of accounting principles.<br />
<br />
====7.C.6 – 7.C.10====<br />
<br />
''7.C.6: For independent institutions, the governing board is responsible for the selection of an auditing firm and receives the annual audit report.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.7: Independent institutions are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and the audit is conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The audit includes a management letter. A summary of the latest audited financial statement is made available to the public.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.8: A proprietary institution makes available annually a financial summary which includes, as a minimum, a list of company officers, a statement of profit and loss, expenditures, indebtedness, and companies which have a controlling interest in the institution.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.9: If public institutions are, by law, audited by a state agency, an independent audit is not required except for any funds not subject to governmental audit.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.10: All funds for financial aid and other specific programs not subject to governmental audit are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and include a management letter.''<br />
<br />
The college is audited annually by the Washington State Auditor’s Office for compliance and financial statements. The audits are conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing principals, and all college funds are subject to the audit including financial aid and other specific programs. The audit is a combined process covering both federal and state funds. The college has had only one finding since 2003.<br />
<br />
Since 2005, the audited financial statements have been available to the public on the college’s Web site. Prior to 2005, printed financial statements were available upon request.<br />
<br />
====7.C.11 The institution demonstrates a well-organized program of internal audit (where appropriate) and control that complements the accounting system and the external audit.====<br />
<br />
The college’s internal auditor, a qualified professional, reports directly to the president. The internal auditor has developed a comprehensive audit plan and has full access to all college financial records and transactions. The internal auditor meets regularly with the board of trustees to discuss the results of internal audits performed. The auditor also meet regularly with the vice president for Finance and Administration and the director of Business Services to discuss the results of audits and recommended corrections.<br />
<br />
====7.C.12 The institution demonstrates that recommendations in the auditor’s management letter accompanying the audit report have been adequately considered.====<br />
<br />
The college takes recommendations from the state auditor and the internal auditor very seriously and strives to correct any items of concern expressed in the audits. Audit results from the State Auditor’s Office are reviewed by the board of trustees and published in a statewide audit report.<br />
<br />
====7.C.13 Federal, state, external, and internal audit reports are made available for examination as part of any evaluation conducted by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.====<br />
<br />
<br />
Recent audits and other federal, state, and external reports are available for review (see [[Media: Annualreport_2007.pdf|2007 Annual Report for College and Foundation]]).<br />
<br />
==Standard 7.D – Fund Raising and Development==<br />
<br />
As state funding for higher education and tuition increases have not kept pace with academic needs, it has become increasingly clear that private dollars will be essential for not only supporting students, but also to ensure the quality of public higher education.<br />
<br />
The Evergreen State College Foundation was established by the college board of trustees in July of 1976 and is governed by Articles of Incorporation adopted that same year and by-laws which were most recently reviewed and significantly updated in the Spring of 2007. In 1988, the development office became a unit of the newly created College Advancement division. By policy adopted February 1, 1990, all campus fundraising is cleared through the Office of College Advancement.<br />
<br />
Historically, the fundraising efforts of the college foundation have focused on providing financial assistance to students in the form of scholarships and activity grants, and increasingly in recent years, providing support for faculty development and research. Significant foundation and corporate grants have helped expand and deepen the work of several of the college’s public service centers, most notably the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center and the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute.<br />
<br />
In 2004, the college president secured the services of The Collins Group to review and assess the organizational structure of the College Advancement division and provide recommendations intended to move the operation to the next level. Significant recommendations included the need to more directly tie fundraising initiatives and long-term plans to the institutional strategic plan. Along with preparation for accreditation, this was a significant factor in the decision to launch the recent update to the college’s strategic plan. Other major recommendations of The Collins Group included the expansion and maturing of the Evergreen Annual Fund program, which provides significant dollars for scholarships and other critical college needs, the need to establish a major local fundraising event, and a number of organizational recommendations that would provide the level of fiscal and personnel resources necessary for the college to consider entering into a major fundraising campaign.<br />
<br />
Subsequent to these recommendations, The Campbell Company was hired to help further enhance the Evergreen Annual Fund program. Working together, a three-year plan was developed to raise the level of giving and expand the number of alumni supporting the institution. In 2006, the first levels of recommendations were implemented and there was a remarkable 30% increase in the Evergreen Annual Fund, from $338,000 to $448,000. Normally a mature annual fund program will experience a 3% to 5% increase per year. The second level of recommendations was implemented in 2007 with another jump of more than 10%, raising the fund to nearly $485,000. The goal for 2008 is to raise a half million dollars in the Evergreen Annual Fund. Donations through January 2008 have put the foundation on track to exceed this goal by a substantial margin.<br />
<br />
Through the efforts of our president, the college was successful in 2005 in receiving a $1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help in building its fundraising program. These funds have provided the ability to work with additional consultants to train and develop staff, expand and deepen the fundraising infrastructure, and fund additional staff for the effort. In addition the college itself, through its internal budget process, has provided significant new resources to College Advancement as a whole. These new infusions of funds have provided resources for not only fundraising staff, but also for marketing and college relations staff and programs. This assists the fundraising efforts by expanding the understanding and reputation of the college.<br />
<br />
There have been significant changes to the staff in the past couple of years, both through turnover and through additional resources that added new staff positions. All of the leadership is relatively new. The vice president, having served for fifteen years as the executive associate to the president, stepped into the leadership of this effort in August of 2006. In the past year she has hired a director of development, director of alumni affairs, executive director of marketing and communications, alumni assistant, administrative assistant, two major gifts officers, and a new communications manager. While the staff is relatively new, it has already formed a closely knit and powerful team that collaborates well and understands how each of their areas can and must work together to assure a more stable financial future for the college and its students.<br />
<br />
The board of governors itself has undergone intensive work in the past year to strengthen its ability to support fundraising efforts on behalf of the college. They have reviewed and revised many of their policies, reorganized the committee structure, and particularly strengthened committees for fundraising and development and evaluation of the board itself. In the summer of 2007, the board met in a two-day retreat for the first time concentrating on understanding the major college initiatives in need of fundraising in the coming year. That work was guided by the college’s updated strategic plan.<br />
<br />
===7.D.1 All college/university fundraising activities are governed by institutional policies, comply with governmental requirements, and are conducted in a professional and ethical manner.===<br />
<br />
College staff and members of the foundation board of governors engaged in fundraising efforts are guided by a variety of policies, procedures, and guidelines designed to ensure that fundraising is conducted in a professional and ethical manner. Board members annually sign a conflict of interest policy declaration. An independent private auditor is secured each year to ensure ongoing adherence to gift accounting standards, consistent reporting procedures, and avoidance of conflicts of interest on the part of members of the board of governors. In order to assure that board and staff members stay current with ethical standards, the college is affiliated with a number of profession fundraising associations. The college maintains an institutional membership in CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education), and individual staff memberships in AFP (Association of Fund Raising Professionals) and other local, regional, and national groups. All of these professional associations provide ethical guidance. AFP has developed standards that provide guidance around issues of professional competence and commitment, stewardship, charitable mission, privacy, cultural diversity, and conflicts of interest. The Standards of Professional Practice address issues involving civil and criminal laws, professional conduct, advocacy, compensation, and donor/prospect information.<br />
<br />
New foundation board members attend an orientation session with staff and other board members at their first quarterly meeting. This orientation includes a review of ethical issues and considerations as well as information about legal and ethical requirements. Each board member has a Foundation Board Member Handbook covering these and other policies that is updated regularly. As part of the annual evaluation of staff and the board, the college continues to provide professional development opportunities that keep everyone current and mindful of ethical obligations.<br />
<br />
The institutional development program is administered by the Office of College Advancement, which includes management of The Evergreen State College Foundation, development (including donor relations), development services and research, alumni affairs, marketing communications, and college relations. Academic grant development is administered through the academic grants office under the auspices of the Provost’s Office. The academic grants manager works closely with development officers in planning fundraising initiatives and identifying corporate and foundation prospects.<br />
<br />
===7.D.2 Endowment and life income funds and their investments are administered by an appropriate institutional officer, foundation, or committee designated by the governing board. The organization maintains complete records concerning these funds and complies with applicable legal requirements.===<br />
<br />
<br />
Management oversight of the foundation endowments is provided by the vice president for College Advancement, with day-to-day management, accounting, and record keeping of all foundation assets provided by the vice president for Finance and Administration who also serves as the assistant treasurer for the foundation. The foundation signed an agreement with the University of Washington in 2003 to pool the foundation’s funds with the University of Washington’s Consolidated Endowment Fund. The foundation’s investment committee reviews the health of endowments on a monthly basis and the vice president for Finance and Administration manages the pooling of any unrestricted cash balances.<br />
<br />
Through the foundation's work, the college's students, faculty, and staff now receive financial assistance from a wide range of endowment funds. Current funds are divided between those funds held by the foundation and those held by the college. The college endowments are funds raised through the foundation but matched through state matching programs. By statute those funds are then held by the college and invested according to state rules and not under control of the foundation. These funds have increased substantially since our last accreditation report.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| ''Endowments*''<br />
| '''''1997'''''<br />
| '''''2002'''''<br />
| '''''2007'''''<br />
| '''''1997-2007 Increase'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Foundation''<br />
| ''1,987,773''<br />
| ''2,277,315''<br />
| ''6,502,504''<br />
| ''227%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''College''<br />
| ''993,773''<br />
| ''2,052,389''<br />
| ''2,661,032''<br />
| ''168%''<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NOTE*: Foundation endowment amounts include other temporarily restricted funds.<br />
<br />
The foundation agreement with the University of Washington has dramatically increased the earnings potential for those endowments.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''''Total Giving'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Dollars raised from all sources''<br />
| ''$778,678''<br />
| ''$1,038,807''<br />
| ''1,874,508''<br />
| ''141%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of donors''<br />
| ''4,351''<br />
| ''3,232''<br />
| ''4,199''<br />
| ''-3%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Average gift amount''<br />
| ''$179''<br />
| ''$321''<br />
| ''$446''<br />
| ''149%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''2,395''<br />
| ''1,627''<br />
| ''2,418''<br />
| ''1%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Percentage of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''13%''<br />
| ''5%''<br />
| ''8%''<br />
| ''-37%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| '''''Evergreen Annual Fund'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Total Income''<br />
| ''$187,352''<br />
| ''$269,975''<br />
| ''$484,506''<br />
| ''159%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Donors''<br />
| ''3,184''<br />
| ''2,391''<br />
| ''3,522''<br />
| ''11%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===7.D.3 The institution has a clearly defined relationship with any foundation bearing its name or which has as its major purpose the raising of funds for the institution.===<br />
<br />
<br />
The foundation is subject to rules and regulations of the IRS as a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) “public” charity, and to regulations of the state of Washington governing non-profit organizations, as specified in chapter 24.03 RCW. According to its bylaws, the foundation operates “exclusively for the purposes of promoting, supporting, maintaining, developing, increasing and extending educational offerings and the pursuit thereof at or in connection with The Evergreen State College…” The relationship between the foundation and the college is established through a contract signed by both boards, which follows the state attorney general’s model for foundations affiliated with public institutions of higher education. That contract provides for state support of staff and provisions of resources – including offices – in exchange for dollars raised to support the institution and its students. The contract is reviewed and renewed every three years.<br />
<br />
The College Advancement division serves as the principal liaison with The Evergreen State College Foundation. The executive director of the foundation is also the vice president for the division of College Advancement. In addition to the executive director, ex-officio members of the foundation board of governors include a member of the board of trustees, the college president, and the vice president for Finance and Administration.<br />
<br />
The college and the foundation work together to insure that fundraising activities by different college groups are coordinated, and the external community sees any solicitation of funds as coming from a single entity. The foundation works closely with the college community to determine what fundraising and development activities would best serve the needs of the college.<br />
<br />
For example, in FY 2008 the Development office is focused on a concise list of projects ranging from media equipment for a new campus facility to endowments for scholarships and visiting scholars. Conversations are underway with the board of governors to respond to the ever-increasing need for student financial assistance.<br />
<br />
==Summary==<br />
<br />
The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Furthermore, the state will most likely be facing economic challenges that could result in reduced funding for higher education for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 - Findings and Conclusions==<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our vision and strategic plan, and a record of external auditor reports with no major findings.<br />
<br />
2.) The college’s financial planning is tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. These goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels.” The president and the board of trustees provide the sound financial planning embodied in the college’s decisions and policies.<br />
<br />
3.) The college relies on state funding and tuition revenues to provide a stable base of funding for the institution.<br />
<br />
4.) The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. However, the college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations because most auxiliaries (e.g., the bookstore, parking, or housing services) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations, and increasing revenues to auxiliaries would increase students' cost of attendance or hurt operating budgets. <br />
<br />
5.) The college has purchased and implemented the SCT Banner Student and Finance administrative software modules, resulting in improved student and financial services. <br />
<br />
6.) The changes in the College Advancement division has helped the college to significantly increase fundraising over the last few years. <br />
<br />
7.) Because state funding for higher education has not kept pace with academic needs, the college must find private dollars for supporting students and ensuring the quality of public education. <br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Higher education will be competing with K-12, prisons, and services for the elderly for limited state funding that could result in reduced funding for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
2.) Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
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3.) The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
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4.) In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts. <br />
<br />
5.) Efforts to sustain and grow the breadth and depth of fundraising will be essential to the college’s capacity to support students and faculty innovation in the years ahead. <br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has developed substantial reserve funds to help meet contingencies, thus helping to insure stability in campus operations.<br />
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2.) The college has improved administrative software and better integrated financial services.<br />
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3.) The college has recently made significant strides in fundraising, supporting student and faculty opportunities for study, program development, and research. <br />
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4.) The hiring of an internal auditor has helped improve internal controls and procedures. <br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college needs to complete the improvement of its internal administrative systems by acquiring human resource and budgeting software.<br />
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2.) The college should continue to work on developing broad and deep fundraising efforts to help diversify revenue to support teaching and learning.<br />
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3.) The college needs to continue to improve auxiliary enterprises so they are all self-supporting.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) In keeping with the strategic plan, continued efforts to improve fundraising and to increase revenues in auxiliary services are critical components in the financial goal of the strategic plan. The college is currently making plans and creating outcome measures to assess work in this area. <br />
<br />
2.) Improvements in internal administrative systems in human resources and budgeting are elements of the college’s upcoming budget requests to the legislature.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 Supporting Documentation==<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven|Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_7&diff=8844Standard 72008-07-24T23:07:54Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 7.B – Adequacy of Financial Resources */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 7 – Finance==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
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The financial goals of the college are to support quality educational opportunities to meet the intellectual, academic, career, personal, and developmental needs of our students and members of the community. The financial and business functions of the college are managed and led with the ideal of making this mission a reality through enhanced funding. Toward this end, the college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our visions and strategic plan, and a record of audit reports with no major findings. The college's growth and development reflect sound financial planning guided by policies and decisions made by the college board of trustees and president. The financial and business functions of the college are under the leadership and responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration and a capable group of employees who manage fiscal operations, capital facilities planning and construction, physical plant, human resources, information technology, and auxiliary operations.<br />
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The college continues to rely on state funding and tuition as the major sources of operating funds. State operating support has increased by 19% per student FTE since 2003, and as a percent of total operating revenue has remained at a range of 36% to 39% from 2003 to 2007.<br />
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The college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations. Most of our auxiliaries (Dining and Food Service, Bookstore and Parking) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations supported by operating revenues. Increasing the revenues to these auxiliary enterprises would increase student's cost of attendance or have a negative impact on departmental operating expenditures. <br />
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An internal auditor was hired in December 2005 and reports directly to the president. She has recommended several improvements in areas such as cash handling and internal controls of fixed assets, which have been implemented. She will continue to perform audits on the entire financial operations and make recommendations.<br />
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The college purchased and implemented a major administrative software system from SCT Banner. The student system has been in place since 2004 and the finance module since 2005. This is a comprehensive administrative program designed for higher education and is used by hundreds of colleges and universities. We are in the process of searching for a new human resource/payroll system and budgeting system.These systems will be expensive and time consuming to implement, but are necessary for a comprehensive administrative system.<br />
<br />
Fundraising has increased significantly over the past ten years. Overall giving has increased 141% during this period and net assets have grown from $1,673,000 in 1997 to $7,847,027 in 2007. A new vice president for Advancement was hired in 2006, and several vacant and new positions in Advancement were recently filled.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.A – Financial Planning===<br />
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====7.A.1 Governing boards and, where applicable, state agencies have given the institution appropriate autonomy in financial planning and budgeting matters within overall mandates and priorities.====<br />
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<br />
The college operates as part of a system of higher education institutions in the state of Washington coordinated by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. The governance of the college has been vested with the board of trustees as set forth in RCW 28B.40.120. Their general powers and duties include: full control of the college’s property; employment of the faculty and staff; and purchase of all goods and services necessary to conduct the business of the college, except as otherwise provided by law.<br />
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The president and senior staff along with the board of trustees establish a legislative agenda and budget request, which is then presented to the Office of Financial Management (the governor’s budget agency) for review, clarification, and inclusion into the governor's budget request. This legislative agenda, after consultation with the Office of Financial Management, is submitted to the legislature as part of the governor’s budget. The legislative agenda also includes capital funding and an enrollment plan with potential new enrollments for the college. The legislature establishes the college’s budgeted enrollment level and at this time controls the maximum allowable resident tuition increases.<br />
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====7.A.2 The institution demonstrates that financial planning for the future is a strategically guided process. This planning includes a minimum of a three-year projection of major categories of income, specific plans for major categories of expenditures, and plans for the management of capital revenue and expenditures. Short and long-range capital budgets reflect the institution’s goals and objectives and relate to the plans for physical facilities and acquisition of equipment.====<br />
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Financial planning for the college is directly tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. The “strategic directions” for the financial goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels." All major budget decisions are reviewed to ensure they are in alignment with the strategic plan.<br />
<br />
Although the legislature funds new enrollment levels, state appropriations as a percent of total operating revenue have been slowly declining for several years. This decline has been offset by tuition and fee increases. To help keep tuition rates affordable, fundraising is identified as the main source of new revenue. Increased revenue from fundraising will be used for a variety of efforts including increasing student scholarships; funding faculty development and scholarly work; and course and curriculum improvements such as equipment procurement, outreach, and student service programs. <br />
<br />
Goods and services expenditures are controlled by state and college policies that dictate procedures that result in getting quality products and services at the best possible price. One example of this is the recent state Smart Buy contract with a vendor for office supplies. Energy efficiency is addressed during new construction and other capital projects. Vacancies in existing staff positions and requests for new positions are evaluated before hiring is approved to achieve staff efficiencies. <br />
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The state has a two-year budget cycle which the college begins a year in advance. During this process the college prepares budgets for major revenue and expense categories based on expected enrollment levels and other program needs, including a capital budget. In the even numbered years, the legislature considers a supplemental budget.<br />
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The college’s physical resources are specifically addressed in the strategic plan’s support goals. The college has a ten-year capital construction plan which is updated every two years. Funding for capital projects comes from two main sources, the legislature and a portion of student fees. The college updated its campus master plan in 2008 based on the strategic plan and this will help guide future capital requests.<br />
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====7.A.3 The institution publishes an annual budget distributed to appropriate constituencies, and the policies, guidelines, and processes for developing the budget are clearly defined and followed. Budget revisions are made promptly, and, when necessary, a revised budget or schedule of budget changes is developed and distributed to appropriate constituencies.====<br />
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In the spring of each odd-numbered year, while the state legislature is approaching their final budget policy framework, Evergreen’s internal allocation process begins.<br />
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The Office of Operational Planning and Budget anticipates changes to our base funding levels such as state budget reductions (or enhancements), enrollment growth funding, and tuition or fee increases to establish an overall revenue policy framework.<br />
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The president and vice presidents discuss the implications of the anticipated revenue policy framework with the deans and directors to determine the budget themes that need to be addressed in the college’s allocation process. Normally, priorities will be consistent with those themes included in the college’s biennial budget request and may also include other priorities that have emerged since the college’s budget request was developed. It is at this stage that the president will decide if any college contingency strategies such as budget reductions or internal reallocation planning will be necessary.<br />
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The vice presidents are responsible for reviewing all budget decisions and modifications. The divisional budget coordinators, executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, and the director of Business Services will provide the necessary staff support for the vice presidents in this regard.<br />
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The vice presidents are responsible for 360-degree consultation while they are formulating an overall budget implementation strategy recommendation to the president. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget will be responsible for core coordination activities and posting budget planning material on the college Web site.<br />
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The vice presidents will conduct divisional and campus-wide budget hearings to provide information regarding the college’s most pressing needs and how those needs translate into budget priorities. Included in this discussion is the relationship of the proposed actions outlined in the college long-range plans for both the operating and capital budgets. In setting budget priorities, the vice presidents consult with the faculty budget advisory committee, the student union and the campus community.<br />
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The president is responsible for finalizing a recommended budget to the board of trustees for their approval. The president’s proposal shall highlight any changes to the previously board-approved budget policy. The president will also identify modifications she/he made in the recommendations to the course of action recommended to her/him by the vice presidents.<br />
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The college publishes the president’s biennial operating and capital budget requests, which are available on the college’s Web site. See ''[[Media: Exhibit_7-20_Legislature_101_A_Guide_to_the_Washington_State_Legislature.doc|Legislature 101: A Guide to the Washington State Legislature]]'' and ''[[Media: Budget101.pdf|Budget 101: A Guide to Evergreen’s Budget]]'', documents that were developed to inform the campus community about the various budget processes.<br />
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====7.A.4 Debt for capital outlay purposes is periodically reviewed, carefully controlled, and justified,so as not to create an unreasonable drain on resources available for educational purposes. The institution has a governing board policy guiding the use and limit of debt.====<br />
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Funding for most state-system capital projects is from three main sources (capital appropriations from the legislature, Timber Trust Fund earnings and a portion of student fees) and therefore no college debt is incurred. However, capital funding for auxiliary services such as housing, food services, and the bookstore, is provided through revenue bonds or capital lease agreements with the Office of the State Treasurer.<br />
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In 2006, the students voted to self-impose a fee to support a remodel and expansion of the College Activities Building. The revenue from this fee will used to repay bonds issued to accomplish the remodel.<br />
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The college carefully reviews any requests for auxiliary capital funding to ensure that resources are sufficient for repayment. The board of trustees authorizes the borrowing of money and the issuance and sale of revenue bonds and certain lease agreements. In 2006, the college issued Housing Revenue bonds in the amount of $7.5 million, with a current balance of $7.2 million. The bond proceeds were used to refund $1.4 million in existing bonds, and over $6 million is being used to renovate various buildings including roof replacement, elevator refurbishing, and furniture replacement. As of June 30, 2007, the college has capital lease agreements with the state treasurer’s office in the amount of $463,000 for some equipment purchases and renovation of the childcare facility.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.B – Adequacy of Financial Resources===<br />
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====7.B.1 The institution provides evidence that it seeks and utilizes different sources of funds adequate to support its programs and services. The commitment of those resources among programs and services reflects appropriately the mission and goals and priorities of the institution.====<br />
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Between state appropriations and tuition revenue, the college has a stable funding base. The college also receives funding from federal, state, and local grants, auxiliary funds, local dedicated funds, and fundraising. <br />
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For the past several years, the college has been able to carry forward more than $3.6 million in institutional operating reserve, or more than 5% of the operating budget. This flexibility has allowed the college to meet unforeseen demands and make better strategic decisions. For the last two biennia, the college has not allocated 100% of the operating revenue in order to plan and implement goals in the strategic plan, without reducing the quality of the academic programs or student services. In the 2007-09 operating budget, funding was approved to support strategic initiatives in sustainability and diversity.<br />
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The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. The college continues to seek new revenue streams. An Extended Education program was initiated in 2005 and start-up funding was provided. This program will be reviewed in the fall of 2008 to determine if it should continue.<br />
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====7.B.2 Adequate resources are available to meet debt service requirements of short-term and long-term indebtedness without adversely affecting the quality of educational programs. A minimum of three years’ history of the amount borrowed (whether internally or externally) for capital outlay and for operating funds is maintained. A five-year projection of future debt repayments is maintained.====<br />
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The college’s resources are sufficient to meet its debt service requirements without negatively impacting operations. Evergreen keeps a minimum three-year history on funds borrowed and operating funds. A five-year projection of future debt service requirements is maintained and included in the notes to the annual financial statements.<br />
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====7.B.3 Financial statements indicate a history of financial stability for the past five years. If an accumulated deficit has been recorded, a realistic plan to eliminate the deficit is approved by the governing board.====<br />
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The financial condition of the college has been stable for the past five years and there have been no material deficits. Operating revenues are budgeted and divisions are not allowed to deficit spend. Other operations are required to plan and operate in a fiscally responsible manner. Some individual accounts have had deficits during some periods, and these are addressed by the manager, director, and vice-president responsible.<br />
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====7.B.4 Transfers among the major funds and interfund borrowing are legal and guided by clearly stated policies in accordance with prudent financial planning and control.====<br />
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Mandatory and non-mandatory transfers among funds are controlled and approved by the appropriate person. These transfers are included in the financial statements and in the operating budget requests. Budget transfers in the operating fund between divisions must be approved by the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget.<br />
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====7.B.5 The institution demonstrates the adequacy of financial resources for the support of all of its offerings including specialized occupational, technical, and professional programs.====<br />
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Evergreen allocates its resources to protect the academic programs and support the educational goals in the strategic plan. When the college receives legislative funding for enrollment growth and tuition increases, instructional costs are funded first at the same level as existing programs. The balance of these funds, combined with internal reallocations, savings from efficiencies, and other new revenue streams, is allocated to non-instructional areas for overhead, other growth-related costs, and a responsible contingency reserve. This reserve is available for funding new prioritized strategic initiatives, unknown contingencies such as union contract agreements, large one-time purchases, or unexpected increases in areas like utility costs. The budget and allocation processes establish a comprehensive practice for college leadership to employ when making decisions on effectively funding the educational goals of the institution.<br />
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====7.B.6 The institution identifies the sources of its student financial aid for current enrollments and provides evidence of planning for future financial aid in light of projected enrollments. It monitors and controls the relationship between unfunded student financial aid and tuition revenues.====<br />
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Evergreen’s student financial aid comes from three main sources, federal and state programs, The Evergreen State College Foundation scholarships, and institutional aid. Federal and state aid is defined by the various government programs, and foundation scholarships are governed by the fundraising efforts. Institutional aid, in the form of tuition waivers, was historically funded at 6% of tuition until 2007. In the 2007-09 budget request, the college asked for and received legislative approval to increase the funded waiver amount from 6% to 10% over the next five years. This will increase the amount of institutional waivers by 67%. For student recruitment and retention efforts, the college can and has allocated more than the 6% for tuition waivers with the approval of the board of trustees. Financial aid from state grants has increased over 35% from 2005 to 2007.<br />
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====7.B.7 The institution maintains adequate financial reserves to meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service.====<br />
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To meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service, Evergreen maintains a diversity of reserves. These reserves include:<br />
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: Funds available from the operating budget that are not fully allocated. These funds are usually set aside for new initiatives and unknown needs.<br />
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: Divisional and institutional operating reserves. These are allocated operating funds that are under-spent in one year and carried forward either by a division or the institution. These reserves have been in excess of $6 million for several years. They are usually used to support one-time or temporary requests.<br />
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: The college’s rainy day fund. This fund of approximately $1 million is funded from miscellaneous local income and is for emergency use only.<br />
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Some self-supporting units, like summer school, have substantial fund balances that are used to augment otherwise unfunded requests in academics and elsewhere.<br />
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In addition, the college is conservative in estimating tuition revenue in the event enrollment levels or the mix of resident and non-resident students is different than projected.<br />
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====7.B.8 The institution demonstrates an understanding of the financial relationship between its education and general operations and its auxiliary enterprises and their respective contributions to the overall operations of the institution. This includes the institution’s recognition of whether it is dependent on auxiliary enterprise income to balance education and general operations or whether the institution has to use education and general operations income to balance auxiliary enterprises.====<br />
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At Evergreen, auxiliary services are of unique value to the overall operations of the college. Evergreen is physically located in a rural area with little or no services within several miles, except for a few apartment units. Therefore, the services and products provided by auxiliaries such as dining, housing, parking, and the bookstore are not readily available from private retailers. It would be extremely inconvenient for the students, staff, and faculty if these services were not available on campus. This also means some services are provided even though they may not be financially viable. <br />
<br />
Evergreen is not dependent on the income of its auxiliaries to financially support the operations of the college. All auxiliaries are charged for services provided them by operating units of the college. A schedule showing the ten-year profit/loss of the major auxiliaries is included in the exhibits (see [[Media: Exhibit_7-25_Ten_Year_Income_History_of_Auxiliary_Enterprises.xls|Ten-Year Income History of Auxiliary Enterprises]]).<br />
<br />
For several years, food services suffered significant losses. Beginning in 2004, steps were taken to improve the financial condition, including contracting with a new food service vendor, combining food services with the housing operation, and requiring all housing freshmen to purchase meal plans. These actions have greatly reduced the losses and may result in breaking even in 2008. The food service facility is slated for a complete renovation in 2009-11, which should have a significant positive impact on their financial success.<br />
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Housing has always been self-supporting. In 2006, Housing issued a $7.5 million bond to pay off the remaining balance of the previous bond issue, and perform some major renovations on its oldest buildings. It has met its bond obligations, developed a ten-year financial plan, and is building a reserve to continue capital improvements. In 2007, the operation posted a net profit exceeding $1 million.<br />
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The bookstore has been self-supporting over time, but has carried a negative fund balance since it first opened. For the past ten years it has had a total net profit of over $300,000, but it incurred losses for both 2006 and 2007. Most of the current decline is due to competition from online bookstores and a facility that is in need of a major renovation. The bookstore, located in the College Activities Building, is also planning a complete renovation in 2009-11. For a one- to two-year period, the bookstore will be in a temporary location, but will move back to a new facility which should have a positive impact on their profitability. Other efforts are being made to improve its financial picture including promoting Web sales and adding new services after the remodel.<br />
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Conference Services has been self-supporting, but in recent years it has been challenged with finding space on campus to hold conferences. This challenge was due to major remodeling of existing buildings, both general academic buildings and housing buildings. This challenge will continue as major renovations of most major campus buildings are planned for the next several years. Although Conference Services is not highly profitable, its operations create significant revenue for food services, housing, and other operations on campus. Because of changes made in 2006, this department did record a small profit in 2007, and this should improve for 2008.<br />
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Other auxiliaries such as Motor Pool and Duplicating Services are internal service functions that are self-sufficient but are not designed to provide direct financial support to the college.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7.C – Financial Management==<br />
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===7.C.1 The president reports regularly to the governing board about the financial adequacy and stability of the institution.===<br />
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Quarterly, the president and vice president for Finance and Administration provide financial information to the board of trustees that includes standard year to date financial statements for the entire college, and specific financial information on operating budgets and expenditures to date, auxiliary financial reports, capital expenditures and local dedicated fund activity. The president informs the board about any concerns relating to the financial health of the college. In the fall the board receives a financial report for the year ending June 30. The college’s audited report is reviewed by the full board and at least one board member attends the audit exit meeting with the State Auditor’s Office.<br />
<br />
===7.C.2 Financial functions are centralized and are under a single qualified financial officer responsible to the president. Institutional business functions are under one or more qualified officers, are well organized, and function effectively. The complexity of the business organization reflects the size of the institution and the significance of its transactions.===<br />
<br />
The financial management of the college is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The director of Business Services, who reports to the vice president, is responsible for all day to day financial transactions and the centralized major financial functions including payroll, purchasing, reporting, investments, cashiering and general accounting. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, who reports directly to the president, is responsible for budget development and monitoring, and long-range planning. He consults with the budget coordinators located within each division and who report directly to the appropriate vice president. Qualified professionals occupy positions responsible for accounting functions and financial management.<br />
<br />
===7.C.3 All expenditures and income from whatever source, and the administration of scholarships, grants in aid, loans, and student employment, are fully controlled by the institution and are included in its regular planning, budgeting, accounting, and auditing procedures.===<br />
<br />
The college’s expenditures and income are recorded and coordinated through the college’s financial processes which are governed in their basic structure by the state. The state sets financial standards and policy through the Office of Financial Management. Financial information is input and reported via the SCT Banner system, a computerized software program used by Evergreen and other four-year institutions in the state. This system interfaces with the state government accounting system and meets accounting and auditing guidelines. The Banner system’s financial management reporting module includes control tables, general ledger accounting, accounts payable, purchasing, customer accounts, and cashiering. The annual college operating budget is input and processed through this system. The college has established organization codes to track and monitor financial activity within the departments of the college.<br />
<br />
Each unit/department head is responsible for monitoring the budgets under their control. They have Web access to current data on their budget and expenditures to date. The budget coordinator for each division is responsible for monitoring all the budgets in their division. The budget coordinators and the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget meet regularly, and also meet quarterly with the vice presidents to review and discuss the budget. The vice presidents meet regularly with the president.<br />
<br />
Historical financial information is readily available in the accounting system and is used to effectively prepare and budget for future years.<br />
<br />
The administration and accounting of financial aid is administered jointly by the Financial Aid office and Business Services office. Financial Aid also uses an integrated Banner program that provides needs analysis, application tracking, award management, student loans, student employment monitoring, external reporting, and disbursement. The Financial Aid director has responsibility for the college’s financial aid programs.<br />
<br />
===7.C.4 The institution has clearly defined and implemented policies regarding cash management and investments which have been approved by the governing board.===<br />
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The Office of Financial Management establishes the standards and guidelines for cash management and investments. The college’s investment policy provides additional guidelines. The director of Business Services and the accounting manager monitor the college’s investments. Investment options are very limited by Washington state law, resulting in a conservative and safe investment strategy. Decisions on investments are based on current market conditions, interest rates, and the long- and short-term cash needs of the college. The college manages its exposure to interest rate changes by limiting the duration of investments to no more than twelve months and structuring the maturity of investments to mature at various times in the year. Final approval for all investments is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The accounting supervisor, under the auspices of the director of Business Services, reviews all accounts and keeps the college cash management account in balance. The vice president of Finance and Administration is provided a monthly report on all college investments.<br />
<br />
Most of the college’s endowment funds are invested with a private investment firm, and the balance of the college’s cash assets are invested in certificates of deposit or with the state’s Local Government Investment Pool. These are endowments held by the college, not the foundation.<br />
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===7.C.5 The institution’s accounting system follows generally accepted principles of accounting.===<br />
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The college maintains an accounting system that records all transactions to facilitate reporting in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The professional accounting staff is fully knowledgeable of accounting principles.<br />
<br />
===7.C.6 – 7.C.10===<br />
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''7.C.6: For independent institutions, the governing board is responsible for the selection of an auditing firm and receives the annual audit report.''<br />
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''7.C.7: Independent institutions are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and the audit is conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The audit includes a management letter. A summary of the latest audited financial statement is made available to the public.''<br />
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''7.C.8: A proprietary institution makes available annually a financial summary which includes, as a minimum, a list of company officers, a statement of profit and loss, expenditures, indebtedness, and companies which have a controlling interest in the institution.''<br />
<br />
''<br />
7.C.9: If public institutions are, by law, audited by a state agency, an independent audit is not required except for any funds not subject to governmental audit.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.10: All funds for financial aid and other specific programs not subject to governmental audit are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and include a management letter.''<br />
<br />
The college is audited annually by the Washington State Auditor’s Office for compliance and financial statements. The audits are conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing principals, and all college funds are subject to the audit including financial aid and other specific programs. The audit is a combined process covering both federal and state funds. The college has had only one finding since 2003.<br />
<br />
Since 2005, the audited financial statements have been available to the public on the college’s Web site. Prior to 2005, printed financial statements were available upon request.<br />
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===7.C.11 The institution demonstrates a well-organized program of internal audit (where appropriate) and control that complements the accounting system and the external audit.===<br />
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The college’s internal auditor, a qualified professional, reports directly to the president. The internal auditor has developed a comprehensive audit plan and has full access to all college financial records and transactions. The internal auditor meets regularly with the board of trustees to discuss the results of internal audits performed. The auditor also meet regularly with the vice president for Finance and Administration and the director of Business Services to discuss the results of audits and recommended corrections.<br />
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===7.C.12 The institution demonstrates that recommendations in the auditor’s management letter accompanying the audit report have been adequately considered.===<br />
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The college takes recommendations from the state auditor and the internal auditor very seriously and strives to correct any items of concern expressed in the audits. Audit results from the State Auditor’s Office are reviewed by the board of trustees and published in a statewide audit report.<br />
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===7.C.13 Federal, state, external, and internal audit reports are made available for examination as part of any evaluation conducted by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.===<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Recent audits and other federal, state, and external reports are available for review (see [[Media: Annualreport_2007.pdf|2007 Annual Report for College and Foundation]]).<br />
<br />
==Standard 7.D – Fund Raising and Development==<br />
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As state funding for higher education and tuition increases have not kept pace with academic needs, it has become increasingly clear that private dollars will be essential for not only supporting students, but also to ensure the quality of public higher education.<br />
<br />
The Evergreen State College Foundation was established by the college board of trustees in July of 1976 and is governed by Articles of Incorporation adopted that same year and by-laws which were most recently reviewed and significantly updated in the Spring of 2007. In 1988, the development office became a unit of the newly created College Advancement division. By policy adopted February 1, 1990, all campus fundraising is cleared through the Office of College Advancement.<br />
<br />
Historically, the fundraising efforts of the college foundation have focused on providing financial assistance to students in the form of scholarships and activity grants, and increasingly in recent years, providing support for faculty development and research. Significant foundation and corporate grants have helped expand and deepen the work of several of the college’s public service centers, most notably the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center and the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute.<br />
<br />
In 2004, the college president secured the services of The Collins Group to review and assess the organizational structure of the College Advancement division and provide recommendations intended to move the operation to the next level. Significant recommendations included the need to more directly tie fundraising initiatives and long-term plans to the institutional strategic plan. Along with preparation for accreditation, this was a significant factor in the decision to launch the recent update to the college’s strategic plan. Other major recommendations of The Collins Group included the expansion and maturing of the Evergreen Annual Fund program, which provides significant dollars for scholarships and other critical college needs, the need to establish a major local fundraising event, and a number of organizational recommendations that would provide the level of fiscal and personnel resources necessary for the college to consider entering into a major fundraising campaign.<br />
<br />
Subsequent to these recommendations, The Campbell Company was hired to help further enhance the Evergreen Annual Fund program. Working together, a three-year plan was developed to raise the level of giving and expand the number of alumni supporting the institution. In 2006, the first levels of recommendations were implemented and there was a remarkable 30% increase in the Evergreen Annual Fund, from $338,000 to $448,000. Normally a mature annual fund program will experience a 3% to 5% increase per year. The second level of recommendations was implemented in 2007 with another jump of more than 10%, raising the fund to nearly $485,000. The goal for 2008 is to raise a half million dollars in the Evergreen Annual Fund. Donations through January 2008 have put the foundation on track to exceed this goal by a substantial margin.<br />
<br />
Through the efforts of our president, the college was successful in 2005 in receiving a $1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help in building its fundraising program. These funds have provided the ability to work with additional consultants to train and develop staff, expand and deepen the fundraising infrastructure, and fund additional staff for the effort. In addition the college itself, through its internal budget process, has provided significant new resources to College Advancement as a whole. These new infusions of funds have provided resources for not only fundraising staff, but also for marketing and college relations staff and programs. This assists the fundraising efforts by expanding the understanding and reputation of the college.<br />
<br />
There have been significant changes to the staff in the past couple of years, both through turnover and through additional resources that added new staff positions. All of the leadership is relatively new. The vice president, having served for fifteen years as the executive associate to the president, stepped into the leadership of this effort in August of 2006. In the past year she has hired a director of development, director of alumni affairs, executive director of marketing and communications, alumni assistant, administrative assistant, two major gifts officers, and a new communications manager. While the staff is relatively new, it has already formed a closely knit and powerful team that collaborates well and understands how each of their areas can and must work together to assure a more stable financial future for the college and its students.<br />
<br />
The board of governors itself has undergone intensive work in the past year to strengthen its ability to support fundraising efforts on behalf of the college. They have reviewed and revised many of their policies, reorganized the committee structure, and particularly strengthened committees for fundraising and development and evaluation of the board itself. In the summer of 2007, the board met in a two-day retreat for the first time concentrating on understanding the major college initiatives in need of fundraising in the coming year. That work was guided by the college’s updated strategic plan.<br />
<br />
===7.D.1 All college/university fundraising activities are governed by institutional policies, comply with governmental requirements, and are conducted in a professional and ethical manner.===<br />
<br />
College staff and members of the foundation board of governors engaged in fundraising efforts are guided by a variety of policies, procedures, and guidelines designed to ensure that fundraising is conducted in a professional and ethical manner. Board members annually sign a conflict of interest policy declaration. An independent private auditor is secured each year to ensure ongoing adherence to gift accounting standards, consistent reporting procedures, and avoidance of conflicts of interest on the part of members of the board of governors. In order to assure that board and staff members stay current with ethical standards, the college is affiliated with a number of profession fundraising associations. The college maintains an institutional membership in CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education), and individual staff memberships in AFP (Association of Fund Raising Professionals) and other local, regional, and national groups. All of these professional associations provide ethical guidance. AFP has developed standards that provide guidance around issues of professional competence and commitment, stewardship, charitable mission, privacy, cultural diversity, and conflicts of interest. The Standards of Professional Practice address issues involving civil and criminal laws, professional conduct, advocacy, compensation, and donor/prospect information.<br />
<br />
New foundation board members attend an orientation session with staff and other board members at their first quarterly meeting. This orientation includes a review of ethical issues and considerations as well as information about legal and ethical requirements. Each board member has a Foundation Board Member Handbook covering these and other policies that is updated regularly. As part of the annual evaluation of staff and the board, the college continues to provide professional development opportunities that keep everyone current and mindful of ethical obligations.<br />
<br />
The institutional development program is administered by the Office of College Advancement, which includes management of The Evergreen State College Foundation, development (including donor relations), development services and research, alumni affairs, marketing communications, and college relations. Academic grant development is administered through the academic grants office under the auspices of the Provost’s Office. The academic grants manager works closely with development officers in planning fundraising initiatives and identifying corporate and foundation prospects.<br />
<br />
===7.D.2 Endowment and life income funds and their investments are administered by an appropriate institutional officer, foundation, or committee designated by the governing board. The organization maintains complete records concerning these funds and complies with applicable legal requirements.===<br />
<br />
<br />
Management oversight of the foundation endowments is provided by the vice president for College Advancement, with day-to-day management, accounting, and record keeping of all foundation assets provided by the vice president for Finance and Administration who also serves as the assistant treasurer for the foundation. The foundation signed an agreement with the University of Washington in 2003 to pool the foundation’s funds with the University of Washington’s Consolidated Endowment Fund. The foundation’s investment committee reviews the health of endowments on a monthly basis and the vice president for Finance and Administration manages the pooling of any unrestricted cash balances.<br />
<br />
Through the foundation's work, the college's students, faculty, and staff now receive financial assistance from a wide range of endowment funds. Current funds are divided between those funds held by the foundation and those held by the college. The college endowments are funds raised through the foundation but matched through state matching programs. By statute those funds are then held by the college and invested according to state rules and not under control of the foundation. These funds have increased substantially since our last accreditation report.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| ''Endowments*''<br />
| '''''1997'''''<br />
| '''''2002'''''<br />
| '''''2007'''''<br />
| '''''1997-2007 Increase'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Foundation''<br />
| ''1,987,773''<br />
| ''2,277,315''<br />
| ''6,502,504''<br />
| ''227%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''College''<br />
| ''993,773''<br />
| ''2,052,389''<br />
| ''2,661,032''<br />
| ''168%''<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NOTE*: Foundation endowment amounts include other temporarily restricted funds.<br />
<br />
The foundation agreement with the University of Washington has dramatically increased the earnings potential for those endowments.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''''Total Giving'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Dollars raised from all sources''<br />
| ''$778,678''<br />
| ''$1,038,807''<br />
| ''1,874,508''<br />
| ''141%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of donors''<br />
| ''4,351''<br />
| ''3,232''<br />
| ''4,199''<br />
| ''-3%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Average gift amount''<br />
| ''$179''<br />
| ''$321''<br />
| ''$446''<br />
| ''149%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''2,395''<br />
| ''1,627''<br />
| ''2,418''<br />
| ''1%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Percentage of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''13%''<br />
| ''5%''<br />
| ''8%''<br />
| ''-37%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| '''''Evergreen Annual Fund'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Total Income''<br />
| ''$187,352''<br />
| ''$269,975''<br />
| ''$484,506''<br />
| ''159%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Donors''<br />
| ''3,184''<br />
| ''2,391''<br />
| ''3,522''<br />
| ''11%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===7.D.3 The institution has a clearly defined relationship with any foundation bearing its name or which has as its major purpose the raising of funds for the institution.===<br />
<br />
<br />
The foundation is subject to rules and regulations of the IRS as a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) “public” charity, and to regulations of the state of Washington governing non-profit organizations, as specified in chapter 24.03 RCW. According to its bylaws, the foundation operates “exclusively for the purposes of promoting, supporting, maintaining, developing, increasing and extending educational offerings and the pursuit thereof at or in connection with The Evergreen State College…” The relationship between the foundation and the college is established through a contract signed by both boards, which follows the state attorney general’s model for foundations affiliated with public institutions of higher education. That contract provides for state support of staff and provisions of resources – including offices – in exchange for dollars raised to support the institution and its students. The contract is reviewed and renewed every three years.<br />
<br />
The College Advancement division serves as the principal liaison with The Evergreen State College Foundation. The executive director of the foundation is also the vice president for the division of College Advancement. In addition to the executive director, ex-officio members of the foundation board of governors include a member of the board of trustees, the college president, and the vice president for Finance and Administration.<br />
<br />
The college and the foundation work together to insure that fundraising activities by different college groups are coordinated, and the external community sees any solicitation of funds as coming from a single entity. The foundation works closely with the college community to determine what fundraising and development activities would best serve the needs of the college.<br />
<br />
For example, in FY 2008 the Development office is focused on a concise list of projects ranging from media equipment for a new campus facility to endowments for scholarships and visiting scholars. Conversations are underway with the board of governors to respond to the ever-increasing need for student financial assistance.<br />
<br />
==Summary==<br />
<br />
The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Furthermore, the state will most likely be facing economic challenges that could result in reduced funding for higher education for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 - Findings and Conclusions==<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our vision and strategic plan, and a record of external auditor reports with no major findings.<br />
<br />
2.) The college’s financial planning is tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. These goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels.” The president and the board of trustees provide the sound financial planning embodied in the college’s decisions and policies.<br />
<br />
3.) The college relies on state funding and tuition revenues to provide a stable base of funding for the institution.<br />
<br />
4.) The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. However, the college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations because most auxiliaries (e.g., the bookstore, parking, or housing services) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations, and increasing revenues to auxiliaries would increase students' cost of attendance or hurt operating budgets. <br />
<br />
5.) The college has purchased and implemented the SCT Banner Student and Finance administrative software modules, resulting in improved student and financial services. <br />
<br />
6.) The changes in the College Advancement division has helped the college to significantly increase fundraising over the last few years. <br />
<br />
7.) Because state funding for higher education has not kept pace with academic needs, the college must find private dollars for supporting students and ensuring the quality of public education. <br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Higher education will be competing with K-12, prisons, and services for the elderly for limited state funding that could result in reduced funding for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
2.) Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
3.) The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
4.) In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts. <br />
<br />
5.) Efforts to sustain and grow the breadth and depth of fundraising will be essential to the college’s capacity to support students and faculty innovation in the years ahead. <br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has developed substantial reserve funds to help meet contingencies, thus helping to insure stability in campus operations.<br />
<br />
2.) The college has improved administrative software and better integrated financial services.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has recently made significant strides in fundraising, supporting student and faculty opportunities for study, program development, and research. <br />
<br />
4.) The hiring of an internal auditor has helped improve internal controls and procedures. <br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college needs to complete the improvement of its internal administrative systems by acquiring human resource and budgeting software.<br />
<br />
2.) The college should continue to work on developing broad and deep fundraising efforts to help diversify revenue to support teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to continue to improve auxiliary enterprises so they are all self-supporting.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) In keeping with the strategic plan, continued efforts to improve fundraising and to increase revenues in auxiliary services are critical components in the financial goal of the strategic plan. The college is currently making plans and creating outcome measures to assess work in this area. <br />
<br />
2.) Improvements in internal administrative systems in human resources and budgeting are elements of the college’s upcoming budget requests to the legislature.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 Supporting Documentation==<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven|Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_7&diff=8843Standard 72008-07-24T23:07:06Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 7.A – Financial Planning */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 7 – Finance==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
<br />
The financial goals of the college are to support quality educational opportunities to meet the intellectual, academic, career, personal, and developmental needs of our students and members of the community. The financial and business functions of the college are managed and led with the ideal of making this mission a reality through enhanced funding. Toward this end, the college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our visions and strategic plan, and a record of audit reports with no major findings. The college's growth and development reflect sound financial planning guided by policies and decisions made by the college board of trustees and president. The financial and business functions of the college are under the leadership and responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration and a capable group of employees who manage fiscal operations, capital facilities planning and construction, physical plant, human resources, information technology, and auxiliary operations.<br />
<br />
The college continues to rely on state funding and tuition as the major sources of operating funds. State operating support has increased by 19% per student FTE since 2003, and as a percent of total operating revenue has remained at a range of 36% to 39% from 2003 to 2007.<br />
<br />
The college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations. Most of our auxiliaries (Dining and Food Service, Bookstore and Parking) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations supported by operating revenues. Increasing the revenues to these auxiliary enterprises would increase student's cost of attendance or have a negative impact on departmental operating expenditures. <br />
<br />
An internal auditor was hired in December 2005 and reports directly to the president. She has recommended several improvements in areas such as cash handling and internal controls of fixed assets, which have been implemented. She will continue to perform audits on the entire financial operations and make recommendations.<br />
<br />
The college purchased and implemented a major administrative software system from SCT Banner. The student system has been in place since 2004 and the finance module since 2005. This is a comprehensive administrative program designed for higher education and is used by hundreds of colleges and universities. We are in the process of searching for a new human resource/payroll system and budgeting system.These systems will be expensive and time consuming to implement, but are necessary for a comprehensive administrative system.<br />
<br />
Fundraising has increased significantly over the past ten years. Overall giving has increased 141% during this period and net assets have grown from $1,673,000 in 1997 to $7,847,027 in 2007. A new vice president for Advancement was hired in 2006, and several vacant and new positions in Advancement were recently filled.<br />
<br />
===Standard 7.A – Financial Planning===<br />
<br />
====7.A.1 Governing boards and, where applicable, state agencies have given the institution appropriate autonomy in financial planning and budgeting matters within overall mandates and priorities.====<br />
<br />
<br />
The college operates as part of a system of higher education institutions in the state of Washington coordinated by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. The governance of the college has been vested with the board of trustees as set forth in RCW 28B.40.120. Their general powers and duties include: full control of the college’s property; employment of the faculty and staff; and purchase of all goods and services necessary to conduct the business of the college, except as otherwise provided by law.<br />
<br />
The president and senior staff along with the board of trustees establish a legislative agenda and budget request, which is then presented to the Office of Financial Management (the governor’s budget agency) for review, clarification, and inclusion into the governor's budget request. This legislative agenda, after consultation with the Office of Financial Management, is submitted to the legislature as part of the governor’s budget. The legislative agenda also includes capital funding and an enrollment plan with potential new enrollments for the college. The legislature establishes the college’s budgeted enrollment level and at this time controls the maximum allowable resident tuition increases.<br />
<br />
====7.A.2 The institution demonstrates that financial planning for the future is a strategically guided process. This planning includes a minimum of a three-year projection of major categories of income, specific plans for major categories of expenditures, and plans for the management of capital revenue and expenditures. Short and long-range capital budgets reflect the institution’s goals and objectives and relate to the plans for physical facilities and acquisition of equipment.====<br />
<br />
Financial planning for the college is directly tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. The “strategic directions” for the financial goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels." All major budget decisions are reviewed to ensure they are in alignment with the strategic plan.<br />
<br />
Although the legislature funds new enrollment levels, state appropriations as a percent of total operating revenue have been slowly declining for several years. This decline has been offset by tuition and fee increases. To help keep tuition rates affordable, fundraising is identified as the main source of new revenue. Increased revenue from fundraising will be used for a variety of efforts including increasing student scholarships; funding faculty development and scholarly work; and course and curriculum improvements such as equipment procurement, outreach, and student service programs. <br />
<br />
Goods and services expenditures are controlled by state and college policies that dictate procedures that result in getting quality products and services at the best possible price. One example of this is the recent state Smart Buy contract with a vendor for office supplies. Energy efficiency is addressed during new construction and other capital projects. Vacancies in existing staff positions and requests for new positions are evaluated before hiring is approved to achieve staff efficiencies. <br />
<br />
The state has a two-year budget cycle which the college begins a year in advance. During this process the college prepares budgets for major revenue and expense categories based on expected enrollment levels and other program needs, including a capital budget. In the even numbered years, the legislature considers a supplemental budget.<br />
<br />
The college’s physical resources are specifically addressed in the strategic plan’s support goals. The college has a ten-year capital construction plan which is updated every two years. Funding for capital projects comes from two main sources, the legislature and a portion of student fees. The college updated its campus master plan in 2008 based on the strategic plan and this will help guide future capital requests.<br />
<br />
====7.A.3 The institution publishes an annual budget distributed to appropriate constituencies, and the policies, guidelines, and processes for developing the budget are clearly defined and followed. Budget revisions are made promptly, and, when necessary, a revised budget or schedule of budget changes is developed and distributed to appropriate constituencies.====<br />
<br />
In the spring of each odd-numbered year, while the state legislature is approaching their final budget policy framework, Evergreen’s internal allocation process begins.<br />
<br />
The Office of Operational Planning and Budget anticipates changes to our base funding levels such as state budget reductions (or enhancements), enrollment growth funding, and tuition or fee increases to establish an overall revenue policy framework.<br />
<br />
The president and vice presidents discuss the implications of the anticipated revenue policy framework with the deans and directors to determine the budget themes that need to be addressed in the college’s allocation process. Normally, priorities will be consistent with those themes included in the college’s biennial budget request and may also include other priorities that have emerged since the college’s budget request was developed. It is at this stage that the president will decide if any college contingency strategies such as budget reductions or internal reallocation planning will be necessary.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents are responsible for reviewing all budget decisions and modifications. The divisional budget coordinators, executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, and the director of Business Services will provide the necessary staff support for the vice presidents in this regard.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents are responsible for 360-degree consultation while they are formulating an overall budget implementation strategy recommendation to the president. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget will be responsible for core coordination activities and posting budget planning material on the college Web site.<br />
<br />
The vice presidents will conduct divisional and campus-wide budget hearings to provide information regarding the college’s most pressing needs and how those needs translate into budget priorities. Included in this discussion is the relationship of the proposed actions outlined in the college long-range plans for both the operating and capital budgets. In setting budget priorities, the vice presidents consult with the faculty budget advisory committee, the student union and the campus community.<br />
<br />
The president is responsible for finalizing a recommended budget to the board of trustees for their approval. The president’s proposal shall highlight any changes to the previously board-approved budget policy. The president will also identify modifications she/he made in the recommendations to the course of action recommended to her/him by the vice presidents.<br />
<br />
The college publishes the president’s biennial operating and capital budget requests, which are available on the college’s Web site. See ''[[Media: Exhibit_7-20_Legislature_101_A_Guide_to_the_Washington_State_Legislature.doc|Legislature 101: A Guide to the Washington State Legislature]]'' and ''[[Media: Budget101.pdf|Budget 101: A Guide to Evergreen’s Budget]]'', documents that were developed to inform the campus community about the various budget processes.<br />
<br />
====7.A.4 Debt for capital outlay purposes is periodically reviewed, carefully controlled, and justified,so as not to create an unreasonable drain on resources available for educational purposes. The institution has a governing board policy guiding the use and limit of debt.====<br />
<br />
Funding for most state-system capital projects is from three main sources (capital appropriations from the legislature, Timber Trust Fund earnings and a portion of student fees) and therefore no college debt is incurred. However, capital funding for auxiliary services such as housing, food services, and the bookstore, is provided through revenue bonds or capital lease agreements with the Office of the State Treasurer.<br />
<br />
In 2006, the students voted to self-impose a fee to support a remodel and expansion of the College Activities Building. The revenue from this fee will used to repay bonds issued to accomplish the remodel.<br />
<br />
The college carefully reviews any requests for auxiliary capital funding to ensure that resources are sufficient for repayment. The board of trustees authorizes the borrowing of money and the issuance and sale of revenue bonds and certain lease agreements. In 2006, the college issued Housing Revenue bonds in the amount of $7.5 million, with a current balance of $7.2 million. The bond proceeds were used to refund $1.4 million in existing bonds, and over $6 million is being used to renovate various buildings including roof replacement, elevator refurbishing, and furniture replacement. As of June 30, 2007, the college has capital lease agreements with the state treasurer’s office in the amount of $463,000 for some equipment purchases and renovation of the childcare facility.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7.B – Adequacy of Financial Resources==<br />
<br />
===7.B.1 The institution provides evidence that it seeks and utilizes different sources of funds adequate to support its programs and services. The commitment of those resources among programs and services reflects appropriately the mission and goals and priorities of the institution.===<br />
<br />
Between state appropriations and tuition revenue, the college has a stable funding base. The college also receives funding from federal, state, and local grants, auxiliary funds, local dedicated funds, and fundraising. <br />
<br />
For the past several years, the college has been able to carry forward more than $3.6 million in institutional operating reserve, or more than 5% of the operating budget. This flexibility has allowed the college to meet unforeseen demands and make better strategic decisions. For the last two biennia, the college has not allocated 100% of the operating revenue in order to plan and implement goals in the strategic plan, without reducing the quality of the academic programs or student services. In the 2007-09 operating budget, funding was approved to support strategic initiatives in sustainability and diversity.<br />
<br />
The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. The college continues to seek new revenue streams. An Extended Education program was initiated in 2005 and start-up funding was provided. This program will be reviewed in the fall of 2008 to determine if it should continue.<br />
<br />
===7.B.2 Adequate resources are available to meet debt service requirements of short-term and long-term indebtedness without adversely affecting the quality of educational programs. A minimum of three years’ history of the amount borrowed (whether internally or externally) for capital outlay and for operating funds is maintained. A five-year projection of future debt repayments is maintained.===<br />
<br />
The college’s resources are sufficient to meet its debt service requirements without negatively impacting operations. Evergreen keeps a minimum three-year history on funds borrowed and operating funds. A five-year projection of future debt service requirements is maintained and included in the notes to the annual financial statements.<br />
<br />
===7.B.3 Financial statements indicate a history of financial stability for the past five years. If an accumulated deficit has been recorded, a realistic plan to eliminate the deficit is approved by the governing board.===<br />
<br />
The financial condition of the college has been stable for the past five years and there have been no material deficits. Operating revenues are budgeted and divisions are not allowed to deficit spend. Other operations are required to plan and operate in a fiscally responsible manner. Some individual accounts have had deficits during some periods, and these are addressed by the manager, director, and vice-president responsible.<br />
<br />
===7.B.4 Transfers among the major funds and interfund borrowing are legal and guided by clearly stated policies in accordance with prudent financial planning and control.===<br />
<br />
Mandatory and non-mandatory transfers among funds are controlled and approved by the appropriate person. These transfers are included in the financial statements and in the operating budget requests. Budget transfers in the operating fund between divisions must be approved by the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget.<br />
<br />
===7.B.5 The institution demonstrates the adequacy of financial resources for the support of all of its offerings including specialized occupational, technical, and professional programs.===<br />
<br />
Evergreen allocates its resources to protect the academic programs and support the educational goals in the strategic plan. When the college receives legislative funding for enrollment growth and tuition increases, instructional costs are funded first at the same level as existing programs. The balance of these funds, combined with internal reallocations, savings from efficiencies, and other new revenue streams, is allocated to non-instructional areas for overhead, other growth-related costs, and a responsible contingency reserve. This reserve is available for funding new prioritized strategic initiatives, unknown contingencies such as union contract agreements, large one-time purchases, or unexpected increases in areas like utility costs. The budget and allocation processes establish a comprehensive practice for college leadership to employ when making decisions on effectively funding the educational goals of the institution.<br />
<br />
===7.B.6 The institution identifies the sources of its student financial aid for current enrollments and provides evidence of planning for future financial aid in light of projected enrollments. It monitors and controls the relationship between unfunded student financial aid and tuition revenues.===<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s student financial aid comes from three main sources, federal and state programs, The Evergreen State College Foundation scholarships, and institutional aid. Federal and state aid is defined by the various government programs, and foundation scholarships are governed by the fundraising efforts. Institutional aid, in the form of tuition waivers, was historically funded at 6% of tuition until 2007. In the 2007-09 budget request, the college asked for and received legislative approval to increase the funded waiver amount from 6% to 10% over the next five years. This will increase the amount of institutional waivers by 67%. For student recruitment and retention efforts, the college can and has allocated more than the 6% for tuition waivers with the approval of the board of trustees. Financial aid from state grants has increased over 35% from 2005 to 2007.<br />
<br />
===7.B.7 The institution maintains adequate financial reserves to meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service.===<br />
<br />
To meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service, Evergreen maintains a diversity of reserves. These reserves include:<br />
<br />
: Funds available from the operating budget that are not fully allocated. These funds are usually set aside for new initiatives and unknown needs.<br />
<br />
: Divisional and institutional operating reserves. These are allocated operating funds that are under-spent in one year and carried forward either by a division or the institution. These reserves have been in excess of $6 million for several years. They are usually used to support one-time or temporary requests.<br />
<br />
: The college’s rainy day fund. This fund of approximately $1 million is funded from miscellaneous local income and is for emergency use only.<br />
<br />
Some self-supporting units, like summer school, have substantial fund balances that are used to augment otherwise unfunded requests in academics and elsewhere.<br />
<br />
In addition, the college is conservative in estimating tuition revenue in the event enrollment levels or the mix of resident and non-resident students is different than projected.<br />
<br />
===7.B.8 The institution demonstrates an understanding of the financial relationship between its education and general operations and its auxiliary enterprises and their respective contributions to the overall operations of the institution. This includes the institution’s recognition of whether it is dependent on auxiliary enterprise income to balance education and general operations or whether the institution has to use education and general operations income to balance auxiliary enterprises.===<br />
<br />
At Evergreen, auxiliary services are of unique value to the overall operations of the college. Evergreen is physically located in a rural area with little or no services within several miles, except for a few apartment units. Therefore, the services and products provided by auxiliaries such as dining, housing, parking, and the bookstore are not readily available from private retailers. It would be extremely inconvenient for the students, staff, and faculty if these services were not available on campus. This also means some services are provided even though they may not be financially viable. <br />
<br />
Evergreen is not dependent on the income of its auxiliaries to financially support the operations of the college. All auxiliaries are charged for services provided them by operating units of the college. A schedule showing the ten-year profit/loss of the major auxiliaries is included in the exhibits (see [[Media: Exhibit_7-25_Ten_Year_Income_History_of_Auxiliary_Enterprises.xls|Ten-Year Income History of Auxiliary Enterprises]]).<br />
<br />
For several years, food services suffered significant losses. Beginning in 2004, steps were taken to improve the financial condition, including contracting with a new food service vendor, combining food services with the housing operation, and requiring all housing freshmen to purchase meal plans. These actions have greatly reduced the losses and may result in breaking even in 2008. The food service facility is slated for a complete renovation in 2009-11, which should have a significant positive impact on their financial success.<br />
<br />
Housing has always been self-supporting. In 2006, Housing issued a $7.5 million bond to pay off the remaining balance of the previous bond issue, and perform some major renovations on its oldest buildings. It has met its bond obligations, developed a ten-year financial plan, and is building a reserve to continue capital improvements. In 2007, the operation posted a net profit exceeding $1 million.<br />
<br />
The bookstore has been self-supporting over time, but has carried a negative fund balance since it first opened. For the past ten years it has had a total net profit of over $300,000, but it incurred losses for both 2006 and 2007. Most of the current decline is due to competition from online bookstores and a facility that is in need of a major renovation. The bookstore, located in the College Activities Building, is also planning a complete renovation in 2009-11. For a one- to two-year period, the bookstore will be in a temporary location, but will move back to a new facility which should have a positive impact on their profitability. Other efforts are being made to improve its financial picture including promoting Web sales and adding new services after the remodel.<br />
<br />
Conference Services has been self-supporting, but in recent years it has been challenged with finding space on campus to hold conferences. This challenge was due to major remodeling of existing buildings, both general academic buildings and housing buildings. This challenge will continue as major renovations of most major campus buildings are planned for the next several years. Although Conference Services is not highly profitable, its operations create significant revenue for food services, housing, and other operations on campus. Because of changes made in 2006, this department did record a small profit in 2007, and this should improve for 2008.<br />
<br />
Other auxiliaries such as Motor Pool and Duplicating Services are internal service functions that are self-sufficient but are not designed to provide direct financial support to the college.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7.C – Financial Management==<br />
<br />
===7.C.1 The president reports regularly to the governing board about the financial adequacy and stability of the institution.===<br />
<br />
Quarterly, the president and vice president for Finance and Administration provide financial information to the board of trustees that includes standard year to date financial statements for the entire college, and specific financial information on operating budgets and expenditures to date, auxiliary financial reports, capital expenditures and local dedicated fund activity. The president informs the board about any concerns relating to the financial health of the college. In the fall the board receives a financial report for the year ending June 30. The college’s audited report is reviewed by the full board and at least one board member attends the audit exit meeting with the State Auditor’s Office.<br />
<br />
===7.C.2 Financial functions are centralized and are under a single qualified financial officer responsible to the president. Institutional business functions are under one or more qualified officers, are well organized, and function effectively. The complexity of the business organization reflects the size of the institution and the significance of its transactions.===<br />
<br />
The financial management of the college is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The director of Business Services, who reports to the vice president, is responsible for all day to day financial transactions and the centralized major financial functions including payroll, purchasing, reporting, investments, cashiering and general accounting. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, who reports directly to the president, is responsible for budget development and monitoring, and long-range planning. He consults with the budget coordinators located within each division and who report directly to the appropriate vice president. Qualified professionals occupy positions responsible for accounting functions and financial management.<br />
<br />
===7.C.3 All expenditures and income from whatever source, and the administration of scholarships, grants in aid, loans, and student employment, are fully controlled by the institution and are included in its regular planning, budgeting, accounting, and auditing procedures.===<br />
<br />
The college’s expenditures and income are recorded and coordinated through the college’s financial processes which are governed in their basic structure by the state. The state sets financial standards and policy through the Office of Financial Management. Financial information is input and reported via the SCT Banner system, a computerized software program used by Evergreen and other four-year institutions in the state. This system interfaces with the state government accounting system and meets accounting and auditing guidelines. The Banner system’s financial management reporting module includes control tables, general ledger accounting, accounts payable, purchasing, customer accounts, and cashiering. The annual college operating budget is input and processed through this system. The college has established organization codes to track and monitor financial activity within the departments of the college.<br />
<br />
Each unit/department head is responsible for monitoring the budgets under their control. They have Web access to current data on their budget and expenditures to date. The budget coordinator for each division is responsible for monitoring all the budgets in their division. The budget coordinators and the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget meet regularly, and also meet quarterly with the vice presidents to review and discuss the budget. The vice presidents meet regularly with the president.<br />
<br />
Historical financial information is readily available in the accounting system and is used to effectively prepare and budget for future years.<br />
<br />
The administration and accounting of financial aid is administered jointly by the Financial Aid office and Business Services office. Financial Aid also uses an integrated Banner program that provides needs analysis, application tracking, award management, student loans, student employment monitoring, external reporting, and disbursement. The Financial Aid director has responsibility for the college’s financial aid programs.<br />
<br />
===7.C.4 The institution has clearly defined and implemented policies regarding cash management and investments which have been approved by the governing board.===<br />
<br />
The Office of Financial Management establishes the standards and guidelines for cash management and investments. The college’s investment policy provides additional guidelines. The director of Business Services and the accounting manager monitor the college’s investments. Investment options are very limited by Washington state law, resulting in a conservative and safe investment strategy. Decisions on investments are based on current market conditions, interest rates, and the long- and short-term cash needs of the college. The college manages its exposure to interest rate changes by limiting the duration of investments to no more than twelve months and structuring the maturity of investments to mature at various times in the year. Final approval for all investments is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The accounting supervisor, under the auspices of the director of Business Services, reviews all accounts and keeps the college cash management account in balance. The vice president of Finance and Administration is provided a monthly report on all college investments.<br />
<br />
Most of the college’s endowment funds are invested with a private investment firm, and the balance of the college’s cash assets are invested in certificates of deposit or with the state’s Local Government Investment Pool. These are endowments held by the college, not the foundation.<br />
<br />
===7.C.5 The institution’s accounting system follows generally accepted principles of accounting.===<br />
<br />
The college maintains an accounting system that records all transactions to facilitate reporting in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The professional accounting staff is fully knowledgeable of accounting principles.<br />
<br />
===7.C.6 – 7.C.10===<br />
<br />
''7.C.6: For independent institutions, the governing board is responsible for the selection of an auditing firm and receives the annual audit report.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.7: Independent institutions are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and the audit is conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The audit includes a management letter. A summary of the latest audited financial statement is made available to the public.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.8: A proprietary institution makes available annually a financial summary which includes, as a minimum, a list of company officers, a statement of profit and loss, expenditures, indebtedness, and companies which have a controlling interest in the institution.''<br />
<br />
''<br />
7.C.9: If public institutions are, by law, audited by a state agency, an independent audit is not required except for any funds not subject to governmental audit.''<br />
<br />
''7.C.10: All funds for financial aid and other specific programs not subject to governmental audit are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and include a management letter.''<br />
<br />
The college is audited annually by the Washington State Auditor’s Office for compliance and financial statements. The audits are conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing principals, and all college funds are subject to the audit including financial aid and other specific programs. The audit is a combined process covering both federal and state funds. The college has had only one finding since 2003.<br />
<br />
Since 2005, the audited financial statements have been available to the public on the college’s Web site. Prior to 2005, printed financial statements were available upon request.<br />
<br />
===7.C.11 The institution demonstrates a well-organized program of internal audit (where appropriate) and control that complements the accounting system and the external audit.===<br />
<br />
The college’s internal auditor, a qualified professional, reports directly to the president. The internal auditor has developed a comprehensive audit plan and has full access to all college financial records and transactions. The internal auditor meets regularly with the board of trustees to discuss the results of internal audits performed. The auditor also meet regularly with the vice president for Finance and Administration and the director of Business Services to discuss the results of audits and recommended corrections.<br />
<br />
===7.C.12 The institution demonstrates that recommendations in the auditor’s management letter accompanying the audit report have been adequately considered.===<br />
<br />
The college takes recommendations from the state auditor and the internal auditor very seriously and strives to correct any items of concern expressed in the audits. Audit results from the State Auditor’s Office are reviewed by the board of trustees and published in a statewide audit report.<br />
<br />
===7.C.13 Federal, state, external, and internal audit reports are made available for examination as part of any evaluation conducted by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.===<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Recent audits and other federal, state, and external reports are available for review (see [[Media: Annualreport_2007.pdf|2007 Annual Report for College and Foundation]]).<br />
<br />
==Standard 7.D – Fund Raising and Development==<br />
<br />
As state funding for higher education and tuition increases have not kept pace with academic needs, it has become increasingly clear that private dollars will be essential for not only supporting students, but also to ensure the quality of public higher education.<br />
<br />
The Evergreen State College Foundation was established by the college board of trustees in July of 1976 and is governed by Articles of Incorporation adopted that same year and by-laws which were most recently reviewed and significantly updated in the Spring of 2007. In 1988, the development office became a unit of the newly created College Advancement division. By policy adopted February 1, 1990, all campus fundraising is cleared through the Office of College Advancement.<br />
<br />
Historically, the fundraising efforts of the college foundation have focused on providing financial assistance to students in the form of scholarships and activity grants, and increasingly in recent years, providing support for faculty development and research. Significant foundation and corporate grants have helped expand and deepen the work of several of the college’s public service centers, most notably the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center and the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute.<br />
<br />
In 2004, the college president secured the services of The Collins Group to review and assess the organizational structure of the College Advancement division and provide recommendations intended to move the operation to the next level. Significant recommendations included the need to more directly tie fundraising initiatives and long-term plans to the institutional strategic plan. Along with preparation for accreditation, this was a significant factor in the decision to launch the recent update to the college’s strategic plan. Other major recommendations of The Collins Group included the expansion and maturing of the Evergreen Annual Fund program, which provides significant dollars for scholarships and other critical college needs, the need to establish a major local fundraising event, and a number of organizational recommendations that would provide the level of fiscal and personnel resources necessary for the college to consider entering into a major fundraising campaign.<br />
<br />
Subsequent to these recommendations, The Campbell Company was hired to help further enhance the Evergreen Annual Fund program. Working together, a three-year plan was developed to raise the level of giving and expand the number of alumni supporting the institution. In 2006, the first levels of recommendations were implemented and there was a remarkable 30% increase in the Evergreen Annual Fund, from $338,000 to $448,000. Normally a mature annual fund program will experience a 3% to 5% increase per year. The second level of recommendations was implemented in 2007 with another jump of more than 10%, raising the fund to nearly $485,000. The goal for 2008 is to raise a half million dollars in the Evergreen Annual Fund. Donations through January 2008 have put the foundation on track to exceed this goal by a substantial margin.<br />
<br />
Through the efforts of our president, the college was successful in 2005 in receiving a $1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help in building its fundraising program. These funds have provided the ability to work with additional consultants to train and develop staff, expand and deepen the fundraising infrastructure, and fund additional staff for the effort. In addition the college itself, through its internal budget process, has provided significant new resources to College Advancement as a whole. These new infusions of funds have provided resources for not only fundraising staff, but also for marketing and college relations staff and programs. This assists the fundraising efforts by expanding the understanding and reputation of the college.<br />
<br />
There have been significant changes to the staff in the past couple of years, both through turnover and through additional resources that added new staff positions. All of the leadership is relatively new. The vice president, having served for fifteen years as the executive associate to the president, stepped into the leadership of this effort in August of 2006. In the past year she has hired a director of development, director of alumni affairs, executive director of marketing and communications, alumni assistant, administrative assistant, two major gifts officers, and a new communications manager. While the staff is relatively new, it has already formed a closely knit and powerful team that collaborates well and understands how each of their areas can and must work together to assure a more stable financial future for the college and its students.<br />
<br />
The board of governors itself has undergone intensive work in the past year to strengthen its ability to support fundraising efforts on behalf of the college. They have reviewed and revised many of their policies, reorganized the committee structure, and particularly strengthened committees for fundraising and development and evaluation of the board itself. In the summer of 2007, the board met in a two-day retreat for the first time concentrating on understanding the major college initiatives in need of fundraising in the coming year. That work was guided by the college’s updated strategic plan.<br />
<br />
===7.D.1 All college/university fundraising activities are governed by institutional policies, comply with governmental requirements, and are conducted in a professional and ethical manner.===<br />
<br />
College staff and members of the foundation board of governors engaged in fundraising efforts are guided by a variety of policies, procedures, and guidelines designed to ensure that fundraising is conducted in a professional and ethical manner. Board members annually sign a conflict of interest policy declaration. An independent private auditor is secured each year to ensure ongoing adherence to gift accounting standards, consistent reporting procedures, and avoidance of conflicts of interest on the part of members of the board of governors. In order to assure that board and staff members stay current with ethical standards, the college is affiliated with a number of profession fundraising associations. The college maintains an institutional membership in CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education), and individual staff memberships in AFP (Association of Fund Raising Professionals) and other local, regional, and national groups. All of these professional associations provide ethical guidance. AFP has developed standards that provide guidance around issues of professional competence and commitment, stewardship, charitable mission, privacy, cultural diversity, and conflicts of interest. The Standards of Professional Practice address issues involving civil and criminal laws, professional conduct, advocacy, compensation, and donor/prospect information.<br />
<br />
New foundation board members attend an orientation session with staff and other board members at their first quarterly meeting. This orientation includes a review of ethical issues and considerations as well as information about legal and ethical requirements. Each board member has a Foundation Board Member Handbook covering these and other policies that is updated regularly. As part of the annual evaluation of staff and the board, the college continues to provide professional development opportunities that keep everyone current and mindful of ethical obligations.<br />
<br />
The institutional development program is administered by the Office of College Advancement, which includes management of The Evergreen State College Foundation, development (including donor relations), development services and research, alumni affairs, marketing communications, and college relations. Academic grant development is administered through the academic grants office under the auspices of the Provost’s Office. The academic grants manager works closely with development officers in planning fundraising initiatives and identifying corporate and foundation prospects.<br />
<br />
===7.D.2 Endowment and life income funds and their investments are administered by an appropriate institutional officer, foundation, or committee designated by the governing board. The organization maintains complete records concerning these funds and complies with applicable legal requirements.===<br />
<br />
<br />
Management oversight of the foundation endowments is provided by the vice president for College Advancement, with day-to-day management, accounting, and record keeping of all foundation assets provided by the vice president for Finance and Administration who also serves as the assistant treasurer for the foundation. The foundation signed an agreement with the University of Washington in 2003 to pool the foundation’s funds with the University of Washington’s Consolidated Endowment Fund. The foundation’s investment committee reviews the health of endowments on a monthly basis and the vice president for Finance and Administration manages the pooling of any unrestricted cash balances.<br />
<br />
Through the foundation's work, the college's students, faculty, and staff now receive financial assistance from a wide range of endowment funds. Current funds are divided between those funds held by the foundation and those held by the college. The college endowments are funds raised through the foundation but matched through state matching programs. By statute those funds are then held by the college and invested according to state rules and not under control of the foundation. These funds have increased substantially since our last accreditation report.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| ''Endowments*''<br />
| '''''1997'''''<br />
| '''''2002'''''<br />
| '''''2007'''''<br />
| '''''1997-2007 Increase'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Foundation''<br />
| ''1,987,773''<br />
| ''2,277,315''<br />
| ''6,502,504''<br />
| ''227%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''College''<br />
| ''993,773''<br />
| ''2,052,389''<br />
| ''2,661,032''<br />
| ''168%''<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NOTE*: Foundation endowment amounts include other temporarily restricted funds.<br />
<br />
The foundation agreement with the University of Washington has dramatically increased the earnings potential for those endowments.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''''Total Giving'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Dollars raised from all sources''<br />
| ''$778,678''<br />
| ''$1,038,807''<br />
| ''1,874,508''<br />
| ''141%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of donors''<br />
| ''4,351''<br />
| ''3,232''<br />
| ''4,199''<br />
| ''-3%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Average gift amount''<br />
| ''$179''<br />
| ''$321''<br />
| ''$446''<br />
| ''149%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''2,395''<br />
| ''1,627''<br />
| ''2,418''<br />
| ''1%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Percentage of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''13%''<br />
| ''5%''<br />
| ''8%''<br />
| ''-37%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| '''''Evergreen Annual Fund'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Total Income''<br />
| ''$187,352''<br />
| ''$269,975''<br />
| ''$484,506''<br />
| ''159%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Donors''<br />
| ''3,184''<br />
| ''2,391''<br />
| ''3,522''<br />
| ''11%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===7.D.3 The institution has a clearly defined relationship with any foundation bearing its name or which has as its major purpose the raising of funds for the institution.===<br />
<br />
<br />
The foundation is subject to rules and regulations of the IRS as a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) “public” charity, and to regulations of the state of Washington governing non-profit organizations, as specified in chapter 24.03 RCW. According to its bylaws, the foundation operates “exclusively for the purposes of promoting, supporting, maintaining, developing, increasing and extending educational offerings and the pursuit thereof at or in connection with The Evergreen State College…” The relationship between the foundation and the college is established through a contract signed by both boards, which follows the state attorney general’s model for foundations affiliated with public institutions of higher education. That contract provides for state support of staff and provisions of resources – including offices – in exchange for dollars raised to support the institution and its students. The contract is reviewed and renewed every three years.<br />
<br />
The College Advancement division serves as the principal liaison with The Evergreen State College Foundation. The executive director of the foundation is also the vice president for the division of College Advancement. In addition to the executive director, ex-officio members of the foundation board of governors include a member of the board of trustees, the college president, and the vice president for Finance and Administration.<br />
<br />
The college and the foundation work together to insure that fundraising activities by different college groups are coordinated, and the external community sees any solicitation of funds as coming from a single entity. The foundation works closely with the college community to determine what fundraising and development activities would best serve the needs of the college.<br />
<br />
For example, in FY 2008 the Development office is focused on a concise list of projects ranging from media equipment for a new campus facility to endowments for scholarships and visiting scholars. Conversations are underway with the board of governors to respond to the ever-increasing need for student financial assistance.<br />
<br />
==Summary==<br />
<br />
The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Furthermore, the state will most likely be facing economic challenges that could result in reduced funding for higher education for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 - Findings and Conclusions==<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our vision and strategic plan, and a record of external auditor reports with no major findings.<br />
<br />
2.) The college’s financial planning is tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. These goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels.” The president and the board of trustees provide the sound financial planning embodied in the college’s decisions and policies.<br />
<br />
3.) The college relies on state funding and tuition revenues to provide a stable base of funding for the institution.<br />
<br />
4.) The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. However, the college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations because most auxiliaries (e.g., the bookstore, parking, or housing services) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations, and increasing revenues to auxiliaries would increase students' cost of attendance or hurt operating budgets. <br />
<br />
5.) The college has purchased and implemented the SCT Banner Student and Finance administrative software modules, resulting in improved student and financial services. <br />
<br />
6.) The changes in the College Advancement division has helped the college to significantly increase fundraising over the last few years. <br />
<br />
7.) Because state funding for higher education has not kept pace with academic needs, the college must find private dollars for supporting students and ensuring the quality of public education. <br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Higher education will be competing with K-12, prisons, and services for the elderly for limited state funding that could result in reduced funding for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
2.) Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
3.) The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
4.) In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts. <br />
<br />
5.) Efforts to sustain and grow the breadth and depth of fundraising will be essential to the college’s capacity to support students and faculty innovation in the years ahead. <br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has developed substantial reserve funds to help meet contingencies, thus helping to insure stability in campus operations.<br />
<br />
2.) The college has improved administrative software and better integrated financial services.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has recently made significant strides in fundraising, supporting student and faculty opportunities for study, program development, and research. <br />
<br />
4.) The hiring of an internal auditor has helped improve internal controls and procedures. <br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college needs to complete the improvement of its internal administrative systems by acquiring human resource and budgeting software.<br />
<br />
2.) The college should continue to work on developing broad and deep fundraising efforts to help diversify revenue to support teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to continue to improve auxiliary enterprises so they are all self-supporting.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) In keeping with the strategic plan, continued efforts to improve fundraising and to increase revenues in auxiliary services are critical components in the financial goal of the strategic plan. The college is currently making plans and creating outcome measures to assess work in this area. <br />
<br />
2.) Improvements in internal administrative systems in human resources and budgeting are elements of the college’s upcoming budget requests to the legislature.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 Supporting Documentation==<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven|Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_7&diff=8842Standard 72008-07-24T23:06:32Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Introduction */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 7 – Finance==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
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The financial goals of the college are to support quality educational opportunities to meet the intellectual, academic, career, personal, and developmental needs of our students and members of the community. The financial and business functions of the college are managed and led with the ideal of making this mission a reality through enhanced funding. Toward this end, the college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our visions and strategic plan, and a record of audit reports with no major findings. The college's growth and development reflect sound financial planning guided by policies and decisions made by the college board of trustees and president. The financial and business functions of the college are under the leadership and responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration and a capable group of employees who manage fiscal operations, capital facilities planning and construction, physical plant, human resources, information technology, and auxiliary operations.<br />
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The college continues to rely on state funding and tuition as the major sources of operating funds. State operating support has increased by 19% per student FTE since 2003, and as a percent of total operating revenue has remained at a range of 36% to 39% from 2003 to 2007.<br />
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The college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations. Most of our auxiliaries (Dining and Food Service, Bookstore and Parking) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations supported by operating revenues. Increasing the revenues to these auxiliary enterprises would increase student's cost of attendance or have a negative impact on departmental operating expenditures. <br />
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An internal auditor was hired in December 2005 and reports directly to the president. She has recommended several improvements in areas such as cash handling and internal controls of fixed assets, which have been implemented. She will continue to perform audits on the entire financial operations and make recommendations.<br />
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The college purchased and implemented a major administrative software system from SCT Banner. The student system has been in place since 2004 and the finance module since 2005. This is a comprehensive administrative program designed for higher education and is used by hundreds of colleges and universities. We are in the process of searching for a new human resource/payroll system and budgeting system.These systems will be expensive and time consuming to implement, but are necessary for a comprehensive administrative system.<br />
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Fundraising has increased significantly over the past ten years. Overall giving has increased 141% during this period and net assets have grown from $1,673,000 in 1997 to $7,847,027 in 2007. A new vice president for Advancement was hired in 2006, and several vacant and new positions in Advancement were recently filled.<br />
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==Standard 7.A – Financial Planning==<br />
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===7.A.1 Governing boards and, where applicable, state agencies have given the institution appropriate autonomy in financial planning and budgeting matters within overall mandates and priorities.===<br />
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The college operates as part of a system of higher education institutions in the state of Washington coordinated by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. The governance of the college has been vested with the board of trustees as set forth in RCW 28B.40.120. Their general powers and duties include: full control of the college’s property; employment of the faculty and staff; and purchase of all goods and services necessary to conduct the business of the college, except as otherwise provided by law.<br />
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The president and senior staff along with the board of trustees establish a legislative agenda and budget request, which is then presented to the Office of Financial Management (the governor’s budget agency) for review, clarification, and inclusion into the governor's budget request. This legislative agenda, after consultation with the Office of Financial Management, is submitted to the legislature as part of the governor’s budget. The legislative agenda also includes capital funding and an enrollment plan with potential new enrollments for the college. The legislature establishes the college’s budgeted enrollment level and at this time controls the maximum allowable resident tuition increases.<br />
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===7.A.2 The institution demonstrates that financial planning for the future is a strategically guided process. This planning includes a minimum of a three-year projection of major categories of income, specific plans for major categories of expenditures, and plans for the management of capital revenue and expenditures. Short and long-range capital budgets reflect the institution’s goals and objectives and relate to the plans for physical facilities and acquisition of equipment.===<br />
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Financial planning for the college is directly tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. The “strategic directions” for the financial goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels." All major budget decisions are reviewed to ensure they are in alignment with the strategic plan.<br />
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Although the legislature funds new enrollment levels, state appropriations as a percent of total operating revenue have been slowly declining for several years. This decline has been offset by tuition and fee increases. To help keep tuition rates affordable, fundraising is identified as the main source of new revenue. Increased revenue from fundraising will be used for a variety of efforts including increasing student scholarships; funding faculty development and scholarly work; and course and curriculum improvements such as equipment procurement, outreach, and student service programs. <br />
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Goods and services expenditures are controlled by state and college policies that dictate procedures that result in getting quality products and services at the best possible price. One example of this is the recent state Smart Buy contract with a vendor for office supplies. Energy efficiency is addressed during new construction and other capital projects. Vacancies in existing staff positions and requests for new positions are evaluated before hiring is approved to achieve staff efficiencies. <br />
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The state has a two-year budget cycle which the college begins a year in advance. During this process the college prepares budgets for major revenue and expense categories based on expected enrollment levels and other program needs, including a capital budget. In the even numbered years, the legislature considers a supplemental budget.<br />
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The college’s physical resources are specifically addressed in the strategic plan’s support goals. The college has a ten-year capital construction plan which is updated every two years. Funding for capital projects comes from two main sources, the legislature and a portion of student fees. The college updated its campus master plan in 2008 based on the strategic plan and this will help guide future capital requests.<br />
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===7.A.3 The institution publishes an annual budget distributed to appropriate constituencies, and the policies, guidelines, and processes for developing the budget are clearly defined and followed. Budget revisions are made promptly, and, when necessary, a revised budget or schedule of budget changes is developed and distributed to appropriate constituencies.===<br />
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In the spring of each odd-numbered year, while the state legislature is approaching their final budget policy framework, Evergreen’s internal allocation process begins.<br />
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The Office of Operational Planning and Budget anticipates changes to our base funding levels such as state budget reductions (or enhancements), enrollment growth funding, and tuition or fee increases to establish an overall revenue policy framework.<br />
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The president and vice presidents discuss the implications of the anticipated revenue policy framework with the deans and directors to determine the budget themes that need to be addressed in the college’s allocation process. Normally, priorities will be consistent with those themes included in the college’s biennial budget request and may also include other priorities that have emerged since the college’s budget request was developed. It is at this stage that the president will decide if any college contingency strategies such as budget reductions or internal reallocation planning will be necessary.<br />
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The vice presidents are responsible for reviewing all budget decisions and modifications. The divisional budget coordinators, executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, and the director of Business Services will provide the necessary staff support for the vice presidents in this regard.<br />
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The vice presidents are responsible for 360-degree consultation while they are formulating an overall budget implementation strategy recommendation to the president. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget will be responsible for core coordination activities and posting budget planning material on the college Web site.<br />
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The vice presidents will conduct divisional and campus-wide budget hearings to provide information regarding the college’s most pressing needs and how those needs translate into budget priorities. Included in this discussion is the relationship of the proposed actions outlined in the college long-range plans for both the operating and capital budgets. In setting budget priorities, the vice presidents consult with the faculty budget advisory committee, the student union and the campus community.<br />
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The president is responsible for finalizing a recommended budget to the board of trustees for their approval. The president’s proposal shall highlight any changes to the previously board-approved budget policy. The president will also identify modifications she/he made in the recommendations to the course of action recommended to her/him by the vice presidents.<br />
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The college publishes the president’s biennial operating and capital budget requests, which are available on the college’s Web site. See ''[[Media: Exhibit_7-20_Legislature_101_A_Guide_to_the_Washington_State_Legislature.doc|Legislature 101: A Guide to the Washington State Legislature]]'' and ''[[Media: Budget101.pdf|Budget 101: A Guide to Evergreen’s Budget]]'', documents that were developed to inform the campus community about the various budget processes.<br />
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===7.A.4 Debt for capital outlay purposes is periodically reviewed, carefully controlled, and justified,so as not to create an unreasonable drain on resources available for educational purposes. The institution has a governing board policy guiding the use and limit of debt.===<br />
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Funding for most state-system capital projects is from three main sources (capital appropriations from the legislature, Timber Trust Fund earnings and a portion of student fees) and therefore no college debt is incurred. However, capital funding for auxiliary services such as housing, food services, and the bookstore, is provided through revenue bonds or capital lease agreements with the Office of the State Treasurer.<br />
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In 2006, the students voted to self-impose a fee to support a remodel and expansion of the College Activities Building. The revenue from this fee will used to repay bonds issued to accomplish the remodel.<br />
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The college carefully reviews any requests for auxiliary capital funding to ensure that resources are sufficient for repayment. The board of trustees authorizes the borrowing of money and the issuance and sale of revenue bonds and certain lease agreements. In 2006, the college issued Housing Revenue bonds in the amount of $7.5 million, with a current balance of $7.2 million. The bond proceeds were used to refund $1.4 million in existing bonds, and over $6 million is being used to renovate various buildings including roof replacement, elevator refurbishing, and furniture replacement. As of June 30, 2007, the college has capital lease agreements with the state treasurer’s office in the amount of $463,000 for some equipment purchases and renovation of the childcare facility.<br />
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==Standard 7.B – Adequacy of Financial Resources==<br />
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===7.B.1 The institution provides evidence that it seeks and utilizes different sources of funds adequate to support its programs and services. The commitment of those resources among programs and services reflects appropriately the mission and goals and priorities of the institution.===<br />
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Between state appropriations and tuition revenue, the college has a stable funding base. The college also receives funding from federal, state, and local grants, auxiliary funds, local dedicated funds, and fundraising. <br />
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For the past several years, the college has been able to carry forward more than $3.6 million in institutional operating reserve, or more than 5% of the operating budget. This flexibility has allowed the college to meet unforeseen demands and make better strategic decisions. For the last two biennia, the college has not allocated 100% of the operating revenue in order to plan and implement goals in the strategic plan, without reducing the quality of the academic programs or student services. In the 2007-09 operating budget, funding was approved to support strategic initiatives in sustainability and diversity.<br />
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The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. The college continues to seek new revenue streams. An Extended Education program was initiated in 2005 and start-up funding was provided. This program will be reviewed in the fall of 2008 to determine if it should continue.<br />
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===7.B.2 Adequate resources are available to meet debt service requirements of short-term and long-term indebtedness without adversely affecting the quality of educational programs. A minimum of three years’ history of the amount borrowed (whether internally or externally) for capital outlay and for operating funds is maintained. A five-year projection of future debt repayments is maintained.===<br />
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The college’s resources are sufficient to meet its debt service requirements without negatively impacting operations. Evergreen keeps a minimum three-year history on funds borrowed and operating funds. A five-year projection of future debt service requirements is maintained and included in the notes to the annual financial statements.<br />
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===7.B.3 Financial statements indicate a history of financial stability for the past five years. If an accumulated deficit has been recorded, a realistic plan to eliminate the deficit is approved by the governing board.===<br />
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The financial condition of the college has been stable for the past five years and there have been no material deficits. Operating revenues are budgeted and divisions are not allowed to deficit spend. Other operations are required to plan and operate in a fiscally responsible manner. Some individual accounts have had deficits during some periods, and these are addressed by the manager, director, and vice-president responsible.<br />
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===7.B.4 Transfers among the major funds and interfund borrowing are legal and guided by clearly stated policies in accordance with prudent financial planning and control.===<br />
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Mandatory and non-mandatory transfers among funds are controlled and approved by the appropriate person. These transfers are included in the financial statements and in the operating budget requests. Budget transfers in the operating fund between divisions must be approved by the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget.<br />
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===7.B.5 The institution demonstrates the adequacy of financial resources for the support of all of its offerings including specialized occupational, technical, and professional programs.===<br />
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Evergreen allocates its resources to protect the academic programs and support the educational goals in the strategic plan. When the college receives legislative funding for enrollment growth and tuition increases, instructional costs are funded first at the same level as existing programs. The balance of these funds, combined with internal reallocations, savings from efficiencies, and other new revenue streams, is allocated to non-instructional areas for overhead, other growth-related costs, and a responsible contingency reserve. This reserve is available for funding new prioritized strategic initiatives, unknown contingencies such as union contract agreements, large one-time purchases, or unexpected increases in areas like utility costs. The budget and allocation processes establish a comprehensive practice for college leadership to employ when making decisions on effectively funding the educational goals of the institution.<br />
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===7.B.6 The institution identifies the sources of its student financial aid for current enrollments and provides evidence of planning for future financial aid in light of projected enrollments. It monitors and controls the relationship between unfunded student financial aid and tuition revenues.===<br />
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Evergreen’s student financial aid comes from three main sources, federal and state programs, The Evergreen State College Foundation scholarships, and institutional aid. Federal and state aid is defined by the various government programs, and foundation scholarships are governed by the fundraising efforts. Institutional aid, in the form of tuition waivers, was historically funded at 6% of tuition until 2007. In the 2007-09 budget request, the college asked for and received legislative approval to increase the funded waiver amount from 6% to 10% over the next five years. This will increase the amount of institutional waivers by 67%. For student recruitment and retention efforts, the college can and has allocated more than the 6% for tuition waivers with the approval of the board of trustees. Financial aid from state grants has increased over 35% from 2005 to 2007.<br />
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===7.B.7 The institution maintains adequate financial reserves to meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service.===<br />
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To meet fluctuations in operating revenue, expenses, and debt service, Evergreen maintains a diversity of reserves. These reserves include:<br />
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: Funds available from the operating budget that are not fully allocated. These funds are usually set aside for new initiatives and unknown needs.<br />
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: Divisional and institutional operating reserves. These are allocated operating funds that are under-spent in one year and carried forward either by a division or the institution. These reserves have been in excess of $6 million for several years. They are usually used to support one-time or temporary requests.<br />
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: The college’s rainy day fund. This fund of approximately $1 million is funded from miscellaneous local income and is for emergency use only.<br />
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Some self-supporting units, like summer school, have substantial fund balances that are used to augment otherwise unfunded requests in academics and elsewhere.<br />
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In addition, the college is conservative in estimating tuition revenue in the event enrollment levels or the mix of resident and non-resident students is different than projected.<br />
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===7.B.8 The institution demonstrates an understanding of the financial relationship between its education and general operations and its auxiliary enterprises and their respective contributions to the overall operations of the institution. This includes the institution’s recognition of whether it is dependent on auxiliary enterprise income to balance education and general operations or whether the institution has to use education and general operations income to balance auxiliary enterprises.===<br />
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At Evergreen, auxiliary services are of unique value to the overall operations of the college. Evergreen is physically located in a rural area with little or no services within several miles, except for a few apartment units. Therefore, the services and products provided by auxiliaries such as dining, housing, parking, and the bookstore are not readily available from private retailers. It would be extremely inconvenient for the students, staff, and faculty if these services were not available on campus. This also means some services are provided even though they may not be financially viable. <br />
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Evergreen is not dependent on the income of its auxiliaries to financially support the operations of the college. All auxiliaries are charged for services provided them by operating units of the college. A schedule showing the ten-year profit/loss of the major auxiliaries is included in the exhibits (see [[Media: Exhibit_7-25_Ten_Year_Income_History_of_Auxiliary_Enterprises.xls|Ten-Year Income History of Auxiliary Enterprises]]).<br />
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For several years, food services suffered significant losses. Beginning in 2004, steps were taken to improve the financial condition, including contracting with a new food service vendor, combining food services with the housing operation, and requiring all housing freshmen to purchase meal plans. These actions have greatly reduced the losses and may result in breaking even in 2008. The food service facility is slated for a complete renovation in 2009-11, which should have a significant positive impact on their financial success.<br />
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Housing has always been self-supporting. In 2006, Housing issued a $7.5 million bond to pay off the remaining balance of the previous bond issue, and perform some major renovations on its oldest buildings. It has met its bond obligations, developed a ten-year financial plan, and is building a reserve to continue capital improvements. In 2007, the operation posted a net profit exceeding $1 million.<br />
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The bookstore has been self-supporting over time, but has carried a negative fund balance since it first opened. For the past ten years it has had a total net profit of over $300,000, but it incurred losses for both 2006 and 2007. Most of the current decline is due to competition from online bookstores and a facility that is in need of a major renovation. The bookstore, located in the College Activities Building, is also planning a complete renovation in 2009-11. For a one- to two-year period, the bookstore will be in a temporary location, but will move back to a new facility which should have a positive impact on their profitability. Other efforts are being made to improve its financial picture including promoting Web sales and adding new services after the remodel.<br />
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Conference Services has been self-supporting, but in recent years it has been challenged with finding space on campus to hold conferences. This challenge was due to major remodeling of existing buildings, both general academic buildings and housing buildings. This challenge will continue as major renovations of most major campus buildings are planned for the next several years. Although Conference Services is not highly profitable, its operations create significant revenue for food services, housing, and other operations on campus. Because of changes made in 2006, this department did record a small profit in 2007, and this should improve for 2008.<br />
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Other auxiliaries such as Motor Pool and Duplicating Services are internal service functions that are self-sufficient but are not designed to provide direct financial support to the college.<br />
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==Standard 7.C – Financial Management==<br />
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===7.C.1 The president reports regularly to the governing board about the financial adequacy and stability of the institution.===<br />
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Quarterly, the president and vice president for Finance and Administration provide financial information to the board of trustees that includes standard year to date financial statements for the entire college, and specific financial information on operating budgets and expenditures to date, auxiliary financial reports, capital expenditures and local dedicated fund activity. The president informs the board about any concerns relating to the financial health of the college. In the fall the board receives a financial report for the year ending June 30. The college’s audited report is reviewed by the full board and at least one board member attends the audit exit meeting with the State Auditor’s Office.<br />
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===7.C.2 Financial functions are centralized and are under a single qualified financial officer responsible to the president. Institutional business functions are under one or more qualified officers, are well organized, and function effectively. The complexity of the business organization reflects the size of the institution and the significance of its transactions.===<br />
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The financial management of the college is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The director of Business Services, who reports to the vice president, is responsible for all day to day financial transactions and the centralized major financial functions including payroll, purchasing, reporting, investments, cashiering and general accounting. The executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, who reports directly to the president, is responsible for budget development and monitoring, and long-range planning. He consults with the budget coordinators located within each division and who report directly to the appropriate vice president. Qualified professionals occupy positions responsible for accounting functions and financial management.<br />
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===7.C.3 All expenditures and income from whatever source, and the administration of scholarships, grants in aid, loans, and student employment, are fully controlled by the institution and are included in its regular planning, budgeting, accounting, and auditing procedures.===<br />
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The college’s expenditures and income are recorded and coordinated through the college’s financial processes which are governed in their basic structure by the state. The state sets financial standards and policy through the Office of Financial Management. Financial information is input and reported via the SCT Banner system, a computerized software program used by Evergreen and other four-year institutions in the state. This system interfaces with the state government accounting system and meets accounting and auditing guidelines. The Banner system’s financial management reporting module includes control tables, general ledger accounting, accounts payable, purchasing, customer accounts, and cashiering. The annual college operating budget is input and processed through this system. The college has established organization codes to track and monitor financial activity within the departments of the college.<br />
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Each unit/department head is responsible for monitoring the budgets under their control. They have Web access to current data on their budget and expenditures to date. The budget coordinator for each division is responsible for monitoring all the budgets in their division. The budget coordinators and the executive director of Operational Planning and Budget meet regularly, and also meet quarterly with the vice presidents to review and discuss the budget. The vice presidents meet regularly with the president.<br />
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Historical financial information is readily available in the accounting system and is used to effectively prepare and budget for future years.<br />
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The administration and accounting of financial aid is administered jointly by the Financial Aid office and Business Services office. Financial Aid also uses an integrated Banner program that provides needs analysis, application tracking, award management, student loans, student employment monitoring, external reporting, and disbursement. The Financial Aid director has responsibility for the college’s financial aid programs.<br />
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===7.C.4 The institution has clearly defined and implemented policies regarding cash management and investments which have been approved by the governing board.===<br />
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The Office of Financial Management establishes the standards and guidelines for cash management and investments. The college’s investment policy provides additional guidelines. The director of Business Services and the accounting manager monitor the college’s investments. Investment options are very limited by Washington state law, resulting in a conservative and safe investment strategy. Decisions on investments are based on current market conditions, interest rates, and the long- and short-term cash needs of the college. The college manages its exposure to interest rate changes by limiting the duration of investments to no more than twelve months and structuring the maturity of investments to mature at various times in the year. Final approval for all investments is the responsibility of the vice president for Finance and Administration. The accounting supervisor, under the auspices of the director of Business Services, reviews all accounts and keeps the college cash management account in balance. The vice president of Finance and Administration is provided a monthly report on all college investments.<br />
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Most of the college’s endowment funds are invested with a private investment firm, and the balance of the college’s cash assets are invested in certificates of deposit or with the state’s Local Government Investment Pool. These are endowments held by the college, not the foundation.<br />
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===7.C.5 The institution’s accounting system follows generally accepted principles of accounting.===<br />
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The college maintains an accounting system that records all transactions to facilitate reporting in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The professional accounting staff is fully knowledgeable of accounting principles.<br />
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===7.C.6 – 7.C.10===<br />
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''7.C.6: For independent institutions, the governing board is responsible for the selection of an auditing firm and receives the annual audit report.''<br />
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''7.C.7: Independent institutions are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and the audit is conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The audit includes a management letter. A summary of the latest audited financial statement is made available to the public.''<br />
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''7.C.8: A proprietary institution makes available annually a financial summary which includes, as a minimum, a list of company officers, a statement of profit and loss, expenditures, indebtedness, and companies which have a controlling interest in the institution.''<br />
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7.C.9: If public institutions are, by law, audited by a state agency, an independent audit is not required except for any funds not subject to governmental audit.''<br />
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''7.C.10: All funds for financial aid and other specific programs not subject to governmental audit are audited annually by an independent certified public accountant and include a management letter.''<br />
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The college is audited annually by the Washington State Auditor’s Office for compliance and financial statements. The audits are conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing principals, and all college funds are subject to the audit including financial aid and other specific programs. The audit is a combined process covering both federal and state funds. The college has had only one finding since 2003.<br />
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Since 2005, the audited financial statements have been available to the public on the college’s Web site. Prior to 2005, printed financial statements were available upon request.<br />
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===7.C.11 The institution demonstrates a well-organized program of internal audit (where appropriate) and control that complements the accounting system and the external audit.===<br />
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The college’s internal auditor, a qualified professional, reports directly to the president. The internal auditor has developed a comprehensive audit plan and has full access to all college financial records and transactions. The internal auditor meets regularly with the board of trustees to discuss the results of internal audits performed. The auditor also meet regularly with the vice president for Finance and Administration and the director of Business Services to discuss the results of audits and recommended corrections.<br />
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===7.C.12 The institution demonstrates that recommendations in the auditor’s management letter accompanying the audit report have been adequately considered.===<br />
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The college takes recommendations from the state auditor and the internal auditor very seriously and strives to correct any items of concern expressed in the audits. Audit results from the State Auditor’s Office are reviewed by the board of trustees and published in a statewide audit report.<br />
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===7.C.13 Federal, state, external, and internal audit reports are made available for examination as part of any evaluation conducted by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.===<br />
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Recent audits and other federal, state, and external reports are available for review (see [[Media: Annualreport_2007.pdf|2007 Annual Report for College and Foundation]]).<br />
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==Standard 7.D – Fund Raising and Development==<br />
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As state funding for higher education and tuition increases have not kept pace with academic needs, it has become increasingly clear that private dollars will be essential for not only supporting students, but also to ensure the quality of public higher education.<br />
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The Evergreen State College Foundation was established by the college board of trustees in July of 1976 and is governed by Articles of Incorporation adopted that same year and by-laws which were most recently reviewed and significantly updated in the Spring of 2007. In 1988, the development office became a unit of the newly created College Advancement division. By policy adopted February 1, 1990, all campus fundraising is cleared through the Office of College Advancement.<br />
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Historically, the fundraising efforts of the college foundation have focused on providing financial assistance to students in the form of scholarships and activity grants, and increasingly in recent years, providing support for faculty development and research. Significant foundation and corporate grants have helped expand and deepen the work of several of the college’s public service centers, most notably the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center and the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute.<br />
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In 2004, the college president secured the services of The Collins Group to review and assess the organizational structure of the College Advancement division and provide recommendations intended to move the operation to the next level. Significant recommendations included the need to more directly tie fundraising initiatives and long-term plans to the institutional strategic plan. Along with preparation for accreditation, this was a significant factor in the decision to launch the recent update to the college’s strategic plan. Other major recommendations of The Collins Group included the expansion and maturing of the Evergreen Annual Fund program, which provides significant dollars for scholarships and other critical college needs, the need to establish a major local fundraising event, and a number of organizational recommendations that would provide the level of fiscal and personnel resources necessary for the college to consider entering into a major fundraising campaign.<br />
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Subsequent to these recommendations, The Campbell Company was hired to help further enhance the Evergreen Annual Fund program. Working together, a three-year plan was developed to raise the level of giving and expand the number of alumni supporting the institution. In 2006, the first levels of recommendations were implemented and there was a remarkable 30% increase in the Evergreen Annual Fund, from $338,000 to $448,000. Normally a mature annual fund program will experience a 3% to 5% increase per year. The second level of recommendations was implemented in 2007 with another jump of more than 10%, raising the fund to nearly $485,000. The goal for 2008 is to raise a half million dollars in the Evergreen Annual Fund. Donations through January 2008 have put the foundation on track to exceed this goal by a substantial margin.<br />
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Through the efforts of our president, the college was successful in 2005 in receiving a $1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help in building its fundraising program. These funds have provided the ability to work with additional consultants to train and develop staff, expand and deepen the fundraising infrastructure, and fund additional staff for the effort. In addition the college itself, through its internal budget process, has provided significant new resources to College Advancement as a whole. These new infusions of funds have provided resources for not only fundraising staff, but also for marketing and college relations staff and programs. This assists the fundraising efforts by expanding the understanding and reputation of the college.<br />
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There have been significant changes to the staff in the past couple of years, both through turnover and through additional resources that added new staff positions. All of the leadership is relatively new. The vice president, having served for fifteen years as the executive associate to the president, stepped into the leadership of this effort in August of 2006. In the past year she has hired a director of development, director of alumni affairs, executive director of marketing and communications, alumni assistant, administrative assistant, two major gifts officers, and a new communications manager. While the staff is relatively new, it has already formed a closely knit and powerful team that collaborates well and understands how each of their areas can and must work together to assure a more stable financial future for the college and its students.<br />
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The board of governors itself has undergone intensive work in the past year to strengthen its ability to support fundraising efforts on behalf of the college. They have reviewed and revised many of their policies, reorganized the committee structure, and particularly strengthened committees for fundraising and development and evaluation of the board itself. In the summer of 2007, the board met in a two-day retreat for the first time concentrating on understanding the major college initiatives in need of fundraising in the coming year. That work was guided by the college’s updated strategic plan.<br />
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===7.D.1 All college/university fundraising activities are governed by institutional policies, comply with governmental requirements, and are conducted in a professional and ethical manner.===<br />
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College staff and members of the foundation board of governors engaged in fundraising efforts are guided by a variety of policies, procedures, and guidelines designed to ensure that fundraising is conducted in a professional and ethical manner. Board members annually sign a conflict of interest policy declaration. An independent private auditor is secured each year to ensure ongoing adherence to gift accounting standards, consistent reporting procedures, and avoidance of conflicts of interest on the part of members of the board of governors. In order to assure that board and staff members stay current with ethical standards, the college is affiliated with a number of profession fundraising associations. The college maintains an institutional membership in CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education), and individual staff memberships in AFP (Association of Fund Raising Professionals) and other local, regional, and national groups. All of these professional associations provide ethical guidance. AFP has developed standards that provide guidance around issues of professional competence and commitment, stewardship, charitable mission, privacy, cultural diversity, and conflicts of interest. The Standards of Professional Practice address issues involving civil and criminal laws, professional conduct, advocacy, compensation, and donor/prospect information.<br />
<br />
New foundation board members attend an orientation session with staff and other board members at their first quarterly meeting. This orientation includes a review of ethical issues and considerations as well as information about legal and ethical requirements. Each board member has a Foundation Board Member Handbook covering these and other policies that is updated regularly. As part of the annual evaluation of staff and the board, the college continues to provide professional development opportunities that keep everyone current and mindful of ethical obligations.<br />
<br />
The institutional development program is administered by the Office of College Advancement, which includes management of The Evergreen State College Foundation, development (including donor relations), development services and research, alumni affairs, marketing communications, and college relations. Academic grant development is administered through the academic grants office under the auspices of the Provost’s Office. The academic grants manager works closely with development officers in planning fundraising initiatives and identifying corporate and foundation prospects.<br />
<br />
===7.D.2 Endowment and life income funds and their investments are administered by an appropriate institutional officer, foundation, or committee designated by the governing board. The organization maintains complete records concerning these funds and complies with applicable legal requirements.===<br />
<br />
<br />
Management oversight of the foundation endowments is provided by the vice president for College Advancement, with day-to-day management, accounting, and record keeping of all foundation assets provided by the vice president for Finance and Administration who also serves as the assistant treasurer for the foundation. The foundation signed an agreement with the University of Washington in 2003 to pool the foundation’s funds with the University of Washington’s Consolidated Endowment Fund. The foundation’s investment committee reviews the health of endowments on a monthly basis and the vice president for Finance and Administration manages the pooling of any unrestricted cash balances.<br />
<br />
Through the foundation's work, the college's students, faculty, and staff now receive financial assistance from a wide range of endowment funds. Current funds are divided between those funds held by the foundation and those held by the college. The college endowments are funds raised through the foundation but matched through state matching programs. By statute those funds are then held by the college and invested according to state rules and not under control of the foundation. These funds have increased substantially since our last accreditation report.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| ''Endowments*''<br />
| '''''1997'''''<br />
| '''''2002'''''<br />
| '''''2007'''''<br />
| '''''1997-2007 Increase'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Foundation''<br />
| ''1,987,773''<br />
| ''2,277,315''<br />
| ''6,502,504''<br />
| ''227%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''College''<br />
| ''993,773''<br />
| ''2,052,389''<br />
| ''2,661,032''<br />
| ''168%''<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NOTE*: Foundation endowment amounts include other temporarily restricted funds.<br />
<br />
The foundation agreement with the University of Washington has dramatically increased the earnings potential for those endowments.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''''Total Giving'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Dollars raised from all sources''<br />
| ''$778,678''<br />
| ''$1,038,807''<br />
| ''1,874,508''<br />
| ''141%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of donors''<br />
| ''4,351''<br />
| ''3,232''<br />
| ''4,199''<br />
| ''-3%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Average gift amount''<br />
| ''$179''<br />
| ''$321''<br />
| ''$446''<br />
| ''149%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''2,395''<br />
| ''1,627''<br />
| ''2,418''<br />
| ''1%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Percentage of Alumni Donors''<br />
| ''13%''<br />
| ''5%''<br />
| ''8%''<br />
| ''-37%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| '''''Evergreen Annual Fund'''''<br />
| '''''1996-97'''''<br />
| '''''2001-02'''''<br />
| '''''2006-07'''''<br />
| '''''1997–2007 Difference'''''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Total Income''<br />
| ''$187,352''<br />
| ''$269,975''<br />
| ''$484,506''<br />
| ''159%''<br />
|-<br />
| ''Number of Donors''<br />
| ''3,184''<br />
| ''2,391''<br />
| ''3,522''<br />
| ''11%''<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===7.D.3 The institution has a clearly defined relationship with any foundation bearing its name or which has as its major purpose the raising of funds for the institution.===<br />
<br />
<br />
The foundation is subject to rules and regulations of the IRS as a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) “public” charity, and to regulations of the state of Washington governing non-profit organizations, as specified in chapter 24.03 RCW. According to its bylaws, the foundation operates “exclusively for the purposes of promoting, supporting, maintaining, developing, increasing and extending educational offerings and the pursuit thereof at or in connection with The Evergreen State College…” The relationship between the foundation and the college is established through a contract signed by both boards, which follows the state attorney general’s model for foundations affiliated with public institutions of higher education. That contract provides for state support of staff and provisions of resources – including offices – in exchange for dollars raised to support the institution and its students. The contract is reviewed and renewed every three years.<br />
<br />
The College Advancement division serves as the principal liaison with The Evergreen State College Foundation. The executive director of the foundation is also the vice president for the division of College Advancement. In addition to the executive director, ex-officio members of the foundation board of governors include a member of the board of trustees, the college president, and the vice president for Finance and Administration.<br />
<br />
The college and the foundation work together to insure that fundraising activities by different college groups are coordinated, and the external community sees any solicitation of funds as coming from a single entity. The foundation works closely with the college community to determine what fundraising and development activities would best serve the needs of the college.<br />
<br />
For example, in FY 2008 the Development office is focused on a concise list of projects ranging from media equipment for a new campus facility to endowments for scholarships and visiting scholars. Conversations are underway with the board of governors to respond to the ever-increasing need for student financial assistance.<br />
<br />
==Summary==<br />
<br />
The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Furthermore, the state will most likely be facing economic challenges that could result in reduced funding for higher education for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 - Findings and Conclusions==<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has a sound financial base demonstrated by adequate college reserves, a budget that reflects our vision and strategic plan, and a record of external auditor reports with no major findings.<br />
<br />
2.) The college’s financial planning is tied to the college’s financial goals in the strategic plan. These goals are to “diversify revenue streams” and “keep the growth of operating expenditures to sustainable levels.” The president and the board of trustees provide the sound financial planning embodied in the college’s decisions and policies.<br />
<br />
3.) The college relies on state funding and tuition revenues to provide a stable base of funding for the institution.<br />
<br />
4.) The combined increases in state appropriations and tuition have not kept pace with inflation and other operating needs. However, the college does not rely on revenue from auxiliary services to support general operations because most auxiliaries (e.g., the bookstore, parking, or housing services) rely on revenue from students or campus organizations, and increasing revenues to auxiliaries would increase students' cost of attendance or hurt operating budgets. <br />
<br />
5.) The college has purchased and implemented the SCT Banner Student and Finance administrative software modules, resulting in improved student and financial services. <br />
<br />
6.) The changes in the College Advancement division has helped the college to significantly increase fundraising over the last few years. <br />
<br />
7.) Because state funding for higher education has not kept pace with academic needs, the college must find private dollars for supporting students and ensuring the quality of public education. <br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The college faces several funding challenges in the coming years. State appropriations do not include increases to cover inflation or meet the increasing demands for accountability to the public. Higher education will be competing with K-12, prisons, and services for the elderly for limited state funding that could result in reduced funding for both operating and capital construction.<br />
<br />
2.) Students are being asked to pay an increasing share of their cost of attendance, putting higher education out of the reach of some students. In response, the college has increased tuition discounting in order to attract students to meet our enrollment goals.<br />
<br />
3.) The college is experiencing a shift to more high school direct students, placing additional pressures on student services such as campus housing and academic support services. Recent increases in state funding have been in areas of high demand enrollment, which usually have higher operating costs.<br />
<br />
4.) In recent years, the college has limited increases in non-resident and graduate-level tuition rates because the overall cost of attendance for these groups had started to exceed the total cost of attendance at comparable institutions. Because the college receives about three times the tuition revenue from non-resident students as resident students, it is important to maintain a stable number of non-resident students. To achieve this balance, the college has had to increase the recruitment effort in these areas and offer more tuition discounts. <br />
<br />
5.) Efforts to sustain and grow the breadth and depth of fundraising will be essential to the college’s capacity to support students and faculty innovation in the years ahead. <br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college has developed substantial reserve funds to help meet contingencies, thus helping to insure stability in campus operations.<br />
<br />
2.) The college has improved administrative software and better integrated financial services.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has recently made significant strides in fundraising, supporting student and faculty opportunities for study, program development, and research. <br />
<br />
4.) The hiring of an internal auditor has helped improve internal controls and procedures. <br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) The college needs to complete the improvement of its internal administrative systems by acquiring human resource and budgeting software.<br />
<br />
2.) The college should continue to work on developing broad and deep fundraising efforts to help diversify revenue to support teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to continue to improve auxiliary enterprises so they are all self-supporting.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) In keeping with the strategic plan, continued efforts to improve fundraising and to increase revenues in auxiliary services are critical components in the financial goal of the strategic plan. The college is currently making plans and creating outcome measures to assess work in this area. <br />
<br />
2.) Improvements in internal administrative systems in human resources and budgeting are elements of the college’s upcoming budget requests to the legislature.<br />
<br />
==Standard 7 Supporting Documentation==<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven|Supporting Documentation for Standard Seven]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_6&diff=8841Standard 62008-07-24T23:04:22Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Governance and Administration */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 6 - Governance and Administration==<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s governance reflects the college's distinct values. Governance arose from a conception of Evergreen as a community within which all members should have a voice. Governance was seen as a vehicle to exercise and foster collaboration across the college. For example, Evergreen has avoided standing committees, instead relying for policy guidance on the Disappearing Task Force (DTF), a short-term ad hoc committee, consultative and collaborative in nature, with a diverse, broadly-based membership. Evergreen’s governance practices seek to make decision making transparent, locatable, and accountable. <br />
<br />
'''Changing Conditions''' - Over the past decade, several trends have placed considerable stress on Evergreen’s traditional governance structures: <br />
<br />
*'''Growth''' - The college continues to grow fairly steadily. A collaborative governance system, seeking personal participation and direct communication among those affected by decision making, becomes more difficult to orchestrate as the number of participants increases. <br />
*'''Workload''' - Simply creating the time needed to do collaborative governance work becomes a challenge as we wrestle with the workload of faculty and staff. <br />
*'''Turnover'''- The college is now well into a period of significant, generational transition among faculty and staff. To the extent that the governance practices that preserve our values are a matter of tradition rather than formal policy, and to the extent that the keepers of these traditions leave the college, Evergreen will be challenged to maintain or adapt its practices while preserving its values. <br />
*'''Complexity''' - The environment in which the college operates is complex and continually changing. The pace of change in the external environment sometimes moves more quickly than the internal college systems for deliberation and discussion. The college’s funding is increasingly linked (in rhetoric and sometimes reality) to a growing list of accountability expectations, demands for degree production in specific fields, and competition for students from a wide variety of institutions.<br />
<br />
Reflecting on the major events and changes in Evergreen’s governance and administration over the past decade, the college has been generally successful in remembering its values during this period. The college’s success in actually living up to those aspirations is, of course, open to some debate. Nevertheless, at critical junctures and through longstanding institutional challenges, these principles have provided an essential governance framework for preserving Evergreen's unique identity and viability. <br />
<br />
The college-wide transitions discussed in Standard 1 are clearly evident in college governance. Evergreen’s system of governance is undergoing some significant transitions in response to changing conditions. These include:<br />
<br />
* Continued growth<br />
* Continuing generational turnover<br />
* The formation of the Geoduck Student Union, Evergreen's first formally recognized student government<br />
* The formation of the United Faculty of Evergreen, the college's first faculty union engaged in collective bargaining<br />
* Continuing emphasis by state policymakers on preparing students for careers in high-demand fields<br />
* Changing accountability expectations from policymakers and the advent of "performance contracting" as the method for setting the state's portion of the college's budget<br />
<br />
The college will need to pay close attention to governance in the years ahead to insure that the system that develops is in keeping with the college’s mission and core values.<br />
<br />
===External Environment===<br />
<br />
The administration at Evergreen (or any higher education institution) serves at the boundary of the organization, mediating between the needs and expectations of external stakeholders and those of faculty, staff, and students who make up the college. To understand the nature of systems for governance and administration at Evergreen, it is useful to first briefly review the external environment in which those systems operate.<br />
<br />
The state of Washington’s mechanisms for system-level governance are comparatively decentralized. The Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) administers the state's student financial aid programs, approves new degree programs, and is charged with long-range planning for the state’s system of higher education.<br />
<br />
The state’s six baccalaureate institutions, including Evergreen, are affiliated through the Council of Presidents (COP). In addition to meetings of the six presidents, the COP structure provides opportunities for collaboration among the state’s chief academic officers, budget officers, legislative officers, and others, as well as other groups on an ''ad hoc'' basis. From Evergreen’s perspective, a significant change in this state-wide system occurred in 2005, when the legislature required the six baccalaureate institutions, working through the COP process, to present a unified budget request for capital construction, listing all the proposed major capital construction projects in the system in a single, prioritized list. The level of capital funding provided to the college in this period demonstrates that, so far, this process has worked well for Evergreen (see Standard 8).<br />
<br />
Three other significant changes in the state-wide system of higher education have presented more significant challenges to the college during the period of this self-study: changes in tuition policy, an emphasis on “high demand” enrollment, and a continually evolving focus on accountability. A brief review of these areas serves to show how Evergreen's administration has worked to mediate between expectations in the external environment and the college's internal stakeholders.<br />
<br />
====Tuition Policy====<br />
<br />
During the period of this self-study, the authority for setting tuition levels has rested with the board of trustees, within limits set by the legislature. For instance, in 2007, the legislature gave the board authority to raise tuition for residents of the state up to 5% in each of the following two academic years. This limited local control of tuition rests uneasily at Evergreen. The [[media:TuitionPolicyStatement.pdf|stated policy of the board]] argues that the authority for setting tuition should be closely linked to the responsibility for funding the state’s financial aid programs and that both these functions properly belong to the legislature. The state has apparently recognized this concern. In each year of the period covered by this self-study, the legislature has increased funding to the State Need Grant program, the state’s primary need-based financial aid program, sufficient to hold recipients of the State Need Grant harmless from the effects of tuition increases.<br />
<br />
In most years, this apparent local control of tuition has been undermined by other provisions in the legislative budget, which reduced state support for the college by exactly the amount that would be gained by raising tuition to the maximum allowed level. (The 2007 legislative session was a notable exception to this pattern, when the authority to raise tuition was accompanied by an increase in actual state support for the college.) Given these conditions, the board has consistently elected to raise tuition for resident undergraduates by the maximum amount allowed by the legislature. Over time, the cost burden of higher education is shifting from the state General Fund to students and their families. Ensuring that Evergreen remains accessible to low-income students will require moderating tuition increases, enhanced financial aid from the state, or increased institutional aid from private giving, or some combination of the above.<br />
<br />
====High Demand Enrollment Funding====<br />
<br />
Since 2002, the legislature has adopted a policy that provides more generous funding for new enrollment in selected “high demand” fields. The selected fields are chosen to address a concern that “many employers report difficulty in hiring enough qualified graduates from Washington state institutions to fill high-skill job openings.” For example, in 2004, these fields included (1) nursing and other health services; (2) applied science and engineering; (3) teaching and speech pathology; (4) computing and information technology; and (5) viticulture and enology. ([[media:HighDemandRFP.doc|''Request For Proposals: Expansion of Enrollment Opportunities in High-demand Fields,'']] Higher Education Coordinating Board, April 27, 2004).<br />
<br />
In light of this policy, Evergreen has urged the legislature and the HECB to adopt an expansive view of “high demand” fields so that the absence of traditional majors at Evergreen and the college’s commitment to the liberal arts do not necessarily exclude us from consideration for enhanced funding under this policy. The college has had some success in this effort. Evergreen’s initial high demand proposal for a Master of Public Administration cohort with an emphasis on Tribal Governance was not selected for funding in 2003. After the college made additional arguments that graduates in this field were in high demand, the program received funding in 2004. In the 2007 legislative session, the college received funding for enrollment growth in the health sciences and to offer a new Master of Education degree with certificates in math/science and in English as a Second Language. Both the M.Ed. program and the expanded offerings in health sciences are consistent with high demand areas identified in state policy and with the college’s own enrollment growth plan. In this policy environment, the college must be politically engaged and respond creatively if Evergreen is to avoid drifting toward more professional and pre-professional training and away from its liberal arts mission.<br />
<br />
====Accountability====<br />
<br />
The Washington legislature mandates that each public four-year baccalaureate college submit a [[media:Accountability_Report_2007.pdf|biennial accountability plan to the HECB]]. Accountability plans describe Evergreen's efforts to make improvements on the state accountability measures during the past biennium, historical trends for these measures, and plans for the current biennium. The accountability measures include a set of indicators defined by the HECB and a set defined by the college. The state-mandated measures include the number of degrees awarded, time to graduation, and retention. Evergreen has also chosen three measures from the National Survey of Student Engagement that reflect key aspects of the college’s mission:<br />
<br />
* Percentage of seniors who have done or plan to do community service or volunteer work prior to graduation<br />
* Percentage of seniors reporting that Evergreen contributed “quite a bit” or “very much” to their development in solving complex real world problems<br />
* Percentage of first-year students who report having serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity “often” or “very often”<br />
<br />
To date, the college’s funding has not been directly linked to performance on state accountability measures. The legislature has shown interest, however, in exploring the concept of performance contracts that would provide financial incentives for institutions that meet accountability benchmarks. In March 2008, the legislature enacted a [[media:HB2641.pdf|new law]], significantly changing the process by which the college requests and receives state funding. In fall 2008, the college (and all the state's public baccalaureate institutions) will be required to propose a performance contract, linking biennial funding to measurable outcomes that respond to the state's goals for higher education. The college now has the task of designing a set of performance benchmarks that are meaningful to Evergreen's mission and acceptable to state-level policymakers.<br />
<br />
It is too soon to know how this new funding process may affect the college. Even if this growing emphasis on accountability does not directly affect the college's funding, the growing list of accountability reports places an added burden on the limited resources of the college's Institutional Research office. Recognizing this, the college added a position to the office in 2007, but demand for the services of the office continues to grow.<br />
<br />
===Standard 6.A - Governance System===<br />
''The institution's system of governance facilitates the successful accomplishment of its mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
====6.A.1 The system of governance ensures that the authority, responsibilities, and relationships among and between the governing board, administrators, faculty, staff, and students are clearly described in a constitution, charter, bylaws, or equivalent policy document.====<br />
<br />
A structural view of Evergreen's governing system might locate the board of trustees at the top of the chart, appointed by the governor, confirmed by the state senate, and given broad, [[media:RCW28B40120.pdf|statutory power]] to operate the college. Through a series of documented policies and delegations, discussed below, the board has focused its attention on strategic leadership and policy. The [[media:BoardPolicies.pdf|board's policies]] describe in some detail how the board delegates to the president (and through the president to the faculty and staff of the college) the day-to-day responsibility for operating the college. Immediately below the board of trustees, the organization chart would show the president and senior administration carrying out the administrative work of the college as described in ''Leadership and Administration'' below. The responsibility for academic governance, including designing and delivering the curriculum, is located in the structures described in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (See [[media:fh2200.pdf|Faculty Handbook, Section 2.200, Academic Organization]]): the provost, deans, Faculty Agenda Committee, and the faculty as a whole. These are described briefly below and at greater length in Standard 4.<br />
<br />
This structural view of Evergreen's system of governance tells only part of the story. The college's governance practices are designed to promote collaboration across divisional boundaries, consistent with the values of an interdisciplinary college. The Disappearing Task Force (DTF) is the primary example of such a practice. The DTF, as described above, is used to consider major policy questions, both academic and administrative.<br />
<br />
====6.A.2 The governing board, administrators, faculty, staff, and students understand and fulfill their respective roles as set forth by the governance system's official documents.====<br />
<br />
====6.A.3: The system of governance makes provision for the consideration of faculty, student, and staff views and judgments in those matters in which these constituencies have a direct and reasonable interest.====<br />
<br />
The process used to update the college's mission and strategic plan, described in Standard 1, illustrates the way that Evergreen's flexible system of governance can provide a structure for trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders to work collaboratively on significant governance questions. DTF members typically include administrators, faculty, staff, and students. Table 6.1 shows the breadth of topics considered by DTFs over the past ten years. Major questions of academic policy are considered at a faculty meeting, where the faculty consider the question in a committee of the whole. <br />
<br />
<div>'''Table 6.1: Disappearing Task Forces Charged: 1998-2007'''<br />
<br />
Community-Based Learning 1997-99<br />
<br />
Human Resources 1999-00<br />
<br />
Parking Expansion 1999-00<br />
<br />
Apparel Purchasing Practices 2000<br />
<br />
General Education 2000-02<br />
<br />
Running Start 2000-01<br />
<br />
Tuition Waivers 2000-01<br />
<br />
Food Services 2001<br />
<br />
Prevention of Violence 2001-03<br />
<br />
Risk & Liability 2002<br />
<br />
Faculty Governance 2002-03<br />
<br />
Faculty Reduction-in-Force 2002-03<br />
<br />
Enrollment Growth 2005<br />
<br />
Campus Life 2005-07<br />
<br />
Curriculum Visions 2006-<br />
<br />
Diversity 2006-07<br />
<br />
First-Year Experience 2006-07<br />
<br />
Exempt Staff 2007-08</div><br />
<br />
<br />
In addition to the college's DTFs, a number of broad-based standing committees exist to attend to ongoing planning and coordination. These include the Campus Land Use Committee (see the [[Media: cluc_meetings.pdf|CLUC home page]]), various budget planning groups, the Enrollment Coordinating Committee, the Health and Safety Committee (see the [[Media: healthsafetycommittee.pdf|Health & Safety Committee home page]]), IT Collaboration Hive (ITCH) (see the [[Media: itch_homepage.pdf|ITCH home page]]), Space Management Committee (see the [[Media: spacemanagement_homepage.pdf|Space Management home page]]), and the Sustainability Task Force (see the [[Media: sustainabilitytaskforce.pdf|Sustainability Task Force home page]]). In addition, Faculty Hiring Committees represent a major, ongoing governance effort on the part of the faculty. (See also Standard 4.)<br />
<br />
Two notable changes in Evergreen's governance system have occurred in the past several years. The unionization of the faculty and the formation of a student government, both discussed below, are likely to contribute to an evolution of Evergreen's governance system in the years ahead.<br />
<br />
===Standard 6.B - Governing Board===<br />
''The governing board is ultimately responsible for the quality and integrity of the institution (or institutions in the case of the multi-unit system). It selects a chief executive officer, considers and approves the mission of the institution, is concerned with the provision of adequate funds, and exercises broad-based oversight to ensure compliance with institutional policies. The board establishes broad institutional policies, and delegates to the chief executive officer the responsibility to implement and administer these policies.''<br />
<br />
====6.B.1 The board includes adequate representation of the public interest and/or the diverse elements of the institution's constituencies and does not include a predominant representation by employees of the institution. The president may be an ex officio member of the board, but not its chair. Policies are in place that provide for continuity and change of board membership.====<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s eight-member board of trustees is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate. Seven of the board members serve staggered six-year terms. The eighth member, a student, serves a one-year term. The state law establishing the college gives the board broad authority to operate the college.<br />
<br />
====6.B.2 The board acts only as a committee of the whole. No member or subcommittee of the board acts in place of the board except by formal delegation of authority.====<br />
<br />
The [[media:BoardProcess.pdf|board's policies]] state that official inquiries and concerns directed to the board are referred to the chair, who is the spokesperson for the board, for response. The board chair is obligated to inform the other members of the board in a timely manner. Individual board members are required to make clear when they are speaking as individuals and when they are stating board positions. The chair is the official spokesperson of the board.<br />
<br />
The state’s [[media:rcw42-30.pdf|Open Public Meetings law]] governs the operation of the board of trustees. The board conducts official business as a committee of the whole in meetings that are open to the public and publicly announced in advance. Regular meetings of the board include time for the board to hear comments from members of the public, including students, staff, and faculty, who may be in attendance. In addition, the board has a longstanding practice, which was formalized as [[media:communityreps.pdf|policy]] in fall 2007, of recognizing community representatives, including a faculty representative, a staff representative, and an alumni representative. Following the formation of a student government association, the board also recognized a representative from the student government. These representatives are invited to attend all regular meetings of the board, receive all meeting materials, are seated with the board during meetings, and invited to provide oral or written reports at each meeting.<br />
<br />
====6.B.3 The duties, responsibilities, ethical conduct requirements, organizational structure, and operating procedures of the board are clearly defined in a published policy document.====<br />
<br />
In the early 1990s, the board adopted a [[media:BoardPolicies.pdf|series of policies]] to define its role at the college, its relationship with and expectations of the president, and its delegation of authority to the president. The [[media:BoardProcess.pdf|board resolved]] to “approach its task in a manner which emphasizes strategic leadership more than administrative detail, clear distinction of board and staff roles, future rather than past or present, and proactivity rather than reactivity and will be cognizant of the social contract in its relationships with the campus.” The board [[media:Board-PresidentRelationship.pdf|acknowledged]] “its responsibility as being generally confined to establishing broad policies, leaving the implementation and subsidiary policy development to the president” and established [[media:PresidentialLimitations.pdf|general limits to the president’s authority]]. In addition, the board adopted [[media:delegation.pdf|a resolution on Delegation of Authority]] to specifically enumerate those functions that the board reserved to itself and to delegate all other functions to the president and, through the president, to the faculty and staff of the college. The revision history of the Delegation of Authority demonstrates that the board has regularly reviewed and updated its policies.<br />
<br />
====6.B.4 Consistent with established board policy, the board selects, appoints, and regularly evaluates the chief executive officer.====<br />
<br />
In accordance with [[media:PresidentialEvaluation.pdf|board policy]], the trustees hire and annually evaluate the performance of the president. The president publishes a self-evaluation each spring, and faculty, staff, and students are invited to provide comment on the president’s performance either to the president or to the board or both. The board meets in executive session each July to review the president’s self-evaluation, any comments received, and discuss the board’s own assessment. After meeting with the president in executive session, the board then provides a brief summary of its evaluation in open public meeting.<br />
<br />
====6.B.5 through 6.B.9====<br />
'''6.B.5 The board regularly reviews and approves the institution's mission. It approves all major academic, vocational, and technical programs of study, degrees, certificates, and diplomas. It approves major substantive changes in institutional mission, policies, and programs.'''<br />
<br />
'''6.B.6 The board regularly evaluates its performance and revises, as necessary, its policies to demonstrate to its constituencies that it carries out its responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner.'''<br />
<br />
'''6.B.7 The board ensures that the institution is organized and staffed to reflect its mission, size, and complexity. It approves an academic and administrative structure or organization to which it delegates the responsibility for effective and efficient management.'''<br />
<br />
'''6.B.8 The board approves the annual budget and the long-range financial plan, and reviews periodic fiscal audit reports.'''<br />
<br />
'''6.B.9 The board is knowledgeable of the institution's accreditation status and is involved, as appropriate, in the accrediting process.'''<br />
<br />
The board's regular cycle of meetings includes an annual retreat for self-evaluation and goal setting (usually in October of each year), quarterly financial reports, and biennial review and approval of budget requests and allocations. Through this process, the board has reviewed and approved a change to the college's mission statement in January 2007 and approved significant program changes, such as the establishment of the Center for Community-Based Learning and Action and the Master of Education program (March 2007). The board has regularly reviewed the college's accreditation status and discussed the accreditation process.<br />
<br />
Evergreen’s board of trustees is entering a period of significant transition. The membership of the board has been markedly consistent for much of the past ten years. The average length of service for the seven regular members of the board in 1999 was 2.9 years. That average rose fairly steadily during the period of this self-study, reaching seven years in 2006, the highest in the history of the college. The college has been well served by a seasoned board well acquainted with the college’s mission and values.<br />
<br />
Late in 2006, two trustees left the board, one at the end of her term, the other upon her election to the state senate. In 2007, two more trustees left the board prior to the completion of their terms. Over the next several years, the board and the college should pay close attention to the recruitment and orientation of the next generation of the board of trustees.<br />
<br />
===Standard 6.C Leadership and Management===<br />
''The chief executive officer provides leadership through the definition of institutional goals, establishment of priorities, and the development of plans. The administration and staff are organized to support the teaching and learning environment which results in the achievement of the institution's mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
====6.C.1 The chief executive officer's full-time responsibility is to the institution.====<br />
<br />
The president is the chief executive officer of the college, with full-time responsibility to the institution.<br />
<br />
====6.C.2 The duties, responsibilities, and ethical conduct requirements of the institution's administrators are clearly defined and published. Administrators act in a manner consistent with them.====<br />
<br />
The administrative leadership of the college is organized into four divisions: Academics, Finance and Administration, Student Affairs, and College Advancement (see the [[media:OrgChart.pdf|Organizational Chart]]).<br />
<br />
====6.C.3 Administrators are qualified to provide effective educational leadership and management. The chief executive officer is responsible for implementing appropriate procedures to evaluate administrators regularly.====<br />
<br />
The ''curricula vitae'' of the president and vice presidents demonstrate the qualifications of the college administration to lead and manage the institution. By college policy, exempt professional staff are evaluated annually. Vacancies in professional staff positions are filled through open competitive searches, according to college policy. Permission to permanently fill a professional staff vacancy without an open competitive search may be granted by a committee made up of the president, vice presidents, the associate vice president for Human Resources, and the college's affirmative action officer.<br />
<br />
====6.C.4 Institutional advancement activities (which may include development and fundraising, institutional relations, alumni and parent programs) are clearly and directly related to the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
The college's institutional advancement activities are closely linked to the goals of the college. Fundraising activities are carried out by The Evergreen State College Foundation, a private non-profit established by the college's board of trustees. The foundation's staff are employees of the college, devoting time and effort to foundation activities under an agreement between the college and foundation. (see [[Media: Foundation_College_Agreement_Mark_Up.pdf|Agreement between The Evergreen State College and The Evergreen State College Foundation]].) This agreement is regularly reviewed, updated, and renewed by the college's board of trustees. The foundation-college staff working on institutional advancement participate in the college's goal-setting activities. The vice president for College Advancement, who also serves as executive director of the foundation, is a member of the college's senior staff and was a member of the steering committee that developed the college's current strategic plan.<br />
<br />
====6.C.5 Administrators ensure that the institutional decision-making process is timely.====<br />
<br />
The college’s senior staff group, made up of the president, vice presidents, an academic dean, associate vice president of Enrollment Management, associate vice president of Human Resources, executive director of Operational Planning and Budget, director of Government Relations, and executive assistant to the president, meets weekly, providing a venue for timely decision-making (see [[media: Seniorstaffminutes.pdf|Senior Staff Meeting Minutes for 2007-2008]]).<br />
<br />
====6.C.6 Administrators facilitate cooperative working relationships, promote coordination within and among organizational units, and encourage open communication and goal attainment.====<br />
<br />
The weekly senior staff meeting is one of many cross-divisional groups that promote communication and coordination among the college's administrative divisions. In addition, the college has a long tradition of relying on annual retreats to promote college-wide communication and cooperation in goal setting and goal attainment. These include an annual retreat for the president and vice presidents, a retreat of the senior staff, the academic deans' retreat, an occasional management retreat, as well as many other retreats and meetings within administrative units.<br />
<br />
====6.C.7 Administrators responsible for institutional research ensure that the results are widely distributed to inform planning and subsequent decisions that contribute to the improvement of the teaching-learning process.====<br />
<br />
The college's Office of Institutional Research conducts research and assessment for Evergreen. The office's activities include recurring surveys and assessment, as well as special, one-time projects. The office uses nationally recognized measures (e.g., the National Survey of Student Engagement) and locally developed tools crafted to meet the needs of Evergreen's unique curriculum (e.g., the End of Program Review). Institutional research reports are posted on a regularly updated Web site accessible both on- and off-campus. The office's staff regularly conduct and participate in workshops and institutes for faculty, and the office's location as part of the provost's staff helps to ensure that the college's research activities are aimed at improving the teaching and learning process at Evergreen.<br />
<br />
====6.C.8 Policies, procedures, and criteria for administrative and staff appointment, evaluation, retention, promotion, and/or termination are published, accessible, and periodically reviewed.====<br />
<br />
Many employment polices for classified staff are subject to collective bargaining and found in the [[media:WFSEContract.pdf|Union Contract]]. Other employment policies, including those for exempt professional staff, are documented on the college Web site ([[media:employmentpolicies.pdf|Employment Policies]]). Human Resource operations were extensively reviewed by the Human Resources Disappearing Task Force in 2000, and have been occasionally updated since that time as needed in order to stay current or reflect changes in employment law or collective bargaining agreements.<br />
<br />
====6.C.9 Administrators' and staff salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain competent personnel consistent with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
There has been some turnover among senior leadership during the review period. As of this writing (spring 2008), the president has served in his current position for seven years, the provost for five years, the vice president for Student Affairs for fifteen years, the vice president for Finance and Administration two years, and the vice president for College Advancement for one year. The tenure of these senior administrators is actually longer than these terms of service would seem to indicate. The president previously served terms as vice president for College Advancement, interim president, and executive vice president. The provost joined the faculty in 1989 and previously served as academic dean. The vice president for College Advancement previously served as executive associate to the president from 1991-2006. In Evergreen's comparatively flat and decentralized administrative structure, this kind of longevity has represented an important source of stability at Evergreen. As many members of the senior staff approach retirement age, the college will need to pay close attention to transitions in this area.<br />
<br />
Turnover among faculty and staff more generally has been an area of attention for Evergreen. In each of the past four years, Evergreen's Department of Human Resource Services has prepared a summary of staff turnover for the board of trustees. During that period, annual staff turnover has ranged between 9% and 11%. Although this level of staff turnover is normal and manageable, we expect an increasing number of retirements to affect staff turnover in future years. In the three-year period ending in 2006, seventeen members of the staff retired. If retirement-eligible employees leave at the same rate, we may see as many as eighty-eight employees retire by 2010.<br />
<br />
"Leaving for better opportunity" is the reason that staff most commonly cite for separating from the college (35% cited this reason in 2006). The level of staff salaries likely contributes to these departures. The college's efforts to improve staff salaries were significantly delayed by a general downturn in state revenues following 2001. For three consecutive years, the college received no funding for cost-of-living increases, and a period of budget retrenchment limited the college's ability to self-fund increases. Conditions began to improve in 2005, when the state resumed funding for cost-of-living increases. Salary increases were funded as follows:<br />
<br />
:Fiscal Year 2006 3.2%<br />
<br />
:Fiscal Year 2007 1.6%<br />
<br />
:Fiscal Year 2008 3.2%<br />
<br />
:Fiscal Year 2009 2.0%<br />
<br />
These general increases tell only part of the story for classified staff compensation. In 2005, state law changed to allow collective bargaining for wages and benefits. Since the change in the law, Evergreen and its classified staff union have bargained through a process managed by the governor's Office of Labor Relations as part of a coalition involving many of the state's two-year colleges. In addition to the general cost-of-living increases noted above, this process yielded additional salary enhancements for classified staff based on market surveys for selected job classifications (e.g., the information technology classifications). An additional pay step was also added to the classified salary grid, further raising the maximum salaries for the most senior classified employees. These changes have a cumulative effect for many employees. The average increase in our classified employee salary base was over 7.2% in the current biennium.<br />
<br />
For exempt staff, the cost-of-living increases described above have not been adequate to make up for past salary stagnation. Following the implementation of wage increases for classified staff salaries, more than 21% of our exempt managers and supervisors experienced salary compression (in which they earned less than 10% more than staff members they supervised) or salary inversion (in which they earned less than those they supervised). The college is seeking specific legislative support to address these issues.<br />
<br />
In 2006, the vice presidents jointly charged an Exempt Staff DTF. Among the DTF's tasks was making recommendations for exempt compensation policy that could be used to systematically evaluate exempt staff salaries on an ongoing basis. The DTF made its recommendations in spring 2007. Work on the compensation system that follows from the DTF's recommendations is ongoing. Human resources professional staff have collected market survey data from a variety of relevant sources: the College and University Personnel Association, the Economic Research Institute, the Millman survey, and the Washington Employment Service. From among these sources, appropriate benchmarks will be selected for each position. As of this writing (spring 2008), 45 of the 181 exempt staff positions have been benchmarked. A very preliminary estimate suggests that an annual investment of approximately $620,000 may be required to bring all the exempt positions up to the 50th percentile. An additional $250,000 might be required to address salary compression and inversion issues that emerge when classified staff salaries increase more rapidly than the salaries of exempt staff supervisors. Given the scale of this investment and other competing demands on the college's strategic reserves (discussed above), the college will need to pursue a strategy over more than a single funding biennium to achieve its goals for exempt staff compensation.<br />
<br />
Evergreen has significantly improved and expanded the its staff development efforts over the past four years. The Human Resource Services office offers between eighteen and twenty-four staff development courses each year, serving approximately two hundred members of the staff. In addition, human resources assists local departments in setting up two or three departmental staff development workshops for various departments each year. Online training is also available for staff.<br />
<br />
===Standard 6.D Faculty Role in Governance===<br />
<br />
''The role of faculty in institutional governance, planning, budgeting and policy development is made clear and public; faculty are supported in that role (see Standard 4 – Faculty).''<br />
<br />
Faculty governance at Evergreen includes planning and coordinating the curriculum and educational offerings of the college, as well as providing advice and recommendations to administrators. The faculty’s role in governance is described in the ''Faculty Handbook''. (See [[media:facultygoverance.pdf|Faculty Handbook, Section 2.200-2.400]]) The faculty meeting, in which the faculty function as a committee of the whole, is the designated forum for hearing reports, ratifying or rejecting major policy proposals, or remanding proposals for further discussion. The Faculty Agenda Committee, elected from the faculty at large, is responsible for deciding what forum is best for discussing major policy questions, setting the agenda for faculty meetings, and consulting with the provost and deans on the charge and membership of DTFs.<br />
<br />
This system of governance is undergoing significant transition. This transition reflects the changing conditions noted at the beginning of this Standard: growth, workload, turnover, and complexity. In fall 2002, a DTF was charged to study faculty governance. It published a [[media:governancedtf.pdf|final report]] two years later, generally affirming Evergreen’s system of faculty governance, while recommending changes to improve attendance at faculty meetings and noting that multiple understandings of shared governance existed on campus, ranging from consultative or distributive governance to collaborative/participatory governance. For the past two years, the Faculty Agenda Committee has returned to the practice of organizing faculty meetings so that major governance questions are discussed in Deans Groups. The Deans Groups, which mix faculty from various planning units, allow for more broad-based, interdisciplinary discussions in groups that are smaller than the full faculty meeting.<br />
<br />
On October 31, 2006, the faculty voted to unionize, establishing the United Faculty of Evergreen as their representation for collective bargaining. As of this writing (spring 2008), negotiations toward a first collective bargaining agreement between the college and the union are underway. A significant revision of the ''Faculty Handbook'' is likely to be required at the conclusion of negotiations to ensure that the policies in the Handbook comply with the new agreement. It remains to be seen how this change will affect governance at Evergreen. Clearly, the college should pay careful attention to ensure that a system of shared governance supporting the college’s mission and values is in place at the end of this transition.<br />
<br />
===Standard 6.E Student Role in Governance===<br />
<br />
''The role of students in institutional governance, planning, budgeting, and policy development is made clear and public; students are supported in fulfilling that role (see Standard 3 – Students).''<br />
<br />
Historically, students at Evergreen have participated in governance primarily through their appointment to DTFs and other committees. The Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs has maintained a list of governance opportunities for students and promoted the list to students each fall.<br />
<br />
The student role in governance at Evergreen is now in a period of significant transition. In spring 2006, Evergreen students voted to form a student government association, the Geoduck Student Union (GSU). The board of trustees recognized the GSU on May 10, 2006. An election was held to appoint twenty-one student representatives. The creation of Evergreen's first recognized and functioning student government, after several failed attempts in years past, represents a major milestone in the history of the college.<br />
<br />
During the 2006-07 academic year, the GSU developed a mission statement and bylaws and adopted formal election procedures. In its first year, the Union decided to focus on “establishing a relationship with the board of trustees, working with the Washington Student Lobby (WSL), creating late-night transportation for students, improving Aramark’s food service policy, promoting student involvement in the CAB Redesign, overseeing the college’s finances, working against oppression, improving technology, and supporting the appointment of contingent faculty to term positions.” (See the Geoduck Student Union's [[media:gsu2007.pdf|''End of Year Report for 2007'']], June 9, 2007.)<br />
<br />
Now in its second year, the GSU continues to develop. The union’s primary goals for the 2007-08 academic year included: working to reach a compromise to a proposed campus-wide smoking ban and to advocate for more comprehensive smoking cessation and counseling programs; working with students to develop recommendations for the college's 2009-11 biennial budget proposal; continuing to recruit students for committees and task forces in addition to other student activities; creating a comprehensive student body survey for the GSU, faculty, and administration to consider when setting college priorities; and revamping the student elections process. <br />
<br />
The GSU reports that the group's ultimate goal is to nurture an active and engaged student body that will have direct contact with administrators, as well as influence on administrative proceedings and decisions. They group envisions an empowered student body as not only being responsive but also proactive in all aspects of the college.<br />
<br />
During this period of transition in college governance, the administration should continue to give attention to nurturing the new student union. This will require engaging the GSU in college governance while providing room for the student government to develop its own governance agenda.<br />
<br />
===Standard 6 - Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings and Conclusion: <br />
<br />
Governance at Evergreen is in transition, from a primarily internally focused process model arising out of an understanding of Evergreen as a face-to-face community, to some as yet undefined model. From the beginning, the college viewed standing committees with suspicion. Instead, Evergreen preferred decentralized, ad hoc responses to specific issues. In place of standing committees, Evergreen has relied on the Disappearing Task Force. Instead of a faculty senate, Evergreen has had the faculty meeting. These preferences reflect the college's values, which prize an egalitarian, inclusive, community-based approach to organizing the college and responding to issues as they arise. While occasionally messy, this approach to governance has often been successful in locating community consensus. Whatever governance structures come out of this transition will need to respond to changes in scale, the emergence of new forms of representation from the Geoduck Student Union (GSU) and the collective bargaining agreement being negotiated with United Faculty of Evergreen, and the external pressure to respond to policy initiatives from the legislature, the HECB, and the governor with internally accountable and timely decisions.<br />
<br />
Commendations: <br />
<br />
1.) The board has had a clear and consistent sense of its work in providing overall guidance for the college and has worked effectively with the president.<br />
<br />
2.) The development of the GSU after thirty years with only piecemeal student representation is a major step forward for student voice and involvement at Evergreen.<br />
<br />
3.) The college has mounted three major planning efforts that have moved forward effectively with broad consultation in recent years: the Strategic Plan Update 2007, the Campus Land Use Plan, and the Strategic Enrollment Growth Plan. With these documents in place, the college is in a good position to define its role and desires to the state.<br />
<br />
Recommendations: <br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen needs to reexamine its governance processes with an eye to maintaining a governance process that fosters community and participation, while at the same time allowing the college to respond effectively to questions raised by scale, accountability, and timeliness.<br />
<br />
2.) Evergreen needs to work with the United Faculty of Evergreen, the agenda committee, the faculty meeting, and the GSU to continue to find effective ways to incorporate student and faculty voices into college decisions. <br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) The college needs to revisit the Student Conduct Code and possibly the Social Contract as a part of its review of governance at the college.<br />
<br />
2.) The college is currently reorganizing and updating its governance procedures and policies in preparation for possible college-wide work on governance.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Six|Supporting Documentation for Standard 6]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_5&diff=8838Standard 52008-07-24T23:01:59Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 5.E – Planning and Evaluation */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 5 – Library and Information Resources==<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.A – Purpose and Scope===<br />
<br />
<br />
''The primary purpose for library and information resources is to support teaching, learning, and if applicable, research in ways consistent with, and supportive of, the institution’s mission and goals. Adequate library and information resources and services, at the appropriate level for degrees offered, are available to support the intellectual, cultural, and technical development of students enrolled in courses and programs wherever located and however delivered.''<br />
<br />
====Supporting the Academic Mission of the College====<br />
Library and information resources at The Evergreen State College support students as they learn to reason and communicate about freely chosen inquiries whose outcomes remain to be discovered or created (Smith, Standard 2). Library and information resources at Evergreen must therefore balance the open-ended demands of free inquiry with the need for stability, security, and efficiency in systems and services. Historically, the Library has been well funded when compared to many public baccalaureates, in recognition of the extraordinary demands of open-ended inquiry and independent study. All library and information resources are shaped by the primary mission of teaching and providing state-of-the-art facilities for academic programs and individual students in this interdisciplinary, liberal arts curriculum. Strong collaboration among library, computing and media staff, faculty, and administration assures the development of the library and information resources as centers for teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
====The Founding Vision of the Library: Any Medium, Any Location====<br />
<br />
In 1969, when the founding dean of Library Services James Holly wrote his “Position Paper No. 1,” he proposed a model which he called the generic library, in some ways anticipating the concept of today's virtual library. “By generic I include man’s [sic] recorded information, knowledge, folly, and wisdom in whatever form put down, whether in conventional print, art forms, magnetic tape, laser storage, etc. By generic, I also eliminate physical boundaries such as [a] specific building or portion limited and identified as ‘the library.’” Holly's vision motivated many aspects of library, media, and computer services, but proved in many ways untenable due to technical and budgetary constraints and because the college community expressed traditional longings for a bounded space. Today, laptops and networked data are ubiquitous and most students expect remote access to information resources, regardless of medium. Technology, as well as community values, have caught up with Holly’s founding vision, and Evergreen's library and learning resources now include all media, distributed to almost any location. Display of networked and audiovisual information now brings information technology to almost any classroom on campus. Active involvement in new consortia has led to quick access to expanded collections and information resources from around the region. Academic programs and students off-campus have access to rich, academically sound journal holdings. A wide selection of digitized media applications and advanced media labs provide access to media production. Increasingly seamless access to media, computing, and traditional information resources benefits all students. At the same time, the physical library has expanded its role as a social and intellectual space and provides an increasingly hospitable center for learning and gatherings of all kinds. A $22-million remodel connected previously disparate areas and created a more cohesive information-technology wing, providing one central entrance for the Library, Media Services, the Computer Center, and the Computing and Communications offices.<br />
<br />
====Functions and Facilities Covered in Standard 5====<br />
<br />
Reflecting these developments, Standard 5 considers information resources and services from several disparate administrative units: Library Services, including Media Services (administratively part of the Academic division); Academic Computing (administratively part of the Finance and Administration division); and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) (administratively part of the academic division, with a historical role supporting the science curriculum). The phrase "library and information resources" in Standard 5 should be understood to refer to these units collectively, while comments about separate areas will use more specific language such as the Library, Media Services, the CAL, or Academic Computing. Occasional references to Computing and Communications will address technology infrastructure when relevant to instructional and academic support functions.<br />
<br />
The information resources offered and supported by the Library, Academic Computing, and the CAL represent facilities and functions commonly found in libraries and computer centers elsewhere in academia. The Media Services section of the Library requires some explanation, as its role and location in the institution are unique. Media Services provides not only the usual audiovisual support for instruction, but also extensive collections and facilities in support of media production by students across the curriculum. Media production labs, a large circulating collection of portable media equipment, and extensive instruction represent activities, facilities, and functions which will not be found within the library at most institutions. Some media arts, communications or education departments might provide some such services to students of their curriculum, but not the library, and certainly not for general use. In the context of an interdisciplinary college, and in the light of the original ideal of the generic library, these services are provided through the Library in order to assure cross-curricular access and opportunity for students from anywhere in the curriculum, whether those students are studying media or simply wish to communicate academic content using media beyond print.<br />
<br />
====5.A.1 Sufficiency of Information Resources and Services====<br />
<br />
''The institution’s information resources and services include sufficient holdings, equipment, and personnel in all of its libraries, instructional media and production centers, computer centers, networks, telecommunication facilities, and other repositories of information to accomplish the institution’s mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
Throughout this study, library and information resources will be found to be strongly linked via face-to-face collaboration and consultation with faculty, staff, and students. These interconnections, within a flat organizational structure, assure constant feedback and redevelopment of services and facilities. Library funding generally compares very well with public institutions and correlates strongly to average funding for private liberal arts peers, peers with whom our use statistics compare favorably. An external assessment performed by Edutech described budgetary support for information technology as comparable to that of institutions with similar missions. There are no comparable institutions for studying the large activity of cross-curricular media services; however, advocacy from both the cross-curricular perspective of the Library and from the specific needs of the media faculty help ensure support. Rapid expansion in information technology access and aspirations have led to changes in personnel allocation and expertise and will continue to make increasing demands on a staff and faculty already stretched in many areas.<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[media: Major_Facilities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 & 2 of the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]]. For holdings and equipment, see Standard 5.B.1. For personnel, see Standard 5.D.1. For evaluation of budgetary support, see Standard 5.D.6.<br />
<br />
====5.A.2 Sufficiency of Core Collection and Related Resources====<br />
<br />
''The institution’s core collection and related information resources are sufficient to support the curriculum.''<br />
<br />
Broad institutional support for cross-curricular library and information services has historically generated sufficient institutional budgetary support for core collections and facilities. During the study period, inflation and budget cuts reduced base budgets for local monograph collections. Non-state resources bridged some of the gap without building the base budget permanently. Consortial agreements created opportunities for cost-effective collective purchases of serials and for efficient resource sharing, resulting in better support for the intensive work by individual students. <br />
<br />
Collection Development, see 5.B.1 and 5.B.5<br />
<br />
====5.A.3 Education Program Drives Resources and Services====<br />
<br />
''Information resources and services are determined by the nature of the institution’s educational programs and the locations where programs are offered.''<br />
<br />
Strong connections to the curriculum inform all library and information services. A distinctive library rotation system connects the library and teaching faculty in the shared project of curriculum and program planning. Teaching alliances between media services professionals and media faculty determine the character of media services. A strong liaison system connects Academic Computing instructors and services with teaching faculty. Meanwhile, a very experienced staff with substantial managerial responsibilities manages day-to-day library services while implementing services in response to the new opportunities advancing information technology affords. (See Standard 5.B.2 - Teaching and Instruction).<br />
<br />
Information technology planning and governance are discussed in Area 5 (Planning and Governance) of the [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
The study notes that planning is collaborative and responsive to academic needs, and could be strengthened through a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH).<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.B – Information Resources and Services===<br />
<br />
''Information resources and services are sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, and currency to support the institution’s curricular offerings.''<br />
<br />
==== 5.B.1 Equipment and Materials to Support the Educational Program====<br />
<br />
''Equipment and materials are selected, acquired, organized, and maintained to support the educational program.''<br />
<br />
=====Collection Development Procedures & Methods=====<br />
<br />
The Library faculty develops collections to support Evergreen's changeable interdisciplinary curriculum without the usual benefit of departmental allocation or structures. The librarians build collections and vendor profiles on the basis of their work as both library and teaching faculty (see 5.B.2), work which involves full-time teaching, faculty governance, extensive collegial engagement with the teaching faculty, and affiliation with planning units. The curriculum committee is the faculty as a whole, and develops the curriculum in curricular planning units, curriculum retreats, and governance groups. The Library faculty's overall knowledge of the curriculum is strengthened by teaching faculty who rotate into the Library and lavish their attention on areas of the collection related to their disciplinary expertise. Finally, librarians honor most requests from individuals for additions to the collection, working from the fact that free inquiry and individual research are central to the Library’s mission.<br />
<br />
In the past, the Library has struggled to satisfy incidental research demands outside the boundaries defined by the core, repeating curriculum. The substantial part of the curriculum which varies from year to year, the significant amount of work by independent contract students (almost 1,300 independent study contracts in 2006-07), and the opportunity for intensive individual projects within full-time, multi-quarter programs have all driven demand for specialized materials outside the core collection. Resource sharing and large, shared purchases, all made efficient because of networking technology, have eradicated this problem, although budget cuts and inflation create some difficulties keeping the core collection current. The budget for core monograph purchases has been supplemented with allocations from non-state resources in order to help bridge this gap. See 5.B.5 below.<br />
<br />
=====Media Services=====<br />
<br />
Close work with the curriculum and faculty also informs the development of media facilities and services. Media staff attend the Expressive Arts planning unit meetings, in particular the Moving Image subgroup. Budgetary processes for equipment purchase and operating costs include multiple avenues for consideration of educational program needs. Through the planning units, needs are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the Library, cross-curricular media demands are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the ITCH, cross-unit needs are coordinated and passed up to the campus-wide budget process. These three avenues help ensure that the budget process addresses both broad and specific curricular demands for media.<br />
<br />
Some stresses develop. Like the Library, Media Services serves the entire academic community, from programs to individuals. And, like the Library, Media Services strains under the pressure of answering the needs of independent study, as well as a fluid curriculum. Students working on independent media productions compete with Expressive Arts programs for scarce resources, from equipment to laboratories to teaching staff. In order to balance these competing demands, Media Services requires students and faculty to submit media request forms, which are reviewed by the Media Services manager and the head of Instruction Media, who allocate resources, both human and technological. Independent contract forms include a question about the need for special equipment or facilities, which serves as a safety net for screening intensive media use. In these ways Media Services assures that students embarking on media studies do so with appropriate support. The Expressive Arts planning unit also instituted a Student Originated Studies (SOS) group contract in media to assure that students have consistent access to facilities and instructional support as they pursue their independent projects.<br />
<br />
=====Information Technology Equipment & Facilities=====<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] includes equipment in its discussion of technological facilities in Area 1 of the report. The report states, "Computing, networking and information technology facilities at Evergreen are extensive and impressive. In most cases, Evergreen facilities are at or near standards for similar institutions, and in some cases surpass them. However, these standards are a moving target, and there are areas in which the college will probably have to make upgrades in the near future." The report lauded the computer labs, classroom technology, and access to computers. Recommended improvements were to extend wireless to the entire campus and permanently fund a replacement cycle for equipment.<br />
<br />
====5.B.2 Teaching and Instruction====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services contribute to developing the ability of students, faculty, and staff to use the resources independently and effectively.''<br />
<br />
=====Defining Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
<br />
Standard 2 links the five foci and six expectations of an Evergreen education to the idea of reflexive thinking. "Reflexive thinking begins with a question, an interrogation of the world, and an encounter with the other. As such it involves the student in the whole process of substantive learning about subjects, disciplines and methods that is the standard domain of learning. But reflexivity is the capacity that a learner has to think about the situation and conditions that underlie her own personal and collective experience of thinking and knowing." (See [[Standard_2#Reflexive_Thinking | reflexive thinking]]). This work is engaged and supported through the broad and deep resources of the collections and instruction within the library and information resources. <br />
<br />
The professional literature and practice of librarianship defines information literacy as a reflective process. To be clear, a '''reflective''' process considers, evaluates, synthesizes, and in general, engages information discovered through research. In contrast, a '''reflexive''' process goes on to consider one's own learning and knowledge as influenced through exposure to the information under consideration. According to Jeremy J. Shapiro and Shelley K. Hughes, in their article entitled [[Media: educom_review.pdf|'Information Literacy as a Liberal Art']], information literacy should "be conceived more broadly as a new liberal art that extends from knowing how to use computers and access information to critical reflection on the nature of information itself, its technical infrastructure, and its social, cultural and end even philosophical context and impact..."<br />
<br />
The information literacy curriculum includes:<br />
<br />
* Tool literacy - The ability to use print and electronic resources including software and online resources.<br />
* Resource literacy - The ability to understand the form, format, location, and methods for accessing information resources.<br />
* Social-structural literacy - Knowledge of how information is socially situated and produced, including understanding the scholarly publishing process.<br />
* Research literacy - The ability to understand and use information technology tools to carry out research, including the use of discipline-related software and online resources.<br />
* Publishing literacy - The ability to produce a text or multimedia report of research results.<br />
<br />
<br />
=====ITL in the Context of Holly's Generic Library=====<br />
<br />
Information literacy at Evergreen is itself a reflexive practice, in addition to being central to the process of reflexive thinking in the broader context of undergraduate education at Evergreen. That is, the student uses library and information resources to put herself in relation to information and thinking from a variety of sources and further, reflects about herself and her learning as she researches and learns. Within the context of library and information resources as understood and managed at Evergreen, this literacy includes not just print scholarship, but media and computing, to become not just information literacy but Information Technology Literacy (ITL). Reflection upon information includes reflection upon the nature and role of the tools themselves. Reflexive thinking includes the relation of the user to the information and the tools. <br />
<br />
Thus, in order to assure that students have the skills to communicate about their open inquiries and the resources to support deeply reflexive thinking, library and information resources take a broad role in the curriculum. Two of the “Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate” relate directly to commitment by the library and information resources to help students achieve intellectual independence, creativity, and critical acumen. Expectation Two states that our graduates will communicate creatively and effectively; Expectation Four, that our graduates apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across the disciplines. Not only should literate students read and write astutely, they also should access, view, critique, and produce media and writing that is eloquent and complete. In this way, digital scholarship merges seamlessly with individual and formal educational goals, just as print scholarship has in the past.<br />
<br />
=====Cross-Curricular Media Instruction=====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support ITL as an agenda for students across programs, disciplines, and media. Library and information resources staff and faculty collaborate with teaching teams as they instruct students in media and students who create films, multimedia, or musical works for programs or for independent study. These are the challenges of the "freely chosen inquiry," challenges that cannot all be met at all times. However, the location of Media Services administratively and physically within Library Services is meant to ensure that media studies and media production are supported appropriately both within the programs that media faculty teach and elsewhere in the inquiries of students. The spread of entry-level media applications into the general-use computer labs increases access to media production across the curriculum.<br />
<br />
Although library and information resources instructors work to fuse teaching with program content, students are nevertheless able to access any media application or information technology beyond or without considering program content. Likewise, many programs focus entirely on technical skill building, without any formal attempt to link these practices to disciplinary content. And in other areas of the curriculum, such as the Culture, Text, and Language planning unit, critical media and information studies are often taught in a theoretical mode, without hands-on media production—the thing itself. The point is that when skills are valorized over content, or when theory ignores practice, students neglect concrete critical reflection on how technology impacts the message, the creators, the audience, or society. However, Holly's generic library model, the founding principle for library and information resources at Evergreen, has emphasized and counterbalanced the tendency to isolate skills from content. Students who read texts expect to write as well; why should they view media and not expect to create it? Early on, a rotating faculty member who helped link instruction with critical media studies and with interdisciplinary programs directed Media Services. Library and information resources continue to struggle to advocate for the critical study of media and information technology across the curriculum.<br />
<br />
Academic computing also provides access to and instruction in information technologies through a balance of specialized and open computing facilities. With the migration of many media applications to commonly available personal computer platforms, instruction and facilities to support entry-level media production have spread to academic computing and even to the Library proper.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources faculty and staff instruct and teach in multiple modes, from basic skills instruction to more complex, content-driven teaching by faculty and professionals in the curriculum. In addition, the teaching faculty contribute substantively and collaboratively to planning and implementing information services, collections, and policies. This dynamic collaboration between the teaching faculty and the library and information resources has shaped the primary mission to support inquiry-based education. Each area within library and information resources has developed structures to connect teaching and instruction closely to the faculty, the curriculum, and the academic mission of the college. Utilization, satisfaction, and curricular surveys demonstrate the breadth and effectiveness of this work (See Planning and Evaluation 5.E).<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Librarians and Library Teaching=====<br />
<br />
Evergreen requires rotation between the librarians and the teaching faculty. Briefly stated, faculty librarians rotate out of the Library to teach full time on a regular basis and, in exchange, teaching faculty rotate into the Library to serve as librarians providing reference, instruction, and collection development. (See [[media:Learning_Communities_and_the_Academic_Library.pdf | Pedersen]] pp. 41-44 for more discussion of this system). Faculty who rotate into the Library leave with updated skills for developing information literacy within their programs and teams across the curriculum. Library faculty develop their subject specialties and enhance their ability to work across pedagogical and disciplinary realms. Perpetual faculty-wide interactions in faculty governance and team-teaching reinforce the strong connections between the library faculty and the teaching faculty. Librarians know the faculty as colleagues and teaching faculty know the librarians (probably the only basis for widespread and effective library instruction in a curriculum without requirements). Teaching teams also spread effective library instruction practices as experienced teaching faculty introduce their new faculty teammates to their library colleagues and the teaching they offer. Most new faculty also bring updated information technology skills and experience to share with their colleagues.<br />
<br />
A loose liaison system links each librarian with a subset of the curriculum, based on subject expertise, planning unit affiliation, and personal alliances. Faculty librarians provide a wide array of library and information technology-related teaching. One-time workshops designed to engage sources particular to the research projects within an academic program represent the most common format. Librarians and teaching faculty design these workshops with the assumption that the skills imparted are embedded in the interests and needs of the program learning community. At a minimum, the faculty for the program usually 1) create a research assignment which informs and motivates the students’ work; 2) attend the research workshop and participate, adding their expertise and/or questions; 3) provide the library liaison with a syllabus and a copy of the assignment and a list of the topics students are considering; and 4) ask the students to begin considering their topic before attending the workshop so they are primed to begin actual research during the workshop. <br />
<br />
Librarians teach workshops on research most frequently in the graduate programs, the sciences, and the off-campus programs. The teaching models for these more extended situations vary according to the library faculty involved and the role in the curriculum, and they evolve significantly year to year. Each year, library faculty affiliate deeply with a few such programs, meeting weekly to create stepped learning conjoined with research assignments. For documents exemplifying this teaching, see [[media:Forensics_week-by-week.doc | Forensics Syllabus]] and [[media:Chemistry_Health_Professions_Project_Description.doc | Chemistry Health Professions Project]]. During several academic years, an information technology seminar linked library internship opportunities with a hands-on Web technology workshop. In that model, a small group of students explored contemporary questions in the world of rapid digitization and its social implications. They paralleled that study with real library work and Web production practice, including wikis and Web pages designed to support library functions. The seminar and workshop have provided a venue for library faculty, staff, and Academic Computing instructors to gather and consider both the past and future of information technologies. See the syllabi for the programs Still Looking ([[media: stilllooking_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: stilllooking_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: stilllooking_spring.pdf|spring]]), Information Landscapes ([[media: infolandscapes_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: infolandscapes_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: infolandscapes_spring.pdf|spring]]), and Common Knowledge ([[media: commonknowledge_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: commonknowledge_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: commonknowledge_spring.pdf|spring]]). Each year, one librarian also offers research methods through the evening and weekend curriculum.<br />
<br />
In-depth, extended library-related teaching within programs and service to off-campus and Evening and Weekend programs can be a challenge in the context of a reduced core of library faculty. During the self-study period, one faculty line was cut during budget reductions. This causes significant stress on the quality and quantity of instruction the area is able to provide.<br />
<br />
=====Library Faculty as Service Providers=====<br />
Library faculty see themselves primarily as teachers. They tend to understand the services of the Library in the context of teaching and learning, specifically teaching as it actually happens in the Evergreen curriculum. Thus, they do not tend to work from externally defined "best practices," nor do they function in a reactive mode. They take a proactive approach to the work, suggesting tools and strategies for designing library instruction and finding the intellectual work in the world of research instruction. They position themselves to work across administrative as well as curricular boundaries and sustain an important role in the crossroads of traditional research methods, contemporary information technology, and the world of the curriculum and their teaching colleagues.<br />
<br />
=====Service and Teaching=====<br />
The faculty librarians have transformed the reference desk into a teaching space, which goes well beyond traditional service models. For this reason, there is generally a librarian at the desk during the hours the Library is open to the public. Each contact between a librarian and a patron represents an opportunity to teach and learn. In collections, Web page design, signage, collection organization, and creation of virtual services, the librarians ask not just what is easiest or matches the expectations of inexperienced users, but what can be taught through the new design, service, or collection. For example, broad aggregate databases have been purchased because they are cost effective, but the librarians also emphasize and teach comparatively complex digitized indexes, which refer students more deeply into the discipline-based literature of their inquiries. As discussed throughout this document, library and information resources are designed, planned, taught, and supported in the context of college-wide teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
=====Library Faculty and Off-Campus Programs=====<br />
Library support for the two major off-campus offerings, the Tacoma and the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs, focuses heavily on instruction, with additional support from networked technology, including specialized Web pages for these programs. See [[Media: reservation_library.pdf|services for Reservation-Based students]] and [[Media: tacoma_library.pdf|services for Tacoma-based students]]. Students of these programs have limited access to the physical library and must be alerted to the many high-quality resources available to them online through the Library. End-of-program reports show very high engagement with information technology in these programs (See [[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf |End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]). Most years, librarians work closely with the Research Methods class at Tacoma, providing laboratory-based instruction on location several weeks per quarter. As of 2007-08, this work has taken on a more formalized structure and has developed into credit-generating research classes.<br />
<br />
Library instruction at the upper-division off-campus sites of the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs has varied widely year-by-year. Recently, the program has focused on building library methods into the lower-division bridge curriculum, which has not involved the library faculty directly. Reservation-based programs report 100% teaching and use of library and Internet research in 2007; however, this work has not engaged the Library's holdings or services significantly. Rebuilding this connection should be a high priority, and a planned faculty rotation from a former director of the reservation-based program will be an opportunity to do so. Perusal of the [[Media: Achievements2.doc |Achievements]] list for the self-study period demonstrates that almost every development supports distant access to collections and services and thus the off-campus programs.<br />
<br />
=====Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing=====<br />
In all major computer and media labs, staff instructors provide group instruction designed to support the needs of specific academic programs, covering particular applications and tools relevant to the disciplines involved. Media and computing instructors teach workshops in different spaces and in different modes, depending on the discipline and the technology. There are no constraints upon which facilities may be used. In one quarter, a science program might have workshops in the Computer Center focusing on blogs, a math workshop using Excel in the Computer Applications Lab, a session on video documentation for field research in the Multimedia Lab, and a library research workshop in one of the Computer Center's general-purpose labs. In this way, academic programs leverage staff expertise and facilities as needed.<br />
<br />
Teaching faculty must be able to easily identify and contact the appropriate staff member to coordinate computer instruction, which may require significant logistical support such as lab scheduling, equipment checkout, server space, password access, personnel scheduling, and other details. In Academic Computing, program liaisons work with faculty to coordinate how programs will teach technology. For instance, the staff liaison helps set up file shares and Web spaces and schedules and teaches workshops. In Media Services, the head of instructional media provides a central location for faculty and students requesting instructional support in media to connect with appropriate media instructors and to schedule facilities and instruction. The Media Services staff work with faculty to design and integrate media into their programs. Media Services staff meet regularly with media faculty in the Expressive Arts planning unit so they can develop facilities, plan for access, and foster integration of media into academic programs.<br />
<br />
Students who work independently on media or computing projects or who decide to tackle media projects within non-media oriented programs also receive many forms of instructional support. Academic Computing offers regularly scheduled technology workshops, which are open to all. In addition, Evergreen students can access Lynda.com, which tutors students in software applications and programming languages. The Library recently subscribed to Safari Books Online, which supports the computer science curriculum and addresses technical inquiries from students across the curriculum. Academic Computing began a computing wiki in 2006-07 which hosts approximately 2,000 pages of instructions and tutorials and which continues to expand. Increasingly, students, faculty, and staff rely on the Academic Computing wiki to stay abreast of technologies hosted on campus.<br />
<br />
Any student may access most media-production facilities and check out portable media equipment once they have completed relevant hands-on training sessions called proficiencies. Media instructors run hundreds of these quick, skills-focused instructional sessions annually, which serve thousands of students, ensure proper use of the equipment, and provide supportive technical background for systems. The number of formal instructional sessions provided to programs has doubled since 2000, suggesting the rapidly expanding use and breadth of college-supported media technology. Finally, the Evening and Weekend Studies curriculum provides a coherent, regular pathway for learning more complex media-production processes.<br />
<br />
Like the library faculty, media instructors teach in a variety of modes: full-time, part-time, introductory, intensive, general, sustained, intermittent, specialized, individual, within programs, or collaboratively in small groups. Many of the media staff are artists, professionals, and faculty in their own right, with Master of Fine Arts degrees in their fields. They teach photography, electronic music, Web design, and digital imaging as adjuncts in Evening and Weekend Studies and in Extended Education. Media staff who teach as adjunct faculty are often called to teach full time as visiting artists. Their contributions to the part- and full-time curriculum are substantial and sustained, some of them having taught for more than twenty years. Their work supports the Expressive Arts. It assures access and instruction for students who do not consider themselves artists but who want to engage in technologies that constitute important developing communication media and also define the visual aesthetics of science, history, political science, psychology, and other narratives. Additionally, Photo, Electronic Media, and Media Loan staff annually teach as field supervisors for up to eight student interns who are critical to the effective functioning of labs and services. These students typically not only gain high-level technical production skills, but also develop instructional, collaborative, and administrative experience by working closely with students, faculty, and technical staff. Finally, all media staff sponsor many individual contracts, which provide opportunities for students who have identified intensive individual inquiries that are not supported in the curriculum at large. In general, media staff are central to the success of media-based programs and are viewed as colleagues by the Expressive Arts faculty, whose programs they support. These working relationships form the backbone of Media Services.<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Institutes=====<br />
As described thus far, library and information resources instructors regularly work with, instruct, and support the teaching faculty through individual collaboration. In addition, they design and teach several faculty institutes each summer. Faculty institutes create valuable connections among faculty, library, media, and academic computing instructors. Recent information technology institutes have focused on specific applications such as teaching statistics with Excel, using online collaborative tools to foster learning communities, or creating program Web pages. Some years, substantive discussions of information technology literacy as opposed to hands-on training have been offered. During institutes, faculty are often afforded paid time for self-directed work that focuses on their program planning. In these instances, faculty evaluate technology, practice using it, and plan how to incorporate applications into their programs.<br />
<br />
====5.B.3 Availability of Policies====<br />
<br />
''Policies, regulations, and procedures for systematic development and management of information resources, in all formats, are documented, updated, and made available to the institution’s constituents.''<br />
<br />
The Web provides a venue for all policies, regulations, and procedures for all information resources and services. <br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Policies,_regulations,_and_procedures_for_the_development and_management_of_library_and_information_resources,_including_collection_development_and_weeding|Required Exhibit 2: Policies, Regulations, and Procedures for the Development and Management of Library and Information Resources]]<br />
<br />
====5.B.4 Participatory Planning====<br />
<br />
''Opportunities are provided for faculty, staff, and students to participate in the planning and development of the library and information resources and services.''<br />
<br />
Faculty, staff, and students participate in the planning and development of library information resources and services. The college community values face-to-face communication and formal procedures for consultation are minimal. All learning and information resources staff and faculty receive and welcome direct requests and suggestions. As an example, good hiring represents an important decision determining how library and information services evolve and prosper. Hiring processes are broadly consultative. Committees with representation from different work units interview and recommend for all staff positions. Students, staff, and faculty representatives join in hiring committees for any major positions, especially those of administrators and faculty. These hiring processes routinely include public presentations by the candidates, which are announced to the entire college community to allow input from staff, faculty, and students.<br />
<br />
More broadly, collaborative work with teaching faculty and other clients drives the design and planning for almost all instructional and technical support. Face-to-face planning and direct engagement with teaching faculty in a program-by-program context defines the work of library and information resources across all units (see Participatory Planning 5.E.1).<br />
<br />
====5.B.5 Networks Extend Information Resources====<br />
<br />
''Computing and communications services are used to extend the boundaries in obtaining information and data from other sources, including regional, national, and international networks.''<br />
<br />
Consortial arrangements in the Orbis Cascade regional system offer Summit, a resource-sharing system that makes it possible to satisfy almost any book and most media requests generated by the individualistic interests of students working on independent projects. The Summit system includes thirty-five academic libraries from Oregon and Washington and delivers resources within two or three days. Students also use many highly specialized materials from periodicals databases, which have expanded the number of journal subscriptions Evergreen holds eight to nine times over the self-study period. This enhancement is largely due to the Cooperative Library Project (CLP), a state-funded resource-sharing project among the four-year Washington state baccalaureates.<br />
<br />
Consortial purchases have reduced per-title costs dramatically and have strengthened areas of the curriculum not necessarily the focus of a core liberal arts collection. For example, psychology, education, and business were heavily emphasized in the most recent round of shared purchasing by CLP. Finally, ILLiad, the interlibrary loan system, brings journal articles to the students' mailboxes and e-mail accounts within a few days. There are almost no discernible limits to accessing published information for any researcher except those who need to present within twenty-four hours. Effective campus networks supported by Computing and Communication's technical support staff make this possible. College-wide steps that have made efficient resource sharing and online information possible have included implementing the Banner student records system and establishing e-mail as the official student communications medium.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.C – Facilities and Access===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides adequate facilities for library and information resources, equipment, and personnel. These resources, including collections, are readily available for use by the institution’s students, faculty, and staff on the primary campus and where required off-campus.''<br />
<br />
====5.C.1 Availability of Information Resource Facilities====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources are readily accessible to all students and faculty. These resources and services are sufficient in quality, level, breadth, quantity, and currency to meet the requirements of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[Media: Major_Faciities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 and 2 of the [[Media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]] specifically considered networking, telecommunications, and other information technology relevant to accessibility. The campus network was lauded as "solid and reliable." The network itself is described technically in Area 1 of the report. Expansion of wireless access from 75% to the entire campus was recommended; this work is proceeding and has the budgetary support to continue into the future. Most classrooms have been networked with display capability, spreading library and information technology access to large portions of the curriculum. This changes the presumptions of the faculty and students and greatly increases the frequency with which social software, digitized presentations, and other multi-media information technology is incorporated in programs. The Edutech report also recommended establishing at least one dedicated teleconferencing space for general use, which is planned within the [[media: CNM.doc|Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)]]. According to Edutech, "student access to computers at Evergreen does not seem to be a problem."<br />
<br />
=====The Information Technology Wing=====<br />
<br />
'''LIR Facilities and Services Visibly Interconnect'''<br />
<br />
With the generic library as a foundation and the interdisciplinary curriculum as the context, merged collections and services build upon an alternative past. Library and information resources thus collaborate actively across academic and administrative departmental boundaries. The major remodel, implementing a newly consolidated Information Technology Wing, substantially strengthened opportunities for connecting services, facilities, and staff. One central, broad entrance now provides access to the Library, the Computer Center, Media Loan and the stairs to Electronic Media, Photo Services and Computing and Communications. See [[media: Consultant%27s_Site_Visit_Report_2004.doc | Consultant Pre-Remodel Report]] for an assessment of facility requirements produced before the project. For further detail, extensive documents describing the project are available in the documents room.<br />
<br />
'''More Teaching and Study Spaces'''<br />
<br />
The ideal of collaborative learning shaped the remodel. Shared study spaces predominate, whether open area study tables, grouped lounge furniture, pod-shaped arrangements in labs, or small group study and media viewing rooms. Wireless access allows informal group work around personal or library-owned laptops. Additional laboratory spaces provide easier scheduling for program work and more computers for individuals when classes do not use the labs. Limited quiet study areas provide an alternative for the solitary scholar; at the same time, small group work is facilitated and encouraged. Overall, the Information Technology Wing has shed barren hallways and utilitarian desks in favor of lounge areas and comfortable study spaces. Overstuffed couches and chairs, large tables, task lighting, and more room for collections all contribute to the conviviality that informs shared inquiry.<br />
<br />
'''Hospitable Spaces and Blended Access'''<br />
<br />
Art exhibitions invite patrons into lounge and study areas and help define the Library as a public space. The new basement lounge, affectionately dubbed the "Library Underground," hosts frequent campus gatherings and public readings, although flooding (a new issue since the remodel) disrupted the area several times in 2006-07. Groups from across campus meet, study, and teach in library spaces, which are open to all and where food and drink have always been allowed. The Sound and Image Library (SAIL) media collections are prominently located in the reference area, where SAIL staff work closely with the reference librarians. The newly established Assisted Technology Lab (ATL) conjoins the SAIL and has become a vital meeting place for students to work and show their art and media productions. Again, SAIL and reference staff provide service and technical support for ATL patrons. As the physical reference collection continues to shrink, reference, the SAIL, the ATL, and Circulation will continue forming a more blended and prominent shared public presence.<br />
<br />
=====More General Access Lab Facilities=====<br />
<br />
Rapid developments in networked information technology have blurred between general and specialized technology labs. The main computer center includes many specialized scientific software packages such as ArcGIS and Mathematica, while common graphic manipulation software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, appear in the CAL. Similarly, the Computer Center supports high-level statistics applications such as R, as well as digital music editing. The library computers provide basic Office applications and general Web access in addition to library-specific searches, but specific library computers also provide GIS, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, assistive/adaptive technology, and scanning applications, while the SAIL provides multiple stations for basic media dubbing, transfer, and editing. Switching to a single user domain and sign-on means simpler, more consistent access to networked resources across campus. The Digital Imaging and Multimedia facilities provide applications for advanced media production, but are open to all students. Some specialty labs have self-contained resources, such as large format printers or applications requiring more sophisticated hardware. However, the primary distinction among labs is the level of expertise and specialized knowledge of the staff. Students benefit when they know the specialized character of a lab means there will be more skilled assistance.<br />
<br />
====5.C.2 Cooperative Agreements====<br />
<br />
''In cases of cooperative arrangements with other library and information resources, formal documented agreements are established. These cooperative relationships and externally provided information sources complement rather than substitute for the institution’s own adequate and accessible core collection and services.''<br />
<br />
Despite greatly expanded information access through Summit and shared purchasing agreements, the Library continues strong support for the core collection within budgetary constraints created by budget cuts and inflation. Over time, Summit circulation data will provide specific reports on areas of the collection where students and faculty consistently or repeatedly demonstrate the need for more depth. Additionally, the Orbis Cascade Alliance is working on shared collection development guidelines to help design complementary collections. <br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures and Methods]].<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Formal.2C_written_agreements_with_other_libraries |Required Exhibit 11 Formal Agreements with Other Libraries]].<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.D – Personnel and Management===<br />
<br />
''Personnel are adequate in number and in areas of expertise to provide services in the development and use of library and information resources.''<br />
<br />
====5.D.1 Sufficiency of Staffing====<br />
<br />
''The institution employs a sufficient number of library and information resources staff to provide assistance to users of the library and to students at other learning resources sites.''<br />
<br />
The chart below suggests that library and information resources staffing is similar to that of comparable public institutions, falling between the averages of peer public liberal arts colleges (COPLAC) and the larger regional universities in the state (WA Regionals in the table below). Note that Evergreen (TESC) and other public college library staffing averages are significantly below the staffing for groups made up largely of private Ivies, DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives), and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning). <br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Staffing Comparisons'''<br />
<br />
| Library || Professionals/FTE || Total Staff/FTE <br />
|-<br />
| TESC || 1.93 || 7.5 <br />
|-<br />
| DEEP || 4.65 || 16.32 <br />
|- <br />
| CTCL || 4.79 || 14.71 <br />
|-<br />
| CIEL || 5.51 || 13.43 <br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC || 2.67 || 8.55 <br />
|-<br />
| WA Regionals || 1.41 || 5.62 <br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
(N.B. The staff count for Evergreen has been halved since approximately 50% of Library and Media Services staffing is devoted to Media Services production, instruction, and equipment check-out. At other institutions, these services, if they are offered at all, reside in academic departments such as media arts or education.) <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses staffing in Area 3. The report shows staffing to be average when compared to similar institutions in terms of size, mission, and culture. <br />
<br />
Because library use at Evergreen compares favorably to more heavily staffed private liberal arts colleges and because all areas sustain a substantial instructional role, there are areas of strain. The rapid expansion of technology-driven services and collections also creates stresses, despite reallocation of staff as media and technologies shift. Following are the primary areas of concern:<br />
<br />
* Support for rapidly expanded classroom technology, an additional demand on top of general institutional growth<br />
* Staffing for greater focus on curriculum planning and engagement with faculty in Academic Computing <br />
* Staffing to support expanding electronic library resource collections (ordering, contracts, management, evaluation, etc.)<br />
* Weakened presence of faculty librarians due to the loss of one line in budget cuts during the self-study period<br />
<br />
<br />
====5.D.2 Staff Qualifications====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources staff include qualified professional and technical support staff, with required specific competencies, whose responsibilities are clearly defined.''<br />
<br />
The balance of librarians to other library staff is weighted toward non-professionals when compared to other liberal arts college libraries. Further, as librarians rotate into the full-time curriculum, they temporarily leave behind reference work, management, administration, and collection development. Any sustained work, such as Web-page development, is interrupted by these regular absences. Further, full-time teaching faculty rotate into the Library as neophytes who need training and who present widely disparate skills, abilities, and ambitions. Beyond the system of rotation, with its concomitant duties, librarians are contractually obligated to participate in college governance and curriculum planning, not to mention their own scholarly projects and sabbaticals. Librarians have nine-month contracts and several are absent during the summer sessions when the Library is minimally staffed. These organizational facts mean that Evergreen has no managerial class of librarians. Instead, the team of faculty librarians share management with staff. Paraprofessionals head almost all departments, including Circulation, Government Publications, Periodicals, Technical Services, and Acquisitions. Their year-round presence and regular workdays provide consistency for development of services, maintenance of collections, public service, and supervision of classified staff and student workers. In this collaborative environment, staff often lead the way in adopting new services. The tremendous commitment by the staff grounds the Library and makes it an ideal teaching environment. <br />
<br />
Most library faculty carry both subject and library master's credentials in order to support their teaching as well as their role as professional librarians (see [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Vitae_of_professional_library_staff | CVs of professional library staff]]). <br />
<br />
As is the case with librarians, many media staff and instructors carry additional graduate training. Graduate degrees noted by staff other than librarians include three MPAs, two MFAs, an MA in art history, an MEd and EdS, an MSE (technical engineering), an MS in chemistry, and an MS in computer information systems. The library faculty, whose roles require substantial attention to teaching and governance outside the Library, must depend upon library staff as managers of major services and functions within the Library. Highly experienced staff with significant levels of responsibility keep the Library not just open, but anticipating and embracing change and new opportunities for service (see 5.B.2 Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing for a discussion of media instructors as artists and teaching faculty).<br />
<br />
In the realm of technical support, the Edutech report recommended assigning "staff responsibilities more specifically." More specific responsibilities and positions have been implemented in Technical Support Services. In the smaller units that provide distributed service and instruction such as the CAL, Academic Computing, and Media Services, this stricter delineation of support functions is not as clearly appropriate. Instead, it is often valuable for staff to be well versed on all or most aspects of the instruction or service required and in direct communication with the student, staff, or faculty who needs help. For example, the liaison system in Academic Computing assumes that in most cases a faculty member will receive all aspects of support from one liaison, or that the liaison will coordinate the support and instruction required.<br />
<br />
All staff and faculty have engaged new skills as the information technology evolves. Multiple reclassifications have assured that staff job descriptions and pay scales match new expectations for technological expertise. Staff have also shifted the location of their work partially or entirely as budget cuts and new programs such as Summit and ILLiad have relocated the areas of greatest stress. Increased emphasis on technology in many positions has led to reclassifications and increases in salaries for some staff, resulting in compression of salaries for some managers. A campus-wide study of exempt salaries is expected to address this issue.<br />
<br />
====5.D.3 Professional Growth====<br />
<br />
''The institution provides opportunities for professional growth for library and information resources professional staff.''<br />
<br />
The library faculty are fully funded for professional activities through the central faculty professional development funds and policies, as well as through faculty institutes. <br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultyfundingopportunities.pdf|Faculty Development at Evergreen]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionalleave_policy.pdf|Professional Leave (Faculty Handbook 6.100)]] <br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionaltravel_policy.pdf|Professional Travel (Faculty Handbook 6.200)]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development (Faculty Handbook 6.300)]]<br />
<br />
The remaining library and media services staff may request up to $500 annually from a pool of $2,500. Additional funding has been requested to bring the maximum benefit up to $750 in order to be consistent with the rest of academics, but this funding has not been granted thus far. Non-state funds from the Friends of the Library have been allocated for retreats and other staff meetings in order to compensate for some of this differential access to professional development funds. <br />
<br />
Computing and Communications allocates more than $40,000 per year to support attendance of technical staff at technical conferences and trainings. This allows staff to expand their skills with current technology, increase their knowledge of new and advancing technology, and connect with peers from other institutions and experts in specific technologies. These training opportunities are critical to the team’s ability to support teaching and learning and to provide management of the college’s administrative systems (see [[Media:CC Training spreadsheet.xls | CC Training Spreadsheet]]).<br />
<br />
====5.D.4 Organizational Structure====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services are organized to support the accomplishment of institutional mission and goals. Organizational arrangements recognize the need for service linkage among complementary resource bases (e.g., libraries, computing facilities, instructional media and telecommunication centers).''<br />
<br />
The fundamental organizing principle of library and information resources at Evergreen is that an interdisciplinary curriculum demands integrated services. Beyond that, the founding vision aspired to provide all media, in any location. Contemporary networked technology and the expectations of students now create a climate in which barriers between different information can and must be dissolved. For all these reasons, blended resources, facilities, and services predominate throughout Standard 5.<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Founding_Vision_of_the_Library:_Any_Medium.2C_Any_Location|The Founding Vision: Any Medium, Any Location]].<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Information_Technology_Wing|The Information Technology Wing]].<br />
<br />
=====Shared Technology Creates the Need for More Shared Work=====<br />
<br />
Media applications, which were once physically limited to Media Services, are now located, maintained, taught, and used throughout the facilities administered by Academic Computing and, to a degree, the Library. Similarly, library resources, which were once physically limited to the Library building, are now found anywhere within reach of the Web. Public computers, once found only in the Computer Center, are everywhere, as are privately-owned laptops. These shifts have accelerated during the past ten years and have changed the instructional roles of the areas and their relationship to the curriculum. Undoubtedly, library and information resources will continue to distribute their budgets, facilities, and staff to continue expanding access to information technology in academic programs and for individual students.<br />
<br />
As technologies have changed, so have the relationships among the Library, Media Services, and Computing, which now share in the communal project of interconnecting, teaching, and supporting our information and technological resources. At this juncture, there seems little point in redesigning the administrative structures that oversee these areas because new relationships and responsibilities have evolved organically, based on need, demand, and interest, and will continue to do so. In order to ensure that these effective working relationships continue to develop, reinforcing connections such as joint staffing, deliberately planning together, and continuing involvement across the areas when hiring for new staff and particularly administrators must be emphasized. <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]] suggested that the existing distributed structures were valuable, but recommended greatly enhancing the role and formal responsibilities of the ITCH to assure better planning in consonance with the mission of the college. See 5.E for fuller discussion of this recommendation. Edutech did not capture the centrality of the teaching role in major portions of the information resources environment at Evergreen. It is teaching and its development that assures the most important connections between the academic mission of the college, the educational program, and IT services of all kinds. While the Library and Media Services collaborate as a matter of course with Academic Computing, the real challenge remains: How to more thoroughly engage the teaching faculty across the curriculum in defining the role of information technology in the academic careers of our students.<br />
<br />
====5.D.5 Engagement in Curriculum Development====<br />
<br />
''The institution consults library and information resources staff in curriculum development.''<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures & Methods 5.B.1]]<br />
<br />
====5.D.6 Library and Information Resources Budgets====<br />
<br />
''The institution provides sufficient financial support for library and information resources and services, and for their maintenance and security.''<br />
<br />
Similar to staffing levels noted above, the Library is well funded compared to other regional public baccalaureates in the state (WA State Public in the table below) and peer public liberal arts libraries nationally (COPLAC in the table below). This comparatively rich funding reflects a historical recognition of the demands of open inquiry and independent research and the centrality of library research in a liberal arts education. Both funding and use rates closely match those of the private liberal arts libraries which predominate the DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives) and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning) peer groups. Thus, the general funding level for the Evergreen Library compares closely to that of institutions with similar missions, services, and roles within their institutions. For further discussion of the role of libraries in liberal arts colleges, see [[Standard_5#Comparing_Use_Statistics_With_Other_Libraries | Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries (5.E)]]. On the other hand, the library budget reported below includes Media Services (approximately 50% of library staffing falls into this category). Most libraries do not include any of the functions provided by Media Services at Evergreen. Instead, these functions, including media instruction, media-production facilities, media production to support college activities, and portable media production equipment check-out, if offered at all, would be part of an academic department such as education or media arts. If Media Services costs and services were not considered, then budgets are close to those of other public institutions, while use statistics are comparable to private liberal arts institutions. <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! FTE<br />
! Circulation+ILL/FTE<br />
! Expenditures/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| '''Evergreen'''<br />
| '''4153'''<br />
| '''31'''<br />
| '''$782'''<br />
|-<br />
| DEEP Colleges<br />
| 2046<br />
| 18<br />
| $829<br />
|-<br />
| CTCL<br />
| 1506<br />
| 23<br />
| $859<br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC<br />
| 3742<br />
| 16<br />
| $464<br />
|-<br />
| CIEL<br />
| 7042<br />
| 25<br />
| $794<br />
|-<br />
| WA State Public<br />
| 11,415<br />
| 15<br />
| $373<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
As budget cuts have reduced both staffing and collections, diversified revenue sources have become a high priority for library administration. Generous biennial infusions from the central academic budget have withered since earlier study periods. Indirect funds from activity grants to the faculty, major gifts from donors, book sales, and fines for lost or destroyed books have all increased to make up important non-state sources for collection development. The development of facilities and programming have been supported through major donors, with the library dean and the campus fundraisers focusing significant attention on these efforts.<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses budgets in Area 4 and compares Evergreen to similar schools on the basis of physical environment, enrollment numbers, education goals and aspirations, residential nature, tuition, and governance structure. The review determined that Evergreen devotes considerable resources to IT and is consistent with its peers. In 2005, Evergreen’s expenditure on IT—expressed as a percentage of total institutional expenditures—was 6.7%. This percentage aligns with the 6.7% reported by Computing in a 2006 survey of public four-year colleges. The average for all institutions was 6.5%. Generally, IT is funded comparably to institutions with similar missions and culture. The report recommended that budget processes should be addressed that take into account the heavy demands upon replacement, operation, and maintenance as IT becomes ubiquitous in the classroom, as well as in labs.<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Comprehensive_budget.28s.29_for_library_and_information_resources |Comprehensive Budget (Required Exhibit 9)]]<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.E – Planning and Evaluation===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources planning activities support teaching and learning functions by facilitating the research and scholarship of students and faculty. Related evaluation processes regularly assess the quality, accessibility, and use of libraries and other information resource repositories and their services to determine the level of effectiveness in support of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
====Evaluating Information Services and Collections====<br />
<br />
Assessments of Evergreen's library and information resources confirm support for the academic mission of the college as a public liberal arts college that expects a substantial number of students to engage in self-selected independent inquiry. Utilization patterns among Evergreen students correlate closely to the intensive use found among liberal arts colleges as opposed to lower use rates found among more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
'''Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries'''<br />
<br />
In 2002, Washington's four-year public baccalaureate institutions implemented the Cascade resource-sharing consortium. This start-up provided an amazing new service and an opportunity to assess how rapidly a major new service might be implemented. Evergreen patrons borrowed 9,723 items during the first year, more than any other library, even though Evergreen was by far the smallest institution in the consortium at that time. Although ten times bigger than Evergreen, the University of Washington borrowed just under 7,000 items during the first year. The quick acceptance of Cascade testified to the efficient connection between the Library, library instruction, and the teaching faculty and curriculum at large. <br />
<br />
Cascade became Orbis Cascade as the Washington and Oregon academic consortia merged. The new resource-sharing service, entitled Summit, provides ongoing comparative statistics. To continue comparison with the original members of Cascade, in 2006, Evergreen borrowed 4.52 items per FTE; almost four times the next heaviest user at 1.15 items borrowed per student. Although one might assume that small collection size drives this higher demand, the fact is that the Evergreen collection circulates at a high rate per student as well, according to federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data. <br />
<br />
IPEDS data for 2006 also provide the opportunity to compare use statistics of liberal arts colleges with Evergreen and with small master's-level universities (Carnegie Class Master's I), where strong distinctions appear again. When both circulation and interlibrary loan are counted, Evergreen circulates 31 items per FTE, liberal arts colleges nationally average 24 items per FTE, and the Master's I institutions circulate 8.34 per FTE. <br />
<br />
The same dramatic distinction between liberal arts colleges and comprehensive institutions appears in the Summit consortium, which covers a full array of colleges and universities in Oregon and Washington. The following table lists the heaviest users from the member libraries, based upon their rates of use per FTE in 2006. Evergreen places high on the list, among the most highly ranked liberal arts colleges, which placed well above usage rates at more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! Number of Items Borrowed<br />
! FTE<br />
! Items/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| Reed College<br />
| 20,480<br />
| 1,268<br />
| 16.15<br />
|-<br />
| George Fox University<br />
| 14,427<br />
| 2,392<br />
| 6.03<br />
|-<br />
| Marylhurst University<br />
| 4,548<br />
| 852<br />
| 5.34<br />
|-<br />
| Lewis & Clark College<br />
| 14,386<br />
| 2,953<br />
| 4.87<br />
|-<br />
| '''The Evergreen State College'''<br />
| '''16,118'''<br />
| ''' 4,200'''<br />
| '''3.84'''<br />
|-<br />
| Whitman College<br />
| 6,672<br />
| 1,803<br />
| 3.70<br />
|-<br />
| Willamette University<br />
| 9,164<br />
| 2,511<br />
| 3.65<br />
|-<br />
| University of Puget Sound<br />
| 7,570<br />
| 2,742<br />
| 2.76<br />
|-<br />
| Seattle Pacific University<br />
| 8,589<br />
| 3,466<br />
| 2.48<br />
|-<br />
| Linfield<br />
| 5,354<br />
| 2,331<br />
| 2.30<br />
|-<br />
| Western Oregon University<br />
| 8,623<br />
| 3,992<br />
| 2.16<br />
|-<br />
| University of Portland<br />
| 6,764<br />
| 3,211<br />
| 2.11<br />
|-<br />
| University of Oregon<br />
| 38,796<br />
| 18,880<br />
| 2.05<br />
|-<br />
| Eastern Oregon University<br />
| 4,620<br />
| 2,306<br />
| 2.00<br />
|-<br />
| Pacific University<br />
| 4,232<br />
| 2,341<br />
| 1.81<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(Source: [[Media: summit_statistics.xls|Summit Borrowing Statistics FY06]])<br />
<br />
Thus it is clear that, as of 2006, Evergreen library utilization mirrors the practices of liberal arts colleges. High-use rates also seem to reflect an academic emphasis on major student projects. For instance, at Reed College, which requires a senior thesis, the college library circulates or borrows 120 items per student. On the other hand, looking ahead, ''academic library use patterns are in a period of dramatic change.'' In 2007, the University of Washington implemented WorldCat Local, which provides immediate click-though prompts, leading the user from local catalog to Summit to some journal databases, periodical holdings, and interlibrary loan if appropriate. Summit use at the University of Washington doubled since implementation and interlibrary loan has also increased steeply. A large increase in borrowing at the University of Washington drives lending rates throughout the Summit system, but even more important, it suggests that discovery tools will dramatically increase usage without change in the library instructional program or academic practices. The Orbis Cascade consortium will soon be implementing WorldCat as the shared Summit catalog and many libraries in the consortium will undoubtedly implement WorldCat Local as their local library catalog as well.<br />
<br />
'''Library and Computer Center Use & Satisfaction Rates'''<br />
<br />
The data above demonstrate that library and information resources are comparatively well utilized. While high rates of use suggest something about effectiveness, surveys of popularity (frequency of use and satisfaction with use) provide further affirmation. Institutional Research routinely surveys alumni and students about campus resources. A summary of campus resource utilization (See [[Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]) shows that during the six-year period, the Library and the computing facilities have been the top two most used campus facilities, trading off for first place. Alumni who were somewhat or very satisfied with the services have reported in at between 87% and 92% during the period surveyed. <br />
<br />
Starting in 2006, the [[media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Campus_Resources_Utilization_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)]] included questions about using library resources online and found that 85.2% of respondents use online library resources. Internal records also suggest phenomenal growth in online use of library resources. In 2000, when the Library subscribed to three aggregate journal databases (Proquest, Ebscohost and JSTOR), users conducted 80,000 searches. In 2007, among approximately 30 subscription databases, there were well over 250,000 searches. Careful review of variations of use from year to year reveals the direct impact a fluid curriculum has on database use. For example, Modern Language Association International Bibliography statistics are quite erratic; one major project in a large academic program explains a fivefold increase of use in one year. As JSTOR has developed into a more deeply and broadly multi-interdisciplinary tool, use statistics show a shift away from heavy dependence on the less scholarly aggregates. Extensive lobbying by faculty and librarians encourages this shift toward use of scholarly resources such as JSTOR. Use statistics for periodicals and databases drive selection and instruction planning. When use statistics are low for a database seen by the library faculty as critical to a discipline or of particularly high academic value, then library faculty focus instruction on that database whenever appropriate.<br />
<br />
'''Media Services User Surveys'''<br />
<br />
Institutional Research and Assessment added Media Services to its alumni survey of campus resource utilization starting in 2004. Since then, Media Services has been listed as the fifth most utilized resource. Alumni reported being somewhat or very satisfied at a rate of 89% and 90% in the two survey years (see [[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]).<br />
<br />
The 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)asked students about their use of Media Services, which showed 48% use of Media Loan (see [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Campus_Resource_Utilization_Olympia.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Campus Resource Utilization - Olympia]]). A survey designed and implemented by staff member Lin Crowley supplemented this data. Crowley’s respondents reported an average satisfaction level for each service ranging from 3.07 to 3.62 (out of 4), which indicated that those who used current services were generally fairly satisfied with each of the services they use.<br />
<br />
Although respondents to Crowley’s survey were predominantly active Media Services users, many respondents were uninformed about some services. Respondents supported investment in new digital technologies, but most were unaware of new or planned digital facilities. One clear conclusion of the survey is that visibility and access could be better for some services. Suggested improvements often focused on access, whether longer hours, more workshops, or more facilities. The survey project director recommended that future follow-up surveys be conducted to compare whether the reasons people use each service change and to evaluate the satisfaction levels for each type of services by patron types. See [[Media : TESC_Media_Services_Assessment_Project.doc | Evergreen Media Services Assessment Project]]<br />
<br />
====Evaluation of Teaching and Instructional Programs: Information Technology Literacy====<br />
<br />
The strong focus on teaching throughout library and information resources suggests the following questions: 1) In a college without requirements, does information technology instruction reach enough students to assure that the vast majority of graduates develop skills in support of their inquiries? 2) Which students are taught? Do students receive information technology instruction in an array of disciplinary and developmentally varied situations or is it happening only in pockets of the curriculum? 3) Is it working? Are students acquiring cross-curricular information technology, including media literacy?<br />
<br />
'''How many students are taught?'''<br />
<br />
About 3,000 students attend program-based library instruction workshops annually. These statistics exclude most cases of repeated contacts with the same student and thus represent very broad coverage of the student body. <br />
<br />
From 2000 to 2007, Media Services offered a total of more than 1,500 workshops to approximately 156 academic programs. This number does not include the thousands of quick proficiencies also provided by the area. The number of formal media workshops given and students reached in 2005 and 2006 were each more than double the numbers provided in 2000. Workshops have increased along with new technologies, especially in Media Loan and in the new Multimedia and Digital Imaging Studio (DIS) labs.<br />
<br />
Most instruction provided by Academic Computing and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) serves specific academic programs. These sessions are represented in the following table:<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Computer Lab Workshops for Academic Programs''' (cells represent academic programs/number of students)<br />
<br />
| Year || 2004-05 || 2005-06 || 2006-07<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Center || 221/4,423 || 171/3,418 || 253/4,880<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Applications Lab || 50/1,368 || 50/1,248 || 52/1,344<br />
|-<br />
| Totals || 271/5,791 || 191/4,666 || 305/6,224<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Up until 2007, Academic Computing offered 30 to 40 general computer skills workshops per year in the Computer Center, attended by approximately 350 students. Professional staff focused these workshops on general technical skill building, independent of academic programs. Over time, fewer students were attending these workshops, presumably because more students come to college with strong technical skills and with specialized self-determined needs for support. In response to waning attendance, Academic Computing redesigned the workshops as student-centered support sessions to which students bring their questions or projects. This student-centered structure should more effectively meet the specific demands of students. Computing will evaluate the success of this reinvented structure. All areas of library, media, and computing find the strongest teaching and the greatest demand for instruction occurs in conjunction with programs.<br />
<br />
'''Which Students?'''<br />
<br />
The number of teaching contacts shows that library and information resources staff reach a large number of academic programs, but does not indicate which programs. End-of-program surveys conducted from 2001 to 2006 by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment asked faculty, “Did your students use technology to present work, conduct research (including library research), or solve problems? If yes, How?” Not surprisingly, faculty answered that library/Internet research skills were the most commonly used at 50%, followed by some form of presentation technology. Ninety percent of programs reported some substantial use of information technology. (See[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]])<br />
<br />
In 2006-07, questions were revised to more accurately identify programs where there was intentional focus on teaching ITL: "Did your program include activities to improve information technology literacy?" With this more restrictive language, 70% of programs reported including ITL. (See[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]) <br />
<br />
Further, in 2006-07, a follow-up question asked specifically which kind of technology was taught. Significantly different technologies predominate in different parts of the curriculum. No standard set of applications comes into play, although as of 2006-07, presentation technologies (at 42% of all programs) have increased by 70% over their use in the 2001 to 2006 reports and now begin to approach library and Internet research in their prevalence at 50%. Online communication applications were reported by 32% of programs, an increase of 19% over the 2001-2006 data. <br />
<br />
Reservation-based programs reported library and Internet research at the highest rate, at 100% of programs, although this work was weakly connected to library instruction and therefore it is unclear whether academic library-supplied resources were used. At the other end of the spectrum, Culture, Text, and Language was lowest with 21% reporting library or Internet searching. The remainder of planning units ranged between 43% and 50% library/Internet use, with Core programs at the low end with 43%.<br />
<br />
The substantial move toward presentation media and online communication in programs drives increases in multimedia applications. Presentation technology and online communication applications encourage the use of still and moving images, sound clips, graphs, and charts. These media are mixed with traditional print communication written by students or linked from Web resources. While these media and print applications involve basic, commonly used applications of information technology, they easily migrate toward more advanced media production. The increasing presence of multimedia information technology in Evergreen's learning communities drives further demand upon Media Services and Academic Computing, along with increased overlap of their teaching and service roles.<br />
<br />
Since its inception in the context of Holly’s generic library, Media Services has followed its mission to support media literacy and instruction across the curriculum. During the last ten years, Media Services have changed dramatically as the personal computer has become the platform for entry-level media production and consumption. One measure of this change has materialized in how media staff have served programs through formal workshops since fall 2000. The scheduling data shows that almost 90% of formal program-based workshops serve Expressive Arts faculty. While this scheduling data does not cover equipment proficiency workshops or one-on-one instruction, both used more broadly across the curriculum, it is nevertheless clear that formal instruction by media staff focuses heavily on Expressive Arts programs, with an emphasis on advanced production applications, the exclusive provenance of expressive arts faculty. Media Services provides this advanced instruction in specialized labs, which were enhanced and expanded during the remodel. One effect of this specialization is that entry-level students have migrated to Academic Computing, where the staff works in collaboration with media staff to provide instruction on entry-level media-production applications. In fact, during fall and winter 2006-07, 68% of the faculty who requested workshops in Computer Center were from planning units other than Expressive Arts, and many of these workshops included media instruction (Photoshop, iMovie, Flash, etc.). <br />
<br />
Just as in the Computer Center, the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) shows a trend toward more broadly used applications. Although the CAL has traditionally focused on the science curriculum in the Environmental Studies and Scientific Inquiry planning units, these users have begun to share their space with those who have less specialized demands. Roughly 60% to 70% of the classes in the CAL now work with statistical or numeric analysis, primarily Excel, but also with Graphical Analysis, R, and SPSS. Ninety percent of CAL users prepare presentations, most often with Powerpoint, Word, Illustrator and Excel. Approximately 60% of the programs meeting in the CAL still use analytical tools, including (in order of usage) ArcGIS, Mathematica, and Stella, which were once the focal point of all CAL applications. Science faculty have shifted their emphasis to on-site analysis, using advanced applications in specialized scientific labs in ways that parallel the shift in Media Services toward advanced applications. Meanwhile, the CAL and the Computer Center serve increasing numbers of students who seek instruction or support for the increasingly powerful personal computing applications in media production, statistical analysis, and presentation media.<br />
<br />
'''Does Library Instruction Result in ITL Gains?'''<br />
<br />
The Library, consistent with college-wide practices, rejects requirements and embraces students who engage in open inquiry and independent judgment. In this context, the Library supports a fluid curriculum and responds to changes that drive the needs and expectations of an innovative teaching faculty. Standard or standardized assessment methods do not apply because the Library shapes teaching according to individual students, a fluid curriculum, and highly diverse pedagogy. Instead, the Library commits to the intensive and never-ending task of recreating learning goals, student-by-student, program-by-program. Context is everything, which obviates the role of abstract standardized measures.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the Library does engage in qualitative assessment, the descriptive characterization of ITL teaching and learning. As is the case throughout the faculty (see Standard 2.B.3, Engagement and Reflection), library faculty write annual evaluations of themselves and their library and teaching colleagues. They also engage in five-year reviews in which a panel of teaching colleagues discusses their work. These evaluations consistently address instructional aspirations, successes, and failures. See [[Media: Reflections_on_library_instruction.doc | Reflections on Library Instruction]]. <br />
<br />
Further, under the leadership of the Office of Institutional Research, the librarians designed a project that assessed students as they worked through real research inquiries. The study, [[media: ActivityInfomationLiteracy.pdf |"The Activity of Information Literacy"]], documented the techniques and processes and even the thinking of several small samples of students as they collaborated intensively on research questions. The study showed that these particular students were stronger in their grasp of content than they were in their command of library research tools for their specific inquiries. In other words, a question about history might not lead them to historical abstracts. They were also strong in their ability to develop their research questions and to evaluate and synthesize the results. What these results suggest is that “Faculty may want to assess their students’ abilities to obtain information and offer tutorials or refer students to the Library when deficiencies are detected.”<br />
<br />
Beyond the immediate results, this qualitative assessment also suggested that the students benefited greatly when they collaborated. Certainly, this observation is corroborated by the gains that students make when they work together in skill building instead of in canned computer workshops outside of programs. Additionally, peer groups are widely used across the curriculum as a way to encourage students to develop research topics and individual projects. Given the results of the qualitative assessment and given the widely practiced use of peer groups, library faculty should seek ways to implement collaborative research activities when they link their instruction to programs. This model of cooperation would build on the more isolated collaborations that take place, as a matter of course, between librarians and students at the reference desk. An enlarged vision of this basic transaction—discussion, exploration, and brainstorming—will enhance the relevance and effectiveness of library teaching and workshops.<br />
<br />
'''Student Assessment of Their ITL Learning'''<br />
<br />
The Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES) asks questions that elucidate what the students themselves think they learned at Evergreen. In 2006, the ESES asked, "To what extent have your Evergreen experiences contributed to your growth in ... the following computer-related fields...?" Responses generally matched fairly well with the perspectives found in the end-of-program surveys. For the category "Studying or Doing Research via the Internet or other online sources:<br />
<br />
* 30.5% of Olympia-campus students reported at least some contribution. <br />
* 47.5% reported quite a bit or a lot, for a total of 77.5%. <br />
* More than 84% of Tacoma students reported at least some, of which 50% reported quite a bit. <br />
* More than 93% of reservation-based students reported at least some contribution; 86.2% reporting quite a bit or a lot.<br />
<br />
Considering how many students express self-confidence in their research skills, and as the Internet provides so many increasingly powerful tools for personal research, it is heartening to see that a good majority of students feel they developed their research skills as part of their education at Evergreen. <br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES also asked about "Using the computer for artistic expression (e.g., music, other audio, still images, animation, video, etc.)":<br />
<br />
* More than 42% reported that Evergreen contributed "Some," "Quite a Bit," or "A Lot"<br />
* Fully 36.8% said "Not at All"<br />
* 20.9% said "Very Little"<br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES surveyed use of non-artistic computer tools, asking about specific types of applications such as spreadsheets, GIS, Web development, posters, or programming. In general, as was found in end-of-program reviews, no single type of computer application dominated. No application type was used by more than 50% of students; instead, different types of applications were used by smaller subsets of the students surveyed.<br />
<br />
====5.E.1 Participatory Planning====<br />
<br />
''The institution has a planning process that involves users, library and information resource staff, faculty, and administrators.''<br />
<br />
=====Overall Planning for Collections & Services=====<br />
<br />
The fluidity of interdisciplinary and individual study defines library services. The dean of Library Services strengthens the ties between academics and the Library and Media Services through weekly meetings with the provost, associate vice president for academic budget and planning, and academic dean of budget, as well as weekly academic deans meetings. Once a month, the director of computing and communications and the manager of Academic Computing also join the academic deans' meeting.<br />
<br />
The interconnection of the instructional role with the planning and support functions drives the efficacy of all the services in these areas. In the [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]], Area 5 discussed planning and governance in the Evergreen information environment. The review was somewhat critical of the lack of coordination in support, planning, and governance of IT across the campus and advocated for a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH), an organization which links library, media, and computing managers and instructors. However, the report did not emphasize how the teaching function and role in Academic Computing, the CAL, and Media Services creates strong collaboration in all service and instruction design. <br />
<br />
Further, placing library and information resources within the larger ethos of the college, any major policy discussions or long-term planning processes invoke the participatory college-wide Disappearing Task Force (DTF) structure. Budgetary processes are generally collaborative and include opportunities for review and input from the campus community (see Participatory Decision-Making Culture [Standard 1 Section 2.3] and Standard 6). The college budget process and schedule drives most mid-term library planning. (See Standard 7 Section 7.A.3).<br />
<br />
Additional opportunities for community contributions to planning include faculty who rotate into the Library and who focus on collection development and other planning projects. An annual Reference Services Group retreat establishes the year's work before classes start in the fall. Faculty development reviews, also known as five-year reviews, and faculty institutes provide opportunities for conversations across campus about a range of teaching, learning, and service questions as they impact information services. The library internship program provided a reading seminar for several years within which library faculty, staff, and interns could discuss changing information technology and its cultural meaning. Finally, the librarians often engage in faculty reading seminars, frequently focused on library issues, where shared thinking about the future of libraries evolves.<br />
<br />
=====Loose Structures and Responsiveness to Rapid Change in the Information Environment=====<br />
<br />
Among the organizations included in library and information resources, the Library is the largest and most embedded in tradition and thus may be the most invested in preexisting professional structures and assumptions. Additionally, a comparative lack of top-down managerial structures could lead to a tendency to stagnate in some environments. How well does the Library balance the competing demands of conservation, teaching, and technological adaptation and innovation? The success of the Library’s flat organization can be measured by the impressive way in which the Library group has responded to institutional and profession-wide changes and challenges. See the [[Media: Achievements.doc |Achievements]] document for a description of major changes in services, faculties, and collections implemented during the study period. Most of the changes are responses to opportunities provided by technological developments and external engagement in consortia. The consortia relieve any single library from much of the burden of research and develop into new technologies, an overwhelming burden for a comparatively small library such as Evergreen's. Additionally, Evergreen's library administration and staff have worked actively in leadership roles in the Orbis Cascade consortium to assure that the consortium supports efficient, cost-effective movement into the world of networked and shared resources.<br />
<br />
====5.E.2 Planning Linkages====<br />
<br />
''The institution, in its planning, recognizes the need for management and technical linkages among information resource bases (e.g., libraries, instructional computing, media production and distribution centers, and telecommunications networks).''<br />
<br />
=====Planning Across LIR=====<br />
<br />
With networked information technology and almost universal access to digitized academic information resources, coordination of planning across library and information resources has become increasingly critical. The information technology staff and librarians from across the administrative units found that while administrative restructuring did not appear to provide a more effective connection among services, it was nevertheless wise to imagine a new structure to foster collaboration. A cross-areas collaborative group entitled the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH) was created, which provides the most formal mechanism for collaboration around technology across the various parts of the college. <br />
<br />
Evergreen supports three ITCH groups: Academic, Administrative, and Core. The Academic ITCH meets at least once a month and includes professional staff from each of the primary technology labs, faculty, and interested students. The Academic ITCH coordinates general academic IT initiatives, helps develop general academic computing policy, and guides strategic planning. Professional staff members in each of the primary technology areas have developed strong connections to discipline-specific slices of the curriculum, faculty, and academic administration. As the ITCH develops, the members will explore ways to communicate and plan in cross-disciplinary and cross-divisional programs. The ITCH provides one of the necessary cross-curricular and cross-divisional contexts for developing information technology across administratively distinct areas. The Administrative ITCH plans for administrative IT support and the Core ITCH acts as the coordinating body for all areas of IT represented in the ITCH.<br />
<br />
The ITCH created a strategic plan in conjunction with the campus-wide strategic planning process in 2007. Strategic Direction number 7 addresses technology. The statement is notable for the breadth of its concerns, with aspirations addressing media, library, and computing technology: <br />
<br />
: Use technology to enhance teaching and learning and administrative support at Evergreen.<br />
Evergreen will intentionally foster secure, sustainable, flexible, easy-to-use, and accessible information technologies (IT) that support and enhance our teaching and learning philosophies and the administrative needs of the institution. Evergreen’s continuing commitment to technology and media literacies as critical components of a liberal arts education has led us to re-envision our Television Studio into a Center for New Media [now entitled the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)] that will provide cross-curricular and extra-curricular support for computer mediated production, performance, interactivity, teleconferencing, live broadcasts, digital image storage, processing, re-broadcasting, and format conversion for all areas of the college. Accuracy and quality of information will improve and strong support will make technology and a broad range of information services available to on- and off-campus users. Security requirements of networks, software, hardware and data will be met while ensuring appropriate user access, including control of access to confidential information and the need for academic exploration. Classroom spaces will be technologically current and functional for meeting curricular needs (see the complete [[Media: itchstrategicplan_wiki.pdf|IT Strategic Plan wiki]] for more detail).<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] recommended a stronger, more formal role and status for the ITCH, which has not found support from higher-level administrators who have budgetary responsibility over the divisions of the college. This means the ITCH continues to serve as a bottom-up structure of collaboration based on the experience of direct collaboration with and support for students, staff, and faculty users.<br />
<br />
=====Continue Blending More Functions within Library and Information Resources=====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support a surprisingly diverse infrastructure of technologies and media in the curriculum. For greatest efficiency, library and information resources should consider even more coordination across boundaries to provide technology support. Students should be able to move seamlessly between different areas, such as the CAL, the Multimedia Lab (MML), and the Computer Center. Certainly, the pathways between areas could be more clearly articulated by identifying and developing more common services, including printing, building and maintaining image sets, server file space, and common software. By taking better advantage of the network infrastructure, students will experience less confusion and IT staff who directly support the curriculum could dedicate more energy toward coordinating, developing, and designing IT strategies with academic programs instead of maintaining redundant infrastructures.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources could develop a shared perspective about their public presence. One possibility for representing blended facilities and services would be a central help desk for the Information Technology Wing. The shared entrance to the wing has become a prominent architectural feature and an opportunity to reshape the community’s understanding of what the areas collectively represent. A central help desk could provide basic information about facilities, services, and staff, and it would help facilitate how efficiently patrons move between the various floors of the wing. Continued attention to the best use of the Library Underground and how to assure its connection to other floors should be part of this process; a large, flexible teaching and gathering space is developing there and appropriate equipment will be needed to support that vision. Concurrently, assuring safety for the adjacent Archives and Rare Books Collections is critical.<br />
<br />
Construction of the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM) will begin soon. This project has distinct relevance to the changing roles of Media Services, the Library, and Academic Computing within the evolving digital liberal arts. The CCAM will comprise a collection of media production studios and equipment to complement existing Media Services and Academic Computing media resources and provide the primary bridge between the campus media infrastructure and networked digital resources. For a discussion of the CCAM and related curricular projects, see [[media: CNM.doc | Center for Creative and Applied Media]].<br />
<br />
====5.E.3 Evaluation and the Future====<br />
<br />
''The institution regularly and systematically evaluates the quality, adequacy, and utilization of its library and information resources and services, including those provided through cooperative arrangements, and at all locations where courses, programs, or degrees are offered. The institution uses the results of the evaluations to improve the effectiveness of these resources.''<br />
<br />
As part of an institution constantly engaged in processes of narrative evaluation and other forms of assessment, library and information resources engage in and are the subject of extensive assessment both within library and information resources and externally through Institutional Research and Assessment surveys and studies. In addition to formal annual processes such as budget building and annual library faculty retreats, the results of these assessments feed into the development of ongoing teaching and services through constant face-to-face interactions among faculty, administrators, staff, and students, which inform all operations. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, as cited throughout this report, provides annual surveys about library and information resources, several of which are broken down by campus.<br />
<br />
See:<br />
<br />
[[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Utilization]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf | End-of program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Workshop_-_Information_Technology_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf | End-of-program Review Workshop - Information Technology Across the Curriculum]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Transfer_Students.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_and_Technology-related_Resources.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Information Technology Literacy and Technology-related Resources]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Growth_in_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Growth in Computer Skills - Olympia Campus]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | <br />
Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]<br />
<br />
=====Collections and Access=====<br />
<br />
The Web presence of the Library will, of course, continue to evolve. The Library continues work on a new library front page and database search pages. It is likely that the new library front page will become the responsibility of the college-wide Web team, freeing library staff from this unfunded work. A new federated search is being implemented. Meanwhile, the Orbis Cascade consortium is migrating to WorldCat, which the Library will consider for local use as well. A local catalog designed on the principle of Web discovery tools can be expected to generate significant changes in library use. In this context, changes in staffing may be required to support increases in use of services such as Summit and ILLiad, and the content and focus of instruction may require substantial revision. Evaluation of service and instruction via peer comparisons will change, as discovery tools will generate higher uses without increased instruction. Instruction will likely need to focus even more on evaluating sources and finding those resources not easily located via discovery tools. <br />
<br />
The continued expansion of audiovisual media collections represents a critical part of the vision of the generic library. To that end, one-time funds have frequently been infused into a small base budget for film and sound recordings, and the collection has grown significantly. Sound & Image Library (SAIL) staff and selectors have emphasized both new titles and replacement of older formats and worn copies. The Library anticipates circulating the collection through Summit, which will increase wear. See [[media:SAILacq.xls|SAIL Acquisition Statistics]]. Selectors will continue a recent change of policy allowing the purchase of any medium from their funds allocated for print monographs, but a stable and larger allocation for the SAIL budget would lessen the need to do so and reduce variations in expenditures, workload, and processing. The Resource Selection Committee is currently reviewing materials budgets with the intention of reallocating funds according to the curricular demands for video and digitized reference resources. If these discussions result in a larger budget for the SAIL, there will be more work, but also more consistency. Additionally, the staff will be more deeply involved in researching Web-based media collections. This additional workload represents a challenge for the SAIL. <br />
<br />
Digital collection development should go forward in concert with the push to digitize archival collections, including photographs, video, and copies of faculty artwork. The CCAM will take the lead in this ongoing project. <br />
<br />
Because of the Summit and ILLiad systems, the core collections do not need to support individual students who engage in inquiries that lie outside the collection profile based upon the core curriculum. However, Summit use will also allow the Library to identify whether there are any consistent weaknesses in the collection that show up as subject areas driving high borrowing rates from other institutions. The data from Summit should be analyzed over a three-year period, due to the fluidity of the curriculum, at which point the Library will decide if such data are useful in guiding collection development. <br />
<br />
The Library will continue to take advantage of the significantly increased purchasing power created by consortial agreements for periodical and other database purchases. The Library needs to keep an eye on the time and expertise required to keep up with the ever-increasing work of evaluating these agreements, purchases, and contracts and the technical work to support electronic resources, and it may want to consider creating a position for managing electronic resources. A centralized specialist working on electronic resources would potentially help the selectors by consistently researching and disseminating information about new products.<br />
<br />
Overall, long-standing assumptions about budgets for collections must be reevaluated. While major cuts were made to the monographic budget early in the study period and were only partially restored over time, it is not clear that simply restoring those funds and adding funds for inflation are the desirable next moves. The Resource Selection Committee will need to continue to explore more flexible responses to a rapidly changing publishing environment in order to match collection budgets to evolving research needs. Private fundraising and other non-state funds have helped close collection development gaps in some cases, such as the SAIL budget. Library and information resources overall have begun to receive private support for equipment and facilities projects as well. More work with the Office of College Advancement should be emphasized, as many alumni have demonstrated willingness to support the library and information resources. <br />
'''<br />
Support for Rapidly Evolving Information Technology'''<br />
<br />
While the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] gave Evergreen good marks for its budgetary support of information technology, the report also recommended that “to follow current best practices, the replacement cycle should be permanently funded and the operations budgets need to be raised regularly to reflect the increase in technology-equipped classrooms, the increased number of servers and desktop computers that must be supported, and other increases in the technology base.” The college has begun to address this issue, proposing permanent line items in the next biennium for replacing the core server and desktops. This movement toward more permanent allocations for replacement and repair will help ensure that the infrastructure can support the curriculum. Although the ITCH can play only an advisory role, it has participated actively in the process of establishing permanent allocations, setting priorities, and sharing resources. <br />
<br />
The remodeled Information Technology Wing and the construction of the Seminar II building created dramatically more technology-equipped teaching spaces. There are now forty-nine media and computer-capable classrooms, with more on the way. Labs are equipped with computers for each student, and most classrooms now include a computer along with projection and display systems. The Library plans to convert one classroom in the Library Underground to a lab, and teaching spaces on campus still without computers or display technology are on the way to being equipped. At this point, library and information resources just manage to support the computer facilities distributed across campus. As more spaces are computerized and enrollment creeps up toward the target of 5,000, the college will have to add additional staff and funding for maintenance. All capital construction and remodeling plans must include consideration of maintenance, replacement, and support for media and networked display. <br />
<br />
As media technology has changed, some faculty choose to continue teaching older analog equipment, often for good pedagogical and aesthetic reasons. In the context of doubling instruction loads, this breadth of technologies generates a daunting challenge for Media Loan as it stretches to maintain, house, and teach a very wide array of portable equipment. Media Loan should work with the Expressive Arts faculty and other major users to reduce the range of Media Loan equipment necessary to support the curriculum.<br />
<br />
=====Library Instruction=====<br />
<br />
The reduced number of library faculty has resulted in less ability to provide library instruction deeply and broadly to the entire curriculum. Further, reference desk service has changed as the Internet creates patrons who access our resources from remote locations. Most immediately, virtual patrons do not benefit from the teaching that takes place at the reference desk, although the transactions that do occur at reference tend to be more substantive. As traffic at the physical reference desk has diminished, faculty who rotate into the Library have more limited opportunities to learn about library resources through interactions with patrons. These trends should inform the reference group as they consider how to proceed in allocating team responsibilities with or without an increase in the number of library faculty.<br />
<br />
The reference group should evaluate service to areas of the curriculum that report or demonstrate less involvement in the various forms of information technology instruction (as reflected in end of program reports), and consider whether more or different instructional support would be appropriate, feasible, or desirable. <br />
<br />
Library instruction will evolve in the context of catalogs that imitate Web discovery tools. It is entirely likely that patrons will frequently discover services which have, until now, had to be pointed out to them. For the near future, however, finding and using the most effective, appropriate journal databases still requires instruction or intervention on the part of librarians or faculty. Evaluation of library instruction based upon comparative use statistics will probably be less valuable than in this past study period, as academic library finding tools will vary greatly for some time to come, creating widely disparate use statistics. Thus close attention to database use trends and their correlation to the implementation of new finding tools will be important in the near future.<br />
<br />
Intensive, embedded library and media instruction remain the most desirable and effective models. Some librarians focus on these models, including such work as evaluating bibliographies, which become the basis for assessing the quality of student research and the basis for further instruction. Faculty librarians may want to explore evaluating research results more commonly as they develop their ties with programs and faculty in all disciplines, particularly if discovery tools generate easier access to resources beyond the immediate catalog search. As librarians become more involved in each stage of research, including writing or production, they should be able to provide more consistent support to students. Time for this work with students is restricted by the number of librarians, as is time for the more extended work essential to students from Tacoma and reservation-based programs, who depend so heavily upon off-campus access and have less opportunity to confer with librarians at the reference desk. Faculty who rotate into the Library must be more fully engaged in this aspect of the librarians' work in order to help balance the external teaching demands upon library faculty. <br />
<br />
When the Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning and Writing Centers were planned into the new Information Technology Wing, the hope was for substantial collaboration. While the location of these centers within the Library brings more students in, aids the sense of hospitality, and provides convenient resources for students, collaboration has remained minimal. Thus opportunities for shared instruction and service have yet to be exploited.<br />
<br />
'''Cross-Curricular Information Technology Literacy'''<br />
<br />
As discussed above, library and information resources and the teaching faculty assure that information technology infuses the curriculum. On the other hand, the faculty has not embraced any particular set of information technology skills as fundamental to the liberal arts undergraduate at Evergreen. Instead, faculty choose and adapt information and media technologies according to the pedagogical and disciplinary requirements of their chosen inquiry. There is little work across the curriculum about critical approaches to media or basic definitions of college-level technical literacy for the liberal arts. In the immediate future, library and information resources should invite the teaching faculty into a discussion about whether the campus has any broad consensus about Information Technology Literacy (ITL), including critical approaches. Long ago, the college committed to writing across the curriculum and allocated significant institutional resources to encourage that work—without proscriptive limits or standards. A wider discussion about ITL could produce a similar vision and institutional support. In the long run, such a vision will shape our understanding of digital scholarship in the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
The expansion of entry-level media technology instruction raises questions about the staffing assumptions in Academic Computing. If critical approaches to information technology are to be addressed, and if cross-curricular information technology literacy is a priority for the contemporary liberal arts, then instructional staffing based on historical models of canned skills workshops may be insufficient. Academic Computing should continue current efforts to recruit instructional staff who have the expertise to work intensively in program planning and curriculum development, as well as on technical support for those activities. The numbers of such instructional IT staffing may also need to be evaluated in response to these new and expanding demands for work within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
====Conclusion: Holly's Generic Library Has Come to Fruition====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources have been deeply influenced by the organizational habits of the college, habits of collaboration, egalitarian ideals, fluidity, face-to-face interactions, non-departmentalization, reflexive learning, and independent and interdisciplinary inquiry. The result is a responsive, flexible, evolving set of services and resources. Library and information resources faculty and staff work across the media, regardless of where services reside administratively, in order to fuse traditional library services, information services, computing, and media. Library and information resources assess technology within the context of Evergreen’s particular curriculum and implement new applications incrementally in collaborative processes involving all three areas of service and the teaching faculty. As part of that work, library and information resources have had the distinct historical advantage of presuming that information comes in all formats and that it is not only possible but advisable to break down as many barriers as possible to access information in all its forms. In this, library and information resources are shaped by their founding vision - the generic library - an idea whose time has come.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1) Overall, library and information resources at Evergreen demonstrate effective development of collaborative planning, services, and instruction in support of the academic mission and educational programs of the college.<br />
<br />
2.) Over the past decade, the Library and Media Services have fully committed to networking and digital resources. This shift has implied a change in organization, reorganization of job classifications, and the creation of new patterns of work supported in all areas.<br />
<br />
3.) Commitment to the use of networking digital information resources has allowed and promoted the integration of all sections of library and information resources and has pushed the staff in all areas to reconceptualize their work and to find new patterns of organization and collaboration.<br />
<br />
4.) Students and faculty are thinking about and using information resources in all media. They can now reasonably expect to have seamless access to a wide array of high-quality academic information, media, and computer applications almost anywhere on campus.<br />
<br />
5.) The Library is funded like a public college, but the emphasis on projects, the array of inquiries, and the fact that it is a teaching library means that it is used as if it were a part of a private liberal arts college.<br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The Evergreen Library has always been what other libraries have striven to become: a '''teaching library''' deeply connected to the faculty and curriculum. The result is that students use the Library very actively. Historically, Media Services has had the same teaching focus. Academic computing, with a longstanding instructional role, is also moving toward more substantive teaching and collaboration with faculty. This cross-curricular emphasis on teaching must be continued.<br />
<br />
2.) The original vision of the Library was "generic," which means that it includes all media in all locations. The contemporary term in the profession is the '''virtual library. ''' Evergreen's library and information resources have been able to realize the vision due to the advent of effective, ubiquitous networking and digital resources. The new technology plus major consortial agreements have created an explosion of access to high-quality scholarly information and media.<br />
<br />
3. The remodeled and more unified Information Technology Wing is the physical manifestation of the blending of traditional print, media, and computer technology that characterizes the virtual library and information in the digital age. Despite being spread across administrative divisions, the Library, Media Services, Academic Computing, the CAL, and Computing and Communications all collaborate effectively to assure more and more seamless access to information resources. We must guard these interconnections and continue to seek opportunities for collaboration that will provide the best service, teaching, and efficiency.<br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Through consortial agreements and wise use of resources made available to the college, an extraordinary array of high-quality academic resources. For example, the number of academic journals now available is nine times larger than at the outset of the review. Active leadership in consortia such as Orbis Cascade and the Cooperative Libraries Project supported these cost-effective approaches.<br />
<br />
2.) The willingness of staff from all areas to share, collaborate, and dream as they worked through the complex reorganizations and new work necessary to create an operative virtual library has been extraordinary.<br />
<br />
3.) The creation of an accessible, integrated, well-conceived teaching space with the renovation of the B and C wings of the Library has allowed the virtual library to have a physical presence that embodies the integration of these areas, while providing hospitable spaces and programming to complement virtual use information resources.<br />
<br />
4.) The spread of digital media and computer facilities to the campus as a whole, in the Lecture Halls, and in the new classrooms of Seminar II, as well as the extension of wireless access to most of the campus has allowed the teaching resources of library and information resources to be used across the campus.<br />
<br />
5.) Both the development of the virtual library and a continued commitment to extensive instruction have led to effective library and information resources for off-campus programs and users.<br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Library and information resources must maintain the flexibility in staff’s capacity to respond to the rapidly changing digital environment.<br />
<br />
2.) Library and information services must continue to remain aware of developments in information technology, critically assess them, and carefully integrate technological capacities into the staff’s capacity for teaching.<br />
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3.) Library and information resources should assure that connections between the three units (the Library, Academic Computing, and Media Services) that make up library and information resources are as seamless as possible.<br />
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4.) Media Services instructors should consciously promote considerations of media among faculty across the curriculum, as well as continue to work effectively with those who depend upon media as the center of their work.<br />
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5.) Staff from all areas should pursue and develop cross-curricular faculty conversations about information and technology as literacies for the liberal arts, including critical perspectives.<br />
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6.) Library and information services should assure that instructional staffing and library faculty is sufficient in training and numbers to support extensive, integrated information technology literacy instruction across the curriculum and to off-campus and weekend and evening programs.<br />
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7.) Library and information services should continue to develop maintenance and replacement funds to support rapidly expanding information technology, instruction, and service throughout the campus.<br />
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Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing staff and faculty will collaborate in planning ongoing summer faculty institutes facilitating cross-curricular faculty conversations about information technology literacy for the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
2.) The shape of expenditures on collections should evolve as inflation, consortia, networked access, and digital publications continue to change the information environment. The Library Resource Selection Committee will continue to review database, Summit, and local collection use, as well as allocation of non-state funds in order to appropriately support collections in all media. As a member of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, the Library will pursue collaborative collection development emphasizing strong core local collections and coordinated shared collections.<br />
<br />
3.) The substantial instructional role necessary to support information technology literacy across the curriculum should be recognized in campus hiring priorities.<br />
<br />
4.) The Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing will continue to emphasize shared work. Several areas of potential collaboration in addition to faculty institutes include considering a shared public presence at the newly emphasized main entrance to the Information Technology Wing, an increased role for the ITCH in planning and management of information technology on campus, shared staff positions, shared hiring processes, and more collaborative instruction for academic programs.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Five|Supporting Documentation for Standard 5]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_5&diff=8833Standard 52008-07-24T22:56:13Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 5.D – Personnel and Management */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 5 – Library and Information Resources==<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.A – Purpose and Scope===<br />
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''The primary purpose for library and information resources is to support teaching, learning, and if applicable, research in ways consistent with, and supportive of, the institution’s mission and goals. Adequate library and information resources and services, at the appropriate level for degrees offered, are available to support the intellectual, cultural, and technical development of students enrolled in courses and programs wherever located and however delivered.''<br />
<br />
====Supporting the Academic Mission of the College====<br />
Library and information resources at The Evergreen State College support students as they learn to reason and communicate about freely chosen inquiries whose outcomes remain to be discovered or created (Smith, Standard 2). Library and information resources at Evergreen must therefore balance the open-ended demands of free inquiry with the need for stability, security, and efficiency in systems and services. Historically, the Library has been well funded when compared to many public baccalaureates, in recognition of the extraordinary demands of open-ended inquiry and independent study. All library and information resources are shaped by the primary mission of teaching and providing state-of-the-art facilities for academic programs and individual students in this interdisciplinary, liberal arts curriculum. Strong collaboration among library, computing and media staff, faculty, and administration assures the development of the library and information resources as centers for teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
====The Founding Vision of the Library: Any Medium, Any Location====<br />
<br />
In 1969, when the founding dean of Library Services James Holly wrote his “Position Paper No. 1,” he proposed a model which he called the generic library, in some ways anticipating the concept of today's virtual library. “By generic I include man’s [sic] recorded information, knowledge, folly, and wisdom in whatever form put down, whether in conventional print, art forms, magnetic tape, laser storage, etc. By generic, I also eliminate physical boundaries such as [a] specific building or portion limited and identified as ‘the library.’” Holly's vision motivated many aspects of library, media, and computer services, but proved in many ways untenable due to technical and budgetary constraints and because the college community expressed traditional longings for a bounded space. Today, laptops and networked data are ubiquitous and most students expect remote access to information resources, regardless of medium. Technology, as well as community values, have caught up with Holly’s founding vision, and Evergreen's library and learning resources now include all media, distributed to almost any location. Display of networked and audiovisual information now brings information technology to almost any classroom on campus. Active involvement in new consortia has led to quick access to expanded collections and information resources from around the region. Academic programs and students off-campus have access to rich, academically sound journal holdings. A wide selection of digitized media applications and advanced media labs provide access to media production. Increasingly seamless access to media, computing, and traditional information resources benefits all students. At the same time, the physical library has expanded its role as a social and intellectual space and provides an increasingly hospitable center for learning and gatherings of all kinds. A $22-million remodel connected previously disparate areas and created a more cohesive information-technology wing, providing one central entrance for the Library, Media Services, the Computer Center, and the Computing and Communications offices.<br />
<br />
====Functions and Facilities Covered in Standard 5====<br />
<br />
Reflecting these developments, Standard 5 considers information resources and services from several disparate administrative units: Library Services, including Media Services (administratively part of the Academic division); Academic Computing (administratively part of the Finance and Administration division); and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) (administratively part of the academic division, with a historical role supporting the science curriculum). The phrase "library and information resources" in Standard 5 should be understood to refer to these units collectively, while comments about separate areas will use more specific language such as the Library, Media Services, the CAL, or Academic Computing. Occasional references to Computing and Communications will address technology infrastructure when relevant to instructional and academic support functions.<br />
<br />
The information resources offered and supported by the Library, Academic Computing, and the CAL represent facilities and functions commonly found in libraries and computer centers elsewhere in academia. The Media Services section of the Library requires some explanation, as its role and location in the institution are unique. Media Services provides not only the usual audiovisual support for instruction, but also extensive collections and facilities in support of media production by students across the curriculum. Media production labs, a large circulating collection of portable media equipment, and extensive instruction represent activities, facilities, and functions which will not be found within the library at most institutions. Some media arts, communications or education departments might provide some such services to students of their curriculum, but not the library, and certainly not for general use. In the context of an interdisciplinary college, and in the light of the original ideal of the generic library, these services are provided through the Library in order to assure cross-curricular access and opportunity for students from anywhere in the curriculum, whether those students are studying media or simply wish to communicate academic content using media beyond print.<br />
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====5.A.1 Sufficiency of Information Resources and Services====<br />
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''The institution’s information resources and services include sufficient holdings, equipment, and personnel in all of its libraries, instructional media and production centers, computer centers, networks, telecommunication facilities, and other repositories of information to accomplish the institution’s mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
Throughout this study, library and information resources will be found to be strongly linked via face-to-face collaboration and consultation with faculty, staff, and students. These interconnections, within a flat organizational structure, assure constant feedback and redevelopment of services and facilities. Library funding generally compares very well with public institutions and correlates strongly to average funding for private liberal arts peers, peers with whom our use statistics compare favorably. An external assessment performed by Edutech described budgetary support for information technology as comparable to that of institutions with similar missions. There are no comparable institutions for studying the large activity of cross-curricular media services; however, advocacy from both the cross-curricular perspective of the Library and from the specific needs of the media faculty help ensure support. Rapid expansion in information technology access and aspirations have led to changes in personnel allocation and expertise and will continue to make increasing demands on a staff and faculty already stretched in many areas.<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[media: Major_Facilities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 & 2 of the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]]. For holdings and equipment, see Standard 5.B.1. For personnel, see Standard 5.D.1. For evaluation of budgetary support, see Standard 5.D.6.<br />
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====5.A.2 Sufficiency of Core Collection and Related Resources====<br />
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''The institution’s core collection and related information resources are sufficient to support the curriculum.''<br />
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Broad institutional support for cross-curricular library and information services has historically generated sufficient institutional budgetary support for core collections and facilities. During the study period, inflation and budget cuts reduced base budgets for local monograph collections. Non-state resources bridged some of the gap without building the base budget permanently. Consortial agreements created opportunities for cost-effective collective purchases of serials and for efficient resource sharing, resulting in better support for the intensive work by individual students. <br />
<br />
Collection Development, see 5.B.1 and 5.B.5<br />
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====5.A.3 Education Program Drives Resources and Services====<br />
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''Information resources and services are determined by the nature of the institution’s educational programs and the locations where programs are offered.''<br />
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Strong connections to the curriculum inform all library and information services. A distinctive library rotation system connects the library and teaching faculty in the shared project of curriculum and program planning. Teaching alliances between media services professionals and media faculty determine the character of media services. A strong liaison system connects Academic Computing instructors and services with teaching faculty. Meanwhile, a very experienced staff with substantial managerial responsibilities manages day-to-day library services while implementing services in response to the new opportunities advancing information technology affords. (See Standard 5.B.2 - Teaching and Instruction).<br />
<br />
Information technology planning and governance are discussed in Area 5 (Planning and Governance) of the [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
The study notes that planning is collaborative and responsive to academic needs, and could be strengthened through a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH).<br />
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===Standard 5.B – Information Resources and Services===<br />
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''Information resources and services are sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, and currency to support the institution’s curricular offerings.''<br />
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==== 5.B.1 Equipment and Materials to Support the Educational Program====<br />
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''Equipment and materials are selected, acquired, organized, and maintained to support the educational program.''<br />
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=====Collection Development Procedures & Methods=====<br />
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The Library faculty develops collections to support Evergreen's changeable interdisciplinary curriculum without the usual benefit of departmental allocation or structures. The librarians build collections and vendor profiles on the basis of their work as both library and teaching faculty (see 5.B.2), work which involves full-time teaching, faculty governance, extensive collegial engagement with the teaching faculty, and affiliation with planning units. The curriculum committee is the faculty as a whole, and develops the curriculum in curricular planning units, curriculum retreats, and governance groups. The Library faculty's overall knowledge of the curriculum is strengthened by teaching faculty who rotate into the Library and lavish their attention on areas of the collection related to their disciplinary expertise. Finally, librarians honor most requests from individuals for additions to the collection, working from the fact that free inquiry and individual research are central to the Library’s mission.<br />
<br />
In the past, the Library has struggled to satisfy incidental research demands outside the boundaries defined by the core, repeating curriculum. The substantial part of the curriculum which varies from year to year, the significant amount of work by independent contract students (almost 1,300 independent study contracts in 2006-07), and the opportunity for intensive individual projects within full-time, multi-quarter programs have all driven demand for specialized materials outside the core collection. Resource sharing and large, shared purchases, all made efficient because of networking technology, have eradicated this problem, although budget cuts and inflation create some difficulties keeping the core collection current. The budget for core monograph purchases has been supplemented with allocations from non-state resources in order to help bridge this gap. See 5.B.5 below.<br />
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=====Media Services=====<br />
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Close work with the curriculum and faculty also informs the development of media facilities and services. Media staff attend the Expressive Arts planning unit meetings, in particular the Moving Image subgroup. Budgetary processes for equipment purchase and operating costs include multiple avenues for consideration of educational program needs. Through the planning units, needs are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the Library, cross-curricular media demands are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the ITCH, cross-unit needs are coordinated and passed up to the campus-wide budget process. These three avenues help ensure that the budget process addresses both broad and specific curricular demands for media.<br />
<br />
Some stresses develop. Like the Library, Media Services serves the entire academic community, from programs to individuals. And, like the Library, Media Services strains under the pressure of answering the needs of independent study, as well as a fluid curriculum. Students working on independent media productions compete with Expressive Arts programs for scarce resources, from equipment to laboratories to teaching staff. In order to balance these competing demands, Media Services requires students and faculty to submit media request forms, which are reviewed by the Media Services manager and the head of Instruction Media, who allocate resources, both human and technological. Independent contract forms include a question about the need for special equipment or facilities, which serves as a safety net for screening intensive media use. In these ways Media Services assures that students embarking on media studies do so with appropriate support. The Expressive Arts planning unit also instituted a Student Originated Studies (SOS) group contract in media to assure that students have consistent access to facilities and instructional support as they pursue their independent projects.<br />
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=====Information Technology Equipment & Facilities=====<br />
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The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] includes equipment in its discussion of technological facilities in Area 1 of the report. The report states, "Computing, networking and information technology facilities at Evergreen are extensive and impressive. In most cases, Evergreen facilities are at or near standards for similar institutions, and in some cases surpass them. However, these standards are a moving target, and there are areas in which the college will probably have to make upgrades in the near future." The report lauded the computer labs, classroom technology, and access to computers. Recommended improvements were to extend wireless to the entire campus and permanently fund a replacement cycle for equipment.<br />
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====5.B.2 Teaching and Instruction====<br />
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''Library and information resources and services contribute to developing the ability of students, faculty, and staff to use the resources independently and effectively.''<br />
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=====Defining Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
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Standard 2 links the five foci and six expectations of an Evergreen education to the idea of reflexive thinking. "Reflexive thinking begins with a question, an interrogation of the world, and an encounter with the other. As such it involves the student in the whole process of substantive learning about subjects, disciplines and methods that is the standard domain of learning. But reflexivity is the capacity that a learner has to think about the situation and conditions that underlie her own personal and collective experience of thinking and knowing." (See [[Standard_2#Reflexive_Thinking | reflexive thinking]]). This work is engaged and supported through the broad and deep resources of the collections and instruction within the library and information resources. <br />
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The professional literature and practice of librarianship defines information literacy as a reflective process. To be clear, a '''reflective''' process considers, evaluates, synthesizes, and in general, engages information discovered through research. In contrast, a '''reflexive''' process goes on to consider one's own learning and knowledge as influenced through exposure to the information under consideration. According to Jeremy J. Shapiro and Shelley K. Hughes, in their article entitled [[Media: educom_review.pdf|'Information Literacy as a Liberal Art']], information literacy should "be conceived more broadly as a new liberal art that extends from knowing how to use computers and access information to critical reflection on the nature of information itself, its technical infrastructure, and its social, cultural and end even philosophical context and impact..."<br />
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The information literacy curriculum includes:<br />
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* Tool literacy - The ability to use print and electronic resources including software and online resources.<br />
* Resource literacy - The ability to understand the form, format, location, and methods for accessing information resources.<br />
* Social-structural literacy - Knowledge of how information is socially situated and produced, including understanding the scholarly publishing process.<br />
* Research literacy - The ability to understand and use information technology tools to carry out research, including the use of discipline-related software and online resources.<br />
* Publishing literacy - The ability to produce a text or multimedia report of research results.<br />
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<br />
=====ITL in the Context of Holly's Generic Library=====<br />
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Information literacy at Evergreen is itself a reflexive practice, in addition to being central to the process of reflexive thinking in the broader context of undergraduate education at Evergreen. That is, the student uses library and information resources to put herself in relation to information and thinking from a variety of sources and further, reflects about herself and her learning as she researches and learns. Within the context of library and information resources as understood and managed at Evergreen, this literacy includes not just print scholarship, but media and computing, to become not just information literacy but Information Technology Literacy (ITL). Reflection upon information includes reflection upon the nature and role of the tools themselves. Reflexive thinking includes the relation of the user to the information and the tools. <br />
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Thus, in order to assure that students have the skills to communicate about their open inquiries and the resources to support deeply reflexive thinking, library and information resources take a broad role in the curriculum. Two of the “Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate” relate directly to commitment by the library and information resources to help students achieve intellectual independence, creativity, and critical acumen. Expectation Two states that our graduates will communicate creatively and effectively; Expectation Four, that our graduates apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across the disciplines. Not only should literate students read and write astutely, they also should access, view, critique, and produce media and writing that is eloquent and complete. In this way, digital scholarship merges seamlessly with individual and formal educational goals, just as print scholarship has in the past.<br />
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=====Cross-Curricular Media Instruction=====<br />
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Library and information resources support ITL as an agenda for students across programs, disciplines, and media. Library and information resources staff and faculty collaborate with teaching teams as they instruct students in media and students who create films, multimedia, or musical works for programs or for independent study. These are the challenges of the "freely chosen inquiry," challenges that cannot all be met at all times. However, the location of Media Services administratively and physically within Library Services is meant to ensure that media studies and media production are supported appropriately both within the programs that media faculty teach and elsewhere in the inquiries of students. The spread of entry-level media applications into the general-use computer labs increases access to media production across the curriculum.<br />
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Although library and information resources instructors work to fuse teaching with program content, students are nevertheless able to access any media application or information technology beyond or without considering program content. Likewise, many programs focus entirely on technical skill building, without any formal attempt to link these practices to disciplinary content. And in other areas of the curriculum, such as the Culture, Text, and Language planning unit, critical media and information studies are often taught in a theoretical mode, without hands-on media production—the thing itself. The point is that when skills are valorized over content, or when theory ignores practice, students neglect concrete critical reflection on how technology impacts the message, the creators, the audience, or society. However, Holly's generic library model, the founding principle for library and information resources at Evergreen, has emphasized and counterbalanced the tendency to isolate skills from content. Students who read texts expect to write as well; why should they view media and not expect to create it? Early on, a rotating faculty member who helped link instruction with critical media studies and with interdisciplinary programs directed Media Services. Library and information resources continue to struggle to advocate for the critical study of media and information technology across the curriculum.<br />
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Academic computing also provides access to and instruction in information technologies through a balance of specialized and open computing facilities. With the migration of many media applications to commonly available personal computer platforms, instruction and facilities to support entry-level media production have spread to academic computing and even to the Library proper.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources faculty and staff instruct and teach in multiple modes, from basic skills instruction to more complex, content-driven teaching by faculty and professionals in the curriculum. In addition, the teaching faculty contribute substantively and collaboratively to planning and implementing information services, collections, and policies. This dynamic collaboration between the teaching faculty and the library and information resources has shaped the primary mission to support inquiry-based education. Each area within library and information resources has developed structures to connect teaching and instruction closely to the faculty, the curriculum, and the academic mission of the college. Utilization, satisfaction, and curricular surveys demonstrate the breadth and effectiveness of this work (See Planning and Evaluation 5.E).<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Librarians and Library Teaching=====<br />
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Evergreen requires rotation between the librarians and the teaching faculty. Briefly stated, faculty librarians rotate out of the Library to teach full time on a regular basis and, in exchange, teaching faculty rotate into the Library to serve as librarians providing reference, instruction, and collection development. (See [[media:Learning_Communities_and_the_Academic_Library.pdf | Pedersen]] pp. 41-44 for more discussion of this system). Faculty who rotate into the Library leave with updated skills for developing information literacy within their programs and teams across the curriculum. Library faculty develop their subject specialties and enhance their ability to work across pedagogical and disciplinary realms. Perpetual faculty-wide interactions in faculty governance and team-teaching reinforce the strong connections between the library faculty and the teaching faculty. Librarians know the faculty as colleagues and teaching faculty know the librarians (probably the only basis for widespread and effective library instruction in a curriculum without requirements). Teaching teams also spread effective library instruction practices as experienced teaching faculty introduce their new faculty teammates to their library colleagues and the teaching they offer. Most new faculty also bring updated information technology skills and experience to share with their colleagues.<br />
<br />
A loose liaison system links each librarian with a subset of the curriculum, based on subject expertise, planning unit affiliation, and personal alliances. Faculty librarians provide a wide array of library and information technology-related teaching. One-time workshops designed to engage sources particular to the research projects within an academic program represent the most common format. Librarians and teaching faculty design these workshops with the assumption that the skills imparted are embedded in the interests and needs of the program learning community. At a minimum, the faculty for the program usually 1) create a research assignment which informs and motivates the students’ work; 2) attend the research workshop and participate, adding their expertise and/or questions; 3) provide the library liaison with a syllabus and a copy of the assignment and a list of the topics students are considering; and 4) ask the students to begin considering their topic before attending the workshop so they are primed to begin actual research during the workshop. <br />
<br />
Librarians teach workshops on research most frequently in the graduate programs, the sciences, and the off-campus programs. The teaching models for these more extended situations vary according to the library faculty involved and the role in the curriculum, and they evolve significantly year to year. Each year, library faculty affiliate deeply with a few such programs, meeting weekly to create stepped learning conjoined with research assignments. For documents exemplifying this teaching, see [[media:Forensics_week-by-week.doc | Forensics Syllabus]] and [[media:Chemistry_Health_Professions_Project_Description.doc | Chemistry Health Professions Project]]. During several academic years, an information technology seminar linked library internship opportunities with a hands-on Web technology workshop. In that model, a small group of students explored contemporary questions in the world of rapid digitization and its social implications. They paralleled that study with real library work and Web production practice, including wikis and Web pages designed to support library functions. The seminar and workshop have provided a venue for library faculty, staff, and Academic Computing instructors to gather and consider both the past and future of information technologies. See the syllabi for the programs Still Looking ([[media: stilllooking_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: stilllooking_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: stilllooking_spring.pdf|spring]]), Information Landscapes ([[media: infolandscapes_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: infolandscapes_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: infolandscapes_spring.pdf|spring]]), and Common Knowledge ([[media: commonknowledge_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: commonknowledge_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: commonknowledge_spring.pdf|spring]]). Each year, one librarian also offers research methods through the evening and weekend curriculum.<br />
<br />
In-depth, extended library-related teaching within programs and service to off-campus and Evening and Weekend programs can be a challenge in the context of a reduced core of library faculty. During the self-study period, one faculty line was cut during budget reductions. This causes significant stress on the quality and quantity of instruction the area is able to provide.<br />
<br />
=====Library Faculty as Service Providers=====<br />
Library faculty see themselves primarily as teachers. They tend to understand the services of the Library in the context of teaching and learning, specifically teaching as it actually happens in the Evergreen curriculum. Thus, they do not tend to work from externally defined "best practices," nor do they function in a reactive mode. They take a proactive approach to the work, suggesting tools and strategies for designing library instruction and finding the intellectual work in the world of research instruction. They position themselves to work across administrative as well as curricular boundaries and sustain an important role in the crossroads of traditional research methods, contemporary information technology, and the world of the curriculum and their teaching colleagues.<br />
<br />
=====Service and Teaching=====<br />
The faculty librarians have transformed the reference desk into a teaching space, which goes well beyond traditional service models. For this reason, there is generally a librarian at the desk during the hours the Library is open to the public. Each contact between a librarian and a patron represents an opportunity to teach and learn. In collections, Web page design, signage, collection organization, and creation of virtual services, the librarians ask not just what is easiest or matches the expectations of inexperienced users, but what can be taught through the new design, service, or collection. For example, broad aggregate databases have been purchased because they are cost effective, but the librarians also emphasize and teach comparatively complex digitized indexes, which refer students more deeply into the discipline-based literature of their inquiries. As discussed throughout this document, library and information resources are designed, planned, taught, and supported in the context of college-wide teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
=====Library Faculty and Off-Campus Programs=====<br />
Library support for the two major off-campus offerings, the Tacoma and the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs, focuses heavily on instruction, with additional support from networked technology, including specialized Web pages for these programs. See [[Media: reservation_library.pdf|services for Reservation-Based students]] and [[Media: tacoma_library.pdf|services for Tacoma-based students]]. Students of these programs have limited access to the physical library and must be alerted to the many high-quality resources available to them online through the Library. End-of-program reports show very high engagement with information technology in these programs (See [[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf |End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]). Most years, librarians work closely with the Research Methods class at Tacoma, providing laboratory-based instruction on location several weeks per quarter. As of 2007-08, this work has taken on a more formalized structure and has developed into credit-generating research classes.<br />
<br />
Library instruction at the upper-division off-campus sites of the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs has varied widely year-by-year. Recently, the program has focused on building library methods into the lower-division bridge curriculum, which has not involved the library faculty directly. Reservation-based programs report 100% teaching and use of library and Internet research in 2007; however, this work has not engaged the Library's holdings or services significantly. Rebuilding this connection should be a high priority, and a planned faculty rotation from a former director of the reservation-based program will be an opportunity to do so. Perusal of the [[Media: Achievements2.doc |Achievements]] list for the self-study period demonstrates that almost every development supports distant access to collections and services and thus the off-campus programs.<br />
<br />
=====Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing=====<br />
In all major computer and media labs, staff instructors provide group instruction designed to support the needs of specific academic programs, covering particular applications and tools relevant to the disciplines involved. Media and computing instructors teach workshops in different spaces and in different modes, depending on the discipline and the technology. There are no constraints upon which facilities may be used. In one quarter, a science program might have workshops in the Computer Center focusing on blogs, a math workshop using Excel in the Computer Applications Lab, a session on video documentation for field research in the Multimedia Lab, and a library research workshop in one of the Computer Center's general-purpose labs. In this way, academic programs leverage staff expertise and facilities as needed.<br />
<br />
Teaching faculty must be able to easily identify and contact the appropriate staff member to coordinate computer instruction, which may require significant logistical support such as lab scheduling, equipment checkout, server space, password access, personnel scheduling, and other details. In Academic Computing, program liaisons work with faculty to coordinate how programs will teach technology. For instance, the staff liaison helps set up file shares and Web spaces and schedules and teaches workshops. In Media Services, the head of instructional media provides a central location for faculty and students requesting instructional support in media to connect with appropriate media instructors and to schedule facilities and instruction. The Media Services staff work with faculty to design and integrate media into their programs. Media Services staff meet regularly with media faculty in the Expressive Arts planning unit so they can develop facilities, plan for access, and foster integration of media into academic programs.<br />
<br />
Students who work independently on media or computing projects or who decide to tackle media projects within non-media oriented programs also receive many forms of instructional support. Academic Computing offers regularly scheduled technology workshops, which are open to all. In addition, Evergreen students can access Lynda.com, which tutors students in software applications and programming languages. The Library recently subscribed to Safari Books Online, which supports the computer science curriculum and addresses technical inquiries from students across the curriculum. Academic Computing began a computing wiki in 2006-07 which hosts approximately 2,000 pages of instructions and tutorials and which continues to expand. Increasingly, students, faculty, and staff rely on the Academic Computing wiki to stay abreast of technologies hosted on campus.<br />
<br />
Any student may access most media-production facilities and check out portable media equipment once they have completed relevant hands-on training sessions called proficiencies. Media instructors run hundreds of these quick, skills-focused instructional sessions annually, which serve thousands of students, ensure proper use of the equipment, and provide supportive technical background for systems. The number of formal instructional sessions provided to programs has doubled since 2000, suggesting the rapidly expanding use and breadth of college-supported media technology. Finally, the Evening and Weekend Studies curriculum provides a coherent, regular pathway for learning more complex media-production processes.<br />
<br />
Like the library faculty, media instructors teach in a variety of modes: full-time, part-time, introductory, intensive, general, sustained, intermittent, specialized, individual, within programs, or collaboratively in small groups. Many of the media staff are artists, professionals, and faculty in their own right, with Master of Fine Arts degrees in their fields. They teach photography, electronic music, Web design, and digital imaging as adjuncts in Evening and Weekend Studies and in Extended Education. Media staff who teach as adjunct faculty are often called to teach full time as visiting artists. Their contributions to the part- and full-time curriculum are substantial and sustained, some of them having taught for more than twenty years. Their work supports the Expressive Arts. It assures access and instruction for students who do not consider themselves artists but who want to engage in technologies that constitute important developing communication media and also define the visual aesthetics of science, history, political science, psychology, and other narratives. Additionally, Photo, Electronic Media, and Media Loan staff annually teach as field supervisors for up to eight student interns who are critical to the effective functioning of labs and services. These students typically not only gain high-level technical production skills, but also develop instructional, collaborative, and administrative experience by working closely with students, faculty, and technical staff. Finally, all media staff sponsor many individual contracts, which provide opportunities for students who have identified intensive individual inquiries that are not supported in the curriculum at large. In general, media staff are central to the success of media-based programs and are viewed as colleagues by the Expressive Arts faculty, whose programs they support. These working relationships form the backbone of Media Services.<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Institutes=====<br />
As described thus far, library and information resources instructors regularly work with, instruct, and support the teaching faculty through individual collaboration. In addition, they design and teach several faculty institutes each summer. Faculty institutes create valuable connections among faculty, library, media, and academic computing instructors. Recent information technology institutes have focused on specific applications such as teaching statistics with Excel, using online collaborative tools to foster learning communities, or creating program Web pages. Some years, substantive discussions of information technology literacy as opposed to hands-on training have been offered. During institutes, faculty are often afforded paid time for self-directed work that focuses on their program planning. In these instances, faculty evaluate technology, practice using it, and plan how to incorporate applications into their programs.<br />
<br />
====5.B.3 Availability of Policies====<br />
<br />
''Policies, regulations, and procedures for systematic development and management of information resources, in all formats, are documented, updated, and made available to the institution’s constituents.''<br />
<br />
The Web provides a venue for all policies, regulations, and procedures for all information resources and services. <br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Policies,_regulations,_and_procedures_for_the_development and_management_of_library_and_information_resources,_including_collection_development_and_weeding|Required Exhibit 2: Policies, Regulations, and Procedures for the Development and Management of Library and Information Resources]]<br />
<br />
====5.B.4 Participatory Planning====<br />
<br />
''Opportunities are provided for faculty, staff, and students to participate in the planning and development of the library and information resources and services.''<br />
<br />
Faculty, staff, and students participate in the planning and development of library information resources and services. The college community values face-to-face communication and formal procedures for consultation are minimal. All learning and information resources staff and faculty receive and welcome direct requests and suggestions. As an example, good hiring represents an important decision determining how library and information services evolve and prosper. Hiring processes are broadly consultative. Committees with representation from different work units interview and recommend for all staff positions. Students, staff, and faculty representatives join in hiring committees for any major positions, especially those of administrators and faculty. These hiring processes routinely include public presentations by the candidates, which are announced to the entire college community to allow input from staff, faculty, and students.<br />
<br />
More broadly, collaborative work with teaching faculty and other clients drives the design and planning for almost all instructional and technical support. Face-to-face planning and direct engagement with teaching faculty in a program-by-program context defines the work of library and information resources across all units (see Participatory Planning 5.E.1).<br />
<br />
====5.B.5 Networks Extend Information Resources====<br />
<br />
''Computing and communications services are used to extend the boundaries in obtaining information and data from other sources, including regional, national, and international networks.''<br />
<br />
Consortial arrangements in the Orbis Cascade regional system offer Summit, a resource-sharing system that makes it possible to satisfy almost any book and most media requests generated by the individualistic interests of students working on independent projects. The Summit system includes thirty-five academic libraries from Oregon and Washington and delivers resources within two or three days. Students also use many highly specialized materials from periodicals databases, which have expanded the number of journal subscriptions Evergreen holds eight to nine times over the self-study period. This enhancement is largely due to the Cooperative Library Project (CLP), a state-funded resource-sharing project among the four-year Washington state baccalaureates.<br />
<br />
Consortial purchases have reduced per-title costs dramatically and have strengthened areas of the curriculum not necessarily the focus of a core liberal arts collection. For example, psychology, education, and business were heavily emphasized in the most recent round of shared purchasing by CLP. Finally, ILLiad, the interlibrary loan system, brings journal articles to the students' mailboxes and e-mail accounts within a few days. There are almost no discernible limits to accessing published information for any researcher except those who need to present within twenty-four hours. Effective campus networks supported by Computing and Communication's technical support staff make this possible. College-wide steps that have made efficient resource sharing and online information possible have included implementing the Banner student records system and establishing e-mail as the official student communications medium.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.C – Facilities and Access===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides adequate facilities for library and information resources, equipment, and personnel. These resources, including collections, are readily available for use by the institution’s students, faculty, and staff on the primary campus and where required off-campus.''<br />
<br />
====5.C.1 Availability of Information Resource Facilities====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources are readily accessible to all students and faculty. These resources and services are sufficient in quality, level, breadth, quantity, and currency to meet the requirements of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[Media: Major_Faciities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 and 2 of the [[Media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]] specifically considered networking, telecommunications, and other information technology relevant to accessibility. The campus network was lauded as "solid and reliable." The network itself is described technically in Area 1 of the report. Expansion of wireless access from 75% to the entire campus was recommended; this work is proceeding and has the budgetary support to continue into the future. Most classrooms have been networked with display capability, spreading library and information technology access to large portions of the curriculum. This changes the presumptions of the faculty and students and greatly increases the frequency with which social software, digitized presentations, and other multi-media information technology is incorporated in programs. The Edutech report also recommended establishing at least one dedicated teleconferencing space for general use, which is planned within the [[media: CNM.doc|Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)]]. According to Edutech, "student access to computers at Evergreen does not seem to be a problem."<br />
<br />
=====The Information Technology Wing=====<br />
<br />
'''LIR Facilities and Services Visibly Interconnect'''<br />
<br />
With the generic library as a foundation and the interdisciplinary curriculum as the context, merged collections and services build upon an alternative past. Library and information resources thus collaborate actively across academic and administrative departmental boundaries. The major remodel, implementing a newly consolidated Information Technology Wing, substantially strengthened opportunities for connecting services, facilities, and staff. One central, broad entrance now provides access to the Library, the Computer Center, Media Loan and the stairs to Electronic Media, Photo Services and Computing and Communications. See [[media: Consultant%27s_Site_Visit_Report_2004.doc | Consultant Pre-Remodel Report]] for an assessment of facility requirements produced before the project. For further detail, extensive documents describing the project are available in the documents room.<br />
<br />
'''More Teaching and Study Spaces'''<br />
<br />
The ideal of collaborative learning shaped the remodel. Shared study spaces predominate, whether open area study tables, grouped lounge furniture, pod-shaped arrangements in labs, or small group study and media viewing rooms. Wireless access allows informal group work around personal or library-owned laptops. Additional laboratory spaces provide easier scheduling for program work and more computers for individuals when classes do not use the labs. Limited quiet study areas provide an alternative for the solitary scholar; at the same time, small group work is facilitated and encouraged. Overall, the Information Technology Wing has shed barren hallways and utilitarian desks in favor of lounge areas and comfortable study spaces. Overstuffed couches and chairs, large tables, task lighting, and more room for collections all contribute to the conviviality that informs shared inquiry.<br />
<br />
'''Hospitable Spaces and Blended Access'''<br />
<br />
Art exhibitions invite patrons into lounge and study areas and help define the Library as a public space. The new basement lounge, affectionately dubbed the "Library Underground," hosts frequent campus gatherings and public readings, although flooding (a new issue since the remodel) disrupted the area several times in 2006-07. Groups from across campus meet, study, and teach in library spaces, which are open to all and where food and drink have always been allowed. The Sound and Image Library (SAIL) media collections are prominently located in the reference area, where SAIL staff work closely with the reference librarians. The newly established Assisted Technology Lab (ATL) conjoins the SAIL and has become a vital meeting place for students to work and show their art and media productions. Again, SAIL and reference staff provide service and technical support for ATL patrons. As the physical reference collection continues to shrink, reference, the SAIL, the ATL, and Circulation will continue forming a more blended and prominent shared public presence.<br />
<br />
=====More General Access Lab Facilities=====<br />
<br />
Rapid developments in networked information technology have blurred between general and specialized technology labs. The main computer center includes many specialized scientific software packages such as ArcGIS and Mathematica, while common graphic manipulation software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, appear in the CAL. Similarly, the Computer Center supports high-level statistics applications such as R, as well as digital music editing. The library computers provide basic Office applications and general Web access in addition to library-specific searches, but specific library computers also provide GIS, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, assistive/adaptive technology, and scanning applications, while the SAIL provides multiple stations for basic media dubbing, transfer, and editing. Switching to a single user domain and sign-on means simpler, more consistent access to networked resources across campus. The Digital Imaging and Multimedia facilities provide applications for advanced media production, but are open to all students. Some specialty labs have self-contained resources, such as large format printers or applications requiring more sophisticated hardware. However, the primary distinction among labs is the level of expertise and specialized knowledge of the staff. Students benefit when they know the specialized character of a lab means there will be more skilled assistance.<br />
<br />
====5.C.2 Cooperative Agreements====<br />
<br />
''In cases of cooperative arrangements with other library and information resources, formal documented agreements are established. These cooperative relationships and externally provided information sources complement rather than substitute for the institution’s own adequate and accessible core collection and services.''<br />
<br />
Despite greatly expanded information access through Summit and shared purchasing agreements, the Library continues strong support for the core collection within budgetary constraints created by budget cuts and inflation. Over time, Summit circulation data will provide specific reports on areas of the collection where students and faculty consistently or repeatedly demonstrate the need for more depth. Additionally, the Orbis Cascade Alliance is working on shared collection development guidelines to help design complementary collections. <br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures and Methods]].<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Formal.2C_written_agreements_with_other_libraries |Required Exhibit 11 Formal Agreements with Other Libraries]].<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.D – Personnel and Management===<br />
<br />
''Personnel are adequate in number and in areas of expertise to provide services in the development and use of library and information resources.''<br />
<br />
====5.D.1 Sufficiency of Staffing====<br />
<br />
''The institution employs a sufficient number of library and information resources staff to provide assistance to users of the library and to students at other learning resources sites.''<br />
<br />
The chart below suggests that library and information resources staffing is similar to that of comparable public institutions, falling between the averages of peer public liberal arts colleges (COPLAC) and the larger regional universities in the state (WA Regionals in the table below). Note that Evergreen (TESC) and other public college library staffing averages are significantly below the staffing for groups made up largely of private Ivies, DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives), and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning). <br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Staffing Comparisons'''<br />
<br />
| Library || Professionals/FTE || Total Staff/FTE <br />
|-<br />
| TESC || 1.93 || 7.5 <br />
|-<br />
| DEEP || 4.65 || 16.32 <br />
|- <br />
| CTCL || 4.79 || 14.71 <br />
|-<br />
| CIEL || 5.51 || 13.43 <br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC || 2.67 || 8.55 <br />
|-<br />
| WA Regionals || 1.41 || 5.62 <br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
(N.B. The staff count for Evergreen has been halved since approximately 50% of Library and Media Services staffing is devoted to Media Services production, instruction, and equipment check-out. At other institutions, these services, if they are offered at all, reside in academic departments such as media arts or education.) <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses staffing in Area 3. The report shows staffing to be average when compared to similar institutions in terms of size, mission, and culture. <br />
<br />
Because library use at Evergreen compares favorably to more heavily staffed private liberal arts colleges and because all areas sustain a substantial instructional role, there are areas of strain. The rapid expansion of technology-driven services and collections also creates stresses, despite reallocation of staff as media and technologies shift. Following are the primary areas of concern:<br />
<br />
* Support for rapidly expanded classroom technology, an additional demand on top of general institutional growth<br />
* Staffing for greater focus on curriculum planning and engagement with faculty in Academic Computing <br />
* Staffing to support expanding electronic library resource collections (ordering, contracts, management, evaluation, etc.)<br />
* Weakened presence of faculty librarians due to the loss of one line in budget cuts during the self-study period<br />
<br />
<br />
====5.D.2 Staff Qualifications====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources staff include qualified professional and technical support staff, with required specific competencies, whose responsibilities are clearly defined.''<br />
<br />
The balance of librarians to other library staff is weighted toward non-professionals when compared to other liberal arts college libraries. Further, as librarians rotate into the full-time curriculum, they temporarily leave behind reference work, management, administration, and collection development. Any sustained work, such as Web-page development, is interrupted by these regular absences. Further, full-time teaching faculty rotate into the Library as neophytes who need training and who present widely disparate skills, abilities, and ambitions. Beyond the system of rotation, with its concomitant duties, librarians are contractually obligated to participate in college governance and curriculum planning, not to mention their own scholarly projects and sabbaticals. Librarians have nine-month contracts and several are absent during the summer sessions when the Library is minimally staffed. These organizational facts mean that Evergreen has no managerial class of librarians. Instead, the team of faculty librarians share management with staff. Paraprofessionals head almost all departments, including Circulation, Government Publications, Periodicals, Technical Services, and Acquisitions. Their year-round presence and regular workdays provide consistency for development of services, maintenance of collections, public service, and supervision of classified staff and student workers. In this collaborative environment, staff often lead the way in adopting new services. The tremendous commitment by the staff grounds the Library and makes it an ideal teaching environment. <br />
<br />
Most library faculty carry both subject and library master's credentials in order to support their teaching as well as their role as professional librarians (see [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Vitae_of_professional_library_staff | CVs of professional library staff]]). <br />
<br />
As is the case with librarians, many media staff and instructors carry additional graduate training. Graduate degrees noted by staff other than librarians include three MPAs, two MFAs, an MA in art history, an MEd and EdS, an MSE (technical engineering), an MS in chemistry, and an MS in computer information systems. The library faculty, whose roles require substantial attention to teaching and governance outside the Library, must depend upon library staff as managers of major services and functions within the Library. Highly experienced staff with significant levels of responsibility keep the Library not just open, but anticipating and embracing change and new opportunities for service (see 5.B.2 Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing for a discussion of media instructors as artists and teaching faculty).<br />
<br />
In the realm of technical support, the Edutech report recommended assigning "staff responsibilities more specifically." More specific responsibilities and positions have been implemented in Technical Support Services. In the smaller units that provide distributed service and instruction such as the CAL, Academic Computing, and Media Services, this stricter delineation of support functions is not as clearly appropriate. Instead, it is often valuable for staff to be well versed on all or most aspects of the instruction or service required and in direct communication with the student, staff, or faculty who needs help. For example, the liaison system in Academic Computing assumes that in most cases a faculty member will receive all aspects of support from one liaison, or that the liaison will coordinate the support and instruction required.<br />
<br />
All staff and faculty have engaged new skills as the information technology evolves. Multiple reclassifications have assured that staff job descriptions and pay scales match new expectations for technological expertise. Staff have also shifted the location of their work partially or entirely as budget cuts and new programs such as Summit and ILLiad have relocated the areas of greatest stress. Increased emphasis on technology in many positions has led to reclassifications and increases in salaries for some staff, resulting in compression of salaries for some managers. A campus-wide study of exempt salaries is expected to address this issue.<br />
<br />
====5.D.3 Professional Growth====<br />
<br />
''The institution provides opportunities for professional growth for library and information resources professional staff.''<br />
<br />
The library faculty are fully funded for professional activities through the central faculty professional development funds and policies, as well as through faculty institutes. <br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultyfundingopportunities.pdf|Faculty Development at Evergreen]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionalleave_policy.pdf|Professional Leave (Faculty Handbook 6.100)]] <br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionaltravel_policy.pdf|Professional Travel (Faculty Handbook 6.200)]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development (Faculty Handbook 6.300)]]<br />
<br />
The remaining library and media services staff may request up to $500 annually from a pool of $2,500. Additional funding has been requested to bring the maximum benefit up to $750 in order to be consistent with the rest of academics, but this funding has not been granted thus far. Non-state funds from the Friends of the Library have been allocated for retreats and other staff meetings in order to compensate for some of this differential access to professional development funds. <br />
<br />
Computing and Communications allocates more than $40,000 per year to support attendance of technical staff at technical conferences and trainings. This allows staff to expand their skills with current technology, increase their knowledge of new and advancing technology, and connect with peers from other institutions and experts in specific technologies. These training opportunities are critical to the team’s ability to support teaching and learning and to provide management of the college’s administrative systems (see [[Media:CC Training spreadsheet.xls | CC Training Spreadsheet]]).<br />
<br />
====5.D.4 Organizational Structure====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services are organized to support the accomplishment of institutional mission and goals. Organizational arrangements recognize the need for service linkage among complementary resource bases (e.g., libraries, computing facilities, instructional media and telecommunication centers).''<br />
<br />
The fundamental organizing principle of library and information resources at Evergreen is that an interdisciplinary curriculum demands integrated services. Beyond that, the founding vision aspired to provide all media, in any location. Contemporary networked technology and the expectations of students now create a climate in which barriers between different information can and must be dissolved. For all these reasons, blended resources, facilities, and services predominate throughout Standard 5.<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Founding_Vision_of_the_Library:_Any_Medium.2C_Any_Location|The Founding Vision: Any Medium, Any Location]].<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Information_Technology_Wing|The Information Technology Wing]].<br />
<br />
=====Shared Technology Creates the Need for More Shared Work=====<br />
<br />
Media applications, which were once physically limited to Media Services, are now located, maintained, taught, and used throughout the facilities administered by Academic Computing and, to a degree, the Library. Similarly, library resources, which were once physically limited to the Library building, are now found anywhere within reach of the Web. Public computers, once found only in the Computer Center, are everywhere, as are privately-owned laptops. These shifts have accelerated during the past ten years and have changed the instructional roles of the areas and their relationship to the curriculum. Undoubtedly, library and information resources will continue to distribute their budgets, facilities, and staff to continue expanding access to information technology in academic programs and for individual students.<br />
<br />
As technologies have changed, so have the relationships among the Library, Media Services, and Computing, which now share in the communal project of interconnecting, teaching, and supporting our information and technological resources. At this juncture, there seems little point in redesigning the administrative structures that oversee these areas because new relationships and responsibilities have evolved organically, based on need, demand, and interest, and will continue to do so. In order to ensure that these effective working relationships continue to develop, reinforcing connections such as joint staffing, deliberately planning together, and continuing involvement across the areas when hiring for new staff and particularly administrators must be emphasized. <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]] suggested that the existing distributed structures were valuable, but recommended greatly enhancing the role and formal responsibilities of the ITCH to assure better planning in consonance with the mission of the college. See 5.E for fuller discussion of this recommendation. Edutech did not capture the centrality of the teaching role in major portions of the information resources environment at Evergreen. It is teaching and its development that assures the most important connections between the academic mission of the college, the educational program, and IT services of all kinds. While the Library and Media Services collaborate as a matter of course with Academic Computing, the real challenge remains: How to more thoroughly engage the teaching faculty across the curriculum in defining the role of information technology in the academic careers of our students.<br />
<br />
====5.D.5 Engagement in Curriculum Development====<br />
<br />
''The institution consults library and information resources staff in curriculum development.''<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures & Methods 5.B.1]]<br />
<br />
====5.D.6 Library and Information Resources Budgets====<br />
<br />
''The institution provides sufficient financial support for library and information resources and services, and for their maintenance and security.''<br />
<br />
Similar to staffing levels noted above, the Library is well funded compared to other regional public baccalaureates in the state (WA State Public in the table below) and peer public liberal arts libraries nationally (COPLAC in the table below). This comparatively rich funding reflects a historical recognition of the demands of open inquiry and independent research and the centrality of library research in a liberal arts education. Both funding and use rates closely match those of the private liberal arts libraries which predominate the DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives) and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning) peer groups. Thus, the general funding level for the Evergreen Library compares closely to that of institutions with similar missions, services, and roles within their institutions. For further discussion of the role of libraries in liberal arts colleges, see [[Standard_5#Comparing_Use_Statistics_With_Other_Libraries | Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries (5.E)]]. On the other hand, the library budget reported below includes Media Services (approximately 50% of library staffing falls into this category). Most libraries do not include any of the functions provided by Media Services at Evergreen. Instead, these functions, including media instruction, media-production facilities, media production to support college activities, and portable media production equipment check-out, if offered at all, would be part of an academic department such as education or media arts. If Media Services costs and services were not considered, then budgets are close to those of other public institutions, while use statistics are comparable to private liberal arts institutions. <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! FTE<br />
! Circulation+ILL/FTE<br />
! Expenditures/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| '''Evergreen'''<br />
| '''4153'''<br />
| '''31'''<br />
| '''$782'''<br />
|-<br />
| DEEP Colleges<br />
| 2046<br />
| 18<br />
| $829<br />
|-<br />
| CTCL<br />
| 1506<br />
| 23<br />
| $859<br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC<br />
| 3742<br />
| 16<br />
| $464<br />
|-<br />
| CIEL<br />
| 7042<br />
| 25<br />
| $794<br />
|-<br />
| WA State Public<br />
| 11,415<br />
| 15<br />
| $373<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
As budget cuts have reduced both staffing and collections, diversified revenue sources have become a high priority for library administration. Generous biennial infusions from the central academic budget have withered since earlier study periods. Indirect funds from activity grants to the faculty, major gifts from donors, book sales, and fines for lost or destroyed books have all increased to make up important non-state sources for collection development. The development of facilities and programming have been supported through major donors, with the library dean and the campus fundraisers focusing significant attention on these efforts.<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses budgets in Area 4 and compares Evergreen to similar schools on the basis of physical environment, enrollment numbers, education goals and aspirations, residential nature, tuition, and governance structure. The review determined that Evergreen devotes considerable resources to IT and is consistent with its peers. In 2005, Evergreen’s expenditure on IT—expressed as a percentage of total institutional expenditures—was 6.7%. This percentage aligns with the 6.7% reported by Computing in a 2006 survey of public four-year colleges. The average for all institutions was 6.5%. Generally, IT is funded comparably to institutions with similar missions and culture. The report recommended that budget processes should be addressed that take into account the heavy demands upon replacement, operation, and maintenance as IT becomes ubiquitous in the classroom, as well as in labs.<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Comprehensive_budget.28s.29_for_library_and_information_resources |Comprehensive Budget (Required Exhibit 9)]]<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.E – Planning and Evaluation==<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources planning activities support teaching and learning functions by facilitating the research and scholarship of students and faculty. Related evaluation processes regularly assess the quality, accessibility, and use of libraries and other information resource repositories and their services to determine the level of effectiveness in support of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
====Evaluating Information Services and Collections====<br />
<br />
Assessments of Evergreen's library and information resources confirm support for the academic mission of the college as a public liberal arts college that expects a substantial number of students to engage in self-selected independent inquiry. Utilization patterns among Evergreen students correlate closely to the intensive use found among liberal arts colleges as opposed to lower use rates found among more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
=====Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries=====<br />
<br />
In 2002, Washington's four-year public baccalaureate institutions implemented the Cascade resource-sharing consortium. This start-up provided an amazing new service and an opportunity to assess how rapidly a major new service might be implemented. Evergreen patrons borrowed 9,723 items during the first year, more than any other library, even though Evergreen was by far the smallest institution in the consortium at that time. Although ten times bigger than Evergreen, the University of Washington borrowed just under 7,000 items during the first year. The quick acceptance of Cascade testified to the efficient connection between the Library, library instruction, and the teaching faculty and curriculum at large. <br />
<br />
Cascade became Orbis Cascade as the Washington and Oregon academic consortia merged. The new resource-sharing service, entitled Summit, provides ongoing comparative statistics. To continue comparison with the original members of Cascade, in 2006, Evergreen borrowed 4.52 items per FTE; almost four times the next heaviest user at 1.15 items borrowed per student. Although one might assume that small collection size drives this higher demand, the fact is that the Evergreen collection circulates at a high rate per student as well, according to federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data. <br />
<br />
IPEDS data for 2006 also provide the opportunity to compare use statistics of liberal arts colleges with Evergreen and with small master's-level universities (Carnegie Class Master's I), where strong distinctions appear again. When both circulation and interlibrary loan are counted, Evergreen circulates 31 items per FTE, liberal arts colleges nationally average 24 items per FTE, and the Master's I institutions circulate 8.34 per FTE. <br />
<br />
The same dramatic distinction between liberal arts colleges and comprehensive institutions appears in the Summit consortium, which covers a full array of colleges and universities in Oregon and Washington. The following table lists the heaviest users from the member libraries, based upon their rates of use per FTE in 2006. Evergreen places high on the list, among the most highly ranked liberal arts colleges, which placed well above usage rates at more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! Number of Items Borrowed<br />
! FTE<br />
! Items/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| Reed College<br />
| 20,480<br />
| 1,268<br />
| 16.15<br />
|-<br />
| George Fox University<br />
| 14,427<br />
| 2,392<br />
| 6.03<br />
|-<br />
| Marylhurst University<br />
| 4,548<br />
| 852<br />
| 5.34<br />
|-<br />
| Lewis & Clark College<br />
| 14,386<br />
| 2,953<br />
| 4.87<br />
|-<br />
| '''The Evergreen State College'''<br />
| '''16,118'''<br />
| ''' 4,200'''<br />
| '''3.84'''<br />
|-<br />
| Whitman College<br />
| 6,672<br />
| 1,803<br />
| 3.70<br />
|-<br />
| Willamette University<br />
| 9,164<br />
| 2,511<br />
| 3.65<br />
|-<br />
| University of Puget Sound<br />
| 7,570<br />
| 2,742<br />
| 2.76<br />
|-<br />
| Seattle Pacific University<br />
| 8,589<br />
| 3,466<br />
| 2.48<br />
|-<br />
| Linfield<br />
| 5,354<br />
| 2,331<br />
| 2.30<br />
|-<br />
| Western Oregon University<br />
| 8,623<br />
| 3,992<br />
| 2.16<br />
|-<br />
| University of Portland<br />
| 6,764<br />
| 3,211<br />
| 2.11<br />
|-<br />
| University of Oregon<br />
| 38,796<br />
| 18,880<br />
| 2.05<br />
|-<br />
| Eastern Oregon University<br />
| 4,620<br />
| 2,306<br />
| 2.00<br />
|-<br />
| Pacific University<br />
| 4,232<br />
| 2,341<br />
| 1.81<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(Source: [[Media: summit_statistics.xls|Summit Borrowing Statistics FY06]])<br />
<br />
Thus it is clear that, as of 2006, Evergreen library utilization mirrors the practices of liberal arts colleges. High-use rates also seem to reflect an academic emphasis on major student projects. For instance, at Reed College, which requires a senior thesis, the college library circulates or borrows 120 items per student. On the other hand, looking ahead, ''academic library use patterns are in a period of dramatic change.'' In 2007, the University of Washington implemented WorldCat Local, which provides immediate click-though prompts, leading the user from local catalog to Summit to some journal databases, periodical holdings, and interlibrary loan if appropriate. Summit use at the University of Washington doubled since implementation and interlibrary loan has also increased steeply. A large increase in borrowing at the University of Washington drives lending rates throughout the Summit system, but even more important, it suggests that discovery tools will dramatically increase usage without change in the library instructional program or academic practices. The Orbis Cascade consortium will soon be implementing WorldCat as the shared Summit catalog and many libraries in the consortium will undoubtedly implement WorldCat Local as their local library catalog as well.<br />
<br />
=====Library and Computer Center Use & Satisfaction Rates=====<br />
<br />
The data above demonstrate that library and information resources are comparatively well utilized. While high rates of use suggest something about effectiveness, surveys of popularity (frequency of use and satisfaction with use) provide further affirmation. Institutional Research routinely surveys alumni and students about campus resources. A summary of campus resource utilization (See [[Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]) shows that during the six-year period, the Library and the computing facilities have been the top two most used campus facilities, trading off for first place. Alumni who were somewhat or very satisfied with the services have reported in at between 87% and 92% during the period surveyed. <br />
<br />
Starting in 2006, the [[media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Campus_Resources_Utilization_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)]] included questions about using library resources online and found that 85.2% of respondents use online library resources. Internal records also suggest phenomenal growth in online use of library resources. In 2000, when the Library subscribed to three aggregate journal databases (Proquest, Ebscohost and JSTOR), users conducted 80,000 searches. In 2007, among approximately 30 subscription databases, there were well over 250,000 searches. Careful review of variations of use from year to year reveals the direct impact a fluid curriculum has on database use. For example, Modern Language Association International Bibliography statistics are quite erratic; one major project in a large academic program explains a fivefold increase of use in one year. As JSTOR has developed into a more deeply and broadly multi-interdisciplinary tool, use statistics show a shift away from heavy dependence on the less scholarly aggregates. Extensive lobbying by faculty and librarians encourages this shift toward use of scholarly resources such as JSTOR. Use statistics for periodicals and databases drive selection and instruction planning. When use statistics are low for a database seen by the library faculty as critical to a discipline or of particularly high academic value, then library faculty focus instruction on that database whenever appropriate.<br />
<br />
=====Media Services User Surveys=====<br />
<br />
Institutional Research and Assessment added Media Services to its alumni survey of campus resource utilization starting in 2004. Since then, Media Services has been listed as the fifth most utilized resource. Alumni reported being somewhat or very satisfied at a rate of 89% and 90% in the two survey years (see [[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]).<br />
<br />
The 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)asked students about their use of Media Services, which showed 48% use of Media Loan (see [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Campus_Resource_Utilization_Olympia.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Campus Resource Utilization - Olympia]]). A survey designed and implemented by staff member Lin Crowley supplemented this data. Crowley’s respondents reported an average satisfaction level for each service ranging from 3.07 to 3.62 (out of 4), which indicated that those who used current services were generally fairly satisfied with each of the services they use.<br />
<br />
Although respondents to Crowley’s survey were predominantly active Media Services users, many respondents were uninformed about some services. Respondents supported investment in new digital technologies, but most were unaware of new or planned digital facilities. One clear conclusion of the survey is that visibility and access could be better for some services. Suggested improvements often focused on access, whether longer hours, more workshops, or more facilities. The survey project director recommended that future follow-up surveys be conducted to compare whether the reasons people use each service change and to evaluate the satisfaction levels for each type of services by patron types. See [[Media : TESC_Media_Services_Assessment_Project.doc | Evergreen Media Services Assessment Project]]<br />
<br />
====Evaluation of Teaching and Instructional Programs: Information Technology Literacy====<br />
<br />
The strong focus on teaching throughout library and information resources suggests the following questions: 1) In a college without requirements, does information technology instruction reach enough students to assure that the vast majority of graduates develop skills in support of their inquiries? 2) Which students are taught? Do students receive information technology instruction in an array of disciplinary and developmentally varied situations or is it happening only in pockets of the curriculum? 3) Is it working? Are students acquiring cross-curricular information technology, including media literacy?<br />
<br />
=====How many students are taught?=====<br />
<br />
About 3,000 students attend program-based library instruction workshops annually. These statistics exclude most cases of repeated contacts with the same student and thus represent very broad coverage of the student body. <br />
<br />
From 2000 to 2007, Media Services offered a total of more than 1,500 workshops to approximately 156 academic programs. This number does not include the thousands of quick proficiencies also provided by the area. The number of formal media workshops given and students reached in 2005 and 2006 were each more than double the numbers provided in 2000. Workshops have increased along with new technologies, especially in Media Loan and in the new Multimedia and Digital Imaging Studio (DIS) labs.<br />
<br />
Most instruction provided by Academic Computing and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) serves specific academic programs. These sessions are represented in the following table:<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Computer Lab Workshops for Academic Programs''' (cells represent academic programs/number of students)<br />
<br />
| Year || 2004-05 || 2005-06 || 2006-07<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Center || 221/4,423 || 171/3,418 || 253/4,880<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Applications Lab || 50/1,368 || 50/1,248 || 52/1,344<br />
|-<br />
| Totals || 271/5,791 || 191/4,666 || 305/6,224<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Up until 2007, Academic Computing offered 30 to 40 general computer skills workshops per year in the Computer Center, attended by approximately 350 students. Professional staff focused these workshops on general technical skill building, independent of academic programs. Over time, fewer students were attending these workshops, presumably because more students come to college with strong technical skills and with specialized self-determined needs for support. In response to waning attendance, Academic Computing redesigned the workshops as student-centered support sessions to which students bring their questions or projects. This student-centered structure should more effectively meet the specific demands of students. Computing will evaluate the success of this reinvented structure. All areas of library, media, and computing find the strongest teaching and the greatest demand for instruction occurs in conjunction with programs.<br />
<br />
=====Which Students?=====<br />
<br />
The number of teaching contacts shows that library and information resources staff reach a large number of academic programs, but does not indicate which programs. End-of-program surveys conducted from 2001 to 2006 by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment asked faculty, “Did your students use technology to present work, conduct research (including library research), or solve problems? If yes, How?” Not surprisingly, faculty answered that library/Internet research skills were the most commonly used at 50%, followed by some form of presentation technology. Ninety percent of programs reported some substantial use of information technology. (See[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]])<br />
<br />
In 2006-07, questions were revised to more accurately identify programs where there was intentional focus on teaching ITL: "Did your program include activities to improve information technology literacy?" With this more restrictive language, 70% of programs reported including ITL. (See[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]) <br />
<br />
Further, in 2006-07, a follow-up question asked specifically which kind of technology was taught. Significantly different technologies predominate in different parts of the curriculum. No standard set of applications comes into play, although as of 2006-07, presentation technologies (at 42% of all programs) have increased by 70% over their use in the 2001 to 2006 reports and now begin to approach library and Internet research in their prevalence at 50%. Online communication applications were reported by 32% of programs, an increase of 19% over the 2001-2006 data. <br />
<br />
Reservation-based programs reported library and Internet research at the highest rate, at 100% of programs, although this work was weakly connected to library instruction and therefore it is unclear whether academic library-supplied resources were used. At the other end of the spectrum, Culture, Text, and Language was lowest with 21% reporting library or Internet searching. The remainder of planning units ranged between 43% and 50% library/Internet use, with Core programs at the low end with 43%.<br />
<br />
The substantial move toward presentation media and online communication in programs drives increases in multimedia applications. Presentation technology and online communication applications encourage the use of still and moving images, sound clips, graphs, and charts. These media are mixed with traditional print communication written by students or linked from Web resources. While these media and print applications involve basic, commonly used applications of information technology, they easily migrate toward more advanced media production. The increasing presence of multimedia information technology in Evergreen's learning communities drives further demand upon Media Services and Academic Computing, along with increased overlap of their teaching and service roles.<br />
<br />
Since its inception in the context of Holly’s generic library, Media Services has followed its mission to support media literacy and instruction across the curriculum. During the last ten years, Media Services have changed dramatically as the personal computer has become the platform for entry-level media production and consumption. One measure of this change has materialized in how media staff have served programs through formal workshops since fall 2000. The scheduling data shows that almost 90% of formal program-based workshops serve Expressive Arts faculty. While this scheduling data does not cover equipment proficiency workshops or one-on-one instruction, both used more broadly across the curriculum, it is nevertheless clear that formal instruction by media staff focuses heavily on Expressive Arts programs, with an emphasis on advanced production applications, the exclusive provenance of expressive arts faculty. Media Services provides this advanced instruction in specialized labs, which were enhanced and expanded during the remodel. One effect of this specialization is that entry-level students have migrated to Academic Computing, where the staff works in collaboration with media staff to provide instruction on entry-level media-production applications. In fact, during fall and winter 2006-07, 68% of the faculty who requested workshops in Computer Center were from planning units other than Expressive Arts, and many of these workshops included media instruction (Photoshop, iMovie, Flash, etc.). <br />
<br />
Just as in the Computer Center, the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) shows a trend toward more broadly used applications. Although the CAL has traditionally focused on the science curriculum in the Environmental Studies and Scientific Inquiry planning units, these users have begun to share their space with those who have less specialized demands. Roughly 60% to 70% of the classes in the CAL now work with statistical or numeric analysis, primarily Excel, but also with Graphical Analysis, R, and SPSS. Ninety percent of CAL users prepare presentations, most often with Powerpoint, Word, Illustrator and Excel. Approximately 60% of the programs meeting in the CAL still use analytical tools, including (in order of usage) ArcGIS, Mathematica, and Stella, which were once the focal point of all CAL applications. Science faculty have shifted their emphasis to on-site analysis, using advanced applications in specialized scientific labs in ways that parallel the shift in Media Services toward advanced applications. Meanwhile, the CAL and the Computer Center serve increasing numbers of students who seek instruction or support for the increasingly powerful personal computing applications in media production, statistical analysis, and presentation media.<br />
<br />
=====Does Library Instruction Result in ITL Gains?=====<br />
<br />
The Library, consistent with college-wide practices, rejects requirements and embraces students who engage in open inquiry and independent judgment. In this context, the Library supports a fluid curriculum and responds to changes that drive the needs and expectations of an innovative teaching faculty. Standard or standardized assessment methods do not apply because the Library shapes teaching according to individual students, a fluid curriculum, and highly diverse pedagogy. Instead, the Library commits to the intensive and never-ending task of recreating learning goals, student-by-student, program-by-program. Context is everything, which obviates the role of abstract standardized measures.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the Library does engage in qualitative assessment, the descriptive characterization of ITL teaching and learning. As is the case throughout the faculty (see Standard 2.B.3, Engagement and Reflection), library faculty write annual evaluations of themselves and their library and teaching colleagues. They also engage in five-year reviews in which a panel of teaching colleagues discusses their work. These evaluations consistently address instructional aspirations, successes, and failures. See [[Media: Reflections_on_library_instruction.doc | Reflections on Library Instruction]]. <br />
<br />
Further, under the leadership of the Office of Institutional Research, the librarians designed a project that assessed students as they worked through real research inquiries. The study, [[media: ActivityInfomationLiteracy.pdf |"The Activity of Information Literacy"]], documented the techniques and processes and even the thinking of several small samples of students as they collaborated intensively on research questions. The study showed that these particular students were stronger in their grasp of content than they were in their command of library research tools for their specific inquiries. In other words, a question about history might not lead them to historical abstracts. They were also strong in their ability to develop their research questions and to evaluate and synthesize the results. What these results suggest is that “Faculty may want to assess their students’ abilities to obtain information and offer tutorials or refer students to the Library when deficiencies are detected.”<br />
<br />
Beyond the immediate results, this qualitative assessment also suggested that the students benefited greatly when they collaborated. Certainly, this observation is corroborated by the gains that students make when they work together in skill building instead of in canned computer workshops outside of programs. Additionally, peer groups are widely used across the curriculum as a way to encourage students to develop research topics and individual projects. Given the results of the qualitative assessment and given the widely practiced use of peer groups, library faculty should seek ways to implement collaborative research activities when they link their instruction to programs. This model of cooperation would build on the more isolated collaborations that take place, as a matter of course, between librarians and students at the reference desk. An enlarged vision of this basic transaction—discussion, exploration, and brainstorming—will enhance the relevance and effectiveness of library teaching and workshops.<br />
<br />
=====Student Assessment of Their ITL Learning=====<br />
<br />
The Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES) asks questions that elucidate what the students themselves think they learned at Evergreen. In 2006, the ESES asked, "To what extent have your Evergreen experiences contributed to your growth in ... the following computer-related fields...?" Responses generally matched fairly well with the perspectives found in the end-of-program surveys. For the category "Studying or Doing Research via the Internet or other online sources:<br />
<br />
* 30.5% of Olympia-campus students reported at least some contribution. <br />
* 47.5% reported quite a bit or a lot, for a total of 77.5%. <br />
* More than 84% of Tacoma students reported at least some, of which 50% reported quite a bit. <br />
* More than 93% of reservation-based students reported at least some contribution; 86.2% reporting quite a bit or a lot.<br />
<br />
Considering how many students express self-confidence in their research skills, and as the Internet provides so many increasingly powerful tools for personal research, it is heartening to see that a good majority of students feel they developed their research skills as part of their education at Evergreen. <br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES also asked about "Using the computer for artistic expression (e.g., music, other audio, still images, animation, video, etc.)":<br />
<br />
* More than 42% reported that Evergreen contributed "Some," "Quite a Bit," or "A Lot"<br />
* Fully 36.8% said "Not at All"<br />
* 20.9% said "Very Little"<br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES surveyed use of non-artistic computer tools, asking about specific types of applications such as spreadsheets, GIS, Web development, posters, or programming. In general, as was found in end-of-program reviews, no single type of computer application dominated. No application type was used by more than 50% of students; instead, different types of applications were used by smaller subsets of the students surveyed.<br />
<br />
===5.E.1 Participatory Planning===<br />
<br />
''The institution has a planning process that involves users, library and information resource staff, faculty, and administrators.''<br />
<br />
====Overall Planning for Collections & Services====<br />
<br />
The fluidity of interdisciplinary and individual study defines library services. The dean of Library Services strengthens the ties between academics and the Library and Media Services through weekly meetings with the provost, associate vice president for academic budget and planning, and academic dean of budget, as well as weekly academic deans meetings. Once a month, the director of computing and communications and the manager of Academic Computing also join the academic deans' meeting.<br />
<br />
The interconnection of the instructional role with the planning and support functions drives the efficacy of all the services in these areas. In the [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]], Area 5 discussed planning and governance in the Evergreen information environment. The review was somewhat critical of the lack of coordination in support, planning, and governance of IT across the campus and advocated for a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH), an organization which links library, media, and computing managers and instructors. However, the report did not emphasize how the teaching function and role in Academic Computing, the CAL, and Media Services creates strong collaboration in all service and instruction design. <br />
<br />
Further, placing library and information resources within the larger ethos of the college, any major policy discussions or long-term planning processes invoke the participatory college-wide Disappearing Task Force (DTF) structure. Budgetary processes are generally collaborative and include opportunities for review and input from the campus community (see Participatory Decision-Making Culture [Standard 1 Section 2.3] and Standard 6). The college budget process and schedule drives most mid-term library planning. (See Standard 7 Section 7.A.3).<br />
<br />
Additional opportunities for community contributions to planning include faculty who rotate into the Library and who focus on collection development and other planning projects. An annual Reference Services Group retreat establishes the year's work before classes start in the fall. Faculty development reviews, also known as five-year reviews, and faculty institutes provide opportunities for conversations across campus about a range of teaching, learning, and service questions as they impact information services. The library internship program provided a reading seminar for several years within which library faculty, staff, and interns could discuss changing information technology and its cultural meaning. Finally, the librarians often engage in faculty reading seminars, frequently focused on library issues, where shared thinking about the future of libraries evolves.<br />
<br />
====Loose Structures and Responsiveness to Rapid Change in the Information Environment====<br />
<br />
Among the organizations included in library and information resources, the Library is the largest and most embedded in tradition and thus may be the most invested in preexisting professional structures and assumptions. Additionally, a comparative lack of top-down managerial structures could lead to a tendency to stagnate in some environments. How well does the Library balance the competing demands of conservation, teaching, and technological adaptation and innovation? The success of the Library’s flat organization can be measured by the impressive way in which the Library group has responded to institutional and profession-wide changes and challenges. See the [[Media: Achievements.doc |Achievements]] document for a description of major changes in services, faculties, and collections implemented during the study period. Most of the changes are responses to opportunities provided by technological developments and external engagement in consortia. The consortia relieve any single library from much of the burden of research and develop into new technologies, an overwhelming burden for a comparatively small library such as Evergreen's. Additionally, Evergreen's library administration and staff have worked actively in leadership roles in the Orbis Cascade consortium to assure that the consortium supports efficient, cost-effective movement into the world of networked and shared resources.<br />
<br />
===5.E.2 Planning Linkages===<br />
<br />
''The institution, in its planning, recognizes the need for management and technical linkages among information resource bases (e.g., libraries, instructional computing, media production and distribution centers, and telecommunications networks).''<br />
<br />
====Planning Across LIR====<br />
<br />
With networked information technology and almost universal access to digitized academic information resources, coordination of planning across library and information resources has become increasingly critical. The information technology staff and librarians from across the administrative units found that while administrative restructuring did not appear to provide a more effective connection among services, it was nevertheless wise to imagine a new structure to foster collaboration. A cross-areas collaborative group entitled the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH) was created, which provides the most formal mechanism for collaboration around technology across the various parts of the college. <br />
<br />
Evergreen supports three ITCH groups: Academic, Administrative, and Core. The Academic ITCH meets at least once a month and includes professional staff from each of the primary technology labs, faculty, and interested students. The Academic ITCH coordinates general academic IT initiatives, helps develop general academic computing policy, and guides strategic planning. Professional staff members in each of the primary technology areas have developed strong connections to discipline-specific slices of the curriculum, faculty, and academic administration. As the ITCH develops, the members will explore ways to communicate and plan in cross-disciplinary and cross-divisional programs. The ITCH provides one of the necessary cross-curricular and cross-divisional contexts for developing information technology across administratively distinct areas. The Administrative ITCH plans for administrative IT support and the Core ITCH acts as the coordinating body for all areas of IT represented in the ITCH.<br />
<br />
The ITCH created a strategic plan in conjunction with the campus-wide strategic planning process in 2007. Strategic Direction number 7 addresses technology. The statement is notable for the breadth of its concerns, with aspirations addressing media, library, and computing technology: <br />
<br />
: Use technology to enhance teaching and learning and administrative support at Evergreen.<br />
Evergreen will intentionally foster secure, sustainable, flexible, easy-to-use, and accessible information technologies (IT) that support and enhance our teaching and learning philosophies and the administrative needs of the institution. Evergreen’s continuing commitment to technology and media literacies as critical components of a liberal arts education has led us to re-envision our Television Studio into a Center for New Media [now entitled the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)] that will provide cross-curricular and extra-curricular support for computer mediated production, performance, interactivity, teleconferencing, live broadcasts, digital image storage, processing, re-broadcasting, and format conversion for all areas of the college. Accuracy and quality of information will improve and strong support will make technology and a broad range of information services available to on- and off-campus users. Security requirements of networks, software, hardware and data will be met while ensuring appropriate user access, including control of access to confidential information and the need for academic exploration. Classroom spaces will be technologically current and functional for meeting curricular needs (see the complete [[Media: itchstrategicplan_wiki.pdf|IT Strategic Plan wiki]] for more detail).<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] recommended a stronger, more formal role and status for the ITCH, which has not found support from higher-level administrators who have budgetary responsibility over the divisions of the college. This means the ITCH continues to serve as a bottom-up structure of collaboration based on the experience of direct collaboration with and support for students, staff, and faculty users.<br />
<br />
====Continue Blending More Functions within Library and Information Resources====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support a surprisingly diverse infrastructure of technologies and media in the curriculum. For greatest efficiency, library and information resources should consider even more coordination across boundaries to provide technology support. Students should be able to move seamlessly between different areas, such as the CAL, the Multimedia Lab (MML), and the Computer Center. Certainly, the pathways between areas could be more clearly articulated by identifying and developing more common services, including printing, building and maintaining image sets, server file space, and common software. By taking better advantage of the network infrastructure, students will experience less confusion and IT staff who directly support the curriculum could dedicate more energy toward coordinating, developing, and designing IT strategies with academic programs instead of maintaining redundant infrastructures.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources could develop a shared perspective about their public presence. One possibility for representing blended facilities and services would be a central help desk for the Information Technology Wing. The shared entrance to the wing has become a prominent architectural feature and an opportunity to reshape the community’s understanding of what the areas collectively represent. A central help desk could provide basic information about facilities, services, and staff, and it would help facilitate how efficiently patrons move between the various floors of the wing. Continued attention to the best use of the Library Underground and how to assure its connection to other floors should be part of this process; a large, flexible teaching and gathering space is developing there and appropriate equipment will be needed to support that vision. Concurrently, assuring safety for the adjacent Archives and Rare Books Collections is critical.<br />
<br />
Construction of the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM) will begin soon. This project has distinct relevance to the changing roles of Media Services, the Library, and Academic Computing within the evolving digital liberal arts. The CCAM will comprise a collection of media production studios and equipment to complement existing Media Services and Academic Computing media resources and provide the primary bridge between the campus media infrastructure and networked digital resources. For a discussion of the CCAM and related curricular projects, see [[media: CNM.doc | Center for Creative and Applied Media]].<br />
<br />
===5.E.3 Evaluation and the Future===<br />
<br />
''The institution regularly and systematically evaluates the quality, adequacy, and utilization of its library and information resources and services, including those provided through cooperative arrangements, and at all locations where courses, programs, or degrees are offered. The institution uses the results of the evaluations to improve the effectiveness of these resources.''<br />
<br />
As part of an institution constantly engaged in processes of narrative evaluation and other forms of assessment, library and information resources engage in and are the subject of extensive assessment both within library and information resources and externally through Institutional Research and Assessment surveys and studies. In addition to formal annual processes such as budget building and annual library faculty retreats, the results of these assessments feed into the development of ongoing teaching and services through constant face-to-face interactions among faculty, administrators, staff, and students, which inform all operations. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, as cited throughout this report, provides annual surveys about library and information resources, several of which are broken down by campus.<br />
<br />
See:<br />
<br />
[[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Utilization]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf | End-of program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Workshop_-_Information_Technology_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf | End-of-program Review Workshop - Information Technology Across the Curriculum]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Transfer_Students.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_and_Technology-related_Resources.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Information Technology Literacy and Technology-related Resources]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Growth_in_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Growth in Computer Skills - Olympia Campus]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | <br />
Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]<br />
<br />
====Collections and Access====<br />
<br />
The Web presence of the Library will, of course, continue to evolve. The Library continues work on a new library front page and database search pages. It is likely that the new library front page will become the responsibility of the college-wide Web team, freeing library staff from this unfunded work. A new federated search is being implemented. Meanwhile, the Orbis Cascade consortium is migrating to WorldCat, which the Library will consider for local use as well. A local catalog designed on the principle of Web discovery tools can be expected to generate significant changes in library use. In this context, changes in staffing may be required to support increases in use of services such as Summit and ILLiad, and the content and focus of instruction may require substantial revision. Evaluation of service and instruction via peer comparisons will change, as discovery tools will generate higher uses without increased instruction. Instruction will likely need to focus even more on evaluating sources and finding those resources not easily located via discovery tools. <br />
<br />
The continued expansion of audiovisual media collections represents a critical part of the vision of the generic library. To that end, one-time funds have frequently been infused into a small base budget for film and sound recordings, and the collection has grown significantly. Sound & Image Library (SAIL) staff and selectors have emphasized both new titles and replacement of older formats and worn copies. The Library anticipates circulating the collection through Summit, which will increase wear. See [[media:SAILacq.xls|SAIL Acquisition Statistics]]. Selectors will continue a recent change of policy allowing the purchase of any medium from their funds allocated for print monographs, but a stable and larger allocation for the SAIL budget would lessen the need to do so and reduce variations in expenditures, workload, and processing. The Resource Selection Committee is currently reviewing materials budgets with the intention of reallocating funds according to the curricular demands for video and digitized reference resources. If these discussions result in a larger budget for the SAIL, there will be more work, but also more consistency. Additionally, the staff will be more deeply involved in researching Web-based media collections. This additional workload represents a challenge for the SAIL. <br />
<br />
Digital collection development should go forward in concert with the push to digitize archival collections, including photographs, video, and copies of faculty artwork. The CCAM will take the lead in this ongoing project. <br />
<br />
Because of the Summit and ILLiad systems, the core collections do not need to support individual students who engage in inquiries that lie outside the collection profile based upon the core curriculum. However, Summit use will also allow the Library to identify whether there are any consistent weaknesses in the collection that show up as subject areas driving high borrowing rates from other institutions. The data from Summit should be analyzed over a three-year period, due to the fluidity of the curriculum, at which point the Library will decide if such data are useful in guiding collection development. <br />
<br />
The Library will continue to take advantage of the significantly increased purchasing power created by consortial agreements for periodical and other database purchases. The Library needs to keep an eye on the time and expertise required to keep up with the ever-increasing work of evaluating these agreements, purchases, and contracts and the technical work to support electronic resources, and it may want to consider creating a position for managing electronic resources. A centralized specialist working on electronic resources would potentially help the selectors by consistently researching and disseminating information about new products.<br />
<br />
Overall, long-standing assumptions about budgets for collections must be reevaluated. While major cuts were made to the monographic budget early in the study period and were only partially restored over time, it is not clear that simply restoring those funds and adding funds for inflation are the desirable next moves. The Resource Selection Committee will need to continue to explore more flexible responses to a rapidly changing publishing environment in order to match collection budgets to evolving research needs. Private fundraising and other non-state funds have helped close collection development gaps in some cases, such as the SAIL budget. Library and information resources overall have begun to receive private support for equipment and facilities projects as well. More work with the Office of College Advancement should be emphasized, as many alumni have demonstrated willingness to support the library and information resources. <br />
<br />
=====Support for Rapidly Evolving Information Technology=====<br />
<br />
While the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] gave Evergreen good marks for its budgetary support of information technology, the report also recommended that “to follow current best practices, the replacement cycle should be permanently funded and the operations budgets need to be raised regularly to reflect the increase in technology-equipped classrooms, the increased number of servers and desktop computers that must be supported, and other increases in the technology base.” The college has begun to address this issue, proposing permanent line items in the next biennium for replacing the core server and desktops. This movement toward more permanent allocations for replacement and repair will help ensure that the infrastructure can support the curriculum. Although the ITCH can play only an advisory role, it has participated actively in the process of establishing permanent allocations, setting priorities, and sharing resources. <br />
<br />
The remodeled Information Technology Wing and the construction of the Seminar II building created dramatically more technology-equipped teaching spaces. There are now forty-nine media and computer-capable classrooms, with more on the way. Labs are equipped with computers for each student, and most classrooms now include a computer along with projection and display systems. The Library plans to convert one classroom in the Library Underground to a lab, and teaching spaces on campus still without computers or display technology are on the way to being equipped. At this point, library and information resources just manage to support the computer facilities distributed across campus. As more spaces are computerized and enrollment creeps up toward the target of 5,000, the college will have to add additional staff and funding for maintenance. All capital construction and remodeling plans must include consideration of maintenance, replacement, and support for media and networked display. <br />
<br />
As media technology has changed, some faculty choose to continue teaching older analog equipment, often for good pedagogical and aesthetic reasons. In the context of doubling instruction loads, this breadth of technologies generates a daunting challenge for Media Loan as it stretches to maintain, house, and teach a very wide array of portable equipment. Media Loan should work with the Expressive Arts faculty and other major users to reduce the range of Media Loan equipment necessary to support the curriculum.<br />
<br />
====Library Instruction====<br />
<br />
The reduced number of library faculty has resulted in less ability to provide library instruction deeply and broadly to the entire curriculum. Further, reference desk service has changed as the Internet creates patrons who access our resources from remote locations. Most immediately, virtual patrons do not benefit from the teaching that takes place at the reference desk, although the transactions that do occur at reference tend to be more substantive. As traffic at the physical reference desk has diminished, faculty who rotate into the Library have more limited opportunities to learn about library resources through interactions with patrons. These trends should inform the reference group as they consider how to proceed in allocating team responsibilities with or without an increase in the number of library faculty.<br />
<br />
The reference group should evaluate service to areas of the curriculum that report or demonstrate less involvement in the various forms of information technology instruction (as reflected in end of program reports), and consider whether more or different instructional support would be appropriate, feasible, or desirable. <br />
<br />
Library instruction will evolve in the context of catalogs that imitate Web discovery tools. It is entirely likely that patrons will frequently discover services which have, until now, had to be pointed out to them. For the near future, however, finding and using the most effective, appropriate journal databases still requires instruction or intervention on the part of librarians or faculty. Evaluation of library instruction based upon comparative use statistics will probably be less valuable than in this past study period, as academic library finding tools will vary greatly for some time to come, creating widely disparate use statistics. Thus close attention to database use trends and their correlation to the implementation of new finding tools will be important in the near future.<br />
<br />
Intensive, embedded library and media instruction remain the most desirable and effective models. Some librarians focus on these models, including such work as evaluating bibliographies, which become the basis for assessing the quality of student research and the basis for further instruction. Faculty librarians may want to explore evaluating research results more commonly as they develop their ties with programs and faculty in all disciplines, particularly if discovery tools generate easier access to resources beyond the immediate catalog search. As librarians become more involved in each stage of research, including writing or production, they should be able to provide more consistent support to students. Time for this work with students is restricted by the number of librarians, as is time for the more extended work essential to students from Tacoma and reservation-based programs, who depend so heavily upon off-campus access and have less opportunity to confer with librarians at the reference desk. Faculty who rotate into the Library must be more fully engaged in this aspect of the librarians' work in order to help balance the external teaching demands upon library faculty. <br />
<br />
When the Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning and Writing Centers were planned into the new Information Technology Wing, the hope was for substantial collaboration. While the location of these centers within the Library brings more students in, aids the sense of hospitality, and provides convenient resources for students, collaboration has remained minimal. Thus opportunities for shared instruction and service have yet to be exploited.<br />
<br />
=====Cross-Curricular Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
<br />
As discussed above, library and information resources and the teaching faculty assure that information technology infuses the curriculum. On the other hand, the faculty has not embraced any particular set of information technology skills as fundamental to the liberal arts undergraduate at Evergreen. Instead, faculty choose and adapt information and media technologies according to the pedagogical and disciplinary requirements of their chosen inquiry. There is little work across the curriculum about critical approaches to media or basic definitions of college-level technical literacy for the liberal arts. In the immediate future, library and information resources should invite the teaching faculty into a discussion about whether the campus has any broad consensus about Information Technology Literacy (ITL), including critical approaches. Long ago, the college committed to writing across the curriculum and allocated significant institutional resources to encourage that work—without proscriptive limits or standards. A wider discussion about ITL could produce a similar vision and institutional support. In the long run, such a vision will shape our understanding of digital scholarship in the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
The expansion of entry-level media technology instruction raises questions about the staffing assumptions in Academic Computing. If critical approaches to information technology are to be addressed, and if cross-curricular information technology literacy is a priority for the contemporary liberal arts, then instructional staffing based on historical models of canned skills workshops may be insufficient. Academic Computing should continue current efforts to recruit instructional staff who have the expertise to work intensively in program planning and curriculum development, as well as on technical support for those activities. The numbers of such instructional IT staffing may also need to be evaluated in response to these new and expanding demands for work within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
===Conclusion: Holly's Generic Library Has Come to Fruition===<br />
<br />
Library and information resources have been deeply influenced by the organizational habits of the college, habits of collaboration, egalitarian ideals, fluidity, face-to-face interactions, non-departmentalization, reflexive learning, and independent and interdisciplinary inquiry. The result is a responsive, flexible, evolving set of services and resources. Library and information resources faculty and staff work across the media, regardless of where services reside administratively, in order to fuse traditional library services, information services, computing, and media. Library and information resources assess technology within the context of Evergreen’s particular curriculum and implement new applications incrementally in collaborative processes involving all three areas of service and the teaching faculty. As part of that work, library and information resources have had the distinct historical advantage of presuming that information comes in all formats and that it is not only possible but advisable to break down as many barriers as possible to access information in all its forms. In this, library and information resources are shaped by their founding vision - the generic library - an idea whose time has come.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1) Overall, library and information resources at Evergreen demonstrate effective development of collaborative planning, services, and instruction in support of the academic mission and educational programs of the college.<br />
<br />
2.) Over the past decade, the Library and Media Services have fully committed to networking and digital resources. This shift has implied a change in organization, reorganization of job classifications, and the creation of new patterns of work supported in all areas.<br />
<br />
3.) Commitment to the use of networking digital information resources has allowed and promoted the integration of all sections of library and information resources and has pushed the staff in all areas to reconceptualize their work and to find new patterns of organization and collaboration.<br />
<br />
4.) Students and faculty are thinking about and using information resources in all media. They can now reasonably expect to have seamless access to a wide array of high-quality academic information, media, and computer applications almost anywhere on campus.<br />
<br />
5.) The Library is funded like a public college, but the emphasis on projects, the array of inquiries, and the fact that it is a teaching library means that it is used as if it were a part of a private liberal arts college.<br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The Evergreen Library has always been what other libraries have striven to become: a '''teaching library''' deeply connected to the faculty and curriculum. The result is that students use the Library very actively. Historically, Media Services has had the same teaching focus. Academic computing, with a longstanding instructional role, is also moving toward more substantive teaching and collaboration with faculty. This cross-curricular emphasis on teaching must be continued.<br />
<br />
2.) The original vision of the Library was "generic," which means that it includes all media in all locations. The contemporary term in the profession is the '''virtual library. ''' Evergreen's library and information resources have been able to realize the vision due to the advent of effective, ubiquitous networking and digital resources. The new technology plus major consortial agreements have created an explosion of access to high-quality scholarly information and media.<br />
<br />
3. The remodeled and more unified Information Technology Wing is the physical manifestation of the blending of traditional print, media, and computer technology that characterizes the virtual library and information in the digital age. Despite being spread across administrative divisions, the Library, Media Services, Academic Computing, the CAL, and Computing and Communications all collaborate effectively to assure more and more seamless access to information resources. We must guard these interconnections and continue to seek opportunities for collaboration that will provide the best service, teaching, and efficiency.<br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Through consortial agreements and wise use of resources made available to the college, an extraordinary array of high-quality academic resources. For example, the number of academic journals now available is nine times larger than at the outset of the review. Active leadership in consortia such as Orbis Cascade and the Cooperative Libraries Project supported these cost-effective approaches.<br />
<br />
2.) The willingness of staff from all areas to share, collaborate, and dream as they worked through the complex reorganizations and new work necessary to create an operative virtual library has been extraordinary.<br />
<br />
3.) The creation of an accessible, integrated, well-conceived teaching space with the renovation of the B and C wings of the Library has allowed the virtual library to have a physical presence that embodies the integration of these areas, while providing hospitable spaces and programming to complement virtual use information resources.<br />
<br />
4.) The spread of digital media and computer facilities to the campus as a whole, in the Lecture Halls, and in the new classrooms of Seminar II, as well as the extension of wireless access to most of the campus has allowed the teaching resources of library and information resources to be used across the campus.<br />
<br />
5.) Both the development of the virtual library and a continued commitment to extensive instruction have led to effective library and information resources for off-campus programs and users.<br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Library and information resources must maintain the flexibility in staff’s capacity to respond to the rapidly changing digital environment.<br />
<br />
2.) Library and information services must continue to remain aware of developments in information technology, critically assess them, and carefully integrate technological capacities into the staff’s capacity for teaching.<br />
<br />
3.) Library and information resources should assure that connections between the three units (the Library, Academic Computing, and Media Services) that make up library and information resources are as seamless as possible.<br />
<br />
4.) Media Services instructors should consciously promote considerations of media among faculty across the curriculum, as well as continue to work effectively with those who depend upon media as the center of their work.<br />
<br />
5.) Staff from all areas should pursue and develop cross-curricular faculty conversations about information and technology as literacies for the liberal arts, including critical perspectives.<br />
<br />
6.) Library and information services should assure that instructional staffing and library faculty is sufficient in training and numbers to support extensive, integrated information technology literacy instruction across the curriculum and to off-campus and weekend and evening programs.<br />
<br />
7.) Library and information services should continue to develop maintenance and replacement funds to support rapidly expanding information technology, instruction, and service throughout the campus.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing staff and faculty will collaborate in planning ongoing summer faculty institutes facilitating cross-curricular faculty conversations about information technology literacy for the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
2.) The shape of expenditures on collections should evolve as inflation, consortia, networked access, and digital publications continue to change the information environment. The Library Resource Selection Committee will continue to review database, Summit, and local collection use, as well as allocation of non-state funds in order to appropriately support collections in all media. As a member of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, the Library will pursue collaborative collection development emphasizing strong core local collections and coordinated shared collections.<br />
<br />
3.) The substantial instructional role necessary to support information technology literacy across the curriculum should be recognized in campus hiring priorities.<br />
<br />
4.) The Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing will continue to emphasize shared work. Several areas of potential collaboration in addition to faculty institutes include considering a shared public presence at the newly emphasized main entrance to the Information Technology Wing, an increased role for the ITCH in planning and management of information technology on campus, shared staff positions, shared hiring processes, and more collaborative instruction for academic programs.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Five|Supporting Documentation for Standard 5]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_5&diff=8832Standard 52008-07-24T22:54:46Z<p>Coghlanl: /* The Information Technology Wing */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 5 – Library and Information Resources==<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.A – Purpose and Scope===<br />
<br />
<br />
''The primary purpose for library and information resources is to support teaching, learning, and if applicable, research in ways consistent with, and supportive of, the institution’s mission and goals. Adequate library and information resources and services, at the appropriate level for degrees offered, are available to support the intellectual, cultural, and technical development of students enrolled in courses and programs wherever located and however delivered.''<br />
<br />
====Supporting the Academic Mission of the College====<br />
Library and information resources at The Evergreen State College support students as they learn to reason and communicate about freely chosen inquiries whose outcomes remain to be discovered or created (Smith, Standard 2). Library and information resources at Evergreen must therefore balance the open-ended demands of free inquiry with the need for stability, security, and efficiency in systems and services. Historically, the Library has been well funded when compared to many public baccalaureates, in recognition of the extraordinary demands of open-ended inquiry and independent study. All library and information resources are shaped by the primary mission of teaching and providing state-of-the-art facilities for academic programs and individual students in this interdisciplinary, liberal arts curriculum. Strong collaboration among library, computing and media staff, faculty, and administration assures the development of the library and information resources as centers for teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
====The Founding Vision of the Library: Any Medium, Any Location====<br />
<br />
In 1969, when the founding dean of Library Services James Holly wrote his “Position Paper No. 1,” he proposed a model which he called the generic library, in some ways anticipating the concept of today's virtual library. “By generic I include man’s [sic] recorded information, knowledge, folly, and wisdom in whatever form put down, whether in conventional print, art forms, magnetic tape, laser storage, etc. By generic, I also eliminate physical boundaries such as [a] specific building or portion limited and identified as ‘the library.’” Holly's vision motivated many aspects of library, media, and computer services, but proved in many ways untenable due to technical and budgetary constraints and because the college community expressed traditional longings for a bounded space. Today, laptops and networked data are ubiquitous and most students expect remote access to information resources, regardless of medium. Technology, as well as community values, have caught up with Holly’s founding vision, and Evergreen's library and learning resources now include all media, distributed to almost any location. Display of networked and audiovisual information now brings information technology to almost any classroom on campus. Active involvement in new consortia has led to quick access to expanded collections and information resources from around the region. Academic programs and students off-campus have access to rich, academically sound journal holdings. A wide selection of digitized media applications and advanced media labs provide access to media production. Increasingly seamless access to media, computing, and traditional information resources benefits all students. At the same time, the physical library has expanded its role as a social and intellectual space and provides an increasingly hospitable center for learning and gatherings of all kinds. A $22-million remodel connected previously disparate areas and created a more cohesive information-technology wing, providing one central entrance for the Library, Media Services, the Computer Center, and the Computing and Communications offices.<br />
<br />
====Functions and Facilities Covered in Standard 5====<br />
<br />
Reflecting these developments, Standard 5 considers information resources and services from several disparate administrative units: Library Services, including Media Services (administratively part of the Academic division); Academic Computing (administratively part of the Finance and Administration division); and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) (administratively part of the academic division, with a historical role supporting the science curriculum). The phrase "library and information resources" in Standard 5 should be understood to refer to these units collectively, while comments about separate areas will use more specific language such as the Library, Media Services, the CAL, or Academic Computing. Occasional references to Computing and Communications will address technology infrastructure when relevant to instructional and academic support functions.<br />
<br />
The information resources offered and supported by the Library, Academic Computing, and the CAL represent facilities and functions commonly found in libraries and computer centers elsewhere in academia. The Media Services section of the Library requires some explanation, as its role and location in the institution are unique. Media Services provides not only the usual audiovisual support for instruction, but also extensive collections and facilities in support of media production by students across the curriculum. Media production labs, a large circulating collection of portable media equipment, and extensive instruction represent activities, facilities, and functions which will not be found within the library at most institutions. Some media arts, communications or education departments might provide some such services to students of their curriculum, but not the library, and certainly not for general use. In the context of an interdisciplinary college, and in the light of the original ideal of the generic library, these services are provided through the Library in order to assure cross-curricular access and opportunity for students from anywhere in the curriculum, whether those students are studying media or simply wish to communicate academic content using media beyond print.<br />
<br />
====5.A.1 Sufficiency of Information Resources and Services====<br />
<br />
''The institution’s information resources and services include sufficient holdings, equipment, and personnel in all of its libraries, instructional media and production centers, computer centers, networks, telecommunication facilities, and other repositories of information to accomplish the institution’s mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
Throughout this study, library and information resources will be found to be strongly linked via face-to-face collaboration and consultation with faculty, staff, and students. These interconnections, within a flat organizational structure, assure constant feedback and redevelopment of services and facilities. Library funding generally compares very well with public institutions and correlates strongly to average funding for private liberal arts peers, peers with whom our use statistics compare favorably. An external assessment performed by Edutech described budgetary support for information technology as comparable to that of institutions with similar missions. There are no comparable institutions for studying the large activity of cross-curricular media services; however, advocacy from both the cross-curricular perspective of the Library and from the specific needs of the media faculty help ensure support. Rapid expansion in information technology access and aspirations have led to changes in personnel allocation and expertise and will continue to make increasing demands on a staff and faculty already stretched in many areas.<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[media: Major_Facilities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 & 2 of the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]]. For holdings and equipment, see Standard 5.B.1. For personnel, see Standard 5.D.1. For evaluation of budgetary support, see Standard 5.D.6.<br />
<br />
====5.A.2 Sufficiency of Core Collection and Related Resources====<br />
<br />
''The institution’s core collection and related information resources are sufficient to support the curriculum.''<br />
<br />
Broad institutional support for cross-curricular library and information services has historically generated sufficient institutional budgetary support for core collections and facilities. During the study period, inflation and budget cuts reduced base budgets for local monograph collections. Non-state resources bridged some of the gap without building the base budget permanently. Consortial agreements created opportunities for cost-effective collective purchases of serials and for efficient resource sharing, resulting in better support for the intensive work by individual students. <br />
<br />
Collection Development, see 5.B.1 and 5.B.5<br />
<br />
====5.A.3 Education Program Drives Resources and Services====<br />
<br />
''Information resources and services are determined by the nature of the institution’s educational programs and the locations where programs are offered.''<br />
<br />
Strong connections to the curriculum inform all library and information services. A distinctive library rotation system connects the library and teaching faculty in the shared project of curriculum and program planning. Teaching alliances between media services professionals and media faculty determine the character of media services. A strong liaison system connects Academic Computing instructors and services with teaching faculty. Meanwhile, a very experienced staff with substantial managerial responsibilities manages day-to-day library services while implementing services in response to the new opportunities advancing information technology affords. (See Standard 5.B.2 - Teaching and Instruction).<br />
<br />
Information technology planning and governance are discussed in Area 5 (Planning and Governance) of the [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
The study notes that planning is collaborative and responsive to academic needs, and could be strengthened through a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH).<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.B – Information Resources and Services===<br />
<br />
''Information resources and services are sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, and currency to support the institution’s curricular offerings.''<br />
<br />
==== 5.B.1 Equipment and Materials to Support the Educational Program====<br />
<br />
''Equipment and materials are selected, acquired, organized, and maintained to support the educational program.''<br />
<br />
=====Collection Development Procedures & Methods=====<br />
<br />
The Library faculty develops collections to support Evergreen's changeable interdisciplinary curriculum without the usual benefit of departmental allocation or structures. The librarians build collections and vendor profiles on the basis of their work as both library and teaching faculty (see 5.B.2), work which involves full-time teaching, faculty governance, extensive collegial engagement with the teaching faculty, and affiliation with planning units. The curriculum committee is the faculty as a whole, and develops the curriculum in curricular planning units, curriculum retreats, and governance groups. The Library faculty's overall knowledge of the curriculum is strengthened by teaching faculty who rotate into the Library and lavish their attention on areas of the collection related to their disciplinary expertise. Finally, librarians honor most requests from individuals for additions to the collection, working from the fact that free inquiry and individual research are central to the Library’s mission.<br />
<br />
In the past, the Library has struggled to satisfy incidental research demands outside the boundaries defined by the core, repeating curriculum. The substantial part of the curriculum which varies from year to year, the significant amount of work by independent contract students (almost 1,300 independent study contracts in 2006-07), and the opportunity for intensive individual projects within full-time, multi-quarter programs have all driven demand for specialized materials outside the core collection. Resource sharing and large, shared purchases, all made efficient because of networking technology, have eradicated this problem, although budget cuts and inflation create some difficulties keeping the core collection current. The budget for core monograph purchases has been supplemented with allocations from non-state resources in order to help bridge this gap. See 5.B.5 below.<br />
<br />
=====Media Services=====<br />
<br />
Close work with the curriculum and faculty also informs the development of media facilities and services. Media staff attend the Expressive Arts planning unit meetings, in particular the Moving Image subgroup. Budgetary processes for equipment purchase and operating costs include multiple avenues for consideration of educational program needs. Through the planning units, needs are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the Library, cross-curricular media demands are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the ITCH, cross-unit needs are coordinated and passed up to the campus-wide budget process. These three avenues help ensure that the budget process addresses both broad and specific curricular demands for media.<br />
<br />
Some stresses develop. Like the Library, Media Services serves the entire academic community, from programs to individuals. And, like the Library, Media Services strains under the pressure of answering the needs of independent study, as well as a fluid curriculum. Students working on independent media productions compete with Expressive Arts programs for scarce resources, from equipment to laboratories to teaching staff. In order to balance these competing demands, Media Services requires students and faculty to submit media request forms, which are reviewed by the Media Services manager and the head of Instruction Media, who allocate resources, both human and technological. Independent contract forms include a question about the need for special equipment or facilities, which serves as a safety net for screening intensive media use. In these ways Media Services assures that students embarking on media studies do so with appropriate support. The Expressive Arts planning unit also instituted a Student Originated Studies (SOS) group contract in media to assure that students have consistent access to facilities and instructional support as they pursue their independent projects.<br />
<br />
=====Information Technology Equipment & Facilities=====<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] includes equipment in its discussion of technological facilities in Area 1 of the report. The report states, "Computing, networking and information technology facilities at Evergreen are extensive and impressive. In most cases, Evergreen facilities are at or near standards for similar institutions, and in some cases surpass them. However, these standards are a moving target, and there are areas in which the college will probably have to make upgrades in the near future." The report lauded the computer labs, classroom technology, and access to computers. Recommended improvements were to extend wireless to the entire campus and permanently fund a replacement cycle for equipment.<br />
<br />
====5.B.2 Teaching and Instruction====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services contribute to developing the ability of students, faculty, and staff to use the resources independently and effectively.''<br />
<br />
=====Defining Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
<br />
Standard 2 links the five foci and six expectations of an Evergreen education to the idea of reflexive thinking. "Reflexive thinking begins with a question, an interrogation of the world, and an encounter with the other. As such it involves the student in the whole process of substantive learning about subjects, disciplines and methods that is the standard domain of learning. But reflexivity is the capacity that a learner has to think about the situation and conditions that underlie her own personal and collective experience of thinking and knowing." (See [[Standard_2#Reflexive_Thinking | reflexive thinking]]). This work is engaged and supported through the broad and deep resources of the collections and instruction within the library and information resources. <br />
<br />
The professional literature and practice of librarianship defines information literacy as a reflective process. To be clear, a '''reflective''' process considers, evaluates, synthesizes, and in general, engages information discovered through research. In contrast, a '''reflexive''' process goes on to consider one's own learning and knowledge as influenced through exposure to the information under consideration. According to Jeremy J. Shapiro and Shelley K. Hughes, in their article entitled [[Media: educom_review.pdf|'Information Literacy as a Liberal Art']], information literacy should "be conceived more broadly as a new liberal art that extends from knowing how to use computers and access information to critical reflection on the nature of information itself, its technical infrastructure, and its social, cultural and end even philosophical context and impact..."<br />
<br />
The information literacy curriculum includes:<br />
<br />
* Tool literacy - The ability to use print and electronic resources including software and online resources.<br />
* Resource literacy - The ability to understand the form, format, location, and methods for accessing information resources.<br />
* Social-structural literacy - Knowledge of how information is socially situated and produced, including understanding the scholarly publishing process.<br />
* Research literacy - The ability to understand and use information technology tools to carry out research, including the use of discipline-related software and online resources.<br />
* Publishing literacy - The ability to produce a text or multimedia report of research results.<br />
<br />
<br />
=====ITL in the Context of Holly's Generic Library=====<br />
<br />
Information literacy at Evergreen is itself a reflexive practice, in addition to being central to the process of reflexive thinking in the broader context of undergraduate education at Evergreen. That is, the student uses library and information resources to put herself in relation to information and thinking from a variety of sources and further, reflects about herself and her learning as she researches and learns. Within the context of library and information resources as understood and managed at Evergreen, this literacy includes not just print scholarship, but media and computing, to become not just information literacy but Information Technology Literacy (ITL). Reflection upon information includes reflection upon the nature and role of the tools themselves. Reflexive thinking includes the relation of the user to the information and the tools. <br />
<br />
Thus, in order to assure that students have the skills to communicate about their open inquiries and the resources to support deeply reflexive thinking, library and information resources take a broad role in the curriculum. Two of the “Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate” relate directly to commitment by the library and information resources to help students achieve intellectual independence, creativity, and critical acumen. Expectation Two states that our graduates will communicate creatively and effectively; Expectation Four, that our graduates apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across the disciplines. Not only should literate students read and write astutely, they also should access, view, critique, and produce media and writing that is eloquent and complete. In this way, digital scholarship merges seamlessly with individual and formal educational goals, just as print scholarship has in the past.<br />
<br />
=====Cross-Curricular Media Instruction=====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support ITL as an agenda for students across programs, disciplines, and media. Library and information resources staff and faculty collaborate with teaching teams as they instruct students in media and students who create films, multimedia, or musical works for programs or for independent study. These are the challenges of the "freely chosen inquiry," challenges that cannot all be met at all times. However, the location of Media Services administratively and physically within Library Services is meant to ensure that media studies and media production are supported appropriately both within the programs that media faculty teach and elsewhere in the inquiries of students. The spread of entry-level media applications into the general-use computer labs increases access to media production across the curriculum.<br />
<br />
Although library and information resources instructors work to fuse teaching with program content, students are nevertheless able to access any media application or information technology beyond or without considering program content. Likewise, many programs focus entirely on technical skill building, without any formal attempt to link these practices to disciplinary content. And in other areas of the curriculum, such as the Culture, Text, and Language planning unit, critical media and information studies are often taught in a theoretical mode, without hands-on media production—the thing itself. The point is that when skills are valorized over content, or when theory ignores practice, students neglect concrete critical reflection on how technology impacts the message, the creators, the audience, or society. However, Holly's generic library model, the founding principle for library and information resources at Evergreen, has emphasized and counterbalanced the tendency to isolate skills from content. Students who read texts expect to write as well; why should they view media and not expect to create it? Early on, a rotating faculty member who helped link instruction with critical media studies and with interdisciplinary programs directed Media Services. Library and information resources continue to struggle to advocate for the critical study of media and information technology across the curriculum.<br />
<br />
Academic computing also provides access to and instruction in information technologies through a balance of specialized and open computing facilities. With the migration of many media applications to commonly available personal computer platforms, instruction and facilities to support entry-level media production have spread to academic computing and even to the Library proper.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources faculty and staff instruct and teach in multiple modes, from basic skills instruction to more complex, content-driven teaching by faculty and professionals in the curriculum. In addition, the teaching faculty contribute substantively and collaboratively to planning and implementing information services, collections, and policies. This dynamic collaboration between the teaching faculty and the library and information resources has shaped the primary mission to support inquiry-based education. Each area within library and information resources has developed structures to connect teaching and instruction closely to the faculty, the curriculum, and the academic mission of the college. Utilization, satisfaction, and curricular surveys demonstrate the breadth and effectiveness of this work (See Planning and Evaluation 5.E).<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Librarians and Library Teaching=====<br />
<br />
Evergreen requires rotation between the librarians and the teaching faculty. Briefly stated, faculty librarians rotate out of the Library to teach full time on a regular basis and, in exchange, teaching faculty rotate into the Library to serve as librarians providing reference, instruction, and collection development. (See [[media:Learning_Communities_and_the_Academic_Library.pdf | Pedersen]] pp. 41-44 for more discussion of this system). Faculty who rotate into the Library leave with updated skills for developing information literacy within their programs and teams across the curriculum. Library faculty develop their subject specialties and enhance their ability to work across pedagogical and disciplinary realms. Perpetual faculty-wide interactions in faculty governance and team-teaching reinforce the strong connections between the library faculty and the teaching faculty. Librarians know the faculty as colleagues and teaching faculty know the librarians (probably the only basis for widespread and effective library instruction in a curriculum without requirements). Teaching teams also spread effective library instruction practices as experienced teaching faculty introduce their new faculty teammates to their library colleagues and the teaching they offer. Most new faculty also bring updated information technology skills and experience to share with their colleagues.<br />
<br />
A loose liaison system links each librarian with a subset of the curriculum, based on subject expertise, planning unit affiliation, and personal alliances. Faculty librarians provide a wide array of library and information technology-related teaching. One-time workshops designed to engage sources particular to the research projects within an academic program represent the most common format. Librarians and teaching faculty design these workshops with the assumption that the skills imparted are embedded in the interests and needs of the program learning community. At a minimum, the faculty for the program usually 1) create a research assignment which informs and motivates the students’ work; 2) attend the research workshop and participate, adding their expertise and/or questions; 3) provide the library liaison with a syllabus and a copy of the assignment and a list of the topics students are considering; and 4) ask the students to begin considering their topic before attending the workshop so they are primed to begin actual research during the workshop. <br />
<br />
Librarians teach workshops on research most frequently in the graduate programs, the sciences, and the off-campus programs. The teaching models for these more extended situations vary according to the library faculty involved and the role in the curriculum, and they evolve significantly year to year. Each year, library faculty affiliate deeply with a few such programs, meeting weekly to create stepped learning conjoined with research assignments. For documents exemplifying this teaching, see [[media:Forensics_week-by-week.doc | Forensics Syllabus]] and [[media:Chemistry_Health_Professions_Project_Description.doc | Chemistry Health Professions Project]]. During several academic years, an information technology seminar linked library internship opportunities with a hands-on Web technology workshop. In that model, a small group of students explored contemporary questions in the world of rapid digitization and its social implications. They paralleled that study with real library work and Web production practice, including wikis and Web pages designed to support library functions. The seminar and workshop have provided a venue for library faculty, staff, and Academic Computing instructors to gather and consider both the past and future of information technologies. See the syllabi for the programs Still Looking ([[media: stilllooking_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: stilllooking_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: stilllooking_spring.pdf|spring]]), Information Landscapes ([[media: infolandscapes_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: infolandscapes_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: infolandscapes_spring.pdf|spring]]), and Common Knowledge ([[media: commonknowledge_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: commonknowledge_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: commonknowledge_spring.pdf|spring]]). Each year, one librarian also offers research methods through the evening and weekend curriculum.<br />
<br />
In-depth, extended library-related teaching within programs and service to off-campus and Evening and Weekend programs can be a challenge in the context of a reduced core of library faculty. During the self-study period, one faculty line was cut during budget reductions. This causes significant stress on the quality and quantity of instruction the area is able to provide.<br />
<br />
=====Library Faculty as Service Providers=====<br />
Library faculty see themselves primarily as teachers. They tend to understand the services of the Library in the context of teaching and learning, specifically teaching as it actually happens in the Evergreen curriculum. Thus, they do not tend to work from externally defined "best practices," nor do they function in a reactive mode. They take a proactive approach to the work, suggesting tools and strategies for designing library instruction and finding the intellectual work in the world of research instruction. They position themselves to work across administrative as well as curricular boundaries and sustain an important role in the crossroads of traditional research methods, contemporary information technology, and the world of the curriculum and their teaching colleagues.<br />
<br />
=====Service and Teaching=====<br />
The faculty librarians have transformed the reference desk into a teaching space, which goes well beyond traditional service models. For this reason, there is generally a librarian at the desk during the hours the Library is open to the public. Each contact between a librarian and a patron represents an opportunity to teach and learn. In collections, Web page design, signage, collection organization, and creation of virtual services, the librarians ask not just what is easiest or matches the expectations of inexperienced users, but what can be taught through the new design, service, or collection. For example, broad aggregate databases have been purchased because they are cost effective, but the librarians also emphasize and teach comparatively complex digitized indexes, which refer students more deeply into the discipline-based literature of their inquiries. As discussed throughout this document, library and information resources are designed, planned, taught, and supported in the context of college-wide teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
=====Library Faculty and Off-Campus Programs=====<br />
Library support for the two major off-campus offerings, the Tacoma and the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs, focuses heavily on instruction, with additional support from networked technology, including specialized Web pages for these programs. See [[Media: reservation_library.pdf|services for Reservation-Based students]] and [[Media: tacoma_library.pdf|services for Tacoma-based students]]. Students of these programs have limited access to the physical library and must be alerted to the many high-quality resources available to them online through the Library. End-of-program reports show very high engagement with information technology in these programs (See [[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf |End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]). Most years, librarians work closely with the Research Methods class at Tacoma, providing laboratory-based instruction on location several weeks per quarter. As of 2007-08, this work has taken on a more formalized structure and has developed into credit-generating research classes.<br />
<br />
Library instruction at the upper-division off-campus sites of the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs has varied widely year-by-year. Recently, the program has focused on building library methods into the lower-division bridge curriculum, which has not involved the library faculty directly. Reservation-based programs report 100% teaching and use of library and Internet research in 2007; however, this work has not engaged the Library's holdings or services significantly. Rebuilding this connection should be a high priority, and a planned faculty rotation from a former director of the reservation-based program will be an opportunity to do so. Perusal of the [[Media: Achievements2.doc |Achievements]] list for the self-study period demonstrates that almost every development supports distant access to collections and services and thus the off-campus programs.<br />
<br />
=====Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing=====<br />
In all major computer and media labs, staff instructors provide group instruction designed to support the needs of specific academic programs, covering particular applications and tools relevant to the disciplines involved. Media and computing instructors teach workshops in different spaces and in different modes, depending on the discipline and the technology. There are no constraints upon which facilities may be used. In one quarter, a science program might have workshops in the Computer Center focusing on blogs, a math workshop using Excel in the Computer Applications Lab, a session on video documentation for field research in the Multimedia Lab, and a library research workshop in one of the Computer Center's general-purpose labs. In this way, academic programs leverage staff expertise and facilities as needed.<br />
<br />
Teaching faculty must be able to easily identify and contact the appropriate staff member to coordinate computer instruction, which may require significant logistical support such as lab scheduling, equipment checkout, server space, password access, personnel scheduling, and other details. In Academic Computing, program liaisons work with faculty to coordinate how programs will teach technology. For instance, the staff liaison helps set up file shares and Web spaces and schedules and teaches workshops. In Media Services, the head of instructional media provides a central location for faculty and students requesting instructional support in media to connect with appropriate media instructors and to schedule facilities and instruction. The Media Services staff work with faculty to design and integrate media into their programs. Media Services staff meet regularly with media faculty in the Expressive Arts planning unit so they can develop facilities, plan for access, and foster integration of media into academic programs.<br />
<br />
Students who work independently on media or computing projects or who decide to tackle media projects within non-media oriented programs also receive many forms of instructional support. Academic Computing offers regularly scheduled technology workshops, which are open to all. In addition, Evergreen students can access Lynda.com, which tutors students in software applications and programming languages. The Library recently subscribed to Safari Books Online, which supports the computer science curriculum and addresses technical inquiries from students across the curriculum. Academic Computing began a computing wiki in 2006-07 which hosts approximately 2,000 pages of instructions and tutorials and which continues to expand. Increasingly, students, faculty, and staff rely on the Academic Computing wiki to stay abreast of technologies hosted on campus.<br />
<br />
Any student may access most media-production facilities and check out portable media equipment once they have completed relevant hands-on training sessions called proficiencies. Media instructors run hundreds of these quick, skills-focused instructional sessions annually, which serve thousands of students, ensure proper use of the equipment, and provide supportive technical background for systems. The number of formal instructional sessions provided to programs has doubled since 2000, suggesting the rapidly expanding use and breadth of college-supported media technology. Finally, the Evening and Weekend Studies curriculum provides a coherent, regular pathway for learning more complex media-production processes.<br />
<br />
Like the library faculty, media instructors teach in a variety of modes: full-time, part-time, introductory, intensive, general, sustained, intermittent, specialized, individual, within programs, or collaboratively in small groups. Many of the media staff are artists, professionals, and faculty in their own right, with Master of Fine Arts degrees in their fields. They teach photography, electronic music, Web design, and digital imaging as adjuncts in Evening and Weekend Studies and in Extended Education. Media staff who teach as adjunct faculty are often called to teach full time as visiting artists. Their contributions to the part- and full-time curriculum are substantial and sustained, some of them having taught for more than twenty years. Their work supports the Expressive Arts. It assures access and instruction for students who do not consider themselves artists but who want to engage in technologies that constitute important developing communication media and also define the visual aesthetics of science, history, political science, psychology, and other narratives. Additionally, Photo, Electronic Media, and Media Loan staff annually teach as field supervisors for up to eight student interns who are critical to the effective functioning of labs and services. These students typically not only gain high-level technical production skills, but also develop instructional, collaborative, and administrative experience by working closely with students, faculty, and technical staff. Finally, all media staff sponsor many individual contracts, which provide opportunities for students who have identified intensive individual inquiries that are not supported in the curriculum at large. In general, media staff are central to the success of media-based programs and are viewed as colleagues by the Expressive Arts faculty, whose programs they support. These working relationships form the backbone of Media Services.<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Institutes=====<br />
As described thus far, library and information resources instructors regularly work with, instruct, and support the teaching faculty through individual collaboration. In addition, they design and teach several faculty institutes each summer. Faculty institutes create valuable connections among faculty, library, media, and academic computing instructors. Recent information technology institutes have focused on specific applications such as teaching statistics with Excel, using online collaborative tools to foster learning communities, or creating program Web pages. Some years, substantive discussions of information technology literacy as opposed to hands-on training have been offered. During institutes, faculty are often afforded paid time for self-directed work that focuses on their program planning. In these instances, faculty evaluate technology, practice using it, and plan how to incorporate applications into their programs.<br />
<br />
====5.B.3 Availability of Policies====<br />
<br />
''Policies, regulations, and procedures for systematic development and management of information resources, in all formats, are documented, updated, and made available to the institution’s constituents.''<br />
<br />
The Web provides a venue for all policies, regulations, and procedures for all information resources and services. <br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Policies,_regulations,_and_procedures_for_the_development and_management_of_library_and_information_resources,_including_collection_development_and_weeding|Required Exhibit 2: Policies, Regulations, and Procedures for the Development and Management of Library and Information Resources]]<br />
<br />
====5.B.4 Participatory Planning====<br />
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''Opportunities are provided for faculty, staff, and students to participate in the planning and development of the library and information resources and services.''<br />
<br />
Faculty, staff, and students participate in the planning and development of library information resources and services. The college community values face-to-face communication and formal procedures for consultation are minimal. All learning and information resources staff and faculty receive and welcome direct requests and suggestions. As an example, good hiring represents an important decision determining how library and information services evolve and prosper. Hiring processes are broadly consultative. Committees with representation from different work units interview and recommend for all staff positions. Students, staff, and faculty representatives join in hiring committees for any major positions, especially those of administrators and faculty. These hiring processes routinely include public presentations by the candidates, which are announced to the entire college community to allow input from staff, faculty, and students.<br />
<br />
More broadly, collaborative work with teaching faculty and other clients drives the design and planning for almost all instructional and technical support. Face-to-face planning and direct engagement with teaching faculty in a program-by-program context defines the work of library and information resources across all units (see Participatory Planning 5.E.1).<br />
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====5.B.5 Networks Extend Information Resources====<br />
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''Computing and communications services are used to extend the boundaries in obtaining information and data from other sources, including regional, national, and international networks.''<br />
<br />
Consortial arrangements in the Orbis Cascade regional system offer Summit, a resource-sharing system that makes it possible to satisfy almost any book and most media requests generated by the individualistic interests of students working on independent projects. The Summit system includes thirty-five academic libraries from Oregon and Washington and delivers resources within two or three days. Students also use many highly specialized materials from periodicals databases, which have expanded the number of journal subscriptions Evergreen holds eight to nine times over the self-study period. This enhancement is largely due to the Cooperative Library Project (CLP), a state-funded resource-sharing project among the four-year Washington state baccalaureates.<br />
<br />
Consortial purchases have reduced per-title costs dramatically and have strengthened areas of the curriculum not necessarily the focus of a core liberal arts collection. For example, psychology, education, and business were heavily emphasized in the most recent round of shared purchasing by CLP. Finally, ILLiad, the interlibrary loan system, brings journal articles to the students' mailboxes and e-mail accounts within a few days. There are almost no discernible limits to accessing published information for any researcher except those who need to present within twenty-four hours. Effective campus networks supported by Computing and Communication's technical support staff make this possible. College-wide steps that have made efficient resource sharing and online information possible have included implementing the Banner student records system and establishing e-mail as the official student communications medium.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.C – Facilities and Access===<br />
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''The institution provides adequate facilities for library and information resources, equipment, and personnel. These resources, including collections, are readily available for use by the institution’s students, faculty, and staff on the primary campus and where required off-campus.''<br />
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====5.C.1 Availability of Information Resource Facilities====<br />
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''Library and information resources are readily accessible to all students and faculty. These resources and services are sufficient in quality, level, breadth, quantity, and currency to meet the requirements of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[Media: Major_Faciities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 and 2 of the [[Media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]] specifically considered networking, telecommunications, and other information technology relevant to accessibility. The campus network was lauded as "solid and reliable." The network itself is described technically in Area 1 of the report. Expansion of wireless access from 75% to the entire campus was recommended; this work is proceeding and has the budgetary support to continue into the future. Most classrooms have been networked with display capability, spreading library and information technology access to large portions of the curriculum. This changes the presumptions of the faculty and students and greatly increases the frequency with which social software, digitized presentations, and other multi-media information technology is incorporated in programs. The Edutech report also recommended establishing at least one dedicated teleconferencing space for general use, which is planned within the [[media: CNM.doc|Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)]]. According to Edutech, "student access to computers at Evergreen does not seem to be a problem."<br />
<br />
=====The Information Technology Wing=====<br />
<br />
'''LIR Facilities and Services Visibly Interconnect'''<br />
<br />
With the generic library as a foundation and the interdisciplinary curriculum as the context, merged collections and services build upon an alternative past. Library and information resources thus collaborate actively across academic and administrative departmental boundaries. The major remodel, implementing a newly consolidated Information Technology Wing, substantially strengthened opportunities for connecting services, facilities, and staff. One central, broad entrance now provides access to the Library, the Computer Center, Media Loan and the stairs to Electronic Media, Photo Services and Computing and Communications. See [[media: Consultant%27s_Site_Visit_Report_2004.doc | Consultant Pre-Remodel Report]] for an assessment of facility requirements produced before the project. For further detail, extensive documents describing the project are available in the documents room.<br />
<br />
'''More Teaching and Study Spaces'''<br />
<br />
The ideal of collaborative learning shaped the remodel. Shared study spaces predominate, whether open area study tables, grouped lounge furniture, pod-shaped arrangements in labs, or small group study and media viewing rooms. Wireless access allows informal group work around personal or library-owned laptops. Additional laboratory spaces provide easier scheduling for program work and more computers for individuals when classes do not use the labs. Limited quiet study areas provide an alternative for the solitary scholar; at the same time, small group work is facilitated and encouraged. Overall, the Information Technology Wing has shed barren hallways and utilitarian desks in favor of lounge areas and comfortable study spaces. Overstuffed couches and chairs, large tables, task lighting, and more room for collections all contribute to the conviviality that informs shared inquiry.<br />
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'''Hospitable Spaces and Blended Access'''<br />
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Art exhibitions invite patrons into lounge and study areas and help define the Library as a public space. The new basement lounge, affectionately dubbed the "Library Underground," hosts frequent campus gatherings and public readings, although flooding (a new issue since the remodel) disrupted the area several times in 2006-07. Groups from across campus meet, study, and teach in library spaces, which are open to all and where food and drink have always been allowed. The Sound and Image Library (SAIL) media collections are prominently located in the reference area, where SAIL staff work closely with the reference librarians. The newly established Assisted Technology Lab (ATL) conjoins the SAIL and has become a vital meeting place for students to work and show their art and media productions. Again, SAIL and reference staff provide service and technical support for ATL patrons. As the physical reference collection continues to shrink, reference, the SAIL, the ATL, and Circulation will continue forming a more blended and prominent shared public presence.<br />
<br />
=====More General Access Lab Facilities=====<br />
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Rapid developments in networked information technology have blurred between general and specialized technology labs. The main computer center includes many specialized scientific software packages such as ArcGIS and Mathematica, while common graphic manipulation software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, appear in the CAL. Similarly, the Computer Center supports high-level statistics applications such as R, as well as digital music editing. The library computers provide basic Office applications and general Web access in addition to library-specific searches, but specific library computers also provide GIS, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, assistive/adaptive technology, and scanning applications, while the SAIL provides multiple stations for basic media dubbing, transfer, and editing. Switching to a single user domain and sign-on means simpler, more consistent access to networked resources across campus. The Digital Imaging and Multimedia facilities provide applications for advanced media production, but are open to all students. Some specialty labs have self-contained resources, such as large format printers or applications requiring more sophisticated hardware. However, the primary distinction among labs is the level of expertise and specialized knowledge of the staff. Students benefit when they know the specialized character of a lab means there will be more skilled assistance.<br />
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====5.C.2 Cooperative Agreements====<br />
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''In cases of cooperative arrangements with other library and information resources, formal documented agreements are established. These cooperative relationships and externally provided information sources complement rather than substitute for the institution’s own adequate and accessible core collection and services.''<br />
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Despite greatly expanded information access through Summit and shared purchasing agreements, the Library continues strong support for the core collection within budgetary constraints created by budget cuts and inflation. Over time, Summit circulation data will provide specific reports on areas of the collection where students and faculty consistently or repeatedly demonstrate the need for more depth. Additionally, the Orbis Cascade Alliance is working on shared collection development guidelines to help design complementary collections. <br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures and Methods]].<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Formal.2C_written_agreements_with_other_libraries |Required Exhibit 11 Formal Agreements with Other Libraries]].<br />
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==Standard 5.D – Personnel and Management==<br />
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''Personnel are adequate in number and in areas of expertise to provide services in the development and use of library and information resources.''<br />
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===5.D.1 Sufficiency of Staffing===<br />
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''The institution employs a sufficient number of library and information resources staff to provide assistance to users of the library and to students at other learning resources sites.''<br />
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The chart below suggests that library and information resources staffing is similar to that of comparable public institutions, falling between the averages of peer public liberal arts colleges (COPLAC) and the larger regional universities in the state (WA Regionals in the table below). Note that Evergreen (TESC) and other public college library staffing averages are significantly below the staffing for groups made up largely of private Ivies, DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives), and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning). <br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Staffing Comparisons'''<br />
<br />
| Library || Professionals/FTE || Total Staff/FTE <br />
|-<br />
| TESC || 1.93 || 7.5 <br />
|-<br />
| DEEP || 4.65 || 16.32 <br />
|- <br />
| CTCL || 4.79 || 14.71 <br />
|-<br />
| CIEL || 5.51 || 13.43 <br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC || 2.67 || 8.55 <br />
|-<br />
| WA Regionals || 1.41 || 5.62 <br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
(N.B. The staff count for Evergreen has been halved since approximately 50% of Library and Media Services staffing is devoted to Media Services production, instruction, and equipment check-out. At other institutions, these services, if they are offered at all, reside in academic departments such as media arts or education.) <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses staffing in Area 3. The report shows staffing to be average when compared to similar institutions in terms of size, mission, and culture. <br />
<br />
Because library use at Evergreen compares favorably to more heavily staffed private liberal arts colleges and because all areas sustain a substantial instructional role, there are areas of strain. The rapid expansion of technology-driven services and collections also creates stresses, despite reallocation of staff as media and technologies shift. Following are the primary areas of concern:<br />
<br />
* Support for rapidly expanded classroom technology, an additional demand on top of general institutional growth<br />
* Staffing for greater focus on curriculum planning and engagement with faculty in Academic Computing <br />
* Staffing to support expanding electronic library resource collections (ordering, contracts, management, evaluation, etc.)<br />
* Weakened presence of faculty librarians due to the loss of one line in budget cuts during the self-study period<br />
<br />
===5.D.2 Staff Qualifications===<br />
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''Library and information resources staff include qualified professional and technical support staff, with required specific competencies, whose responsibilities are clearly defined.''<br />
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The balance of librarians to other library staff is weighted toward non-professionals when compared to other liberal arts college libraries. Further, as librarians rotate into the full-time curriculum, they temporarily leave behind reference work, management, administration, and collection development. Any sustained work, such as Web-page development, is interrupted by these regular absences. Further, full-time teaching faculty rotate into the Library as neophytes who need training and who present widely disparate skills, abilities, and ambitions. Beyond the system of rotation, with its concomitant duties, librarians are contractually obligated to participate in college governance and curriculum planning, not to mention their own scholarly projects and sabbaticals. Librarians have nine-month contracts and several are absent during the summer sessions when the Library is minimally staffed. These organizational facts mean that Evergreen has no managerial class of librarians. Instead, the team of faculty librarians share management with staff. Paraprofessionals head almost all departments, including Circulation, Government Publications, Periodicals, Technical Services, and Acquisitions. Their year-round presence and regular workdays provide consistency for development of services, maintenance of collections, public service, and supervision of classified staff and student workers. In this collaborative environment, staff often lead the way in adopting new services. The tremendous commitment by the staff grounds the Library and makes it an ideal teaching environment. <br />
<br />
Most library faculty carry both subject and library master's credentials in order to support their teaching as well as their role as professional librarians (see [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Vitae_of_professional_library_staff | CVs of professional library staff]]). <br />
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As is the case with librarians, many media staff and instructors carry additional graduate training. Graduate degrees noted by staff other than librarians include three MPAs, two MFAs, an MA in art history, an MEd and EdS, an MSE (technical engineering), an MS in chemistry, and an MS in computer information systems. The library faculty, whose roles require substantial attention to teaching and governance outside the Library, must depend upon library staff as managers of major services and functions within the Library. Highly experienced staff with significant levels of responsibility keep the Library not just open, but anticipating and embracing change and new opportunities for service (see 5.B.2 Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing for a discussion of media instructors as artists and teaching faculty).<br />
<br />
In the realm of technical support, the Edutech report recommended assigning "staff responsibilities more specifically." More specific responsibilities and positions have been implemented in Technical Support Services. In the smaller units that provide distributed service and instruction such as the CAL, Academic Computing, and Media Services, this stricter delineation of support functions is not as clearly appropriate. Instead, it is often valuable for staff to be well versed on all or most aspects of the instruction or service required and in direct communication with the student, staff, or faculty who needs help. For example, the liaison system in Academic Computing assumes that in most cases a faculty member will receive all aspects of support from one liaison, or that the liaison will coordinate the support and instruction required.<br />
<br />
All staff and faculty have engaged new skills as the information technology evolves. Multiple reclassifications have assured that staff job descriptions and pay scales match new expectations for technological expertise. Staff have also shifted the location of their work partially or entirely as budget cuts and new programs such as Summit and ILLiad have relocated the areas of greatest stress. Increased emphasis on technology in many positions has led to reclassifications and increases in salaries for some staff, resulting in compression of salaries for some managers. A campus-wide study of exempt salaries is expected to address this issue.<br />
<br />
===5.D.3 Professional Growth===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides opportunities for professional growth for library and information resources professional staff.''<br />
<br />
The library faculty are fully funded for professional activities through the central faculty professional development funds and policies, as well as through faculty institutes. <br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultyfundingopportunities.pdf|Faculty Development at Evergreen]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionalleave_policy.pdf|Professional Leave (Faculty Handbook 6.100)]] <br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionaltravel_policy.pdf|Professional Travel (Faculty Handbook 6.200)]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development (Faculty Handbook 6.300)]]<br />
<br />
The remaining library and media services staff may request up to $500 annually from a pool of $2,500. Additional funding has been requested to bring the maximum benefit up to $750 in order to be consistent with the rest of academics, but this funding has not been granted thus far. Non-state funds from the Friends of the Library have been allocated for retreats and other staff meetings in order to compensate for some of this differential access to professional development funds. <br />
<br />
Computing and Communications allocates more than $40,000 per year to support attendance of technical staff at technical conferences and trainings. This allows staff to expand their skills with current technology, increase their knowledge of new and advancing technology, and connect with peers from other institutions and experts in specific technologies. These training opportunities are critical to the team’s ability to support teaching and learning and to provide management of the college’s administrative systems (see [[Media:CC Training spreadsheet.xls | CC Training Spreadsheet]]).<br />
<br />
===5.D.4 Organizational Structure===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services are organized to support the accomplishment of institutional mission and goals. Organizational arrangements recognize the need for service linkage among complementary resource bases (e.g., libraries, computing facilities, instructional media and telecommunication centers).''<br />
<br />
The fundamental organizing principle of library and information resources at Evergreen is that an interdisciplinary curriculum demands integrated services. Beyond that, the founding vision aspired to provide all media, in any location. Contemporary networked technology and the expectations of students now create a climate in which barriers between different information can and must be dissolved. For all these reasons, blended resources, facilities, and services predominate throughout Standard 5.<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Founding_Vision_of_the_Library:_Any_Medium.2C_Any_Location|The Founding Vision: Any Medium, Any Location]].<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Information_Technology_Wing|The Information Technology Wing]].<br />
<br />
====Shared Technology Creates the Need for More Shared Work====<br />
<br />
Media applications, which were once physically limited to Media Services, are now located, maintained, taught, and used throughout the facilities administered by Academic Computing and, to a degree, the Library. Similarly, library resources, which were once physically limited to the Library building, are now found anywhere within reach of the Web. Public computers, once found only in the Computer Center, are everywhere, as are privately-owned laptops. These shifts have accelerated during the past ten years and have changed the instructional roles of the areas and their relationship to the curriculum. Undoubtedly, library and information resources will continue to distribute their budgets, facilities, and staff to continue expanding access to information technology in academic programs and for individual students.<br />
<br />
As technologies have changed, so have the relationships among the Library, Media Services, and Computing, which now share in the communal project of interconnecting, teaching, and supporting our information and technological resources. At this juncture, there seems little point in redesigning the administrative structures that oversee these areas because new relationships and responsibilities have evolved organically, based on need, demand, and interest, and will continue to do so. In order to ensure that these effective working relationships continue to develop, reinforcing connections such as joint staffing, deliberately planning together, and continuing involvement across the areas when hiring for new staff and particularly administrators must be emphasized. <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]] suggested that the existing distributed structures were valuable, but recommended greatly enhancing the role and formal responsibilities of the ITCH to assure better planning in consonance with the mission of the college. See 5.E for fuller discussion of this recommendation. Edutech did not capture the centrality of the teaching role in major portions of the information resources environment at Evergreen. It is teaching and its development that assures the most important connections between the academic mission of the college, the educational program, and IT services of all kinds. While the Library and Media Services collaborate as a matter of course with Academic Computing, the real challenge remains: How to more thoroughly engage the teaching faculty across the curriculum in defining the role of information technology in the academic careers of our students.<br />
<br />
===5.D.5 Engagement in Curriculum Development===<br />
<br />
''The institution consults library and information resources staff in curriculum development.''<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures & Methods 5.B.1]]<br />
<br />
===5.D.6 Library and Information Resources Budgets===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides sufficient financial support for library and information resources and services, and for their maintenance and security.''<br />
<br />
Similar to staffing levels noted above, the Library is well funded compared to other regional public baccalaureates in the state (WA State Public in the table below) and peer public liberal arts libraries nationally (COPLAC in the table below). This comparatively rich funding reflects a historical recognition of the demands of open inquiry and independent research and the centrality of library research in a liberal arts education. Both funding and use rates closely match those of the private liberal arts libraries which predominate the DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives) and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning) peer groups. Thus, the general funding level for the Evergreen Library compares closely to that of institutions with similar missions, services, and roles within their institutions. For further discussion of the role of libraries in liberal arts colleges, see [[Standard_5#Comparing_Use_Statistics_With_Other_Libraries | Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries (5.E)]]. On the other hand, the library budget reported below includes Media Services (approximately 50% of library staffing falls into this category). Most libraries do not include any of the functions provided by Media Services at Evergreen. Instead, these functions, including media instruction, media-production facilities, media production to support college activities, and portable media production equipment check-out, if offered at all, would be part of an academic department such as education or media arts. If Media Services costs and services were not considered, then budgets are close to those of other public institutions, while use statistics are comparable to private liberal arts institutions. <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! FTE<br />
! Circulation+ILL/FTE<br />
! Expenditures/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| '''Evergreen'''<br />
| '''4153'''<br />
| '''31'''<br />
| '''$782'''<br />
|-<br />
| DEEP Colleges<br />
| 2046<br />
| 18<br />
| $829<br />
|-<br />
| CTCL<br />
| 1506<br />
| 23<br />
| $859<br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC<br />
| 3742<br />
| 16<br />
| $464<br />
|-<br />
| CIEL<br />
| 7042<br />
| 25<br />
| $794<br />
|-<br />
| WA State Public<br />
| 11,415<br />
| 15<br />
| $373<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
As budget cuts have reduced both staffing and collections, diversified revenue sources have become a high priority for library administration. Generous biennial infusions from the central academic budget have withered since earlier study periods. Indirect funds from activity grants to the faculty, major gifts from donors, book sales, and fines for lost or destroyed books have all increased to make up important non-state sources for collection development. The development of facilities and programming have been supported through major donors, with the library dean and the campus fundraisers focusing significant attention on these efforts.<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses budgets in Area 4 and compares Evergreen to similar schools on the basis of physical environment, enrollment numbers, education goals and aspirations, residential nature, tuition, and governance structure. The review determined that Evergreen devotes considerable resources to IT and is consistent with its peers. In 2005, Evergreen’s expenditure on IT—expressed as a percentage of total institutional expenditures—was 6.7%. This percentage aligns with the 6.7% reported by Computing in a 2006 survey of public four-year colleges. The average for all institutions was 6.5%. Generally, IT is funded comparably to institutions with similar missions and culture. The report recommended that budget processes should be addressed that take into account the heavy demands upon replacement, operation, and maintenance as IT becomes ubiquitous in the classroom, as well as in labs.<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Comprehensive_budget.28s.29_for_library_and_information_resources |Comprehensive Budget (Required Exhibit 9)]]<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.E – Planning and Evaluation==<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources planning activities support teaching and learning functions by facilitating the research and scholarship of students and faculty. Related evaluation processes regularly assess the quality, accessibility, and use of libraries and other information resource repositories and their services to determine the level of effectiveness in support of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
====Evaluating Information Services and Collections====<br />
<br />
Assessments of Evergreen's library and information resources confirm support for the academic mission of the college as a public liberal arts college that expects a substantial number of students to engage in self-selected independent inquiry. Utilization patterns among Evergreen students correlate closely to the intensive use found among liberal arts colleges as opposed to lower use rates found among more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
=====Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries=====<br />
<br />
In 2002, Washington's four-year public baccalaureate institutions implemented the Cascade resource-sharing consortium. This start-up provided an amazing new service and an opportunity to assess how rapidly a major new service might be implemented. Evergreen patrons borrowed 9,723 items during the first year, more than any other library, even though Evergreen was by far the smallest institution in the consortium at that time. Although ten times bigger than Evergreen, the University of Washington borrowed just under 7,000 items during the first year. The quick acceptance of Cascade testified to the efficient connection between the Library, library instruction, and the teaching faculty and curriculum at large. <br />
<br />
Cascade became Orbis Cascade as the Washington and Oregon academic consortia merged. The new resource-sharing service, entitled Summit, provides ongoing comparative statistics. To continue comparison with the original members of Cascade, in 2006, Evergreen borrowed 4.52 items per FTE; almost four times the next heaviest user at 1.15 items borrowed per student. Although one might assume that small collection size drives this higher demand, the fact is that the Evergreen collection circulates at a high rate per student as well, according to federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data. <br />
<br />
IPEDS data for 2006 also provide the opportunity to compare use statistics of liberal arts colleges with Evergreen and with small master's-level universities (Carnegie Class Master's I), where strong distinctions appear again. When both circulation and interlibrary loan are counted, Evergreen circulates 31 items per FTE, liberal arts colleges nationally average 24 items per FTE, and the Master's I institutions circulate 8.34 per FTE. <br />
<br />
The same dramatic distinction between liberal arts colleges and comprehensive institutions appears in the Summit consortium, which covers a full array of colleges and universities in Oregon and Washington. The following table lists the heaviest users from the member libraries, based upon their rates of use per FTE in 2006. Evergreen places high on the list, among the most highly ranked liberal arts colleges, which placed well above usage rates at more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! Number of Items Borrowed<br />
! FTE<br />
! Items/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| Reed College<br />
| 20,480<br />
| 1,268<br />
| 16.15<br />
|-<br />
| George Fox University<br />
| 14,427<br />
| 2,392<br />
| 6.03<br />
|-<br />
| Marylhurst University<br />
| 4,548<br />
| 852<br />
| 5.34<br />
|-<br />
| Lewis & Clark College<br />
| 14,386<br />
| 2,953<br />
| 4.87<br />
|-<br />
| '''The Evergreen State College'''<br />
| '''16,118'''<br />
| ''' 4,200'''<br />
| '''3.84'''<br />
|-<br />
| Whitman College<br />
| 6,672<br />
| 1,803<br />
| 3.70<br />
|-<br />
| Willamette University<br />
| 9,164<br />
| 2,511<br />
| 3.65<br />
|-<br />
| University of Puget Sound<br />
| 7,570<br />
| 2,742<br />
| 2.76<br />
|-<br />
| Seattle Pacific University<br />
| 8,589<br />
| 3,466<br />
| 2.48<br />
|-<br />
| Linfield<br />
| 5,354<br />
| 2,331<br />
| 2.30<br />
|-<br />
| Western Oregon University<br />
| 8,623<br />
| 3,992<br />
| 2.16<br />
|-<br />
| University of Portland<br />
| 6,764<br />
| 3,211<br />
| 2.11<br />
|-<br />
| University of Oregon<br />
| 38,796<br />
| 18,880<br />
| 2.05<br />
|-<br />
| Eastern Oregon University<br />
| 4,620<br />
| 2,306<br />
| 2.00<br />
|-<br />
| Pacific University<br />
| 4,232<br />
| 2,341<br />
| 1.81<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(Source: [[Media: summit_statistics.xls|Summit Borrowing Statistics FY06]])<br />
<br />
Thus it is clear that, as of 2006, Evergreen library utilization mirrors the practices of liberal arts colleges. High-use rates also seem to reflect an academic emphasis on major student projects. For instance, at Reed College, which requires a senior thesis, the college library circulates or borrows 120 items per student. On the other hand, looking ahead, ''academic library use patterns are in a period of dramatic change.'' In 2007, the University of Washington implemented WorldCat Local, which provides immediate click-though prompts, leading the user from local catalog to Summit to some journal databases, periodical holdings, and interlibrary loan if appropriate. Summit use at the University of Washington doubled since implementation and interlibrary loan has also increased steeply. A large increase in borrowing at the University of Washington drives lending rates throughout the Summit system, but even more important, it suggests that discovery tools will dramatically increase usage without change in the library instructional program or academic practices. The Orbis Cascade consortium will soon be implementing WorldCat as the shared Summit catalog and many libraries in the consortium will undoubtedly implement WorldCat Local as their local library catalog as well.<br />
<br />
=====Library and Computer Center Use & Satisfaction Rates=====<br />
<br />
The data above demonstrate that library and information resources are comparatively well utilized. While high rates of use suggest something about effectiveness, surveys of popularity (frequency of use and satisfaction with use) provide further affirmation. Institutional Research routinely surveys alumni and students about campus resources. A summary of campus resource utilization (See [[Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]) shows that during the six-year period, the Library and the computing facilities have been the top two most used campus facilities, trading off for first place. Alumni who were somewhat or very satisfied with the services have reported in at between 87% and 92% during the period surveyed. <br />
<br />
Starting in 2006, the [[media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Campus_Resources_Utilization_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)]] included questions about using library resources online and found that 85.2% of respondents use online library resources. Internal records also suggest phenomenal growth in online use of library resources. In 2000, when the Library subscribed to three aggregate journal databases (Proquest, Ebscohost and JSTOR), users conducted 80,000 searches. In 2007, among approximately 30 subscription databases, there were well over 250,000 searches. Careful review of variations of use from year to year reveals the direct impact a fluid curriculum has on database use. For example, Modern Language Association International Bibliography statistics are quite erratic; one major project in a large academic program explains a fivefold increase of use in one year. As JSTOR has developed into a more deeply and broadly multi-interdisciplinary tool, use statistics show a shift away from heavy dependence on the less scholarly aggregates. Extensive lobbying by faculty and librarians encourages this shift toward use of scholarly resources such as JSTOR. Use statistics for periodicals and databases drive selection and instruction planning. When use statistics are low for a database seen by the library faculty as critical to a discipline or of particularly high academic value, then library faculty focus instruction on that database whenever appropriate.<br />
<br />
=====Media Services User Surveys=====<br />
<br />
Institutional Research and Assessment added Media Services to its alumni survey of campus resource utilization starting in 2004. Since then, Media Services has been listed as the fifth most utilized resource. Alumni reported being somewhat or very satisfied at a rate of 89% and 90% in the two survey years (see [[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]).<br />
<br />
The 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)asked students about their use of Media Services, which showed 48% use of Media Loan (see [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Campus_Resource_Utilization_Olympia.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Campus Resource Utilization - Olympia]]). A survey designed and implemented by staff member Lin Crowley supplemented this data. Crowley’s respondents reported an average satisfaction level for each service ranging from 3.07 to 3.62 (out of 4), which indicated that those who used current services were generally fairly satisfied with each of the services they use.<br />
<br />
Although respondents to Crowley’s survey were predominantly active Media Services users, many respondents were uninformed about some services. Respondents supported investment in new digital technologies, but most were unaware of new or planned digital facilities. One clear conclusion of the survey is that visibility and access could be better for some services. Suggested improvements often focused on access, whether longer hours, more workshops, or more facilities. The survey project director recommended that future follow-up surveys be conducted to compare whether the reasons people use each service change and to evaluate the satisfaction levels for each type of services by patron types. See [[Media : TESC_Media_Services_Assessment_Project.doc | Evergreen Media Services Assessment Project]]<br />
<br />
====Evaluation of Teaching and Instructional Programs: Information Technology Literacy====<br />
<br />
The strong focus on teaching throughout library and information resources suggests the following questions: 1) In a college without requirements, does information technology instruction reach enough students to assure that the vast majority of graduates develop skills in support of their inquiries? 2) Which students are taught? Do students receive information technology instruction in an array of disciplinary and developmentally varied situations or is it happening only in pockets of the curriculum? 3) Is it working? Are students acquiring cross-curricular information technology, including media literacy?<br />
<br />
=====How many students are taught?=====<br />
<br />
About 3,000 students attend program-based library instruction workshops annually. These statistics exclude most cases of repeated contacts with the same student and thus represent very broad coverage of the student body. <br />
<br />
From 2000 to 2007, Media Services offered a total of more than 1,500 workshops to approximately 156 academic programs. This number does not include the thousands of quick proficiencies also provided by the area. The number of formal media workshops given and students reached in 2005 and 2006 were each more than double the numbers provided in 2000. Workshops have increased along with new technologies, especially in Media Loan and in the new Multimedia and Digital Imaging Studio (DIS) labs.<br />
<br />
Most instruction provided by Academic Computing and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) serves specific academic programs. These sessions are represented in the following table:<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Computer Lab Workshops for Academic Programs''' (cells represent academic programs/number of students)<br />
<br />
| Year || 2004-05 || 2005-06 || 2006-07<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Center || 221/4,423 || 171/3,418 || 253/4,880<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Applications Lab || 50/1,368 || 50/1,248 || 52/1,344<br />
|-<br />
| Totals || 271/5,791 || 191/4,666 || 305/6,224<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Up until 2007, Academic Computing offered 30 to 40 general computer skills workshops per year in the Computer Center, attended by approximately 350 students. Professional staff focused these workshops on general technical skill building, independent of academic programs. Over time, fewer students were attending these workshops, presumably because more students come to college with strong technical skills and with specialized self-determined needs for support. In response to waning attendance, Academic Computing redesigned the workshops as student-centered support sessions to which students bring their questions or projects. This student-centered structure should more effectively meet the specific demands of students. Computing will evaluate the success of this reinvented structure. All areas of library, media, and computing find the strongest teaching and the greatest demand for instruction occurs in conjunction with programs.<br />
<br />
=====Which Students?=====<br />
<br />
The number of teaching contacts shows that library and information resources staff reach a large number of academic programs, but does not indicate which programs. End-of-program surveys conducted from 2001 to 2006 by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment asked faculty, “Did your students use technology to present work, conduct research (including library research), or solve problems? If yes, How?” Not surprisingly, faculty answered that library/Internet research skills were the most commonly used at 50%, followed by some form of presentation technology. Ninety percent of programs reported some substantial use of information technology. (See[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]])<br />
<br />
In 2006-07, questions were revised to more accurately identify programs where there was intentional focus on teaching ITL: "Did your program include activities to improve information technology literacy?" With this more restrictive language, 70% of programs reported including ITL. (See[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]) <br />
<br />
Further, in 2006-07, a follow-up question asked specifically which kind of technology was taught. Significantly different technologies predominate in different parts of the curriculum. No standard set of applications comes into play, although as of 2006-07, presentation technologies (at 42% of all programs) have increased by 70% over their use in the 2001 to 2006 reports and now begin to approach library and Internet research in their prevalence at 50%. Online communication applications were reported by 32% of programs, an increase of 19% over the 2001-2006 data. <br />
<br />
Reservation-based programs reported library and Internet research at the highest rate, at 100% of programs, although this work was weakly connected to library instruction and therefore it is unclear whether academic library-supplied resources were used. At the other end of the spectrum, Culture, Text, and Language was lowest with 21% reporting library or Internet searching. The remainder of planning units ranged between 43% and 50% library/Internet use, with Core programs at the low end with 43%.<br />
<br />
The substantial move toward presentation media and online communication in programs drives increases in multimedia applications. Presentation technology and online communication applications encourage the use of still and moving images, sound clips, graphs, and charts. These media are mixed with traditional print communication written by students or linked from Web resources. While these media and print applications involve basic, commonly used applications of information technology, they easily migrate toward more advanced media production. The increasing presence of multimedia information technology in Evergreen's learning communities drives further demand upon Media Services and Academic Computing, along with increased overlap of their teaching and service roles.<br />
<br />
Since its inception in the context of Holly’s generic library, Media Services has followed its mission to support media literacy and instruction across the curriculum. During the last ten years, Media Services have changed dramatically as the personal computer has become the platform for entry-level media production and consumption. One measure of this change has materialized in how media staff have served programs through formal workshops since fall 2000. The scheduling data shows that almost 90% of formal program-based workshops serve Expressive Arts faculty. While this scheduling data does not cover equipment proficiency workshops or one-on-one instruction, both used more broadly across the curriculum, it is nevertheless clear that formal instruction by media staff focuses heavily on Expressive Arts programs, with an emphasis on advanced production applications, the exclusive provenance of expressive arts faculty. Media Services provides this advanced instruction in specialized labs, which were enhanced and expanded during the remodel. One effect of this specialization is that entry-level students have migrated to Academic Computing, where the staff works in collaboration with media staff to provide instruction on entry-level media-production applications. In fact, during fall and winter 2006-07, 68% of the faculty who requested workshops in Computer Center were from planning units other than Expressive Arts, and many of these workshops included media instruction (Photoshop, iMovie, Flash, etc.). <br />
<br />
Just as in the Computer Center, the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) shows a trend toward more broadly used applications. Although the CAL has traditionally focused on the science curriculum in the Environmental Studies and Scientific Inquiry planning units, these users have begun to share their space with those who have less specialized demands. Roughly 60% to 70% of the classes in the CAL now work with statistical or numeric analysis, primarily Excel, but also with Graphical Analysis, R, and SPSS. Ninety percent of CAL users prepare presentations, most often with Powerpoint, Word, Illustrator and Excel. Approximately 60% of the programs meeting in the CAL still use analytical tools, including (in order of usage) ArcGIS, Mathematica, and Stella, which were once the focal point of all CAL applications. Science faculty have shifted their emphasis to on-site analysis, using advanced applications in specialized scientific labs in ways that parallel the shift in Media Services toward advanced applications. Meanwhile, the CAL and the Computer Center serve increasing numbers of students who seek instruction or support for the increasingly powerful personal computing applications in media production, statistical analysis, and presentation media.<br />
<br />
=====Does Library Instruction Result in ITL Gains?=====<br />
<br />
The Library, consistent with college-wide practices, rejects requirements and embraces students who engage in open inquiry and independent judgment. In this context, the Library supports a fluid curriculum and responds to changes that drive the needs and expectations of an innovative teaching faculty. Standard or standardized assessment methods do not apply because the Library shapes teaching according to individual students, a fluid curriculum, and highly diverse pedagogy. Instead, the Library commits to the intensive and never-ending task of recreating learning goals, student-by-student, program-by-program. Context is everything, which obviates the role of abstract standardized measures.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the Library does engage in qualitative assessment, the descriptive characterization of ITL teaching and learning. As is the case throughout the faculty (see Standard 2.B.3, Engagement and Reflection), library faculty write annual evaluations of themselves and their library and teaching colleagues. They also engage in five-year reviews in which a panel of teaching colleagues discusses their work. These evaluations consistently address instructional aspirations, successes, and failures. See [[Media: Reflections_on_library_instruction.doc | Reflections on Library Instruction]]. <br />
<br />
Further, under the leadership of the Office of Institutional Research, the librarians designed a project that assessed students as they worked through real research inquiries. The study, [[media: ActivityInfomationLiteracy.pdf |"The Activity of Information Literacy"]], documented the techniques and processes and even the thinking of several small samples of students as they collaborated intensively on research questions. The study showed that these particular students were stronger in their grasp of content than they were in their command of library research tools for their specific inquiries. In other words, a question about history might not lead them to historical abstracts. They were also strong in their ability to develop their research questions and to evaluate and synthesize the results. What these results suggest is that “Faculty may want to assess their students’ abilities to obtain information and offer tutorials or refer students to the Library when deficiencies are detected.”<br />
<br />
Beyond the immediate results, this qualitative assessment also suggested that the students benefited greatly when they collaborated. Certainly, this observation is corroborated by the gains that students make when they work together in skill building instead of in canned computer workshops outside of programs. Additionally, peer groups are widely used across the curriculum as a way to encourage students to develop research topics and individual projects. Given the results of the qualitative assessment and given the widely practiced use of peer groups, library faculty should seek ways to implement collaborative research activities when they link their instruction to programs. This model of cooperation would build on the more isolated collaborations that take place, as a matter of course, between librarians and students at the reference desk. An enlarged vision of this basic transaction—discussion, exploration, and brainstorming—will enhance the relevance and effectiveness of library teaching and workshops.<br />
<br />
=====Student Assessment of Their ITL Learning=====<br />
<br />
The Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES) asks questions that elucidate what the students themselves think they learned at Evergreen. In 2006, the ESES asked, "To what extent have your Evergreen experiences contributed to your growth in ... the following computer-related fields...?" Responses generally matched fairly well with the perspectives found in the end-of-program surveys. For the category "Studying or Doing Research via the Internet or other online sources:<br />
<br />
* 30.5% of Olympia-campus students reported at least some contribution. <br />
* 47.5% reported quite a bit or a lot, for a total of 77.5%. <br />
* More than 84% of Tacoma students reported at least some, of which 50% reported quite a bit. <br />
* More than 93% of reservation-based students reported at least some contribution; 86.2% reporting quite a bit or a lot.<br />
<br />
Considering how many students express self-confidence in their research skills, and as the Internet provides so many increasingly powerful tools for personal research, it is heartening to see that a good majority of students feel they developed their research skills as part of their education at Evergreen. <br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES also asked about "Using the computer for artistic expression (e.g., music, other audio, still images, animation, video, etc.)":<br />
<br />
* More than 42% reported that Evergreen contributed "Some," "Quite a Bit," or "A Lot"<br />
* Fully 36.8% said "Not at All"<br />
* 20.9% said "Very Little"<br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES surveyed use of non-artistic computer tools, asking about specific types of applications such as spreadsheets, GIS, Web development, posters, or programming. In general, as was found in end-of-program reviews, no single type of computer application dominated. No application type was used by more than 50% of students; instead, different types of applications were used by smaller subsets of the students surveyed.<br />
<br />
===5.E.1 Participatory Planning===<br />
<br />
''The institution has a planning process that involves users, library and information resource staff, faculty, and administrators.''<br />
<br />
====Overall Planning for Collections & Services====<br />
<br />
The fluidity of interdisciplinary and individual study defines library services. The dean of Library Services strengthens the ties between academics and the Library and Media Services through weekly meetings with the provost, associate vice president for academic budget and planning, and academic dean of budget, as well as weekly academic deans meetings. Once a month, the director of computing and communications and the manager of Academic Computing also join the academic deans' meeting.<br />
<br />
The interconnection of the instructional role with the planning and support functions drives the efficacy of all the services in these areas. In the [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]], Area 5 discussed planning and governance in the Evergreen information environment. The review was somewhat critical of the lack of coordination in support, planning, and governance of IT across the campus and advocated for a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH), an organization which links library, media, and computing managers and instructors. However, the report did not emphasize how the teaching function and role in Academic Computing, the CAL, and Media Services creates strong collaboration in all service and instruction design. <br />
<br />
Further, placing library and information resources within the larger ethos of the college, any major policy discussions or long-term planning processes invoke the participatory college-wide Disappearing Task Force (DTF) structure. Budgetary processes are generally collaborative and include opportunities for review and input from the campus community (see Participatory Decision-Making Culture [Standard 1 Section 2.3] and Standard 6). The college budget process and schedule drives most mid-term library planning. (See Standard 7 Section 7.A.3).<br />
<br />
Additional opportunities for community contributions to planning include faculty who rotate into the Library and who focus on collection development and other planning projects. An annual Reference Services Group retreat establishes the year's work before classes start in the fall. Faculty development reviews, also known as five-year reviews, and faculty institutes provide opportunities for conversations across campus about a range of teaching, learning, and service questions as they impact information services. The library internship program provided a reading seminar for several years within which library faculty, staff, and interns could discuss changing information technology and its cultural meaning. Finally, the librarians often engage in faculty reading seminars, frequently focused on library issues, where shared thinking about the future of libraries evolves.<br />
<br />
====Loose Structures and Responsiveness to Rapid Change in the Information Environment====<br />
<br />
Among the organizations included in library and information resources, the Library is the largest and most embedded in tradition and thus may be the most invested in preexisting professional structures and assumptions. Additionally, a comparative lack of top-down managerial structures could lead to a tendency to stagnate in some environments. How well does the Library balance the competing demands of conservation, teaching, and technological adaptation and innovation? The success of the Library’s flat organization can be measured by the impressive way in which the Library group has responded to institutional and profession-wide changes and challenges. See the [[Media: Achievements.doc |Achievements]] document for a description of major changes in services, faculties, and collections implemented during the study period. Most of the changes are responses to opportunities provided by technological developments and external engagement in consortia. The consortia relieve any single library from much of the burden of research and develop into new technologies, an overwhelming burden for a comparatively small library such as Evergreen's. Additionally, Evergreen's library administration and staff have worked actively in leadership roles in the Orbis Cascade consortium to assure that the consortium supports efficient, cost-effective movement into the world of networked and shared resources.<br />
<br />
===5.E.2 Planning Linkages===<br />
<br />
''The institution, in its planning, recognizes the need for management and technical linkages among information resource bases (e.g., libraries, instructional computing, media production and distribution centers, and telecommunications networks).''<br />
<br />
====Planning Across LIR====<br />
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With networked information technology and almost universal access to digitized academic information resources, coordination of planning across library and information resources has become increasingly critical. The information technology staff and librarians from across the administrative units found that while administrative restructuring did not appear to provide a more effective connection among services, it was nevertheless wise to imagine a new structure to foster collaboration. A cross-areas collaborative group entitled the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH) was created, which provides the most formal mechanism for collaboration around technology across the various parts of the college. <br />
<br />
Evergreen supports three ITCH groups: Academic, Administrative, and Core. The Academic ITCH meets at least once a month and includes professional staff from each of the primary technology labs, faculty, and interested students. The Academic ITCH coordinates general academic IT initiatives, helps develop general academic computing policy, and guides strategic planning. Professional staff members in each of the primary technology areas have developed strong connections to discipline-specific slices of the curriculum, faculty, and academic administration. As the ITCH develops, the members will explore ways to communicate and plan in cross-disciplinary and cross-divisional programs. The ITCH provides one of the necessary cross-curricular and cross-divisional contexts for developing information technology across administratively distinct areas. The Administrative ITCH plans for administrative IT support and the Core ITCH acts as the coordinating body for all areas of IT represented in the ITCH.<br />
<br />
The ITCH created a strategic plan in conjunction with the campus-wide strategic planning process in 2007. Strategic Direction number 7 addresses technology. The statement is notable for the breadth of its concerns, with aspirations addressing media, library, and computing technology: <br />
<br />
: Use technology to enhance teaching and learning and administrative support at Evergreen.<br />
Evergreen will intentionally foster secure, sustainable, flexible, easy-to-use, and accessible information technologies (IT) that support and enhance our teaching and learning philosophies and the administrative needs of the institution. Evergreen’s continuing commitment to technology and media literacies as critical components of a liberal arts education has led us to re-envision our Television Studio into a Center for New Media [now entitled the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)] that will provide cross-curricular and extra-curricular support for computer mediated production, performance, interactivity, teleconferencing, live broadcasts, digital image storage, processing, re-broadcasting, and format conversion for all areas of the college. Accuracy and quality of information will improve and strong support will make technology and a broad range of information services available to on- and off-campus users. Security requirements of networks, software, hardware and data will be met while ensuring appropriate user access, including control of access to confidential information and the need for academic exploration. Classroom spaces will be technologically current and functional for meeting curricular needs (see the complete [[Media: itchstrategicplan_wiki.pdf|IT Strategic Plan wiki]] for more detail).<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] recommended a stronger, more formal role and status for the ITCH, which has not found support from higher-level administrators who have budgetary responsibility over the divisions of the college. This means the ITCH continues to serve as a bottom-up structure of collaboration based on the experience of direct collaboration with and support for students, staff, and faculty users.<br />
<br />
====Continue Blending More Functions within Library and Information Resources====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support a surprisingly diverse infrastructure of technologies and media in the curriculum. For greatest efficiency, library and information resources should consider even more coordination across boundaries to provide technology support. Students should be able to move seamlessly between different areas, such as the CAL, the Multimedia Lab (MML), and the Computer Center. Certainly, the pathways between areas could be more clearly articulated by identifying and developing more common services, including printing, building and maintaining image sets, server file space, and common software. By taking better advantage of the network infrastructure, students will experience less confusion and IT staff who directly support the curriculum could dedicate more energy toward coordinating, developing, and designing IT strategies with academic programs instead of maintaining redundant infrastructures.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources could develop a shared perspective about their public presence. One possibility for representing blended facilities and services would be a central help desk for the Information Technology Wing. The shared entrance to the wing has become a prominent architectural feature and an opportunity to reshape the community’s understanding of what the areas collectively represent. A central help desk could provide basic information about facilities, services, and staff, and it would help facilitate how efficiently patrons move between the various floors of the wing. Continued attention to the best use of the Library Underground and how to assure its connection to other floors should be part of this process; a large, flexible teaching and gathering space is developing there and appropriate equipment will be needed to support that vision. Concurrently, assuring safety for the adjacent Archives and Rare Books Collections is critical.<br />
<br />
Construction of the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM) will begin soon. This project has distinct relevance to the changing roles of Media Services, the Library, and Academic Computing within the evolving digital liberal arts. The CCAM will comprise a collection of media production studios and equipment to complement existing Media Services and Academic Computing media resources and provide the primary bridge between the campus media infrastructure and networked digital resources. For a discussion of the CCAM and related curricular projects, see [[media: CNM.doc | Center for Creative and Applied Media]].<br />
<br />
===5.E.3 Evaluation and the Future===<br />
<br />
''The institution regularly and systematically evaluates the quality, adequacy, and utilization of its library and information resources and services, including those provided through cooperative arrangements, and at all locations where courses, programs, or degrees are offered. The institution uses the results of the evaluations to improve the effectiveness of these resources.''<br />
<br />
As part of an institution constantly engaged in processes of narrative evaluation and other forms of assessment, library and information resources engage in and are the subject of extensive assessment both within library and information resources and externally through Institutional Research and Assessment surveys and studies. In addition to formal annual processes such as budget building and annual library faculty retreats, the results of these assessments feed into the development of ongoing teaching and services through constant face-to-face interactions among faculty, administrators, staff, and students, which inform all operations. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, as cited throughout this report, provides annual surveys about library and information resources, several of which are broken down by campus.<br />
<br />
See:<br />
<br />
[[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Utilization]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf | End-of program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Workshop_-_Information_Technology_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf | End-of-program Review Workshop - Information Technology Across the Curriculum]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Transfer_Students.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_and_Technology-related_Resources.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Information Technology Literacy and Technology-related Resources]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Growth_in_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Growth in Computer Skills - Olympia Campus]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | <br />
Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]<br />
<br />
====Collections and Access====<br />
<br />
The Web presence of the Library will, of course, continue to evolve. The Library continues work on a new library front page and database search pages. It is likely that the new library front page will become the responsibility of the college-wide Web team, freeing library staff from this unfunded work. A new federated search is being implemented. Meanwhile, the Orbis Cascade consortium is migrating to WorldCat, which the Library will consider for local use as well. A local catalog designed on the principle of Web discovery tools can be expected to generate significant changes in library use. In this context, changes in staffing may be required to support increases in use of services such as Summit and ILLiad, and the content and focus of instruction may require substantial revision. Evaluation of service and instruction via peer comparisons will change, as discovery tools will generate higher uses without increased instruction. Instruction will likely need to focus even more on evaluating sources and finding those resources not easily located via discovery tools. <br />
<br />
The continued expansion of audiovisual media collections represents a critical part of the vision of the generic library. To that end, one-time funds have frequently been infused into a small base budget for film and sound recordings, and the collection has grown significantly. Sound & Image Library (SAIL) staff and selectors have emphasized both new titles and replacement of older formats and worn copies. The Library anticipates circulating the collection through Summit, which will increase wear. See [[media:SAILacq.xls|SAIL Acquisition Statistics]]. Selectors will continue a recent change of policy allowing the purchase of any medium from their funds allocated for print monographs, but a stable and larger allocation for the SAIL budget would lessen the need to do so and reduce variations in expenditures, workload, and processing. The Resource Selection Committee is currently reviewing materials budgets with the intention of reallocating funds according to the curricular demands for video and digitized reference resources. If these discussions result in a larger budget for the SAIL, there will be more work, but also more consistency. Additionally, the staff will be more deeply involved in researching Web-based media collections. This additional workload represents a challenge for the SAIL. <br />
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Digital collection development should go forward in concert with the push to digitize archival collections, including photographs, video, and copies of faculty artwork. The CCAM will take the lead in this ongoing project. <br />
<br />
Because of the Summit and ILLiad systems, the core collections do not need to support individual students who engage in inquiries that lie outside the collection profile based upon the core curriculum. However, Summit use will also allow the Library to identify whether there are any consistent weaknesses in the collection that show up as subject areas driving high borrowing rates from other institutions. The data from Summit should be analyzed over a three-year period, due to the fluidity of the curriculum, at which point the Library will decide if such data are useful in guiding collection development. <br />
<br />
The Library will continue to take advantage of the significantly increased purchasing power created by consortial agreements for periodical and other database purchases. The Library needs to keep an eye on the time and expertise required to keep up with the ever-increasing work of evaluating these agreements, purchases, and contracts and the technical work to support electronic resources, and it may want to consider creating a position for managing electronic resources. A centralized specialist working on electronic resources would potentially help the selectors by consistently researching and disseminating information about new products.<br />
<br />
Overall, long-standing assumptions about budgets for collections must be reevaluated. While major cuts were made to the monographic budget early in the study period and were only partially restored over time, it is not clear that simply restoring those funds and adding funds for inflation are the desirable next moves. The Resource Selection Committee will need to continue to explore more flexible responses to a rapidly changing publishing environment in order to match collection budgets to evolving research needs. Private fundraising and other non-state funds have helped close collection development gaps in some cases, such as the SAIL budget. Library and information resources overall have begun to receive private support for equipment and facilities projects as well. More work with the Office of College Advancement should be emphasized, as many alumni have demonstrated willingness to support the library and information resources. <br />
<br />
=====Support for Rapidly Evolving Information Technology=====<br />
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While the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] gave Evergreen good marks for its budgetary support of information technology, the report also recommended that “to follow current best practices, the replacement cycle should be permanently funded and the operations budgets need to be raised regularly to reflect the increase in technology-equipped classrooms, the increased number of servers and desktop computers that must be supported, and other increases in the technology base.” The college has begun to address this issue, proposing permanent line items in the next biennium for replacing the core server and desktops. This movement toward more permanent allocations for replacement and repair will help ensure that the infrastructure can support the curriculum. Although the ITCH can play only an advisory role, it has participated actively in the process of establishing permanent allocations, setting priorities, and sharing resources. <br />
<br />
The remodeled Information Technology Wing and the construction of the Seminar II building created dramatically more technology-equipped teaching spaces. There are now forty-nine media and computer-capable classrooms, with more on the way. Labs are equipped with computers for each student, and most classrooms now include a computer along with projection and display systems. The Library plans to convert one classroom in the Library Underground to a lab, and teaching spaces on campus still without computers or display technology are on the way to being equipped. At this point, library and information resources just manage to support the computer facilities distributed across campus. As more spaces are computerized and enrollment creeps up toward the target of 5,000, the college will have to add additional staff and funding for maintenance. All capital construction and remodeling plans must include consideration of maintenance, replacement, and support for media and networked display. <br />
<br />
As media technology has changed, some faculty choose to continue teaching older analog equipment, often for good pedagogical and aesthetic reasons. In the context of doubling instruction loads, this breadth of technologies generates a daunting challenge for Media Loan as it stretches to maintain, house, and teach a very wide array of portable equipment. Media Loan should work with the Expressive Arts faculty and other major users to reduce the range of Media Loan equipment necessary to support the curriculum.<br />
<br />
====Library Instruction====<br />
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The reduced number of library faculty has resulted in less ability to provide library instruction deeply and broadly to the entire curriculum. Further, reference desk service has changed as the Internet creates patrons who access our resources from remote locations. Most immediately, virtual patrons do not benefit from the teaching that takes place at the reference desk, although the transactions that do occur at reference tend to be more substantive. As traffic at the physical reference desk has diminished, faculty who rotate into the Library have more limited opportunities to learn about library resources through interactions with patrons. These trends should inform the reference group as they consider how to proceed in allocating team responsibilities with or without an increase in the number of library faculty.<br />
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The reference group should evaluate service to areas of the curriculum that report or demonstrate less involvement in the various forms of information technology instruction (as reflected in end of program reports), and consider whether more or different instructional support would be appropriate, feasible, or desirable. <br />
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Library instruction will evolve in the context of catalogs that imitate Web discovery tools. It is entirely likely that patrons will frequently discover services which have, until now, had to be pointed out to them. For the near future, however, finding and using the most effective, appropriate journal databases still requires instruction or intervention on the part of librarians or faculty. Evaluation of library instruction based upon comparative use statistics will probably be less valuable than in this past study period, as academic library finding tools will vary greatly for some time to come, creating widely disparate use statistics. Thus close attention to database use trends and their correlation to the implementation of new finding tools will be important in the near future.<br />
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Intensive, embedded library and media instruction remain the most desirable and effective models. Some librarians focus on these models, including such work as evaluating bibliographies, which become the basis for assessing the quality of student research and the basis for further instruction. Faculty librarians may want to explore evaluating research results more commonly as they develop their ties with programs and faculty in all disciplines, particularly if discovery tools generate easier access to resources beyond the immediate catalog search. As librarians become more involved in each stage of research, including writing or production, they should be able to provide more consistent support to students. Time for this work with students is restricted by the number of librarians, as is time for the more extended work essential to students from Tacoma and reservation-based programs, who depend so heavily upon off-campus access and have less opportunity to confer with librarians at the reference desk. Faculty who rotate into the Library must be more fully engaged in this aspect of the librarians' work in order to help balance the external teaching demands upon library faculty. <br />
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When the Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning and Writing Centers were planned into the new Information Technology Wing, the hope was for substantial collaboration. While the location of these centers within the Library brings more students in, aids the sense of hospitality, and provides convenient resources for students, collaboration has remained minimal. Thus opportunities for shared instruction and service have yet to be exploited.<br />
<br />
=====Cross-Curricular Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
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As discussed above, library and information resources and the teaching faculty assure that information technology infuses the curriculum. On the other hand, the faculty has not embraced any particular set of information technology skills as fundamental to the liberal arts undergraduate at Evergreen. Instead, faculty choose and adapt information and media technologies according to the pedagogical and disciplinary requirements of their chosen inquiry. There is little work across the curriculum about critical approaches to media or basic definitions of college-level technical literacy for the liberal arts. In the immediate future, library and information resources should invite the teaching faculty into a discussion about whether the campus has any broad consensus about Information Technology Literacy (ITL), including critical approaches. Long ago, the college committed to writing across the curriculum and allocated significant institutional resources to encourage that work—without proscriptive limits or standards. A wider discussion about ITL could produce a similar vision and institutional support. In the long run, such a vision will shape our understanding of digital scholarship in the liberal arts.<br />
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The expansion of entry-level media technology instruction raises questions about the staffing assumptions in Academic Computing. If critical approaches to information technology are to be addressed, and if cross-curricular information technology literacy is a priority for the contemporary liberal arts, then instructional staffing based on historical models of canned skills workshops may be insufficient. Academic Computing should continue current efforts to recruit instructional staff who have the expertise to work intensively in program planning and curriculum development, as well as on technical support for those activities. The numbers of such instructional IT staffing may also need to be evaluated in response to these new and expanding demands for work within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
===Conclusion: Holly's Generic Library Has Come to Fruition===<br />
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Library and information resources have been deeply influenced by the organizational habits of the college, habits of collaboration, egalitarian ideals, fluidity, face-to-face interactions, non-departmentalization, reflexive learning, and independent and interdisciplinary inquiry. The result is a responsive, flexible, evolving set of services and resources. Library and information resources faculty and staff work across the media, regardless of where services reside administratively, in order to fuse traditional library services, information services, computing, and media. Library and information resources assess technology within the context of Evergreen’s particular curriculum and implement new applications incrementally in collaborative processes involving all three areas of service and the teaching faculty. As part of that work, library and information resources have had the distinct historical advantage of presuming that information comes in all formats and that it is not only possible but advisable to break down as many barriers as possible to access information in all its forms. In this, library and information resources are shaped by their founding vision - the generic library - an idea whose time has come.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
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Findings:<br />
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1) Overall, library and information resources at Evergreen demonstrate effective development of collaborative planning, services, and instruction in support of the academic mission and educational programs of the college.<br />
<br />
2.) Over the past decade, the Library and Media Services have fully committed to networking and digital resources. This shift has implied a change in organization, reorganization of job classifications, and the creation of new patterns of work supported in all areas.<br />
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3.) Commitment to the use of networking digital information resources has allowed and promoted the integration of all sections of library and information resources and has pushed the staff in all areas to reconceptualize their work and to find new patterns of organization and collaboration.<br />
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4.) Students and faculty are thinking about and using information resources in all media. They can now reasonably expect to have seamless access to a wide array of high-quality academic information, media, and computer applications almost anywhere on campus.<br />
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5.) The Library is funded like a public college, but the emphasis on projects, the array of inquiries, and the fact that it is a teaching library means that it is used as if it were a part of a private liberal arts college.<br />
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Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The Evergreen Library has always been what other libraries have striven to become: a '''teaching library''' deeply connected to the faculty and curriculum. The result is that students use the Library very actively. Historically, Media Services has had the same teaching focus. Academic computing, with a longstanding instructional role, is also moving toward more substantive teaching and collaboration with faculty. This cross-curricular emphasis on teaching must be continued.<br />
<br />
2.) The original vision of the Library was "generic," which means that it includes all media in all locations. The contemporary term in the profession is the '''virtual library. ''' Evergreen's library and information resources have been able to realize the vision due to the advent of effective, ubiquitous networking and digital resources. The new technology plus major consortial agreements have created an explosion of access to high-quality scholarly information and media.<br />
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3. The remodeled and more unified Information Technology Wing is the physical manifestation of the blending of traditional print, media, and computer technology that characterizes the virtual library and information in the digital age. Despite being spread across administrative divisions, the Library, Media Services, Academic Computing, the CAL, and Computing and Communications all collaborate effectively to assure more and more seamless access to information resources. We must guard these interconnections and continue to seek opportunities for collaboration that will provide the best service, teaching, and efficiency.<br />
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Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Through consortial agreements and wise use of resources made available to the college, an extraordinary array of high-quality academic resources. For example, the number of academic journals now available is nine times larger than at the outset of the review. Active leadership in consortia such as Orbis Cascade and the Cooperative Libraries Project supported these cost-effective approaches.<br />
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2.) The willingness of staff from all areas to share, collaborate, and dream as they worked through the complex reorganizations and new work necessary to create an operative virtual library has been extraordinary.<br />
<br />
3.) The creation of an accessible, integrated, well-conceived teaching space with the renovation of the B and C wings of the Library has allowed the virtual library to have a physical presence that embodies the integration of these areas, while providing hospitable spaces and programming to complement virtual use information resources.<br />
<br />
4.) The spread of digital media and computer facilities to the campus as a whole, in the Lecture Halls, and in the new classrooms of Seminar II, as well as the extension of wireless access to most of the campus has allowed the teaching resources of library and information resources to be used across the campus.<br />
<br />
5.) Both the development of the virtual library and a continued commitment to extensive instruction have led to effective library and information resources for off-campus programs and users.<br />
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Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Library and information resources must maintain the flexibility in staff’s capacity to respond to the rapidly changing digital environment.<br />
<br />
2.) Library and information services must continue to remain aware of developments in information technology, critically assess them, and carefully integrate technological capacities into the staff’s capacity for teaching.<br />
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3.) Library and information resources should assure that connections between the three units (the Library, Academic Computing, and Media Services) that make up library and information resources are as seamless as possible.<br />
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4.) Media Services instructors should consciously promote considerations of media among faculty across the curriculum, as well as continue to work effectively with those who depend upon media as the center of their work.<br />
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5.) Staff from all areas should pursue and develop cross-curricular faculty conversations about information and technology as literacies for the liberal arts, including critical perspectives.<br />
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6.) Library and information services should assure that instructional staffing and library faculty is sufficient in training and numbers to support extensive, integrated information technology literacy instruction across the curriculum and to off-campus and weekend and evening programs.<br />
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7.) Library and information services should continue to develop maintenance and replacement funds to support rapidly expanding information technology, instruction, and service throughout the campus.<br />
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Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing staff and faculty will collaborate in planning ongoing summer faculty institutes facilitating cross-curricular faculty conversations about information technology literacy for the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
2.) The shape of expenditures on collections should evolve as inflation, consortia, networked access, and digital publications continue to change the information environment. The Library Resource Selection Committee will continue to review database, Summit, and local collection use, as well as allocation of non-state funds in order to appropriately support collections in all media. As a member of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, the Library will pursue collaborative collection development emphasizing strong core local collections and coordinated shared collections.<br />
<br />
3.) The substantial instructional role necessary to support information technology literacy across the curriculum should be recognized in campus hiring priorities.<br />
<br />
4.) The Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing will continue to emphasize shared work. Several areas of potential collaboration in addition to faculty institutes include considering a shared public presence at the newly emphasized main entrance to the Information Technology Wing, an increased role for the ITCH in planning and management of information technology on campus, shared staff positions, shared hiring processes, and more collaborative instruction for academic programs.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Five|Supporting Documentation for Standard 5]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_5&diff=8831Standard 52008-07-24T22:52:47Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 5.C – Facilities and Access */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 5 – Library and Information Resources==<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.A – Purpose and Scope===<br />
<br />
<br />
''The primary purpose for library and information resources is to support teaching, learning, and if applicable, research in ways consistent with, and supportive of, the institution’s mission and goals. Adequate library and information resources and services, at the appropriate level for degrees offered, are available to support the intellectual, cultural, and technical development of students enrolled in courses and programs wherever located and however delivered.''<br />
<br />
====Supporting the Academic Mission of the College====<br />
Library and information resources at The Evergreen State College support students as they learn to reason and communicate about freely chosen inquiries whose outcomes remain to be discovered or created (Smith, Standard 2). Library and information resources at Evergreen must therefore balance the open-ended demands of free inquiry with the need for stability, security, and efficiency in systems and services. Historically, the Library has been well funded when compared to many public baccalaureates, in recognition of the extraordinary demands of open-ended inquiry and independent study. All library and information resources are shaped by the primary mission of teaching and providing state-of-the-art facilities for academic programs and individual students in this interdisciplinary, liberal arts curriculum. Strong collaboration among library, computing and media staff, faculty, and administration assures the development of the library and information resources as centers for teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
====The Founding Vision of the Library: Any Medium, Any Location====<br />
<br />
In 1969, when the founding dean of Library Services James Holly wrote his “Position Paper No. 1,” he proposed a model which he called the generic library, in some ways anticipating the concept of today's virtual library. “By generic I include man’s [sic] recorded information, knowledge, folly, and wisdom in whatever form put down, whether in conventional print, art forms, magnetic tape, laser storage, etc. By generic, I also eliminate physical boundaries such as [a] specific building or portion limited and identified as ‘the library.’” Holly's vision motivated many aspects of library, media, and computer services, but proved in many ways untenable due to technical and budgetary constraints and because the college community expressed traditional longings for a bounded space. Today, laptops and networked data are ubiquitous and most students expect remote access to information resources, regardless of medium. Technology, as well as community values, have caught up with Holly’s founding vision, and Evergreen's library and learning resources now include all media, distributed to almost any location. Display of networked and audiovisual information now brings information technology to almost any classroom on campus. Active involvement in new consortia has led to quick access to expanded collections and information resources from around the region. Academic programs and students off-campus have access to rich, academically sound journal holdings. A wide selection of digitized media applications and advanced media labs provide access to media production. Increasingly seamless access to media, computing, and traditional information resources benefits all students. At the same time, the physical library has expanded its role as a social and intellectual space and provides an increasingly hospitable center for learning and gatherings of all kinds. A $22-million remodel connected previously disparate areas and created a more cohesive information-technology wing, providing one central entrance for the Library, Media Services, the Computer Center, and the Computing and Communications offices.<br />
<br />
====Functions and Facilities Covered in Standard 5====<br />
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Reflecting these developments, Standard 5 considers information resources and services from several disparate administrative units: Library Services, including Media Services (administratively part of the Academic division); Academic Computing (administratively part of the Finance and Administration division); and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) (administratively part of the academic division, with a historical role supporting the science curriculum). The phrase "library and information resources" in Standard 5 should be understood to refer to these units collectively, while comments about separate areas will use more specific language such as the Library, Media Services, the CAL, or Academic Computing. Occasional references to Computing and Communications will address technology infrastructure when relevant to instructional and academic support functions.<br />
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The information resources offered and supported by the Library, Academic Computing, and the CAL represent facilities and functions commonly found in libraries and computer centers elsewhere in academia. The Media Services section of the Library requires some explanation, as its role and location in the institution are unique. Media Services provides not only the usual audiovisual support for instruction, but also extensive collections and facilities in support of media production by students across the curriculum. Media production labs, a large circulating collection of portable media equipment, and extensive instruction represent activities, facilities, and functions which will not be found within the library at most institutions. Some media arts, communications or education departments might provide some such services to students of their curriculum, but not the library, and certainly not for general use. In the context of an interdisciplinary college, and in the light of the original ideal of the generic library, these services are provided through the Library in order to assure cross-curricular access and opportunity for students from anywhere in the curriculum, whether those students are studying media or simply wish to communicate academic content using media beyond print.<br />
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====5.A.1 Sufficiency of Information Resources and Services====<br />
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''The institution’s information resources and services include sufficient holdings, equipment, and personnel in all of its libraries, instructional media and production centers, computer centers, networks, telecommunication facilities, and other repositories of information to accomplish the institution’s mission and goals.''<br />
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Throughout this study, library and information resources will be found to be strongly linked via face-to-face collaboration and consultation with faculty, staff, and students. These interconnections, within a flat organizational structure, assure constant feedback and redevelopment of services and facilities. Library funding generally compares very well with public institutions and correlates strongly to average funding for private liberal arts peers, peers with whom our use statistics compare favorably. An external assessment performed by Edutech described budgetary support for information technology as comparable to that of institutions with similar missions. There are no comparable institutions for studying the large activity of cross-curricular media services; however, advocacy from both the cross-curricular perspective of the Library and from the specific needs of the media faculty help ensure support. Rapid expansion in information technology access and aspirations have led to changes in personnel allocation and expertise and will continue to make increasing demands on a staff and faculty already stretched in many areas.<br />
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For a description of facilities, see [[media: Major_Facilities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 & 2 of the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]]. For holdings and equipment, see Standard 5.B.1. For personnel, see Standard 5.D.1. For evaluation of budgetary support, see Standard 5.D.6.<br />
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====5.A.2 Sufficiency of Core Collection and Related Resources====<br />
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''The institution’s core collection and related information resources are sufficient to support the curriculum.''<br />
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Broad institutional support for cross-curricular library and information services has historically generated sufficient institutional budgetary support for core collections and facilities. During the study period, inflation and budget cuts reduced base budgets for local monograph collections. Non-state resources bridged some of the gap without building the base budget permanently. Consortial agreements created opportunities for cost-effective collective purchases of serials and for efficient resource sharing, resulting in better support for the intensive work by individual students. <br />
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Collection Development, see 5.B.1 and 5.B.5<br />
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====5.A.3 Education Program Drives Resources and Services====<br />
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''Information resources and services are determined by the nature of the institution’s educational programs and the locations where programs are offered.''<br />
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Strong connections to the curriculum inform all library and information services. A distinctive library rotation system connects the library and teaching faculty in the shared project of curriculum and program planning. Teaching alliances between media services professionals and media faculty determine the character of media services. A strong liaison system connects Academic Computing instructors and services with teaching faculty. Meanwhile, a very experienced staff with substantial managerial responsibilities manages day-to-day library services while implementing services in response to the new opportunities advancing information technology affords. (See Standard 5.B.2 - Teaching and Instruction).<br />
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Information technology planning and governance are discussed in Area 5 (Planning and Governance) of the [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
The study notes that planning is collaborative and responsive to academic needs, and could be strengthened through a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH).<br />
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===Standard 5.B – Information Resources and Services===<br />
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''Information resources and services are sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, and currency to support the institution’s curricular offerings.''<br />
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==== 5.B.1 Equipment and Materials to Support the Educational Program====<br />
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''Equipment and materials are selected, acquired, organized, and maintained to support the educational program.''<br />
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=====Collection Development Procedures & Methods=====<br />
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The Library faculty develops collections to support Evergreen's changeable interdisciplinary curriculum without the usual benefit of departmental allocation or structures. The librarians build collections and vendor profiles on the basis of their work as both library and teaching faculty (see 5.B.2), work which involves full-time teaching, faculty governance, extensive collegial engagement with the teaching faculty, and affiliation with planning units. The curriculum committee is the faculty as a whole, and develops the curriculum in curricular planning units, curriculum retreats, and governance groups. The Library faculty's overall knowledge of the curriculum is strengthened by teaching faculty who rotate into the Library and lavish their attention on areas of the collection related to their disciplinary expertise. Finally, librarians honor most requests from individuals for additions to the collection, working from the fact that free inquiry and individual research are central to the Library’s mission.<br />
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In the past, the Library has struggled to satisfy incidental research demands outside the boundaries defined by the core, repeating curriculum. The substantial part of the curriculum which varies from year to year, the significant amount of work by independent contract students (almost 1,300 independent study contracts in 2006-07), and the opportunity for intensive individual projects within full-time, multi-quarter programs have all driven demand for specialized materials outside the core collection. Resource sharing and large, shared purchases, all made efficient because of networking technology, have eradicated this problem, although budget cuts and inflation create some difficulties keeping the core collection current. The budget for core monograph purchases has been supplemented with allocations from non-state resources in order to help bridge this gap. See 5.B.5 below.<br />
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=====Media Services=====<br />
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Close work with the curriculum and faculty also informs the development of media facilities and services. Media staff attend the Expressive Arts planning unit meetings, in particular the Moving Image subgroup. Budgetary processes for equipment purchase and operating costs include multiple avenues for consideration of educational program needs. Through the planning units, needs are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the Library, cross-curricular media demands are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the ITCH, cross-unit needs are coordinated and passed up to the campus-wide budget process. These three avenues help ensure that the budget process addresses both broad and specific curricular demands for media.<br />
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Some stresses develop. Like the Library, Media Services serves the entire academic community, from programs to individuals. And, like the Library, Media Services strains under the pressure of answering the needs of independent study, as well as a fluid curriculum. Students working on independent media productions compete with Expressive Arts programs for scarce resources, from equipment to laboratories to teaching staff. In order to balance these competing demands, Media Services requires students and faculty to submit media request forms, which are reviewed by the Media Services manager and the head of Instruction Media, who allocate resources, both human and technological. Independent contract forms include a question about the need for special equipment or facilities, which serves as a safety net for screening intensive media use. In these ways Media Services assures that students embarking on media studies do so with appropriate support. The Expressive Arts planning unit also instituted a Student Originated Studies (SOS) group contract in media to assure that students have consistent access to facilities and instructional support as they pursue their independent projects.<br />
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=====Information Technology Equipment & Facilities=====<br />
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The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] includes equipment in its discussion of technological facilities in Area 1 of the report. The report states, "Computing, networking and information technology facilities at Evergreen are extensive and impressive. In most cases, Evergreen facilities are at or near standards for similar institutions, and in some cases surpass them. However, these standards are a moving target, and there are areas in which the college will probably have to make upgrades in the near future." The report lauded the computer labs, classroom technology, and access to computers. Recommended improvements were to extend wireless to the entire campus and permanently fund a replacement cycle for equipment.<br />
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====5.B.2 Teaching and Instruction====<br />
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''Library and information resources and services contribute to developing the ability of students, faculty, and staff to use the resources independently and effectively.''<br />
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=====Defining Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
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Standard 2 links the five foci and six expectations of an Evergreen education to the idea of reflexive thinking. "Reflexive thinking begins with a question, an interrogation of the world, and an encounter with the other. As such it involves the student in the whole process of substantive learning about subjects, disciplines and methods that is the standard domain of learning. But reflexivity is the capacity that a learner has to think about the situation and conditions that underlie her own personal and collective experience of thinking and knowing." (See [[Standard_2#Reflexive_Thinking | reflexive thinking]]). This work is engaged and supported through the broad and deep resources of the collections and instruction within the library and information resources. <br />
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The professional literature and practice of librarianship defines information literacy as a reflective process. To be clear, a '''reflective''' process considers, evaluates, synthesizes, and in general, engages information discovered through research. In contrast, a '''reflexive''' process goes on to consider one's own learning and knowledge as influenced through exposure to the information under consideration. According to Jeremy J. Shapiro and Shelley K. Hughes, in their article entitled [[Media: educom_review.pdf|'Information Literacy as a Liberal Art']], information literacy should "be conceived more broadly as a new liberal art that extends from knowing how to use computers and access information to critical reflection on the nature of information itself, its technical infrastructure, and its social, cultural and end even philosophical context and impact..."<br />
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The information literacy curriculum includes:<br />
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* Tool literacy - The ability to use print and electronic resources including software and online resources.<br />
* Resource literacy - The ability to understand the form, format, location, and methods for accessing information resources.<br />
* Social-structural literacy - Knowledge of how information is socially situated and produced, including understanding the scholarly publishing process.<br />
* Research literacy - The ability to understand and use information technology tools to carry out research, including the use of discipline-related software and online resources.<br />
* Publishing literacy - The ability to produce a text or multimedia report of research results.<br />
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=====ITL in the Context of Holly's Generic Library=====<br />
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Information literacy at Evergreen is itself a reflexive practice, in addition to being central to the process of reflexive thinking in the broader context of undergraduate education at Evergreen. That is, the student uses library and information resources to put herself in relation to information and thinking from a variety of sources and further, reflects about herself and her learning as she researches and learns. Within the context of library and information resources as understood and managed at Evergreen, this literacy includes not just print scholarship, but media and computing, to become not just information literacy but Information Technology Literacy (ITL). Reflection upon information includes reflection upon the nature and role of the tools themselves. Reflexive thinking includes the relation of the user to the information and the tools. <br />
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Thus, in order to assure that students have the skills to communicate about their open inquiries and the resources to support deeply reflexive thinking, library and information resources take a broad role in the curriculum. Two of the “Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate” relate directly to commitment by the library and information resources to help students achieve intellectual independence, creativity, and critical acumen. Expectation Two states that our graduates will communicate creatively and effectively; Expectation Four, that our graduates apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across the disciplines. Not only should literate students read and write astutely, they also should access, view, critique, and produce media and writing that is eloquent and complete. In this way, digital scholarship merges seamlessly with individual and formal educational goals, just as print scholarship has in the past.<br />
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=====Cross-Curricular Media Instruction=====<br />
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Library and information resources support ITL as an agenda for students across programs, disciplines, and media. Library and information resources staff and faculty collaborate with teaching teams as they instruct students in media and students who create films, multimedia, or musical works for programs or for independent study. These are the challenges of the "freely chosen inquiry," challenges that cannot all be met at all times. However, the location of Media Services administratively and physically within Library Services is meant to ensure that media studies and media production are supported appropriately both within the programs that media faculty teach and elsewhere in the inquiries of students. The spread of entry-level media applications into the general-use computer labs increases access to media production across the curriculum.<br />
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Although library and information resources instructors work to fuse teaching with program content, students are nevertheless able to access any media application or information technology beyond or without considering program content. Likewise, many programs focus entirely on technical skill building, without any formal attempt to link these practices to disciplinary content. And in other areas of the curriculum, such as the Culture, Text, and Language planning unit, critical media and information studies are often taught in a theoretical mode, without hands-on media production—the thing itself. The point is that when skills are valorized over content, or when theory ignores practice, students neglect concrete critical reflection on how technology impacts the message, the creators, the audience, or society. However, Holly's generic library model, the founding principle for library and information resources at Evergreen, has emphasized and counterbalanced the tendency to isolate skills from content. Students who read texts expect to write as well; why should they view media and not expect to create it? Early on, a rotating faculty member who helped link instruction with critical media studies and with interdisciplinary programs directed Media Services. Library and information resources continue to struggle to advocate for the critical study of media and information technology across the curriculum.<br />
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Academic computing also provides access to and instruction in information technologies through a balance of specialized and open computing facilities. With the migration of many media applications to commonly available personal computer platforms, instruction and facilities to support entry-level media production have spread to academic computing and even to the Library proper.<br />
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Library and information resources faculty and staff instruct and teach in multiple modes, from basic skills instruction to more complex, content-driven teaching by faculty and professionals in the curriculum. In addition, the teaching faculty contribute substantively and collaboratively to planning and implementing information services, collections, and policies. This dynamic collaboration between the teaching faculty and the library and information resources has shaped the primary mission to support inquiry-based education. Each area within library and information resources has developed structures to connect teaching and instruction closely to the faculty, the curriculum, and the academic mission of the college. Utilization, satisfaction, and curricular surveys demonstrate the breadth and effectiveness of this work (See Planning and Evaluation 5.E).<br />
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=====Faculty Librarians and Library Teaching=====<br />
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Evergreen requires rotation between the librarians and the teaching faculty. Briefly stated, faculty librarians rotate out of the Library to teach full time on a regular basis and, in exchange, teaching faculty rotate into the Library to serve as librarians providing reference, instruction, and collection development. (See [[media:Learning_Communities_and_the_Academic_Library.pdf | Pedersen]] pp. 41-44 for more discussion of this system). Faculty who rotate into the Library leave with updated skills for developing information literacy within their programs and teams across the curriculum. Library faculty develop their subject specialties and enhance their ability to work across pedagogical and disciplinary realms. Perpetual faculty-wide interactions in faculty governance and team-teaching reinforce the strong connections between the library faculty and the teaching faculty. Librarians know the faculty as colleagues and teaching faculty know the librarians (probably the only basis for widespread and effective library instruction in a curriculum without requirements). Teaching teams also spread effective library instruction practices as experienced teaching faculty introduce their new faculty teammates to their library colleagues and the teaching they offer. Most new faculty also bring updated information technology skills and experience to share with their colleagues.<br />
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A loose liaison system links each librarian with a subset of the curriculum, based on subject expertise, planning unit affiliation, and personal alliances. Faculty librarians provide a wide array of library and information technology-related teaching. One-time workshops designed to engage sources particular to the research projects within an academic program represent the most common format. Librarians and teaching faculty design these workshops with the assumption that the skills imparted are embedded in the interests and needs of the program learning community. At a minimum, the faculty for the program usually 1) create a research assignment which informs and motivates the students’ work; 2) attend the research workshop and participate, adding their expertise and/or questions; 3) provide the library liaison with a syllabus and a copy of the assignment and a list of the topics students are considering; and 4) ask the students to begin considering their topic before attending the workshop so they are primed to begin actual research during the workshop. <br />
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Librarians teach workshops on research most frequently in the graduate programs, the sciences, and the off-campus programs. The teaching models for these more extended situations vary according to the library faculty involved and the role in the curriculum, and they evolve significantly year to year. Each year, library faculty affiliate deeply with a few such programs, meeting weekly to create stepped learning conjoined with research assignments. For documents exemplifying this teaching, see [[media:Forensics_week-by-week.doc | Forensics Syllabus]] and [[media:Chemistry_Health_Professions_Project_Description.doc | Chemistry Health Professions Project]]. During several academic years, an information technology seminar linked library internship opportunities with a hands-on Web technology workshop. In that model, a small group of students explored contemporary questions in the world of rapid digitization and its social implications. They paralleled that study with real library work and Web production practice, including wikis and Web pages designed to support library functions. The seminar and workshop have provided a venue for library faculty, staff, and Academic Computing instructors to gather and consider both the past and future of information technologies. See the syllabi for the programs Still Looking ([[media: stilllooking_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: stilllooking_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: stilllooking_spring.pdf|spring]]), Information Landscapes ([[media: infolandscapes_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: infolandscapes_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: infolandscapes_spring.pdf|spring]]), and Common Knowledge ([[media: commonknowledge_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: commonknowledge_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: commonknowledge_spring.pdf|spring]]). Each year, one librarian also offers research methods through the evening and weekend curriculum.<br />
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In-depth, extended library-related teaching within programs and service to off-campus and Evening and Weekend programs can be a challenge in the context of a reduced core of library faculty. During the self-study period, one faculty line was cut during budget reductions. This causes significant stress on the quality and quantity of instruction the area is able to provide.<br />
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=====Library Faculty as Service Providers=====<br />
Library faculty see themselves primarily as teachers. They tend to understand the services of the Library in the context of teaching and learning, specifically teaching as it actually happens in the Evergreen curriculum. Thus, they do not tend to work from externally defined "best practices," nor do they function in a reactive mode. They take a proactive approach to the work, suggesting tools and strategies for designing library instruction and finding the intellectual work in the world of research instruction. They position themselves to work across administrative as well as curricular boundaries and sustain an important role in the crossroads of traditional research methods, contemporary information technology, and the world of the curriculum and their teaching colleagues.<br />
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=====Service and Teaching=====<br />
The faculty librarians have transformed the reference desk into a teaching space, which goes well beyond traditional service models. For this reason, there is generally a librarian at the desk during the hours the Library is open to the public. Each contact between a librarian and a patron represents an opportunity to teach and learn. In collections, Web page design, signage, collection organization, and creation of virtual services, the librarians ask not just what is easiest or matches the expectations of inexperienced users, but what can be taught through the new design, service, or collection. For example, broad aggregate databases have been purchased because they are cost effective, but the librarians also emphasize and teach comparatively complex digitized indexes, which refer students more deeply into the discipline-based literature of their inquiries. As discussed throughout this document, library and information resources are designed, planned, taught, and supported in the context of college-wide teaching and learning.<br />
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=====Library Faculty and Off-Campus Programs=====<br />
Library support for the two major off-campus offerings, the Tacoma and the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs, focuses heavily on instruction, with additional support from networked technology, including specialized Web pages for these programs. See [[Media: reservation_library.pdf|services for Reservation-Based students]] and [[Media: tacoma_library.pdf|services for Tacoma-based students]]. Students of these programs have limited access to the physical library and must be alerted to the many high-quality resources available to them online through the Library. End-of-program reports show very high engagement with information technology in these programs (See [[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf |End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]). Most years, librarians work closely with the Research Methods class at Tacoma, providing laboratory-based instruction on location several weeks per quarter. As of 2007-08, this work has taken on a more formalized structure and has developed into credit-generating research classes.<br />
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Library instruction at the upper-division off-campus sites of the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs has varied widely year-by-year. Recently, the program has focused on building library methods into the lower-division bridge curriculum, which has not involved the library faculty directly. Reservation-based programs report 100% teaching and use of library and Internet research in 2007; however, this work has not engaged the Library's holdings or services significantly. Rebuilding this connection should be a high priority, and a planned faculty rotation from a former director of the reservation-based program will be an opportunity to do so. Perusal of the [[Media: Achievements2.doc |Achievements]] list for the self-study period demonstrates that almost every development supports distant access to collections and services and thus the off-campus programs.<br />
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=====Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing=====<br />
In all major computer and media labs, staff instructors provide group instruction designed to support the needs of specific academic programs, covering particular applications and tools relevant to the disciplines involved. Media and computing instructors teach workshops in different spaces and in different modes, depending on the discipline and the technology. There are no constraints upon which facilities may be used. In one quarter, a science program might have workshops in the Computer Center focusing on blogs, a math workshop using Excel in the Computer Applications Lab, a session on video documentation for field research in the Multimedia Lab, and a library research workshop in one of the Computer Center's general-purpose labs. In this way, academic programs leverage staff expertise and facilities as needed.<br />
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Teaching faculty must be able to easily identify and contact the appropriate staff member to coordinate computer instruction, which may require significant logistical support such as lab scheduling, equipment checkout, server space, password access, personnel scheduling, and other details. In Academic Computing, program liaisons work with faculty to coordinate how programs will teach technology. For instance, the staff liaison helps set up file shares and Web spaces and schedules and teaches workshops. In Media Services, the head of instructional media provides a central location for faculty and students requesting instructional support in media to connect with appropriate media instructors and to schedule facilities and instruction. The Media Services staff work with faculty to design and integrate media into their programs. Media Services staff meet regularly with media faculty in the Expressive Arts planning unit so they can develop facilities, plan for access, and foster integration of media into academic programs.<br />
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Students who work independently on media or computing projects or who decide to tackle media projects within non-media oriented programs also receive many forms of instructional support. Academic Computing offers regularly scheduled technology workshops, which are open to all. In addition, Evergreen students can access Lynda.com, which tutors students in software applications and programming languages. The Library recently subscribed to Safari Books Online, which supports the computer science curriculum and addresses technical inquiries from students across the curriculum. Academic Computing began a computing wiki in 2006-07 which hosts approximately 2,000 pages of instructions and tutorials and which continues to expand. Increasingly, students, faculty, and staff rely on the Academic Computing wiki to stay abreast of technologies hosted on campus.<br />
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Any student may access most media-production facilities and check out portable media equipment once they have completed relevant hands-on training sessions called proficiencies. Media instructors run hundreds of these quick, skills-focused instructional sessions annually, which serve thousands of students, ensure proper use of the equipment, and provide supportive technical background for systems. The number of formal instructional sessions provided to programs has doubled since 2000, suggesting the rapidly expanding use and breadth of college-supported media technology. Finally, the Evening and Weekend Studies curriculum provides a coherent, regular pathway for learning more complex media-production processes.<br />
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Like the library faculty, media instructors teach in a variety of modes: full-time, part-time, introductory, intensive, general, sustained, intermittent, specialized, individual, within programs, or collaboratively in small groups. Many of the media staff are artists, professionals, and faculty in their own right, with Master of Fine Arts degrees in their fields. They teach photography, electronic music, Web design, and digital imaging as adjuncts in Evening and Weekend Studies and in Extended Education. Media staff who teach as adjunct faculty are often called to teach full time as visiting artists. Their contributions to the part- and full-time curriculum are substantial and sustained, some of them having taught for more than twenty years. Their work supports the Expressive Arts. It assures access and instruction for students who do not consider themselves artists but who want to engage in technologies that constitute important developing communication media and also define the visual aesthetics of science, history, political science, psychology, and other narratives. Additionally, Photo, Electronic Media, and Media Loan staff annually teach as field supervisors for up to eight student interns who are critical to the effective functioning of labs and services. These students typically not only gain high-level technical production skills, but also develop instructional, collaborative, and administrative experience by working closely with students, faculty, and technical staff. Finally, all media staff sponsor many individual contracts, which provide opportunities for students who have identified intensive individual inquiries that are not supported in the curriculum at large. In general, media staff are central to the success of media-based programs and are viewed as colleagues by the Expressive Arts faculty, whose programs they support. These working relationships form the backbone of Media Services.<br />
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=====Faculty Institutes=====<br />
As described thus far, library and information resources instructors regularly work with, instruct, and support the teaching faculty through individual collaboration. In addition, they design and teach several faculty institutes each summer. Faculty institutes create valuable connections among faculty, library, media, and academic computing instructors. Recent information technology institutes have focused on specific applications such as teaching statistics with Excel, using online collaborative tools to foster learning communities, or creating program Web pages. Some years, substantive discussions of information technology literacy as opposed to hands-on training have been offered. During institutes, faculty are often afforded paid time for self-directed work that focuses on their program planning. In these instances, faculty evaluate technology, practice using it, and plan how to incorporate applications into their programs.<br />
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====5.B.3 Availability of Policies====<br />
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''Policies, regulations, and procedures for systematic development and management of information resources, in all formats, are documented, updated, and made available to the institution’s constituents.''<br />
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The Web provides a venue for all policies, regulations, and procedures for all information resources and services. <br />
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See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Policies,_regulations,_and_procedures_for_the_development and_management_of_library_and_information_resources,_including_collection_development_and_weeding|Required Exhibit 2: Policies, Regulations, and Procedures for the Development and Management of Library and Information Resources]]<br />
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====5.B.4 Participatory Planning====<br />
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''Opportunities are provided for faculty, staff, and students to participate in the planning and development of the library and information resources and services.''<br />
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Faculty, staff, and students participate in the planning and development of library information resources and services. The college community values face-to-face communication and formal procedures for consultation are minimal. All learning and information resources staff and faculty receive and welcome direct requests and suggestions. As an example, good hiring represents an important decision determining how library and information services evolve and prosper. Hiring processes are broadly consultative. Committees with representation from different work units interview and recommend for all staff positions. Students, staff, and faculty representatives join in hiring committees for any major positions, especially those of administrators and faculty. These hiring processes routinely include public presentations by the candidates, which are announced to the entire college community to allow input from staff, faculty, and students.<br />
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More broadly, collaborative work with teaching faculty and other clients drives the design and planning for almost all instructional and technical support. Face-to-face planning and direct engagement with teaching faculty in a program-by-program context defines the work of library and information resources across all units (see Participatory Planning 5.E.1).<br />
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====5.B.5 Networks Extend Information Resources====<br />
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''Computing and communications services are used to extend the boundaries in obtaining information and data from other sources, including regional, national, and international networks.''<br />
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Consortial arrangements in the Orbis Cascade regional system offer Summit, a resource-sharing system that makes it possible to satisfy almost any book and most media requests generated by the individualistic interests of students working on independent projects. The Summit system includes thirty-five academic libraries from Oregon and Washington and delivers resources within two or three days. Students also use many highly specialized materials from periodicals databases, which have expanded the number of journal subscriptions Evergreen holds eight to nine times over the self-study period. This enhancement is largely due to the Cooperative Library Project (CLP), a state-funded resource-sharing project among the four-year Washington state baccalaureates.<br />
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Consortial purchases have reduced per-title costs dramatically and have strengthened areas of the curriculum not necessarily the focus of a core liberal arts collection. For example, psychology, education, and business were heavily emphasized in the most recent round of shared purchasing by CLP. Finally, ILLiad, the interlibrary loan system, brings journal articles to the students' mailboxes and e-mail accounts within a few days. There are almost no discernible limits to accessing published information for any researcher except those who need to present within twenty-four hours. Effective campus networks supported by Computing and Communication's technical support staff make this possible. College-wide steps that have made efficient resource sharing and online information possible have included implementing the Banner student records system and establishing e-mail as the official student communications medium.<br />
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===Standard 5.C – Facilities and Access===<br />
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''The institution provides adequate facilities for library and information resources, equipment, and personnel. These resources, including collections, are readily available for use by the institution’s students, faculty, and staff on the primary campus and where required off-campus.''<br />
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====5.C.1 Availability of Information Resource Facilities====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources are readily accessible to all students and faculty. These resources and services are sufficient in quality, level, breadth, quantity, and currency to meet the requirements of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[Media: Major_Faciities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 and 2 of the [[Media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]] specifically considered networking, telecommunications, and other information technology relevant to accessibility. The campus network was lauded as "solid and reliable." The network itself is described technically in Area 1 of the report. Expansion of wireless access from 75% to the entire campus was recommended; this work is proceeding and has the budgetary support to continue into the future. Most classrooms have been networked with display capability, spreading library and information technology access to large portions of the curriculum. This changes the presumptions of the faculty and students and greatly increases the frequency with which social software, digitized presentations, and other multi-media information technology is incorporated in programs. The Edutech report also recommended establishing at least one dedicated teleconferencing space for general use, which is planned within the [[media: CNM.doc|Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)]]. According to Edutech, "student access to computers at Evergreen does not seem to be a problem."<br />
<br />
=====The Information Technology Wing=====<br />
<br />
======LIR Facilities and Services Visibly Interconnect======<br />
<br />
With the generic library as a foundation and the interdisciplinary curriculum as the context, merged collections and services build upon an alternative past. Library and information resources thus collaborate actively across academic and administrative departmental boundaries. The major remodel, implementing a newly consolidated Information Technology Wing, substantially strengthened opportunities for connecting services, facilities, and staff. One central, broad entrance now provides access to the Library, the Computer Center, Media Loan and the stairs to Electronic Media, Photo Services and Computing and Communications. See [[media: Consultant%27s_Site_Visit_Report_2004.doc | Consultant Pre-Remodel Report]] for an assessment of facility requirements produced before the project. For further detail, extensive documents describing the project are available in the documents room.<br />
<br />
======More Teaching and Study Spaces======<br />
<br />
The ideal of collaborative learning shaped the remodel. Shared study spaces predominate, whether open area study tables, grouped lounge furniture, pod-shaped arrangements in labs, or small group study and media viewing rooms. Wireless access allows informal group work around personal or library-owned laptops. Additional laboratory spaces provide easier scheduling for program work and more computers for individuals when classes do not use the labs. Limited quiet study areas provide an alternative for the solitary scholar; at the same time, small group work is facilitated and encouraged. Overall, the Information Technology Wing has shed barren hallways and utilitarian desks in favor of lounge areas and comfortable study spaces. Overstuffed couches and chairs, large tables, task lighting, and more room for collections all contribute to the conviviality that informs shared inquiry.<br />
<br />
======Hospitable Spaces and Blended Access======<br />
<br />
Art exhibitions invite patrons into lounge and study areas and help define the Library as a public space. The new basement lounge, affectionately dubbed the "Library Underground," hosts frequent campus gatherings and public readings, although flooding (a new issue since the remodel) disrupted the area several times in 2006-07. Groups from across campus meet, study, and teach in library spaces, which are open to all and where food and drink have always been allowed. The Sound and Image Library (SAIL) media collections are prominently located in the reference area, where SAIL staff work closely with the reference librarians. The newly established Assisted Technology Lab (ATL) conjoins the SAIL and has become a vital meeting place for students to work and show their art and media productions. Again, SAIL and reference staff provide service and technical support for ATL patrons. As the physical reference collection continues to shrink, reference, the SAIL, the ATL, and Circulation will continue forming a more blended and prominent shared public presence. <br />
<br />
=====More General Access Lab Facilities=====<br />
<br />
Rapid developments in networked information technology have blurred between general and specialized technology labs. The main computer center includes many specialized scientific software packages such as ArcGIS and Mathematica, while common graphic manipulation software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, appear in the CAL. Similarly, the Computer Center supports high-level statistics applications such as R, as well as digital music editing. The library computers provide basic Office applications and general Web access in addition to library-specific searches, but specific library computers also provide GIS, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, assistive/adaptive technology, and scanning applications, while the SAIL provides multiple stations for basic media dubbing, transfer, and editing. Switching to a single user domain and sign-on means simpler, more consistent access to networked resources across campus. The Digital Imaging and Multimedia facilities provide applications for advanced media production, but are open to all students. Some specialty labs have self-contained resources, such as large format printers or applications requiring more sophisticated hardware. However, the primary distinction among labs is the level of expertise and specialized knowledge of the staff. Students benefit when they know the specialized character of a lab means there will be more skilled assistance.<br />
<br />
====5.C.2 Cooperative Agreements====<br />
<br />
''In cases of cooperative arrangements with other library and information resources, formal documented agreements are established. These cooperative relationships and externally provided information sources complement rather than substitute for the institution’s own adequate and accessible core collection and services.''<br />
<br />
Despite greatly expanded information access through Summit and shared purchasing agreements, the Library continues strong support for the core collection within budgetary constraints created by budget cuts and inflation. Over time, Summit circulation data will provide specific reports on areas of the collection where students and faculty consistently or repeatedly demonstrate the need for more depth. Additionally, the Orbis Cascade Alliance is working on shared collection development guidelines to help design complementary collections. <br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures and Methods]].<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Formal.2C_written_agreements_with_other_libraries |Required Exhibit 11 Formal Agreements with Other Libraries]].<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.D – Personnel and Management==<br />
<br />
''Personnel are adequate in number and in areas of expertise to provide services in the development and use of library and information resources.''<br />
<br />
===5.D.1 Sufficiency of Staffing===<br />
<br />
''The institution employs a sufficient number of library and information resources staff to provide assistance to users of the library and to students at other learning resources sites.''<br />
<br />
The chart below suggests that library and information resources staffing is similar to that of comparable public institutions, falling between the averages of peer public liberal arts colleges (COPLAC) and the larger regional universities in the state (WA Regionals in the table below). Note that Evergreen (TESC) and other public college library staffing averages are significantly below the staffing for groups made up largely of private Ivies, DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives), and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning). <br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Staffing Comparisons'''<br />
<br />
| Library || Professionals/FTE || Total Staff/FTE <br />
|-<br />
| TESC || 1.93 || 7.5 <br />
|-<br />
| DEEP || 4.65 || 16.32 <br />
|- <br />
| CTCL || 4.79 || 14.71 <br />
|-<br />
| CIEL || 5.51 || 13.43 <br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC || 2.67 || 8.55 <br />
|-<br />
| WA Regionals || 1.41 || 5.62 <br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
(N.B. The staff count for Evergreen has been halved since approximately 50% of Library and Media Services staffing is devoted to Media Services production, instruction, and equipment check-out. At other institutions, these services, if they are offered at all, reside in academic departments such as media arts or education.) <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses staffing in Area 3. The report shows staffing to be average when compared to similar institutions in terms of size, mission, and culture. <br />
<br />
Because library use at Evergreen compares favorably to more heavily staffed private liberal arts colleges and because all areas sustain a substantial instructional role, there are areas of strain. The rapid expansion of technology-driven services and collections also creates stresses, despite reallocation of staff as media and technologies shift. Following are the primary areas of concern:<br />
<br />
* Support for rapidly expanded classroom technology, an additional demand on top of general institutional growth<br />
* Staffing for greater focus on curriculum planning and engagement with faculty in Academic Computing <br />
* Staffing to support expanding electronic library resource collections (ordering, contracts, management, evaluation, etc.)<br />
* Weakened presence of faculty librarians due to the loss of one line in budget cuts during the self-study period<br />
<br />
===5.D.2 Staff Qualifications===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources staff include qualified professional and technical support staff, with required specific competencies, whose responsibilities are clearly defined.''<br />
<br />
The balance of librarians to other library staff is weighted toward non-professionals when compared to other liberal arts college libraries. Further, as librarians rotate into the full-time curriculum, they temporarily leave behind reference work, management, administration, and collection development. Any sustained work, such as Web-page development, is interrupted by these regular absences. Further, full-time teaching faculty rotate into the Library as neophytes who need training and who present widely disparate skills, abilities, and ambitions. Beyond the system of rotation, with its concomitant duties, librarians are contractually obligated to participate in college governance and curriculum planning, not to mention their own scholarly projects and sabbaticals. Librarians have nine-month contracts and several are absent during the summer sessions when the Library is minimally staffed. These organizational facts mean that Evergreen has no managerial class of librarians. Instead, the team of faculty librarians share management with staff. Paraprofessionals head almost all departments, including Circulation, Government Publications, Periodicals, Technical Services, and Acquisitions. Their year-round presence and regular workdays provide consistency for development of services, maintenance of collections, public service, and supervision of classified staff and student workers. In this collaborative environment, staff often lead the way in adopting new services. The tremendous commitment by the staff grounds the Library and makes it an ideal teaching environment. <br />
<br />
Most library faculty carry both subject and library master's credentials in order to support their teaching as well as their role as professional librarians (see [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Vitae_of_professional_library_staff | CVs of professional library staff]]). <br />
<br />
As is the case with librarians, many media staff and instructors carry additional graduate training. Graduate degrees noted by staff other than librarians include three MPAs, two MFAs, an MA in art history, an MEd and EdS, an MSE (technical engineering), an MS in chemistry, and an MS in computer information systems. The library faculty, whose roles require substantial attention to teaching and governance outside the Library, must depend upon library staff as managers of major services and functions within the Library. Highly experienced staff with significant levels of responsibility keep the Library not just open, but anticipating and embracing change and new opportunities for service (see 5.B.2 Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing for a discussion of media instructors as artists and teaching faculty).<br />
<br />
In the realm of technical support, the Edutech report recommended assigning "staff responsibilities more specifically." More specific responsibilities and positions have been implemented in Technical Support Services. In the smaller units that provide distributed service and instruction such as the CAL, Academic Computing, and Media Services, this stricter delineation of support functions is not as clearly appropriate. Instead, it is often valuable for staff to be well versed on all or most aspects of the instruction or service required and in direct communication with the student, staff, or faculty who needs help. For example, the liaison system in Academic Computing assumes that in most cases a faculty member will receive all aspects of support from one liaison, or that the liaison will coordinate the support and instruction required.<br />
<br />
All staff and faculty have engaged new skills as the information technology evolves. Multiple reclassifications have assured that staff job descriptions and pay scales match new expectations for technological expertise. Staff have also shifted the location of their work partially or entirely as budget cuts and new programs such as Summit and ILLiad have relocated the areas of greatest stress. Increased emphasis on technology in many positions has led to reclassifications and increases in salaries for some staff, resulting in compression of salaries for some managers. A campus-wide study of exempt salaries is expected to address this issue.<br />
<br />
===5.D.3 Professional Growth===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides opportunities for professional growth for library and information resources professional staff.''<br />
<br />
The library faculty are fully funded for professional activities through the central faculty professional development funds and policies, as well as through faculty institutes. <br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultyfundingopportunities.pdf|Faculty Development at Evergreen]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionalleave_policy.pdf|Professional Leave (Faculty Handbook 6.100)]] <br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionaltravel_policy.pdf|Professional Travel (Faculty Handbook 6.200)]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development (Faculty Handbook 6.300)]]<br />
<br />
The remaining library and media services staff may request up to $500 annually from a pool of $2,500. Additional funding has been requested to bring the maximum benefit up to $750 in order to be consistent with the rest of academics, but this funding has not been granted thus far. Non-state funds from the Friends of the Library have been allocated for retreats and other staff meetings in order to compensate for some of this differential access to professional development funds. <br />
<br />
Computing and Communications allocates more than $40,000 per year to support attendance of technical staff at technical conferences and trainings. This allows staff to expand their skills with current technology, increase their knowledge of new and advancing technology, and connect with peers from other institutions and experts in specific technologies. These training opportunities are critical to the team’s ability to support teaching and learning and to provide management of the college’s administrative systems (see [[Media:CC Training spreadsheet.xls | CC Training Spreadsheet]]).<br />
<br />
===5.D.4 Organizational Structure===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services are organized to support the accomplishment of institutional mission and goals. Organizational arrangements recognize the need for service linkage among complementary resource bases (e.g., libraries, computing facilities, instructional media and telecommunication centers).''<br />
<br />
The fundamental organizing principle of library and information resources at Evergreen is that an interdisciplinary curriculum demands integrated services. Beyond that, the founding vision aspired to provide all media, in any location. Contemporary networked technology and the expectations of students now create a climate in which barriers between different information can and must be dissolved. For all these reasons, blended resources, facilities, and services predominate throughout Standard 5.<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Founding_Vision_of_the_Library:_Any_Medium.2C_Any_Location|The Founding Vision: Any Medium, Any Location]].<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Information_Technology_Wing|The Information Technology Wing]].<br />
<br />
====Shared Technology Creates the Need for More Shared Work====<br />
<br />
Media applications, which were once physically limited to Media Services, are now located, maintained, taught, and used throughout the facilities administered by Academic Computing and, to a degree, the Library. Similarly, library resources, which were once physically limited to the Library building, are now found anywhere within reach of the Web. Public computers, once found only in the Computer Center, are everywhere, as are privately-owned laptops. These shifts have accelerated during the past ten years and have changed the instructional roles of the areas and their relationship to the curriculum. Undoubtedly, library and information resources will continue to distribute their budgets, facilities, and staff to continue expanding access to information technology in academic programs and for individual students.<br />
<br />
As technologies have changed, so have the relationships among the Library, Media Services, and Computing, which now share in the communal project of interconnecting, teaching, and supporting our information and technological resources. At this juncture, there seems little point in redesigning the administrative structures that oversee these areas because new relationships and responsibilities have evolved organically, based on need, demand, and interest, and will continue to do so. In order to ensure that these effective working relationships continue to develop, reinforcing connections such as joint staffing, deliberately planning together, and continuing involvement across the areas when hiring for new staff and particularly administrators must be emphasized. <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]] suggested that the existing distributed structures were valuable, but recommended greatly enhancing the role and formal responsibilities of the ITCH to assure better planning in consonance with the mission of the college. See 5.E for fuller discussion of this recommendation. Edutech did not capture the centrality of the teaching role in major portions of the information resources environment at Evergreen. It is teaching and its development that assures the most important connections between the academic mission of the college, the educational program, and IT services of all kinds. While the Library and Media Services collaborate as a matter of course with Academic Computing, the real challenge remains: How to more thoroughly engage the teaching faculty across the curriculum in defining the role of information technology in the academic careers of our students.<br />
<br />
===5.D.5 Engagement in Curriculum Development===<br />
<br />
''The institution consults library and information resources staff in curriculum development.''<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures & Methods 5.B.1]]<br />
<br />
===5.D.6 Library and Information Resources Budgets===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides sufficient financial support for library and information resources and services, and for their maintenance and security.''<br />
<br />
Similar to staffing levels noted above, the Library is well funded compared to other regional public baccalaureates in the state (WA State Public in the table below) and peer public liberal arts libraries nationally (COPLAC in the table below). This comparatively rich funding reflects a historical recognition of the demands of open inquiry and independent research and the centrality of library research in a liberal arts education. Both funding and use rates closely match those of the private liberal arts libraries which predominate the DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives) and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning) peer groups. Thus, the general funding level for the Evergreen Library compares closely to that of institutions with similar missions, services, and roles within their institutions. For further discussion of the role of libraries in liberal arts colleges, see [[Standard_5#Comparing_Use_Statistics_With_Other_Libraries | Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries (5.E)]]. On the other hand, the library budget reported below includes Media Services (approximately 50% of library staffing falls into this category). Most libraries do not include any of the functions provided by Media Services at Evergreen. Instead, these functions, including media instruction, media-production facilities, media production to support college activities, and portable media production equipment check-out, if offered at all, would be part of an academic department such as education or media arts. If Media Services costs and services were not considered, then budgets are close to those of other public institutions, while use statistics are comparable to private liberal arts institutions. <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! FTE<br />
! Circulation+ILL/FTE<br />
! Expenditures/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| '''Evergreen'''<br />
| '''4153'''<br />
| '''31'''<br />
| '''$782'''<br />
|-<br />
| DEEP Colleges<br />
| 2046<br />
| 18<br />
| $829<br />
|-<br />
| CTCL<br />
| 1506<br />
| 23<br />
| $859<br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC<br />
| 3742<br />
| 16<br />
| $464<br />
|-<br />
| CIEL<br />
| 7042<br />
| 25<br />
| $794<br />
|-<br />
| WA State Public<br />
| 11,415<br />
| 15<br />
| $373<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
As budget cuts have reduced both staffing and collections, diversified revenue sources have become a high priority for library administration. Generous biennial infusions from the central academic budget have withered since earlier study periods. Indirect funds from activity grants to the faculty, major gifts from donors, book sales, and fines for lost or destroyed books have all increased to make up important non-state sources for collection development. The development of facilities and programming have been supported through major donors, with the library dean and the campus fundraisers focusing significant attention on these efforts.<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses budgets in Area 4 and compares Evergreen to similar schools on the basis of physical environment, enrollment numbers, education goals and aspirations, residential nature, tuition, and governance structure. The review determined that Evergreen devotes considerable resources to IT and is consistent with its peers. In 2005, Evergreen’s expenditure on IT—expressed as a percentage of total institutional expenditures—was 6.7%. This percentage aligns with the 6.7% reported by Computing in a 2006 survey of public four-year colleges. The average for all institutions was 6.5%. Generally, IT is funded comparably to institutions with similar missions and culture. The report recommended that budget processes should be addressed that take into account the heavy demands upon replacement, operation, and maintenance as IT becomes ubiquitous in the classroom, as well as in labs.<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Comprehensive_budget.28s.29_for_library_and_information_resources |Comprehensive Budget (Required Exhibit 9)]]<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.E – Planning and Evaluation==<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources planning activities support teaching and learning functions by facilitating the research and scholarship of students and faculty. Related evaluation processes regularly assess the quality, accessibility, and use of libraries and other information resource repositories and their services to determine the level of effectiveness in support of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
====Evaluating Information Services and Collections====<br />
<br />
Assessments of Evergreen's library and information resources confirm support for the academic mission of the college as a public liberal arts college that expects a substantial number of students to engage in self-selected independent inquiry. Utilization patterns among Evergreen students correlate closely to the intensive use found among liberal arts colleges as opposed to lower use rates found among more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
=====Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries=====<br />
<br />
In 2002, Washington's four-year public baccalaureate institutions implemented the Cascade resource-sharing consortium. This start-up provided an amazing new service and an opportunity to assess how rapidly a major new service might be implemented. Evergreen patrons borrowed 9,723 items during the first year, more than any other library, even though Evergreen was by far the smallest institution in the consortium at that time. Although ten times bigger than Evergreen, the University of Washington borrowed just under 7,000 items during the first year. The quick acceptance of Cascade testified to the efficient connection between the Library, library instruction, and the teaching faculty and curriculum at large. <br />
<br />
Cascade became Orbis Cascade as the Washington and Oregon academic consortia merged. The new resource-sharing service, entitled Summit, provides ongoing comparative statistics. To continue comparison with the original members of Cascade, in 2006, Evergreen borrowed 4.52 items per FTE; almost four times the next heaviest user at 1.15 items borrowed per student. Although one might assume that small collection size drives this higher demand, the fact is that the Evergreen collection circulates at a high rate per student as well, according to federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data. <br />
<br />
IPEDS data for 2006 also provide the opportunity to compare use statistics of liberal arts colleges with Evergreen and with small master's-level universities (Carnegie Class Master's I), where strong distinctions appear again. When both circulation and interlibrary loan are counted, Evergreen circulates 31 items per FTE, liberal arts colleges nationally average 24 items per FTE, and the Master's I institutions circulate 8.34 per FTE. <br />
<br />
The same dramatic distinction between liberal arts colleges and comprehensive institutions appears in the Summit consortium, which covers a full array of colleges and universities in Oregon and Washington. The following table lists the heaviest users from the member libraries, based upon their rates of use per FTE in 2006. Evergreen places high on the list, among the most highly ranked liberal arts colleges, which placed well above usage rates at more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! Number of Items Borrowed<br />
! FTE<br />
! Items/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| Reed College<br />
| 20,480<br />
| 1,268<br />
| 16.15<br />
|-<br />
| George Fox University<br />
| 14,427<br />
| 2,392<br />
| 6.03<br />
|-<br />
| Marylhurst University<br />
| 4,548<br />
| 852<br />
| 5.34<br />
|-<br />
| Lewis & Clark College<br />
| 14,386<br />
| 2,953<br />
| 4.87<br />
|-<br />
| '''The Evergreen State College'''<br />
| '''16,118'''<br />
| ''' 4,200'''<br />
| '''3.84'''<br />
|-<br />
| Whitman College<br />
| 6,672<br />
| 1,803<br />
| 3.70<br />
|-<br />
| Willamette University<br />
| 9,164<br />
| 2,511<br />
| 3.65<br />
|-<br />
| University of Puget Sound<br />
| 7,570<br />
| 2,742<br />
| 2.76<br />
|-<br />
| Seattle Pacific University<br />
| 8,589<br />
| 3,466<br />
| 2.48<br />
|-<br />
| Linfield<br />
| 5,354<br />
| 2,331<br />
| 2.30<br />
|-<br />
| Western Oregon University<br />
| 8,623<br />
| 3,992<br />
| 2.16<br />
|-<br />
| University of Portland<br />
| 6,764<br />
| 3,211<br />
| 2.11<br />
|-<br />
| University of Oregon<br />
| 38,796<br />
| 18,880<br />
| 2.05<br />
|-<br />
| Eastern Oregon University<br />
| 4,620<br />
| 2,306<br />
| 2.00<br />
|-<br />
| Pacific University<br />
| 4,232<br />
| 2,341<br />
| 1.81<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(Source: [[Media: summit_statistics.xls|Summit Borrowing Statistics FY06]])<br />
<br />
Thus it is clear that, as of 2006, Evergreen library utilization mirrors the practices of liberal arts colleges. High-use rates also seem to reflect an academic emphasis on major student projects. For instance, at Reed College, which requires a senior thesis, the college library circulates or borrows 120 items per student. On the other hand, looking ahead, ''academic library use patterns are in a period of dramatic change.'' In 2007, the University of Washington implemented WorldCat Local, which provides immediate click-though prompts, leading the user from local catalog to Summit to some journal databases, periodical holdings, and interlibrary loan if appropriate. Summit use at the University of Washington doubled since implementation and interlibrary loan has also increased steeply. A large increase in borrowing at the University of Washington drives lending rates throughout the Summit system, but even more important, it suggests that discovery tools will dramatically increase usage without change in the library instructional program or academic practices. The Orbis Cascade consortium will soon be implementing WorldCat as the shared Summit catalog and many libraries in the consortium will undoubtedly implement WorldCat Local as their local library catalog as well.<br />
<br />
=====Library and Computer Center Use & Satisfaction Rates=====<br />
<br />
The data above demonstrate that library and information resources are comparatively well utilized. While high rates of use suggest something about effectiveness, surveys of popularity (frequency of use and satisfaction with use) provide further affirmation. Institutional Research routinely surveys alumni and students about campus resources. A summary of campus resource utilization (See [[Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]) shows that during the six-year period, the Library and the computing facilities have been the top two most used campus facilities, trading off for first place. Alumni who were somewhat or very satisfied with the services have reported in at between 87% and 92% during the period surveyed. <br />
<br />
Starting in 2006, the [[media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Campus_Resources_Utilization_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)]] included questions about using library resources online and found that 85.2% of respondents use online library resources. Internal records also suggest phenomenal growth in online use of library resources. In 2000, when the Library subscribed to three aggregate journal databases (Proquest, Ebscohost and JSTOR), users conducted 80,000 searches. In 2007, among approximately 30 subscription databases, there were well over 250,000 searches. Careful review of variations of use from year to year reveals the direct impact a fluid curriculum has on database use. For example, Modern Language Association International Bibliography statistics are quite erratic; one major project in a large academic program explains a fivefold increase of use in one year. As JSTOR has developed into a more deeply and broadly multi-interdisciplinary tool, use statistics show a shift away from heavy dependence on the less scholarly aggregates. Extensive lobbying by faculty and librarians encourages this shift toward use of scholarly resources such as JSTOR. Use statistics for periodicals and databases drive selection and instruction planning. When use statistics are low for a database seen by the library faculty as critical to a discipline or of particularly high academic value, then library faculty focus instruction on that database whenever appropriate.<br />
<br />
=====Media Services User Surveys=====<br />
<br />
Institutional Research and Assessment added Media Services to its alumni survey of campus resource utilization starting in 2004. Since then, Media Services has been listed as the fifth most utilized resource. Alumni reported being somewhat or very satisfied at a rate of 89% and 90% in the two survey years (see [[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]).<br />
<br />
The 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)asked students about their use of Media Services, which showed 48% use of Media Loan (see [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Campus_Resource_Utilization_Olympia.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Campus Resource Utilization - Olympia]]). A survey designed and implemented by staff member Lin Crowley supplemented this data. Crowley’s respondents reported an average satisfaction level for each service ranging from 3.07 to 3.62 (out of 4), which indicated that those who used current services were generally fairly satisfied with each of the services they use.<br />
<br />
Although respondents to Crowley’s survey were predominantly active Media Services users, many respondents were uninformed about some services. Respondents supported investment in new digital technologies, but most were unaware of new or planned digital facilities. One clear conclusion of the survey is that visibility and access could be better for some services. Suggested improvements often focused on access, whether longer hours, more workshops, or more facilities. The survey project director recommended that future follow-up surveys be conducted to compare whether the reasons people use each service change and to evaluate the satisfaction levels for each type of services by patron types. See [[Media : TESC_Media_Services_Assessment_Project.doc | Evergreen Media Services Assessment Project]]<br />
<br />
====Evaluation of Teaching and Instructional Programs: Information Technology Literacy====<br />
<br />
The strong focus on teaching throughout library and information resources suggests the following questions: 1) In a college without requirements, does information technology instruction reach enough students to assure that the vast majority of graduates develop skills in support of their inquiries? 2) Which students are taught? Do students receive information technology instruction in an array of disciplinary and developmentally varied situations or is it happening only in pockets of the curriculum? 3) Is it working? Are students acquiring cross-curricular information technology, including media literacy?<br />
<br />
=====How many students are taught?=====<br />
<br />
About 3,000 students attend program-based library instruction workshops annually. These statistics exclude most cases of repeated contacts with the same student and thus represent very broad coverage of the student body. <br />
<br />
From 2000 to 2007, Media Services offered a total of more than 1,500 workshops to approximately 156 academic programs. This number does not include the thousands of quick proficiencies also provided by the area. The number of formal media workshops given and students reached in 2005 and 2006 were each more than double the numbers provided in 2000. Workshops have increased along with new technologies, especially in Media Loan and in the new Multimedia and Digital Imaging Studio (DIS) labs.<br />
<br />
Most instruction provided by Academic Computing and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) serves specific academic programs. These sessions are represented in the following table:<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Computer Lab Workshops for Academic Programs''' (cells represent academic programs/number of students)<br />
<br />
| Year || 2004-05 || 2005-06 || 2006-07<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Center || 221/4,423 || 171/3,418 || 253/4,880<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Applications Lab || 50/1,368 || 50/1,248 || 52/1,344<br />
|-<br />
| Totals || 271/5,791 || 191/4,666 || 305/6,224<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Up until 2007, Academic Computing offered 30 to 40 general computer skills workshops per year in the Computer Center, attended by approximately 350 students. Professional staff focused these workshops on general technical skill building, independent of academic programs. Over time, fewer students were attending these workshops, presumably because more students come to college with strong technical skills and with specialized self-determined needs for support. In response to waning attendance, Academic Computing redesigned the workshops as student-centered support sessions to which students bring their questions or projects. This student-centered structure should more effectively meet the specific demands of students. Computing will evaluate the success of this reinvented structure. All areas of library, media, and computing find the strongest teaching and the greatest demand for instruction occurs in conjunction with programs.<br />
<br />
=====Which Students?=====<br />
<br />
The number of teaching contacts shows that library and information resources staff reach a large number of academic programs, but does not indicate which programs. End-of-program surveys conducted from 2001 to 2006 by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment asked faculty, “Did your students use technology to present work, conduct research (including library research), or solve problems? If yes, How?” Not surprisingly, faculty answered that library/Internet research skills were the most commonly used at 50%, followed by some form of presentation technology. Ninety percent of programs reported some substantial use of information technology. (See[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]])<br />
<br />
In 2006-07, questions were revised to more accurately identify programs where there was intentional focus on teaching ITL: "Did your program include activities to improve information technology literacy?" With this more restrictive language, 70% of programs reported including ITL. (See[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]) <br />
<br />
Further, in 2006-07, a follow-up question asked specifically which kind of technology was taught. Significantly different technologies predominate in different parts of the curriculum. No standard set of applications comes into play, although as of 2006-07, presentation technologies (at 42% of all programs) have increased by 70% over their use in the 2001 to 2006 reports and now begin to approach library and Internet research in their prevalence at 50%. Online communication applications were reported by 32% of programs, an increase of 19% over the 2001-2006 data. <br />
<br />
Reservation-based programs reported library and Internet research at the highest rate, at 100% of programs, although this work was weakly connected to library instruction and therefore it is unclear whether academic library-supplied resources were used. At the other end of the spectrum, Culture, Text, and Language was lowest with 21% reporting library or Internet searching. The remainder of planning units ranged between 43% and 50% library/Internet use, with Core programs at the low end with 43%.<br />
<br />
The substantial move toward presentation media and online communication in programs drives increases in multimedia applications. Presentation technology and online communication applications encourage the use of still and moving images, sound clips, graphs, and charts. These media are mixed with traditional print communication written by students or linked from Web resources. While these media and print applications involve basic, commonly used applications of information technology, they easily migrate toward more advanced media production. The increasing presence of multimedia information technology in Evergreen's learning communities drives further demand upon Media Services and Academic Computing, along with increased overlap of their teaching and service roles.<br />
<br />
Since its inception in the context of Holly’s generic library, Media Services has followed its mission to support media literacy and instruction across the curriculum. During the last ten years, Media Services have changed dramatically as the personal computer has become the platform for entry-level media production and consumption. One measure of this change has materialized in how media staff have served programs through formal workshops since fall 2000. The scheduling data shows that almost 90% of formal program-based workshops serve Expressive Arts faculty. While this scheduling data does not cover equipment proficiency workshops or one-on-one instruction, both used more broadly across the curriculum, it is nevertheless clear that formal instruction by media staff focuses heavily on Expressive Arts programs, with an emphasis on advanced production applications, the exclusive provenance of expressive arts faculty. Media Services provides this advanced instruction in specialized labs, which were enhanced and expanded during the remodel. One effect of this specialization is that entry-level students have migrated to Academic Computing, where the staff works in collaboration with media staff to provide instruction on entry-level media-production applications. In fact, during fall and winter 2006-07, 68% of the faculty who requested workshops in Computer Center were from planning units other than Expressive Arts, and many of these workshops included media instruction (Photoshop, iMovie, Flash, etc.). <br />
<br />
Just as in the Computer Center, the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) shows a trend toward more broadly used applications. Although the CAL has traditionally focused on the science curriculum in the Environmental Studies and Scientific Inquiry planning units, these users have begun to share their space with those who have less specialized demands. Roughly 60% to 70% of the classes in the CAL now work with statistical or numeric analysis, primarily Excel, but also with Graphical Analysis, R, and SPSS. Ninety percent of CAL users prepare presentations, most often with Powerpoint, Word, Illustrator and Excel. Approximately 60% of the programs meeting in the CAL still use analytical tools, including (in order of usage) ArcGIS, Mathematica, and Stella, which were once the focal point of all CAL applications. Science faculty have shifted their emphasis to on-site analysis, using advanced applications in specialized scientific labs in ways that parallel the shift in Media Services toward advanced applications. Meanwhile, the CAL and the Computer Center serve increasing numbers of students who seek instruction or support for the increasingly powerful personal computing applications in media production, statistical analysis, and presentation media.<br />
<br />
=====Does Library Instruction Result in ITL Gains?=====<br />
<br />
The Library, consistent with college-wide practices, rejects requirements and embraces students who engage in open inquiry and independent judgment. In this context, the Library supports a fluid curriculum and responds to changes that drive the needs and expectations of an innovative teaching faculty. Standard or standardized assessment methods do not apply because the Library shapes teaching according to individual students, a fluid curriculum, and highly diverse pedagogy. Instead, the Library commits to the intensive and never-ending task of recreating learning goals, student-by-student, program-by-program. Context is everything, which obviates the role of abstract standardized measures.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the Library does engage in qualitative assessment, the descriptive characterization of ITL teaching and learning. As is the case throughout the faculty (see Standard 2.B.3, Engagement and Reflection), library faculty write annual evaluations of themselves and their library and teaching colleagues. They also engage in five-year reviews in which a panel of teaching colleagues discusses their work. These evaluations consistently address instructional aspirations, successes, and failures. See [[Media: Reflections_on_library_instruction.doc | Reflections on Library Instruction]]. <br />
<br />
Further, under the leadership of the Office of Institutional Research, the librarians designed a project that assessed students as they worked through real research inquiries. The study, [[media: ActivityInfomationLiteracy.pdf |"The Activity of Information Literacy"]], documented the techniques and processes and even the thinking of several small samples of students as they collaborated intensively on research questions. The study showed that these particular students were stronger in their grasp of content than they were in their command of library research tools for their specific inquiries. In other words, a question about history might not lead them to historical abstracts. They were also strong in their ability to develop their research questions and to evaluate and synthesize the results. What these results suggest is that “Faculty may want to assess their students’ abilities to obtain information and offer tutorials or refer students to the Library when deficiencies are detected.”<br />
<br />
Beyond the immediate results, this qualitative assessment also suggested that the students benefited greatly when they collaborated. Certainly, this observation is corroborated by the gains that students make when they work together in skill building instead of in canned computer workshops outside of programs. Additionally, peer groups are widely used across the curriculum as a way to encourage students to develop research topics and individual projects. Given the results of the qualitative assessment and given the widely practiced use of peer groups, library faculty should seek ways to implement collaborative research activities when they link their instruction to programs. This model of cooperation would build on the more isolated collaborations that take place, as a matter of course, between librarians and students at the reference desk. An enlarged vision of this basic transaction—discussion, exploration, and brainstorming—will enhance the relevance and effectiveness of library teaching and workshops.<br />
<br />
=====Student Assessment of Their ITL Learning=====<br />
<br />
The Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES) asks questions that elucidate what the students themselves think they learned at Evergreen. In 2006, the ESES asked, "To what extent have your Evergreen experiences contributed to your growth in ... the following computer-related fields...?" Responses generally matched fairly well with the perspectives found in the end-of-program surveys. For the category "Studying or Doing Research via the Internet or other online sources:<br />
<br />
* 30.5% of Olympia-campus students reported at least some contribution. <br />
* 47.5% reported quite a bit or a lot, for a total of 77.5%. <br />
* More than 84% of Tacoma students reported at least some, of which 50% reported quite a bit. <br />
* More than 93% of reservation-based students reported at least some contribution; 86.2% reporting quite a bit or a lot.<br />
<br />
Considering how many students express self-confidence in their research skills, and as the Internet provides so many increasingly powerful tools for personal research, it is heartening to see that a good majority of students feel they developed their research skills as part of their education at Evergreen. <br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES also asked about "Using the computer for artistic expression (e.g., music, other audio, still images, animation, video, etc.)":<br />
<br />
* More than 42% reported that Evergreen contributed "Some," "Quite a Bit," or "A Lot"<br />
* Fully 36.8% said "Not at All"<br />
* 20.9% said "Very Little"<br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES surveyed use of non-artistic computer tools, asking about specific types of applications such as spreadsheets, GIS, Web development, posters, or programming. In general, as was found in end-of-program reviews, no single type of computer application dominated. No application type was used by more than 50% of students; instead, different types of applications were used by smaller subsets of the students surveyed.<br />
<br />
===5.E.1 Participatory Planning===<br />
<br />
''The institution has a planning process that involves users, library and information resource staff, faculty, and administrators.''<br />
<br />
====Overall Planning for Collections & Services====<br />
<br />
The fluidity of interdisciplinary and individual study defines library services. The dean of Library Services strengthens the ties between academics and the Library and Media Services through weekly meetings with the provost, associate vice president for academic budget and planning, and academic dean of budget, as well as weekly academic deans meetings. Once a month, the director of computing and communications and the manager of Academic Computing also join the academic deans' meeting.<br />
<br />
The interconnection of the instructional role with the planning and support functions drives the efficacy of all the services in these areas. In the [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]], Area 5 discussed planning and governance in the Evergreen information environment. The review was somewhat critical of the lack of coordination in support, planning, and governance of IT across the campus and advocated for a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH), an organization which links library, media, and computing managers and instructors. However, the report did not emphasize how the teaching function and role in Academic Computing, the CAL, and Media Services creates strong collaboration in all service and instruction design. <br />
<br />
Further, placing library and information resources within the larger ethos of the college, any major policy discussions or long-term planning processes invoke the participatory college-wide Disappearing Task Force (DTF) structure. Budgetary processes are generally collaborative and include opportunities for review and input from the campus community (see Participatory Decision-Making Culture [Standard 1 Section 2.3] and Standard 6). The college budget process and schedule drives most mid-term library planning. (See Standard 7 Section 7.A.3).<br />
<br />
Additional opportunities for community contributions to planning include faculty who rotate into the Library and who focus on collection development and other planning projects. An annual Reference Services Group retreat establishes the year's work before classes start in the fall. Faculty development reviews, also known as five-year reviews, and faculty institutes provide opportunities for conversations across campus about a range of teaching, learning, and service questions as they impact information services. The library internship program provided a reading seminar for several years within which library faculty, staff, and interns could discuss changing information technology and its cultural meaning. Finally, the librarians often engage in faculty reading seminars, frequently focused on library issues, where shared thinking about the future of libraries evolves.<br />
<br />
====Loose Structures and Responsiveness to Rapid Change in the Information Environment====<br />
<br />
Among the organizations included in library and information resources, the Library is the largest and most embedded in tradition and thus may be the most invested in preexisting professional structures and assumptions. Additionally, a comparative lack of top-down managerial structures could lead to a tendency to stagnate in some environments. How well does the Library balance the competing demands of conservation, teaching, and technological adaptation and innovation? The success of the Library’s flat organization can be measured by the impressive way in which the Library group has responded to institutional and profession-wide changes and challenges. See the [[Media: Achievements.doc |Achievements]] document for a description of major changes in services, faculties, and collections implemented during the study period. Most of the changes are responses to opportunities provided by technological developments and external engagement in consortia. The consortia relieve any single library from much of the burden of research and develop into new technologies, an overwhelming burden for a comparatively small library such as Evergreen's. Additionally, Evergreen's library administration and staff have worked actively in leadership roles in the Orbis Cascade consortium to assure that the consortium supports efficient, cost-effective movement into the world of networked and shared resources.<br />
<br />
===5.E.2 Planning Linkages===<br />
<br />
''The institution, in its planning, recognizes the need for management and technical linkages among information resource bases (e.g., libraries, instructional computing, media production and distribution centers, and telecommunications networks).''<br />
<br />
====Planning Across LIR====<br />
<br />
With networked information technology and almost universal access to digitized academic information resources, coordination of planning across library and information resources has become increasingly critical. The information technology staff and librarians from across the administrative units found that while administrative restructuring did not appear to provide a more effective connection among services, it was nevertheless wise to imagine a new structure to foster collaboration. A cross-areas collaborative group entitled the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH) was created, which provides the most formal mechanism for collaboration around technology across the various parts of the college. <br />
<br />
Evergreen supports three ITCH groups: Academic, Administrative, and Core. The Academic ITCH meets at least once a month and includes professional staff from each of the primary technology labs, faculty, and interested students. The Academic ITCH coordinates general academic IT initiatives, helps develop general academic computing policy, and guides strategic planning. Professional staff members in each of the primary technology areas have developed strong connections to discipline-specific slices of the curriculum, faculty, and academic administration. As the ITCH develops, the members will explore ways to communicate and plan in cross-disciplinary and cross-divisional programs. The ITCH provides one of the necessary cross-curricular and cross-divisional contexts for developing information technology across administratively distinct areas. The Administrative ITCH plans for administrative IT support and the Core ITCH acts as the coordinating body for all areas of IT represented in the ITCH.<br />
<br />
The ITCH created a strategic plan in conjunction with the campus-wide strategic planning process in 2007. Strategic Direction number 7 addresses technology. The statement is notable for the breadth of its concerns, with aspirations addressing media, library, and computing technology: <br />
<br />
: Use technology to enhance teaching and learning and administrative support at Evergreen.<br />
Evergreen will intentionally foster secure, sustainable, flexible, easy-to-use, and accessible information technologies (IT) that support and enhance our teaching and learning philosophies and the administrative needs of the institution. Evergreen’s continuing commitment to technology and media literacies as critical components of a liberal arts education has led us to re-envision our Television Studio into a Center for New Media [now entitled the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)] that will provide cross-curricular and extra-curricular support for computer mediated production, performance, interactivity, teleconferencing, live broadcasts, digital image storage, processing, re-broadcasting, and format conversion for all areas of the college. Accuracy and quality of information will improve and strong support will make technology and a broad range of information services available to on- and off-campus users. Security requirements of networks, software, hardware and data will be met while ensuring appropriate user access, including control of access to confidential information and the need for academic exploration. Classroom spaces will be technologically current and functional for meeting curricular needs (see the complete [[Media: itchstrategicplan_wiki.pdf|IT Strategic Plan wiki]] for more detail).<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] recommended a stronger, more formal role and status for the ITCH, which has not found support from higher-level administrators who have budgetary responsibility over the divisions of the college. This means the ITCH continues to serve as a bottom-up structure of collaboration based on the experience of direct collaboration with and support for students, staff, and faculty users.<br />
<br />
====Continue Blending More Functions within Library and Information Resources====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support a surprisingly diverse infrastructure of technologies and media in the curriculum. For greatest efficiency, library and information resources should consider even more coordination across boundaries to provide technology support. Students should be able to move seamlessly between different areas, such as the CAL, the Multimedia Lab (MML), and the Computer Center. Certainly, the pathways between areas could be more clearly articulated by identifying and developing more common services, including printing, building and maintaining image sets, server file space, and common software. By taking better advantage of the network infrastructure, students will experience less confusion and IT staff who directly support the curriculum could dedicate more energy toward coordinating, developing, and designing IT strategies with academic programs instead of maintaining redundant infrastructures.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources could develop a shared perspective about their public presence. One possibility for representing blended facilities and services would be a central help desk for the Information Technology Wing. The shared entrance to the wing has become a prominent architectural feature and an opportunity to reshape the community’s understanding of what the areas collectively represent. A central help desk could provide basic information about facilities, services, and staff, and it would help facilitate how efficiently patrons move between the various floors of the wing. Continued attention to the best use of the Library Underground and how to assure its connection to other floors should be part of this process; a large, flexible teaching and gathering space is developing there and appropriate equipment will be needed to support that vision. Concurrently, assuring safety for the adjacent Archives and Rare Books Collections is critical.<br />
<br />
Construction of the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM) will begin soon. This project has distinct relevance to the changing roles of Media Services, the Library, and Academic Computing within the evolving digital liberal arts. The CCAM will comprise a collection of media production studios and equipment to complement existing Media Services and Academic Computing media resources and provide the primary bridge between the campus media infrastructure and networked digital resources. For a discussion of the CCAM and related curricular projects, see [[media: CNM.doc | Center for Creative and Applied Media]].<br />
<br />
===5.E.3 Evaluation and the Future===<br />
<br />
''The institution regularly and systematically evaluates the quality, adequacy, and utilization of its library and information resources and services, including those provided through cooperative arrangements, and at all locations where courses, programs, or degrees are offered. The institution uses the results of the evaluations to improve the effectiveness of these resources.''<br />
<br />
As part of an institution constantly engaged in processes of narrative evaluation and other forms of assessment, library and information resources engage in and are the subject of extensive assessment both within library and information resources and externally through Institutional Research and Assessment surveys and studies. In addition to formal annual processes such as budget building and annual library faculty retreats, the results of these assessments feed into the development of ongoing teaching and services through constant face-to-face interactions among faculty, administrators, staff, and students, which inform all operations. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, as cited throughout this report, provides annual surveys about library and information resources, several of which are broken down by campus.<br />
<br />
See:<br />
<br />
[[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Utilization]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf | End-of program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Workshop_-_Information_Technology_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf | End-of-program Review Workshop - Information Technology Across the Curriculum]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Transfer_Students.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_and_Technology-related_Resources.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Information Technology Literacy and Technology-related Resources]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Growth_in_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Growth in Computer Skills - Olympia Campus]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | <br />
Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]<br />
<br />
====Collections and Access====<br />
<br />
The Web presence of the Library will, of course, continue to evolve. The Library continues work on a new library front page and database search pages. It is likely that the new library front page will become the responsibility of the college-wide Web team, freeing library staff from this unfunded work. A new federated search is being implemented. Meanwhile, the Orbis Cascade consortium is migrating to WorldCat, which the Library will consider for local use as well. A local catalog designed on the principle of Web discovery tools can be expected to generate significant changes in library use. In this context, changes in staffing may be required to support increases in use of services such as Summit and ILLiad, and the content and focus of instruction may require substantial revision. Evaluation of service and instruction via peer comparisons will change, as discovery tools will generate higher uses without increased instruction. Instruction will likely need to focus even more on evaluating sources and finding those resources not easily located via discovery tools. <br />
<br />
The continued expansion of audiovisual media collections represents a critical part of the vision of the generic library. To that end, one-time funds have frequently been infused into a small base budget for film and sound recordings, and the collection has grown significantly. Sound & Image Library (SAIL) staff and selectors have emphasized both new titles and replacement of older formats and worn copies. The Library anticipates circulating the collection through Summit, which will increase wear. See [[media:SAILacq.xls|SAIL Acquisition Statistics]]. Selectors will continue a recent change of policy allowing the purchase of any medium from their funds allocated for print monographs, but a stable and larger allocation for the SAIL budget would lessen the need to do so and reduce variations in expenditures, workload, and processing. The Resource Selection Committee is currently reviewing materials budgets with the intention of reallocating funds according to the curricular demands for video and digitized reference resources. If these discussions result in a larger budget for the SAIL, there will be more work, but also more consistency. Additionally, the staff will be more deeply involved in researching Web-based media collections. This additional workload represents a challenge for the SAIL. <br />
<br />
Digital collection development should go forward in concert with the push to digitize archival collections, including photographs, video, and copies of faculty artwork. The CCAM will take the lead in this ongoing project. <br />
<br />
Because of the Summit and ILLiad systems, the core collections do not need to support individual students who engage in inquiries that lie outside the collection profile based upon the core curriculum. However, Summit use will also allow the Library to identify whether there are any consistent weaknesses in the collection that show up as subject areas driving high borrowing rates from other institutions. The data from Summit should be analyzed over a three-year period, due to the fluidity of the curriculum, at which point the Library will decide if such data are useful in guiding collection development. <br />
<br />
The Library will continue to take advantage of the significantly increased purchasing power created by consortial agreements for periodical and other database purchases. The Library needs to keep an eye on the time and expertise required to keep up with the ever-increasing work of evaluating these agreements, purchases, and contracts and the technical work to support electronic resources, and it may want to consider creating a position for managing electronic resources. A centralized specialist working on electronic resources would potentially help the selectors by consistently researching and disseminating information about new products.<br />
<br />
Overall, long-standing assumptions about budgets for collections must be reevaluated. While major cuts were made to the monographic budget early in the study period and were only partially restored over time, it is not clear that simply restoring those funds and adding funds for inflation are the desirable next moves. The Resource Selection Committee will need to continue to explore more flexible responses to a rapidly changing publishing environment in order to match collection budgets to evolving research needs. Private fundraising and other non-state funds have helped close collection development gaps in some cases, such as the SAIL budget. Library and information resources overall have begun to receive private support for equipment and facilities projects as well. More work with the Office of College Advancement should be emphasized, as many alumni have demonstrated willingness to support the library and information resources. <br />
<br />
=====Support for Rapidly Evolving Information Technology=====<br />
<br />
While the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] gave Evergreen good marks for its budgetary support of information technology, the report also recommended that “to follow current best practices, the replacement cycle should be permanently funded and the operations budgets need to be raised regularly to reflect the increase in technology-equipped classrooms, the increased number of servers and desktop computers that must be supported, and other increases in the technology base.” The college has begun to address this issue, proposing permanent line items in the next biennium for replacing the core server and desktops. This movement toward more permanent allocations for replacement and repair will help ensure that the infrastructure can support the curriculum. Although the ITCH can play only an advisory role, it has participated actively in the process of establishing permanent allocations, setting priorities, and sharing resources. <br />
<br />
The remodeled Information Technology Wing and the construction of the Seminar II building created dramatically more technology-equipped teaching spaces. There are now forty-nine media and computer-capable classrooms, with more on the way. Labs are equipped with computers for each student, and most classrooms now include a computer along with projection and display systems. The Library plans to convert one classroom in the Library Underground to a lab, and teaching spaces on campus still without computers or display technology are on the way to being equipped. At this point, library and information resources just manage to support the computer facilities distributed across campus. As more spaces are computerized and enrollment creeps up toward the target of 5,000, the college will have to add additional staff and funding for maintenance. All capital construction and remodeling plans must include consideration of maintenance, replacement, and support for media and networked display. <br />
<br />
As media technology has changed, some faculty choose to continue teaching older analog equipment, often for good pedagogical and aesthetic reasons. In the context of doubling instruction loads, this breadth of technologies generates a daunting challenge for Media Loan as it stretches to maintain, house, and teach a very wide array of portable equipment. Media Loan should work with the Expressive Arts faculty and other major users to reduce the range of Media Loan equipment necessary to support the curriculum.<br />
<br />
====Library Instruction====<br />
<br />
The reduced number of library faculty has resulted in less ability to provide library instruction deeply and broadly to the entire curriculum. Further, reference desk service has changed as the Internet creates patrons who access our resources from remote locations. Most immediately, virtual patrons do not benefit from the teaching that takes place at the reference desk, although the transactions that do occur at reference tend to be more substantive. As traffic at the physical reference desk has diminished, faculty who rotate into the Library have more limited opportunities to learn about library resources through interactions with patrons. These trends should inform the reference group as they consider how to proceed in allocating team responsibilities with or without an increase in the number of library faculty.<br />
<br />
The reference group should evaluate service to areas of the curriculum that report or demonstrate less involvement in the various forms of information technology instruction (as reflected in end of program reports), and consider whether more or different instructional support would be appropriate, feasible, or desirable. <br />
<br />
Library instruction will evolve in the context of catalogs that imitate Web discovery tools. It is entirely likely that patrons will frequently discover services which have, until now, had to be pointed out to them. For the near future, however, finding and using the most effective, appropriate journal databases still requires instruction or intervention on the part of librarians or faculty. Evaluation of library instruction based upon comparative use statistics will probably be less valuable than in this past study period, as academic library finding tools will vary greatly for some time to come, creating widely disparate use statistics. Thus close attention to database use trends and their correlation to the implementation of new finding tools will be important in the near future.<br />
<br />
Intensive, embedded library and media instruction remain the most desirable and effective models. Some librarians focus on these models, including such work as evaluating bibliographies, which become the basis for assessing the quality of student research and the basis for further instruction. Faculty librarians may want to explore evaluating research results more commonly as they develop their ties with programs and faculty in all disciplines, particularly if discovery tools generate easier access to resources beyond the immediate catalog search. As librarians become more involved in each stage of research, including writing or production, they should be able to provide more consistent support to students. Time for this work with students is restricted by the number of librarians, as is time for the more extended work essential to students from Tacoma and reservation-based programs, who depend so heavily upon off-campus access and have less opportunity to confer with librarians at the reference desk. Faculty who rotate into the Library must be more fully engaged in this aspect of the librarians' work in order to help balance the external teaching demands upon library faculty. <br />
<br />
When the Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning and Writing Centers were planned into the new Information Technology Wing, the hope was for substantial collaboration. While the location of these centers within the Library brings more students in, aids the sense of hospitality, and provides convenient resources for students, collaboration has remained minimal. Thus opportunities for shared instruction and service have yet to be exploited.<br />
<br />
=====Cross-Curricular Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
<br />
As discussed above, library and information resources and the teaching faculty assure that information technology infuses the curriculum. On the other hand, the faculty has not embraced any particular set of information technology skills as fundamental to the liberal arts undergraduate at Evergreen. Instead, faculty choose and adapt information and media technologies according to the pedagogical and disciplinary requirements of their chosen inquiry. There is little work across the curriculum about critical approaches to media or basic definitions of college-level technical literacy for the liberal arts. In the immediate future, library and information resources should invite the teaching faculty into a discussion about whether the campus has any broad consensus about Information Technology Literacy (ITL), including critical approaches. Long ago, the college committed to writing across the curriculum and allocated significant institutional resources to encourage that work—without proscriptive limits or standards. A wider discussion about ITL could produce a similar vision and institutional support. In the long run, such a vision will shape our understanding of digital scholarship in the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
The expansion of entry-level media technology instruction raises questions about the staffing assumptions in Academic Computing. If critical approaches to information technology are to be addressed, and if cross-curricular information technology literacy is a priority for the contemporary liberal arts, then instructional staffing based on historical models of canned skills workshops may be insufficient. Academic Computing should continue current efforts to recruit instructional staff who have the expertise to work intensively in program planning and curriculum development, as well as on technical support for those activities. The numbers of such instructional IT staffing may also need to be evaluated in response to these new and expanding demands for work within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
===Conclusion: Holly's Generic Library Has Come to Fruition===<br />
<br />
Library and information resources have been deeply influenced by the organizational habits of the college, habits of collaboration, egalitarian ideals, fluidity, face-to-face interactions, non-departmentalization, reflexive learning, and independent and interdisciplinary inquiry. The result is a responsive, flexible, evolving set of services and resources. Library and information resources faculty and staff work across the media, regardless of where services reside administratively, in order to fuse traditional library services, information services, computing, and media. Library and information resources assess technology within the context of Evergreen’s particular curriculum and implement new applications incrementally in collaborative processes involving all three areas of service and the teaching faculty. As part of that work, library and information resources have had the distinct historical advantage of presuming that information comes in all formats and that it is not only possible but advisable to break down as many barriers as possible to access information in all its forms. In this, library and information resources are shaped by their founding vision - the generic library - an idea whose time has come.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1) Overall, library and information resources at Evergreen demonstrate effective development of collaborative planning, services, and instruction in support of the academic mission and educational programs of the college.<br />
<br />
2.) Over the past decade, the Library and Media Services have fully committed to networking and digital resources. This shift has implied a change in organization, reorganization of job classifications, and the creation of new patterns of work supported in all areas.<br />
<br />
3.) Commitment to the use of networking digital information resources has allowed and promoted the integration of all sections of library and information resources and has pushed the staff in all areas to reconceptualize their work and to find new patterns of organization and collaboration.<br />
<br />
4.) Students and faculty are thinking about and using information resources in all media. They can now reasonably expect to have seamless access to a wide array of high-quality academic information, media, and computer applications almost anywhere on campus.<br />
<br />
5.) The Library is funded like a public college, but the emphasis on projects, the array of inquiries, and the fact that it is a teaching library means that it is used as if it were a part of a private liberal arts college.<br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The Evergreen Library has always been what other libraries have striven to become: a '''teaching library''' deeply connected to the faculty and curriculum. The result is that students use the Library very actively. Historically, Media Services has had the same teaching focus. Academic computing, with a longstanding instructional role, is also moving toward more substantive teaching and collaboration with faculty. This cross-curricular emphasis on teaching must be continued.<br />
<br />
2.) The original vision of the Library was "generic," which means that it includes all media in all locations. The contemporary term in the profession is the '''virtual library. ''' Evergreen's library and information resources have been able to realize the vision due to the advent of effective, ubiquitous networking and digital resources. The new technology plus major consortial agreements have created an explosion of access to high-quality scholarly information and media.<br />
<br />
3. The remodeled and more unified Information Technology Wing is the physical manifestation of the blending of traditional print, media, and computer technology that characterizes the virtual library and information in the digital age. Despite being spread across administrative divisions, the Library, Media Services, Academic Computing, the CAL, and Computing and Communications all collaborate effectively to assure more and more seamless access to information resources. We must guard these interconnections and continue to seek opportunities for collaboration that will provide the best service, teaching, and efficiency.<br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Through consortial agreements and wise use of resources made available to the college, an extraordinary array of high-quality academic resources. For example, the number of academic journals now available is nine times larger than at the outset of the review. Active leadership in consortia such as Orbis Cascade and the Cooperative Libraries Project supported these cost-effective approaches.<br />
<br />
2.) The willingness of staff from all areas to share, collaborate, and dream as they worked through the complex reorganizations and new work necessary to create an operative virtual library has been extraordinary.<br />
<br />
3.) The creation of an accessible, integrated, well-conceived teaching space with the renovation of the B and C wings of the Library has allowed the virtual library to have a physical presence that embodies the integration of these areas, while providing hospitable spaces and programming to complement virtual use information resources.<br />
<br />
4.) The spread of digital media and computer facilities to the campus as a whole, in the Lecture Halls, and in the new classrooms of Seminar II, as well as the extension of wireless access to most of the campus has allowed the teaching resources of library and information resources to be used across the campus.<br />
<br />
5.) Both the development of the virtual library and a continued commitment to extensive instruction have led to effective library and information resources for off-campus programs and users.<br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Library and information resources must maintain the flexibility in staff’s capacity to respond to the rapidly changing digital environment.<br />
<br />
2.) Library and information services must continue to remain aware of developments in information technology, critically assess them, and carefully integrate technological capacities into the staff’s capacity for teaching.<br />
<br />
3.) Library and information resources should assure that connections between the three units (the Library, Academic Computing, and Media Services) that make up library and information resources are as seamless as possible.<br />
<br />
4.) Media Services instructors should consciously promote considerations of media among faculty across the curriculum, as well as continue to work effectively with those who depend upon media as the center of their work.<br />
<br />
5.) Staff from all areas should pursue and develop cross-curricular faculty conversations about information and technology as literacies for the liberal arts, including critical perspectives.<br />
<br />
6.) Library and information services should assure that instructional staffing and library faculty is sufficient in training and numbers to support extensive, integrated information technology literacy instruction across the curriculum and to off-campus and weekend and evening programs.<br />
<br />
7.) Library and information services should continue to develop maintenance and replacement funds to support rapidly expanding information technology, instruction, and service throughout the campus.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing staff and faculty will collaborate in planning ongoing summer faculty institutes facilitating cross-curricular faculty conversations about information technology literacy for the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
2.) The shape of expenditures on collections should evolve as inflation, consortia, networked access, and digital publications continue to change the information environment. The Library Resource Selection Committee will continue to review database, Summit, and local collection use, as well as allocation of non-state funds in order to appropriately support collections in all media. As a member of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, the Library will pursue collaborative collection development emphasizing strong core local collections and coordinated shared collections.<br />
<br />
3.) The substantial instructional role necessary to support information technology literacy across the curriculum should be recognized in campus hiring priorities.<br />
<br />
4.) The Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing will continue to emphasize shared work. Several areas of potential collaboration in addition to faculty institutes include considering a shared public presence at the newly emphasized main entrance to the Information Technology Wing, an increased role for the ITCH in planning and management of information technology on campus, shared staff positions, shared hiring processes, and more collaborative instruction for academic programs.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Five|Supporting Documentation for Standard 5]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_5&diff=8830Standard 52008-07-24T22:51:52Z<p>Coghlanl: /* ITL in the Context of Holly's Generic Library= */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 5 – Library and Information Resources==<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.A – Purpose and Scope===<br />
<br />
<br />
''The primary purpose for library and information resources is to support teaching, learning, and if applicable, research in ways consistent with, and supportive of, the institution’s mission and goals. Adequate library and information resources and services, at the appropriate level for degrees offered, are available to support the intellectual, cultural, and technical development of students enrolled in courses and programs wherever located and however delivered.''<br />
<br />
====Supporting the Academic Mission of the College====<br />
Library and information resources at The Evergreen State College support students as they learn to reason and communicate about freely chosen inquiries whose outcomes remain to be discovered or created (Smith, Standard 2). Library and information resources at Evergreen must therefore balance the open-ended demands of free inquiry with the need for stability, security, and efficiency in systems and services. Historically, the Library has been well funded when compared to many public baccalaureates, in recognition of the extraordinary demands of open-ended inquiry and independent study. All library and information resources are shaped by the primary mission of teaching and providing state-of-the-art facilities for academic programs and individual students in this interdisciplinary, liberal arts curriculum. Strong collaboration among library, computing and media staff, faculty, and administration assures the development of the library and information resources as centers for teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
====The Founding Vision of the Library: Any Medium, Any Location====<br />
<br />
In 1969, when the founding dean of Library Services James Holly wrote his “Position Paper No. 1,” he proposed a model which he called the generic library, in some ways anticipating the concept of today's virtual library. “By generic I include man’s [sic] recorded information, knowledge, folly, and wisdom in whatever form put down, whether in conventional print, art forms, magnetic tape, laser storage, etc. By generic, I also eliminate physical boundaries such as [a] specific building or portion limited and identified as ‘the library.’” Holly's vision motivated many aspects of library, media, and computer services, but proved in many ways untenable due to technical and budgetary constraints and because the college community expressed traditional longings for a bounded space. Today, laptops and networked data are ubiquitous and most students expect remote access to information resources, regardless of medium. Technology, as well as community values, have caught up with Holly’s founding vision, and Evergreen's library and learning resources now include all media, distributed to almost any location. Display of networked and audiovisual information now brings information technology to almost any classroom on campus. Active involvement in new consortia has led to quick access to expanded collections and information resources from around the region. Academic programs and students off-campus have access to rich, academically sound journal holdings. A wide selection of digitized media applications and advanced media labs provide access to media production. Increasingly seamless access to media, computing, and traditional information resources benefits all students. At the same time, the physical library has expanded its role as a social and intellectual space and provides an increasingly hospitable center for learning and gatherings of all kinds. A $22-million remodel connected previously disparate areas and created a more cohesive information-technology wing, providing one central entrance for the Library, Media Services, the Computer Center, and the Computing and Communications offices.<br />
<br />
====Functions and Facilities Covered in Standard 5====<br />
<br />
Reflecting these developments, Standard 5 considers information resources and services from several disparate administrative units: Library Services, including Media Services (administratively part of the Academic division); Academic Computing (administratively part of the Finance and Administration division); and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) (administratively part of the academic division, with a historical role supporting the science curriculum). The phrase "library and information resources" in Standard 5 should be understood to refer to these units collectively, while comments about separate areas will use more specific language such as the Library, Media Services, the CAL, or Academic Computing. Occasional references to Computing and Communications will address technology infrastructure when relevant to instructional and academic support functions.<br />
<br />
The information resources offered and supported by the Library, Academic Computing, and the CAL represent facilities and functions commonly found in libraries and computer centers elsewhere in academia. The Media Services section of the Library requires some explanation, as its role and location in the institution are unique. Media Services provides not only the usual audiovisual support for instruction, but also extensive collections and facilities in support of media production by students across the curriculum. Media production labs, a large circulating collection of portable media equipment, and extensive instruction represent activities, facilities, and functions which will not be found within the library at most institutions. Some media arts, communications or education departments might provide some such services to students of their curriculum, but not the library, and certainly not for general use. In the context of an interdisciplinary college, and in the light of the original ideal of the generic library, these services are provided through the Library in order to assure cross-curricular access and opportunity for students from anywhere in the curriculum, whether those students are studying media or simply wish to communicate academic content using media beyond print.<br />
<br />
====5.A.1 Sufficiency of Information Resources and Services====<br />
<br />
''The institution’s information resources and services include sufficient holdings, equipment, and personnel in all of its libraries, instructional media and production centers, computer centers, networks, telecommunication facilities, and other repositories of information to accomplish the institution’s mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
Throughout this study, library and information resources will be found to be strongly linked via face-to-face collaboration and consultation with faculty, staff, and students. These interconnections, within a flat organizational structure, assure constant feedback and redevelopment of services and facilities. Library funding generally compares very well with public institutions and correlates strongly to average funding for private liberal arts peers, peers with whom our use statistics compare favorably. An external assessment performed by Edutech described budgetary support for information technology as comparable to that of institutions with similar missions. There are no comparable institutions for studying the large activity of cross-curricular media services; however, advocacy from both the cross-curricular perspective of the Library and from the specific needs of the media faculty help ensure support. Rapid expansion in information technology access and aspirations have led to changes in personnel allocation and expertise and will continue to make increasing demands on a staff and faculty already stretched in many areas.<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[media: Major_Facilities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 & 2 of the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]]. For holdings and equipment, see Standard 5.B.1. For personnel, see Standard 5.D.1. For evaluation of budgetary support, see Standard 5.D.6.<br />
<br />
====5.A.2 Sufficiency of Core Collection and Related Resources====<br />
<br />
''The institution’s core collection and related information resources are sufficient to support the curriculum.''<br />
<br />
Broad institutional support for cross-curricular library and information services has historically generated sufficient institutional budgetary support for core collections and facilities. During the study period, inflation and budget cuts reduced base budgets for local monograph collections. Non-state resources bridged some of the gap without building the base budget permanently. Consortial agreements created opportunities for cost-effective collective purchases of serials and for efficient resource sharing, resulting in better support for the intensive work by individual students. <br />
<br />
Collection Development, see 5.B.1 and 5.B.5<br />
<br />
====5.A.3 Education Program Drives Resources and Services====<br />
<br />
''Information resources and services are determined by the nature of the institution’s educational programs and the locations where programs are offered.''<br />
<br />
Strong connections to the curriculum inform all library and information services. A distinctive library rotation system connects the library and teaching faculty in the shared project of curriculum and program planning. Teaching alliances between media services professionals and media faculty determine the character of media services. A strong liaison system connects Academic Computing instructors and services with teaching faculty. Meanwhile, a very experienced staff with substantial managerial responsibilities manages day-to-day library services while implementing services in response to the new opportunities advancing information technology affords. (See Standard 5.B.2 - Teaching and Instruction).<br />
<br />
Information technology planning and governance are discussed in Area 5 (Planning and Governance) of the [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
The study notes that planning is collaborative and responsive to academic needs, and could be strengthened through a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH).<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.B – Information Resources and Services===<br />
<br />
''Information resources and services are sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, and currency to support the institution’s curricular offerings.''<br />
<br />
==== 5.B.1 Equipment and Materials to Support the Educational Program====<br />
<br />
''Equipment and materials are selected, acquired, organized, and maintained to support the educational program.''<br />
<br />
=====Collection Development Procedures & Methods=====<br />
<br />
The Library faculty develops collections to support Evergreen's changeable interdisciplinary curriculum without the usual benefit of departmental allocation or structures. The librarians build collections and vendor profiles on the basis of their work as both library and teaching faculty (see 5.B.2), work which involves full-time teaching, faculty governance, extensive collegial engagement with the teaching faculty, and affiliation with planning units. The curriculum committee is the faculty as a whole, and develops the curriculum in curricular planning units, curriculum retreats, and governance groups. The Library faculty's overall knowledge of the curriculum is strengthened by teaching faculty who rotate into the Library and lavish their attention on areas of the collection related to their disciplinary expertise. Finally, librarians honor most requests from individuals for additions to the collection, working from the fact that free inquiry and individual research are central to the Library’s mission.<br />
<br />
In the past, the Library has struggled to satisfy incidental research demands outside the boundaries defined by the core, repeating curriculum. The substantial part of the curriculum which varies from year to year, the significant amount of work by independent contract students (almost 1,300 independent study contracts in 2006-07), and the opportunity for intensive individual projects within full-time, multi-quarter programs have all driven demand for specialized materials outside the core collection. Resource sharing and large, shared purchases, all made efficient because of networking technology, have eradicated this problem, although budget cuts and inflation create some difficulties keeping the core collection current. The budget for core monograph purchases has been supplemented with allocations from non-state resources in order to help bridge this gap. See 5.B.5 below.<br />
<br />
=====Media Services=====<br />
<br />
Close work with the curriculum and faculty also informs the development of media facilities and services. Media staff attend the Expressive Arts planning unit meetings, in particular the Moving Image subgroup. Budgetary processes for equipment purchase and operating costs include multiple avenues for consideration of educational program needs. Through the planning units, needs are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the Library, cross-curricular media demands are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the ITCH, cross-unit needs are coordinated and passed up to the campus-wide budget process. These three avenues help ensure that the budget process addresses both broad and specific curricular demands for media.<br />
<br />
Some stresses develop. Like the Library, Media Services serves the entire academic community, from programs to individuals. And, like the Library, Media Services strains under the pressure of answering the needs of independent study, as well as a fluid curriculum. Students working on independent media productions compete with Expressive Arts programs for scarce resources, from equipment to laboratories to teaching staff. In order to balance these competing demands, Media Services requires students and faculty to submit media request forms, which are reviewed by the Media Services manager and the head of Instruction Media, who allocate resources, both human and technological. Independent contract forms include a question about the need for special equipment or facilities, which serves as a safety net for screening intensive media use. In these ways Media Services assures that students embarking on media studies do so with appropriate support. The Expressive Arts planning unit also instituted a Student Originated Studies (SOS) group contract in media to assure that students have consistent access to facilities and instructional support as they pursue their independent projects.<br />
<br />
=====Information Technology Equipment & Facilities=====<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] includes equipment in its discussion of technological facilities in Area 1 of the report. The report states, "Computing, networking and information technology facilities at Evergreen are extensive and impressive. In most cases, Evergreen facilities are at or near standards for similar institutions, and in some cases surpass them. However, these standards are a moving target, and there are areas in which the college will probably have to make upgrades in the near future." The report lauded the computer labs, classroom technology, and access to computers. Recommended improvements were to extend wireless to the entire campus and permanently fund a replacement cycle for equipment.<br />
<br />
====5.B.2 Teaching and Instruction====<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services contribute to developing the ability of students, faculty, and staff to use the resources independently and effectively.''<br />
<br />
=====Defining Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
<br />
Standard 2 links the five foci and six expectations of an Evergreen education to the idea of reflexive thinking. "Reflexive thinking begins with a question, an interrogation of the world, and an encounter with the other. As such it involves the student in the whole process of substantive learning about subjects, disciplines and methods that is the standard domain of learning. But reflexivity is the capacity that a learner has to think about the situation and conditions that underlie her own personal and collective experience of thinking and knowing." (See [[Standard_2#Reflexive_Thinking | reflexive thinking]]). This work is engaged and supported through the broad and deep resources of the collections and instruction within the library and information resources. <br />
<br />
The professional literature and practice of librarianship defines information literacy as a reflective process. To be clear, a '''reflective''' process considers, evaluates, synthesizes, and in general, engages information discovered through research. In contrast, a '''reflexive''' process goes on to consider one's own learning and knowledge as influenced through exposure to the information under consideration. According to Jeremy J. Shapiro and Shelley K. Hughes, in their article entitled [[Media: educom_review.pdf|'Information Literacy as a Liberal Art']], information literacy should "be conceived more broadly as a new liberal art that extends from knowing how to use computers and access information to critical reflection on the nature of information itself, its technical infrastructure, and its social, cultural and end even philosophical context and impact..."<br />
<br />
The information literacy curriculum includes:<br />
<br />
* Tool literacy - The ability to use print and electronic resources including software and online resources.<br />
* Resource literacy - The ability to understand the form, format, location, and methods for accessing information resources.<br />
* Social-structural literacy - Knowledge of how information is socially situated and produced, including understanding the scholarly publishing process.<br />
* Research literacy - The ability to understand and use information technology tools to carry out research, including the use of discipline-related software and online resources.<br />
* Publishing literacy - The ability to produce a text or multimedia report of research results.<br />
<br />
<br />
=====ITL in the Context of Holly's Generic Library=====<br />
<br />
Information literacy at Evergreen is itself a reflexive practice, in addition to being central to the process of reflexive thinking in the broader context of undergraduate education at Evergreen. That is, the student uses library and information resources to put herself in relation to information and thinking from a variety of sources and further, reflects about herself and her learning as she researches and learns. Within the context of library and information resources as understood and managed at Evergreen, this literacy includes not just print scholarship, but media and computing, to become not just information literacy but Information Technology Literacy (ITL). Reflection upon information includes reflection upon the nature and role of the tools themselves. Reflexive thinking includes the relation of the user to the information and the tools. <br />
<br />
Thus, in order to assure that students have the skills to communicate about their open inquiries and the resources to support deeply reflexive thinking, library and information resources take a broad role in the curriculum. Two of the “Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate” relate directly to commitment by the library and information resources to help students achieve intellectual independence, creativity, and critical acumen. Expectation Two states that our graduates will communicate creatively and effectively; Expectation Four, that our graduates apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across the disciplines. Not only should literate students read and write astutely, they also should access, view, critique, and produce media and writing that is eloquent and complete. In this way, digital scholarship merges seamlessly with individual and formal educational goals, just as print scholarship has in the past.<br />
<br />
=====Cross-Curricular Media Instruction=====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support ITL as an agenda for students across programs, disciplines, and media. Library and information resources staff and faculty collaborate with teaching teams as they instruct students in media and students who create films, multimedia, or musical works for programs or for independent study. These are the challenges of the "freely chosen inquiry," challenges that cannot all be met at all times. However, the location of Media Services administratively and physically within Library Services is meant to ensure that media studies and media production are supported appropriately both within the programs that media faculty teach and elsewhere in the inquiries of students. The spread of entry-level media applications into the general-use computer labs increases access to media production across the curriculum.<br />
<br />
Although library and information resources instructors work to fuse teaching with program content, students are nevertheless able to access any media application or information technology beyond or without considering program content. Likewise, many programs focus entirely on technical skill building, without any formal attempt to link these practices to disciplinary content. And in other areas of the curriculum, such as the Culture, Text, and Language planning unit, critical media and information studies are often taught in a theoretical mode, without hands-on media production—the thing itself. The point is that when skills are valorized over content, or when theory ignores practice, students neglect concrete critical reflection on how technology impacts the message, the creators, the audience, or society. However, Holly's generic library model, the founding principle for library and information resources at Evergreen, has emphasized and counterbalanced the tendency to isolate skills from content. Students who read texts expect to write as well; why should they view media and not expect to create it? Early on, a rotating faculty member who helped link instruction with critical media studies and with interdisciplinary programs directed Media Services. Library and information resources continue to struggle to advocate for the critical study of media and information technology across the curriculum.<br />
<br />
Academic computing also provides access to and instruction in information technologies through a balance of specialized and open computing facilities. With the migration of many media applications to commonly available personal computer platforms, instruction and facilities to support entry-level media production have spread to academic computing and even to the Library proper.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources faculty and staff instruct and teach in multiple modes, from basic skills instruction to more complex, content-driven teaching by faculty and professionals in the curriculum. In addition, the teaching faculty contribute substantively and collaboratively to planning and implementing information services, collections, and policies. This dynamic collaboration between the teaching faculty and the library and information resources has shaped the primary mission to support inquiry-based education. Each area within library and information resources has developed structures to connect teaching and instruction closely to the faculty, the curriculum, and the academic mission of the college. Utilization, satisfaction, and curricular surveys demonstrate the breadth and effectiveness of this work (See Planning and Evaluation 5.E).<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Librarians and Library Teaching=====<br />
<br />
Evergreen requires rotation between the librarians and the teaching faculty. Briefly stated, faculty librarians rotate out of the Library to teach full time on a regular basis and, in exchange, teaching faculty rotate into the Library to serve as librarians providing reference, instruction, and collection development. (See [[media:Learning_Communities_and_the_Academic_Library.pdf | Pedersen]] pp. 41-44 for more discussion of this system). Faculty who rotate into the Library leave with updated skills for developing information literacy within their programs and teams across the curriculum. Library faculty develop their subject specialties and enhance their ability to work across pedagogical and disciplinary realms. Perpetual faculty-wide interactions in faculty governance and team-teaching reinforce the strong connections between the library faculty and the teaching faculty. Librarians know the faculty as colleagues and teaching faculty know the librarians (probably the only basis for widespread and effective library instruction in a curriculum without requirements). Teaching teams also spread effective library instruction practices as experienced teaching faculty introduce their new faculty teammates to their library colleagues and the teaching they offer. Most new faculty also bring updated information technology skills and experience to share with their colleagues.<br />
<br />
A loose liaison system links each librarian with a subset of the curriculum, based on subject expertise, planning unit affiliation, and personal alliances. Faculty librarians provide a wide array of library and information technology-related teaching. One-time workshops designed to engage sources particular to the research projects within an academic program represent the most common format. Librarians and teaching faculty design these workshops with the assumption that the skills imparted are embedded in the interests and needs of the program learning community. At a minimum, the faculty for the program usually 1) create a research assignment which informs and motivates the students’ work; 2) attend the research workshop and participate, adding their expertise and/or questions; 3) provide the library liaison with a syllabus and a copy of the assignment and a list of the topics students are considering; and 4) ask the students to begin considering their topic before attending the workshop so they are primed to begin actual research during the workshop. <br />
<br />
Librarians teach workshops on research most frequently in the graduate programs, the sciences, and the off-campus programs. The teaching models for these more extended situations vary according to the library faculty involved and the role in the curriculum, and they evolve significantly year to year. Each year, library faculty affiliate deeply with a few such programs, meeting weekly to create stepped learning conjoined with research assignments. For documents exemplifying this teaching, see [[media:Forensics_week-by-week.doc | Forensics Syllabus]] and [[media:Chemistry_Health_Professions_Project_Description.doc | Chemistry Health Professions Project]]. During several academic years, an information technology seminar linked library internship opportunities with a hands-on Web technology workshop. In that model, a small group of students explored contemporary questions in the world of rapid digitization and its social implications. They paralleled that study with real library work and Web production practice, including wikis and Web pages designed to support library functions. The seminar and workshop have provided a venue for library faculty, staff, and Academic Computing instructors to gather and consider both the past and future of information technologies. See the syllabi for the programs Still Looking ([[media: stilllooking_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: stilllooking_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: stilllooking_spring.pdf|spring]]), Information Landscapes ([[media: infolandscapes_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: infolandscapes_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: infolandscapes_spring.pdf|spring]]), and Common Knowledge ([[media: commonknowledge_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: commonknowledge_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: commonknowledge_spring.pdf|spring]]). Each year, one librarian also offers research methods through the evening and weekend curriculum.<br />
<br />
In-depth, extended library-related teaching within programs and service to off-campus and Evening and Weekend programs can be a challenge in the context of a reduced core of library faculty. During the self-study period, one faculty line was cut during budget reductions. This causes significant stress on the quality and quantity of instruction the area is able to provide.<br />
<br />
=====Library Faculty as Service Providers=====<br />
Library faculty see themselves primarily as teachers. They tend to understand the services of the Library in the context of teaching and learning, specifically teaching as it actually happens in the Evergreen curriculum. Thus, they do not tend to work from externally defined "best practices," nor do they function in a reactive mode. They take a proactive approach to the work, suggesting tools and strategies for designing library instruction and finding the intellectual work in the world of research instruction. They position themselves to work across administrative as well as curricular boundaries and sustain an important role in the crossroads of traditional research methods, contemporary information technology, and the world of the curriculum and their teaching colleagues.<br />
<br />
=====Service and Teaching=====<br />
The faculty librarians have transformed the reference desk into a teaching space, which goes well beyond traditional service models. For this reason, there is generally a librarian at the desk during the hours the Library is open to the public. Each contact between a librarian and a patron represents an opportunity to teach and learn. In collections, Web page design, signage, collection organization, and creation of virtual services, the librarians ask not just what is easiest or matches the expectations of inexperienced users, but what can be taught through the new design, service, or collection. For example, broad aggregate databases have been purchased because they are cost effective, but the librarians also emphasize and teach comparatively complex digitized indexes, which refer students more deeply into the discipline-based literature of their inquiries. As discussed throughout this document, library and information resources are designed, planned, taught, and supported in the context of college-wide teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
=====Library Faculty and Off-Campus Programs=====<br />
Library support for the two major off-campus offerings, the Tacoma and the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs, focuses heavily on instruction, with additional support from networked technology, including specialized Web pages for these programs. See [[Media: reservation_library.pdf|services for Reservation-Based students]] and [[Media: tacoma_library.pdf|services for Tacoma-based students]]. Students of these programs have limited access to the physical library and must be alerted to the many high-quality resources available to them online through the Library. End-of-program reports show very high engagement with information technology in these programs (See [[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf |End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]). Most years, librarians work closely with the Research Methods class at Tacoma, providing laboratory-based instruction on location several weeks per quarter. As of 2007-08, this work has taken on a more formalized structure and has developed into credit-generating research classes.<br />
<br />
Library instruction at the upper-division off-campus sites of the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs has varied widely year-by-year. Recently, the program has focused on building library methods into the lower-division bridge curriculum, which has not involved the library faculty directly. Reservation-based programs report 100% teaching and use of library and Internet research in 2007; however, this work has not engaged the Library's holdings or services significantly. Rebuilding this connection should be a high priority, and a planned faculty rotation from a former director of the reservation-based program will be an opportunity to do so. Perusal of the [[Media: Achievements2.doc |Achievements]] list for the self-study period demonstrates that almost every development supports distant access to collections and services and thus the off-campus programs.<br />
<br />
=====Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing=====<br />
In all major computer and media labs, staff instructors provide group instruction designed to support the needs of specific academic programs, covering particular applications and tools relevant to the disciplines involved. Media and computing instructors teach workshops in different spaces and in different modes, depending on the discipline and the technology. There are no constraints upon which facilities may be used. In one quarter, a science program might have workshops in the Computer Center focusing on blogs, a math workshop using Excel in the Computer Applications Lab, a session on video documentation for field research in the Multimedia Lab, and a library research workshop in one of the Computer Center's general-purpose labs. In this way, academic programs leverage staff expertise and facilities as needed.<br />
<br />
Teaching faculty must be able to easily identify and contact the appropriate staff member to coordinate computer instruction, which may require significant logistical support such as lab scheduling, equipment checkout, server space, password access, personnel scheduling, and other details. In Academic Computing, program liaisons work with faculty to coordinate how programs will teach technology. For instance, the staff liaison helps set up file shares and Web spaces and schedules and teaches workshops. In Media Services, the head of instructional media provides a central location for faculty and students requesting instructional support in media to connect with appropriate media instructors and to schedule facilities and instruction. The Media Services staff work with faculty to design and integrate media into their programs. Media Services staff meet regularly with media faculty in the Expressive Arts planning unit so they can develop facilities, plan for access, and foster integration of media into academic programs.<br />
<br />
Students who work independently on media or computing projects or who decide to tackle media projects within non-media oriented programs also receive many forms of instructional support. Academic Computing offers regularly scheduled technology workshops, which are open to all. In addition, Evergreen students can access Lynda.com, which tutors students in software applications and programming languages. The Library recently subscribed to Safari Books Online, which supports the computer science curriculum and addresses technical inquiries from students across the curriculum. Academic Computing began a computing wiki in 2006-07 which hosts approximately 2,000 pages of instructions and tutorials and which continues to expand. Increasingly, students, faculty, and staff rely on the Academic Computing wiki to stay abreast of technologies hosted on campus.<br />
<br />
Any student may access most media-production facilities and check out portable media equipment once they have completed relevant hands-on training sessions called proficiencies. Media instructors run hundreds of these quick, skills-focused instructional sessions annually, which serve thousands of students, ensure proper use of the equipment, and provide supportive technical background for systems. The number of formal instructional sessions provided to programs has doubled since 2000, suggesting the rapidly expanding use and breadth of college-supported media technology. Finally, the Evening and Weekend Studies curriculum provides a coherent, regular pathway for learning more complex media-production processes.<br />
<br />
Like the library faculty, media instructors teach in a variety of modes: full-time, part-time, introductory, intensive, general, sustained, intermittent, specialized, individual, within programs, or collaboratively in small groups. Many of the media staff are artists, professionals, and faculty in their own right, with Master of Fine Arts degrees in their fields. They teach photography, electronic music, Web design, and digital imaging as adjuncts in Evening and Weekend Studies and in Extended Education. Media staff who teach as adjunct faculty are often called to teach full time as visiting artists. Their contributions to the part- and full-time curriculum are substantial and sustained, some of them having taught for more than twenty years. Their work supports the Expressive Arts. It assures access and instruction for students who do not consider themselves artists but who want to engage in technologies that constitute important developing communication media and also define the visual aesthetics of science, history, political science, psychology, and other narratives. Additionally, Photo, Electronic Media, and Media Loan staff annually teach as field supervisors for up to eight student interns who are critical to the effective functioning of labs and services. These students typically not only gain high-level technical production skills, but also develop instructional, collaborative, and administrative experience by working closely with students, faculty, and technical staff. Finally, all media staff sponsor many individual contracts, which provide opportunities for students who have identified intensive individual inquiries that are not supported in the curriculum at large. In general, media staff are central to the success of media-based programs and are viewed as colleagues by the Expressive Arts faculty, whose programs they support. These working relationships form the backbone of Media Services.<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Institutes=====<br />
As described thus far, library and information resources instructors regularly work with, instruct, and support the teaching faculty through individual collaboration. In addition, they design and teach several faculty institutes each summer. Faculty institutes create valuable connections among faculty, library, media, and academic computing instructors. Recent information technology institutes have focused on specific applications such as teaching statistics with Excel, using online collaborative tools to foster learning communities, or creating program Web pages. Some years, substantive discussions of information technology literacy as opposed to hands-on training have been offered. During institutes, faculty are often afforded paid time for self-directed work that focuses on their program planning. In these instances, faculty evaluate technology, practice using it, and plan how to incorporate applications into their programs.<br />
<br />
====5.B.3 Availability of Policies====<br />
<br />
''Policies, regulations, and procedures for systematic development and management of information resources, in all formats, are documented, updated, and made available to the institution’s constituents.''<br />
<br />
The Web provides a venue for all policies, regulations, and procedures for all information resources and services. <br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Policies,_regulations,_and_procedures_for_the_development and_management_of_library_and_information_resources,_including_collection_development_and_weeding|Required Exhibit 2: Policies, Regulations, and Procedures for the Development and Management of Library and Information Resources]]<br />
<br />
====5.B.4 Participatory Planning====<br />
<br />
''Opportunities are provided for faculty, staff, and students to participate in the planning and development of the library and information resources and services.''<br />
<br />
Faculty, staff, and students participate in the planning and development of library information resources and services. The college community values face-to-face communication and formal procedures for consultation are minimal. All learning and information resources staff and faculty receive and welcome direct requests and suggestions. As an example, good hiring represents an important decision determining how library and information services evolve and prosper. Hiring processes are broadly consultative. Committees with representation from different work units interview and recommend for all staff positions. Students, staff, and faculty representatives join in hiring committees for any major positions, especially those of administrators and faculty. These hiring processes routinely include public presentations by the candidates, which are announced to the entire college community to allow input from staff, faculty, and students.<br />
<br />
More broadly, collaborative work with teaching faculty and other clients drives the design and planning for almost all instructional and technical support. Face-to-face planning and direct engagement with teaching faculty in a program-by-program context defines the work of library and information resources across all units (see Participatory Planning 5.E.1).<br />
<br />
====5.B.5 Networks Extend Information Resources====<br />
<br />
''Computing and communications services are used to extend the boundaries in obtaining information and data from other sources, including regional, national, and international networks.''<br />
<br />
Consortial arrangements in the Orbis Cascade regional system offer Summit, a resource-sharing system that makes it possible to satisfy almost any book and most media requests generated by the individualistic interests of students working on independent projects. The Summit system includes thirty-five academic libraries from Oregon and Washington and delivers resources within two or three days. Students also use many highly specialized materials from periodicals databases, which have expanded the number of journal subscriptions Evergreen holds eight to nine times over the self-study period. This enhancement is largely due to the Cooperative Library Project (CLP), a state-funded resource-sharing project among the four-year Washington state baccalaureates.<br />
<br />
Consortial purchases have reduced per-title costs dramatically and have strengthened areas of the curriculum not necessarily the focus of a core liberal arts collection. For example, psychology, education, and business were heavily emphasized in the most recent round of shared purchasing by CLP. Finally, ILLiad, the interlibrary loan system, brings journal articles to the students' mailboxes and e-mail accounts within a few days. There are almost no discernible limits to accessing published information for any researcher except those who need to present within twenty-four hours. Effective campus networks supported by Computing and Communication's technical support staff make this possible. College-wide steps that have made efficient resource sharing and online information possible have included implementing the Banner student records system and establishing e-mail as the official student communications medium.<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.C – Facilities and Access==<br />
<br />
''The institution provides adequate facilities for library and information resources, equipment, and personnel. These resources, including collections, are readily available for use by the institution’s students, faculty, and staff on the primary campus and where required off-campus.''<br />
<br />
===5.C.1 Availability of Information Resource Facilities===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources are readily accessible to all students and faculty. These resources and services are sufficient in quality, level, breadth, quantity, and currency to meet the requirements of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[Media: Major_Faciities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 and 2 of the [[Media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]] specifically considered networking, telecommunications, and other information technology relevant to accessibility. The campus network was lauded as "solid and reliable." The network itself is described technically in Area 1 of the report. Expansion of wireless access from 75% to the entire campus was recommended; this work is proceeding and has the budgetary support to continue into the future. Most classrooms have been networked with display capability, spreading library and information technology access to large portions of the curriculum. This changes the presumptions of the faculty and students and greatly increases the frequency with which social software, digitized presentations, and other multi-media information technology is incorporated in programs. The Edutech report also recommended establishing at least one dedicated teleconferencing space for general use, which is planned within the [[media: CNM.doc|Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)]]. According to Edutech, "student access to computers at Evergreen does not seem to be a problem."<br />
<br />
====The Information Technology Wing====<br />
<br />
=====LIR Facilities and Services Visibly Interconnect=====<br />
<br />
With the generic library as a foundation and the interdisciplinary curriculum as the context, merged collections and services build upon an alternative past. Library and information resources thus collaborate actively across academic and administrative departmental boundaries. The major remodel, implementing a newly consolidated Information Technology Wing, substantially strengthened opportunities for connecting services, facilities, and staff. One central, broad entrance now provides access to the Library, the Computer Center, Media Loan and the stairs to Electronic Media, Photo Services and Computing and Communications. See [[media: Consultant%27s_Site_Visit_Report_2004.doc | Consultant Pre-Remodel Report]] for an assessment of facility requirements produced before the project. For further detail, extensive documents describing the project are available in the documents room.<br />
<br />
=====More Teaching and Study Spaces=====<br />
<br />
The ideal of collaborative learning shaped the remodel. Shared study spaces predominate, whether open area study tables, grouped lounge furniture, pod-shaped arrangements in labs, or small group study and media viewing rooms. Wireless access allows informal group work around personal or library-owned laptops. Additional laboratory spaces provide easier scheduling for program work and more computers for individuals when classes do not use the labs. Limited quiet study areas provide an alternative for the solitary scholar; at the same time, small group work is facilitated and encouraged. Overall, the Information Technology Wing has shed barren hallways and utilitarian desks in favor of lounge areas and comfortable study spaces. Overstuffed couches and chairs, large tables, task lighting, and more room for collections all contribute to the conviviality that informs shared inquiry.<br />
<br />
=====Hospitable Spaces and Blended Access=====<br />
<br />
Art exhibitions invite patrons into lounge and study areas and help define the Library as a public space. The new basement lounge, affectionately dubbed the "Library Underground," hosts frequent campus gatherings and public readings, although flooding (a new issue since the remodel) disrupted the area several times in 2006-07. Groups from across campus meet, study, and teach in library spaces, which are open to all and where food and drink have always been allowed. The Sound and Image Library (SAIL) media collections are prominently located in the reference area, where SAIL staff work closely with the reference librarians. The newly established Assisted Technology Lab (ATL) conjoins the SAIL and has become a vital meeting place for students to work and show their art and media productions. Again, SAIL and reference staff provide service and technical support for ATL patrons. As the physical reference collection continues to shrink, reference, the SAIL, the ATL, and Circulation will continue forming a more blended and prominent shared public presence. <br />
<br />
====More General Access Lab Facilities====<br />
<br />
Rapid developments in networked information technology have blurred between general and specialized technology labs. The main computer center includes many specialized scientific software packages such as ArcGIS and Mathematica, while common graphic manipulation software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, appear in the CAL. Similarly, the Computer Center supports high-level statistics applications such as R, as well as digital music editing. The library computers provide basic Office applications and general Web access in addition to library-specific searches, but specific library computers also provide GIS, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, assistive/adaptive technology, and scanning applications, while the SAIL provides multiple stations for basic media dubbing, transfer, and editing. Switching to a single user domain and sign-on means simpler, more consistent access to networked resources across campus. The Digital Imaging and Multimedia facilities provide applications for advanced media production, but are open to all students. Some specialty labs have self-contained resources, such as large format printers or applications requiring more sophisticated hardware. However, the primary distinction among labs is the level of expertise and specialized knowledge of the staff. Students benefit when they know the specialized character of a lab means there will be more skilled assistance.<br />
<br />
===5.C.2 Cooperative Agreements===<br />
<br />
''In cases of cooperative arrangements with other library and information resources, formal documented agreements are established. These cooperative relationships and externally provided information sources complement rather than substitute for the institution’s own adequate and accessible core collection and services.''<br />
<br />
Despite greatly expanded information access through Summit and shared purchasing agreements, the Library continues strong support for the core collection within budgetary constraints created by budget cuts and inflation. Over time, Summit circulation data will provide specific reports on areas of the collection where students and faculty consistently or repeatedly demonstrate the need for more depth. Additionally, the Orbis Cascade Alliance is working on shared collection development guidelines to help design complementary collections. <br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures and Methods]].<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Formal.2C_written_agreements_with_other_libraries |Required Exhibit 11 Formal Agreements with Other Libraries]].<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.D – Personnel and Management==<br />
<br />
''Personnel are adequate in number and in areas of expertise to provide services in the development and use of library and information resources.''<br />
<br />
===5.D.1 Sufficiency of Staffing===<br />
<br />
''The institution employs a sufficient number of library and information resources staff to provide assistance to users of the library and to students at other learning resources sites.''<br />
<br />
The chart below suggests that library and information resources staffing is similar to that of comparable public institutions, falling between the averages of peer public liberal arts colleges (COPLAC) and the larger regional universities in the state (WA Regionals in the table below). Note that Evergreen (TESC) and other public college library staffing averages are significantly below the staffing for groups made up largely of private Ivies, DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives), and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning). <br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Staffing Comparisons'''<br />
<br />
| Library || Professionals/FTE || Total Staff/FTE <br />
|-<br />
| TESC || 1.93 || 7.5 <br />
|-<br />
| DEEP || 4.65 || 16.32 <br />
|- <br />
| CTCL || 4.79 || 14.71 <br />
|-<br />
| CIEL || 5.51 || 13.43 <br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC || 2.67 || 8.55 <br />
|-<br />
| WA Regionals || 1.41 || 5.62 <br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
(N.B. The staff count for Evergreen has been halved since approximately 50% of Library and Media Services staffing is devoted to Media Services production, instruction, and equipment check-out. At other institutions, these services, if they are offered at all, reside in academic departments such as media arts or education.) <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses staffing in Area 3. The report shows staffing to be average when compared to similar institutions in terms of size, mission, and culture. <br />
<br />
Because library use at Evergreen compares favorably to more heavily staffed private liberal arts colleges and because all areas sustain a substantial instructional role, there are areas of strain. The rapid expansion of technology-driven services and collections also creates stresses, despite reallocation of staff as media and technologies shift. Following are the primary areas of concern:<br />
<br />
* Support for rapidly expanded classroom technology, an additional demand on top of general institutional growth<br />
* Staffing for greater focus on curriculum planning and engagement with faculty in Academic Computing <br />
* Staffing to support expanding electronic library resource collections (ordering, contracts, management, evaluation, etc.)<br />
* Weakened presence of faculty librarians due to the loss of one line in budget cuts during the self-study period<br />
<br />
===5.D.2 Staff Qualifications===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources staff include qualified professional and technical support staff, with required specific competencies, whose responsibilities are clearly defined.''<br />
<br />
The balance of librarians to other library staff is weighted toward non-professionals when compared to other liberal arts college libraries. Further, as librarians rotate into the full-time curriculum, they temporarily leave behind reference work, management, administration, and collection development. Any sustained work, such as Web-page development, is interrupted by these regular absences. Further, full-time teaching faculty rotate into the Library as neophytes who need training and who present widely disparate skills, abilities, and ambitions. Beyond the system of rotation, with its concomitant duties, librarians are contractually obligated to participate in college governance and curriculum planning, not to mention their own scholarly projects and sabbaticals. Librarians have nine-month contracts and several are absent during the summer sessions when the Library is minimally staffed. These organizational facts mean that Evergreen has no managerial class of librarians. Instead, the team of faculty librarians share management with staff. Paraprofessionals head almost all departments, including Circulation, Government Publications, Periodicals, Technical Services, and Acquisitions. Their year-round presence and regular workdays provide consistency for development of services, maintenance of collections, public service, and supervision of classified staff and student workers. In this collaborative environment, staff often lead the way in adopting new services. The tremendous commitment by the staff grounds the Library and makes it an ideal teaching environment. <br />
<br />
Most library faculty carry both subject and library master's credentials in order to support their teaching as well as their role as professional librarians (see [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Vitae_of_professional_library_staff | CVs of professional library staff]]). <br />
<br />
As is the case with librarians, many media staff and instructors carry additional graduate training. Graduate degrees noted by staff other than librarians include three MPAs, two MFAs, an MA in art history, an MEd and EdS, an MSE (technical engineering), an MS in chemistry, and an MS in computer information systems. The library faculty, whose roles require substantial attention to teaching and governance outside the Library, must depend upon library staff as managers of major services and functions within the Library. Highly experienced staff with significant levels of responsibility keep the Library not just open, but anticipating and embracing change and new opportunities for service (see 5.B.2 Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing for a discussion of media instructors as artists and teaching faculty).<br />
<br />
In the realm of technical support, the Edutech report recommended assigning "staff responsibilities more specifically." More specific responsibilities and positions have been implemented in Technical Support Services. In the smaller units that provide distributed service and instruction such as the CAL, Academic Computing, and Media Services, this stricter delineation of support functions is not as clearly appropriate. Instead, it is often valuable for staff to be well versed on all or most aspects of the instruction or service required and in direct communication with the student, staff, or faculty who needs help. For example, the liaison system in Academic Computing assumes that in most cases a faculty member will receive all aspects of support from one liaison, or that the liaison will coordinate the support and instruction required.<br />
<br />
All staff and faculty have engaged new skills as the information technology evolves. Multiple reclassifications have assured that staff job descriptions and pay scales match new expectations for technological expertise. Staff have also shifted the location of their work partially or entirely as budget cuts and new programs such as Summit and ILLiad have relocated the areas of greatest stress. Increased emphasis on technology in many positions has led to reclassifications and increases in salaries for some staff, resulting in compression of salaries for some managers. A campus-wide study of exempt salaries is expected to address this issue.<br />
<br />
===5.D.3 Professional Growth===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides opportunities for professional growth for library and information resources professional staff.''<br />
<br />
The library faculty are fully funded for professional activities through the central faculty professional development funds and policies, as well as through faculty institutes. <br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultyfundingopportunities.pdf|Faculty Development at Evergreen]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionalleave_policy.pdf|Professional Leave (Faculty Handbook 6.100)]] <br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionaltravel_policy.pdf|Professional Travel (Faculty Handbook 6.200)]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development (Faculty Handbook 6.300)]]<br />
<br />
The remaining library and media services staff may request up to $500 annually from a pool of $2,500. Additional funding has been requested to bring the maximum benefit up to $750 in order to be consistent with the rest of academics, but this funding has not been granted thus far. Non-state funds from the Friends of the Library have been allocated for retreats and other staff meetings in order to compensate for some of this differential access to professional development funds. <br />
<br />
Computing and Communications allocates more than $40,000 per year to support attendance of technical staff at technical conferences and trainings. This allows staff to expand their skills with current technology, increase their knowledge of new and advancing technology, and connect with peers from other institutions and experts in specific technologies. These training opportunities are critical to the team’s ability to support teaching and learning and to provide management of the college’s administrative systems (see [[Media:CC Training spreadsheet.xls | CC Training Spreadsheet]]).<br />
<br />
===5.D.4 Organizational Structure===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services are organized to support the accomplishment of institutional mission and goals. Organizational arrangements recognize the need for service linkage among complementary resource bases (e.g., libraries, computing facilities, instructional media and telecommunication centers).''<br />
<br />
The fundamental organizing principle of library and information resources at Evergreen is that an interdisciplinary curriculum demands integrated services. Beyond that, the founding vision aspired to provide all media, in any location. Contemporary networked technology and the expectations of students now create a climate in which barriers between different information can and must be dissolved. For all these reasons, blended resources, facilities, and services predominate throughout Standard 5.<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Founding_Vision_of_the_Library:_Any_Medium.2C_Any_Location|The Founding Vision: Any Medium, Any Location]].<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Information_Technology_Wing|The Information Technology Wing]].<br />
<br />
====Shared Technology Creates the Need for More Shared Work====<br />
<br />
Media applications, which were once physically limited to Media Services, are now located, maintained, taught, and used throughout the facilities administered by Academic Computing and, to a degree, the Library. Similarly, library resources, which were once physically limited to the Library building, are now found anywhere within reach of the Web. Public computers, once found only in the Computer Center, are everywhere, as are privately-owned laptops. These shifts have accelerated during the past ten years and have changed the instructional roles of the areas and their relationship to the curriculum. Undoubtedly, library and information resources will continue to distribute their budgets, facilities, and staff to continue expanding access to information technology in academic programs and for individual students.<br />
<br />
As technologies have changed, so have the relationships among the Library, Media Services, and Computing, which now share in the communal project of interconnecting, teaching, and supporting our information and technological resources. At this juncture, there seems little point in redesigning the administrative structures that oversee these areas because new relationships and responsibilities have evolved organically, based on need, demand, and interest, and will continue to do so. In order to ensure that these effective working relationships continue to develop, reinforcing connections such as joint staffing, deliberately planning together, and continuing involvement across the areas when hiring for new staff and particularly administrators must be emphasized. <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]] suggested that the existing distributed structures were valuable, but recommended greatly enhancing the role and formal responsibilities of the ITCH to assure better planning in consonance with the mission of the college. See 5.E for fuller discussion of this recommendation. Edutech did not capture the centrality of the teaching role in major portions of the information resources environment at Evergreen. It is teaching and its development that assures the most important connections between the academic mission of the college, the educational program, and IT services of all kinds. While the Library and Media Services collaborate as a matter of course with Academic Computing, the real challenge remains: How to more thoroughly engage the teaching faculty across the curriculum in defining the role of information technology in the academic careers of our students.<br />
<br />
===5.D.5 Engagement in Curriculum Development===<br />
<br />
''The institution consults library and information resources staff in curriculum development.''<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures & Methods 5.B.1]]<br />
<br />
===5.D.6 Library and Information Resources Budgets===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides sufficient financial support for library and information resources and services, and for their maintenance and security.''<br />
<br />
Similar to staffing levels noted above, the Library is well funded compared to other regional public baccalaureates in the state (WA State Public in the table below) and peer public liberal arts libraries nationally (COPLAC in the table below). This comparatively rich funding reflects a historical recognition of the demands of open inquiry and independent research and the centrality of library research in a liberal arts education. Both funding and use rates closely match those of the private liberal arts libraries which predominate the DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives) and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning) peer groups. Thus, the general funding level for the Evergreen Library compares closely to that of institutions with similar missions, services, and roles within their institutions. For further discussion of the role of libraries in liberal arts colleges, see [[Standard_5#Comparing_Use_Statistics_With_Other_Libraries | Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries (5.E)]]. On the other hand, the library budget reported below includes Media Services (approximately 50% of library staffing falls into this category). Most libraries do not include any of the functions provided by Media Services at Evergreen. Instead, these functions, including media instruction, media-production facilities, media production to support college activities, and portable media production equipment check-out, if offered at all, would be part of an academic department such as education or media arts. If Media Services costs and services were not considered, then budgets are close to those of other public institutions, while use statistics are comparable to private liberal arts institutions. <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! FTE<br />
! Circulation+ILL/FTE<br />
! Expenditures/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| '''Evergreen'''<br />
| '''4153'''<br />
| '''31'''<br />
| '''$782'''<br />
|-<br />
| DEEP Colleges<br />
| 2046<br />
| 18<br />
| $829<br />
|-<br />
| CTCL<br />
| 1506<br />
| 23<br />
| $859<br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC<br />
| 3742<br />
| 16<br />
| $464<br />
|-<br />
| CIEL<br />
| 7042<br />
| 25<br />
| $794<br />
|-<br />
| WA State Public<br />
| 11,415<br />
| 15<br />
| $373<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
As budget cuts have reduced both staffing and collections, diversified revenue sources have become a high priority for library administration. Generous biennial infusions from the central academic budget have withered since earlier study periods. Indirect funds from activity grants to the faculty, major gifts from donors, book sales, and fines for lost or destroyed books have all increased to make up important non-state sources for collection development. The development of facilities and programming have been supported through major donors, with the library dean and the campus fundraisers focusing significant attention on these efforts.<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses budgets in Area 4 and compares Evergreen to similar schools on the basis of physical environment, enrollment numbers, education goals and aspirations, residential nature, tuition, and governance structure. The review determined that Evergreen devotes considerable resources to IT and is consistent with its peers. In 2005, Evergreen’s expenditure on IT—expressed as a percentage of total institutional expenditures—was 6.7%. This percentage aligns with the 6.7% reported by Computing in a 2006 survey of public four-year colleges. The average for all institutions was 6.5%. Generally, IT is funded comparably to institutions with similar missions and culture. The report recommended that budget processes should be addressed that take into account the heavy demands upon replacement, operation, and maintenance as IT becomes ubiquitous in the classroom, as well as in labs.<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Comprehensive_budget.28s.29_for_library_and_information_resources |Comprehensive Budget (Required Exhibit 9)]]<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.E – Planning and Evaluation==<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources planning activities support teaching and learning functions by facilitating the research and scholarship of students and faculty. Related evaluation processes regularly assess the quality, accessibility, and use of libraries and other information resource repositories and their services to determine the level of effectiveness in support of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
====Evaluating Information Services and Collections====<br />
<br />
Assessments of Evergreen's library and information resources confirm support for the academic mission of the college as a public liberal arts college that expects a substantial number of students to engage in self-selected independent inquiry. Utilization patterns among Evergreen students correlate closely to the intensive use found among liberal arts colleges as opposed to lower use rates found among more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
=====Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries=====<br />
<br />
In 2002, Washington's four-year public baccalaureate institutions implemented the Cascade resource-sharing consortium. This start-up provided an amazing new service and an opportunity to assess how rapidly a major new service might be implemented. Evergreen patrons borrowed 9,723 items during the first year, more than any other library, even though Evergreen was by far the smallest institution in the consortium at that time. Although ten times bigger than Evergreen, the University of Washington borrowed just under 7,000 items during the first year. The quick acceptance of Cascade testified to the efficient connection between the Library, library instruction, and the teaching faculty and curriculum at large. <br />
<br />
Cascade became Orbis Cascade as the Washington and Oregon academic consortia merged. The new resource-sharing service, entitled Summit, provides ongoing comparative statistics. To continue comparison with the original members of Cascade, in 2006, Evergreen borrowed 4.52 items per FTE; almost four times the next heaviest user at 1.15 items borrowed per student. Although one might assume that small collection size drives this higher demand, the fact is that the Evergreen collection circulates at a high rate per student as well, according to federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data. <br />
<br />
IPEDS data for 2006 also provide the opportunity to compare use statistics of liberal arts colleges with Evergreen and with small master's-level universities (Carnegie Class Master's I), where strong distinctions appear again. When both circulation and interlibrary loan are counted, Evergreen circulates 31 items per FTE, liberal arts colleges nationally average 24 items per FTE, and the Master's I institutions circulate 8.34 per FTE. <br />
<br />
The same dramatic distinction between liberal arts colleges and comprehensive institutions appears in the Summit consortium, which covers a full array of colleges and universities in Oregon and Washington. The following table lists the heaviest users from the member libraries, based upon their rates of use per FTE in 2006. Evergreen places high on the list, among the most highly ranked liberal arts colleges, which placed well above usage rates at more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! Number of Items Borrowed<br />
! FTE<br />
! Items/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| Reed College<br />
| 20,480<br />
| 1,268<br />
| 16.15<br />
|-<br />
| George Fox University<br />
| 14,427<br />
| 2,392<br />
| 6.03<br />
|-<br />
| Marylhurst University<br />
| 4,548<br />
| 852<br />
| 5.34<br />
|-<br />
| Lewis & Clark College<br />
| 14,386<br />
| 2,953<br />
| 4.87<br />
|-<br />
| '''The Evergreen State College'''<br />
| '''16,118'''<br />
| ''' 4,200'''<br />
| '''3.84'''<br />
|-<br />
| Whitman College<br />
| 6,672<br />
| 1,803<br />
| 3.70<br />
|-<br />
| Willamette University<br />
| 9,164<br />
| 2,511<br />
| 3.65<br />
|-<br />
| University of Puget Sound<br />
| 7,570<br />
| 2,742<br />
| 2.76<br />
|-<br />
| Seattle Pacific University<br />
| 8,589<br />
| 3,466<br />
| 2.48<br />
|-<br />
| Linfield<br />
| 5,354<br />
| 2,331<br />
| 2.30<br />
|-<br />
| Western Oregon University<br />
| 8,623<br />
| 3,992<br />
| 2.16<br />
|-<br />
| University of Portland<br />
| 6,764<br />
| 3,211<br />
| 2.11<br />
|-<br />
| University of Oregon<br />
| 38,796<br />
| 18,880<br />
| 2.05<br />
|-<br />
| Eastern Oregon University<br />
| 4,620<br />
| 2,306<br />
| 2.00<br />
|-<br />
| Pacific University<br />
| 4,232<br />
| 2,341<br />
| 1.81<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(Source: [[Media: summit_statistics.xls|Summit Borrowing Statistics FY06]])<br />
<br />
Thus it is clear that, as of 2006, Evergreen library utilization mirrors the practices of liberal arts colleges. High-use rates also seem to reflect an academic emphasis on major student projects. For instance, at Reed College, which requires a senior thesis, the college library circulates or borrows 120 items per student. On the other hand, looking ahead, ''academic library use patterns are in a period of dramatic change.'' In 2007, the University of Washington implemented WorldCat Local, which provides immediate click-though prompts, leading the user from local catalog to Summit to some journal databases, periodical holdings, and interlibrary loan if appropriate. Summit use at the University of Washington doubled since implementation and interlibrary loan has also increased steeply. A large increase in borrowing at the University of Washington drives lending rates throughout the Summit system, but even more important, it suggests that discovery tools will dramatically increase usage without change in the library instructional program or academic practices. The Orbis Cascade consortium will soon be implementing WorldCat as the shared Summit catalog and many libraries in the consortium will undoubtedly implement WorldCat Local as their local library catalog as well.<br />
<br />
=====Library and Computer Center Use & Satisfaction Rates=====<br />
<br />
The data above demonstrate that library and information resources are comparatively well utilized. While high rates of use suggest something about effectiveness, surveys of popularity (frequency of use and satisfaction with use) provide further affirmation. Institutional Research routinely surveys alumni and students about campus resources. A summary of campus resource utilization (See [[Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]) shows that during the six-year period, the Library and the computing facilities have been the top two most used campus facilities, trading off for first place. Alumni who were somewhat or very satisfied with the services have reported in at between 87% and 92% during the period surveyed. <br />
<br />
Starting in 2006, the [[media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Campus_Resources_Utilization_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)]] included questions about using library resources online and found that 85.2% of respondents use online library resources. Internal records also suggest phenomenal growth in online use of library resources. In 2000, when the Library subscribed to three aggregate journal databases (Proquest, Ebscohost and JSTOR), users conducted 80,000 searches. In 2007, among approximately 30 subscription databases, there were well over 250,000 searches. Careful review of variations of use from year to year reveals the direct impact a fluid curriculum has on database use. For example, Modern Language Association International Bibliography statistics are quite erratic; one major project in a large academic program explains a fivefold increase of use in one year. As JSTOR has developed into a more deeply and broadly multi-interdisciplinary tool, use statistics show a shift away from heavy dependence on the less scholarly aggregates. Extensive lobbying by faculty and librarians encourages this shift toward use of scholarly resources such as JSTOR. Use statistics for periodicals and databases drive selection and instruction planning. When use statistics are low for a database seen by the library faculty as critical to a discipline or of particularly high academic value, then library faculty focus instruction on that database whenever appropriate.<br />
<br />
=====Media Services User Surveys=====<br />
<br />
Institutional Research and Assessment added Media Services to its alumni survey of campus resource utilization starting in 2004. Since then, Media Services has been listed as the fifth most utilized resource. Alumni reported being somewhat or very satisfied at a rate of 89% and 90% in the two survey years (see [[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]).<br />
<br />
The 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)asked students about their use of Media Services, which showed 48% use of Media Loan (see [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Campus_Resource_Utilization_Olympia.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Campus Resource Utilization - Olympia]]). A survey designed and implemented by staff member Lin Crowley supplemented this data. Crowley’s respondents reported an average satisfaction level for each service ranging from 3.07 to 3.62 (out of 4), which indicated that those who used current services were generally fairly satisfied with each of the services they use.<br />
<br />
Although respondents to Crowley’s survey were predominantly active Media Services users, many respondents were uninformed about some services. Respondents supported investment in new digital technologies, but most were unaware of new or planned digital facilities. One clear conclusion of the survey is that visibility and access could be better for some services. Suggested improvements often focused on access, whether longer hours, more workshops, or more facilities. The survey project director recommended that future follow-up surveys be conducted to compare whether the reasons people use each service change and to evaluate the satisfaction levels for each type of services by patron types. See [[Media : TESC_Media_Services_Assessment_Project.doc | Evergreen Media Services Assessment Project]]<br />
<br />
====Evaluation of Teaching and Instructional Programs: Information Technology Literacy====<br />
<br />
The strong focus on teaching throughout library and information resources suggests the following questions: 1) In a college without requirements, does information technology instruction reach enough students to assure that the vast majority of graduates develop skills in support of their inquiries? 2) Which students are taught? Do students receive information technology instruction in an array of disciplinary and developmentally varied situations or is it happening only in pockets of the curriculum? 3) Is it working? Are students acquiring cross-curricular information technology, including media literacy?<br />
<br />
=====How many students are taught?=====<br />
<br />
About 3,000 students attend program-based library instruction workshops annually. These statistics exclude most cases of repeated contacts with the same student and thus represent very broad coverage of the student body. <br />
<br />
From 2000 to 2007, Media Services offered a total of more than 1,500 workshops to approximately 156 academic programs. This number does not include the thousands of quick proficiencies also provided by the area. The number of formal media workshops given and students reached in 2005 and 2006 were each more than double the numbers provided in 2000. Workshops have increased along with new technologies, especially in Media Loan and in the new Multimedia and Digital Imaging Studio (DIS) labs.<br />
<br />
Most instruction provided by Academic Computing and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) serves specific academic programs. These sessions are represented in the following table:<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Computer Lab Workshops for Academic Programs''' (cells represent academic programs/number of students)<br />
<br />
| Year || 2004-05 || 2005-06 || 2006-07<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Center || 221/4,423 || 171/3,418 || 253/4,880<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Applications Lab || 50/1,368 || 50/1,248 || 52/1,344<br />
|-<br />
| Totals || 271/5,791 || 191/4,666 || 305/6,224<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Up until 2007, Academic Computing offered 30 to 40 general computer skills workshops per year in the Computer Center, attended by approximately 350 students. Professional staff focused these workshops on general technical skill building, independent of academic programs. Over time, fewer students were attending these workshops, presumably because more students come to college with strong technical skills and with specialized self-determined needs for support. In response to waning attendance, Academic Computing redesigned the workshops as student-centered support sessions to which students bring their questions or projects. This student-centered structure should more effectively meet the specific demands of students. Computing will evaluate the success of this reinvented structure. All areas of library, media, and computing find the strongest teaching and the greatest demand for instruction occurs in conjunction with programs.<br />
<br />
=====Which Students?=====<br />
<br />
The number of teaching contacts shows that library and information resources staff reach a large number of academic programs, but does not indicate which programs. End-of-program surveys conducted from 2001 to 2006 by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment asked faculty, “Did your students use technology to present work, conduct research (including library research), or solve problems? If yes, How?” Not surprisingly, faculty answered that library/Internet research skills were the most commonly used at 50%, followed by some form of presentation technology. Ninety percent of programs reported some substantial use of information technology. (See[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]])<br />
<br />
In 2006-07, questions were revised to more accurately identify programs where there was intentional focus on teaching ITL: "Did your program include activities to improve information technology literacy?" With this more restrictive language, 70% of programs reported including ITL. (See[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]) <br />
<br />
Further, in 2006-07, a follow-up question asked specifically which kind of technology was taught. Significantly different technologies predominate in different parts of the curriculum. No standard set of applications comes into play, although as of 2006-07, presentation technologies (at 42% of all programs) have increased by 70% over their use in the 2001 to 2006 reports and now begin to approach library and Internet research in their prevalence at 50%. Online communication applications were reported by 32% of programs, an increase of 19% over the 2001-2006 data. <br />
<br />
Reservation-based programs reported library and Internet research at the highest rate, at 100% of programs, although this work was weakly connected to library instruction and therefore it is unclear whether academic library-supplied resources were used. At the other end of the spectrum, Culture, Text, and Language was lowest with 21% reporting library or Internet searching. The remainder of planning units ranged between 43% and 50% library/Internet use, with Core programs at the low end with 43%.<br />
<br />
The substantial move toward presentation media and online communication in programs drives increases in multimedia applications. Presentation technology and online communication applications encourage the use of still and moving images, sound clips, graphs, and charts. These media are mixed with traditional print communication written by students or linked from Web resources. While these media and print applications involve basic, commonly used applications of information technology, they easily migrate toward more advanced media production. The increasing presence of multimedia information technology in Evergreen's learning communities drives further demand upon Media Services and Academic Computing, along with increased overlap of their teaching and service roles.<br />
<br />
Since its inception in the context of Holly’s generic library, Media Services has followed its mission to support media literacy and instruction across the curriculum. During the last ten years, Media Services have changed dramatically as the personal computer has become the platform for entry-level media production and consumption. One measure of this change has materialized in how media staff have served programs through formal workshops since fall 2000. The scheduling data shows that almost 90% of formal program-based workshops serve Expressive Arts faculty. While this scheduling data does not cover equipment proficiency workshops or one-on-one instruction, both used more broadly across the curriculum, it is nevertheless clear that formal instruction by media staff focuses heavily on Expressive Arts programs, with an emphasis on advanced production applications, the exclusive provenance of expressive arts faculty. Media Services provides this advanced instruction in specialized labs, which were enhanced and expanded during the remodel. One effect of this specialization is that entry-level students have migrated to Academic Computing, where the staff works in collaboration with media staff to provide instruction on entry-level media-production applications. In fact, during fall and winter 2006-07, 68% of the faculty who requested workshops in Computer Center were from planning units other than Expressive Arts, and many of these workshops included media instruction (Photoshop, iMovie, Flash, etc.). <br />
<br />
Just as in the Computer Center, the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) shows a trend toward more broadly used applications. Although the CAL has traditionally focused on the science curriculum in the Environmental Studies and Scientific Inquiry planning units, these users have begun to share their space with those who have less specialized demands. Roughly 60% to 70% of the classes in the CAL now work with statistical or numeric analysis, primarily Excel, but also with Graphical Analysis, R, and SPSS. Ninety percent of CAL users prepare presentations, most often with Powerpoint, Word, Illustrator and Excel. Approximately 60% of the programs meeting in the CAL still use analytical tools, including (in order of usage) ArcGIS, Mathematica, and Stella, which were once the focal point of all CAL applications. Science faculty have shifted their emphasis to on-site analysis, using advanced applications in specialized scientific labs in ways that parallel the shift in Media Services toward advanced applications. Meanwhile, the CAL and the Computer Center serve increasing numbers of students who seek instruction or support for the increasingly powerful personal computing applications in media production, statistical analysis, and presentation media.<br />
<br />
=====Does Library Instruction Result in ITL Gains?=====<br />
<br />
The Library, consistent with college-wide practices, rejects requirements and embraces students who engage in open inquiry and independent judgment. In this context, the Library supports a fluid curriculum and responds to changes that drive the needs and expectations of an innovative teaching faculty. Standard or standardized assessment methods do not apply because the Library shapes teaching according to individual students, a fluid curriculum, and highly diverse pedagogy. Instead, the Library commits to the intensive and never-ending task of recreating learning goals, student-by-student, program-by-program. Context is everything, which obviates the role of abstract standardized measures.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the Library does engage in qualitative assessment, the descriptive characterization of ITL teaching and learning. As is the case throughout the faculty (see Standard 2.B.3, Engagement and Reflection), library faculty write annual evaluations of themselves and their library and teaching colleagues. They also engage in five-year reviews in which a panel of teaching colleagues discusses their work. These evaluations consistently address instructional aspirations, successes, and failures. See [[Media: Reflections_on_library_instruction.doc | Reflections on Library Instruction]]. <br />
<br />
Further, under the leadership of the Office of Institutional Research, the librarians designed a project that assessed students as they worked through real research inquiries. The study, [[media: ActivityInfomationLiteracy.pdf |"The Activity of Information Literacy"]], documented the techniques and processes and even the thinking of several small samples of students as they collaborated intensively on research questions. The study showed that these particular students were stronger in their grasp of content than they were in their command of library research tools for their specific inquiries. In other words, a question about history might not lead them to historical abstracts. They were also strong in their ability to develop their research questions and to evaluate and synthesize the results. What these results suggest is that “Faculty may want to assess their students’ abilities to obtain information and offer tutorials or refer students to the Library when deficiencies are detected.”<br />
<br />
Beyond the immediate results, this qualitative assessment also suggested that the students benefited greatly when they collaborated. Certainly, this observation is corroborated by the gains that students make when they work together in skill building instead of in canned computer workshops outside of programs. Additionally, peer groups are widely used across the curriculum as a way to encourage students to develop research topics and individual projects. Given the results of the qualitative assessment and given the widely practiced use of peer groups, library faculty should seek ways to implement collaborative research activities when they link their instruction to programs. This model of cooperation would build on the more isolated collaborations that take place, as a matter of course, between librarians and students at the reference desk. An enlarged vision of this basic transaction—discussion, exploration, and brainstorming—will enhance the relevance and effectiveness of library teaching and workshops.<br />
<br />
=====Student Assessment of Their ITL Learning=====<br />
<br />
The Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES) asks questions that elucidate what the students themselves think they learned at Evergreen. In 2006, the ESES asked, "To what extent have your Evergreen experiences contributed to your growth in ... the following computer-related fields...?" Responses generally matched fairly well with the perspectives found in the end-of-program surveys. For the category "Studying or Doing Research via the Internet or other online sources:<br />
<br />
* 30.5% of Olympia-campus students reported at least some contribution. <br />
* 47.5% reported quite a bit or a lot, for a total of 77.5%. <br />
* More than 84% of Tacoma students reported at least some, of which 50% reported quite a bit. <br />
* More than 93% of reservation-based students reported at least some contribution; 86.2% reporting quite a bit or a lot.<br />
<br />
Considering how many students express self-confidence in their research skills, and as the Internet provides so many increasingly powerful tools for personal research, it is heartening to see that a good majority of students feel they developed their research skills as part of their education at Evergreen. <br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES also asked about "Using the computer for artistic expression (e.g., music, other audio, still images, animation, video, etc.)":<br />
<br />
* More than 42% reported that Evergreen contributed "Some," "Quite a Bit," or "A Lot"<br />
* Fully 36.8% said "Not at All"<br />
* 20.9% said "Very Little"<br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES surveyed use of non-artistic computer tools, asking about specific types of applications such as spreadsheets, GIS, Web development, posters, or programming. In general, as was found in end-of-program reviews, no single type of computer application dominated. No application type was used by more than 50% of students; instead, different types of applications were used by smaller subsets of the students surveyed.<br />
<br />
===5.E.1 Participatory Planning===<br />
<br />
''The institution has a planning process that involves users, library and information resource staff, faculty, and administrators.''<br />
<br />
====Overall Planning for Collections & Services====<br />
<br />
The fluidity of interdisciplinary and individual study defines library services. The dean of Library Services strengthens the ties between academics and the Library and Media Services through weekly meetings with the provost, associate vice president for academic budget and planning, and academic dean of budget, as well as weekly academic deans meetings. Once a month, the director of computing and communications and the manager of Academic Computing also join the academic deans' meeting.<br />
<br />
The interconnection of the instructional role with the planning and support functions drives the efficacy of all the services in these areas. In the [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]], Area 5 discussed planning and governance in the Evergreen information environment. The review was somewhat critical of the lack of coordination in support, planning, and governance of IT across the campus and advocated for a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH), an organization which links library, media, and computing managers and instructors. However, the report did not emphasize how the teaching function and role in Academic Computing, the CAL, and Media Services creates strong collaboration in all service and instruction design. <br />
<br />
Further, placing library and information resources within the larger ethos of the college, any major policy discussions or long-term planning processes invoke the participatory college-wide Disappearing Task Force (DTF) structure. Budgetary processes are generally collaborative and include opportunities for review and input from the campus community (see Participatory Decision-Making Culture [Standard 1 Section 2.3] and Standard 6). The college budget process and schedule drives most mid-term library planning. (See Standard 7 Section 7.A.3).<br />
<br />
Additional opportunities for community contributions to planning include faculty who rotate into the Library and who focus on collection development and other planning projects. An annual Reference Services Group retreat establishes the year's work before classes start in the fall. Faculty development reviews, also known as five-year reviews, and faculty institutes provide opportunities for conversations across campus about a range of teaching, learning, and service questions as they impact information services. The library internship program provided a reading seminar for several years within which library faculty, staff, and interns could discuss changing information technology and its cultural meaning. Finally, the librarians often engage in faculty reading seminars, frequently focused on library issues, where shared thinking about the future of libraries evolves.<br />
<br />
====Loose Structures and Responsiveness to Rapid Change in the Information Environment====<br />
<br />
Among the organizations included in library and information resources, the Library is the largest and most embedded in tradition and thus may be the most invested in preexisting professional structures and assumptions. Additionally, a comparative lack of top-down managerial structures could lead to a tendency to stagnate in some environments. How well does the Library balance the competing demands of conservation, teaching, and technological adaptation and innovation? The success of the Library’s flat organization can be measured by the impressive way in which the Library group has responded to institutional and profession-wide changes and challenges. See the [[Media: Achievements.doc |Achievements]] document for a description of major changes in services, faculties, and collections implemented during the study period. Most of the changes are responses to opportunities provided by technological developments and external engagement in consortia. The consortia relieve any single library from much of the burden of research and develop into new technologies, an overwhelming burden for a comparatively small library such as Evergreen's. Additionally, Evergreen's library administration and staff have worked actively in leadership roles in the Orbis Cascade consortium to assure that the consortium supports efficient, cost-effective movement into the world of networked and shared resources.<br />
<br />
===5.E.2 Planning Linkages===<br />
<br />
''The institution, in its planning, recognizes the need for management and technical linkages among information resource bases (e.g., libraries, instructional computing, media production and distribution centers, and telecommunications networks).''<br />
<br />
====Planning Across LIR====<br />
<br />
With networked information technology and almost universal access to digitized academic information resources, coordination of planning across library and information resources has become increasingly critical. The information technology staff and librarians from across the administrative units found that while administrative restructuring did not appear to provide a more effective connection among services, it was nevertheless wise to imagine a new structure to foster collaboration. A cross-areas collaborative group entitled the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH) was created, which provides the most formal mechanism for collaboration around technology across the various parts of the college. <br />
<br />
Evergreen supports three ITCH groups: Academic, Administrative, and Core. The Academic ITCH meets at least once a month and includes professional staff from each of the primary technology labs, faculty, and interested students. The Academic ITCH coordinates general academic IT initiatives, helps develop general academic computing policy, and guides strategic planning. Professional staff members in each of the primary technology areas have developed strong connections to discipline-specific slices of the curriculum, faculty, and academic administration. As the ITCH develops, the members will explore ways to communicate and plan in cross-disciplinary and cross-divisional programs. The ITCH provides one of the necessary cross-curricular and cross-divisional contexts for developing information technology across administratively distinct areas. The Administrative ITCH plans for administrative IT support and the Core ITCH acts as the coordinating body for all areas of IT represented in the ITCH.<br />
<br />
The ITCH created a strategic plan in conjunction with the campus-wide strategic planning process in 2007. Strategic Direction number 7 addresses technology. The statement is notable for the breadth of its concerns, with aspirations addressing media, library, and computing technology: <br />
<br />
: Use technology to enhance teaching and learning and administrative support at Evergreen.<br />
Evergreen will intentionally foster secure, sustainable, flexible, easy-to-use, and accessible information technologies (IT) that support and enhance our teaching and learning philosophies and the administrative needs of the institution. Evergreen’s continuing commitment to technology and media literacies as critical components of a liberal arts education has led us to re-envision our Television Studio into a Center for New Media [now entitled the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)] that will provide cross-curricular and extra-curricular support for computer mediated production, performance, interactivity, teleconferencing, live broadcasts, digital image storage, processing, re-broadcasting, and format conversion for all areas of the college. Accuracy and quality of information will improve and strong support will make technology and a broad range of information services available to on- and off-campus users. Security requirements of networks, software, hardware and data will be met while ensuring appropriate user access, including control of access to confidential information and the need for academic exploration. Classroom spaces will be technologically current and functional for meeting curricular needs (see the complete [[Media: itchstrategicplan_wiki.pdf|IT Strategic Plan wiki]] for more detail).<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] recommended a stronger, more formal role and status for the ITCH, which has not found support from higher-level administrators who have budgetary responsibility over the divisions of the college. This means the ITCH continues to serve as a bottom-up structure of collaboration based on the experience of direct collaboration with and support for students, staff, and faculty users.<br />
<br />
====Continue Blending More Functions within Library and Information Resources====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support a surprisingly diverse infrastructure of technologies and media in the curriculum. For greatest efficiency, library and information resources should consider even more coordination across boundaries to provide technology support. Students should be able to move seamlessly between different areas, such as the CAL, the Multimedia Lab (MML), and the Computer Center. Certainly, the pathways between areas could be more clearly articulated by identifying and developing more common services, including printing, building and maintaining image sets, server file space, and common software. By taking better advantage of the network infrastructure, students will experience less confusion and IT staff who directly support the curriculum could dedicate more energy toward coordinating, developing, and designing IT strategies with academic programs instead of maintaining redundant infrastructures.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources could develop a shared perspective about their public presence. One possibility for representing blended facilities and services would be a central help desk for the Information Technology Wing. The shared entrance to the wing has become a prominent architectural feature and an opportunity to reshape the community’s understanding of what the areas collectively represent. A central help desk could provide basic information about facilities, services, and staff, and it would help facilitate how efficiently patrons move between the various floors of the wing. Continued attention to the best use of the Library Underground and how to assure its connection to other floors should be part of this process; a large, flexible teaching and gathering space is developing there and appropriate equipment will be needed to support that vision. Concurrently, assuring safety for the adjacent Archives and Rare Books Collections is critical.<br />
<br />
Construction of the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM) will begin soon. This project has distinct relevance to the changing roles of Media Services, the Library, and Academic Computing within the evolving digital liberal arts. The CCAM will comprise a collection of media production studios and equipment to complement existing Media Services and Academic Computing media resources and provide the primary bridge between the campus media infrastructure and networked digital resources. For a discussion of the CCAM and related curricular projects, see [[media: CNM.doc | Center for Creative and Applied Media]].<br />
<br />
===5.E.3 Evaluation and the Future===<br />
<br />
''The institution regularly and systematically evaluates the quality, adequacy, and utilization of its library and information resources and services, including those provided through cooperative arrangements, and at all locations where courses, programs, or degrees are offered. The institution uses the results of the evaluations to improve the effectiveness of these resources.''<br />
<br />
As part of an institution constantly engaged in processes of narrative evaluation and other forms of assessment, library and information resources engage in and are the subject of extensive assessment both within library and information resources and externally through Institutional Research and Assessment surveys and studies. In addition to formal annual processes such as budget building and annual library faculty retreats, the results of these assessments feed into the development of ongoing teaching and services through constant face-to-face interactions among faculty, administrators, staff, and students, which inform all operations. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, as cited throughout this report, provides annual surveys about library and information resources, several of which are broken down by campus.<br />
<br />
See:<br />
<br />
[[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Utilization]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf | End-of program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Workshop_-_Information_Technology_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf | End-of-program Review Workshop - Information Technology Across the Curriculum]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Transfer_Students.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_and_Technology-related_Resources.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Information Technology Literacy and Technology-related Resources]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Growth_in_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Growth in Computer Skills - Olympia Campus]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | <br />
Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]<br />
<br />
====Collections and Access====<br />
<br />
The Web presence of the Library will, of course, continue to evolve. The Library continues work on a new library front page and database search pages. It is likely that the new library front page will become the responsibility of the college-wide Web team, freeing library staff from this unfunded work. A new federated search is being implemented. Meanwhile, the Orbis Cascade consortium is migrating to WorldCat, which the Library will consider for local use as well. A local catalog designed on the principle of Web discovery tools can be expected to generate significant changes in library use. In this context, changes in staffing may be required to support increases in use of services such as Summit and ILLiad, and the content and focus of instruction may require substantial revision. Evaluation of service and instruction via peer comparisons will change, as discovery tools will generate higher uses without increased instruction. Instruction will likely need to focus even more on evaluating sources and finding those resources not easily located via discovery tools. <br />
<br />
The continued expansion of audiovisual media collections represents a critical part of the vision of the generic library. To that end, one-time funds have frequently been infused into a small base budget for film and sound recordings, and the collection has grown significantly. Sound & Image Library (SAIL) staff and selectors have emphasized both new titles and replacement of older formats and worn copies. The Library anticipates circulating the collection through Summit, which will increase wear. See [[media:SAILacq.xls|SAIL Acquisition Statistics]]. Selectors will continue a recent change of policy allowing the purchase of any medium from their funds allocated for print monographs, but a stable and larger allocation for the SAIL budget would lessen the need to do so and reduce variations in expenditures, workload, and processing. The Resource Selection Committee is currently reviewing materials budgets with the intention of reallocating funds according to the curricular demands for video and digitized reference resources. If these discussions result in a larger budget for the SAIL, there will be more work, but also more consistency. Additionally, the staff will be more deeply involved in researching Web-based media collections. This additional workload represents a challenge for the SAIL. <br />
<br />
Digital collection development should go forward in concert with the push to digitize archival collections, including photographs, video, and copies of faculty artwork. The CCAM will take the lead in this ongoing project. <br />
<br />
Because of the Summit and ILLiad systems, the core collections do not need to support individual students who engage in inquiries that lie outside the collection profile based upon the core curriculum. However, Summit use will also allow the Library to identify whether there are any consistent weaknesses in the collection that show up as subject areas driving high borrowing rates from other institutions. The data from Summit should be analyzed over a three-year period, due to the fluidity of the curriculum, at which point the Library will decide if such data are useful in guiding collection development. <br />
<br />
The Library will continue to take advantage of the significantly increased purchasing power created by consortial agreements for periodical and other database purchases. The Library needs to keep an eye on the time and expertise required to keep up with the ever-increasing work of evaluating these agreements, purchases, and contracts and the technical work to support electronic resources, and it may want to consider creating a position for managing electronic resources. A centralized specialist working on electronic resources would potentially help the selectors by consistently researching and disseminating information about new products.<br />
<br />
Overall, long-standing assumptions about budgets for collections must be reevaluated. While major cuts were made to the monographic budget early in the study period and were only partially restored over time, it is not clear that simply restoring those funds and adding funds for inflation are the desirable next moves. The Resource Selection Committee will need to continue to explore more flexible responses to a rapidly changing publishing environment in order to match collection budgets to evolving research needs. Private fundraising and other non-state funds have helped close collection development gaps in some cases, such as the SAIL budget. Library and information resources overall have begun to receive private support for equipment and facilities projects as well. More work with the Office of College Advancement should be emphasized, as many alumni have demonstrated willingness to support the library and information resources. <br />
<br />
=====Support for Rapidly Evolving Information Technology=====<br />
<br />
While the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] gave Evergreen good marks for its budgetary support of information technology, the report also recommended that “to follow current best practices, the replacement cycle should be permanently funded and the operations budgets need to be raised regularly to reflect the increase in technology-equipped classrooms, the increased number of servers and desktop computers that must be supported, and other increases in the technology base.” The college has begun to address this issue, proposing permanent line items in the next biennium for replacing the core server and desktops. This movement toward more permanent allocations for replacement and repair will help ensure that the infrastructure can support the curriculum. Although the ITCH can play only an advisory role, it has participated actively in the process of establishing permanent allocations, setting priorities, and sharing resources. <br />
<br />
The remodeled Information Technology Wing and the construction of the Seminar II building created dramatically more technology-equipped teaching spaces. There are now forty-nine media and computer-capable classrooms, with more on the way. Labs are equipped with computers for each student, and most classrooms now include a computer along with projection and display systems. The Library plans to convert one classroom in the Library Underground to a lab, and teaching spaces on campus still without computers or display technology are on the way to being equipped. At this point, library and information resources just manage to support the computer facilities distributed across campus. As more spaces are computerized and enrollment creeps up toward the target of 5,000, the college will have to add additional staff and funding for maintenance. All capital construction and remodeling plans must include consideration of maintenance, replacement, and support for media and networked display. <br />
<br />
As media technology has changed, some faculty choose to continue teaching older analog equipment, often for good pedagogical and aesthetic reasons. In the context of doubling instruction loads, this breadth of technologies generates a daunting challenge for Media Loan as it stretches to maintain, house, and teach a very wide array of portable equipment. Media Loan should work with the Expressive Arts faculty and other major users to reduce the range of Media Loan equipment necessary to support the curriculum.<br />
<br />
====Library Instruction====<br />
<br />
The reduced number of library faculty has resulted in less ability to provide library instruction deeply and broadly to the entire curriculum. Further, reference desk service has changed as the Internet creates patrons who access our resources from remote locations. Most immediately, virtual patrons do not benefit from the teaching that takes place at the reference desk, although the transactions that do occur at reference tend to be more substantive. As traffic at the physical reference desk has diminished, faculty who rotate into the Library have more limited opportunities to learn about library resources through interactions with patrons. These trends should inform the reference group as they consider how to proceed in allocating team responsibilities with or without an increase in the number of library faculty.<br />
<br />
The reference group should evaluate service to areas of the curriculum that report or demonstrate less involvement in the various forms of information technology instruction (as reflected in end of program reports), and consider whether more or different instructional support would be appropriate, feasible, or desirable. <br />
<br />
Library instruction will evolve in the context of catalogs that imitate Web discovery tools. It is entirely likely that patrons will frequently discover services which have, until now, had to be pointed out to them. For the near future, however, finding and using the most effective, appropriate journal databases still requires instruction or intervention on the part of librarians or faculty. Evaluation of library instruction based upon comparative use statistics will probably be less valuable than in this past study period, as academic library finding tools will vary greatly for some time to come, creating widely disparate use statistics. Thus close attention to database use trends and their correlation to the implementation of new finding tools will be important in the near future.<br />
<br />
Intensive, embedded library and media instruction remain the most desirable and effective models. Some librarians focus on these models, including such work as evaluating bibliographies, which become the basis for assessing the quality of student research and the basis for further instruction. Faculty librarians may want to explore evaluating research results more commonly as they develop their ties with programs and faculty in all disciplines, particularly if discovery tools generate easier access to resources beyond the immediate catalog search. As librarians become more involved in each stage of research, including writing or production, they should be able to provide more consistent support to students. Time for this work with students is restricted by the number of librarians, as is time for the more extended work essential to students from Tacoma and reservation-based programs, who depend so heavily upon off-campus access and have less opportunity to confer with librarians at the reference desk. Faculty who rotate into the Library must be more fully engaged in this aspect of the librarians' work in order to help balance the external teaching demands upon library faculty. <br />
<br />
When the Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning and Writing Centers were planned into the new Information Technology Wing, the hope was for substantial collaboration. While the location of these centers within the Library brings more students in, aids the sense of hospitality, and provides convenient resources for students, collaboration has remained minimal. Thus opportunities for shared instruction and service have yet to be exploited.<br />
<br />
=====Cross-Curricular Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
<br />
As discussed above, library and information resources and the teaching faculty assure that information technology infuses the curriculum. On the other hand, the faculty has not embraced any particular set of information technology skills as fundamental to the liberal arts undergraduate at Evergreen. Instead, faculty choose and adapt information and media technologies according to the pedagogical and disciplinary requirements of their chosen inquiry. There is little work across the curriculum about critical approaches to media or basic definitions of college-level technical literacy for the liberal arts. In the immediate future, library and information resources should invite the teaching faculty into a discussion about whether the campus has any broad consensus about Information Technology Literacy (ITL), including critical approaches. Long ago, the college committed to writing across the curriculum and allocated significant institutional resources to encourage that work—without proscriptive limits or standards. A wider discussion about ITL could produce a similar vision and institutional support. In the long run, such a vision will shape our understanding of digital scholarship in the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
The expansion of entry-level media technology instruction raises questions about the staffing assumptions in Academic Computing. If critical approaches to information technology are to be addressed, and if cross-curricular information technology literacy is a priority for the contemporary liberal arts, then instructional staffing based on historical models of canned skills workshops may be insufficient. Academic Computing should continue current efforts to recruit instructional staff who have the expertise to work intensively in program planning and curriculum development, as well as on technical support for those activities. The numbers of such instructional IT staffing may also need to be evaluated in response to these new and expanding demands for work within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
===Conclusion: Holly's Generic Library Has Come to Fruition===<br />
<br />
Library and information resources have been deeply influenced by the organizational habits of the college, habits of collaboration, egalitarian ideals, fluidity, face-to-face interactions, non-departmentalization, reflexive learning, and independent and interdisciplinary inquiry. The result is a responsive, flexible, evolving set of services and resources. Library and information resources faculty and staff work across the media, regardless of where services reside administratively, in order to fuse traditional library services, information services, computing, and media. Library and information resources assess technology within the context of Evergreen’s particular curriculum and implement new applications incrementally in collaborative processes involving all three areas of service and the teaching faculty. As part of that work, library and information resources have had the distinct historical advantage of presuming that information comes in all formats and that it is not only possible but advisable to break down as many barriers as possible to access information in all its forms. In this, library and information resources are shaped by their founding vision - the generic library - an idea whose time has come.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1) Overall, library and information resources at Evergreen demonstrate effective development of collaborative planning, services, and instruction in support of the academic mission and educational programs of the college.<br />
<br />
2.) Over the past decade, the Library and Media Services have fully committed to networking and digital resources. This shift has implied a change in organization, reorganization of job classifications, and the creation of new patterns of work supported in all areas.<br />
<br />
3.) Commitment to the use of networking digital information resources has allowed and promoted the integration of all sections of library and information resources and has pushed the staff in all areas to reconceptualize their work and to find new patterns of organization and collaboration.<br />
<br />
4.) Students and faculty are thinking about and using information resources in all media. They can now reasonably expect to have seamless access to a wide array of high-quality academic information, media, and computer applications almost anywhere on campus.<br />
<br />
5.) The Library is funded like a public college, but the emphasis on projects, the array of inquiries, and the fact that it is a teaching library means that it is used as if it were a part of a private liberal arts college.<br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The Evergreen Library has always been what other libraries have striven to become: a '''teaching library''' deeply connected to the faculty and curriculum. The result is that students use the Library very actively. Historically, Media Services has had the same teaching focus. Academic computing, with a longstanding instructional role, is also moving toward more substantive teaching and collaboration with faculty. This cross-curricular emphasis on teaching must be continued.<br />
<br />
2.) The original vision of the Library was "generic," which means that it includes all media in all locations. The contemporary term in the profession is the '''virtual library. ''' Evergreen's library and information resources have been able to realize the vision due to the advent of effective, ubiquitous networking and digital resources. The new technology plus major consortial agreements have created an explosion of access to high-quality scholarly information and media.<br />
<br />
3. The remodeled and more unified Information Technology Wing is the physical manifestation of the blending of traditional print, media, and computer technology that characterizes the virtual library and information in the digital age. Despite being spread across administrative divisions, the Library, Media Services, Academic Computing, the CAL, and Computing and Communications all collaborate effectively to assure more and more seamless access to information resources. We must guard these interconnections and continue to seek opportunities for collaboration that will provide the best service, teaching, and efficiency.<br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Through consortial agreements and wise use of resources made available to the college, an extraordinary array of high-quality academic resources. For example, the number of academic journals now available is nine times larger than at the outset of the review. Active leadership in consortia such as Orbis Cascade and the Cooperative Libraries Project supported these cost-effective approaches.<br />
<br />
2.) The willingness of staff from all areas to share, collaborate, and dream as they worked through the complex reorganizations and new work necessary to create an operative virtual library has been extraordinary.<br />
<br />
3.) The creation of an accessible, integrated, well-conceived teaching space with the renovation of the B and C wings of the Library has allowed the virtual library to have a physical presence that embodies the integration of these areas, while providing hospitable spaces and programming to complement virtual use information resources.<br />
<br />
4.) The spread of digital media and computer facilities to the campus as a whole, in the Lecture Halls, and in the new classrooms of Seminar II, as well as the extension of wireless access to most of the campus has allowed the teaching resources of library and information resources to be used across the campus.<br />
<br />
5.) Both the development of the virtual library and a continued commitment to extensive instruction have led to effective library and information resources for off-campus programs and users.<br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Library and information resources must maintain the flexibility in staff’s capacity to respond to the rapidly changing digital environment.<br />
<br />
2.) Library and information services must continue to remain aware of developments in information technology, critically assess them, and carefully integrate technological capacities into the staff’s capacity for teaching.<br />
<br />
3.) Library and information resources should assure that connections between the three units (the Library, Academic Computing, and Media Services) that make up library and information resources are as seamless as possible.<br />
<br />
4.) Media Services instructors should consciously promote considerations of media among faculty across the curriculum, as well as continue to work effectively with those who depend upon media as the center of their work.<br />
<br />
5.) Staff from all areas should pursue and develop cross-curricular faculty conversations about information and technology as literacies for the liberal arts, including critical perspectives.<br />
<br />
6.) Library and information services should assure that instructional staffing and library faculty is sufficient in training and numbers to support extensive, integrated information technology literacy instruction across the curriculum and to off-campus and weekend and evening programs.<br />
<br />
7.) Library and information services should continue to develop maintenance and replacement funds to support rapidly expanding information technology, instruction, and service throughout the campus.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing staff and faculty will collaborate in planning ongoing summer faculty institutes facilitating cross-curricular faculty conversations about information technology literacy for the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
2.) The shape of expenditures on collections should evolve as inflation, consortia, networked access, and digital publications continue to change the information environment. The Library Resource Selection Committee will continue to review database, Summit, and local collection use, as well as allocation of non-state funds in order to appropriately support collections in all media. As a member of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, the Library will pursue collaborative collection development emphasizing strong core local collections and coordinated shared collections.<br />
<br />
3.) The substantial instructional role necessary to support information technology literacy across the curriculum should be recognized in campus hiring priorities.<br />
<br />
4.) The Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing will continue to emphasize shared work. Several areas of potential collaboration in addition to faculty institutes include considering a shared public presence at the newly emphasized main entrance to the Information Technology Wing, an increased role for the ITCH in planning and management of information technology on campus, shared staff positions, shared hiring processes, and more collaborative instruction for academic programs.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Five|Supporting Documentation for Standard 5]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_5&diff=8829Standard 52008-07-24T22:51:20Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 5.B – Information Resources and Services */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 5 – Library and Information Resources==<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.A – Purpose and Scope===<br />
<br />
<br />
''The primary purpose for library and information resources is to support teaching, learning, and if applicable, research in ways consistent with, and supportive of, the institution’s mission and goals. Adequate library and information resources and services, at the appropriate level for degrees offered, are available to support the intellectual, cultural, and technical development of students enrolled in courses and programs wherever located and however delivered.''<br />
<br />
====Supporting the Academic Mission of the College====<br />
Library and information resources at The Evergreen State College support students as they learn to reason and communicate about freely chosen inquiries whose outcomes remain to be discovered or created (Smith, Standard 2). Library and information resources at Evergreen must therefore balance the open-ended demands of free inquiry with the need for stability, security, and efficiency in systems and services. Historically, the Library has been well funded when compared to many public baccalaureates, in recognition of the extraordinary demands of open-ended inquiry and independent study. All library and information resources are shaped by the primary mission of teaching and providing state-of-the-art facilities for academic programs and individual students in this interdisciplinary, liberal arts curriculum. Strong collaboration among library, computing and media staff, faculty, and administration assures the development of the library and information resources as centers for teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
====The Founding Vision of the Library: Any Medium, Any Location====<br />
<br />
In 1969, when the founding dean of Library Services James Holly wrote his “Position Paper No. 1,” he proposed a model which he called the generic library, in some ways anticipating the concept of today's virtual library. “By generic I include man’s [sic] recorded information, knowledge, folly, and wisdom in whatever form put down, whether in conventional print, art forms, magnetic tape, laser storage, etc. By generic, I also eliminate physical boundaries such as [a] specific building or portion limited and identified as ‘the library.’” Holly's vision motivated many aspects of library, media, and computer services, but proved in many ways untenable due to technical and budgetary constraints and because the college community expressed traditional longings for a bounded space. Today, laptops and networked data are ubiquitous and most students expect remote access to information resources, regardless of medium. Technology, as well as community values, have caught up with Holly’s founding vision, and Evergreen's library and learning resources now include all media, distributed to almost any location. Display of networked and audiovisual information now brings information technology to almost any classroom on campus. Active involvement in new consortia has led to quick access to expanded collections and information resources from around the region. Academic programs and students off-campus have access to rich, academically sound journal holdings. A wide selection of digitized media applications and advanced media labs provide access to media production. Increasingly seamless access to media, computing, and traditional information resources benefits all students. At the same time, the physical library has expanded its role as a social and intellectual space and provides an increasingly hospitable center for learning and gatherings of all kinds. A $22-million remodel connected previously disparate areas and created a more cohesive information-technology wing, providing one central entrance for the Library, Media Services, the Computer Center, and the Computing and Communications offices.<br />
<br />
====Functions and Facilities Covered in Standard 5====<br />
<br />
Reflecting these developments, Standard 5 considers information resources and services from several disparate administrative units: Library Services, including Media Services (administratively part of the Academic division); Academic Computing (administratively part of the Finance and Administration division); and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) (administratively part of the academic division, with a historical role supporting the science curriculum). The phrase "library and information resources" in Standard 5 should be understood to refer to these units collectively, while comments about separate areas will use more specific language such as the Library, Media Services, the CAL, or Academic Computing. Occasional references to Computing and Communications will address technology infrastructure when relevant to instructional and academic support functions.<br />
<br />
The information resources offered and supported by the Library, Academic Computing, and the CAL represent facilities and functions commonly found in libraries and computer centers elsewhere in academia. The Media Services section of the Library requires some explanation, as its role and location in the institution are unique. Media Services provides not only the usual audiovisual support for instruction, but also extensive collections and facilities in support of media production by students across the curriculum. Media production labs, a large circulating collection of portable media equipment, and extensive instruction represent activities, facilities, and functions which will not be found within the library at most institutions. Some media arts, communications or education departments might provide some such services to students of their curriculum, but not the library, and certainly not for general use. In the context of an interdisciplinary college, and in the light of the original ideal of the generic library, these services are provided through the Library in order to assure cross-curricular access and opportunity for students from anywhere in the curriculum, whether those students are studying media or simply wish to communicate academic content using media beyond print.<br />
<br />
====5.A.1 Sufficiency of Information Resources and Services====<br />
<br />
''The institution’s information resources and services include sufficient holdings, equipment, and personnel in all of its libraries, instructional media and production centers, computer centers, networks, telecommunication facilities, and other repositories of information to accomplish the institution’s mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
Throughout this study, library and information resources will be found to be strongly linked via face-to-face collaboration and consultation with faculty, staff, and students. These interconnections, within a flat organizational structure, assure constant feedback and redevelopment of services and facilities. Library funding generally compares very well with public institutions and correlates strongly to average funding for private liberal arts peers, peers with whom our use statistics compare favorably. An external assessment performed by Edutech described budgetary support for information technology as comparable to that of institutions with similar missions. There are no comparable institutions for studying the large activity of cross-curricular media services; however, advocacy from both the cross-curricular perspective of the Library and from the specific needs of the media faculty help ensure support. Rapid expansion in information technology access and aspirations have led to changes in personnel allocation and expertise and will continue to make increasing demands on a staff and faculty already stretched in many areas.<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[media: Major_Facilities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 & 2 of the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]]. For holdings and equipment, see Standard 5.B.1. For personnel, see Standard 5.D.1. For evaluation of budgetary support, see Standard 5.D.6.<br />
<br />
====5.A.2 Sufficiency of Core Collection and Related Resources====<br />
<br />
''The institution’s core collection and related information resources are sufficient to support the curriculum.''<br />
<br />
Broad institutional support for cross-curricular library and information services has historically generated sufficient institutional budgetary support for core collections and facilities. During the study period, inflation and budget cuts reduced base budgets for local monograph collections. Non-state resources bridged some of the gap without building the base budget permanently. Consortial agreements created opportunities for cost-effective collective purchases of serials and for efficient resource sharing, resulting in better support for the intensive work by individual students. <br />
<br />
Collection Development, see 5.B.1 and 5.B.5<br />
<br />
====5.A.3 Education Program Drives Resources and Services====<br />
<br />
''Information resources and services are determined by the nature of the institution’s educational programs and the locations where programs are offered.''<br />
<br />
Strong connections to the curriculum inform all library and information services. A distinctive library rotation system connects the library and teaching faculty in the shared project of curriculum and program planning. Teaching alliances between media services professionals and media faculty determine the character of media services. A strong liaison system connects Academic Computing instructors and services with teaching faculty. Meanwhile, a very experienced staff with substantial managerial responsibilities manages day-to-day library services while implementing services in response to the new opportunities advancing information technology affords. (See Standard 5.B.2 - Teaching and Instruction).<br />
<br />
Information technology planning and governance are discussed in Area 5 (Planning and Governance) of the [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
The study notes that planning is collaborative and responsive to academic needs, and could be strengthened through a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH).<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.B – Information Resources and Services===<br />
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''Information resources and services are sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, and currency to support the institution’s curricular offerings.''<br />
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==== 5.B.1 Equipment and Materials to Support the Educational Program====<br />
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''Equipment and materials are selected, acquired, organized, and maintained to support the educational program.''<br />
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=====Collection Development Procedures & Methods=====<br />
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The Library faculty develops collections to support Evergreen's changeable interdisciplinary curriculum without the usual benefit of departmental allocation or structures. The librarians build collections and vendor profiles on the basis of their work as both library and teaching faculty (see 5.B.2), work which involves full-time teaching, faculty governance, extensive collegial engagement with the teaching faculty, and affiliation with planning units. The curriculum committee is the faculty as a whole, and develops the curriculum in curricular planning units, curriculum retreats, and governance groups. The Library faculty's overall knowledge of the curriculum is strengthened by teaching faculty who rotate into the Library and lavish their attention on areas of the collection related to their disciplinary expertise. Finally, librarians honor most requests from individuals for additions to the collection, working from the fact that free inquiry and individual research are central to the Library’s mission.<br />
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In the past, the Library has struggled to satisfy incidental research demands outside the boundaries defined by the core, repeating curriculum. The substantial part of the curriculum which varies from year to year, the significant amount of work by independent contract students (almost 1,300 independent study contracts in 2006-07), and the opportunity for intensive individual projects within full-time, multi-quarter programs have all driven demand for specialized materials outside the core collection. Resource sharing and large, shared purchases, all made efficient because of networking technology, have eradicated this problem, although budget cuts and inflation create some difficulties keeping the core collection current. The budget for core monograph purchases has been supplemented with allocations from non-state resources in order to help bridge this gap. See 5.B.5 below.<br />
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=====Media Services=====<br />
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Close work with the curriculum and faculty also informs the development of media facilities and services. Media staff attend the Expressive Arts planning unit meetings, in particular the Moving Image subgroup. Budgetary processes for equipment purchase and operating costs include multiple avenues for consideration of educational program needs. Through the planning units, needs are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the Library, cross-curricular media demands are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the ITCH, cross-unit needs are coordinated and passed up to the campus-wide budget process. These three avenues help ensure that the budget process addresses both broad and specific curricular demands for media.<br />
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Some stresses develop. Like the Library, Media Services serves the entire academic community, from programs to individuals. And, like the Library, Media Services strains under the pressure of answering the needs of independent study, as well as a fluid curriculum. Students working on independent media productions compete with Expressive Arts programs for scarce resources, from equipment to laboratories to teaching staff. In order to balance these competing demands, Media Services requires students and faculty to submit media request forms, which are reviewed by the Media Services manager and the head of Instruction Media, who allocate resources, both human and technological. Independent contract forms include a question about the need for special equipment or facilities, which serves as a safety net for screening intensive media use. In these ways Media Services assures that students embarking on media studies do so with appropriate support. The Expressive Arts planning unit also instituted a Student Originated Studies (SOS) group contract in media to assure that students have consistent access to facilities and instructional support as they pursue their independent projects.<br />
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=====Information Technology Equipment & Facilities=====<br />
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The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] includes equipment in its discussion of technological facilities in Area 1 of the report. The report states, "Computing, networking and information technology facilities at Evergreen are extensive and impressive. In most cases, Evergreen facilities are at or near standards for similar institutions, and in some cases surpass them. However, these standards are a moving target, and there are areas in which the college will probably have to make upgrades in the near future." The report lauded the computer labs, classroom technology, and access to computers. Recommended improvements were to extend wireless to the entire campus and permanently fund a replacement cycle for equipment.<br />
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====5.B.2 Teaching and Instruction====<br />
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''Library and information resources and services contribute to developing the ability of students, faculty, and staff to use the resources independently and effectively.''<br />
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=====Defining Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
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Standard 2 links the five foci and six expectations of an Evergreen education to the idea of reflexive thinking. "Reflexive thinking begins with a question, an interrogation of the world, and an encounter with the other. As such it involves the student in the whole process of substantive learning about subjects, disciplines and methods that is the standard domain of learning. But reflexivity is the capacity that a learner has to think about the situation and conditions that underlie her own personal and collective experience of thinking and knowing." (See [[Standard_2#Reflexive_Thinking | reflexive thinking]]). This work is engaged and supported through the broad and deep resources of the collections and instruction within the library and information resources. <br />
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The professional literature and practice of librarianship defines information literacy as a reflective process. To be clear, a '''reflective''' process considers, evaluates, synthesizes, and in general, engages information discovered through research. In contrast, a '''reflexive''' process goes on to consider one's own learning and knowledge as influenced through exposure to the information under consideration. According to Jeremy J. Shapiro and Shelley K. Hughes, in their article entitled [[Media: educom_review.pdf|'Information Literacy as a Liberal Art']], information literacy should "be conceived more broadly as a new liberal art that extends from knowing how to use computers and access information to critical reflection on the nature of information itself, its technical infrastructure, and its social, cultural and end even philosophical context and impact..."<br />
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The information literacy curriculum includes:<br />
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* Tool literacy - The ability to use print and electronic resources including software and online resources.<br />
* Resource literacy - The ability to understand the form, format, location, and methods for accessing information resources.<br />
* Social-structural literacy - Knowledge of how information is socially situated and produced, including understanding the scholarly publishing process.<br />
* Research literacy - The ability to understand and use information technology tools to carry out research, including the use of discipline-related software and online resources.<br />
* Publishing literacy - The ability to produce a text or multimedia report of research results.<br />
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====ITL in the Context of Holly's Generic Library=====<br />
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Information literacy at Evergreen is itself a reflexive practice, in addition to being central to the process of reflexive thinking in the broader context of undergraduate education at Evergreen. That is, the student uses library and information resources to put herself in relation to information and thinking from a variety of sources and further, reflects about herself and her learning as she researches and learns. Within the context of library and information resources as understood and managed at Evergreen, this literacy includes not just print scholarship, but media and computing, to become not just information literacy but Information Technology Literacy (ITL). Reflection upon information includes reflection upon the nature and role of the tools themselves. Reflexive thinking includes the relation of the user to the information and the tools. <br />
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Thus, in order to assure that students have the skills to communicate about their open inquiries and the resources to support deeply reflexive thinking, library and information resources take a broad role in the curriculum. Two of the “Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate” relate directly to commitment by the library and information resources to help students achieve intellectual independence, creativity, and critical acumen. Expectation Two states that our graduates will communicate creatively and effectively; Expectation Four, that our graduates apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across the disciplines. Not only should literate students read and write astutely, they also should access, view, critique, and produce media and writing that is eloquent and complete. In this way, digital scholarship merges seamlessly with individual and formal educational goals, just as print scholarship has in the past.<br />
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=====Cross-Curricular Media Instruction=====<br />
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Library and information resources support ITL as an agenda for students across programs, disciplines, and media. Library and information resources staff and faculty collaborate with teaching teams as they instruct students in media and students who create films, multimedia, or musical works for programs or for independent study. These are the challenges of the "freely chosen inquiry," challenges that cannot all be met at all times. However, the location of Media Services administratively and physically within Library Services is meant to ensure that media studies and media production are supported appropriately both within the programs that media faculty teach and elsewhere in the inquiries of students. The spread of entry-level media applications into the general-use computer labs increases access to media production across the curriculum.<br />
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Although library and information resources instructors work to fuse teaching with program content, students are nevertheless able to access any media application or information technology beyond or without considering program content. Likewise, many programs focus entirely on technical skill building, without any formal attempt to link these practices to disciplinary content. And in other areas of the curriculum, such as the Culture, Text, and Language planning unit, critical media and information studies are often taught in a theoretical mode, without hands-on media production—the thing itself. The point is that when skills are valorized over content, or when theory ignores practice, students neglect concrete critical reflection on how technology impacts the message, the creators, the audience, or society. However, Holly's generic library model, the founding principle for library and information resources at Evergreen, has emphasized and counterbalanced the tendency to isolate skills from content. Students who read texts expect to write as well; why should they view media and not expect to create it? Early on, a rotating faculty member who helped link instruction with critical media studies and with interdisciplinary programs directed Media Services. Library and information resources continue to struggle to advocate for the critical study of media and information technology across the curriculum.<br />
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Academic computing also provides access to and instruction in information technologies through a balance of specialized and open computing facilities. With the migration of many media applications to commonly available personal computer platforms, instruction and facilities to support entry-level media production have spread to academic computing and even to the Library proper.<br />
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Library and information resources faculty and staff instruct and teach in multiple modes, from basic skills instruction to more complex, content-driven teaching by faculty and professionals in the curriculum. In addition, the teaching faculty contribute substantively and collaboratively to planning and implementing information services, collections, and policies. This dynamic collaboration between the teaching faculty and the library and information resources has shaped the primary mission to support inquiry-based education. Each area within library and information resources has developed structures to connect teaching and instruction closely to the faculty, the curriculum, and the academic mission of the college. Utilization, satisfaction, and curricular surveys demonstrate the breadth and effectiveness of this work (See Planning and Evaluation 5.E).<br />
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=====Faculty Librarians and Library Teaching=====<br />
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Evergreen requires rotation between the librarians and the teaching faculty. Briefly stated, faculty librarians rotate out of the Library to teach full time on a regular basis and, in exchange, teaching faculty rotate into the Library to serve as librarians providing reference, instruction, and collection development. (See [[media:Learning_Communities_and_the_Academic_Library.pdf | Pedersen]] pp. 41-44 for more discussion of this system). Faculty who rotate into the Library leave with updated skills for developing information literacy within their programs and teams across the curriculum. Library faculty develop their subject specialties and enhance their ability to work across pedagogical and disciplinary realms. Perpetual faculty-wide interactions in faculty governance and team-teaching reinforce the strong connections between the library faculty and the teaching faculty. Librarians know the faculty as colleagues and teaching faculty know the librarians (probably the only basis for widespread and effective library instruction in a curriculum without requirements). Teaching teams also spread effective library instruction practices as experienced teaching faculty introduce their new faculty teammates to their library colleagues and the teaching they offer. Most new faculty also bring updated information technology skills and experience to share with their colleagues.<br />
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A loose liaison system links each librarian with a subset of the curriculum, based on subject expertise, planning unit affiliation, and personal alliances. Faculty librarians provide a wide array of library and information technology-related teaching. One-time workshops designed to engage sources particular to the research projects within an academic program represent the most common format. Librarians and teaching faculty design these workshops with the assumption that the skills imparted are embedded in the interests and needs of the program learning community. At a minimum, the faculty for the program usually 1) create a research assignment which informs and motivates the students’ work; 2) attend the research workshop and participate, adding their expertise and/or questions; 3) provide the library liaison with a syllabus and a copy of the assignment and a list of the topics students are considering; and 4) ask the students to begin considering their topic before attending the workshop so they are primed to begin actual research during the workshop. <br />
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Librarians teach workshops on research most frequently in the graduate programs, the sciences, and the off-campus programs. The teaching models for these more extended situations vary according to the library faculty involved and the role in the curriculum, and they evolve significantly year to year. Each year, library faculty affiliate deeply with a few such programs, meeting weekly to create stepped learning conjoined with research assignments. For documents exemplifying this teaching, see [[media:Forensics_week-by-week.doc | Forensics Syllabus]] and [[media:Chemistry_Health_Professions_Project_Description.doc | Chemistry Health Professions Project]]. During several academic years, an information technology seminar linked library internship opportunities with a hands-on Web technology workshop. In that model, a small group of students explored contemporary questions in the world of rapid digitization and its social implications. They paralleled that study with real library work and Web production practice, including wikis and Web pages designed to support library functions. The seminar and workshop have provided a venue for library faculty, staff, and Academic Computing instructors to gather and consider both the past and future of information technologies. See the syllabi for the programs Still Looking ([[media: stilllooking_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: stilllooking_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: stilllooking_spring.pdf|spring]]), Information Landscapes ([[media: infolandscapes_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: infolandscapes_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: infolandscapes_spring.pdf|spring]]), and Common Knowledge ([[media: commonknowledge_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: commonknowledge_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: commonknowledge_spring.pdf|spring]]). Each year, one librarian also offers research methods through the evening and weekend curriculum.<br />
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In-depth, extended library-related teaching within programs and service to off-campus and Evening and Weekend programs can be a challenge in the context of a reduced core of library faculty. During the self-study period, one faculty line was cut during budget reductions. This causes significant stress on the quality and quantity of instruction the area is able to provide.<br />
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=====Library Faculty as Service Providers=====<br />
Library faculty see themselves primarily as teachers. They tend to understand the services of the Library in the context of teaching and learning, specifically teaching as it actually happens in the Evergreen curriculum. Thus, they do not tend to work from externally defined "best practices," nor do they function in a reactive mode. They take a proactive approach to the work, suggesting tools and strategies for designing library instruction and finding the intellectual work in the world of research instruction. They position themselves to work across administrative as well as curricular boundaries and sustain an important role in the crossroads of traditional research methods, contemporary information technology, and the world of the curriculum and their teaching colleagues.<br />
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=====Service and Teaching=====<br />
The faculty librarians have transformed the reference desk into a teaching space, which goes well beyond traditional service models. For this reason, there is generally a librarian at the desk during the hours the Library is open to the public. Each contact between a librarian and a patron represents an opportunity to teach and learn. In collections, Web page design, signage, collection organization, and creation of virtual services, the librarians ask not just what is easiest or matches the expectations of inexperienced users, but what can be taught through the new design, service, or collection. For example, broad aggregate databases have been purchased because they are cost effective, but the librarians also emphasize and teach comparatively complex digitized indexes, which refer students more deeply into the discipline-based literature of their inquiries. As discussed throughout this document, library and information resources are designed, planned, taught, and supported in the context of college-wide teaching and learning.<br />
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=====Library Faculty and Off-Campus Programs=====<br />
Library support for the two major off-campus offerings, the Tacoma and the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs, focuses heavily on instruction, with additional support from networked technology, including specialized Web pages for these programs. See [[Media: reservation_library.pdf|services for Reservation-Based students]] and [[Media: tacoma_library.pdf|services for Tacoma-based students]]. Students of these programs have limited access to the physical library and must be alerted to the many high-quality resources available to them online through the Library. End-of-program reports show very high engagement with information technology in these programs (See [[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf |End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]). Most years, librarians work closely with the Research Methods class at Tacoma, providing laboratory-based instruction on location several weeks per quarter. As of 2007-08, this work has taken on a more formalized structure and has developed into credit-generating research classes.<br />
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Library instruction at the upper-division off-campus sites of the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs has varied widely year-by-year. Recently, the program has focused on building library methods into the lower-division bridge curriculum, which has not involved the library faculty directly. Reservation-based programs report 100% teaching and use of library and Internet research in 2007; however, this work has not engaged the Library's holdings or services significantly. Rebuilding this connection should be a high priority, and a planned faculty rotation from a former director of the reservation-based program will be an opportunity to do so. Perusal of the [[Media: Achievements2.doc |Achievements]] list for the self-study period demonstrates that almost every development supports distant access to collections and services and thus the off-campus programs.<br />
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=====Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing=====<br />
In all major computer and media labs, staff instructors provide group instruction designed to support the needs of specific academic programs, covering particular applications and tools relevant to the disciplines involved. Media and computing instructors teach workshops in different spaces and in different modes, depending on the discipline and the technology. There are no constraints upon which facilities may be used. In one quarter, a science program might have workshops in the Computer Center focusing on blogs, a math workshop using Excel in the Computer Applications Lab, a session on video documentation for field research in the Multimedia Lab, and a library research workshop in one of the Computer Center's general-purpose labs. In this way, academic programs leverage staff expertise and facilities as needed.<br />
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Teaching faculty must be able to easily identify and contact the appropriate staff member to coordinate computer instruction, which may require significant logistical support such as lab scheduling, equipment checkout, server space, password access, personnel scheduling, and other details. In Academic Computing, program liaisons work with faculty to coordinate how programs will teach technology. For instance, the staff liaison helps set up file shares and Web spaces and schedules and teaches workshops. In Media Services, the head of instructional media provides a central location for faculty and students requesting instructional support in media to connect with appropriate media instructors and to schedule facilities and instruction. The Media Services staff work with faculty to design and integrate media into their programs. Media Services staff meet regularly with media faculty in the Expressive Arts planning unit so they can develop facilities, plan for access, and foster integration of media into academic programs.<br />
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Students who work independently on media or computing projects or who decide to tackle media projects within non-media oriented programs also receive many forms of instructional support. Academic Computing offers regularly scheduled technology workshops, which are open to all. In addition, Evergreen students can access Lynda.com, which tutors students in software applications and programming languages. The Library recently subscribed to Safari Books Online, which supports the computer science curriculum and addresses technical inquiries from students across the curriculum. Academic Computing began a computing wiki in 2006-07 which hosts approximately 2,000 pages of instructions and tutorials and which continues to expand. Increasingly, students, faculty, and staff rely on the Academic Computing wiki to stay abreast of technologies hosted on campus.<br />
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Any student may access most media-production facilities and check out portable media equipment once they have completed relevant hands-on training sessions called proficiencies. Media instructors run hundreds of these quick, skills-focused instructional sessions annually, which serve thousands of students, ensure proper use of the equipment, and provide supportive technical background for systems. The number of formal instructional sessions provided to programs has doubled since 2000, suggesting the rapidly expanding use and breadth of college-supported media technology. Finally, the Evening and Weekend Studies curriculum provides a coherent, regular pathway for learning more complex media-production processes.<br />
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Like the library faculty, media instructors teach in a variety of modes: full-time, part-time, introductory, intensive, general, sustained, intermittent, specialized, individual, within programs, or collaboratively in small groups. Many of the media staff are artists, professionals, and faculty in their own right, with Master of Fine Arts degrees in their fields. They teach photography, electronic music, Web design, and digital imaging as adjuncts in Evening and Weekend Studies and in Extended Education. Media staff who teach as adjunct faculty are often called to teach full time as visiting artists. Their contributions to the part- and full-time curriculum are substantial and sustained, some of them having taught for more than twenty years. Their work supports the Expressive Arts. It assures access and instruction for students who do not consider themselves artists but who want to engage in technologies that constitute important developing communication media and also define the visual aesthetics of science, history, political science, psychology, and other narratives. Additionally, Photo, Electronic Media, and Media Loan staff annually teach as field supervisors for up to eight student interns who are critical to the effective functioning of labs and services. These students typically not only gain high-level technical production skills, but also develop instructional, collaborative, and administrative experience by working closely with students, faculty, and technical staff. Finally, all media staff sponsor many individual contracts, which provide opportunities for students who have identified intensive individual inquiries that are not supported in the curriculum at large. In general, media staff are central to the success of media-based programs and are viewed as colleagues by the Expressive Arts faculty, whose programs they support. These working relationships form the backbone of Media Services.<br />
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=====Faculty Institutes=====<br />
As described thus far, library and information resources instructors regularly work with, instruct, and support the teaching faculty through individual collaboration. In addition, they design and teach several faculty institutes each summer. Faculty institutes create valuable connections among faculty, library, media, and academic computing instructors. Recent information technology institutes have focused on specific applications such as teaching statistics with Excel, using online collaborative tools to foster learning communities, or creating program Web pages. Some years, substantive discussions of information technology literacy as opposed to hands-on training have been offered. During institutes, faculty are often afforded paid time for self-directed work that focuses on their program planning. In these instances, faculty evaluate technology, practice using it, and plan how to incorporate applications into their programs.<br />
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====5.B.3 Availability of Policies====<br />
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''Policies, regulations, and procedures for systematic development and management of information resources, in all formats, are documented, updated, and made available to the institution’s constituents.''<br />
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The Web provides a venue for all policies, regulations, and procedures for all information resources and services. <br />
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See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Policies,_regulations,_and_procedures_for_the_development and_management_of_library_and_information_resources,_including_collection_development_and_weeding|Required Exhibit 2: Policies, Regulations, and Procedures for the Development and Management of Library and Information Resources]]<br />
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====5.B.4 Participatory Planning====<br />
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''Opportunities are provided for faculty, staff, and students to participate in the planning and development of the library and information resources and services.''<br />
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Faculty, staff, and students participate in the planning and development of library information resources and services. The college community values face-to-face communication and formal procedures for consultation are minimal. All learning and information resources staff and faculty receive and welcome direct requests and suggestions. As an example, good hiring represents an important decision determining how library and information services evolve and prosper. Hiring processes are broadly consultative. Committees with representation from different work units interview and recommend for all staff positions. Students, staff, and faculty representatives join in hiring committees for any major positions, especially those of administrators and faculty. These hiring processes routinely include public presentations by the candidates, which are announced to the entire college community to allow input from staff, faculty, and students.<br />
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More broadly, collaborative work with teaching faculty and other clients drives the design and planning for almost all instructional and technical support. Face-to-face planning and direct engagement with teaching faculty in a program-by-program context defines the work of library and information resources across all units (see Participatory Planning 5.E.1).<br />
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====5.B.5 Networks Extend Information Resources====<br />
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''Computing and communications services are used to extend the boundaries in obtaining information and data from other sources, including regional, national, and international networks.''<br />
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Consortial arrangements in the Orbis Cascade regional system offer Summit, a resource-sharing system that makes it possible to satisfy almost any book and most media requests generated by the individualistic interests of students working on independent projects. The Summit system includes thirty-five academic libraries from Oregon and Washington and delivers resources within two or three days. Students also use many highly specialized materials from periodicals databases, which have expanded the number of journal subscriptions Evergreen holds eight to nine times over the self-study period. This enhancement is largely due to the Cooperative Library Project (CLP), a state-funded resource-sharing project among the four-year Washington state baccalaureates.<br />
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Consortial purchases have reduced per-title costs dramatically and have strengthened areas of the curriculum not necessarily the focus of a core liberal arts collection. For example, psychology, education, and business were heavily emphasized in the most recent round of shared purchasing by CLP. Finally, ILLiad, the interlibrary loan system, brings journal articles to the students' mailboxes and e-mail accounts within a few days. There are almost no discernible limits to accessing published information for any researcher except those who need to present within twenty-four hours. Effective campus networks supported by Computing and Communication's technical support staff make this possible. College-wide steps that have made efficient resource sharing and online information possible have included implementing the Banner student records system and establishing e-mail as the official student communications medium.<br />
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==Standard 5.C – Facilities and Access==<br />
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''The institution provides adequate facilities for library and information resources, equipment, and personnel. These resources, including collections, are readily available for use by the institution’s students, faculty, and staff on the primary campus and where required off-campus.''<br />
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===5.C.1 Availability of Information Resource Facilities===<br />
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''Library and information resources are readily accessible to all students and faculty. These resources and services are sufficient in quality, level, breadth, quantity, and currency to meet the requirements of the educational program.''<br />
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For a description of facilities, see [[Media: Major_Faciities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 and 2 of the [[Media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
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The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]] specifically considered networking, telecommunications, and other information technology relevant to accessibility. The campus network was lauded as "solid and reliable." The network itself is described technically in Area 1 of the report. Expansion of wireless access from 75% to the entire campus was recommended; this work is proceeding and has the budgetary support to continue into the future. Most classrooms have been networked with display capability, spreading library and information technology access to large portions of the curriculum. This changes the presumptions of the faculty and students and greatly increases the frequency with which social software, digitized presentations, and other multi-media information technology is incorporated in programs. The Edutech report also recommended establishing at least one dedicated teleconferencing space for general use, which is planned within the [[media: CNM.doc|Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)]]. According to Edutech, "student access to computers at Evergreen does not seem to be a problem."<br />
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====The Information Technology Wing====<br />
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=====LIR Facilities and Services Visibly Interconnect=====<br />
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With the generic library as a foundation and the interdisciplinary curriculum as the context, merged collections and services build upon an alternative past. Library and information resources thus collaborate actively across academic and administrative departmental boundaries. The major remodel, implementing a newly consolidated Information Technology Wing, substantially strengthened opportunities for connecting services, facilities, and staff. One central, broad entrance now provides access to the Library, the Computer Center, Media Loan and the stairs to Electronic Media, Photo Services and Computing and Communications. See [[media: Consultant%27s_Site_Visit_Report_2004.doc | Consultant Pre-Remodel Report]] for an assessment of facility requirements produced before the project. For further detail, extensive documents describing the project are available in the documents room.<br />
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=====More Teaching and Study Spaces=====<br />
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The ideal of collaborative learning shaped the remodel. Shared study spaces predominate, whether open area study tables, grouped lounge furniture, pod-shaped arrangements in labs, or small group study and media viewing rooms. Wireless access allows informal group work around personal or library-owned laptops. Additional laboratory spaces provide easier scheduling for program work and more computers for individuals when classes do not use the labs. Limited quiet study areas provide an alternative for the solitary scholar; at the same time, small group work is facilitated and encouraged. Overall, the Information Technology Wing has shed barren hallways and utilitarian desks in favor of lounge areas and comfortable study spaces. Overstuffed couches and chairs, large tables, task lighting, and more room for collections all contribute to the conviviality that informs shared inquiry.<br />
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=====Hospitable Spaces and Blended Access=====<br />
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Art exhibitions invite patrons into lounge and study areas and help define the Library as a public space. The new basement lounge, affectionately dubbed the "Library Underground," hosts frequent campus gatherings and public readings, although flooding (a new issue since the remodel) disrupted the area several times in 2006-07. Groups from across campus meet, study, and teach in library spaces, which are open to all and where food and drink have always been allowed. The Sound and Image Library (SAIL) media collections are prominently located in the reference area, where SAIL staff work closely with the reference librarians. The newly established Assisted Technology Lab (ATL) conjoins the SAIL and has become a vital meeting place for students to work and show their art and media productions. Again, SAIL and reference staff provide service and technical support for ATL patrons. As the physical reference collection continues to shrink, reference, the SAIL, the ATL, and Circulation will continue forming a more blended and prominent shared public presence. <br />
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====More General Access Lab Facilities====<br />
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Rapid developments in networked information technology have blurred between general and specialized technology labs. The main computer center includes many specialized scientific software packages such as ArcGIS and Mathematica, while common graphic manipulation software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, appear in the CAL. Similarly, the Computer Center supports high-level statistics applications such as R, as well as digital music editing. The library computers provide basic Office applications and general Web access in addition to library-specific searches, but specific library computers also provide GIS, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, assistive/adaptive technology, and scanning applications, while the SAIL provides multiple stations for basic media dubbing, transfer, and editing. Switching to a single user domain and sign-on means simpler, more consistent access to networked resources across campus. The Digital Imaging and Multimedia facilities provide applications for advanced media production, but are open to all students. Some specialty labs have self-contained resources, such as large format printers or applications requiring more sophisticated hardware. However, the primary distinction among labs is the level of expertise and specialized knowledge of the staff. Students benefit when they know the specialized character of a lab means there will be more skilled assistance.<br />
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===5.C.2 Cooperative Agreements===<br />
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''In cases of cooperative arrangements with other library and information resources, formal documented agreements are established. These cooperative relationships and externally provided information sources complement rather than substitute for the institution’s own adequate and accessible core collection and services.''<br />
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Despite greatly expanded information access through Summit and shared purchasing agreements, the Library continues strong support for the core collection within budgetary constraints created by budget cuts and inflation. Over time, Summit circulation data will provide specific reports on areas of the collection where students and faculty consistently or repeatedly demonstrate the need for more depth. Additionally, the Orbis Cascade Alliance is working on shared collection development guidelines to help design complementary collections. <br />
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See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures and Methods]].<br />
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See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Formal.2C_written_agreements_with_other_libraries |Required Exhibit 11 Formal Agreements with Other Libraries]].<br />
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==Standard 5.D – Personnel and Management==<br />
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''Personnel are adequate in number and in areas of expertise to provide services in the development and use of library and information resources.''<br />
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===5.D.1 Sufficiency of Staffing===<br />
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''The institution employs a sufficient number of library and information resources staff to provide assistance to users of the library and to students at other learning resources sites.''<br />
<br />
The chart below suggests that library and information resources staffing is similar to that of comparable public institutions, falling between the averages of peer public liberal arts colleges (COPLAC) and the larger regional universities in the state (WA Regionals in the table below). Note that Evergreen (TESC) and other public college library staffing averages are significantly below the staffing for groups made up largely of private Ivies, DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives), and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning). <br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Staffing Comparisons'''<br />
<br />
| Library || Professionals/FTE || Total Staff/FTE <br />
|-<br />
| TESC || 1.93 || 7.5 <br />
|-<br />
| DEEP || 4.65 || 16.32 <br />
|- <br />
| CTCL || 4.79 || 14.71 <br />
|-<br />
| CIEL || 5.51 || 13.43 <br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC || 2.67 || 8.55 <br />
|-<br />
| WA Regionals || 1.41 || 5.62 <br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
(N.B. The staff count for Evergreen has been halved since approximately 50% of Library and Media Services staffing is devoted to Media Services production, instruction, and equipment check-out. At other institutions, these services, if they are offered at all, reside in academic departments such as media arts or education.) <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses staffing in Area 3. The report shows staffing to be average when compared to similar institutions in terms of size, mission, and culture. <br />
<br />
Because library use at Evergreen compares favorably to more heavily staffed private liberal arts colleges and because all areas sustain a substantial instructional role, there are areas of strain. The rapid expansion of technology-driven services and collections also creates stresses, despite reallocation of staff as media and technologies shift. Following are the primary areas of concern:<br />
<br />
* Support for rapidly expanded classroom technology, an additional demand on top of general institutional growth<br />
* Staffing for greater focus on curriculum planning and engagement with faculty in Academic Computing <br />
* Staffing to support expanding electronic library resource collections (ordering, contracts, management, evaluation, etc.)<br />
* Weakened presence of faculty librarians due to the loss of one line in budget cuts during the self-study period<br />
<br />
===5.D.2 Staff Qualifications===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources staff include qualified professional and technical support staff, with required specific competencies, whose responsibilities are clearly defined.''<br />
<br />
The balance of librarians to other library staff is weighted toward non-professionals when compared to other liberal arts college libraries. Further, as librarians rotate into the full-time curriculum, they temporarily leave behind reference work, management, administration, and collection development. Any sustained work, such as Web-page development, is interrupted by these regular absences. Further, full-time teaching faculty rotate into the Library as neophytes who need training and who present widely disparate skills, abilities, and ambitions. Beyond the system of rotation, with its concomitant duties, librarians are contractually obligated to participate in college governance and curriculum planning, not to mention their own scholarly projects and sabbaticals. Librarians have nine-month contracts and several are absent during the summer sessions when the Library is minimally staffed. These organizational facts mean that Evergreen has no managerial class of librarians. Instead, the team of faculty librarians share management with staff. Paraprofessionals head almost all departments, including Circulation, Government Publications, Periodicals, Technical Services, and Acquisitions. Their year-round presence and regular workdays provide consistency for development of services, maintenance of collections, public service, and supervision of classified staff and student workers. In this collaborative environment, staff often lead the way in adopting new services. The tremendous commitment by the staff grounds the Library and makes it an ideal teaching environment. <br />
<br />
Most library faculty carry both subject and library master's credentials in order to support their teaching as well as their role as professional librarians (see [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Vitae_of_professional_library_staff | CVs of professional library staff]]). <br />
<br />
As is the case with librarians, many media staff and instructors carry additional graduate training. Graduate degrees noted by staff other than librarians include three MPAs, two MFAs, an MA in art history, an MEd and EdS, an MSE (technical engineering), an MS in chemistry, and an MS in computer information systems. The library faculty, whose roles require substantial attention to teaching and governance outside the Library, must depend upon library staff as managers of major services and functions within the Library. Highly experienced staff with significant levels of responsibility keep the Library not just open, but anticipating and embracing change and new opportunities for service (see 5.B.2 Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing for a discussion of media instructors as artists and teaching faculty).<br />
<br />
In the realm of technical support, the Edutech report recommended assigning "staff responsibilities more specifically." More specific responsibilities and positions have been implemented in Technical Support Services. In the smaller units that provide distributed service and instruction such as the CAL, Academic Computing, and Media Services, this stricter delineation of support functions is not as clearly appropriate. Instead, it is often valuable for staff to be well versed on all or most aspects of the instruction or service required and in direct communication with the student, staff, or faculty who needs help. For example, the liaison system in Academic Computing assumes that in most cases a faculty member will receive all aspects of support from one liaison, or that the liaison will coordinate the support and instruction required.<br />
<br />
All staff and faculty have engaged new skills as the information technology evolves. Multiple reclassifications have assured that staff job descriptions and pay scales match new expectations for technological expertise. Staff have also shifted the location of their work partially or entirely as budget cuts and new programs such as Summit and ILLiad have relocated the areas of greatest stress. Increased emphasis on technology in many positions has led to reclassifications and increases in salaries for some staff, resulting in compression of salaries for some managers. A campus-wide study of exempt salaries is expected to address this issue.<br />
<br />
===5.D.3 Professional Growth===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides opportunities for professional growth for library and information resources professional staff.''<br />
<br />
The library faculty are fully funded for professional activities through the central faculty professional development funds and policies, as well as through faculty institutes. <br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultyfundingopportunities.pdf|Faculty Development at Evergreen]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionalleave_policy.pdf|Professional Leave (Faculty Handbook 6.100)]] <br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionaltravel_policy.pdf|Professional Travel (Faculty Handbook 6.200)]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development (Faculty Handbook 6.300)]]<br />
<br />
The remaining library and media services staff may request up to $500 annually from a pool of $2,500. Additional funding has been requested to bring the maximum benefit up to $750 in order to be consistent with the rest of academics, but this funding has not been granted thus far. Non-state funds from the Friends of the Library have been allocated for retreats and other staff meetings in order to compensate for some of this differential access to professional development funds. <br />
<br />
Computing and Communications allocates more than $40,000 per year to support attendance of technical staff at technical conferences and trainings. This allows staff to expand their skills with current technology, increase their knowledge of new and advancing technology, and connect with peers from other institutions and experts in specific technologies. These training opportunities are critical to the team’s ability to support teaching and learning and to provide management of the college’s administrative systems (see [[Media:CC Training spreadsheet.xls | CC Training Spreadsheet]]).<br />
<br />
===5.D.4 Organizational Structure===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services are organized to support the accomplishment of institutional mission and goals. Organizational arrangements recognize the need for service linkage among complementary resource bases (e.g., libraries, computing facilities, instructional media and telecommunication centers).''<br />
<br />
The fundamental organizing principle of library and information resources at Evergreen is that an interdisciplinary curriculum demands integrated services. Beyond that, the founding vision aspired to provide all media, in any location. Contemporary networked technology and the expectations of students now create a climate in which barriers between different information can and must be dissolved. For all these reasons, blended resources, facilities, and services predominate throughout Standard 5.<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Founding_Vision_of_the_Library:_Any_Medium.2C_Any_Location|The Founding Vision: Any Medium, Any Location]].<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Information_Technology_Wing|The Information Technology Wing]].<br />
<br />
====Shared Technology Creates the Need for More Shared Work====<br />
<br />
Media applications, which were once physically limited to Media Services, are now located, maintained, taught, and used throughout the facilities administered by Academic Computing and, to a degree, the Library. Similarly, library resources, which were once physically limited to the Library building, are now found anywhere within reach of the Web. Public computers, once found only in the Computer Center, are everywhere, as are privately-owned laptops. These shifts have accelerated during the past ten years and have changed the instructional roles of the areas and their relationship to the curriculum. Undoubtedly, library and information resources will continue to distribute their budgets, facilities, and staff to continue expanding access to information technology in academic programs and for individual students.<br />
<br />
As technologies have changed, so have the relationships among the Library, Media Services, and Computing, which now share in the communal project of interconnecting, teaching, and supporting our information and technological resources. At this juncture, there seems little point in redesigning the administrative structures that oversee these areas because new relationships and responsibilities have evolved organically, based on need, demand, and interest, and will continue to do so. In order to ensure that these effective working relationships continue to develop, reinforcing connections such as joint staffing, deliberately planning together, and continuing involvement across the areas when hiring for new staff and particularly administrators must be emphasized. <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]] suggested that the existing distributed structures were valuable, but recommended greatly enhancing the role and formal responsibilities of the ITCH to assure better planning in consonance with the mission of the college. See 5.E for fuller discussion of this recommendation. Edutech did not capture the centrality of the teaching role in major portions of the information resources environment at Evergreen. It is teaching and its development that assures the most important connections between the academic mission of the college, the educational program, and IT services of all kinds. While the Library and Media Services collaborate as a matter of course with Academic Computing, the real challenge remains: How to more thoroughly engage the teaching faculty across the curriculum in defining the role of information technology in the academic careers of our students.<br />
<br />
===5.D.5 Engagement in Curriculum Development===<br />
<br />
''The institution consults library and information resources staff in curriculum development.''<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures & Methods 5.B.1]]<br />
<br />
===5.D.6 Library and Information Resources Budgets===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides sufficient financial support for library and information resources and services, and for their maintenance and security.''<br />
<br />
Similar to staffing levels noted above, the Library is well funded compared to other regional public baccalaureates in the state (WA State Public in the table below) and peer public liberal arts libraries nationally (COPLAC in the table below). This comparatively rich funding reflects a historical recognition of the demands of open inquiry and independent research and the centrality of library research in a liberal arts education. Both funding and use rates closely match those of the private liberal arts libraries which predominate the DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives) and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning) peer groups. Thus, the general funding level for the Evergreen Library compares closely to that of institutions with similar missions, services, and roles within their institutions. For further discussion of the role of libraries in liberal arts colleges, see [[Standard_5#Comparing_Use_Statistics_With_Other_Libraries | Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries (5.E)]]. On the other hand, the library budget reported below includes Media Services (approximately 50% of library staffing falls into this category). Most libraries do not include any of the functions provided by Media Services at Evergreen. Instead, these functions, including media instruction, media-production facilities, media production to support college activities, and portable media production equipment check-out, if offered at all, would be part of an academic department such as education or media arts. If Media Services costs and services were not considered, then budgets are close to those of other public institutions, while use statistics are comparable to private liberal arts institutions. <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! FTE<br />
! Circulation+ILL/FTE<br />
! Expenditures/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| '''Evergreen'''<br />
| '''4153'''<br />
| '''31'''<br />
| '''$782'''<br />
|-<br />
| DEEP Colleges<br />
| 2046<br />
| 18<br />
| $829<br />
|-<br />
| CTCL<br />
| 1506<br />
| 23<br />
| $859<br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC<br />
| 3742<br />
| 16<br />
| $464<br />
|-<br />
| CIEL<br />
| 7042<br />
| 25<br />
| $794<br />
|-<br />
| WA State Public<br />
| 11,415<br />
| 15<br />
| $373<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
As budget cuts have reduced both staffing and collections, diversified revenue sources have become a high priority for library administration. Generous biennial infusions from the central academic budget have withered since earlier study periods. Indirect funds from activity grants to the faculty, major gifts from donors, book sales, and fines for lost or destroyed books have all increased to make up important non-state sources for collection development. The development of facilities and programming have been supported through major donors, with the library dean and the campus fundraisers focusing significant attention on these efforts.<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses budgets in Area 4 and compares Evergreen to similar schools on the basis of physical environment, enrollment numbers, education goals and aspirations, residential nature, tuition, and governance structure. The review determined that Evergreen devotes considerable resources to IT and is consistent with its peers. In 2005, Evergreen’s expenditure on IT—expressed as a percentage of total institutional expenditures—was 6.7%. This percentage aligns with the 6.7% reported by Computing in a 2006 survey of public four-year colleges. The average for all institutions was 6.5%. Generally, IT is funded comparably to institutions with similar missions and culture. The report recommended that budget processes should be addressed that take into account the heavy demands upon replacement, operation, and maintenance as IT becomes ubiquitous in the classroom, as well as in labs.<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Comprehensive_budget.28s.29_for_library_and_information_resources |Comprehensive Budget (Required Exhibit 9)]]<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.E – Planning and Evaluation==<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources planning activities support teaching and learning functions by facilitating the research and scholarship of students and faculty. Related evaluation processes regularly assess the quality, accessibility, and use of libraries and other information resource repositories and their services to determine the level of effectiveness in support of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
====Evaluating Information Services and Collections====<br />
<br />
Assessments of Evergreen's library and information resources confirm support for the academic mission of the college as a public liberal arts college that expects a substantial number of students to engage in self-selected independent inquiry. Utilization patterns among Evergreen students correlate closely to the intensive use found among liberal arts colleges as opposed to lower use rates found among more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
=====Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries=====<br />
<br />
In 2002, Washington's four-year public baccalaureate institutions implemented the Cascade resource-sharing consortium. This start-up provided an amazing new service and an opportunity to assess how rapidly a major new service might be implemented. Evergreen patrons borrowed 9,723 items during the first year, more than any other library, even though Evergreen was by far the smallest institution in the consortium at that time. Although ten times bigger than Evergreen, the University of Washington borrowed just under 7,000 items during the first year. The quick acceptance of Cascade testified to the efficient connection between the Library, library instruction, and the teaching faculty and curriculum at large. <br />
<br />
Cascade became Orbis Cascade as the Washington and Oregon academic consortia merged. The new resource-sharing service, entitled Summit, provides ongoing comparative statistics. To continue comparison with the original members of Cascade, in 2006, Evergreen borrowed 4.52 items per FTE; almost four times the next heaviest user at 1.15 items borrowed per student. Although one might assume that small collection size drives this higher demand, the fact is that the Evergreen collection circulates at a high rate per student as well, according to federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data. <br />
<br />
IPEDS data for 2006 also provide the opportunity to compare use statistics of liberal arts colleges with Evergreen and with small master's-level universities (Carnegie Class Master's I), where strong distinctions appear again. When both circulation and interlibrary loan are counted, Evergreen circulates 31 items per FTE, liberal arts colleges nationally average 24 items per FTE, and the Master's I institutions circulate 8.34 per FTE. <br />
<br />
The same dramatic distinction between liberal arts colleges and comprehensive institutions appears in the Summit consortium, which covers a full array of colleges and universities in Oregon and Washington. The following table lists the heaviest users from the member libraries, based upon their rates of use per FTE in 2006. Evergreen places high on the list, among the most highly ranked liberal arts colleges, which placed well above usage rates at more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! Number of Items Borrowed<br />
! FTE<br />
! Items/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| Reed College<br />
| 20,480<br />
| 1,268<br />
| 16.15<br />
|-<br />
| George Fox University<br />
| 14,427<br />
| 2,392<br />
| 6.03<br />
|-<br />
| Marylhurst University<br />
| 4,548<br />
| 852<br />
| 5.34<br />
|-<br />
| Lewis & Clark College<br />
| 14,386<br />
| 2,953<br />
| 4.87<br />
|-<br />
| '''The Evergreen State College'''<br />
| '''16,118'''<br />
| ''' 4,200'''<br />
| '''3.84'''<br />
|-<br />
| Whitman College<br />
| 6,672<br />
| 1,803<br />
| 3.70<br />
|-<br />
| Willamette University<br />
| 9,164<br />
| 2,511<br />
| 3.65<br />
|-<br />
| University of Puget Sound<br />
| 7,570<br />
| 2,742<br />
| 2.76<br />
|-<br />
| Seattle Pacific University<br />
| 8,589<br />
| 3,466<br />
| 2.48<br />
|-<br />
| Linfield<br />
| 5,354<br />
| 2,331<br />
| 2.30<br />
|-<br />
| Western Oregon University<br />
| 8,623<br />
| 3,992<br />
| 2.16<br />
|-<br />
| University of Portland<br />
| 6,764<br />
| 3,211<br />
| 2.11<br />
|-<br />
| University of Oregon<br />
| 38,796<br />
| 18,880<br />
| 2.05<br />
|-<br />
| Eastern Oregon University<br />
| 4,620<br />
| 2,306<br />
| 2.00<br />
|-<br />
| Pacific University<br />
| 4,232<br />
| 2,341<br />
| 1.81<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(Source: [[Media: summit_statistics.xls|Summit Borrowing Statistics FY06]])<br />
<br />
Thus it is clear that, as of 2006, Evergreen library utilization mirrors the practices of liberal arts colleges. High-use rates also seem to reflect an academic emphasis on major student projects. For instance, at Reed College, which requires a senior thesis, the college library circulates or borrows 120 items per student. On the other hand, looking ahead, ''academic library use patterns are in a period of dramatic change.'' In 2007, the University of Washington implemented WorldCat Local, which provides immediate click-though prompts, leading the user from local catalog to Summit to some journal databases, periodical holdings, and interlibrary loan if appropriate. Summit use at the University of Washington doubled since implementation and interlibrary loan has also increased steeply. A large increase in borrowing at the University of Washington drives lending rates throughout the Summit system, but even more important, it suggests that discovery tools will dramatically increase usage without change in the library instructional program or academic practices. The Orbis Cascade consortium will soon be implementing WorldCat as the shared Summit catalog and many libraries in the consortium will undoubtedly implement WorldCat Local as their local library catalog as well.<br />
<br />
=====Library and Computer Center Use & Satisfaction Rates=====<br />
<br />
The data above demonstrate that library and information resources are comparatively well utilized. While high rates of use suggest something about effectiveness, surveys of popularity (frequency of use and satisfaction with use) provide further affirmation. Institutional Research routinely surveys alumni and students about campus resources. A summary of campus resource utilization (See [[Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]) shows that during the six-year period, the Library and the computing facilities have been the top two most used campus facilities, trading off for first place. Alumni who were somewhat or very satisfied with the services have reported in at between 87% and 92% during the period surveyed. <br />
<br />
Starting in 2006, the [[media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Campus_Resources_Utilization_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)]] included questions about using library resources online and found that 85.2% of respondents use online library resources. Internal records also suggest phenomenal growth in online use of library resources. In 2000, when the Library subscribed to three aggregate journal databases (Proquest, Ebscohost and JSTOR), users conducted 80,000 searches. In 2007, among approximately 30 subscription databases, there were well over 250,000 searches. Careful review of variations of use from year to year reveals the direct impact a fluid curriculum has on database use. For example, Modern Language Association International Bibliography statistics are quite erratic; one major project in a large academic program explains a fivefold increase of use in one year. As JSTOR has developed into a more deeply and broadly multi-interdisciplinary tool, use statistics show a shift away from heavy dependence on the less scholarly aggregates. Extensive lobbying by faculty and librarians encourages this shift toward use of scholarly resources such as JSTOR. Use statistics for periodicals and databases drive selection and instruction planning. When use statistics are low for a database seen by the library faculty as critical to a discipline or of particularly high academic value, then library faculty focus instruction on that database whenever appropriate.<br />
<br />
=====Media Services User Surveys=====<br />
<br />
Institutional Research and Assessment added Media Services to its alumni survey of campus resource utilization starting in 2004. Since then, Media Services has been listed as the fifth most utilized resource. Alumni reported being somewhat or very satisfied at a rate of 89% and 90% in the two survey years (see [[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]).<br />
<br />
The 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)asked students about their use of Media Services, which showed 48% use of Media Loan (see [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Campus_Resource_Utilization_Olympia.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Campus Resource Utilization - Olympia]]). A survey designed and implemented by staff member Lin Crowley supplemented this data. Crowley’s respondents reported an average satisfaction level for each service ranging from 3.07 to 3.62 (out of 4), which indicated that those who used current services were generally fairly satisfied with each of the services they use.<br />
<br />
Although respondents to Crowley’s survey were predominantly active Media Services users, many respondents were uninformed about some services. Respondents supported investment in new digital technologies, but most were unaware of new or planned digital facilities. One clear conclusion of the survey is that visibility and access could be better for some services. Suggested improvements often focused on access, whether longer hours, more workshops, or more facilities. The survey project director recommended that future follow-up surveys be conducted to compare whether the reasons people use each service change and to evaluate the satisfaction levels for each type of services by patron types. See [[Media : TESC_Media_Services_Assessment_Project.doc | Evergreen Media Services Assessment Project]]<br />
<br />
====Evaluation of Teaching and Instructional Programs: Information Technology Literacy====<br />
<br />
The strong focus on teaching throughout library and information resources suggests the following questions: 1) In a college without requirements, does information technology instruction reach enough students to assure that the vast majority of graduates develop skills in support of their inquiries? 2) Which students are taught? Do students receive information technology instruction in an array of disciplinary and developmentally varied situations or is it happening only in pockets of the curriculum? 3) Is it working? Are students acquiring cross-curricular information technology, including media literacy?<br />
<br />
=====How many students are taught?=====<br />
<br />
About 3,000 students attend program-based library instruction workshops annually. These statistics exclude most cases of repeated contacts with the same student and thus represent very broad coverage of the student body. <br />
<br />
From 2000 to 2007, Media Services offered a total of more than 1,500 workshops to approximately 156 academic programs. This number does not include the thousands of quick proficiencies also provided by the area. The number of formal media workshops given and students reached in 2005 and 2006 were each more than double the numbers provided in 2000. Workshops have increased along with new technologies, especially in Media Loan and in the new Multimedia and Digital Imaging Studio (DIS) labs.<br />
<br />
Most instruction provided by Academic Computing and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) serves specific academic programs. These sessions are represented in the following table:<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Computer Lab Workshops for Academic Programs''' (cells represent academic programs/number of students)<br />
<br />
| Year || 2004-05 || 2005-06 || 2006-07<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Center || 221/4,423 || 171/3,418 || 253/4,880<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Applications Lab || 50/1,368 || 50/1,248 || 52/1,344<br />
|-<br />
| Totals || 271/5,791 || 191/4,666 || 305/6,224<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Up until 2007, Academic Computing offered 30 to 40 general computer skills workshops per year in the Computer Center, attended by approximately 350 students. Professional staff focused these workshops on general technical skill building, independent of academic programs. Over time, fewer students were attending these workshops, presumably because more students come to college with strong technical skills and with specialized self-determined needs for support. In response to waning attendance, Academic Computing redesigned the workshops as student-centered support sessions to which students bring their questions or projects. This student-centered structure should more effectively meet the specific demands of students. Computing will evaluate the success of this reinvented structure. All areas of library, media, and computing find the strongest teaching and the greatest demand for instruction occurs in conjunction with programs.<br />
<br />
=====Which Students?=====<br />
<br />
The number of teaching contacts shows that library and information resources staff reach a large number of academic programs, but does not indicate which programs. End-of-program surveys conducted from 2001 to 2006 by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment asked faculty, “Did your students use technology to present work, conduct research (including library research), or solve problems? If yes, How?” Not surprisingly, faculty answered that library/Internet research skills were the most commonly used at 50%, followed by some form of presentation technology. Ninety percent of programs reported some substantial use of information technology. (See[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]])<br />
<br />
In 2006-07, questions were revised to more accurately identify programs where there was intentional focus on teaching ITL: "Did your program include activities to improve information technology literacy?" With this more restrictive language, 70% of programs reported including ITL. (See[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]) <br />
<br />
Further, in 2006-07, a follow-up question asked specifically which kind of technology was taught. Significantly different technologies predominate in different parts of the curriculum. No standard set of applications comes into play, although as of 2006-07, presentation technologies (at 42% of all programs) have increased by 70% over their use in the 2001 to 2006 reports and now begin to approach library and Internet research in their prevalence at 50%. Online communication applications were reported by 32% of programs, an increase of 19% over the 2001-2006 data. <br />
<br />
Reservation-based programs reported library and Internet research at the highest rate, at 100% of programs, although this work was weakly connected to library instruction and therefore it is unclear whether academic library-supplied resources were used. At the other end of the spectrum, Culture, Text, and Language was lowest with 21% reporting library or Internet searching. The remainder of planning units ranged between 43% and 50% library/Internet use, with Core programs at the low end with 43%.<br />
<br />
The substantial move toward presentation media and online communication in programs drives increases in multimedia applications. Presentation technology and online communication applications encourage the use of still and moving images, sound clips, graphs, and charts. These media are mixed with traditional print communication written by students or linked from Web resources. While these media and print applications involve basic, commonly used applications of information technology, they easily migrate toward more advanced media production. The increasing presence of multimedia information technology in Evergreen's learning communities drives further demand upon Media Services and Academic Computing, along with increased overlap of their teaching and service roles.<br />
<br />
Since its inception in the context of Holly’s generic library, Media Services has followed its mission to support media literacy and instruction across the curriculum. During the last ten years, Media Services have changed dramatically as the personal computer has become the platform for entry-level media production and consumption. One measure of this change has materialized in how media staff have served programs through formal workshops since fall 2000. The scheduling data shows that almost 90% of formal program-based workshops serve Expressive Arts faculty. While this scheduling data does not cover equipment proficiency workshops or one-on-one instruction, both used more broadly across the curriculum, it is nevertheless clear that formal instruction by media staff focuses heavily on Expressive Arts programs, with an emphasis on advanced production applications, the exclusive provenance of expressive arts faculty. Media Services provides this advanced instruction in specialized labs, which were enhanced and expanded during the remodel. One effect of this specialization is that entry-level students have migrated to Academic Computing, where the staff works in collaboration with media staff to provide instruction on entry-level media-production applications. In fact, during fall and winter 2006-07, 68% of the faculty who requested workshops in Computer Center were from planning units other than Expressive Arts, and many of these workshops included media instruction (Photoshop, iMovie, Flash, etc.). <br />
<br />
Just as in the Computer Center, the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) shows a trend toward more broadly used applications. Although the CAL has traditionally focused on the science curriculum in the Environmental Studies and Scientific Inquiry planning units, these users have begun to share their space with those who have less specialized demands. Roughly 60% to 70% of the classes in the CAL now work with statistical or numeric analysis, primarily Excel, but also with Graphical Analysis, R, and SPSS. Ninety percent of CAL users prepare presentations, most often with Powerpoint, Word, Illustrator and Excel. Approximately 60% of the programs meeting in the CAL still use analytical tools, including (in order of usage) ArcGIS, Mathematica, and Stella, which were once the focal point of all CAL applications. Science faculty have shifted their emphasis to on-site analysis, using advanced applications in specialized scientific labs in ways that parallel the shift in Media Services toward advanced applications. Meanwhile, the CAL and the Computer Center serve increasing numbers of students who seek instruction or support for the increasingly powerful personal computing applications in media production, statistical analysis, and presentation media.<br />
<br />
=====Does Library Instruction Result in ITL Gains?=====<br />
<br />
The Library, consistent with college-wide practices, rejects requirements and embraces students who engage in open inquiry and independent judgment. In this context, the Library supports a fluid curriculum and responds to changes that drive the needs and expectations of an innovative teaching faculty. Standard or standardized assessment methods do not apply because the Library shapes teaching according to individual students, a fluid curriculum, and highly diverse pedagogy. Instead, the Library commits to the intensive and never-ending task of recreating learning goals, student-by-student, program-by-program. Context is everything, which obviates the role of abstract standardized measures.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the Library does engage in qualitative assessment, the descriptive characterization of ITL teaching and learning. As is the case throughout the faculty (see Standard 2.B.3, Engagement and Reflection), library faculty write annual evaluations of themselves and their library and teaching colleagues. They also engage in five-year reviews in which a panel of teaching colleagues discusses their work. These evaluations consistently address instructional aspirations, successes, and failures. See [[Media: Reflections_on_library_instruction.doc | Reflections on Library Instruction]]. <br />
<br />
Further, under the leadership of the Office of Institutional Research, the librarians designed a project that assessed students as they worked through real research inquiries. The study, [[media: ActivityInfomationLiteracy.pdf |"The Activity of Information Literacy"]], documented the techniques and processes and even the thinking of several small samples of students as they collaborated intensively on research questions. The study showed that these particular students were stronger in their grasp of content than they were in their command of library research tools for their specific inquiries. In other words, a question about history might not lead them to historical abstracts. They were also strong in their ability to develop their research questions and to evaluate and synthesize the results. What these results suggest is that “Faculty may want to assess their students’ abilities to obtain information and offer tutorials or refer students to the Library when deficiencies are detected.”<br />
<br />
Beyond the immediate results, this qualitative assessment also suggested that the students benefited greatly when they collaborated. Certainly, this observation is corroborated by the gains that students make when they work together in skill building instead of in canned computer workshops outside of programs. Additionally, peer groups are widely used across the curriculum as a way to encourage students to develop research topics and individual projects. Given the results of the qualitative assessment and given the widely practiced use of peer groups, library faculty should seek ways to implement collaborative research activities when they link their instruction to programs. This model of cooperation would build on the more isolated collaborations that take place, as a matter of course, between librarians and students at the reference desk. An enlarged vision of this basic transaction—discussion, exploration, and brainstorming—will enhance the relevance and effectiveness of library teaching and workshops.<br />
<br />
=====Student Assessment of Their ITL Learning=====<br />
<br />
The Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES) asks questions that elucidate what the students themselves think they learned at Evergreen. In 2006, the ESES asked, "To what extent have your Evergreen experiences contributed to your growth in ... the following computer-related fields...?" Responses generally matched fairly well with the perspectives found in the end-of-program surveys. For the category "Studying or Doing Research via the Internet or other online sources:<br />
<br />
* 30.5% of Olympia-campus students reported at least some contribution. <br />
* 47.5% reported quite a bit or a lot, for a total of 77.5%. <br />
* More than 84% of Tacoma students reported at least some, of which 50% reported quite a bit. <br />
* More than 93% of reservation-based students reported at least some contribution; 86.2% reporting quite a bit or a lot.<br />
<br />
Considering how many students express self-confidence in their research skills, and as the Internet provides so many increasingly powerful tools for personal research, it is heartening to see that a good majority of students feel they developed their research skills as part of their education at Evergreen. <br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES also asked about "Using the computer for artistic expression (e.g., music, other audio, still images, animation, video, etc.)":<br />
<br />
* More than 42% reported that Evergreen contributed "Some," "Quite a Bit," or "A Lot"<br />
* Fully 36.8% said "Not at All"<br />
* 20.9% said "Very Little"<br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES surveyed use of non-artistic computer tools, asking about specific types of applications such as spreadsheets, GIS, Web development, posters, or programming. In general, as was found in end-of-program reviews, no single type of computer application dominated. No application type was used by more than 50% of students; instead, different types of applications were used by smaller subsets of the students surveyed.<br />
<br />
===5.E.1 Participatory Planning===<br />
<br />
''The institution has a planning process that involves users, library and information resource staff, faculty, and administrators.''<br />
<br />
====Overall Planning for Collections & Services====<br />
<br />
The fluidity of interdisciplinary and individual study defines library services. The dean of Library Services strengthens the ties between academics and the Library and Media Services through weekly meetings with the provost, associate vice president for academic budget and planning, and academic dean of budget, as well as weekly academic deans meetings. Once a month, the director of computing and communications and the manager of Academic Computing also join the academic deans' meeting.<br />
<br />
The interconnection of the instructional role with the planning and support functions drives the efficacy of all the services in these areas. In the [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]], Area 5 discussed planning and governance in the Evergreen information environment. The review was somewhat critical of the lack of coordination in support, planning, and governance of IT across the campus and advocated for a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH), an organization which links library, media, and computing managers and instructors. However, the report did not emphasize how the teaching function and role in Academic Computing, the CAL, and Media Services creates strong collaboration in all service and instruction design. <br />
<br />
Further, placing library and information resources within the larger ethos of the college, any major policy discussions or long-term planning processes invoke the participatory college-wide Disappearing Task Force (DTF) structure. Budgetary processes are generally collaborative and include opportunities for review and input from the campus community (see Participatory Decision-Making Culture [Standard 1 Section 2.3] and Standard 6). The college budget process and schedule drives most mid-term library planning. (See Standard 7 Section 7.A.3).<br />
<br />
Additional opportunities for community contributions to planning include faculty who rotate into the Library and who focus on collection development and other planning projects. An annual Reference Services Group retreat establishes the year's work before classes start in the fall. Faculty development reviews, also known as five-year reviews, and faculty institutes provide opportunities for conversations across campus about a range of teaching, learning, and service questions as they impact information services. The library internship program provided a reading seminar for several years within which library faculty, staff, and interns could discuss changing information technology and its cultural meaning. Finally, the librarians often engage in faculty reading seminars, frequently focused on library issues, where shared thinking about the future of libraries evolves.<br />
<br />
====Loose Structures and Responsiveness to Rapid Change in the Information Environment====<br />
<br />
Among the organizations included in library and information resources, the Library is the largest and most embedded in tradition and thus may be the most invested in preexisting professional structures and assumptions. Additionally, a comparative lack of top-down managerial structures could lead to a tendency to stagnate in some environments. How well does the Library balance the competing demands of conservation, teaching, and technological adaptation and innovation? The success of the Library’s flat organization can be measured by the impressive way in which the Library group has responded to institutional and profession-wide changes and challenges. See the [[Media: Achievements.doc |Achievements]] document for a description of major changes in services, faculties, and collections implemented during the study period. Most of the changes are responses to opportunities provided by technological developments and external engagement in consortia. The consortia relieve any single library from much of the burden of research and develop into new technologies, an overwhelming burden for a comparatively small library such as Evergreen's. Additionally, Evergreen's library administration and staff have worked actively in leadership roles in the Orbis Cascade consortium to assure that the consortium supports efficient, cost-effective movement into the world of networked and shared resources.<br />
<br />
===5.E.2 Planning Linkages===<br />
<br />
''The institution, in its planning, recognizes the need for management and technical linkages among information resource bases (e.g., libraries, instructional computing, media production and distribution centers, and telecommunications networks).''<br />
<br />
====Planning Across LIR====<br />
<br />
With networked information technology and almost universal access to digitized academic information resources, coordination of planning across library and information resources has become increasingly critical. The information technology staff and librarians from across the administrative units found that while administrative restructuring did not appear to provide a more effective connection among services, it was nevertheless wise to imagine a new structure to foster collaboration. A cross-areas collaborative group entitled the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH) was created, which provides the most formal mechanism for collaboration around technology across the various parts of the college. <br />
<br />
Evergreen supports three ITCH groups: Academic, Administrative, and Core. The Academic ITCH meets at least once a month and includes professional staff from each of the primary technology labs, faculty, and interested students. The Academic ITCH coordinates general academic IT initiatives, helps develop general academic computing policy, and guides strategic planning. Professional staff members in each of the primary technology areas have developed strong connections to discipline-specific slices of the curriculum, faculty, and academic administration. As the ITCH develops, the members will explore ways to communicate and plan in cross-disciplinary and cross-divisional programs. The ITCH provides one of the necessary cross-curricular and cross-divisional contexts for developing information technology across administratively distinct areas. The Administrative ITCH plans for administrative IT support and the Core ITCH acts as the coordinating body for all areas of IT represented in the ITCH.<br />
<br />
The ITCH created a strategic plan in conjunction with the campus-wide strategic planning process in 2007. Strategic Direction number 7 addresses technology. The statement is notable for the breadth of its concerns, with aspirations addressing media, library, and computing technology: <br />
<br />
: Use technology to enhance teaching and learning and administrative support at Evergreen.<br />
Evergreen will intentionally foster secure, sustainable, flexible, easy-to-use, and accessible information technologies (IT) that support and enhance our teaching and learning philosophies and the administrative needs of the institution. Evergreen’s continuing commitment to technology and media literacies as critical components of a liberal arts education has led us to re-envision our Television Studio into a Center for New Media [now entitled the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)] that will provide cross-curricular and extra-curricular support for computer mediated production, performance, interactivity, teleconferencing, live broadcasts, digital image storage, processing, re-broadcasting, and format conversion for all areas of the college. Accuracy and quality of information will improve and strong support will make technology and a broad range of information services available to on- and off-campus users. Security requirements of networks, software, hardware and data will be met while ensuring appropriate user access, including control of access to confidential information and the need for academic exploration. Classroom spaces will be technologically current and functional for meeting curricular needs (see the complete [[Media: itchstrategicplan_wiki.pdf|IT Strategic Plan wiki]] for more detail).<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] recommended a stronger, more formal role and status for the ITCH, which has not found support from higher-level administrators who have budgetary responsibility over the divisions of the college. This means the ITCH continues to serve as a bottom-up structure of collaboration based on the experience of direct collaboration with and support for students, staff, and faculty users.<br />
<br />
====Continue Blending More Functions within Library and Information Resources====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support a surprisingly diverse infrastructure of technologies and media in the curriculum. For greatest efficiency, library and information resources should consider even more coordination across boundaries to provide technology support. Students should be able to move seamlessly between different areas, such as the CAL, the Multimedia Lab (MML), and the Computer Center. Certainly, the pathways between areas could be more clearly articulated by identifying and developing more common services, including printing, building and maintaining image sets, server file space, and common software. By taking better advantage of the network infrastructure, students will experience less confusion and IT staff who directly support the curriculum could dedicate more energy toward coordinating, developing, and designing IT strategies with academic programs instead of maintaining redundant infrastructures.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources could develop a shared perspective about their public presence. One possibility for representing blended facilities and services would be a central help desk for the Information Technology Wing. The shared entrance to the wing has become a prominent architectural feature and an opportunity to reshape the community’s understanding of what the areas collectively represent. A central help desk could provide basic information about facilities, services, and staff, and it would help facilitate how efficiently patrons move between the various floors of the wing. Continued attention to the best use of the Library Underground and how to assure its connection to other floors should be part of this process; a large, flexible teaching and gathering space is developing there and appropriate equipment will be needed to support that vision. Concurrently, assuring safety for the adjacent Archives and Rare Books Collections is critical.<br />
<br />
Construction of the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM) will begin soon. This project has distinct relevance to the changing roles of Media Services, the Library, and Academic Computing within the evolving digital liberal arts. The CCAM will comprise a collection of media production studios and equipment to complement existing Media Services and Academic Computing media resources and provide the primary bridge between the campus media infrastructure and networked digital resources. For a discussion of the CCAM and related curricular projects, see [[media: CNM.doc | Center for Creative and Applied Media]].<br />
<br />
===5.E.3 Evaluation and the Future===<br />
<br />
''The institution regularly and systematically evaluates the quality, adequacy, and utilization of its library and information resources and services, including those provided through cooperative arrangements, and at all locations where courses, programs, or degrees are offered. The institution uses the results of the evaluations to improve the effectiveness of these resources.''<br />
<br />
As part of an institution constantly engaged in processes of narrative evaluation and other forms of assessment, library and information resources engage in and are the subject of extensive assessment both within library and information resources and externally through Institutional Research and Assessment surveys and studies. In addition to formal annual processes such as budget building and annual library faculty retreats, the results of these assessments feed into the development of ongoing teaching and services through constant face-to-face interactions among faculty, administrators, staff, and students, which inform all operations. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, as cited throughout this report, provides annual surveys about library and information resources, several of which are broken down by campus.<br />
<br />
See:<br />
<br />
[[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Utilization]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf | End-of program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Workshop_-_Information_Technology_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf | End-of-program Review Workshop - Information Technology Across the Curriculum]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Transfer_Students.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_and_Technology-related_Resources.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Information Technology Literacy and Technology-related Resources]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Growth_in_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Growth in Computer Skills - Olympia Campus]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | <br />
Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]<br />
<br />
====Collections and Access====<br />
<br />
The Web presence of the Library will, of course, continue to evolve. The Library continues work on a new library front page and database search pages. It is likely that the new library front page will become the responsibility of the college-wide Web team, freeing library staff from this unfunded work. A new federated search is being implemented. Meanwhile, the Orbis Cascade consortium is migrating to WorldCat, which the Library will consider for local use as well. A local catalog designed on the principle of Web discovery tools can be expected to generate significant changes in library use. In this context, changes in staffing may be required to support increases in use of services such as Summit and ILLiad, and the content and focus of instruction may require substantial revision. Evaluation of service and instruction via peer comparisons will change, as discovery tools will generate higher uses without increased instruction. Instruction will likely need to focus even more on evaluating sources and finding those resources not easily located via discovery tools. <br />
<br />
The continued expansion of audiovisual media collections represents a critical part of the vision of the generic library. To that end, one-time funds have frequently been infused into a small base budget for film and sound recordings, and the collection has grown significantly. Sound & Image Library (SAIL) staff and selectors have emphasized both new titles and replacement of older formats and worn copies. The Library anticipates circulating the collection through Summit, which will increase wear. See [[media:SAILacq.xls|SAIL Acquisition Statistics]]. Selectors will continue a recent change of policy allowing the purchase of any medium from their funds allocated for print monographs, but a stable and larger allocation for the SAIL budget would lessen the need to do so and reduce variations in expenditures, workload, and processing. The Resource Selection Committee is currently reviewing materials budgets with the intention of reallocating funds according to the curricular demands for video and digitized reference resources. If these discussions result in a larger budget for the SAIL, there will be more work, but also more consistency. Additionally, the staff will be more deeply involved in researching Web-based media collections. This additional workload represents a challenge for the SAIL. <br />
<br />
Digital collection development should go forward in concert with the push to digitize archival collections, including photographs, video, and copies of faculty artwork. The CCAM will take the lead in this ongoing project. <br />
<br />
Because of the Summit and ILLiad systems, the core collections do not need to support individual students who engage in inquiries that lie outside the collection profile based upon the core curriculum. However, Summit use will also allow the Library to identify whether there are any consistent weaknesses in the collection that show up as subject areas driving high borrowing rates from other institutions. The data from Summit should be analyzed over a three-year period, due to the fluidity of the curriculum, at which point the Library will decide if such data are useful in guiding collection development. <br />
<br />
The Library will continue to take advantage of the significantly increased purchasing power created by consortial agreements for periodical and other database purchases. The Library needs to keep an eye on the time and expertise required to keep up with the ever-increasing work of evaluating these agreements, purchases, and contracts and the technical work to support electronic resources, and it may want to consider creating a position for managing electronic resources. A centralized specialist working on electronic resources would potentially help the selectors by consistently researching and disseminating information about new products.<br />
<br />
Overall, long-standing assumptions about budgets for collections must be reevaluated. While major cuts were made to the monographic budget early in the study period and were only partially restored over time, it is not clear that simply restoring those funds and adding funds for inflation are the desirable next moves. The Resource Selection Committee will need to continue to explore more flexible responses to a rapidly changing publishing environment in order to match collection budgets to evolving research needs. Private fundraising and other non-state funds have helped close collection development gaps in some cases, such as the SAIL budget. Library and information resources overall have begun to receive private support for equipment and facilities projects as well. More work with the Office of College Advancement should be emphasized, as many alumni have demonstrated willingness to support the library and information resources. <br />
<br />
=====Support for Rapidly Evolving Information Technology=====<br />
<br />
While the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] gave Evergreen good marks for its budgetary support of information technology, the report also recommended that “to follow current best practices, the replacement cycle should be permanently funded and the operations budgets need to be raised regularly to reflect the increase in technology-equipped classrooms, the increased number of servers and desktop computers that must be supported, and other increases in the technology base.” The college has begun to address this issue, proposing permanent line items in the next biennium for replacing the core server and desktops. This movement toward more permanent allocations for replacement and repair will help ensure that the infrastructure can support the curriculum. Although the ITCH can play only an advisory role, it has participated actively in the process of establishing permanent allocations, setting priorities, and sharing resources. <br />
<br />
The remodeled Information Technology Wing and the construction of the Seminar II building created dramatically more technology-equipped teaching spaces. There are now forty-nine media and computer-capable classrooms, with more on the way. Labs are equipped with computers for each student, and most classrooms now include a computer along with projection and display systems. The Library plans to convert one classroom in the Library Underground to a lab, and teaching spaces on campus still without computers or display technology are on the way to being equipped. At this point, library and information resources just manage to support the computer facilities distributed across campus. As more spaces are computerized and enrollment creeps up toward the target of 5,000, the college will have to add additional staff and funding for maintenance. All capital construction and remodeling plans must include consideration of maintenance, replacement, and support for media and networked display. <br />
<br />
As media technology has changed, some faculty choose to continue teaching older analog equipment, often for good pedagogical and aesthetic reasons. In the context of doubling instruction loads, this breadth of technologies generates a daunting challenge for Media Loan as it stretches to maintain, house, and teach a very wide array of portable equipment. Media Loan should work with the Expressive Arts faculty and other major users to reduce the range of Media Loan equipment necessary to support the curriculum.<br />
<br />
====Library Instruction====<br />
<br />
The reduced number of library faculty has resulted in less ability to provide library instruction deeply and broadly to the entire curriculum. Further, reference desk service has changed as the Internet creates patrons who access our resources from remote locations. Most immediately, virtual patrons do not benefit from the teaching that takes place at the reference desk, although the transactions that do occur at reference tend to be more substantive. As traffic at the physical reference desk has diminished, faculty who rotate into the Library have more limited opportunities to learn about library resources through interactions with patrons. These trends should inform the reference group as they consider how to proceed in allocating team responsibilities with or without an increase in the number of library faculty.<br />
<br />
The reference group should evaluate service to areas of the curriculum that report or demonstrate less involvement in the various forms of information technology instruction (as reflected in end of program reports), and consider whether more or different instructional support would be appropriate, feasible, or desirable. <br />
<br />
Library instruction will evolve in the context of catalogs that imitate Web discovery tools. It is entirely likely that patrons will frequently discover services which have, until now, had to be pointed out to them. For the near future, however, finding and using the most effective, appropriate journal databases still requires instruction or intervention on the part of librarians or faculty. Evaluation of library instruction based upon comparative use statistics will probably be less valuable than in this past study period, as academic library finding tools will vary greatly for some time to come, creating widely disparate use statistics. Thus close attention to database use trends and their correlation to the implementation of new finding tools will be important in the near future.<br />
<br />
Intensive, embedded library and media instruction remain the most desirable and effective models. Some librarians focus on these models, including such work as evaluating bibliographies, which become the basis for assessing the quality of student research and the basis for further instruction. Faculty librarians may want to explore evaluating research results more commonly as they develop their ties with programs and faculty in all disciplines, particularly if discovery tools generate easier access to resources beyond the immediate catalog search. As librarians become more involved in each stage of research, including writing or production, they should be able to provide more consistent support to students. Time for this work with students is restricted by the number of librarians, as is time for the more extended work essential to students from Tacoma and reservation-based programs, who depend so heavily upon off-campus access and have less opportunity to confer with librarians at the reference desk. Faculty who rotate into the Library must be more fully engaged in this aspect of the librarians' work in order to help balance the external teaching demands upon library faculty. <br />
<br />
When the Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning and Writing Centers were planned into the new Information Technology Wing, the hope was for substantial collaboration. While the location of these centers within the Library brings more students in, aids the sense of hospitality, and provides convenient resources for students, collaboration has remained minimal. Thus opportunities for shared instruction and service have yet to be exploited.<br />
<br />
=====Cross-Curricular Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
<br />
As discussed above, library and information resources and the teaching faculty assure that information technology infuses the curriculum. On the other hand, the faculty has not embraced any particular set of information technology skills as fundamental to the liberal arts undergraduate at Evergreen. Instead, faculty choose and adapt information and media technologies according to the pedagogical and disciplinary requirements of their chosen inquiry. There is little work across the curriculum about critical approaches to media or basic definitions of college-level technical literacy for the liberal arts. In the immediate future, library and information resources should invite the teaching faculty into a discussion about whether the campus has any broad consensus about Information Technology Literacy (ITL), including critical approaches. Long ago, the college committed to writing across the curriculum and allocated significant institutional resources to encourage that work—without proscriptive limits or standards. A wider discussion about ITL could produce a similar vision and institutional support. In the long run, such a vision will shape our understanding of digital scholarship in the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
The expansion of entry-level media technology instruction raises questions about the staffing assumptions in Academic Computing. If critical approaches to information technology are to be addressed, and if cross-curricular information technology literacy is a priority for the contemporary liberal arts, then instructional staffing based on historical models of canned skills workshops may be insufficient. Academic Computing should continue current efforts to recruit instructional staff who have the expertise to work intensively in program planning and curriculum development, as well as on technical support for those activities. The numbers of such instructional IT staffing may also need to be evaluated in response to these new and expanding demands for work within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
===Conclusion: Holly's Generic Library Has Come to Fruition===<br />
<br />
Library and information resources have been deeply influenced by the organizational habits of the college, habits of collaboration, egalitarian ideals, fluidity, face-to-face interactions, non-departmentalization, reflexive learning, and independent and interdisciplinary inquiry. The result is a responsive, flexible, evolving set of services and resources. Library and information resources faculty and staff work across the media, regardless of where services reside administratively, in order to fuse traditional library services, information services, computing, and media. Library and information resources assess technology within the context of Evergreen’s particular curriculum and implement new applications incrementally in collaborative processes involving all three areas of service and the teaching faculty. As part of that work, library and information resources have had the distinct historical advantage of presuming that information comes in all formats and that it is not only possible but advisable to break down as many barriers as possible to access information in all its forms. In this, library and information resources are shaped by their founding vision - the generic library - an idea whose time has come.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1) Overall, library and information resources at Evergreen demonstrate effective development of collaborative planning, services, and instruction in support of the academic mission and educational programs of the college.<br />
<br />
2.) Over the past decade, the Library and Media Services have fully committed to networking and digital resources. This shift has implied a change in organization, reorganization of job classifications, and the creation of new patterns of work supported in all areas.<br />
<br />
3.) Commitment to the use of networking digital information resources has allowed and promoted the integration of all sections of library and information resources and has pushed the staff in all areas to reconceptualize their work and to find new patterns of organization and collaboration.<br />
<br />
4.) Students and faculty are thinking about and using information resources in all media. They can now reasonably expect to have seamless access to a wide array of high-quality academic information, media, and computer applications almost anywhere on campus.<br />
<br />
5.) The Library is funded like a public college, but the emphasis on projects, the array of inquiries, and the fact that it is a teaching library means that it is used as if it were a part of a private liberal arts college.<br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The Evergreen Library has always been what other libraries have striven to become: a '''teaching library''' deeply connected to the faculty and curriculum. The result is that students use the Library very actively. Historically, Media Services has had the same teaching focus. Academic computing, with a longstanding instructional role, is also moving toward more substantive teaching and collaboration with faculty. This cross-curricular emphasis on teaching must be continued.<br />
<br />
2.) The original vision of the Library was "generic," which means that it includes all media in all locations. The contemporary term in the profession is the '''virtual library. ''' Evergreen's library and information resources have been able to realize the vision due to the advent of effective, ubiquitous networking and digital resources. The new technology plus major consortial agreements have created an explosion of access to high-quality scholarly information and media.<br />
<br />
3. The remodeled and more unified Information Technology Wing is the physical manifestation of the blending of traditional print, media, and computer technology that characterizes the virtual library and information in the digital age. Despite being spread across administrative divisions, the Library, Media Services, Academic Computing, the CAL, and Computing and Communications all collaborate effectively to assure more and more seamless access to information resources. We must guard these interconnections and continue to seek opportunities for collaboration that will provide the best service, teaching, and efficiency.<br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Through consortial agreements and wise use of resources made available to the college, an extraordinary array of high-quality academic resources. For example, the number of academic journals now available is nine times larger than at the outset of the review. Active leadership in consortia such as Orbis Cascade and the Cooperative Libraries Project supported these cost-effective approaches.<br />
<br />
2.) The willingness of staff from all areas to share, collaborate, and dream as they worked through the complex reorganizations and new work necessary to create an operative virtual library has been extraordinary.<br />
<br />
3.) The creation of an accessible, integrated, well-conceived teaching space with the renovation of the B and C wings of the Library has allowed the virtual library to have a physical presence that embodies the integration of these areas, while providing hospitable spaces and programming to complement virtual use information resources.<br />
<br />
4.) The spread of digital media and computer facilities to the campus as a whole, in the Lecture Halls, and in the new classrooms of Seminar II, as well as the extension of wireless access to most of the campus has allowed the teaching resources of library and information resources to be used across the campus.<br />
<br />
5.) Both the development of the virtual library and a continued commitment to extensive instruction have led to effective library and information resources for off-campus programs and users.<br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Library and information resources must maintain the flexibility in staff’s capacity to respond to the rapidly changing digital environment.<br />
<br />
2.) Library and information services must continue to remain aware of developments in information technology, critically assess them, and carefully integrate technological capacities into the staff’s capacity for teaching.<br />
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3.) Library and information resources should assure that connections between the three units (the Library, Academic Computing, and Media Services) that make up library and information resources are as seamless as possible.<br />
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4.) Media Services instructors should consciously promote considerations of media among faculty across the curriculum, as well as continue to work effectively with those who depend upon media as the center of their work.<br />
<br />
5.) Staff from all areas should pursue and develop cross-curricular faculty conversations about information and technology as literacies for the liberal arts, including critical perspectives.<br />
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6.) Library and information services should assure that instructional staffing and library faculty is sufficient in training and numbers to support extensive, integrated information technology literacy instruction across the curriculum and to off-campus and weekend and evening programs.<br />
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7.) Library and information services should continue to develop maintenance and replacement funds to support rapidly expanding information technology, instruction, and service throughout the campus.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing staff and faculty will collaborate in planning ongoing summer faculty institutes facilitating cross-curricular faculty conversations about information technology literacy for the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
2.) The shape of expenditures on collections should evolve as inflation, consortia, networked access, and digital publications continue to change the information environment. The Library Resource Selection Committee will continue to review database, Summit, and local collection use, as well as allocation of non-state funds in order to appropriately support collections in all media. As a member of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, the Library will pursue collaborative collection development emphasizing strong core local collections and coordinated shared collections.<br />
<br />
3.) The substantial instructional role necessary to support information technology literacy across the curriculum should be recognized in campus hiring priorities.<br />
<br />
4.) The Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing will continue to emphasize shared work. Several areas of potential collaboration in addition to faculty institutes include considering a shared public presence at the newly emphasized main entrance to the Information Technology Wing, an increased role for the ITCH in planning and management of information technology on campus, shared staff positions, shared hiring processes, and more collaborative instruction for academic programs.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Five|Supporting Documentation for Standard 5]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_5&diff=8828Standard 52008-07-24T22:49:26Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 5.A – Purpose and Scope */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 5 – Library and Information Resources==<br />
<br />
===Standard 5.A – Purpose and Scope===<br />
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<br />
''The primary purpose for library and information resources is to support teaching, learning, and if applicable, research in ways consistent with, and supportive of, the institution’s mission and goals. Adequate library and information resources and services, at the appropriate level for degrees offered, are available to support the intellectual, cultural, and technical development of students enrolled in courses and programs wherever located and however delivered.''<br />
<br />
====Supporting the Academic Mission of the College====<br />
Library and information resources at The Evergreen State College support students as they learn to reason and communicate about freely chosen inquiries whose outcomes remain to be discovered or created (Smith, Standard 2). Library and information resources at Evergreen must therefore balance the open-ended demands of free inquiry with the need for stability, security, and efficiency in systems and services. Historically, the Library has been well funded when compared to many public baccalaureates, in recognition of the extraordinary demands of open-ended inquiry and independent study. All library and information resources are shaped by the primary mission of teaching and providing state-of-the-art facilities for academic programs and individual students in this interdisciplinary, liberal arts curriculum. Strong collaboration among library, computing and media staff, faculty, and administration assures the development of the library and information resources as centers for teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
====The Founding Vision of the Library: Any Medium, Any Location====<br />
<br />
In 1969, when the founding dean of Library Services James Holly wrote his “Position Paper No. 1,” he proposed a model which he called the generic library, in some ways anticipating the concept of today's virtual library. “By generic I include man’s [sic] recorded information, knowledge, folly, and wisdom in whatever form put down, whether in conventional print, art forms, magnetic tape, laser storage, etc. By generic, I also eliminate physical boundaries such as [a] specific building or portion limited and identified as ‘the library.’” Holly's vision motivated many aspects of library, media, and computer services, but proved in many ways untenable due to technical and budgetary constraints and because the college community expressed traditional longings for a bounded space. Today, laptops and networked data are ubiquitous and most students expect remote access to information resources, regardless of medium. Technology, as well as community values, have caught up with Holly’s founding vision, and Evergreen's library and learning resources now include all media, distributed to almost any location. Display of networked and audiovisual information now brings information technology to almost any classroom on campus. Active involvement in new consortia has led to quick access to expanded collections and information resources from around the region. Academic programs and students off-campus have access to rich, academically sound journal holdings. A wide selection of digitized media applications and advanced media labs provide access to media production. Increasingly seamless access to media, computing, and traditional information resources benefits all students. At the same time, the physical library has expanded its role as a social and intellectual space and provides an increasingly hospitable center for learning and gatherings of all kinds. A $22-million remodel connected previously disparate areas and created a more cohesive information-technology wing, providing one central entrance for the Library, Media Services, the Computer Center, and the Computing and Communications offices.<br />
<br />
====Functions and Facilities Covered in Standard 5====<br />
<br />
Reflecting these developments, Standard 5 considers information resources and services from several disparate administrative units: Library Services, including Media Services (administratively part of the Academic division); Academic Computing (administratively part of the Finance and Administration division); and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) (administratively part of the academic division, with a historical role supporting the science curriculum). The phrase "library and information resources" in Standard 5 should be understood to refer to these units collectively, while comments about separate areas will use more specific language such as the Library, Media Services, the CAL, or Academic Computing. Occasional references to Computing and Communications will address technology infrastructure when relevant to instructional and academic support functions.<br />
<br />
The information resources offered and supported by the Library, Academic Computing, and the CAL represent facilities and functions commonly found in libraries and computer centers elsewhere in academia. The Media Services section of the Library requires some explanation, as its role and location in the institution are unique. Media Services provides not only the usual audiovisual support for instruction, but also extensive collections and facilities in support of media production by students across the curriculum. Media production labs, a large circulating collection of portable media equipment, and extensive instruction represent activities, facilities, and functions which will not be found within the library at most institutions. Some media arts, communications or education departments might provide some such services to students of their curriculum, but not the library, and certainly not for general use. In the context of an interdisciplinary college, and in the light of the original ideal of the generic library, these services are provided through the Library in order to assure cross-curricular access and opportunity for students from anywhere in the curriculum, whether those students are studying media or simply wish to communicate academic content using media beyond print.<br />
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====5.A.1 Sufficiency of Information Resources and Services====<br />
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''The institution’s information resources and services include sufficient holdings, equipment, and personnel in all of its libraries, instructional media and production centers, computer centers, networks, telecommunication facilities, and other repositories of information to accomplish the institution’s mission and goals.''<br />
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Throughout this study, library and information resources will be found to be strongly linked via face-to-face collaboration and consultation with faculty, staff, and students. These interconnections, within a flat organizational structure, assure constant feedback and redevelopment of services and facilities. Library funding generally compares very well with public institutions and correlates strongly to average funding for private liberal arts peers, peers with whom our use statistics compare favorably. An external assessment performed by Edutech described budgetary support for information technology as comparable to that of institutions with similar missions. There are no comparable institutions for studying the large activity of cross-curricular media services; however, advocacy from both the cross-curricular perspective of the Library and from the specific needs of the media faculty help ensure support. Rapid expansion in information technology access and aspirations have led to changes in personnel allocation and expertise and will continue to make increasing demands on a staff and faculty already stretched in many areas.<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[media: Major_Facilities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 & 2 of the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]]. For holdings and equipment, see Standard 5.B.1. For personnel, see Standard 5.D.1. For evaluation of budgetary support, see Standard 5.D.6.<br />
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====5.A.2 Sufficiency of Core Collection and Related Resources====<br />
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''The institution’s core collection and related information resources are sufficient to support the curriculum.''<br />
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Broad institutional support for cross-curricular library and information services has historically generated sufficient institutional budgetary support for core collections and facilities. During the study period, inflation and budget cuts reduced base budgets for local monograph collections. Non-state resources bridged some of the gap without building the base budget permanently. Consortial agreements created opportunities for cost-effective collective purchases of serials and for efficient resource sharing, resulting in better support for the intensive work by individual students. <br />
<br />
Collection Development, see 5.B.1 and 5.B.5<br />
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====5.A.3 Education Program Drives Resources and Services====<br />
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''Information resources and services are determined by the nature of the institution’s educational programs and the locations where programs are offered.''<br />
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Strong connections to the curriculum inform all library and information services. A distinctive library rotation system connects the library and teaching faculty in the shared project of curriculum and program planning. Teaching alliances between media services professionals and media faculty determine the character of media services. A strong liaison system connects Academic Computing instructors and services with teaching faculty. Meanwhile, a very experienced staff with substantial managerial responsibilities manages day-to-day library services while implementing services in response to the new opportunities advancing information technology affords. (See Standard 5.B.2 - Teaching and Instruction).<br />
<br />
Information technology planning and governance are discussed in Area 5 (Planning and Governance) of the [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
The study notes that planning is collaborative and responsive to academic needs, and could be strengthened through a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH).<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.B – Information Resources and Services==<br />
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''Information resources and services are sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, and currency to support the institution’s curricular offerings.''<br />
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=== 5.B.1 Equipment and Materials to Support the Educational Program===<br />
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''Equipment and materials are selected, acquired, organized, and maintained to support the educational program.''<br />
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====Collection Development Procedures & Methods====<br />
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The Library faculty develops collections to support Evergreen's changeable interdisciplinary curriculum without the usual benefit of departmental allocation or structures. The librarians build collections and vendor profiles on the basis of their work as both library and teaching faculty (see 5.B.2), work which involves full-time teaching, faculty governance, extensive collegial engagement with the teaching faculty, and affiliation with planning units. The curriculum committee is the faculty as a whole, and develops the curriculum in curricular planning units, curriculum retreats, and governance groups. The Library faculty's overall knowledge of the curriculum is strengthened by teaching faculty who rotate into the Library and lavish their attention on areas of the collection related to their disciplinary expertise. Finally, librarians honor most requests from individuals for additions to the collection, working from the fact that free inquiry and individual research are central to the Library’s mission.<br />
<br />
In the past, the Library has struggled to satisfy incidental research demands outside the boundaries defined by the core, repeating curriculum. The substantial part of the curriculum which varies from year to year, the significant amount of work by independent contract students (almost 1,300 independent study contracts in 2006-07), and the opportunity for intensive individual projects within full-time, multi-quarter programs have all driven demand for specialized materials outside the core collection. Resource sharing and large, shared purchases, all made efficient because of networking technology, have eradicated this problem, although budget cuts and inflation create some difficulties keeping the core collection current. The budget for core monograph purchases has been supplemented with allocations from non-state resources in order to help bridge this gap. See 5.B.5 below.<br />
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====Media Services====<br />
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Close work with the curriculum and faculty also informs the development of media facilities and services. Media staff attend the Expressive Arts planning unit meetings, in particular the Moving Image subgroup. Budgetary processes for equipment purchase and operating costs include multiple avenues for consideration of educational program needs. Through the planning units, needs are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the Library, cross-curricular media demands are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the ITCH, cross-unit needs are coordinated and passed up to the campus-wide budget process. These three avenues help ensure that the budget process addresses both broad and specific curricular demands for media.<br />
<br />
Some stresses develop. Like the Library, Media Services serves the entire academic community, from programs to individuals. And, like the Library, Media Services strains under the pressure of answering the needs of independent study, as well as a fluid curriculum. Students working on independent media productions compete with Expressive Arts programs for scarce resources, from equipment to laboratories to teaching staff. In order to balance these competing demands, Media Services requires students and faculty to submit media request forms, which are reviewed by the Media Services manager and the head of Instruction Media, who allocate resources, both human and technological. Independent contract forms include a question about the need for special equipment or facilities, which serves as a safety net for screening intensive media use. In these ways Media Services assures that students embarking on media studies do so with appropriate support. The Expressive Arts planning unit also instituted a Student Originated Studies (SOS) group contract in media to assure that students have consistent access to facilities and instructional support as they pursue their independent projects.<br />
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====Information Technology Equipment & Facilities====<br />
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The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] includes equipment in its discussion of technological facilities in Area 1 of the report. The report states, "Computing, networking and information technology facilities at Evergreen are extensive and impressive. In most cases, Evergreen facilities are at or near standards for similar institutions, and in some cases surpass them. However, these standards are a moving target, and there are areas in which the college will probably have to make upgrades in the near future." The report lauded the computer labs, classroom technology, and access to computers. Recommended improvements were to extend wireless to the entire campus and permanently fund a replacement cycle for equipment.<br />
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===5.B.2 Teaching and Instruction===<br />
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''Library and information resources and services contribute to developing the ability of students, faculty, and staff to use the resources independently and effectively.''<br />
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====Defining Information Technology Literacy====<br />
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Standard 2 links the five foci and six expectations of an Evergreen education to the idea of reflexive thinking. "Reflexive thinking begins with a question, an interrogation of the world, and an encounter with the other. As such it involves the student in the whole process of substantive learning about subjects, disciplines and methods that is the standard domain of learning. But reflexivity is the capacity that a learner has to think about the situation and conditions that underlie her own personal and collective experience of thinking and knowing." (See [[Standard_2#Reflexive_Thinking | reflexive thinking]]). This work is engaged and supported through the broad and deep resources of the collections and instruction within the library and information resources. <br />
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The professional literature and practice of librarianship defines information literacy as a reflective process. To be clear, a '''reflective''' process considers, evaluates, synthesizes, and in general, engages information discovered through research. In contrast, a '''reflexive''' process goes on to consider one's own learning and knowledge as influenced through exposure to the information under consideration. According to Jeremy J. Shapiro and Shelley K. Hughes, in their article entitled [[Media: educom_review.pdf|'Information Literacy as a Liberal Art']], information literacy should "be conceived more broadly as a new liberal art that extends from knowing how to use computers and access information to critical reflection on the nature of information itself, its technical infrastructure, and its social, cultural and end even philosophical context and impact..."<br />
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The information literacy curriculum includes:<br />
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* Tool literacy - The ability to use print and electronic resources including software and online resources.<br />
* Resource literacy - The ability to understand the form, format, location, and methods for accessing information resources.<br />
* Social-structural literacy - Knowledge of how information is socially situated and produced, including understanding the scholarly publishing process.<br />
* Research literacy - The ability to understand and use information technology tools to carry out research, including the use of discipline-related software and online resources.<br />
* Publishing literacy - The ability to produce a text or multimedia report of research results.<br />
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====ITL in the Context of Holly's Generic Library====<br />
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Information literacy at Evergreen is itself a reflexive practice, in addition to being central to the process of reflexive thinking in the broader context of undergraduate education at Evergreen. That is, the student uses library and information resources to put herself in relation to information and thinking from a variety of sources and further, reflects about herself and her learning as she researches and learns. Within the context of library and information resources as understood and managed at Evergreen, this literacy includes not just print scholarship, but media and computing, to become not just information literacy but Information Technology Literacy (ITL). Reflection upon information includes reflection upon the nature and role of the tools themselves. Reflexive thinking includes the relation of the user to the information and the tools. <br />
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Thus, in order to assure that students have the skills to communicate about their open inquiries and the resources to support deeply reflexive thinking, library and information resources take a broad role in the curriculum. Two of the “Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate” relate directly to commitment by the library and information resources to help students achieve intellectual independence, creativity, and critical acumen. Expectation Two states that our graduates will communicate creatively and effectively; Expectation Four, that our graduates apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across the disciplines. Not only should literate students read and write astutely, they also should access, view, critique, and produce media and writing that is eloquent and complete. In this way, digital scholarship merges seamlessly with individual and formal educational goals, just as print scholarship has in the past.<br />
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====Cross-Curricular Media Instruction====<br />
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Library and information resources support ITL as an agenda for students across programs, disciplines, and media. Library and information resources staff and faculty collaborate with teaching teams as they instruct students in media and students who create films, multimedia, or musical works for programs or for independent study. These are the challenges of the "freely chosen inquiry," challenges that cannot all be met at all times. However, the location of Media Services administratively and physically within Library Services is meant to ensure that media studies and media production are supported appropriately both within the programs that media faculty teach and elsewhere in the inquiries of students. The spread of entry-level media applications into the general-use computer labs increases access to media production across the curriculum.<br />
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Although library and information resources instructors work to fuse teaching with program content, students are nevertheless able to access any media application or information technology beyond or without considering program content. Likewise, many programs focus entirely on technical skill building, without any formal attempt to link these practices to disciplinary content. And in other areas of the curriculum, such as the Culture, Text, and Language planning unit, critical media and information studies are often taught in a theoretical mode, without hands-on media production—the thing itself. The point is that when skills are valorized over content, or when theory ignores practice, students neglect concrete critical reflection on how technology impacts the message, the creators, the audience, or society. However, Holly's generic library model, the founding principle for library and information resources at Evergreen, has emphasized and counterbalanced the tendency to isolate skills from content. Students who read texts expect to write as well; why should they view media and not expect to create it? Early on, a rotating faculty member who helped link instruction with critical media studies and with interdisciplinary programs directed Media Services. Library and information resources continue to struggle to advocate for the critical study of media and information technology across the curriculum.<br />
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Academic computing also provides access to and instruction in information technologies through a balance of specialized and open computing facilities. With the migration of many media applications to commonly available personal computer platforms, instruction and facilities to support entry-level media production have spread to academic computing and even to the Library proper.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources faculty and staff instruct and teach in multiple modes, from basic skills instruction to more complex, content-driven teaching by faculty and professionals in the curriculum. In addition, the teaching faculty contribute substantively and collaboratively to planning and implementing information services, collections, and policies. This dynamic collaboration between the teaching faculty and the library and information resources has shaped the primary mission to support inquiry-based education. Each area within library and information resources has developed structures to connect teaching and instruction closely to the faculty, the curriculum, and the academic mission of the college. Utilization, satisfaction, and curricular surveys demonstrate the breadth and effectiveness of this work (See Planning and Evaluation 5.E).<br />
<br />
====Faculty Librarians and Library Teaching====<br />
<br />
Evergreen requires rotation between the librarians and the teaching faculty. Briefly stated, faculty librarians rotate out of the Library to teach full time on a regular basis and, in exchange, teaching faculty rotate into the Library to serve as librarians providing reference, instruction, and collection development. (See [[media:Learning_Communities_and_the_Academic_Library.pdf | Pedersen]] pp. 41-44 for more discussion of this system). Faculty who rotate into the Library leave with updated skills for developing information literacy within their programs and teams across the curriculum. Library faculty develop their subject specialties and enhance their ability to work across pedagogical and disciplinary realms. Perpetual faculty-wide interactions in faculty governance and team-teaching reinforce the strong connections between the library faculty and the teaching faculty. Librarians know the faculty as colleagues and teaching faculty know the librarians (probably the only basis for widespread and effective library instruction in a curriculum without requirements). Teaching teams also spread effective library instruction practices as experienced teaching faculty introduce their new faculty teammates to their library colleagues and the teaching they offer. Most new faculty also bring updated information technology skills and experience to share with their colleagues.<br />
<br />
A loose liaison system links each librarian with a subset of the curriculum, based on subject expertise, planning unit affiliation, and personal alliances. Faculty librarians provide a wide array of library and information technology-related teaching. One-time workshops designed to engage sources particular to the research projects within an academic program represent the most common format. Librarians and teaching faculty design these workshops with the assumption that the skills imparted are embedded in the interests and needs of the program learning community. At a minimum, the faculty for the program usually 1) create a research assignment which informs and motivates the students’ work; 2) attend the research workshop and participate, adding their expertise and/or questions; 3) provide the library liaison with a syllabus and a copy of the assignment and a list of the topics students are considering; and 4) ask the students to begin considering their topic before attending the workshop so they are primed to begin actual research during the workshop. <br />
<br />
Librarians teach workshops on research most frequently in the graduate programs, the sciences, and the off-campus programs. The teaching models for these more extended situations vary according to the library faculty involved and the role in the curriculum, and they evolve significantly year to year. Each year, library faculty affiliate deeply with a few such programs, meeting weekly to create stepped learning conjoined with research assignments. For documents exemplifying this teaching, see [[media:Forensics_week-by-week.doc | Forensics Syllabus]] and [[media:Chemistry_Health_Professions_Project_Description.doc | Chemistry Health Professions Project]]. During several academic years, an information technology seminar linked library internship opportunities with a hands-on Web technology workshop. In that model, a small group of students explored contemporary questions in the world of rapid digitization and its social implications. They paralleled that study with real library work and Web production practice, including wikis and Web pages designed to support library functions. The seminar and workshop have provided a venue for library faculty, staff, and Academic Computing instructors to gather and consider both the past and future of information technologies. See the syllabi for the programs Still Looking ([[media: stilllooking_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: stilllooking_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: stilllooking_spring.pdf|spring]]), Information Landscapes ([[media: infolandscapes_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: infolandscapes_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: infolandscapes_spring.pdf|spring]]), and Common Knowledge ([[media: commonknowledge_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: commonknowledge_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: commonknowledge_spring.pdf|spring]]). Each year, one librarian also offers research methods through the evening and weekend curriculum.<br />
<br />
In-depth, extended library-related teaching within programs and service to off-campus and Evening and Weekend programs can be a challenge in the context of a reduced core of library faculty. During the self-study period, one faculty line was cut during budget reductions. This causes significant stress on the quality and quantity of instruction the area is able to provide.<br />
<br />
====Library Faculty as Service Providers====<br />
Library faculty see themselves primarily as teachers. They tend to understand the services of the Library in the context of teaching and learning, specifically teaching as it actually happens in the Evergreen curriculum. Thus, they do not tend to work from externally defined "best practices," nor do they function in a reactive mode. They take a proactive approach to the work, suggesting tools and strategies for designing library instruction and finding the intellectual work in the world of research instruction. They position themselves to work across administrative as well as curricular boundaries and sustain an important role in the crossroads of traditional research methods, contemporary information technology, and the world of the curriculum and their teaching colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Service and Teaching====<br />
The faculty librarians have transformed the reference desk into a teaching space, which goes well beyond traditional service models. For this reason, there is generally a librarian at the desk during the hours the Library is open to the public. Each contact between a librarian and a patron represents an opportunity to teach and learn. In collections, Web page design, signage, collection organization, and creation of virtual services, the librarians ask not just what is easiest or matches the expectations of inexperienced users, but what can be taught through the new design, service, or collection. For example, broad aggregate databases have been purchased because they are cost effective, but the librarians also emphasize and teach comparatively complex digitized indexes, which refer students more deeply into the discipline-based literature of their inquiries. As discussed throughout this document, library and information resources are designed, planned, taught, and supported in the context of college-wide teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
====Library Faculty and Off-Campus Programs====<br />
Library support for the two major off-campus offerings, the Tacoma and the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs, focuses heavily on instruction, with additional support from networked technology, including specialized Web pages for these programs. See [[Media: reservation_library.pdf|services for Reservation-Based students]] and [[Media: tacoma_library.pdf|services for Tacoma-based students]]. Students of these programs have limited access to the physical library and must be alerted to the many high-quality resources available to them online through the Library. End-of-program reports show very high engagement with information technology in these programs (See [[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf |End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]). Most years, librarians work closely with the Research Methods class at Tacoma, providing laboratory-based instruction on location several weeks per quarter. As of 2007-08, this work has taken on a more formalized structure and has developed into credit-generating research classes.<br />
<br />
Library instruction at the upper-division off-campus sites of the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs has varied widely year-by-year. Recently, the program has focused on building library methods into the lower-division bridge curriculum, which has not involved the library faculty directly. Reservation-based programs report 100% teaching and use of library and Internet research in 2007; however, this work has not engaged the Library's holdings or services significantly. Rebuilding this connection should be a high priority, and a planned faculty rotation from a former director of the reservation-based program will be an opportunity to do so. Perusal of the [[Media: Achievements2.doc |Achievements]] list for the self-study period demonstrates that almost every development supports distant access to collections and services and thus the off-campus programs.<br />
<br />
====Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing====<br />
In all major computer and media labs, staff instructors provide group instruction designed to support the needs of specific academic programs, covering particular applications and tools relevant to the disciplines involved. Media and computing instructors teach workshops in different spaces and in different modes, depending on the discipline and the technology. There are no constraints upon which facilities may be used. In one quarter, a science program might have workshops in the Computer Center focusing on blogs, a math workshop using Excel in the Computer Applications Lab, a session on video documentation for field research in the Multimedia Lab, and a library research workshop in one of the Computer Center's general-purpose labs. In this way, academic programs leverage staff expertise and facilities as needed.<br />
<br />
Teaching faculty must be able to easily identify and contact the appropriate staff member to coordinate computer instruction, which may require significant logistical support such as lab scheduling, equipment checkout, server space, password access, personnel scheduling, and other details. In Academic Computing, program liaisons work with faculty to coordinate how programs will teach technology. For instance, the staff liaison helps set up file shares and Web spaces and schedules and teaches workshops. In Media Services, the head of instructional media provides a central location for faculty and students requesting instructional support in media to connect with appropriate media instructors and to schedule facilities and instruction. The Media Services staff work with faculty to design and integrate media into their programs. Media Services staff meet regularly with media faculty in the Expressive Arts planning unit so they can develop facilities, plan for access, and foster integration of media into academic programs.<br />
<br />
Students who work independently on media or computing projects or who decide to tackle media projects within non-media oriented programs also receive many forms of instructional support. Academic Computing offers regularly scheduled technology workshops, which are open to all. In addition, Evergreen students can access Lynda.com, which tutors students in software applications and programming languages. The Library recently subscribed to Safari Books Online, which supports the computer science curriculum and addresses technical inquiries from students across the curriculum. Academic Computing began a computing wiki in 2006-07 which hosts approximately 2,000 pages of instructions and tutorials and which continues to expand. Increasingly, students, faculty, and staff rely on the Academic Computing wiki to stay abreast of technologies hosted on campus.<br />
<br />
Any student may access most media-production facilities and check out portable media equipment once they have completed relevant hands-on training sessions called proficiencies. Media instructors run hundreds of these quick, skills-focused instructional sessions annually, which serve thousands of students, ensure proper use of the equipment, and provide supportive technical background for systems. The number of formal instructional sessions provided to programs has doubled since 2000, suggesting the rapidly expanding use and breadth of college-supported media technology. Finally, the Evening and Weekend Studies curriculum provides a coherent, regular pathway for learning more complex media-production processes.<br />
<br />
Like the library faculty, media instructors teach in a variety of modes: full-time, part-time, introductory, intensive, general, sustained, intermittent, specialized, individual, within programs, or collaboratively in small groups. Many of the media staff are artists, professionals, and faculty in their own right, with Master of Fine Arts degrees in their fields. They teach photography, electronic music, Web design, and digital imaging as adjuncts in Evening and Weekend Studies and in Extended Education. Media staff who teach as adjunct faculty are often called to teach full time as visiting artists. Their contributions to the part- and full-time curriculum are substantial and sustained, some of them having taught for more than twenty years. Their work supports the Expressive Arts. It assures access and instruction for students who do not consider themselves artists but who want to engage in technologies that constitute important developing communication media and also define the visual aesthetics of science, history, political science, psychology, and other narratives. Additionally, Photo, Electronic Media, and Media Loan staff annually teach as field supervisors for up to eight student interns who are critical to the effective functioning of labs and services. These students typically not only gain high-level technical production skills, but also develop instructional, collaborative, and administrative experience by working closely with students, faculty, and technical staff. Finally, all media staff sponsor many individual contracts, which provide opportunities for students who have identified intensive individual inquiries that are not supported in the curriculum at large. In general, media staff are central to the success of media-based programs and are viewed as colleagues by the Expressive Arts faculty, whose programs they support. These working relationships form the backbone of Media Services.<br />
<br />
====Faculty Institutes====<br />
As described thus far, library and information resources instructors regularly work with, instruct, and support the teaching faculty through individual collaboration. In addition, they design and teach several faculty institutes each summer. Faculty institutes create valuable connections among faculty, library, media, and academic computing instructors. Recent information technology institutes have focused on specific applications such as teaching statistics with Excel, using online collaborative tools to foster learning communities, or creating program Web pages. Some years, substantive discussions of information technology literacy as opposed to hands-on training have been offered. During institutes, faculty are often afforded paid time for self-directed work that focuses on their program planning. In these instances, faculty evaluate technology, practice using it, and plan how to incorporate applications into their programs.<br />
<br />
===5.B.3 Availability of Policies===<br />
<br />
''Policies, regulations, and procedures for systematic development and management of information resources, in all formats, are documented, updated, and made available to the institution’s constituents.''<br />
<br />
The Web provides a venue for all policies, regulations, and procedures for all information resources and services. <br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Policies,_regulations,_and_procedures_for_the_development and_management_of_library_and_information_resources,_including_collection_development_and_weeding|Required Exhibit 2: Policies, Regulations, and Procedures for the Development and Management of Library and Information Resources]]<br />
<br />
===5.B.4 Participatory Planning===<br />
<br />
''Opportunities are provided for faculty, staff, and students to participate in the planning and development of the library and information resources and services.''<br />
<br />
Faculty, staff, and students participate in the planning and development of library information resources and services. The college community values face-to-face communication and formal procedures for consultation are minimal. All learning and information resources staff and faculty receive and welcome direct requests and suggestions. As an example, good hiring represents an important decision determining how library and information services evolve and prosper. Hiring processes are broadly consultative. Committees with representation from different work units interview and recommend for all staff positions. Students, staff, and faculty representatives join in hiring committees for any major positions, especially those of administrators and faculty. These hiring processes routinely include public presentations by the candidates, which are announced to the entire college community to allow input from staff, faculty, and students.<br />
<br />
More broadly, collaborative work with teaching faculty and other clients drives the design and planning for almost all instructional and technical support. Face-to-face planning and direct engagement with teaching faculty in a program-by-program context defines the work of library and information resources across all units (see Participatory Planning 5.E.1).<br />
<br />
===5.B.5 Networks Extend Information Resources===<br />
<br />
''Computing and communications services are used to extend the boundaries in obtaining information and data from other sources, including regional, national, and international networks.''<br />
<br />
Consortial arrangements in the Orbis Cascade regional system offer Summit, a resource-sharing system that makes it possible to satisfy almost any book and most media requests generated by the individualistic interests of students working on independent projects. The Summit system includes thirty-five academic libraries from Oregon and Washington and delivers resources within two or three days. Students also use many highly specialized materials from periodicals databases, which have expanded the number of journal subscriptions Evergreen holds eight to nine times over the self-study period. This enhancement is largely due to the Cooperative Library Project (CLP), a state-funded resource-sharing project among the four-year Washington state baccalaureates.<br />
<br />
Consortial purchases have reduced per-title costs dramatically and have strengthened areas of the curriculum not necessarily the focus of a core liberal arts collection. For example, psychology, education, and business were heavily emphasized in the most recent round of shared purchasing by CLP. Finally, ILLiad, the interlibrary loan system, brings journal articles to the students' mailboxes and e-mail accounts within a few days. There are almost no discernible limits to accessing published information for any researcher except those who need to present within twenty-four hours. Effective campus networks supported by Computing and Communication's technical support staff make this possible. College-wide steps that have made efficient resource sharing and online information possible have included implementing the Banner student records system and establishing e-mail as the official student communications medium.<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.C – Facilities and Access==<br />
<br />
''The institution provides adequate facilities for library and information resources, equipment, and personnel. These resources, including collections, are readily available for use by the institution’s students, faculty, and staff on the primary campus and where required off-campus.''<br />
<br />
===5.C.1 Availability of Information Resource Facilities===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources are readily accessible to all students and faculty. These resources and services are sufficient in quality, level, breadth, quantity, and currency to meet the requirements of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[Media: Major_Faciities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 and 2 of the [[Media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]] specifically considered networking, telecommunications, and other information technology relevant to accessibility. The campus network was lauded as "solid and reliable." The network itself is described technically in Area 1 of the report. Expansion of wireless access from 75% to the entire campus was recommended; this work is proceeding and has the budgetary support to continue into the future. Most classrooms have been networked with display capability, spreading library and information technology access to large portions of the curriculum. This changes the presumptions of the faculty and students and greatly increases the frequency with which social software, digitized presentations, and other multi-media information technology is incorporated in programs. The Edutech report also recommended establishing at least one dedicated teleconferencing space for general use, which is planned within the [[media: CNM.doc|Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)]]. According to Edutech, "student access to computers at Evergreen does not seem to be a problem."<br />
<br />
====The Information Technology Wing====<br />
<br />
=====LIR Facilities and Services Visibly Interconnect=====<br />
<br />
With the generic library as a foundation and the interdisciplinary curriculum as the context, merged collections and services build upon an alternative past. Library and information resources thus collaborate actively across academic and administrative departmental boundaries. The major remodel, implementing a newly consolidated Information Technology Wing, substantially strengthened opportunities for connecting services, facilities, and staff. One central, broad entrance now provides access to the Library, the Computer Center, Media Loan and the stairs to Electronic Media, Photo Services and Computing and Communications. See [[media: Consultant%27s_Site_Visit_Report_2004.doc | Consultant Pre-Remodel Report]] for an assessment of facility requirements produced before the project. For further detail, extensive documents describing the project are available in the documents room.<br />
<br />
=====More Teaching and Study Spaces=====<br />
<br />
The ideal of collaborative learning shaped the remodel. Shared study spaces predominate, whether open area study tables, grouped lounge furniture, pod-shaped arrangements in labs, or small group study and media viewing rooms. Wireless access allows informal group work around personal or library-owned laptops. Additional laboratory spaces provide easier scheduling for program work and more computers for individuals when classes do not use the labs. Limited quiet study areas provide an alternative for the solitary scholar; at the same time, small group work is facilitated and encouraged. Overall, the Information Technology Wing has shed barren hallways and utilitarian desks in favor of lounge areas and comfortable study spaces. Overstuffed couches and chairs, large tables, task lighting, and more room for collections all contribute to the conviviality that informs shared inquiry.<br />
<br />
=====Hospitable Spaces and Blended Access=====<br />
<br />
Art exhibitions invite patrons into lounge and study areas and help define the Library as a public space. The new basement lounge, affectionately dubbed the "Library Underground," hosts frequent campus gatherings and public readings, although flooding (a new issue since the remodel) disrupted the area several times in 2006-07. Groups from across campus meet, study, and teach in library spaces, which are open to all and where food and drink have always been allowed. The Sound and Image Library (SAIL) media collections are prominently located in the reference area, where SAIL staff work closely with the reference librarians. The newly established Assisted Technology Lab (ATL) conjoins the SAIL and has become a vital meeting place for students to work and show their art and media productions. Again, SAIL and reference staff provide service and technical support for ATL patrons. As the physical reference collection continues to shrink, reference, the SAIL, the ATL, and Circulation will continue forming a more blended and prominent shared public presence. <br />
<br />
====More General Access Lab Facilities====<br />
<br />
Rapid developments in networked information technology have blurred between general and specialized technology labs. The main computer center includes many specialized scientific software packages such as ArcGIS and Mathematica, while common graphic manipulation software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, appear in the CAL. Similarly, the Computer Center supports high-level statistics applications such as R, as well as digital music editing. The library computers provide basic Office applications and general Web access in addition to library-specific searches, but specific library computers also provide GIS, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, assistive/adaptive technology, and scanning applications, while the SAIL provides multiple stations for basic media dubbing, transfer, and editing. Switching to a single user domain and sign-on means simpler, more consistent access to networked resources across campus. The Digital Imaging and Multimedia facilities provide applications for advanced media production, but are open to all students. Some specialty labs have self-contained resources, such as large format printers or applications requiring more sophisticated hardware. However, the primary distinction among labs is the level of expertise and specialized knowledge of the staff. Students benefit when they know the specialized character of a lab means there will be more skilled assistance.<br />
<br />
===5.C.2 Cooperative Agreements===<br />
<br />
''In cases of cooperative arrangements with other library and information resources, formal documented agreements are established. These cooperative relationships and externally provided information sources complement rather than substitute for the institution’s own adequate and accessible core collection and services.''<br />
<br />
Despite greatly expanded information access through Summit and shared purchasing agreements, the Library continues strong support for the core collection within budgetary constraints created by budget cuts and inflation. Over time, Summit circulation data will provide specific reports on areas of the collection where students and faculty consistently or repeatedly demonstrate the need for more depth. Additionally, the Orbis Cascade Alliance is working on shared collection development guidelines to help design complementary collections. <br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures and Methods]].<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Formal.2C_written_agreements_with_other_libraries |Required Exhibit 11 Formal Agreements with Other Libraries]].<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.D – Personnel and Management==<br />
<br />
''Personnel are adequate in number and in areas of expertise to provide services in the development and use of library and information resources.''<br />
<br />
===5.D.1 Sufficiency of Staffing===<br />
<br />
''The institution employs a sufficient number of library and information resources staff to provide assistance to users of the library and to students at other learning resources sites.''<br />
<br />
The chart below suggests that library and information resources staffing is similar to that of comparable public institutions, falling between the averages of peer public liberal arts colleges (COPLAC) and the larger regional universities in the state (WA Regionals in the table below). Note that Evergreen (TESC) and other public college library staffing averages are significantly below the staffing for groups made up largely of private Ivies, DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives), and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning). <br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Staffing Comparisons'''<br />
<br />
| Library || Professionals/FTE || Total Staff/FTE <br />
|-<br />
| TESC || 1.93 || 7.5 <br />
|-<br />
| DEEP || 4.65 || 16.32 <br />
|- <br />
| CTCL || 4.79 || 14.71 <br />
|-<br />
| CIEL || 5.51 || 13.43 <br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC || 2.67 || 8.55 <br />
|-<br />
| WA Regionals || 1.41 || 5.62 <br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
(N.B. The staff count for Evergreen has been halved since approximately 50% of Library and Media Services staffing is devoted to Media Services production, instruction, and equipment check-out. At other institutions, these services, if they are offered at all, reside in academic departments such as media arts or education.) <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses staffing in Area 3. The report shows staffing to be average when compared to similar institutions in terms of size, mission, and culture. <br />
<br />
Because library use at Evergreen compares favorably to more heavily staffed private liberal arts colleges and because all areas sustain a substantial instructional role, there are areas of strain. The rapid expansion of technology-driven services and collections also creates stresses, despite reallocation of staff as media and technologies shift. Following are the primary areas of concern:<br />
<br />
* Support for rapidly expanded classroom technology, an additional demand on top of general institutional growth<br />
* Staffing for greater focus on curriculum planning and engagement with faculty in Academic Computing <br />
* Staffing to support expanding electronic library resource collections (ordering, contracts, management, evaluation, etc.)<br />
* Weakened presence of faculty librarians due to the loss of one line in budget cuts during the self-study period<br />
<br />
===5.D.2 Staff Qualifications===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources staff include qualified professional and technical support staff, with required specific competencies, whose responsibilities are clearly defined.''<br />
<br />
The balance of librarians to other library staff is weighted toward non-professionals when compared to other liberal arts college libraries. Further, as librarians rotate into the full-time curriculum, they temporarily leave behind reference work, management, administration, and collection development. Any sustained work, such as Web-page development, is interrupted by these regular absences. Further, full-time teaching faculty rotate into the Library as neophytes who need training and who present widely disparate skills, abilities, and ambitions. Beyond the system of rotation, with its concomitant duties, librarians are contractually obligated to participate in college governance and curriculum planning, not to mention their own scholarly projects and sabbaticals. Librarians have nine-month contracts and several are absent during the summer sessions when the Library is minimally staffed. These organizational facts mean that Evergreen has no managerial class of librarians. Instead, the team of faculty librarians share management with staff. Paraprofessionals head almost all departments, including Circulation, Government Publications, Periodicals, Technical Services, and Acquisitions. Their year-round presence and regular workdays provide consistency for development of services, maintenance of collections, public service, and supervision of classified staff and student workers. In this collaborative environment, staff often lead the way in adopting new services. The tremendous commitment by the staff grounds the Library and makes it an ideal teaching environment. <br />
<br />
Most library faculty carry both subject and library master's credentials in order to support their teaching as well as their role as professional librarians (see [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Vitae_of_professional_library_staff | CVs of professional library staff]]). <br />
<br />
As is the case with librarians, many media staff and instructors carry additional graduate training. Graduate degrees noted by staff other than librarians include three MPAs, two MFAs, an MA in art history, an MEd and EdS, an MSE (technical engineering), an MS in chemistry, and an MS in computer information systems. The library faculty, whose roles require substantial attention to teaching and governance outside the Library, must depend upon library staff as managers of major services and functions within the Library. Highly experienced staff with significant levels of responsibility keep the Library not just open, but anticipating and embracing change and new opportunities for service (see 5.B.2 Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing for a discussion of media instructors as artists and teaching faculty).<br />
<br />
In the realm of technical support, the Edutech report recommended assigning "staff responsibilities more specifically." More specific responsibilities and positions have been implemented in Technical Support Services. In the smaller units that provide distributed service and instruction such as the CAL, Academic Computing, and Media Services, this stricter delineation of support functions is not as clearly appropriate. Instead, it is often valuable for staff to be well versed on all or most aspects of the instruction or service required and in direct communication with the student, staff, or faculty who needs help. For example, the liaison system in Academic Computing assumes that in most cases a faculty member will receive all aspects of support from one liaison, or that the liaison will coordinate the support and instruction required.<br />
<br />
All staff and faculty have engaged new skills as the information technology evolves. Multiple reclassifications have assured that staff job descriptions and pay scales match new expectations for technological expertise. Staff have also shifted the location of their work partially or entirely as budget cuts and new programs such as Summit and ILLiad have relocated the areas of greatest stress. Increased emphasis on technology in many positions has led to reclassifications and increases in salaries for some staff, resulting in compression of salaries for some managers. A campus-wide study of exempt salaries is expected to address this issue.<br />
<br />
===5.D.3 Professional Growth===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides opportunities for professional growth for library and information resources professional staff.''<br />
<br />
The library faculty are fully funded for professional activities through the central faculty professional development funds and policies, as well as through faculty institutes. <br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultyfundingopportunities.pdf|Faculty Development at Evergreen]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionalleave_policy.pdf|Professional Leave (Faculty Handbook 6.100)]] <br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionaltravel_policy.pdf|Professional Travel (Faculty Handbook 6.200)]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development (Faculty Handbook 6.300)]]<br />
<br />
The remaining library and media services staff may request up to $500 annually from a pool of $2,500. Additional funding has been requested to bring the maximum benefit up to $750 in order to be consistent with the rest of academics, but this funding has not been granted thus far. Non-state funds from the Friends of the Library have been allocated for retreats and other staff meetings in order to compensate for some of this differential access to professional development funds. <br />
<br />
Computing and Communications allocates more than $40,000 per year to support attendance of technical staff at technical conferences and trainings. This allows staff to expand their skills with current technology, increase their knowledge of new and advancing technology, and connect with peers from other institutions and experts in specific technologies. These training opportunities are critical to the team’s ability to support teaching and learning and to provide management of the college’s administrative systems (see [[Media:CC Training spreadsheet.xls | CC Training Spreadsheet]]).<br />
<br />
===5.D.4 Organizational Structure===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services are organized to support the accomplishment of institutional mission and goals. Organizational arrangements recognize the need for service linkage among complementary resource bases (e.g., libraries, computing facilities, instructional media and telecommunication centers).''<br />
<br />
The fundamental organizing principle of library and information resources at Evergreen is that an interdisciplinary curriculum demands integrated services. Beyond that, the founding vision aspired to provide all media, in any location. Contemporary networked technology and the expectations of students now create a climate in which barriers between different information can and must be dissolved. For all these reasons, blended resources, facilities, and services predominate throughout Standard 5.<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Founding_Vision_of_the_Library:_Any_Medium.2C_Any_Location|The Founding Vision: Any Medium, Any Location]].<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Information_Technology_Wing|The Information Technology Wing]].<br />
<br />
====Shared Technology Creates the Need for More Shared Work====<br />
<br />
Media applications, which were once physically limited to Media Services, are now located, maintained, taught, and used throughout the facilities administered by Academic Computing and, to a degree, the Library. Similarly, library resources, which were once physically limited to the Library building, are now found anywhere within reach of the Web. Public computers, once found only in the Computer Center, are everywhere, as are privately-owned laptops. These shifts have accelerated during the past ten years and have changed the instructional roles of the areas and their relationship to the curriculum. Undoubtedly, library and information resources will continue to distribute their budgets, facilities, and staff to continue expanding access to information technology in academic programs and for individual students.<br />
<br />
As technologies have changed, so have the relationships among the Library, Media Services, and Computing, which now share in the communal project of interconnecting, teaching, and supporting our information and technological resources. At this juncture, there seems little point in redesigning the administrative structures that oversee these areas because new relationships and responsibilities have evolved organically, based on need, demand, and interest, and will continue to do so. In order to ensure that these effective working relationships continue to develop, reinforcing connections such as joint staffing, deliberately planning together, and continuing involvement across the areas when hiring for new staff and particularly administrators must be emphasized. <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]] suggested that the existing distributed structures were valuable, but recommended greatly enhancing the role and formal responsibilities of the ITCH to assure better planning in consonance with the mission of the college. See 5.E for fuller discussion of this recommendation. Edutech did not capture the centrality of the teaching role in major portions of the information resources environment at Evergreen. It is teaching and its development that assures the most important connections between the academic mission of the college, the educational program, and IT services of all kinds. While the Library and Media Services collaborate as a matter of course with Academic Computing, the real challenge remains: How to more thoroughly engage the teaching faculty across the curriculum in defining the role of information technology in the academic careers of our students.<br />
<br />
===5.D.5 Engagement in Curriculum Development===<br />
<br />
''The institution consults library and information resources staff in curriculum development.''<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures & Methods 5.B.1]]<br />
<br />
===5.D.6 Library and Information Resources Budgets===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides sufficient financial support for library and information resources and services, and for their maintenance and security.''<br />
<br />
Similar to staffing levels noted above, the Library is well funded compared to other regional public baccalaureates in the state (WA State Public in the table below) and peer public liberal arts libraries nationally (COPLAC in the table below). This comparatively rich funding reflects a historical recognition of the demands of open inquiry and independent research and the centrality of library research in a liberal arts education. Both funding and use rates closely match those of the private liberal arts libraries which predominate the DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives) and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning) peer groups. Thus, the general funding level for the Evergreen Library compares closely to that of institutions with similar missions, services, and roles within their institutions. For further discussion of the role of libraries in liberal arts colleges, see [[Standard_5#Comparing_Use_Statistics_With_Other_Libraries | Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries (5.E)]]. On the other hand, the library budget reported below includes Media Services (approximately 50% of library staffing falls into this category). Most libraries do not include any of the functions provided by Media Services at Evergreen. Instead, these functions, including media instruction, media-production facilities, media production to support college activities, and portable media production equipment check-out, if offered at all, would be part of an academic department such as education or media arts. If Media Services costs and services were not considered, then budgets are close to those of other public institutions, while use statistics are comparable to private liberal arts institutions. <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! FTE<br />
! Circulation+ILL/FTE<br />
! Expenditures/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| '''Evergreen'''<br />
| '''4153'''<br />
| '''31'''<br />
| '''$782'''<br />
|-<br />
| DEEP Colleges<br />
| 2046<br />
| 18<br />
| $829<br />
|-<br />
| CTCL<br />
| 1506<br />
| 23<br />
| $859<br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC<br />
| 3742<br />
| 16<br />
| $464<br />
|-<br />
| CIEL<br />
| 7042<br />
| 25<br />
| $794<br />
|-<br />
| WA State Public<br />
| 11,415<br />
| 15<br />
| $373<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
As budget cuts have reduced both staffing and collections, diversified revenue sources have become a high priority for library administration. Generous biennial infusions from the central academic budget have withered since earlier study periods. Indirect funds from activity grants to the faculty, major gifts from donors, book sales, and fines for lost or destroyed books have all increased to make up important non-state sources for collection development. The development of facilities and programming have been supported through major donors, with the library dean and the campus fundraisers focusing significant attention on these efforts.<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses budgets in Area 4 and compares Evergreen to similar schools on the basis of physical environment, enrollment numbers, education goals and aspirations, residential nature, tuition, and governance structure. The review determined that Evergreen devotes considerable resources to IT and is consistent with its peers. In 2005, Evergreen’s expenditure on IT—expressed as a percentage of total institutional expenditures—was 6.7%. This percentage aligns with the 6.7% reported by Computing in a 2006 survey of public four-year colleges. The average for all institutions was 6.5%. Generally, IT is funded comparably to institutions with similar missions and culture. The report recommended that budget processes should be addressed that take into account the heavy demands upon replacement, operation, and maintenance as IT becomes ubiquitous in the classroom, as well as in labs.<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Comprehensive_budget.28s.29_for_library_and_information_resources |Comprehensive Budget (Required Exhibit 9)]]<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.E – Planning and Evaluation==<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources planning activities support teaching and learning functions by facilitating the research and scholarship of students and faculty. Related evaluation processes regularly assess the quality, accessibility, and use of libraries and other information resource repositories and their services to determine the level of effectiveness in support of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
====Evaluating Information Services and Collections====<br />
<br />
Assessments of Evergreen's library and information resources confirm support for the academic mission of the college as a public liberal arts college that expects a substantial number of students to engage in self-selected independent inquiry. Utilization patterns among Evergreen students correlate closely to the intensive use found among liberal arts colleges as opposed to lower use rates found among more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
=====Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries=====<br />
<br />
In 2002, Washington's four-year public baccalaureate institutions implemented the Cascade resource-sharing consortium. This start-up provided an amazing new service and an opportunity to assess how rapidly a major new service might be implemented. Evergreen patrons borrowed 9,723 items during the first year, more than any other library, even though Evergreen was by far the smallest institution in the consortium at that time. Although ten times bigger than Evergreen, the University of Washington borrowed just under 7,000 items during the first year. The quick acceptance of Cascade testified to the efficient connection between the Library, library instruction, and the teaching faculty and curriculum at large. <br />
<br />
Cascade became Orbis Cascade as the Washington and Oregon academic consortia merged. The new resource-sharing service, entitled Summit, provides ongoing comparative statistics. To continue comparison with the original members of Cascade, in 2006, Evergreen borrowed 4.52 items per FTE; almost four times the next heaviest user at 1.15 items borrowed per student. Although one might assume that small collection size drives this higher demand, the fact is that the Evergreen collection circulates at a high rate per student as well, according to federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data. <br />
<br />
IPEDS data for 2006 also provide the opportunity to compare use statistics of liberal arts colleges with Evergreen and with small master's-level universities (Carnegie Class Master's I), where strong distinctions appear again. When both circulation and interlibrary loan are counted, Evergreen circulates 31 items per FTE, liberal arts colleges nationally average 24 items per FTE, and the Master's I institutions circulate 8.34 per FTE. <br />
<br />
The same dramatic distinction between liberal arts colleges and comprehensive institutions appears in the Summit consortium, which covers a full array of colleges and universities in Oregon and Washington. The following table lists the heaviest users from the member libraries, based upon their rates of use per FTE in 2006. Evergreen places high on the list, among the most highly ranked liberal arts colleges, which placed well above usage rates at more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! Number of Items Borrowed<br />
! FTE<br />
! Items/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| Reed College<br />
| 20,480<br />
| 1,268<br />
| 16.15<br />
|-<br />
| George Fox University<br />
| 14,427<br />
| 2,392<br />
| 6.03<br />
|-<br />
| Marylhurst University<br />
| 4,548<br />
| 852<br />
| 5.34<br />
|-<br />
| Lewis & Clark College<br />
| 14,386<br />
| 2,953<br />
| 4.87<br />
|-<br />
| '''The Evergreen State College'''<br />
| '''16,118'''<br />
| ''' 4,200'''<br />
| '''3.84'''<br />
|-<br />
| Whitman College<br />
| 6,672<br />
| 1,803<br />
| 3.70<br />
|-<br />
| Willamette University<br />
| 9,164<br />
| 2,511<br />
| 3.65<br />
|-<br />
| University of Puget Sound<br />
| 7,570<br />
| 2,742<br />
| 2.76<br />
|-<br />
| Seattle Pacific University<br />
| 8,589<br />
| 3,466<br />
| 2.48<br />
|-<br />
| Linfield<br />
| 5,354<br />
| 2,331<br />
| 2.30<br />
|-<br />
| Western Oregon University<br />
| 8,623<br />
| 3,992<br />
| 2.16<br />
|-<br />
| University of Portland<br />
| 6,764<br />
| 3,211<br />
| 2.11<br />
|-<br />
| University of Oregon<br />
| 38,796<br />
| 18,880<br />
| 2.05<br />
|-<br />
| Eastern Oregon University<br />
| 4,620<br />
| 2,306<br />
| 2.00<br />
|-<br />
| Pacific University<br />
| 4,232<br />
| 2,341<br />
| 1.81<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(Source: [[Media: summit_statistics.xls|Summit Borrowing Statistics FY06]])<br />
<br />
Thus it is clear that, as of 2006, Evergreen library utilization mirrors the practices of liberal arts colleges. High-use rates also seem to reflect an academic emphasis on major student projects. For instance, at Reed College, which requires a senior thesis, the college library circulates or borrows 120 items per student. On the other hand, looking ahead, ''academic library use patterns are in a period of dramatic change.'' In 2007, the University of Washington implemented WorldCat Local, which provides immediate click-though prompts, leading the user from local catalog to Summit to some journal databases, periodical holdings, and interlibrary loan if appropriate. Summit use at the University of Washington doubled since implementation and interlibrary loan has also increased steeply. A large increase in borrowing at the University of Washington drives lending rates throughout the Summit system, but even more important, it suggests that discovery tools will dramatically increase usage without change in the library instructional program or academic practices. The Orbis Cascade consortium will soon be implementing WorldCat as the shared Summit catalog and many libraries in the consortium will undoubtedly implement WorldCat Local as their local library catalog as well.<br />
<br />
=====Library and Computer Center Use & Satisfaction Rates=====<br />
<br />
The data above demonstrate that library and information resources are comparatively well utilized. While high rates of use suggest something about effectiveness, surveys of popularity (frequency of use and satisfaction with use) provide further affirmation. Institutional Research routinely surveys alumni and students about campus resources. A summary of campus resource utilization (See [[Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]) shows that during the six-year period, the Library and the computing facilities have been the top two most used campus facilities, trading off for first place. Alumni who were somewhat or very satisfied with the services have reported in at between 87% and 92% during the period surveyed. <br />
<br />
Starting in 2006, the [[media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Campus_Resources_Utilization_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)]] included questions about using library resources online and found that 85.2% of respondents use online library resources. Internal records also suggest phenomenal growth in online use of library resources. In 2000, when the Library subscribed to three aggregate journal databases (Proquest, Ebscohost and JSTOR), users conducted 80,000 searches. In 2007, among approximately 30 subscription databases, there were well over 250,000 searches. Careful review of variations of use from year to year reveals the direct impact a fluid curriculum has on database use. For example, Modern Language Association International Bibliography statistics are quite erratic; one major project in a large academic program explains a fivefold increase of use in one year. As JSTOR has developed into a more deeply and broadly multi-interdisciplinary tool, use statistics show a shift away from heavy dependence on the less scholarly aggregates. Extensive lobbying by faculty and librarians encourages this shift toward use of scholarly resources such as JSTOR. Use statistics for periodicals and databases drive selection and instruction planning. When use statistics are low for a database seen by the library faculty as critical to a discipline or of particularly high academic value, then library faculty focus instruction on that database whenever appropriate.<br />
<br />
=====Media Services User Surveys=====<br />
<br />
Institutional Research and Assessment added Media Services to its alumni survey of campus resource utilization starting in 2004. Since then, Media Services has been listed as the fifth most utilized resource. Alumni reported being somewhat or very satisfied at a rate of 89% and 90% in the two survey years (see [[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]).<br />
<br />
The 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)asked students about their use of Media Services, which showed 48% use of Media Loan (see [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Campus_Resource_Utilization_Olympia.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Campus Resource Utilization - Olympia]]). A survey designed and implemented by staff member Lin Crowley supplemented this data. Crowley’s respondents reported an average satisfaction level for each service ranging from 3.07 to 3.62 (out of 4), which indicated that those who used current services were generally fairly satisfied with each of the services they use.<br />
<br />
Although respondents to Crowley’s survey were predominantly active Media Services users, many respondents were uninformed about some services. Respondents supported investment in new digital technologies, but most were unaware of new or planned digital facilities. One clear conclusion of the survey is that visibility and access could be better for some services. Suggested improvements often focused on access, whether longer hours, more workshops, or more facilities. The survey project director recommended that future follow-up surveys be conducted to compare whether the reasons people use each service change and to evaluate the satisfaction levels for each type of services by patron types. See [[Media : TESC_Media_Services_Assessment_Project.doc | Evergreen Media Services Assessment Project]]<br />
<br />
====Evaluation of Teaching and Instructional Programs: Information Technology Literacy====<br />
<br />
The strong focus on teaching throughout library and information resources suggests the following questions: 1) In a college without requirements, does information technology instruction reach enough students to assure that the vast majority of graduates develop skills in support of their inquiries? 2) Which students are taught? Do students receive information technology instruction in an array of disciplinary and developmentally varied situations or is it happening only in pockets of the curriculum? 3) Is it working? Are students acquiring cross-curricular information technology, including media literacy?<br />
<br />
=====How many students are taught?=====<br />
<br />
About 3,000 students attend program-based library instruction workshops annually. These statistics exclude most cases of repeated contacts with the same student and thus represent very broad coverage of the student body. <br />
<br />
From 2000 to 2007, Media Services offered a total of more than 1,500 workshops to approximately 156 academic programs. This number does not include the thousands of quick proficiencies also provided by the area. The number of formal media workshops given and students reached in 2005 and 2006 were each more than double the numbers provided in 2000. Workshops have increased along with new technologies, especially in Media Loan and in the new Multimedia and Digital Imaging Studio (DIS) labs.<br />
<br />
Most instruction provided by Academic Computing and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) serves specific academic programs. These sessions are represented in the following table:<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Computer Lab Workshops for Academic Programs''' (cells represent academic programs/number of students)<br />
<br />
| Year || 2004-05 || 2005-06 || 2006-07<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Center || 221/4,423 || 171/3,418 || 253/4,880<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Applications Lab || 50/1,368 || 50/1,248 || 52/1,344<br />
|-<br />
| Totals || 271/5,791 || 191/4,666 || 305/6,224<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Up until 2007, Academic Computing offered 30 to 40 general computer skills workshops per year in the Computer Center, attended by approximately 350 students. Professional staff focused these workshops on general technical skill building, independent of academic programs. Over time, fewer students were attending these workshops, presumably because more students come to college with strong technical skills and with specialized self-determined needs for support. In response to waning attendance, Academic Computing redesigned the workshops as student-centered support sessions to which students bring their questions or projects. This student-centered structure should more effectively meet the specific demands of students. Computing will evaluate the success of this reinvented structure. All areas of library, media, and computing find the strongest teaching and the greatest demand for instruction occurs in conjunction with programs.<br />
<br />
=====Which Students?=====<br />
<br />
The number of teaching contacts shows that library and information resources staff reach a large number of academic programs, but does not indicate which programs. End-of-program surveys conducted from 2001 to 2006 by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment asked faculty, “Did your students use technology to present work, conduct research (including library research), or solve problems? If yes, How?” Not surprisingly, faculty answered that library/Internet research skills were the most commonly used at 50%, followed by some form of presentation technology. Ninety percent of programs reported some substantial use of information technology. (See[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]])<br />
<br />
In 2006-07, questions were revised to more accurately identify programs where there was intentional focus on teaching ITL: "Did your program include activities to improve information technology literacy?" With this more restrictive language, 70% of programs reported including ITL. (See[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]) <br />
<br />
Further, in 2006-07, a follow-up question asked specifically which kind of technology was taught. Significantly different technologies predominate in different parts of the curriculum. No standard set of applications comes into play, although as of 2006-07, presentation technologies (at 42% of all programs) have increased by 70% over their use in the 2001 to 2006 reports and now begin to approach library and Internet research in their prevalence at 50%. Online communication applications were reported by 32% of programs, an increase of 19% over the 2001-2006 data. <br />
<br />
Reservation-based programs reported library and Internet research at the highest rate, at 100% of programs, although this work was weakly connected to library instruction and therefore it is unclear whether academic library-supplied resources were used. At the other end of the spectrum, Culture, Text, and Language was lowest with 21% reporting library or Internet searching. The remainder of planning units ranged between 43% and 50% library/Internet use, with Core programs at the low end with 43%.<br />
<br />
The substantial move toward presentation media and online communication in programs drives increases in multimedia applications. Presentation technology and online communication applications encourage the use of still and moving images, sound clips, graphs, and charts. These media are mixed with traditional print communication written by students or linked from Web resources. While these media and print applications involve basic, commonly used applications of information technology, they easily migrate toward more advanced media production. The increasing presence of multimedia information technology in Evergreen's learning communities drives further demand upon Media Services and Academic Computing, along with increased overlap of their teaching and service roles.<br />
<br />
Since its inception in the context of Holly’s generic library, Media Services has followed its mission to support media literacy and instruction across the curriculum. During the last ten years, Media Services have changed dramatically as the personal computer has become the platform for entry-level media production and consumption. One measure of this change has materialized in how media staff have served programs through formal workshops since fall 2000. The scheduling data shows that almost 90% of formal program-based workshops serve Expressive Arts faculty. While this scheduling data does not cover equipment proficiency workshops or one-on-one instruction, both used more broadly across the curriculum, it is nevertheless clear that formal instruction by media staff focuses heavily on Expressive Arts programs, with an emphasis on advanced production applications, the exclusive provenance of expressive arts faculty. Media Services provides this advanced instruction in specialized labs, which were enhanced and expanded during the remodel. One effect of this specialization is that entry-level students have migrated to Academic Computing, where the staff works in collaboration with media staff to provide instruction on entry-level media-production applications. In fact, during fall and winter 2006-07, 68% of the faculty who requested workshops in Computer Center were from planning units other than Expressive Arts, and many of these workshops included media instruction (Photoshop, iMovie, Flash, etc.). <br />
<br />
Just as in the Computer Center, the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) shows a trend toward more broadly used applications. Although the CAL has traditionally focused on the science curriculum in the Environmental Studies and Scientific Inquiry planning units, these users have begun to share their space with those who have less specialized demands. Roughly 60% to 70% of the classes in the CAL now work with statistical or numeric analysis, primarily Excel, but also with Graphical Analysis, R, and SPSS. Ninety percent of CAL users prepare presentations, most often with Powerpoint, Word, Illustrator and Excel. Approximately 60% of the programs meeting in the CAL still use analytical tools, including (in order of usage) ArcGIS, Mathematica, and Stella, which were once the focal point of all CAL applications. Science faculty have shifted their emphasis to on-site analysis, using advanced applications in specialized scientific labs in ways that parallel the shift in Media Services toward advanced applications. Meanwhile, the CAL and the Computer Center serve increasing numbers of students who seek instruction or support for the increasingly powerful personal computing applications in media production, statistical analysis, and presentation media.<br />
<br />
=====Does Library Instruction Result in ITL Gains?=====<br />
<br />
The Library, consistent with college-wide practices, rejects requirements and embraces students who engage in open inquiry and independent judgment. In this context, the Library supports a fluid curriculum and responds to changes that drive the needs and expectations of an innovative teaching faculty. Standard or standardized assessment methods do not apply because the Library shapes teaching according to individual students, a fluid curriculum, and highly diverse pedagogy. Instead, the Library commits to the intensive and never-ending task of recreating learning goals, student-by-student, program-by-program. Context is everything, which obviates the role of abstract standardized measures.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the Library does engage in qualitative assessment, the descriptive characterization of ITL teaching and learning. As is the case throughout the faculty (see Standard 2.B.3, Engagement and Reflection), library faculty write annual evaluations of themselves and their library and teaching colleagues. They also engage in five-year reviews in which a panel of teaching colleagues discusses their work. These evaluations consistently address instructional aspirations, successes, and failures. See [[Media: Reflections_on_library_instruction.doc | Reflections on Library Instruction]]. <br />
<br />
Further, under the leadership of the Office of Institutional Research, the librarians designed a project that assessed students as they worked through real research inquiries. The study, [[media: ActivityInfomationLiteracy.pdf |"The Activity of Information Literacy"]], documented the techniques and processes and even the thinking of several small samples of students as they collaborated intensively on research questions. The study showed that these particular students were stronger in their grasp of content than they were in their command of library research tools for their specific inquiries. In other words, a question about history might not lead them to historical abstracts. They were also strong in their ability to develop their research questions and to evaluate and synthesize the results. What these results suggest is that “Faculty may want to assess their students’ abilities to obtain information and offer tutorials or refer students to the Library when deficiencies are detected.”<br />
<br />
Beyond the immediate results, this qualitative assessment also suggested that the students benefited greatly when they collaborated. Certainly, this observation is corroborated by the gains that students make when they work together in skill building instead of in canned computer workshops outside of programs. Additionally, peer groups are widely used across the curriculum as a way to encourage students to develop research topics and individual projects. Given the results of the qualitative assessment and given the widely practiced use of peer groups, library faculty should seek ways to implement collaborative research activities when they link their instruction to programs. This model of cooperation would build on the more isolated collaborations that take place, as a matter of course, between librarians and students at the reference desk. An enlarged vision of this basic transaction—discussion, exploration, and brainstorming—will enhance the relevance and effectiveness of library teaching and workshops.<br />
<br />
=====Student Assessment of Their ITL Learning=====<br />
<br />
The Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES) asks questions that elucidate what the students themselves think they learned at Evergreen. In 2006, the ESES asked, "To what extent have your Evergreen experiences contributed to your growth in ... the following computer-related fields...?" Responses generally matched fairly well with the perspectives found in the end-of-program surveys. For the category "Studying or Doing Research via the Internet or other online sources:<br />
<br />
* 30.5% of Olympia-campus students reported at least some contribution. <br />
* 47.5% reported quite a bit or a lot, for a total of 77.5%. <br />
* More than 84% of Tacoma students reported at least some, of which 50% reported quite a bit. <br />
* More than 93% of reservation-based students reported at least some contribution; 86.2% reporting quite a bit or a lot.<br />
<br />
Considering how many students express self-confidence in their research skills, and as the Internet provides so many increasingly powerful tools for personal research, it is heartening to see that a good majority of students feel they developed their research skills as part of their education at Evergreen. <br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES also asked about "Using the computer for artistic expression (e.g., music, other audio, still images, animation, video, etc.)":<br />
<br />
* More than 42% reported that Evergreen contributed "Some," "Quite a Bit," or "A Lot"<br />
* Fully 36.8% said "Not at All"<br />
* 20.9% said "Very Little"<br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES surveyed use of non-artistic computer tools, asking about specific types of applications such as spreadsheets, GIS, Web development, posters, or programming. In general, as was found in end-of-program reviews, no single type of computer application dominated. No application type was used by more than 50% of students; instead, different types of applications were used by smaller subsets of the students surveyed.<br />
<br />
===5.E.1 Participatory Planning===<br />
<br />
''The institution has a planning process that involves users, library and information resource staff, faculty, and administrators.''<br />
<br />
====Overall Planning for Collections & Services====<br />
<br />
The fluidity of interdisciplinary and individual study defines library services. The dean of Library Services strengthens the ties between academics and the Library and Media Services through weekly meetings with the provost, associate vice president for academic budget and planning, and academic dean of budget, as well as weekly academic deans meetings. Once a month, the director of computing and communications and the manager of Academic Computing also join the academic deans' meeting.<br />
<br />
The interconnection of the instructional role with the planning and support functions drives the efficacy of all the services in these areas. In the [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]], Area 5 discussed planning and governance in the Evergreen information environment. The review was somewhat critical of the lack of coordination in support, planning, and governance of IT across the campus and advocated for a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH), an organization which links library, media, and computing managers and instructors. However, the report did not emphasize how the teaching function and role in Academic Computing, the CAL, and Media Services creates strong collaboration in all service and instruction design. <br />
<br />
Further, placing library and information resources within the larger ethos of the college, any major policy discussions or long-term planning processes invoke the participatory college-wide Disappearing Task Force (DTF) structure. Budgetary processes are generally collaborative and include opportunities for review and input from the campus community (see Participatory Decision-Making Culture [Standard 1 Section 2.3] and Standard 6). The college budget process and schedule drives most mid-term library planning. (See Standard 7 Section 7.A.3).<br />
<br />
Additional opportunities for community contributions to planning include faculty who rotate into the Library and who focus on collection development and other planning projects. An annual Reference Services Group retreat establishes the year's work before classes start in the fall. Faculty development reviews, also known as five-year reviews, and faculty institutes provide opportunities for conversations across campus about a range of teaching, learning, and service questions as they impact information services. The library internship program provided a reading seminar for several years within which library faculty, staff, and interns could discuss changing information technology and its cultural meaning. Finally, the librarians often engage in faculty reading seminars, frequently focused on library issues, where shared thinking about the future of libraries evolves.<br />
<br />
====Loose Structures and Responsiveness to Rapid Change in the Information Environment====<br />
<br />
Among the organizations included in library and information resources, the Library is the largest and most embedded in tradition and thus may be the most invested in preexisting professional structures and assumptions. Additionally, a comparative lack of top-down managerial structures could lead to a tendency to stagnate in some environments. How well does the Library balance the competing demands of conservation, teaching, and technological adaptation and innovation? The success of the Library’s flat organization can be measured by the impressive way in which the Library group has responded to institutional and profession-wide changes and challenges. See the [[Media: Achievements.doc |Achievements]] document for a description of major changes in services, faculties, and collections implemented during the study period. Most of the changes are responses to opportunities provided by technological developments and external engagement in consortia. The consortia relieve any single library from much of the burden of research and develop into new technologies, an overwhelming burden for a comparatively small library such as Evergreen's. Additionally, Evergreen's library administration and staff have worked actively in leadership roles in the Orbis Cascade consortium to assure that the consortium supports efficient, cost-effective movement into the world of networked and shared resources.<br />
<br />
===5.E.2 Planning Linkages===<br />
<br />
''The institution, in its planning, recognizes the need for management and technical linkages among information resource bases (e.g., libraries, instructional computing, media production and distribution centers, and telecommunications networks).''<br />
<br />
====Planning Across LIR====<br />
<br />
With networked information technology and almost universal access to digitized academic information resources, coordination of planning across library and information resources has become increasingly critical. The information technology staff and librarians from across the administrative units found that while administrative restructuring did not appear to provide a more effective connection among services, it was nevertheless wise to imagine a new structure to foster collaboration. A cross-areas collaborative group entitled the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH) was created, which provides the most formal mechanism for collaboration around technology across the various parts of the college. <br />
<br />
Evergreen supports three ITCH groups: Academic, Administrative, and Core. The Academic ITCH meets at least once a month and includes professional staff from each of the primary technology labs, faculty, and interested students. The Academic ITCH coordinates general academic IT initiatives, helps develop general academic computing policy, and guides strategic planning. Professional staff members in each of the primary technology areas have developed strong connections to discipline-specific slices of the curriculum, faculty, and academic administration. As the ITCH develops, the members will explore ways to communicate and plan in cross-disciplinary and cross-divisional programs. The ITCH provides one of the necessary cross-curricular and cross-divisional contexts for developing information technology across administratively distinct areas. The Administrative ITCH plans for administrative IT support and the Core ITCH acts as the coordinating body for all areas of IT represented in the ITCH.<br />
<br />
The ITCH created a strategic plan in conjunction with the campus-wide strategic planning process in 2007. Strategic Direction number 7 addresses technology. The statement is notable for the breadth of its concerns, with aspirations addressing media, library, and computing technology: <br />
<br />
: Use technology to enhance teaching and learning and administrative support at Evergreen.<br />
Evergreen will intentionally foster secure, sustainable, flexible, easy-to-use, and accessible information technologies (IT) that support and enhance our teaching and learning philosophies and the administrative needs of the institution. Evergreen’s continuing commitment to technology and media literacies as critical components of a liberal arts education has led us to re-envision our Television Studio into a Center for New Media [now entitled the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)] that will provide cross-curricular and extra-curricular support for computer mediated production, performance, interactivity, teleconferencing, live broadcasts, digital image storage, processing, re-broadcasting, and format conversion for all areas of the college. Accuracy and quality of information will improve and strong support will make technology and a broad range of information services available to on- and off-campus users. Security requirements of networks, software, hardware and data will be met while ensuring appropriate user access, including control of access to confidential information and the need for academic exploration. Classroom spaces will be technologically current and functional for meeting curricular needs (see the complete [[Media: itchstrategicplan_wiki.pdf|IT Strategic Plan wiki]] for more detail).<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] recommended a stronger, more formal role and status for the ITCH, which has not found support from higher-level administrators who have budgetary responsibility over the divisions of the college. This means the ITCH continues to serve as a bottom-up structure of collaboration based on the experience of direct collaboration with and support for students, staff, and faculty users.<br />
<br />
====Continue Blending More Functions within Library and Information Resources====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support a surprisingly diverse infrastructure of technologies and media in the curriculum. For greatest efficiency, library and information resources should consider even more coordination across boundaries to provide technology support. Students should be able to move seamlessly between different areas, such as the CAL, the Multimedia Lab (MML), and the Computer Center. Certainly, the pathways between areas could be more clearly articulated by identifying and developing more common services, including printing, building and maintaining image sets, server file space, and common software. By taking better advantage of the network infrastructure, students will experience less confusion and IT staff who directly support the curriculum could dedicate more energy toward coordinating, developing, and designing IT strategies with academic programs instead of maintaining redundant infrastructures.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources could develop a shared perspective about their public presence. One possibility for representing blended facilities and services would be a central help desk for the Information Technology Wing. The shared entrance to the wing has become a prominent architectural feature and an opportunity to reshape the community’s understanding of what the areas collectively represent. A central help desk could provide basic information about facilities, services, and staff, and it would help facilitate how efficiently patrons move between the various floors of the wing. Continued attention to the best use of the Library Underground and how to assure its connection to other floors should be part of this process; a large, flexible teaching and gathering space is developing there and appropriate equipment will be needed to support that vision. Concurrently, assuring safety for the adjacent Archives and Rare Books Collections is critical.<br />
<br />
Construction of the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM) will begin soon. This project has distinct relevance to the changing roles of Media Services, the Library, and Academic Computing within the evolving digital liberal arts. The CCAM will comprise a collection of media production studios and equipment to complement existing Media Services and Academic Computing media resources and provide the primary bridge between the campus media infrastructure and networked digital resources. For a discussion of the CCAM and related curricular projects, see [[media: CNM.doc | Center for Creative and Applied Media]].<br />
<br />
===5.E.3 Evaluation and the Future===<br />
<br />
''The institution regularly and systematically evaluates the quality, adequacy, and utilization of its library and information resources and services, including those provided through cooperative arrangements, and at all locations where courses, programs, or degrees are offered. The institution uses the results of the evaluations to improve the effectiveness of these resources.''<br />
<br />
As part of an institution constantly engaged in processes of narrative evaluation and other forms of assessment, library and information resources engage in and are the subject of extensive assessment both within library and information resources and externally through Institutional Research and Assessment surveys and studies. In addition to formal annual processes such as budget building and annual library faculty retreats, the results of these assessments feed into the development of ongoing teaching and services through constant face-to-face interactions among faculty, administrators, staff, and students, which inform all operations. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, as cited throughout this report, provides annual surveys about library and information resources, several of which are broken down by campus.<br />
<br />
See:<br />
<br />
[[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Utilization]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf | End-of program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Workshop_-_Information_Technology_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf | End-of-program Review Workshop - Information Technology Across the Curriculum]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Transfer_Students.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_and_Technology-related_Resources.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Information Technology Literacy and Technology-related Resources]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Growth_in_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Growth in Computer Skills - Olympia Campus]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | <br />
Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]<br />
<br />
====Collections and Access====<br />
<br />
The Web presence of the Library will, of course, continue to evolve. The Library continues work on a new library front page and database search pages. It is likely that the new library front page will become the responsibility of the college-wide Web team, freeing library staff from this unfunded work. A new federated search is being implemented. Meanwhile, the Orbis Cascade consortium is migrating to WorldCat, which the Library will consider for local use as well. A local catalog designed on the principle of Web discovery tools can be expected to generate significant changes in library use. In this context, changes in staffing may be required to support increases in use of services such as Summit and ILLiad, and the content and focus of instruction may require substantial revision. Evaluation of service and instruction via peer comparisons will change, as discovery tools will generate higher uses without increased instruction. Instruction will likely need to focus even more on evaluating sources and finding those resources not easily located via discovery tools. <br />
<br />
The continued expansion of audiovisual media collections represents a critical part of the vision of the generic library. To that end, one-time funds have frequently been infused into a small base budget for film and sound recordings, and the collection has grown significantly. Sound & Image Library (SAIL) staff and selectors have emphasized both new titles and replacement of older formats and worn copies. The Library anticipates circulating the collection through Summit, which will increase wear. See [[media:SAILacq.xls|SAIL Acquisition Statistics]]. Selectors will continue a recent change of policy allowing the purchase of any medium from their funds allocated for print monographs, but a stable and larger allocation for the SAIL budget would lessen the need to do so and reduce variations in expenditures, workload, and processing. The Resource Selection Committee is currently reviewing materials budgets with the intention of reallocating funds according to the curricular demands for video and digitized reference resources. If these discussions result in a larger budget for the SAIL, there will be more work, but also more consistency. Additionally, the staff will be more deeply involved in researching Web-based media collections. This additional workload represents a challenge for the SAIL. <br />
<br />
Digital collection development should go forward in concert with the push to digitize archival collections, including photographs, video, and copies of faculty artwork. The CCAM will take the lead in this ongoing project. <br />
<br />
Because of the Summit and ILLiad systems, the core collections do not need to support individual students who engage in inquiries that lie outside the collection profile based upon the core curriculum. However, Summit use will also allow the Library to identify whether there are any consistent weaknesses in the collection that show up as subject areas driving high borrowing rates from other institutions. The data from Summit should be analyzed over a three-year period, due to the fluidity of the curriculum, at which point the Library will decide if such data are useful in guiding collection development. <br />
<br />
The Library will continue to take advantage of the significantly increased purchasing power created by consortial agreements for periodical and other database purchases. The Library needs to keep an eye on the time and expertise required to keep up with the ever-increasing work of evaluating these agreements, purchases, and contracts and the technical work to support electronic resources, and it may want to consider creating a position for managing electronic resources. A centralized specialist working on electronic resources would potentially help the selectors by consistently researching and disseminating information about new products.<br />
<br />
Overall, long-standing assumptions about budgets for collections must be reevaluated. While major cuts were made to the monographic budget early in the study period and were only partially restored over time, it is not clear that simply restoring those funds and adding funds for inflation are the desirable next moves. The Resource Selection Committee will need to continue to explore more flexible responses to a rapidly changing publishing environment in order to match collection budgets to evolving research needs. Private fundraising and other non-state funds have helped close collection development gaps in some cases, such as the SAIL budget. Library and information resources overall have begun to receive private support for equipment and facilities projects as well. More work with the Office of College Advancement should be emphasized, as many alumni have demonstrated willingness to support the library and information resources. <br />
<br />
=====Support for Rapidly Evolving Information Technology=====<br />
<br />
While the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] gave Evergreen good marks for its budgetary support of information technology, the report also recommended that “to follow current best practices, the replacement cycle should be permanently funded and the operations budgets need to be raised regularly to reflect the increase in technology-equipped classrooms, the increased number of servers and desktop computers that must be supported, and other increases in the technology base.” The college has begun to address this issue, proposing permanent line items in the next biennium for replacing the core server and desktops. This movement toward more permanent allocations for replacement and repair will help ensure that the infrastructure can support the curriculum. Although the ITCH can play only an advisory role, it has participated actively in the process of establishing permanent allocations, setting priorities, and sharing resources. <br />
<br />
The remodeled Information Technology Wing and the construction of the Seminar II building created dramatically more technology-equipped teaching spaces. There are now forty-nine media and computer-capable classrooms, with more on the way. Labs are equipped with computers for each student, and most classrooms now include a computer along with projection and display systems. The Library plans to convert one classroom in the Library Underground to a lab, and teaching spaces on campus still without computers or display technology are on the way to being equipped. At this point, library and information resources just manage to support the computer facilities distributed across campus. As more spaces are computerized and enrollment creeps up toward the target of 5,000, the college will have to add additional staff and funding for maintenance. All capital construction and remodeling plans must include consideration of maintenance, replacement, and support for media and networked display. <br />
<br />
As media technology has changed, some faculty choose to continue teaching older analog equipment, often for good pedagogical and aesthetic reasons. In the context of doubling instruction loads, this breadth of technologies generates a daunting challenge for Media Loan as it stretches to maintain, house, and teach a very wide array of portable equipment. Media Loan should work with the Expressive Arts faculty and other major users to reduce the range of Media Loan equipment necessary to support the curriculum.<br />
<br />
====Library Instruction====<br />
<br />
The reduced number of library faculty has resulted in less ability to provide library instruction deeply and broadly to the entire curriculum. Further, reference desk service has changed as the Internet creates patrons who access our resources from remote locations. Most immediately, virtual patrons do not benefit from the teaching that takes place at the reference desk, although the transactions that do occur at reference tend to be more substantive. As traffic at the physical reference desk has diminished, faculty who rotate into the Library have more limited opportunities to learn about library resources through interactions with patrons. These trends should inform the reference group as they consider how to proceed in allocating team responsibilities with or without an increase in the number of library faculty.<br />
<br />
The reference group should evaluate service to areas of the curriculum that report or demonstrate less involvement in the various forms of information technology instruction (as reflected in end of program reports), and consider whether more or different instructional support would be appropriate, feasible, or desirable. <br />
<br />
Library instruction will evolve in the context of catalogs that imitate Web discovery tools. It is entirely likely that patrons will frequently discover services which have, until now, had to be pointed out to them. For the near future, however, finding and using the most effective, appropriate journal databases still requires instruction or intervention on the part of librarians or faculty. Evaluation of library instruction based upon comparative use statistics will probably be less valuable than in this past study period, as academic library finding tools will vary greatly for some time to come, creating widely disparate use statistics. Thus close attention to database use trends and their correlation to the implementation of new finding tools will be important in the near future.<br />
<br />
Intensive, embedded library and media instruction remain the most desirable and effective models. Some librarians focus on these models, including such work as evaluating bibliographies, which become the basis for assessing the quality of student research and the basis for further instruction. Faculty librarians may want to explore evaluating research results more commonly as they develop their ties with programs and faculty in all disciplines, particularly if discovery tools generate easier access to resources beyond the immediate catalog search. As librarians become more involved in each stage of research, including writing or production, they should be able to provide more consistent support to students. Time for this work with students is restricted by the number of librarians, as is time for the more extended work essential to students from Tacoma and reservation-based programs, who depend so heavily upon off-campus access and have less opportunity to confer with librarians at the reference desk. Faculty who rotate into the Library must be more fully engaged in this aspect of the librarians' work in order to help balance the external teaching demands upon library faculty. <br />
<br />
When the Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning and Writing Centers were planned into the new Information Technology Wing, the hope was for substantial collaboration. While the location of these centers within the Library brings more students in, aids the sense of hospitality, and provides convenient resources for students, collaboration has remained minimal. Thus opportunities for shared instruction and service have yet to be exploited.<br />
<br />
=====Cross-Curricular Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
<br />
As discussed above, library and information resources and the teaching faculty assure that information technology infuses the curriculum. On the other hand, the faculty has not embraced any particular set of information technology skills as fundamental to the liberal arts undergraduate at Evergreen. Instead, faculty choose and adapt information and media technologies according to the pedagogical and disciplinary requirements of their chosen inquiry. There is little work across the curriculum about critical approaches to media or basic definitions of college-level technical literacy for the liberal arts. In the immediate future, library and information resources should invite the teaching faculty into a discussion about whether the campus has any broad consensus about Information Technology Literacy (ITL), including critical approaches. Long ago, the college committed to writing across the curriculum and allocated significant institutional resources to encourage that work—without proscriptive limits or standards. A wider discussion about ITL could produce a similar vision and institutional support. In the long run, such a vision will shape our understanding of digital scholarship in the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
The expansion of entry-level media technology instruction raises questions about the staffing assumptions in Academic Computing. If critical approaches to information technology are to be addressed, and if cross-curricular information technology literacy is a priority for the contemporary liberal arts, then instructional staffing based on historical models of canned skills workshops may be insufficient. Academic Computing should continue current efforts to recruit instructional staff who have the expertise to work intensively in program planning and curriculum development, as well as on technical support for those activities. The numbers of such instructional IT staffing may also need to be evaluated in response to these new and expanding demands for work within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
===Conclusion: Holly's Generic Library Has Come to Fruition===<br />
<br />
Library and information resources have been deeply influenced by the organizational habits of the college, habits of collaboration, egalitarian ideals, fluidity, face-to-face interactions, non-departmentalization, reflexive learning, and independent and interdisciplinary inquiry. The result is a responsive, flexible, evolving set of services and resources. Library and information resources faculty and staff work across the media, regardless of where services reside administratively, in order to fuse traditional library services, information services, computing, and media. Library and information resources assess technology within the context of Evergreen’s particular curriculum and implement new applications incrementally in collaborative processes involving all three areas of service and the teaching faculty. As part of that work, library and information resources have had the distinct historical advantage of presuming that information comes in all formats and that it is not only possible but advisable to break down as many barriers as possible to access information in all its forms. In this, library and information resources are shaped by their founding vision - the generic library - an idea whose time has come.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1) Overall, library and information resources at Evergreen demonstrate effective development of collaborative planning, services, and instruction in support of the academic mission and educational programs of the college.<br />
<br />
2.) Over the past decade, the Library and Media Services have fully committed to networking and digital resources. This shift has implied a change in organization, reorganization of job classifications, and the creation of new patterns of work supported in all areas.<br />
<br />
3.) Commitment to the use of networking digital information resources has allowed and promoted the integration of all sections of library and information resources and has pushed the staff in all areas to reconceptualize their work and to find new patterns of organization and collaboration.<br />
<br />
4.) Students and faculty are thinking about and using information resources in all media. They can now reasonably expect to have seamless access to a wide array of high-quality academic information, media, and computer applications almost anywhere on campus.<br />
<br />
5.) The Library is funded like a public college, but the emphasis on projects, the array of inquiries, and the fact that it is a teaching library means that it is used as if it were a part of a private liberal arts college.<br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The Evergreen Library has always been what other libraries have striven to become: a '''teaching library''' deeply connected to the faculty and curriculum. The result is that students use the Library very actively. Historically, Media Services has had the same teaching focus. Academic computing, with a longstanding instructional role, is also moving toward more substantive teaching and collaboration with faculty. This cross-curricular emphasis on teaching must be continued.<br />
<br />
2.) The original vision of the Library was "generic," which means that it includes all media in all locations. The contemporary term in the profession is the '''virtual library. ''' Evergreen's library and information resources have been able to realize the vision due to the advent of effective, ubiquitous networking and digital resources. The new technology plus major consortial agreements have created an explosion of access to high-quality scholarly information and media.<br />
<br />
3. The remodeled and more unified Information Technology Wing is the physical manifestation of the blending of traditional print, media, and computer technology that characterizes the virtual library and information in the digital age. Despite being spread across administrative divisions, the Library, Media Services, Academic Computing, the CAL, and Computing and Communications all collaborate effectively to assure more and more seamless access to information resources. We must guard these interconnections and continue to seek opportunities for collaboration that will provide the best service, teaching, and efficiency.<br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Through consortial agreements and wise use of resources made available to the college, an extraordinary array of high-quality academic resources. For example, the number of academic journals now available is nine times larger than at the outset of the review. Active leadership in consortia such as Orbis Cascade and the Cooperative Libraries Project supported these cost-effective approaches.<br />
<br />
2.) The willingness of staff from all areas to share, collaborate, and dream as they worked through the complex reorganizations and new work necessary to create an operative virtual library has been extraordinary.<br />
<br />
3.) The creation of an accessible, integrated, well-conceived teaching space with the renovation of the B and C wings of the Library has allowed the virtual library to have a physical presence that embodies the integration of these areas, while providing hospitable spaces and programming to complement virtual use information resources.<br />
<br />
4.) The spread of digital media and computer facilities to the campus as a whole, in the Lecture Halls, and in the new classrooms of Seminar II, as well as the extension of wireless access to most of the campus has allowed the teaching resources of library and information resources to be used across the campus.<br />
<br />
5.) Both the development of the virtual library and a continued commitment to extensive instruction have led to effective library and information resources for off-campus programs and users.<br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Library and information resources must maintain the flexibility in staff’s capacity to respond to the rapidly changing digital environment.<br />
<br />
2.) Library and information services must continue to remain aware of developments in information technology, critically assess them, and carefully integrate technological capacities into the staff’s capacity for teaching.<br />
<br />
3.) Library and information resources should assure that connections between the three units (the Library, Academic Computing, and Media Services) that make up library and information resources are as seamless as possible.<br />
<br />
4.) Media Services instructors should consciously promote considerations of media among faculty across the curriculum, as well as continue to work effectively with those who depend upon media as the center of their work.<br />
<br />
5.) Staff from all areas should pursue and develop cross-curricular faculty conversations about information and technology as literacies for the liberal arts, including critical perspectives.<br />
<br />
6.) Library and information services should assure that instructional staffing and library faculty is sufficient in training and numbers to support extensive, integrated information technology literacy instruction across the curriculum and to off-campus and weekend and evening programs.<br />
<br />
7.) Library and information services should continue to develop maintenance and replacement funds to support rapidly expanding information technology, instruction, and service throughout the campus.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing staff and faculty will collaborate in planning ongoing summer faculty institutes facilitating cross-curricular faculty conversations about information technology literacy for the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
2.) The shape of expenditures on collections should evolve as inflation, consortia, networked access, and digital publications continue to change the information environment. The Library Resource Selection Committee will continue to review database, Summit, and local collection use, as well as allocation of non-state funds in order to appropriately support collections in all media. As a member of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, the Library will pursue collaborative collection development emphasizing strong core local collections and coordinated shared collections.<br />
<br />
3.) The substantial instructional role necessary to support information technology literacy across the curriculum should be recognized in campus hiring priorities.<br />
<br />
4.) The Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing will continue to emphasize shared work. Several areas of potential collaboration in addition to faculty institutes include considering a shared public presence at the newly emphasized main entrance to the Information Technology Wing, an increased role for the ITCH in planning and management of information technology on campus, shared staff positions, shared hiring processes, and more collaborative instruction for academic programs.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Five|Supporting Documentation for Standard 5]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_5&diff=8827Standard 52008-07-24T22:48:39Z<p>Coghlanl: /* Standard 5 – Library and Information Resources */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 5 – Library and Information Resources==<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.A – Purpose and Scope==<br />
<br />
<br />
''The primary purpose for library and information resources is to support teaching, learning, and if applicable, research in ways consistent with, and supportive of, the institution’s mission and goals. Adequate library and information resources and services, at the appropriate level for degrees offered, are available to support the intellectual, cultural, and technical development of students enrolled in courses and programs wherever located and however delivered.''<br />
<br />
====Supporting the Academic Mission of the College====<br />
Library and information resources at The Evergreen State College support students as they learn to reason and communicate about freely chosen inquiries whose outcomes remain to be discovered or created (Smith, Standard 2). Library and information resources at Evergreen must therefore balance the open-ended demands of free inquiry with the need for stability, security, and efficiency in systems and services. Historically, the Library has been well funded when compared to many public baccalaureates, in recognition of the extraordinary demands of open-ended inquiry and independent study. All library and information resources are shaped by the primary mission of teaching and providing state-of-the-art facilities for academic programs and individual students in this interdisciplinary, liberal arts curriculum. Strong collaboration among library, computing and media staff, faculty, and administration assures the development of the library and information resources as centers for teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
====The Founding Vision of the Library: Any Medium, Any Location====<br />
<br />
In 1969, when the founding dean of Library Services James Holly wrote his “Position Paper No. 1,” he proposed a model which he called the generic library, in some ways anticipating the concept of today's virtual library. “By generic I include man’s [sic] recorded information, knowledge, folly, and wisdom in whatever form put down, whether in conventional print, art forms, magnetic tape, laser storage, etc. By generic, I also eliminate physical boundaries such as [a] specific building or portion limited and identified as ‘the library.’” Holly's vision motivated many aspects of library, media, and computer services, but proved in many ways untenable due to technical and budgetary constraints and because the college community expressed traditional longings for a bounded space. Today, laptops and networked data are ubiquitous and most students expect remote access to information resources, regardless of medium. Technology, as well as community values, have caught up with Holly’s founding vision, and Evergreen's library and learning resources now include all media, distributed to almost any location. Display of networked and audiovisual information now brings information technology to almost any classroom on campus. Active involvement in new consortia has led to quick access to expanded collections and information resources from around the region. Academic programs and students off-campus have access to rich, academically sound journal holdings. A wide selection of digitized media applications and advanced media labs provide access to media production. Increasingly seamless access to media, computing, and traditional information resources benefits all students. At the same time, the physical library has expanded its role as a social and intellectual space and provides an increasingly hospitable center for learning and gatherings of all kinds. A $22-million remodel connected previously disparate areas and created a more cohesive information-technology wing, providing one central entrance for the Library, Media Services, the Computer Center, and the Computing and Communications offices.<br />
<br />
====Functions and Facilities Covered in Standard 5====<br />
<br />
Reflecting these developments, Standard 5 considers information resources and services from several disparate administrative units: Library Services, including Media Services (administratively part of the Academic division); Academic Computing (administratively part of the Finance and Administration division); and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) (administratively part of the academic division, with a historical role supporting the science curriculum). The phrase "library and information resources" in Standard 5 should be understood to refer to these units collectively, while comments about separate areas will use more specific language such as the Library, Media Services, the CAL, or Academic Computing. Occasional references to Computing and Communications will address technology infrastructure when relevant to instructional and academic support functions.<br />
<br />
The information resources offered and supported by the Library, Academic Computing, and the CAL represent facilities and functions commonly found in libraries and computer centers elsewhere in academia. The Media Services section of the Library requires some explanation, as its role and location in the institution are unique. Media Services provides not only the usual audiovisual support for instruction, but also extensive collections and facilities in support of media production by students across the curriculum. Media production labs, a large circulating collection of portable media equipment, and extensive instruction represent activities, facilities, and functions which will not be found within the library at most institutions. Some media arts, communications or education departments might provide some such services to students of their curriculum, but not the library, and certainly not for general use. In the context of an interdisciplinary college, and in the light of the original ideal of the generic library, these services are provided through the Library in order to assure cross-curricular access and opportunity for students from anywhere in the curriculum, whether those students are studying media or simply wish to communicate academic content using media beyond print.<br />
<br />
===5.A.1 Sufficiency of Information Resources and Services===<br />
<br />
''The institution’s information resources and services include sufficient holdings, equipment, and personnel in all of its libraries, instructional media and production centers, computer centers, networks, telecommunication facilities, and other repositories of information to accomplish the institution’s mission and goals.''<br />
<br />
Throughout this study, library and information resources will be found to be strongly linked via face-to-face collaboration and consultation with faculty, staff, and students. These interconnections, within a flat organizational structure, assure constant feedback and redevelopment of services and facilities. Library funding generally compares very well with public institutions and correlates strongly to average funding for private liberal arts peers, peers with whom our use statistics compare favorably. An external assessment performed by Edutech described budgetary support for information technology as comparable to that of institutions with similar missions. There are no comparable institutions for studying the large activity of cross-curricular media services; however, advocacy from both the cross-curricular perspective of the Library and from the specific needs of the media faculty help ensure support. Rapid expansion in information technology access and aspirations have led to changes in personnel allocation and expertise and will continue to make increasing demands on a staff and faculty already stretched in many areas.<br />
<br />
For a description of facilities, see [[media: Major_Facilities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 & 2 of the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]]. For holdings and equipment, see Standard 5.B.1. For personnel, see Standard 5.D.1. For evaluation of budgetary support, see Standard 5.D.6.<br />
<br />
===5.A.2 Sufficiency of Core Collection and Related Resources===<br />
<br />
''The institution’s core collection and related information resources are sufficient to support the curriculum.''<br />
<br />
Broad institutional support for cross-curricular library and information services has historically generated sufficient institutional budgetary support for core collections and facilities. During the study period, inflation and budget cuts reduced base budgets for local monograph collections. Non-state resources bridged some of the gap without building the base budget permanently. Consortial agreements created opportunities for cost-effective collective purchases of serials and for efficient resource sharing, resulting in better support for the intensive work by individual students. <br />
<br />
Collection Development, see 5.B.1 and 5.B.5<br />
<br />
===5.A.3 Education Program Drives Resources and Services===<br />
<br />
''Information resources and services are determined by the nature of the institution’s educational programs and the locations where programs are offered.''<br />
<br />
Strong connections to the curriculum inform all library and information services. A distinctive library rotation system connects the library and teaching faculty in the shared project of curriculum and program planning. Teaching alliances between media services professionals and media faculty determine the character of media services. A strong liaison system connects Academic Computing instructors and services with teaching faculty. Meanwhile, a very experienced staff with substantial managerial responsibilities manages day-to-day library services while implementing services in response to the new opportunities advancing information technology affords. (See Standard 5.B.2 - Teaching and Instruction).<br />
<br />
Information technology planning and governance are discussed in Area 5 (Planning and Governance) of the [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
The study notes that planning is collaborative and responsive to academic needs, and could be strengthened through a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH).<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.B – Information Resources and Services==<br />
<br />
''Information resources and services are sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, and currency to support the institution’s curricular offerings.''<br />
<br />
=== 5.B.1 Equipment and Materials to Support the Educational Program===<br />
<br />
''Equipment and materials are selected, acquired, organized, and maintained to support the educational program.''<br />
<br />
====Collection Development Procedures & Methods====<br />
<br />
The Library faculty develops collections to support Evergreen's changeable interdisciplinary curriculum without the usual benefit of departmental allocation or structures. The librarians build collections and vendor profiles on the basis of their work as both library and teaching faculty (see 5.B.2), work which involves full-time teaching, faculty governance, extensive collegial engagement with the teaching faculty, and affiliation with planning units. The curriculum committee is the faculty as a whole, and develops the curriculum in curricular planning units, curriculum retreats, and governance groups. The Library faculty's overall knowledge of the curriculum is strengthened by teaching faculty who rotate into the Library and lavish their attention on areas of the collection related to their disciplinary expertise. Finally, librarians honor most requests from individuals for additions to the collection, working from the fact that free inquiry and individual research are central to the Library’s mission.<br />
<br />
In the past, the Library has struggled to satisfy incidental research demands outside the boundaries defined by the core, repeating curriculum. The substantial part of the curriculum which varies from year to year, the significant amount of work by independent contract students (almost 1,300 independent study contracts in 2006-07), and the opportunity for intensive individual projects within full-time, multi-quarter programs have all driven demand for specialized materials outside the core collection. Resource sharing and large, shared purchases, all made efficient because of networking technology, have eradicated this problem, although budget cuts and inflation create some difficulties keeping the core collection current. The budget for core monograph purchases has been supplemented with allocations from non-state resources in order to help bridge this gap. See 5.B.5 below.<br />
<br />
====Media Services====<br />
<br />
Close work with the curriculum and faculty also informs the development of media facilities and services. Media staff attend the Expressive Arts planning unit meetings, in particular the Moving Image subgroup. Budgetary processes for equipment purchase and operating costs include multiple avenues for consideration of educational program needs. Through the planning units, needs are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the Library, cross-curricular media demands are communicated to the academic budget planners. Through the ITCH, cross-unit needs are coordinated and passed up to the campus-wide budget process. These three avenues help ensure that the budget process addresses both broad and specific curricular demands for media.<br />
<br />
Some stresses develop. Like the Library, Media Services serves the entire academic community, from programs to individuals. And, like the Library, Media Services strains under the pressure of answering the needs of independent study, as well as a fluid curriculum. Students working on independent media productions compete with Expressive Arts programs for scarce resources, from equipment to laboratories to teaching staff. In order to balance these competing demands, Media Services requires students and faculty to submit media request forms, which are reviewed by the Media Services manager and the head of Instruction Media, who allocate resources, both human and technological. Independent contract forms include a question about the need for special equipment or facilities, which serves as a safety net for screening intensive media use. In these ways Media Services assures that students embarking on media studies do so with appropriate support. The Expressive Arts planning unit also instituted a Student Originated Studies (SOS) group contract in media to assure that students have consistent access to facilities and instructional support as they pursue their independent projects.<br />
<br />
====Information Technology Equipment & Facilities====<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] includes equipment in its discussion of technological facilities in Area 1 of the report. The report states, "Computing, networking and information technology facilities at Evergreen are extensive and impressive. In most cases, Evergreen facilities are at or near standards for similar institutions, and in some cases surpass them. However, these standards are a moving target, and there are areas in which the college will probably have to make upgrades in the near future." The report lauded the computer labs, classroom technology, and access to computers. Recommended improvements were to extend wireless to the entire campus and permanently fund a replacement cycle for equipment.<br />
<br />
===5.B.2 Teaching and Instruction===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services contribute to developing the ability of students, faculty, and staff to use the resources independently and effectively.''<br />
<br />
====Defining Information Technology Literacy====<br />
<br />
Standard 2 links the five foci and six expectations of an Evergreen education to the idea of reflexive thinking. "Reflexive thinking begins with a question, an interrogation of the world, and an encounter with the other. As such it involves the student in the whole process of substantive learning about subjects, disciplines and methods that is the standard domain of learning. But reflexivity is the capacity that a learner has to think about the situation and conditions that underlie her own personal and collective experience of thinking and knowing." (See [[Standard_2#Reflexive_Thinking | reflexive thinking]]). This work is engaged and supported through the broad and deep resources of the collections and instruction within the library and information resources. <br />
<br />
The professional literature and practice of librarianship defines information literacy as a reflective process. To be clear, a '''reflective''' process considers, evaluates, synthesizes, and in general, engages information discovered through research. In contrast, a '''reflexive''' process goes on to consider one's own learning and knowledge as influenced through exposure to the information under consideration. According to Jeremy J. Shapiro and Shelley K. Hughes, in their article entitled [[Media: educom_review.pdf|'Information Literacy as a Liberal Art']], information literacy should "be conceived more broadly as a new liberal art that extends from knowing how to use computers and access information to critical reflection on the nature of information itself, its technical infrastructure, and its social, cultural and end even philosophical context and impact..."<br />
<br />
The information literacy curriculum includes:<br />
<br />
* Tool literacy - The ability to use print and electronic resources including software and online resources.<br />
* Resource literacy - The ability to understand the form, format, location, and methods for accessing information resources.<br />
* Social-structural literacy - Knowledge of how information is socially situated and produced, including understanding the scholarly publishing process.<br />
* Research literacy - The ability to understand and use information technology tools to carry out research, including the use of discipline-related software and online resources.<br />
* Publishing literacy - The ability to produce a text or multimedia report of research results.<br />
<br />
====ITL in the Context of Holly's Generic Library====<br />
<br />
Information literacy at Evergreen is itself a reflexive practice, in addition to being central to the process of reflexive thinking in the broader context of undergraduate education at Evergreen. That is, the student uses library and information resources to put herself in relation to information and thinking from a variety of sources and further, reflects about herself and her learning as she researches and learns. Within the context of library and information resources as understood and managed at Evergreen, this literacy includes not just print scholarship, but media and computing, to become not just information literacy but Information Technology Literacy (ITL). Reflection upon information includes reflection upon the nature and role of the tools themselves. Reflexive thinking includes the relation of the user to the information and the tools. <br />
<br />
Thus, in order to assure that students have the skills to communicate about their open inquiries and the resources to support deeply reflexive thinking, library and information resources take a broad role in the curriculum. Two of the “Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate” relate directly to commitment by the library and information resources to help students achieve intellectual independence, creativity, and critical acumen. Expectation Two states that our graduates will communicate creatively and effectively; Expectation Four, that our graduates apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across the disciplines. Not only should literate students read and write astutely, they also should access, view, critique, and produce media and writing that is eloquent and complete. In this way, digital scholarship merges seamlessly with individual and formal educational goals, just as print scholarship has in the past.<br />
<br />
====Cross-Curricular Media Instruction====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support ITL as an agenda for students across programs, disciplines, and media. Library and information resources staff and faculty collaborate with teaching teams as they instruct students in media and students who create films, multimedia, or musical works for programs or for independent study. These are the challenges of the "freely chosen inquiry," challenges that cannot all be met at all times. However, the location of Media Services administratively and physically within Library Services is meant to ensure that media studies and media production are supported appropriately both within the programs that media faculty teach and elsewhere in the inquiries of students. The spread of entry-level media applications into the general-use computer labs increases access to media production across the curriculum.<br />
<br />
Although library and information resources instructors work to fuse teaching with program content, students are nevertheless able to access any media application or information technology beyond or without considering program content. Likewise, many programs focus entirely on technical skill building, without any formal attempt to link these practices to disciplinary content. And in other areas of the curriculum, such as the Culture, Text, and Language planning unit, critical media and information studies are often taught in a theoretical mode, without hands-on media production—the thing itself. The point is that when skills are valorized over content, or when theory ignores practice, students neglect concrete critical reflection on how technology impacts the message, the creators, the audience, or society. However, Holly's generic library model, the founding principle for library and information resources at Evergreen, has emphasized and counterbalanced the tendency to isolate skills from content. Students who read texts expect to write as well; why should they view media and not expect to create it? Early on, a rotating faculty member who helped link instruction with critical media studies and with interdisciplinary programs directed Media Services. Library and information resources continue to struggle to advocate for the critical study of media and information technology across the curriculum.<br />
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Academic computing also provides access to and instruction in information technologies through a balance of specialized and open computing facilities. With the migration of many media applications to commonly available personal computer platforms, instruction and facilities to support entry-level media production have spread to academic computing and even to the Library proper.<br />
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Library and information resources faculty and staff instruct and teach in multiple modes, from basic skills instruction to more complex, content-driven teaching by faculty and professionals in the curriculum. In addition, the teaching faculty contribute substantively and collaboratively to planning and implementing information services, collections, and policies. This dynamic collaboration between the teaching faculty and the library and information resources has shaped the primary mission to support inquiry-based education. Each area within library and information resources has developed structures to connect teaching and instruction closely to the faculty, the curriculum, and the academic mission of the college. Utilization, satisfaction, and curricular surveys demonstrate the breadth and effectiveness of this work (See Planning and Evaluation 5.E).<br />
<br />
====Faculty Librarians and Library Teaching====<br />
<br />
Evergreen requires rotation between the librarians and the teaching faculty. Briefly stated, faculty librarians rotate out of the Library to teach full time on a regular basis and, in exchange, teaching faculty rotate into the Library to serve as librarians providing reference, instruction, and collection development. (See [[media:Learning_Communities_and_the_Academic_Library.pdf | Pedersen]] pp. 41-44 for more discussion of this system). Faculty who rotate into the Library leave with updated skills for developing information literacy within their programs and teams across the curriculum. Library faculty develop their subject specialties and enhance their ability to work across pedagogical and disciplinary realms. Perpetual faculty-wide interactions in faculty governance and team-teaching reinforce the strong connections between the library faculty and the teaching faculty. Librarians know the faculty as colleagues and teaching faculty know the librarians (probably the only basis for widespread and effective library instruction in a curriculum without requirements). Teaching teams also spread effective library instruction practices as experienced teaching faculty introduce their new faculty teammates to their library colleagues and the teaching they offer. Most new faculty also bring updated information technology skills and experience to share with their colleagues.<br />
<br />
A loose liaison system links each librarian with a subset of the curriculum, based on subject expertise, planning unit affiliation, and personal alliances. Faculty librarians provide a wide array of library and information technology-related teaching. One-time workshops designed to engage sources particular to the research projects within an academic program represent the most common format. Librarians and teaching faculty design these workshops with the assumption that the skills imparted are embedded in the interests and needs of the program learning community. At a minimum, the faculty for the program usually 1) create a research assignment which informs and motivates the students’ work; 2) attend the research workshop and participate, adding their expertise and/or questions; 3) provide the library liaison with a syllabus and a copy of the assignment and a list of the topics students are considering; and 4) ask the students to begin considering their topic before attending the workshop so they are primed to begin actual research during the workshop. <br />
<br />
Librarians teach workshops on research most frequently in the graduate programs, the sciences, and the off-campus programs. The teaching models for these more extended situations vary according to the library faculty involved and the role in the curriculum, and they evolve significantly year to year. Each year, library faculty affiliate deeply with a few such programs, meeting weekly to create stepped learning conjoined with research assignments. For documents exemplifying this teaching, see [[media:Forensics_week-by-week.doc | Forensics Syllabus]] and [[media:Chemistry_Health_Professions_Project_Description.doc | Chemistry Health Professions Project]]. During several academic years, an information technology seminar linked library internship opportunities with a hands-on Web technology workshop. In that model, a small group of students explored contemporary questions in the world of rapid digitization and its social implications. They paralleled that study with real library work and Web production practice, including wikis and Web pages designed to support library functions. The seminar and workshop have provided a venue for library faculty, staff, and Academic Computing instructors to gather and consider both the past and future of information technologies. See the syllabi for the programs Still Looking ([[media: stilllooking_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: stilllooking_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: stilllooking_spring.pdf|spring]]), Information Landscapes ([[media: infolandscapes_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: infolandscapes_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: infolandscapes_spring.pdf|spring]]), and Common Knowledge ([[media: commonknowledge_fall.pdf|fall]], [[media: commonknowledge_winter.pdf|winter]], [[media: commonknowledge_spring.pdf|spring]]). Each year, one librarian also offers research methods through the evening and weekend curriculum.<br />
<br />
In-depth, extended library-related teaching within programs and service to off-campus and Evening and Weekend programs can be a challenge in the context of a reduced core of library faculty. During the self-study period, one faculty line was cut during budget reductions. This causes significant stress on the quality and quantity of instruction the area is able to provide.<br />
<br />
====Library Faculty as Service Providers====<br />
Library faculty see themselves primarily as teachers. They tend to understand the services of the Library in the context of teaching and learning, specifically teaching as it actually happens in the Evergreen curriculum. Thus, they do not tend to work from externally defined "best practices," nor do they function in a reactive mode. They take a proactive approach to the work, suggesting tools and strategies for designing library instruction and finding the intellectual work in the world of research instruction. They position themselves to work across administrative as well as curricular boundaries and sustain an important role in the crossroads of traditional research methods, contemporary information technology, and the world of the curriculum and their teaching colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Service and Teaching====<br />
The faculty librarians have transformed the reference desk into a teaching space, which goes well beyond traditional service models. For this reason, there is generally a librarian at the desk during the hours the Library is open to the public. Each contact between a librarian and a patron represents an opportunity to teach and learn. In collections, Web page design, signage, collection organization, and creation of virtual services, the librarians ask not just what is easiest or matches the expectations of inexperienced users, but what can be taught through the new design, service, or collection. For example, broad aggregate databases have been purchased because they are cost effective, but the librarians also emphasize and teach comparatively complex digitized indexes, which refer students more deeply into the discipline-based literature of their inquiries. As discussed throughout this document, library and information resources are designed, planned, taught, and supported in the context of college-wide teaching and learning.<br />
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====Library Faculty and Off-Campus Programs====<br />
Library support for the two major off-campus offerings, the Tacoma and the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs, focuses heavily on instruction, with additional support from networked technology, including specialized Web pages for these programs. See [[Media: reservation_library.pdf|services for Reservation-Based students]] and [[Media: tacoma_library.pdf|services for Tacoma-based students]]. Students of these programs have limited access to the physical library and must be alerted to the many high-quality resources available to them online through the Library. End-of-program reports show very high engagement with information technology in these programs (See [[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf |End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]). Most years, librarians work closely with the Research Methods class at Tacoma, providing laboratory-based instruction on location several weeks per quarter. As of 2007-08, this work has taken on a more formalized structure and has developed into credit-generating research classes.<br />
<br />
Library instruction at the upper-division off-campus sites of the Reservation-Based Community-Determined programs has varied widely year-by-year. Recently, the program has focused on building library methods into the lower-division bridge curriculum, which has not involved the library faculty directly. Reservation-based programs report 100% teaching and use of library and Internet research in 2007; however, this work has not engaged the Library's holdings or services significantly. Rebuilding this connection should be a high priority, and a planned faculty rotation from a former director of the reservation-based program will be an opportunity to do so. Perusal of the [[Media: Achievements2.doc |Achievements]] list for the self-study period demonstrates that almost every development supports distant access to collections and services and thus the off-campus programs.<br />
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====Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing====<br />
In all major computer and media labs, staff instructors provide group instruction designed to support the needs of specific academic programs, covering particular applications and tools relevant to the disciplines involved. Media and computing instructors teach workshops in different spaces and in different modes, depending on the discipline and the technology. There are no constraints upon which facilities may be used. In one quarter, a science program might have workshops in the Computer Center focusing on blogs, a math workshop using Excel in the Computer Applications Lab, a session on video documentation for field research in the Multimedia Lab, and a library research workshop in one of the Computer Center's general-purpose labs. In this way, academic programs leverage staff expertise and facilities as needed.<br />
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Teaching faculty must be able to easily identify and contact the appropriate staff member to coordinate computer instruction, which may require significant logistical support such as lab scheduling, equipment checkout, server space, password access, personnel scheduling, and other details. In Academic Computing, program liaisons work with faculty to coordinate how programs will teach technology. For instance, the staff liaison helps set up file shares and Web spaces and schedules and teaches workshops. In Media Services, the head of instructional media provides a central location for faculty and students requesting instructional support in media to connect with appropriate media instructors and to schedule facilities and instruction. The Media Services staff work with faculty to design and integrate media into their programs. Media Services staff meet regularly with media faculty in the Expressive Arts planning unit so they can develop facilities, plan for access, and foster integration of media into academic programs.<br />
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Students who work independently on media or computing projects or who decide to tackle media projects within non-media oriented programs also receive many forms of instructional support. Academic Computing offers regularly scheduled technology workshops, which are open to all. In addition, Evergreen students can access Lynda.com, which tutors students in software applications and programming languages. The Library recently subscribed to Safari Books Online, which supports the computer science curriculum and addresses technical inquiries from students across the curriculum. Academic Computing began a computing wiki in 2006-07 which hosts approximately 2,000 pages of instructions and tutorials and which continues to expand. Increasingly, students, faculty, and staff rely on the Academic Computing wiki to stay abreast of technologies hosted on campus.<br />
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Any student may access most media-production facilities and check out portable media equipment once they have completed relevant hands-on training sessions called proficiencies. Media instructors run hundreds of these quick, skills-focused instructional sessions annually, which serve thousands of students, ensure proper use of the equipment, and provide supportive technical background for systems. The number of formal instructional sessions provided to programs has doubled since 2000, suggesting the rapidly expanding use and breadth of college-supported media technology. Finally, the Evening and Weekend Studies curriculum provides a coherent, regular pathway for learning more complex media-production processes.<br />
<br />
Like the library faculty, media instructors teach in a variety of modes: full-time, part-time, introductory, intensive, general, sustained, intermittent, specialized, individual, within programs, or collaboratively in small groups. Many of the media staff are artists, professionals, and faculty in their own right, with Master of Fine Arts degrees in their fields. They teach photography, electronic music, Web design, and digital imaging as adjuncts in Evening and Weekend Studies and in Extended Education. Media staff who teach as adjunct faculty are often called to teach full time as visiting artists. Their contributions to the part- and full-time curriculum are substantial and sustained, some of them having taught for more than twenty years. Their work supports the Expressive Arts. It assures access and instruction for students who do not consider themselves artists but who want to engage in technologies that constitute important developing communication media and also define the visual aesthetics of science, history, political science, psychology, and other narratives. Additionally, Photo, Electronic Media, and Media Loan staff annually teach as field supervisors for up to eight student interns who are critical to the effective functioning of labs and services. These students typically not only gain high-level technical production skills, but also develop instructional, collaborative, and administrative experience by working closely with students, faculty, and technical staff. Finally, all media staff sponsor many individual contracts, which provide opportunities for students who have identified intensive individual inquiries that are not supported in the curriculum at large. In general, media staff are central to the success of media-based programs and are viewed as colleagues by the Expressive Arts faculty, whose programs they support. These working relationships form the backbone of Media Services.<br />
<br />
====Faculty Institutes====<br />
As described thus far, library and information resources instructors regularly work with, instruct, and support the teaching faculty through individual collaboration. In addition, they design and teach several faculty institutes each summer. Faculty institutes create valuable connections among faculty, library, media, and academic computing instructors. Recent information technology institutes have focused on specific applications such as teaching statistics with Excel, using online collaborative tools to foster learning communities, or creating program Web pages. Some years, substantive discussions of information technology literacy as opposed to hands-on training have been offered. During institutes, faculty are often afforded paid time for self-directed work that focuses on their program planning. In these instances, faculty evaluate technology, practice using it, and plan how to incorporate applications into their programs.<br />
<br />
===5.B.3 Availability of Policies===<br />
<br />
''Policies, regulations, and procedures for systematic development and management of information resources, in all formats, are documented, updated, and made available to the institution’s constituents.''<br />
<br />
The Web provides a venue for all policies, regulations, and procedures for all information resources and services. <br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Policies,_regulations,_and_procedures_for_the_development and_management_of_library_and_information_resources,_including_collection_development_and_weeding|Required Exhibit 2: Policies, Regulations, and Procedures for the Development and Management of Library and Information Resources]]<br />
<br />
===5.B.4 Participatory Planning===<br />
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''Opportunities are provided for faculty, staff, and students to participate in the planning and development of the library and information resources and services.''<br />
<br />
Faculty, staff, and students participate in the planning and development of library information resources and services. The college community values face-to-face communication and formal procedures for consultation are minimal. All learning and information resources staff and faculty receive and welcome direct requests and suggestions. As an example, good hiring represents an important decision determining how library and information services evolve and prosper. Hiring processes are broadly consultative. Committees with representation from different work units interview and recommend for all staff positions. Students, staff, and faculty representatives join in hiring committees for any major positions, especially those of administrators and faculty. These hiring processes routinely include public presentations by the candidates, which are announced to the entire college community to allow input from staff, faculty, and students.<br />
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More broadly, collaborative work with teaching faculty and other clients drives the design and planning for almost all instructional and technical support. Face-to-face planning and direct engagement with teaching faculty in a program-by-program context defines the work of library and information resources across all units (see Participatory Planning 5.E.1).<br />
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===5.B.5 Networks Extend Information Resources===<br />
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''Computing and communications services are used to extend the boundaries in obtaining information and data from other sources, including regional, national, and international networks.''<br />
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Consortial arrangements in the Orbis Cascade regional system offer Summit, a resource-sharing system that makes it possible to satisfy almost any book and most media requests generated by the individualistic interests of students working on independent projects. The Summit system includes thirty-five academic libraries from Oregon and Washington and delivers resources within two or three days. Students also use many highly specialized materials from periodicals databases, which have expanded the number of journal subscriptions Evergreen holds eight to nine times over the self-study period. This enhancement is largely due to the Cooperative Library Project (CLP), a state-funded resource-sharing project among the four-year Washington state baccalaureates.<br />
<br />
Consortial purchases have reduced per-title costs dramatically and have strengthened areas of the curriculum not necessarily the focus of a core liberal arts collection. For example, psychology, education, and business were heavily emphasized in the most recent round of shared purchasing by CLP. Finally, ILLiad, the interlibrary loan system, brings journal articles to the students' mailboxes and e-mail accounts within a few days. There are almost no discernible limits to accessing published information for any researcher except those who need to present within twenty-four hours. Effective campus networks supported by Computing and Communication's technical support staff make this possible. College-wide steps that have made efficient resource sharing and online information possible have included implementing the Banner student records system and establishing e-mail as the official student communications medium.<br />
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==Standard 5.C – Facilities and Access==<br />
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''The institution provides adequate facilities for library and information resources, equipment, and personnel. These resources, including collections, are readily available for use by the institution’s students, faculty, and staff on the primary campus and where required off-campus.''<br />
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===5.C.1 Availability of Information Resource Facilities===<br />
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''Library and information resources are readily accessible to all students and faculty. These resources and services are sufficient in quality, level, breadth, quantity, and currency to meet the requirements of the educational program.''<br />
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For a description of facilities, see [[Media: Major_Faciities_List.doc |Major Facilities]] and Areas 1 and 2 of the [[Media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]].<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc|Edutech Information Environment Review]] specifically considered networking, telecommunications, and other information technology relevant to accessibility. The campus network was lauded as "solid and reliable." The network itself is described technically in Area 1 of the report. Expansion of wireless access from 75% to the entire campus was recommended; this work is proceeding and has the budgetary support to continue into the future. Most classrooms have been networked with display capability, spreading library and information technology access to large portions of the curriculum. This changes the presumptions of the faculty and students and greatly increases the frequency with which social software, digitized presentations, and other multi-media information technology is incorporated in programs. The Edutech report also recommended establishing at least one dedicated teleconferencing space for general use, which is planned within the [[media: CNM.doc|Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)]]. According to Edutech, "student access to computers at Evergreen does not seem to be a problem."<br />
<br />
====The Information Technology Wing====<br />
<br />
=====LIR Facilities and Services Visibly Interconnect=====<br />
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With the generic library as a foundation and the interdisciplinary curriculum as the context, merged collections and services build upon an alternative past. Library and information resources thus collaborate actively across academic and administrative departmental boundaries. The major remodel, implementing a newly consolidated Information Technology Wing, substantially strengthened opportunities for connecting services, facilities, and staff. One central, broad entrance now provides access to the Library, the Computer Center, Media Loan and the stairs to Electronic Media, Photo Services and Computing and Communications. See [[media: Consultant%27s_Site_Visit_Report_2004.doc | Consultant Pre-Remodel Report]] for an assessment of facility requirements produced before the project. For further detail, extensive documents describing the project are available in the documents room.<br />
<br />
=====More Teaching and Study Spaces=====<br />
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The ideal of collaborative learning shaped the remodel. Shared study spaces predominate, whether open area study tables, grouped lounge furniture, pod-shaped arrangements in labs, or small group study and media viewing rooms. Wireless access allows informal group work around personal or library-owned laptops. Additional laboratory spaces provide easier scheduling for program work and more computers for individuals when classes do not use the labs. Limited quiet study areas provide an alternative for the solitary scholar; at the same time, small group work is facilitated and encouraged. Overall, the Information Technology Wing has shed barren hallways and utilitarian desks in favor of lounge areas and comfortable study spaces. Overstuffed couches and chairs, large tables, task lighting, and more room for collections all contribute to the conviviality that informs shared inquiry.<br />
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=====Hospitable Spaces and Blended Access=====<br />
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Art exhibitions invite patrons into lounge and study areas and help define the Library as a public space. The new basement lounge, affectionately dubbed the "Library Underground," hosts frequent campus gatherings and public readings, although flooding (a new issue since the remodel) disrupted the area several times in 2006-07. Groups from across campus meet, study, and teach in library spaces, which are open to all and where food and drink have always been allowed. The Sound and Image Library (SAIL) media collections are prominently located in the reference area, where SAIL staff work closely with the reference librarians. The newly established Assisted Technology Lab (ATL) conjoins the SAIL and has become a vital meeting place for students to work and show their art and media productions. Again, SAIL and reference staff provide service and technical support for ATL patrons. As the physical reference collection continues to shrink, reference, the SAIL, the ATL, and Circulation will continue forming a more blended and prominent shared public presence. <br />
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====More General Access Lab Facilities====<br />
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Rapid developments in networked information technology have blurred between general and specialized technology labs. The main computer center includes many specialized scientific software packages such as ArcGIS and Mathematica, while common graphic manipulation software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, appear in the CAL. Similarly, the Computer Center supports high-level statistics applications such as R, as well as digital music editing. The library computers provide basic Office applications and general Web access in addition to library-specific searches, but specific library computers also provide GIS, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, assistive/adaptive technology, and scanning applications, while the SAIL provides multiple stations for basic media dubbing, transfer, and editing. Switching to a single user domain and sign-on means simpler, more consistent access to networked resources across campus. The Digital Imaging and Multimedia facilities provide applications for advanced media production, but are open to all students. Some specialty labs have self-contained resources, such as large format printers or applications requiring more sophisticated hardware. However, the primary distinction among labs is the level of expertise and specialized knowledge of the staff. Students benefit when they know the specialized character of a lab means there will be more skilled assistance.<br />
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===5.C.2 Cooperative Agreements===<br />
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''In cases of cooperative arrangements with other library and information resources, formal documented agreements are established. These cooperative relationships and externally provided information sources complement rather than substitute for the institution’s own adequate and accessible core collection and services.''<br />
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Despite greatly expanded information access through Summit and shared purchasing agreements, the Library continues strong support for the core collection within budgetary constraints created by budget cuts and inflation. Over time, Summit circulation data will provide specific reports on areas of the collection where students and faculty consistently or repeatedly demonstrate the need for more depth. Additionally, the Orbis Cascade Alliance is working on shared collection development guidelines to help design complementary collections. <br />
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See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures and Methods]].<br />
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See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Formal.2C_written_agreements_with_other_libraries |Required Exhibit 11 Formal Agreements with Other Libraries]].<br />
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==Standard 5.D – Personnel and Management==<br />
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''Personnel are adequate in number and in areas of expertise to provide services in the development and use of library and information resources.''<br />
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===5.D.1 Sufficiency of Staffing===<br />
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''The institution employs a sufficient number of library and information resources staff to provide assistance to users of the library and to students at other learning resources sites.''<br />
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The chart below suggests that library and information resources staffing is similar to that of comparable public institutions, falling between the averages of peer public liberal arts colleges (COPLAC) and the larger regional universities in the state (WA Regionals in the table below). Note that Evergreen (TESC) and other public college library staffing averages are significantly below the staffing for groups made up largely of private Ivies, DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives), and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning). <br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Staffing Comparisons'''<br />
<br />
| Library || Professionals/FTE || Total Staff/FTE <br />
|-<br />
| TESC || 1.93 || 7.5 <br />
|-<br />
| DEEP || 4.65 || 16.32 <br />
|- <br />
| CTCL || 4.79 || 14.71 <br />
|-<br />
| CIEL || 5.51 || 13.43 <br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC || 2.67 || 8.55 <br />
|-<br />
| WA Regionals || 1.41 || 5.62 <br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
(N.B. The staff count for Evergreen has been halved since approximately 50% of Library and Media Services staffing is devoted to Media Services production, instruction, and equipment check-out. At other institutions, these services, if they are offered at all, reside in academic departments such as media arts or education.) <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses staffing in Area 3. The report shows staffing to be average when compared to similar institutions in terms of size, mission, and culture. <br />
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Because library use at Evergreen compares favorably to more heavily staffed private liberal arts colleges and because all areas sustain a substantial instructional role, there are areas of strain. The rapid expansion of technology-driven services and collections also creates stresses, despite reallocation of staff as media and technologies shift. Following are the primary areas of concern:<br />
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* Support for rapidly expanded classroom technology, an additional demand on top of general institutional growth<br />
* Staffing for greater focus on curriculum planning and engagement with faculty in Academic Computing <br />
* Staffing to support expanding electronic library resource collections (ordering, contracts, management, evaluation, etc.)<br />
* Weakened presence of faculty librarians due to the loss of one line in budget cuts during the self-study period<br />
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===5.D.2 Staff Qualifications===<br />
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''Library and information resources staff include qualified professional and technical support staff, with required specific competencies, whose responsibilities are clearly defined.''<br />
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The balance of librarians to other library staff is weighted toward non-professionals when compared to other liberal arts college libraries. Further, as librarians rotate into the full-time curriculum, they temporarily leave behind reference work, management, administration, and collection development. Any sustained work, such as Web-page development, is interrupted by these regular absences. Further, full-time teaching faculty rotate into the Library as neophytes who need training and who present widely disparate skills, abilities, and ambitions. Beyond the system of rotation, with its concomitant duties, librarians are contractually obligated to participate in college governance and curriculum planning, not to mention their own scholarly projects and sabbaticals. Librarians have nine-month contracts and several are absent during the summer sessions when the Library is minimally staffed. These organizational facts mean that Evergreen has no managerial class of librarians. Instead, the team of faculty librarians share management with staff. Paraprofessionals head almost all departments, including Circulation, Government Publications, Periodicals, Technical Services, and Acquisitions. Their year-round presence and regular workdays provide consistency for development of services, maintenance of collections, public service, and supervision of classified staff and student workers. In this collaborative environment, staff often lead the way in adopting new services. The tremendous commitment by the staff grounds the Library and makes it an ideal teaching environment. <br />
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Most library faculty carry both subject and library master's credentials in order to support their teaching as well as their role as professional librarians (see [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Vitae_of_professional_library_staff | CVs of professional library staff]]). <br />
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As is the case with librarians, many media staff and instructors carry additional graduate training. Graduate degrees noted by staff other than librarians include three MPAs, two MFAs, an MA in art history, an MEd and EdS, an MSE (technical engineering), an MS in chemistry, and an MS in computer information systems. The library faculty, whose roles require substantial attention to teaching and governance outside the Library, must depend upon library staff as managers of major services and functions within the Library. Highly experienced staff with significant levels of responsibility keep the Library not just open, but anticipating and embracing change and new opportunities for service (see 5.B.2 Modes of Instruction in Media and Academic Computing for a discussion of media instructors as artists and teaching faculty).<br />
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In the realm of technical support, the Edutech report recommended assigning "staff responsibilities more specifically." More specific responsibilities and positions have been implemented in Technical Support Services. In the smaller units that provide distributed service and instruction such as the CAL, Academic Computing, and Media Services, this stricter delineation of support functions is not as clearly appropriate. Instead, it is often valuable for staff to be well versed on all or most aspects of the instruction or service required and in direct communication with the student, staff, or faculty who needs help. For example, the liaison system in Academic Computing assumes that in most cases a faculty member will receive all aspects of support from one liaison, or that the liaison will coordinate the support and instruction required.<br />
<br />
All staff and faculty have engaged new skills as the information technology evolves. Multiple reclassifications have assured that staff job descriptions and pay scales match new expectations for technological expertise. Staff have also shifted the location of their work partially or entirely as budget cuts and new programs such as Summit and ILLiad have relocated the areas of greatest stress. Increased emphasis on technology in many positions has led to reclassifications and increases in salaries for some staff, resulting in compression of salaries for some managers. A campus-wide study of exempt salaries is expected to address this issue.<br />
<br />
===5.D.3 Professional Growth===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides opportunities for professional growth for library and information resources professional staff.''<br />
<br />
The library faculty are fully funded for professional activities through the central faculty professional development funds and policies, as well as through faculty institutes. <br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultyfundingopportunities.pdf|Faculty Development at Evergreen]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionalleave_policy.pdf|Professional Leave (Faculty Handbook 6.100)]] <br />
<br />
See [[Media: professionaltravel_policy.pdf|Professional Travel (Faculty Handbook 6.200)]]<br />
<br />
See [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development (Faculty Handbook 6.300)]]<br />
<br />
The remaining library and media services staff may request up to $500 annually from a pool of $2,500. Additional funding has been requested to bring the maximum benefit up to $750 in order to be consistent with the rest of academics, but this funding has not been granted thus far. Non-state funds from the Friends of the Library have been allocated for retreats and other staff meetings in order to compensate for some of this differential access to professional development funds. <br />
<br />
Computing and Communications allocates more than $40,000 per year to support attendance of technical staff at technical conferences and trainings. This allows staff to expand their skills with current technology, increase their knowledge of new and advancing technology, and connect with peers from other institutions and experts in specific technologies. These training opportunities are critical to the team’s ability to support teaching and learning and to provide management of the college’s administrative systems (see [[Media:CC Training spreadsheet.xls | CC Training Spreadsheet]]).<br />
<br />
===5.D.4 Organizational Structure===<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources and services are organized to support the accomplishment of institutional mission and goals. Organizational arrangements recognize the need for service linkage among complementary resource bases (e.g., libraries, computing facilities, instructional media and telecommunication centers).''<br />
<br />
The fundamental organizing principle of library and information resources at Evergreen is that an interdisciplinary curriculum demands integrated services. Beyond that, the founding vision aspired to provide all media, in any location. Contemporary networked technology and the expectations of students now create a climate in which barriers between different information can and must be dissolved. For all these reasons, blended resources, facilities, and services predominate throughout Standard 5.<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Founding_Vision_of_the_Library:_Any_Medium.2C_Any_Location|The Founding Vision: Any Medium, Any Location]].<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#The_Information_Technology_Wing|The Information Technology Wing]].<br />
<br />
====Shared Technology Creates the Need for More Shared Work====<br />
<br />
Media applications, which were once physically limited to Media Services, are now located, maintained, taught, and used throughout the facilities administered by Academic Computing and, to a degree, the Library. Similarly, library resources, which were once physically limited to the Library building, are now found anywhere within reach of the Web. Public computers, once found only in the Computer Center, are everywhere, as are privately-owned laptops. These shifts have accelerated during the past ten years and have changed the instructional roles of the areas and their relationship to the curriculum. Undoubtedly, library and information resources will continue to distribute their budgets, facilities, and staff to continue expanding access to information technology in academic programs and for individual students.<br />
<br />
As technologies have changed, so have the relationships among the Library, Media Services, and Computing, which now share in the communal project of interconnecting, teaching, and supporting our information and technological resources. At this juncture, there seems little point in redesigning the administrative structures that oversee these areas because new relationships and responsibilities have evolved organically, based on need, demand, and interest, and will continue to do so. In order to ensure that these effective working relationships continue to develop, reinforcing connections such as joint staffing, deliberately planning together, and continuing involvement across the areas when hiring for new staff and particularly administrators must be emphasized. <br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]] suggested that the existing distributed structures were valuable, but recommended greatly enhancing the role and formal responsibilities of the ITCH to assure better planning in consonance with the mission of the college. See 5.E for fuller discussion of this recommendation. Edutech did not capture the centrality of the teaching role in major portions of the information resources environment at Evergreen. It is teaching and its development that assures the most important connections between the academic mission of the college, the educational program, and IT services of all kinds. While the Library and Media Services collaborate as a matter of course with Academic Computing, the real challenge remains: How to more thoroughly engage the teaching faculty across the curriculum in defining the role of information technology in the academic careers of our students.<br />
<br />
===5.D.5 Engagement in Curriculum Development===<br />
<br />
''The institution consults library and information resources staff in curriculum development.''<br />
<br />
See [[Standard_5#Collection_Development_Procedures_.26_Methods | Collection Development Procedures & Methods 5.B.1]]<br />
<br />
===5.D.6 Library and Information Resources Budgets===<br />
<br />
''The institution provides sufficient financial support for library and information resources and services, and for their maintenance and security.''<br />
<br />
Similar to staffing levels noted above, the Library is well funded compared to other regional public baccalaureates in the state (WA State Public in the table below) and peer public liberal arts libraries nationally (COPLAC in the table below). This comparatively rich funding reflects a historical recognition of the demands of open inquiry and independent research and the centrality of library research in a liberal arts education. Both funding and use rates closely match those of the private liberal arts libraries which predominate the DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practices), CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives) and CIEL (Consortium of Innovative Environments for Learning) peer groups. Thus, the general funding level for the Evergreen Library compares closely to that of institutions with similar missions, services, and roles within their institutions. For further discussion of the role of libraries in liberal arts colleges, see [[Standard_5#Comparing_Use_Statistics_With_Other_Libraries | Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries (5.E)]]. On the other hand, the library budget reported below includes Media Services (approximately 50% of library staffing falls into this category). Most libraries do not include any of the functions provided by Media Services at Evergreen. Instead, these functions, including media instruction, media-production facilities, media production to support college activities, and portable media production equipment check-out, if offered at all, would be part of an academic department such as education or media arts. If Media Services costs and services were not considered, then budgets are close to those of other public institutions, while use statistics are comparable to private liberal arts institutions. <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! FTE<br />
! Circulation+ILL/FTE<br />
! Expenditures/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| '''Evergreen'''<br />
| '''4153'''<br />
| '''31'''<br />
| '''$782'''<br />
|-<br />
| DEEP Colleges<br />
| 2046<br />
| 18<br />
| $829<br />
|-<br />
| CTCL<br />
| 1506<br />
| 23<br />
| $859<br />
|-<br />
| COPLAC<br />
| 3742<br />
| 16<br />
| $464<br />
|-<br />
| CIEL<br />
| 7042<br />
| 25<br />
| $794<br />
|-<br />
| WA State Public<br />
| 11,415<br />
| 15<br />
| $373<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Source: IPEDS 2006 (See [[Media: DEEP_2006.xls | DEEP 2006]]; [[Media: CTCL_2006.xls | CTCL 2006]];[[Media:CIEL_2006.xls | CIEL 2006]]; [[Media: COPLAC_2006.xls | COPLAC 2006]]; [[Media: WA_state_public_2006.xls | WA State Public 2006]])<br />
<br />
As budget cuts have reduced both staffing and collections, diversified revenue sources have become a high priority for library administration. Generous biennial infusions from the central academic budget have withered since earlier study periods. Indirect funds from activity grants to the faculty, major gifts from donors, book sales, and fines for lost or destroyed books have all increased to make up important non-state sources for collection development. The development of facilities and programming have been supported through major donors, with the library dean and the campus fundraisers focusing significant attention on these efforts.<br />
<br />
The [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc| Edutech Information Environment Review]] discusses budgets in Area 4 and compares Evergreen to similar schools on the basis of physical environment, enrollment numbers, education goals and aspirations, residential nature, tuition, and governance structure. The review determined that Evergreen devotes considerable resources to IT and is consistent with its peers. In 2005, Evergreen’s expenditure on IT—expressed as a percentage of total institutional expenditures—was 6.7%. This percentage aligns with the 6.7% reported by Computing in a 2006 survey of public four-year colleges. The average for all institutions was 6.5%. Generally, IT is funded comparably to institutions with similar missions and culture. The report recommended that budget processes should be addressed that take into account the heavy demands upon replacement, operation, and maintenance as IT becomes ubiquitous in the classroom, as well as in labs.<br />
<br />
See [[Supporting_Documentation_for_Standard_Five#Comprehensive_budget.28s.29_for_library_and_information_resources |Comprehensive Budget (Required Exhibit 9)]]<br />
<br />
==Standard 5.E – Planning and Evaluation==<br />
<br />
''Library and information resources planning activities support teaching and learning functions by facilitating the research and scholarship of students and faculty. Related evaluation processes regularly assess the quality, accessibility, and use of libraries and other information resource repositories and their services to determine the level of effectiveness in support of the educational program.''<br />
<br />
====Evaluating Information Services and Collections====<br />
<br />
Assessments of Evergreen's library and information resources confirm support for the academic mission of the college as a public liberal arts college that expects a substantial number of students to engage in self-selected independent inquiry. Utilization patterns among Evergreen students correlate closely to the intensive use found among liberal arts colleges as opposed to lower use rates found among more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
=====Comparing Use Statistics With Other Libraries=====<br />
<br />
In 2002, Washington's four-year public baccalaureate institutions implemented the Cascade resource-sharing consortium. This start-up provided an amazing new service and an opportunity to assess how rapidly a major new service might be implemented. Evergreen patrons borrowed 9,723 items during the first year, more than any other library, even though Evergreen was by far the smallest institution in the consortium at that time. Although ten times bigger than Evergreen, the University of Washington borrowed just under 7,000 items during the first year. The quick acceptance of Cascade testified to the efficient connection between the Library, library instruction, and the teaching faculty and curriculum at large. <br />
<br />
Cascade became Orbis Cascade as the Washington and Oregon academic consortia merged. The new resource-sharing service, entitled Summit, provides ongoing comparative statistics. To continue comparison with the original members of Cascade, in 2006, Evergreen borrowed 4.52 items per FTE; almost four times the next heaviest user at 1.15 items borrowed per student. Although one might assume that small collection size drives this higher demand, the fact is that the Evergreen collection circulates at a high rate per student as well, according to federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data. <br />
<br />
IPEDS data for 2006 also provide the opportunity to compare use statistics of liberal arts colleges with Evergreen and with small master's-level universities (Carnegie Class Master's I), where strong distinctions appear again. When both circulation and interlibrary loan are counted, Evergreen circulates 31 items per FTE, liberal arts colleges nationally average 24 items per FTE, and the Master's I institutions circulate 8.34 per FTE. <br />
<br />
The same dramatic distinction between liberal arts colleges and comprehensive institutions appears in the Summit consortium, which covers a full array of colleges and universities in Oregon and Washington. The following table lists the heaviest users from the member libraries, based upon their rates of use per FTE in 2006. Evergreen places high on the list, among the most highly ranked liberal arts colleges, which placed well above usage rates at more comprehensive institutions.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Library<br />
! Number of Items Borrowed<br />
! FTE<br />
! Items/FTE<br />
|-<br />
| Reed College<br />
| 20,480<br />
| 1,268<br />
| 16.15<br />
|-<br />
| George Fox University<br />
| 14,427<br />
| 2,392<br />
| 6.03<br />
|-<br />
| Marylhurst University<br />
| 4,548<br />
| 852<br />
| 5.34<br />
|-<br />
| Lewis & Clark College<br />
| 14,386<br />
| 2,953<br />
| 4.87<br />
|-<br />
| '''The Evergreen State College'''<br />
| '''16,118'''<br />
| ''' 4,200'''<br />
| '''3.84'''<br />
|-<br />
| Whitman College<br />
| 6,672<br />
| 1,803<br />
| 3.70<br />
|-<br />
| Willamette University<br />
| 9,164<br />
| 2,511<br />
| 3.65<br />
|-<br />
| University of Puget Sound<br />
| 7,570<br />
| 2,742<br />
| 2.76<br />
|-<br />
| Seattle Pacific University<br />
| 8,589<br />
| 3,466<br />
| 2.48<br />
|-<br />
| Linfield<br />
| 5,354<br />
| 2,331<br />
| 2.30<br />
|-<br />
| Western Oregon University<br />
| 8,623<br />
| 3,992<br />
| 2.16<br />
|-<br />
| University of Portland<br />
| 6,764<br />
| 3,211<br />
| 2.11<br />
|-<br />
| University of Oregon<br />
| 38,796<br />
| 18,880<br />
| 2.05<br />
|-<br />
| Eastern Oregon University<br />
| 4,620<br />
| 2,306<br />
| 2.00<br />
|-<br />
| Pacific University<br />
| 4,232<br />
| 2,341<br />
| 1.81<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(Source: [[Media: summit_statistics.xls|Summit Borrowing Statistics FY06]])<br />
<br />
Thus it is clear that, as of 2006, Evergreen library utilization mirrors the practices of liberal arts colleges. High-use rates also seem to reflect an academic emphasis on major student projects. For instance, at Reed College, which requires a senior thesis, the college library circulates or borrows 120 items per student. On the other hand, looking ahead, ''academic library use patterns are in a period of dramatic change.'' In 2007, the University of Washington implemented WorldCat Local, which provides immediate click-though prompts, leading the user from local catalog to Summit to some journal databases, periodical holdings, and interlibrary loan if appropriate. Summit use at the University of Washington doubled since implementation and interlibrary loan has also increased steeply. A large increase in borrowing at the University of Washington drives lending rates throughout the Summit system, but even more important, it suggests that discovery tools will dramatically increase usage without change in the library instructional program or academic practices. The Orbis Cascade consortium will soon be implementing WorldCat as the shared Summit catalog and many libraries in the consortium will undoubtedly implement WorldCat Local as their local library catalog as well.<br />
<br />
=====Library and Computer Center Use & Satisfaction Rates=====<br />
<br />
The data above demonstrate that library and information resources are comparatively well utilized. While high rates of use suggest something about effectiveness, surveys of popularity (frequency of use and satisfaction with use) provide further affirmation. Institutional Research routinely surveys alumni and students about campus resources. A summary of campus resource utilization (See [[Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]) shows that during the six-year period, the Library and the computing facilities have been the top two most used campus facilities, trading off for first place. Alumni who were somewhat or very satisfied with the services have reported in at between 87% and 92% during the period surveyed. <br />
<br />
Starting in 2006, the [[media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Campus_Resources_Utilization_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)]] included questions about using library resources online and found that 85.2% of respondents use online library resources. Internal records also suggest phenomenal growth in online use of library resources. In 2000, when the Library subscribed to three aggregate journal databases (Proquest, Ebscohost and JSTOR), users conducted 80,000 searches. In 2007, among approximately 30 subscription databases, there were well over 250,000 searches. Careful review of variations of use from year to year reveals the direct impact a fluid curriculum has on database use. For example, Modern Language Association International Bibliography statistics are quite erratic; one major project in a large academic program explains a fivefold increase of use in one year. As JSTOR has developed into a more deeply and broadly multi-interdisciplinary tool, use statistics show a shift away from heavy dependence on the less scholarly aggregates. Extensive lobbying by faculty and librarians encourages this shift toward use of scholarly resources such as JSTOR. Use statistics for periodicals and databases drive selection and instruction planning. When use statistics are low for a database seen by the library faculty as critical to a discipline or of particularly high academic value, then library faculty focus instruction on that database whenever appropriate.<br />
<br />
=====Media Services User Surveys=====<br />
<br />
Institutional Research and Assessment added Media Services to its alumni survey of campus resource utilization starting in 2004. Since then, Media Services has been listed as the fifth most utilized resource. Alumni reported being somewhat or very satisfied at a rate of 89% and 90% in the two survey years (see [[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Resource Utilization]]).<br />
<br />
The 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES)asked students about their use of Media Services, which showed 48% use of Media Loan (see [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_Campus_Resource_Utilization_Olympia.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Campus Resource Utilization - Olympia]]). A survey designed and implemented by staff member Lin Crowley supplemented this data. Crowley’s respondents reported an average satisfaction level for each service ranging from 3.07 to 3.62 (out of 4), which indicated that those who used current services were generally fairly satisfied with each of the services they use.<br />
<br />
Although respondents to Crowley’s survey were predominantly active Media Services users, many respondents were uninformed about some services. Respondents supported investment in new digital technologies, but most were unaware of new or planned digital facilities. One clear conclusion of the survey is that visibility and access could be better for some services. Suggested improvements often focused on access, whether longer hours, more workshops, or more facilities. The survey project director recommended that future follow-up surveys be conducted to compare whether the reasons people use each service change and to evaluate the satisfaction levels for each type of services by patron types. See [[Media : TESC_Media_Services_Assessment_Project.doc | Evergreen Media Services Assessment Project]]<br />
<br />
====Evaluation of Teaching and Instructional Programs: Information Technology Literacy====<br />
<br />
The strong focus on teaching throughout library and information resources suggests the following questions: 1) In a college without requirements, does information technology instruction reach enough students to assure that the vast majority of graduates develop skills in support of their inquiries? 2) Which students are taught? Do students receive information technology instruction in an array of disciplinary and developmentally varied situations or is it happening only in pockets of the curriculum? 3) Is it working? Are students acquiring cross-curricular information technology, including media literacy?<br />
<br />
=====How many students are taught?=====<br />
<br />
About 3,000 students attend program-based library instruction workshops annually. These statistics exclude most cases of repeated contacts with the same student and thus represent very broad coverage of the student body. <br />
<br />
From 2000 to 2007, Media Services offered a total of more than 1,500 workshops to approximately 156 academic programs. This number does not include the thousands of quick proficiencies also provided by the area. The number of formal media workshops given and students reached in 2005 and 2006 were each more than double the numbers provided in 2000. Workshops have increased along with new technologies, especially in Media Loan and in the new Multimedia and Digital Imaging Studio (DIS) labs.<br />
<br />
Most instruction provided by Academic Computing and the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) serves specific academic programs. These sessions are represented in the following table:<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"| class="wikitable"<br />
<br />
|+'''Computer Lab Workshops for Academic Programs''' (cells represent academic programs/number of students)<br />
<br />
| Year || 2004-05 || 2005-06 || 2006-07<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Center || 221/4,423 || 171/3,418 || 253/4,880<br />
|-<br />
| Computer Applications Lab || 50/1,368 || 50/1,248 || 52/1,344<br />
|-<br />
| Totals || 271/5,791 || 191/4,666 || 305/6,224<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Up until 2007, Academic Computing offered 30 to 40 general computer skills workshops per year in the Computer Center, attended by approximately 350 students. Professional staff focused these workshops on general technical skill building, independent of academic programs. Over time, fewer students were attending these workshops, presumably because more students come to college with strong technical skills and with specialized self-determined needs for support. In response to waning attendance, Academic Computing redesigned the workshops as student-centered support sessions to which students bring their questions or projects. This student-centered structure should more effectively meet the specific demands of students. Computing will evaluate the success of this reinvented structure. All areas of library, media, and computing find the strongest teaching and the greatest demand for instruction occurs in conjunction with programs.<br />
<br />
=====Which Students?=====<br />
<br />
The number of teaching contacts shows that library and information resources staff reach a large number of academic programs, but does not indicate which programs. End-of-program surveys conducted from 2001 to 2006 by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment asked faculty, “Did your students use technology to present work, conduct research (including library research), or solve problems? If yes, How?” Not surprisingly, faculty answered that library/Internet research skills were the most commonly used at 50%, followed by some form of presentation technology. Ninety percent of programs reported some substantial use of information technology. (See[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]])<br />
<br />
In 2006-07, questions were revised to more accurately identify programs where there was intentional focus on teaching ITL: "Did your program include activities to improve information technology literacy?" With this more restrictive language, 70% of programs reported including ITL. (See[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]) <br />
<br />
Further, in 2006-07, a follow-up question asked specifically which kind of technology was taught. Significantly different technologies predominate in different parts of the curriculum. No standard set of applications comes into play, although as of 2006-07, presentation technologies (at 42% of all programs) have increased by 70% over their use in the 2001 to 2006 reports and now begin to approach library and Internet research in their prevalence at 50%. Online communication applications were reported by 32% of programs, an increase of 19% over the 2001-2006 data. <br />
<br />
Reservation-based programs reported library and Internet research at the highest rate, at 100% of programs, although this work was weakly connected to library instruction and therefore it is unclear whether academic library-supplied resources were used. At the other end of the spectrum, Culture, Text, and Language was lowest with 21% reporting library or Internet searching. The remainder of planning units ranged between 43% and 50% library/Internet use, with Core programs at the low end with 43%.<br />
<br />
The substantial move toward presentation media and online communication in programs drives increases in multimedia applications. Presentation technology and online communication applications encourage the use of still and moving images, sound clips, graphs, and charts. These media are mixed with traditional print communication written by students or linked from Web resources. While these media and print applications involve basic, commonly used applications of information technology, they easily migrate toward more advanced media production. The increasing presence of multimedia information technology in Evergreen's learning communities drives further demand upon Media Services and Academic Computing, along with increased overlap of their teaching and service roles.<br />
<br />
Since its inception in the context of Holly’s generic library, Media Services has followed its mission to support media literacy and instruction across the curriculum. During the last ten years, Media Services have changed dramatically as the personal computer has become the platform for entry-level media production and consumption. One measure of this change has materialized in how media staff have served programs through formal workshops since fall 2000. The scheduling data shows that almost 90% of formal program-based workshops serve Expressive Arts faculty. While this scheduling data does not cover equipment proficiency workshops or one-on-one instruction, both used more broadly across the curriculum, it is nevertheless clear that formal instruction by media staff focuses heavily on Expressive Arts programs, with an emphasis on advanced production applications, the exclusive provenance of expressive arts faculty. Media Services provides this advanced instruction in specialized labs, which were enhanced and expanded during the remodel. One effect of this specialization is that entry-level students have migrated to Academic Computing, where the staff works in collaboration with media staff to provide instruction on entry-level media-production applications. In fact, during fall and winter 2006-07, 68% of the faculty who requested workshops in Computer Center were from planning units other than Expressive Arts, and many of these workshops included media instruction (Photoshop, iMovie, Flash, etc.). <br />
<br />
Just as in the Computer Center, the Computer Applications Lab (CAL) shows a trend toward more broadly used applications. Although the CAL has traditionally focused on the science curriculum in the Environmental Studies and Scientific Inquiry planning units, these users have begun to share their space with those who have less specialized demands. Roughly 60% to 70% of the classes in the CAL now work with statistical or numeric analysis, primarily Excel, but also with Graphical Analysis, R, and SPSS. Ninety percent of CAL users prepare presentations, most often with Powerpoint, Word, Illustrator and Excel. Approximately 60% of the programs meeting in the CAL still use analytical tools, including (in order of usage) ArcGIS, Mathematica, and Stella, which were once the focal point of all CAL applications. Science faculty have shifted their emphasis to on-site analysis, using advanced applications in specialized scientific labs in ways that parallel the shift in Media Services toward advanced applications. Meanwhile, the CAL and the Computer Center serve increasing numbers of students who seek instruction or support for the increasingly powerful personal computing applications in media production, statistical analysis, and presentation media.<br />
<br />
=====Does Library Instruction Result in ITL Gains?=====<br />
<br />
The Library, consistent with college-wide practices, rejects requirements and embraces students who engage in open inquiry and independent judgment. In this context, the Library supports a fluid curriculum and responds to changes that drive the needs and expectations of an innovative teaching faculty. Standard or standardized assessment methods do not apply because the Library shapes teaching according to individual students, a fluid curriculum, and highly diverse pedagogy. Instead, the Library commits to the intensive and never-ending task of recreating learning goals, student-by-student, program-by-program. Context is everything, which obviates the role of abstract standardized measures.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the Library does engage in qualitative assessment, the descriptive characterization of ITL teaching and learning. As is the case throughout the faculty (see Standard 2.B.3, Engagement and Reflection), library faculty write annual evaluations of themselves and their library and teaching colleagues. They also engage in five-year reviews in which a panel of teaching colleagues discusses their work. These evaluations consistently address instructional aspirations, successes, and failures. See [[Media: Reflections_on_library_instruction.doc | Reflections on Library Instruction]]. <br />
<br />
Further, under the leadership of the Office of Institutional Research, the librarians designed a project that assessed students as they worked through real research inquiries. The study, [[media: ActivityInfomationLiteracy.pdf |"The Activity of Information Literacy"]], documented the techniques and processes and even the thinking of several small samples of students as they collaborated intensively on research questions. The study showed that these particular students were stronger in their grasp of content than they were in their command of library research tools for their specific inquiries. In other words, a question about history might not lead them to historical abstracts. They were also strong in their ability to develop their research questions and to evaluate and synthesize the results. What these results suggest is that “Faculty may want to assess their students’ abilities to obtain information and offer tutorials or refer students to the Library when deficiencies are detected.”<br />
<br />
Beyond the immediate results, this qualitative assessment also suggested that the students benefited greatly when they collaborated. Certainly, this observation is corroborated by the gains that students make when they work together in skill building instead of in canned computer workshops outside of programs. Additionally, peer groups are widely used across the curriculum as a way to encourage students to develop research topics and individual projects. Given the results of the qualitative assessment and given the widely practiced use of peer groups, library faculty should seek ways to implement collaborative research activities when they link their instruction to programs. This model of cooperation would build on the more isolated collaborations that take place, as a matter of course, between librarians and students at the reference desk. An enlarged vision of this basic transaction—discussion, exploration, and brainstorming—will enhance the relevance and effectiveness of library teaching and workshops.<br />
<br />
=====Student Assessment of Their ITL Learning=====<br />
<br />
The Evergreen Student Experience Survey (ESES) asks questions that elucidate what the students themselves think they learned at Evergreen. In 2006, the ESES asked, "To what extent have your Evergreen experiences contributed to your growth in ... the following computer-related fields...?" Responses generally matched fairly well with the perspectives found in the end-of-program surveys. For the category "Studying or Doing Research via the Internet or other online sources:<br />
<br />
* 30.5% of Olympia-campus students reported at least some contribution. <br />
* 47.5% reported quite a bit or a lot, for a total of 77.5%. <br />
* More than 84% of Tacoma students reported at least some, of which 50% reported quite a bit. <br />
* More than 93% of reservation-based students reported at least some contribution; 86.2% reporting quite a bit or a lot.<br />
<br />
Considering how many students express self-confidence in their research skills, and as the Internet provides so many increasingly powerful tools for personal research, it is heartening to see that a good majority of students feel they developed their research skills as part of their education at Evergreen. <br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES also asked about "Using the computer for artistic expression (e.g., music, other audio, still images, animation, video, etc.)":<br />
<br />
* More than 42% reported that Evergreen contributed "Some," "Quite a Bit," or "A Lot"<br />
* Fully 36.8% said "Not at All"<br />
* 20.9% said "Very Little"<br />
<br />
The 2006 ESES surveyed use of non-artistic computer tools, asking about specific types of applications such as spreadsheets, GIS, Web development, posters, or programming. In general, as was found in end-of-program reviews, no single type of computer application dominated. No application type was used by more than 50% of students; instead, different types of applications were used by smaller subsets of the students surveyed.<br />
<br />
===5.E.1 Participatory Planning===<br />
<br />
''The institution has a planning process that involves users, library and information resource staff, faculty, and administrators.''<br />
<br />
====Overall Planning for Collections & Services====<br />
<br />
The fluidity of interdisciplinary and individual study defines library services. The dean of Library Services strengthens the ties between academics and the Library and Media Services through weekly meetings with the provost, associate vice president for academic budget and planning, and academic dean of budget, as well as weekly academic deans meetings. Once a month, the director of computing and communications and the manager of Academic Computing also join the academic deans' meeting.<br />
<br />
The interconnection of the instructional role with the planning and support functions drives the efficacy of all the services in these areas. In the [[Media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc | Edutech Information Environment Review]], Area 5 discussed planning and governance in the Evergreen information environment. The review was somewhat critical of the lack of coordination in support, planning, and governance of IT across the campus and advocated for a stronger role for the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH), an organization which links library, media, and computing managers and instructors. However, the report did not emphasize how the teaching function and role in Academic Computing, the CAL, and Media Services creates strong collaboration in all service and instruction design. <br />
<br />
Further, placing library and information resources within the larger ethos of the college, any major policy discussions or long-term planning processes invoke the participatory college-wide Disappearing Task Force (DTF) structure. Budgetary processes are generally collaborative and include opportunities for review and input from the campus community (see Participatory Decision-Making Culture [Standard 1 Section 2.3] and Standard 6). The college budget process and schedule drives most mid-term library planning. (See Standard 7 Section 7.A.3).<br />
<br />
Additional opportunities for community contributions to planning include faculty who rotate into the Library and who focus on collection development and other planning projects. An annual Reference Services Group retreat establishes the year's work before classes start in the fall. Faculty development reviews, also known as five-year reviews, and faculty institutes provide opportunities for conversations across campus about a range of teaching, learning, and service questions as they impact information services. The library internship program provided a reading seminar for several years within which library faculty, staff, and interns could discuss changing information technology and its cultural meaning. Finally, the librarians often engage in faculty reading seminars, frequently focused on library issues, where shared thinking about the future of libraries evolves.<br />
<br />
====Loose Structures and Responsiveness to Rapid Change in the Information Environment====<br />
<br />
Among the organizations included in library and information resources, the Library is the largest and most embedded in tradition and thus may be the most invested in preexisting professional structures and assumptions. Additionally, a comparative lack of top-down managerial structures could lead to a tendency to stagnate in some environments. How well does the Library balance the competing demands of conservation, teaching, and technological adaptation and innovation? The success of the Library’s flat organization can be measured by the impressive way in which the Library group has responded to institutional and profession-wide changes and challenges. See the [[Media: Achievements.doc |Achievements]] document for a description of major changes in services, faculties, and collections implemented during the study period. Most of the changes are responses to opportunities provided by technological developments and external engagement in consortia. The consortia relieve any single library from much of the burden of research and develop into new technologies, an overwhelming burden for a comparatively small library such as Evergreen's. Additionally, Evergreen's library administration and staff have worked actively in leadership roles in the Orbis Cascade consortium to assure that the consortium supports efficient, cost-effective movement into the world of networked and shared resources.<br />
<br />
===5.E.2 Planning Linkages===<br />
<br />
''The institution, in its planning, recognizes the need for management and technical linkages among information resource bases (e.g., libraries, instructional computing, media production and distribution centers, and telecommunications networks).''<br />
<br />
====Planning Across LIR====<br />
<br />
With networked information technology and almost universal access to digitized academic information resources, coordination of planning across library and information resources has become increasingly critical. The information technology staff and librarians from across the administrative units found that while administrative restructuring did not appear to provide a more effective connection among services, it was nevertheless wise to imagine a new structure to foster collaboration. A cross-areas collaborative group entitled the Information Technology Collaborative Hive (ITCH) was created, which provides the most formal mechanism for collaboration around technology across the various parts of the college. <br />
<br />
Evergreen supports three ITCH groups: Academic, Administrative, and Core. The Academic ITCH meets at least once a month and includes professional staff from each of the primary technology labs, faculty, and interested students. The Academic ITCH coordinates general academic IT initiatives, helps develop general academic computing policy, and guides strategic planning. Professional staff members in each of the primary technology areas have developed strong connections to discipline-specific slices of the curriculum, faculty, and academic administration. As the ITCH develops, the members will explore ways to communicate and plan in cross-disciplinary and cross-divisional programs. The ITCH provides one of the necessary cross-curricular and cross-divisional contexts for developing information technology across administratively distinct areas. The Administrative ITCH plans for administrative IT support and the Core ITCH acts as the coordinating body for all areas of IT represented in the ITCH.<br />
<br />
The ITCH created a strategic plan in conjunction with the campus-wide strategic planning process in 2007. Strategic Direction number 7 addresses technology. The statement is notable for the breadth of its concerns, with aspirations addressing media, library, and computing technology: <br />
<br />
: Use technology to enhance teaching and learning and administrative support at Evergreen.<br />
Evergreen will intentionally foster secure, sustainable, flexible, easy-to-use, and accessible information technologies (IT) that support and enhance our teaching and learning philosophies and the administrative needs of the institution. Evergreen’s continuing commitment to technology and media literacies as critical components of a liberal arts education has led us to re-envision our Television Studio into a Center for New Media [now entitled the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)] that will provide cross-curricular and extra-curricular support for computer mediated production, performance, interactivity, teleconferencing, live broadcasts, digital image storage, processing, re-broadcasting, and format conversion for all areas of the college. Accuracy and quality of information will improve and strong support will make technology and a broad range of information services available to on- and off-campus users. Security requirements of networks, software, hardware and data will be met while ensuring appropriate user access, including control of access to confidential information and the need for academic exploration. Classroom spaces will be technologically current and functional for meeting curricular needs (see the complete [[Media: itchstrategicplan_wiki.pdf|IT Strategic Plan wiki]] for more detail).<br />
<br />
The [[media: TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] recommended a stronger, more formal role and status for the ITCH, which has not found support from higher-level administrators who have budgetary responsibility over the divisions of the college. This means the ITCH continues to serve as a bottom-up structure of collaboration based on the experience of direct collaboration with and support for students, staff, and faculty users.<br />
<br />
====Continue Blending More Functions within Library and Information Resources====<br />
<br />
Library and information resources support a surprisingly diverse infrastructure of technologies and media in the curriculum. For greatest efficiency, library and information resources should consider even more coordination across boundaries to provide technology support. Students should be able to move seamlessly between different areas, such as the CAL, the Multimedia Lab (MML), and the Computer Center. Certainly, the pathways between areas could be more clearly articulated by identifying and developing more common services, including printing, building and maintaining image sets, server file space, and common software. By taking better advantage of the network infrastructure, students will experience less confusion and IT staff who directly support the curriculum could dedicate more energy toward coordinating, developing, and designing IT strategies with academic programs instead of maintaining redundant infrastructures.<br />
<br />
Library and information resources could develop a shared perspective about their public presence. One possibility for representing blended facilities and services would be a central help desk for the Information Technology Wing. The shared entrance to the wing has become a prominent architectural feature and an opportunity to reshape the community’s understanding of what the areas collectively represent. A central help desk could provide basic information about facilities, services, and staff, and it would help facilitate how efficiently patrons move between the various floors of the wing. Continued attention to the best use of the Library Underground and how to assure its connection to other floors should be part of this process; a large, flexible teaching and gathering space is developing there and appropriate equipment will be needed to support that vision. Concurrently, assuring safety for the adjacent Archives and Rare Books Collections is critical.<br />
<br />
Construction of the Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM) will begin soon. This project has distinct relevance to the changing roles of Media Services, the Library, and Academic Computing within the evolving digital liberal arts. The CCAM will comprise a collection of media production studios and equipment to complement existing Media Services and Academic Computing media resources and provide the primary bridge between the campus media infrastructure and networked digital resources. For a discussion of the CCAM and related curricular projects, see [[media: CNM.doc | Center for Creative and Applied Media]].<br />
<br />
===5.E.3 Evaluation and the Future===<br />
<br />
''The institution regularly and systematically evaluates the quality, adequacy, and utilization of its library and information resources and services, including those provided through cooperative arrangements, and at all locations where courses, programs, or degrees are offered. The institution uses the results of the evaluations to improve the effectiveness of these resources.''<br />
<br />
As part of an institution constantly engaged in processes of narrative evaluation and other forms of assessment, library and information resources engage in and are the subject of extensive assessment both within library and information resources and externally through Institutional Research and Assessment surveys and studies. In addition to formal annual processes such as budget building and annual library faculty retreats, the results of these assessments feed into the development of ongoing teaching and services through constant face-to-face interactions among faculty, administrators, staff, and students, which inform all operations. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, as cited throughout this report, provides annual surveys about library and information resources, several of which are broken down by campus.<br />
<br />
See:<br />
<br />
[[ Media: Alumni_Surveys_2002-2006_-_Campus_Utilization_Statistics.pdf | Alumni Surveys 2002-2006 - Campus Utilization]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Summary_of_Information_Technology_Literacy_Emphasis_in_Programs.pdf | Summary of Information Technology Literacy Emphasis in Programs]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_Overview.pdf | End-of program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy Overview]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Workshop_-_Information_Technology_Across_the_Curriculum.pdf | End-of-program Review Workshop - Information Technology Across the Curriculum]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_First-time%2C_First-years.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - First-time, First-years]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_New_Student_Survey_2005_%E2%80%93_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Transfer_Students.pdf | Evergreen New Student Survey 2005 - Computer Skills - Transfer Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2004_-_Information_Technology_Literacy_and_Technology-related_Resources.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2004 - Information Technology Literacy and Technology-related Resources]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_%E2%80%93_Growth_in_Computer_Skills_%E2%80%93_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Growth in Computer Skills - Olympia Campus]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf | <br />
Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 - Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]<br />
<br />
[[Media: End-of-program_Review_Results_for_2006-07_%E2%80%93_Information_Technology_Literacy_by_Planning_Unit.pdf | End-of-program Review Results for 2006-07 - Information Technology Literacy by Planning Unit]]<br />
<br />
====Collections and Access====<br />
<br />
The Web presence of the Library will, of course, continue to evolve. The Library continues work on a new library front page and database search pages. It is likely that the new library front page will become the responsibility of the college-wide Web team, freeing library staff from this unfunded work. A new federated search is being implemented. Meanwhile, the Orbis Cascade consortium is migrating to WorldCat, which the Library will consider for local use as well. A local catalog designed on the principle of Web discovery tools can be expected to generate significant changes in library use. In this context, changes in staffing may be required to support increases in use of services such as Summit and ILLiad, and the content and focus of instruction may require substantial revision. Evaluation of service and instruction via peer comparisons will change, as discovery tools will generate higher uses without increased instruction. Instruction will likely need to focus even more on evaluating sources and finding those resources not easily located via discovery tools. <br />
<br />
The continued expansion of audiovisual media collections represents a critical part of the vision of the generic library. To that end, one-time funds have frequently been infused into a small base budget for film and sound recordings, and the collection has grown significantly. Sound & Image Library (SAIL) staff and selectors have emphasized both new titles and replacement of older formats and worn copies. The Library anticipates circulating the collection through Summit, which will increase wear. See [[media:SAILacq.xls|SAIL Acquisition Statistics]]. Selectors will continue a recent change of policy allowing the purchase of any medium from their funds allocated for print monographs, but a stable and larger allocation for the SAIL budget would lessen the need to do so and reduce variations in expenditures, workload, and processing. The Resource Selection Committee is currently reviewing materials budgets with the intention of reallocating funds according to the curricular demands for video and digitized reference resources. If these discussions result in a larger budget for the SAIL, there will be more work, but also more consistency. Additionally, the staff will be more deeply involved in researching Web-based media collections. This additional workload represents a challenge for the SAIL. <br />
<br />
Digital collection development should go forward in concert with the push to digitize archival collections, including photographs, video, and copies of faculty artwork. The CCAM will take the lead in this ongoing project. <br />
<br />
Because of the Summit and ILLiad systems, the core collections do not need to support individual students who engage in inquiries that lie outside the collection profile based upon the core curriculum. However, Summit use will also allow the Library to identify whether there are any consistent weaknesses in the collection that show up as subject areas driving high borrowing rates from other institutions. The data from Summit should be analyzed over a three-year period, due to the fluidity of the curriculum, at which point the Library will decide if such data are useful in guiding collection development. <br />
<br />
The Library will continue to take advantage of the significantly increased purchasing power created by consortial agreements for periodical and other database purchases. The Library needs to keep an eye on the time and expertise required to keep up with the ever-increasing work of evaluating these agreements, purchases, and contracts and the technical work to support electronic resources, and it may want to consider creating a position for managing electronic resources. A centralized specialist working on electronic resources would potentially help the selectors by consistently researching and disseminating information about new products.<br />
<br />
Overall, long-standing assumptions about budgets for collections must be reevaluated. While major cuts were made to the monographic budget early in the study period and were only partially restored over time, it is not clear that simply restoring those funds and adding funds for inflation are the desirable next moves. The Resource Selection Committee will need to continue to explore more flexible responses to a rapidly changing publishing environment in order to match collection budgets to evolving research needs. Private fundraising and other non-state funds have helped close collection development gaps in some cases, such as the SAIL budget. Library and information resources overall have begun to receive private support for equipment and facilities projects as well. More work with the Office of College Advancement should be emphasized, as many alumni have demonstrated willingness to support the library and information resources. <br />
<br />
=====Support for Rapidly Evolving Information Technology=====<br />
<br />
While the [[media:TESC_Information_Environment_Review.doc |Edutech Information Environment Review]] gave Evergreen good marks for its budgetary support of information technology, the report also recommended that “to follow current best practices, the replacement cycle should be permanently funded and the operations budgets need to be raised regularly to reflect the increase in technology-equipped classrooms, the increased number of servers and desktop computers that must be supported, and other increases in the technology base.” The college has begun to address this issue, proposing permanent line items in the next biennium for replacing the core server and desktops. This movement toward more permanent allocations for replacement and repair will help ensure that the infrastructure can support the curriculum. Although the ITCH can play only an advisory role, it has participated actively in the process of establishing permanent allocations, setting priorities, and sharing resources. <br />
<br />
The remodeled Information Technology Wing and the construction of the Seminar II building created dramatically more technology-equipped teaching spaces. There are now forty-nine media and computer-capable classrooms, with more on the way. Labs are equipped with computers for each student, and most classrooms now include a computer along with projection and display systems. The Library plans to convert one classroom in the Library Underground to a lab, and teaching spaces on campus still without computers or display technology are on the way to being equipped. At this point, library and information resources just manage to support the computer facilities distributed across campus. As more spaces are computerized and enrollment creeps up toward the target of 5,000, the college will have to add additional staff and funding for maintenance. All capital construction and remodeling plans must include consideration of maintenance, replacement, and support for media and networked display. <br />
<br />
As media technology has changed, some faculty choose to continue teaching older analog equipment, often for good pedagogical and aesthetic reasons. In the context of doubling instruction loads, this breadth of technologies generates a daunting challenge for Media Loan as it stretches to maintain, house, and teach a very wide array of portable equipment. Media Loan should work with the Expressive Arts faculty and other major users to reduce the range of Media Loan equipment necessary to support the curriculum.<br />
<br />
====Library Instruction====<br />
<br />
The reduced number of library faculty has resulted in less ability to provide library instruction deeply and broadly to the entire curriculum. Further, reference desk service has changed as the Internet creates patrons who access our resources from remote locations. Most immediately, virtual patrons do not benefit from the teaching that takes place at the reference desk, although the transactions that do occur at reference tend to be more substantive. As traffic at the physical reference desk has diminished, faculty who rotate into the Library have more limited opportunities to learn about library resources through interactions with patrons. These trends should inform the reference group as they consider how to proceed in allocating team responsibilities with or without an increase in the number of library faculty.<br />
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The reference group should evaluate service to areas of the curriculum that report or demonstrate less involvement in the various forms of information technology instruction (as reflected in end of program reports), and consider whether more or different instructional support would be appropriate, feasible, or desirable. <br />
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Library instruction will evolve in the context of catalogs that imitate Web discovery tools. It is entirely likely that patrons will frequently discover services which have, until now, had to be pointed out to them. For the near future, however, finding and using the most effective, appropriate journal databases still requires instruction or intervention on the part of librarians or faculty. Evaluation of library instruction based upon comparative use statistics will probably be less valuable than in this past study period, as academic library finding tools will vary greatly for some time to come, creating widely disparate use statistics. Thus close attention to database use trends and their correlation to the implementation of new finding tools will be important in the near future.<br />
<br />
Intensive, embedded library and media instruction remain the most desirable and effective models. Some librarians focus on these models, including such work as evaluating bibliographies, which become the basis for assessing the quality of student research and the basis for further instruction. Faculty librarians may want to explore evaluating research results more commonly as they develop their ties with programs and faculty in all disciplines, particularly if discovery tools generate easier access to resources beyond the immediate catalog search. As librarians become more involved in each stage of research, including writing or production, they should be able to provide more consistent support to students. Time for this work with students is restricted by the number of librarians, as is time for the more extended work essential to students from Tacoma and reservation-based programs, who depend so heavily upon off-campus access and have less opportunity to confer with librarians at the reference desk. Faculty who rotate into the Library must be more fully engaged in this aspect of the librarians' work in order to help balance the external teaching demands upon library faculty. <br />
<br />
When the Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning and Writing Centers were planned into the new Information Technology Wing, the hope was for substantial collaboration. While the location of these centers within the Library brings more students in, aids the sense of hospitality, and provides convenient resources for students, collaboration has remained minimal. Thus opportunities for shared instruction and service have yet to be exploited.<br />
<br />
=====Cross-Curricular Information Technology Literacy=====<br />
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As discussed above, library and information resources and the teaching faculty assure that information technology infuses the curriculum. On the other hand, the faculty has not embraced any particular set of information technology skills as fundamental to the liberal arts undergraduate at Evergreen. Instead, faculty choose and adapt information and media technologies according to the pedagogical and disciplinary requirements of their chosen inquiry. There is little work across the curriculum about critical approaches to media or basic definitions of college-level technical literacy for the liberal arts. In the immediate future, library and information resources should invite the teaching faculty into a discussion about whether the campus has any broad consensus about Information Technology Literacy (ITL), including critical approaches. Long ago, the college committed to writing across the curriculum and allocated significant institutional resources to encourage that work—without proscriptive limits or standards. A wider discussion about ITL could produce a similar vision and institutional support. In the long run, such a vision will shape our understanding of digital scholarship in the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
The expansion of entry-level media technology instruction raises questions about the staffing assumptions in Academic Computing. If critical approaches to information technology are to be addressed, and if cross-curricular information technology literacy is a priority for the contemporary liberal arts, then instructional staffing based on historical models of canned skills workshops may be insufficient. Academic Computing should continue current efforts to recruit instructional staff who have the expertise to work intensively in program planning and curriculum development, as well as on technical support for those activities. The numbers of such instructional IT staffing may also need to be evaluated in response to these new and expanding demands for work within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
===Conclusion: Holly's Generic Library Has Come to Fruition===<br />
<br />
Library and information resources have been deeply influenced by the organizational habits of the college, habits of collaboration, egalitarian ideals, fluidity, face-to-face interactions, non-departmentalization, reflexive learning, and independent and interdisciplinary inquiry. The result is a responsive, flexible, evolving set of services and resources. Library and information resources faculty and staff work across the media, regardless of where services reside administratively, in order to fuse traditional library services, information services, computing, and media. Library and information resources assess technology within the context of Evergreen’s particular curriculum and implement new applications incrementally in collaborative processes involving all three areas of service and the teaching faculty. As part of that work, library and information resources have had the distinct historical advantage of presuming that information comes in all formats and that it is not only possible but advisable to break down as many barriers as possible to access information in all its forms. In this, library and information resources are shaped by their founding vision - the generic library - an idea whose time has come.<br />
<br />
===Standard 5 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<br />
1) Overall, library and information resources at Evergreen demonstrate effective development of collaborative planning, services, and instruction in support of the academic mission and educational programs of the college.<br />
<br />
2.) Over the past decade, the Library and Media Services have fully committed to networking and digital resources. This shift has implied a change in organization, reorganization of job classifications, and the creation of new patterns of work supported in all areas.<br />
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3.) Commitment to the use of networking digital information resources has allowed and promoted the integration of all sections of library and information resources and has pushed the staff in all areas to reconceptualize their work and to find new patterns of organization and collaboration.<br />
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4.) Students and faculty are thinking about and using information resources in all media. They can now reasonably expect to have seamless access to a wide array of high-quality academic information, media, and computer applications almost anywhere on campus.<br />
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5.) The Library is funded like a public college, but the emphasis on projects, the array of inquiries, and the fact that it is a teaching library means that it is used as if it were a part of a private liberal arts college.<br />
<br />
Conclusions:<br />
<br />
1.) The Evergreen Library has always been what other libraries have striven to become: a '''teaching library''' deeply connected to the faculty and curriculum. The result is that students use the Library very actively. Historically, Media Services has had the same teaching focus. Academic computing, with a longstanding instructional role, is also moving toward more substantive teaching and collaboration with faculty. This cross-curricular emphasis on teaching must be continued.<br />
<br />
2.) The original vision of the Library was "generic," which means that it includes all media in all locations. The contemporary term in the profession is the '''virtual library. ''' Evergreen's library and information resources have been able to realize the vision due to the advent of effective, ubiquitous networking and digital resources. The new technology plus major consortial agreements have created an explosion of access to high-quality scholarly information and media.<br />
<br />
3. The remodeled and more unified Information Technology Wing is the physical manifestation of the blending of traditional print, media, and computer technology that characterizes the virtual library and information in the digital age. Despite being spread across administrative divisions, the Library, Media Services, Academic Computing, the CAL, and Computing and Communications all collaborate effectively to assure more and more seamless access to information resources. We must guard these interconnections and continue to seek opportunities for collaboration that will provide the best service, teaching, and efficiency.<br />
<br />
Commendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Through consortial agreements and wise use of resources made available to the college, an extraordinary array of high-quality academic resources. For example, the number of academic journals now available is nine times larger than at the outset of the review. Active leadership in consortia such as Orbis Cascade and the Cooperative Libraries Project supported these cost-effective approaches.<br />
<br />
2.) The willingness of staff from all areas to share, collaborate, and dream as they worked through the complex reorganizations and new work necessary to create an operative virtual library has been extraordinary.<br />
<br />
3.) The creation of an accessible, integrated, well-conceived teaching space with the renovation of the B and C wings of the Library has allowed the virtual library to have a physical presence that embodies the integration of these areas, while providing hospitable spaces and programming to complement virtual use information resources.<br />
<br />
4.) The spread of digital media and computer facilities to the campus as a whole, in the Lecture Halls, and in the new classrooms of Seminar II, as well as the extension of wireless access to most of the campus has allowed the teaching resources of library and information resources to be used across the campus.<br />
<br />
5.) Both the development of the virtual library and a continued commitment to extensive instruction have led to effective library and information resources for off-campus programs and users.<br />
<br />
Recommendations:<br />
<br />
1.) Library and information resources must maintain the flexibility in staff’s capacity to respond to the rapidly changing digital environment.<br />
<br />
2.) Library and information services must continue to remain aware of developments in information technology, critically assess them, and carefully integrate technological capacities into the staff’s capacity for teaching.<br />
<br />
3.) Library and information resources should assure that connections between the three units (the Library, Academic Computing, and Media Services) that make up library and information resources are as seamless as possible.<br />
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4.) Media Services instructors should consciously promote considerations of media among faculty across the curriculum, as well as continue to work effectively with those who depend upon media as the center of their work.<br />
<br />
5.) Staff from all areas should pursue and develop cross-curricular faculty conversations about information and technology as literacies for the liberal arts, including critical perspectives.<br />
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6.) Library and information services should assure that instructional staffing and library faculty is sufficient in training and numbers to support extensive, integrated information technology literacy instruction across the curriculum and to off-campus and weekend and evening programs.<br />
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7.) Library and information services should continue to develop maintenance and replacement funds to support rapidly expanding information technology, instruction, and service throughout the campus.<br />
<br />
Plans:<br />
<br />
1.) Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing staff and faculty will collaborate in planning ongoing summer faculty institutes facilitating cross-curricular faculty conversations about information technology literacy for the liberal arts.<br />
<br />
2.) The shape of expenditures on collections should evolve as inflation, consortia, networked access, and digital publications continue to change the information environment. The Library Resource Selection Committee will continue to review database, Summit, and local collection use, as well as allocation of non-state funds in order to appropriately support collections in all media. As a member of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, the Library will pursue collaborative collection development emphasizing strong core local collections and coordinated shared collections.<br />
<br />
3.) The substantial instructional role necessary to support information technology literacy across the curriculum should be recognized in campus hiring priorities.<br />
<br />
4.) The Library, Media Services, and Academic Computing will continue to emphasize shared work. Several areas of potential collaboration in addition to faculty institutes include considering a shared public presence at the newly emphasized main entrance to the Information Technology Wing, an increased role for the ITCH in planning and management of information technology on campus, shared staff positions, shared hiring processes, and more collaborative instruction for academic programs.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Five|Supporting Documentation for Standard 5]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8826Standard 42008-07-24T22:46:58Z<p>Coghlanl: /* 4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals. */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
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We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
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The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
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The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
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The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
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The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
<br />
One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
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In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
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With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
<br />
====Size of Teams====<br />
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The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
<br />
====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
<br />
====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
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We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
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The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
<br />
Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
<br />
====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
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With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
<br />
<br />
All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
<br />
====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
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The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
<br />
Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
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====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
<br />
=====Planning=====<br />
<br />
At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
<br />
Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
<br />
* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
<br />
One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
<br />
While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
<br />
=====Advising=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
<br />
Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
<br />
Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
<br />
The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
<br />
There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
<br />
=====Governance=====<br />
<br />
Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
<br />
The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
<br />
Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
<br />
Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
<br />
====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
<br />
The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
<br />
=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
<br />
There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
<br />
* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
<br />
* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
<br />
* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
<br />
* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
<br />
*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
<br />
*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
<br />
*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
<br />
<br />
In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
<br />
Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
<br />
*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
<br />
<br />
Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
<br />
* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
<br />
The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
<br />
Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
<br />
Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
<br />
We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
<br />
====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
<br />
Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
<br />
* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
<br />
<br />
Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
<br />
Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
<br />
The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
<br />
====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
<br />
The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
<br />
The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
<br />
* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
<br />
<br />
Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
<br />
* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
<br />
<br />
We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
<br />
Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
<br />
Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
<br />
To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
<br />
The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
<br />
For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
<br />
We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
<br />
Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
<br />
Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
<br />
In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
<br />
What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
<br />
===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
<br />
* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
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====4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty====<br />
<br />
Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
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====4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
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The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
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====4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.====<br />
<br />
Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
<br />
New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
====4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
<br />
====4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.====<br />
<br />
One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
<br />
Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
<br />
The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
<br />
Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
<br />
In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
<br />
====4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.====<br />
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Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
<br />
Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
<br />
At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
<br />
====4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.====<br />
<br />
The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
<br />
====4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.====<br />
<br />
The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
<br />
====4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.====<br />
<br />
Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
<br />
In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
<br />
In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
<br />
====4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.====<br />
<br />
As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
<br />
====4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.====<br />
<br />
The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
<br />
'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
<br />
(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
====Findings====<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
<br />
2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
<br />
3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
<br />
5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
<br />
7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
<br />
8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
<br />
====Conclusions====<br />
<br />
1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
<br />
a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
<br />
b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
<br />
c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
<br />
3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
<br />
4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
<br />
====Commendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
<br />
2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
<br />
3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
<br />
====Recommendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
<br />
2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
<br />
5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
<br />
6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
<br />
7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
<br />
8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
<br />
====Plans====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
<br />
2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
<br />
3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8825Standard 42008-07-24T22:46:49Z<p>Coghlanl: /* 4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals. */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
<br />
We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
<br />
The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
<br />
The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
<br />
The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
<br />
The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
<br />
One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
<br />
In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
<br />
With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
<br />
====Size of Teams====<br />
<br />
The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
<br />
====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
<br />
====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
<br />
We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
<br />
The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
<br />
Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
<br />
====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
<br />
With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
<br />
<br />
All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
<br />
====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
<br />
The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
<br />
Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
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====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
<br />
=====Planning=====<br />
<br />
At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
<br />
Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
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There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
<br />
* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
<br />
One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
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While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
<br />
=====Advising=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
<br />
Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
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Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
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The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
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There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
<br />
=====Governance=====<br />
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Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
<br />
The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
<br />
Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
<br />
Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
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====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
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=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
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Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
<br />
The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
<br />
=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
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There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
<br />
* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
<br />
* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
<br />
* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
<br />
* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
<br />
*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
<br />
*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
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*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
<br />
<br />
In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
<br />
Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
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Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
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*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
<br />
<br />
Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
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* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
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====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
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The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
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Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
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Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
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We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
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====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
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Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
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Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
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* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
<br />
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Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
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Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
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The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
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====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
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The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
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The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
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* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
<br />
<br />
Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
<br />
* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
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We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
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Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
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Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
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To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
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The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
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For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
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We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
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Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
<br />
Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
<br />
In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
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What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
<br />
===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
<br />
* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
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====4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty====<br />
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Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
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====4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
<br />
====4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.====<br />
<br />
Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
<br />
New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
====4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
<br />
====4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.====<br />
<br />
One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
<br />
Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
<br />
The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
<br />
Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
<br />
In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
<br />
====4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
<br />
Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
<br />
At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
<br />
====4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.====<br />
<br />
The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
<br />
====4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.====<br />
<br />
The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
<br />
====4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.====<br />
<br />
Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
<br />
In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
<br />
In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
<br />
====4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.====<br />
<br />
As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
<br />
===4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
<br />
'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
<br />
(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
====Findings====<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
<br />
2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
<br />
3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
<br />
5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
<br />
7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
<br />
8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
<br />
====Conclusions====<br />
<br />
1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
<br />
a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
<br />
b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
<br />
c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
<br />
3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
<br />
4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
<br />
====Commendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
<br />
2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
<br />
3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
<br />
====Recommendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
<br />
2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
<br />
5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
<br />
6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
<br />
7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
<br />
8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
<br />
====Plans====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
<br />
2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
<br />
3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8824Standard 42008-07-24T22:46:41Z<p>Coghlanl: /* 4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities,</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
<br />
We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
<br />
The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
<br />
The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
<br />
The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
<br />
The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
<br />
One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
<br />
In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
<br />
With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
<br />
====Size of Teams====<br />
<br />
The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
<br />
====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
<br />
====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
<br />
We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
<br />
The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
<br />
Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
<br />
====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
<br />
With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
<br />
<br />
All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
<br />
====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
<br />
The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
<br />
Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
<br />
====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
<br />
=====Planning=====<br />
<br />
At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
<br />
Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
<br />
* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
<br />
One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
<br />
While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
<br />
=====Advising=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
<br />
Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
<br />
Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
<br />
The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
<br />
There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
<br />
=====Governance=====<br />
<br />
Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
<br />
The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
<br />
Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
<br />
Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
<br />
====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
<br />
The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
<br />
=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
<br />
There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
<br />
* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
<br />
* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
<br />
* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
<br />
* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
<br />
*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
<br />
*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
<br />
*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
<br />
<br />
In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
<br />
Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
<br />
*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
<br />
<br />
Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
<br />
* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
<br />
The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
<br />
Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
<br />
Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
<br />
We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
<br />
====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
<br />
Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
<br />
* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
<br />
<br />
Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
<br />
Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
<br />
The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
<br />
====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
<br />
The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
<br />
The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
<br />
* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
<br />
<br />
Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
<br />
* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
<br />
<br />
We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
<br />
Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
<br />
Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
<br />
To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
<br />
The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
<br />
For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
<br />
We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
<br />
Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
<br />
Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
<br />
In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
<br />
What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
<br />
===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
<br />
* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
<br />
====4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty====<br />
<br />
Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
<br />
====4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
<br />
====4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.====<br />
<br />
Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
<br />
New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
====4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
<br />
====4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.====<br />
<br />
One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
<br />
Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
<br />
The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
<br />
Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
<br />
In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
<br />
====4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
<br />
Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
<br />
At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
<br />
====4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.====<br />
<br />
The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
<br />
====4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.====<br />
<br />
The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
<br />
====4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.====<br />
<br />
Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
<br />
In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
<br />
In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
<br />
===4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
<br />
===4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
<br />
'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
<br />
(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
====Findings====<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
<br />
2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
<br />
3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
<br />
5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
<br />
7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
<br />
8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
<br />
====Conclusions====<br />
<br />
1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
<br />
a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
<br />
b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
<br />
c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
<br />
3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
<br />
4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
<br />
====Commendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
<br />
2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
<br />
3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
<br />
====Recommendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
<br />
2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
<br />
5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
<br />
6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
<br />
7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
<br />
8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
<br />
====Plans====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
<br />
2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
<br />
3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8823Standard 42008-07-24T22:46:33Z<p>Coghlanl: /* 4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation. */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
<br />
We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
<br />
The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
<br />
The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
<br />
The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
<br />
The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
<br />
One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
<br />
In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
<br />
With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
<br />
====Size of Teams====<br />
<br />
The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
<br />
====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
<br />
====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
<br />
We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
<br />
The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
<br />
Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
<br />
====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
<br />
With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
<br />
<br />
All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
<br />
====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
<br />
The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
<br />
Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
<br />
====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
<br />
=====Planning=====<br />
<br />
At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
<br />
Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
<br />
* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
<br />
One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
<br />
While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
<br />
=====Advising=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
<br />
Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
<br />
Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
<br />
The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
<br />
There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
<br />
=====Governance=====<br />
<br />
Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
<br />
The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
<br />
Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
<br />
Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
<br />
====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
<br />
The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
<br />
=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
<br />
There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
<br />
* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
<br />
* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
<br />
* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
<br />
* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
<br />
*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
<br />
*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
<br />
*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
<br />
<br />
In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
<br />
Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
<br />
*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
<br />
<br />
Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
<br />
* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
<br />
The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
<br />
Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
<br />
Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
<br />
We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
<br />
====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
<br />
Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
<br />
* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
<br />
<br />
Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
<br />
Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
<br />
The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
<br />
====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
<br />
The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
<br />
The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
<br />
* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
<br />
<br />
Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
<br />
* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
<br />
<br />
We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
<br />
Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
<br />
Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
<br />
To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
<br />
The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
<br />
For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
<br />
We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
<br />
Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
<br />
Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
<br />
In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
<br />
What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
<br />
===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
<br />
* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
<br />
====4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty====<br />
<br />
Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
<br />
====4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
<br />
====4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.====<br />
<br />
Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
<br />
New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
====4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
<br />
====4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.====<br />
<br />
One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
<br />
Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
<br />
The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
<br />
Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
<br />
In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
<br />
====4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
<br />
Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
<br />
At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
<br />
====4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.====<br />
<br />
The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
<br />
====4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.====<br />
<br />
The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
<br />
===4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.===<br />
<br />
Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
<br />
In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
<br />
In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
<br />
===4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
<br />
===4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
<br />
'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
<br />
(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
====Findings====<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
<br />
2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
<br />
3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
<br />
5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
<br />
7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
<br />
8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
<br />
====Conclusions====<br />
<br />
1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
<br />
a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
<br />
b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
<br />
c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
<br />
3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
<br />
4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
<br />
====Commendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
<br />
2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
<br />
3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
<br />
====Recommendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
<br />
2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
<br />
5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
<br />
6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
<br />
7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
<br />
8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
<br />
====Plans====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
<br />
2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
<br />
3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8822Standard 42008-07-24T22:46:24Z<p>Coghlanl: /* 4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices. */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
<br />
We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
<br />
The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
<br />
The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
<br />
The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
<br />
The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
<br />
One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
<br />
In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
<br />
With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
<br />
====Size of Teams====<br />
<br />
The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
<br />
====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
<br />
====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
<br />
We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
<br />
The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
<br />
Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
<br />
====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
<br />
With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
<br />
<br />
All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
<br />
====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
<br />
The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
<br />
Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
<br />
====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
<br />
=====Planning=====<br />
<br />
At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
<br />
Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
<br />
* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
<br />
One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
<br />
While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
<br />
=====Advising=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
<br />
Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
<br />
Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
<br />
The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
<br />
There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
<br />
=====Governance=====<br />
<br />
Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
<br />
The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
<br />
Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
<br />
Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
<br />
====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
<br />
The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
<br />
=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
<br />
There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
<br />
* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
<br />
* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
<br />
* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
<br />
* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
<br />
*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
<br />
*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
<br />
*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
<br />
<br />
In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
<br />
Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
<br />
*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
<br />
<br />
Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
<br />
* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
<br />
The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
<br />
Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
<br />
Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
<br />
We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
<br />
====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
<br />
Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
<br />
* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
<br />
<br />
Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
<br />
Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
<br />
The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
<br />
====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
<br />
The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
<br />
The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
<br />
* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
<br />
<br />
Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
<br />
* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
<br />
<br />
We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
<br />
Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
<br />
Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
<br />
To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
<br />
The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
<br />
For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
<br />
We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
<br />
Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
<br />
Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
<br />
In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
<br />
What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
<br />
===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
<br />
* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
<br />
====4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty====<br />
<br />
Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
<br />
====4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
<br />
====4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.====<br />
<br />
Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
<br />
New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
====4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
<br />
====4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.====<br />
<br />
One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
<br />
Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
<br />
The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
<br />
Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
<br />
In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
<br />
====4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
<br />
Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
<br />
At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
<br />
====4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.====<br />
<br />
The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
<br />
===4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.===<br />
<br />
The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
<br />
===4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.===<br />
<br />
Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
<br />
In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
<br />
In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
<br />
===4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
<br />
===4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
<br />
'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
<br />
(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
====Findings====<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
<br />
2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
<br />
3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
<br />
5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
<br />
7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
<br />
8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
<br />
====Conclusions====<br />
<br />
1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
<br />
a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
<br />
b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
<br />
c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
<br />
3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
<br />
4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
<br />
====Commendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
<br />
2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
<br />
3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
<br />
====Recommendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
<br />
2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
<br />
5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
<br />
6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
<br />
7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
<br />
8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
<br />
====Plans====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
<br />
2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
<br />
3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8821Standard 42008-07-24T22:46:16Z<p>Coghlanl: /* 4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated. */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
<br />
We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
<br />
The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
<br />
The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
<br />
The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
<br />
The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
<br />
One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
<br />
In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
<br />
With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
<br />
====Size of Teams====<br />
<br />
The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
<br />
====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
<br />
====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
<br />
We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
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The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
<br />
Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
<br />
====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
<br />
With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
<br />
<br />
All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
<br />
====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
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The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
<br />
Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
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====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
<br />
=====Planning=====<br />
<br />
At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
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Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
<br />
* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
<br />
One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
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While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
<br />
=====Advising=====<br />
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Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
<br />
Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
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Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
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The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
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There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
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=====Governance=====<br />
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Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
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The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
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Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
<br />
Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
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====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
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=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
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Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
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The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
<br />
=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
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There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
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* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
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* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
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* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
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* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
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*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
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*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
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<br />
There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
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*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
<br />
<br />
In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
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Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
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*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
<br />
<br />
Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
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* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
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====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
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The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
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Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
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Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
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We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
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====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
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Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
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Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
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* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
<br />
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Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
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Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
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The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
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====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
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The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
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The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
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* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
<br />
<br />
Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
<br />
* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
<br />
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We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
<br />
Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
<br />
Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
<br />
To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
<br />
The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
<br />
For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
<br />
We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
<br />
Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
<br />
Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
<br />
In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
<br />
What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
<br />
===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
<br />
* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
<br />
====4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty====<br />
<br />
Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
<br />
====4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
<br />
====4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.====<br />
<br />
Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
<br />
New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
====4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
<br />
====4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.====<br />
<br />
One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
<br />
Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
<br />
The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
<br />
Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
<br />
In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
<br />
====4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
<br />
Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
<br />
At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
<br />
===4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.===<br />
<br />
The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
<br />
===4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.===<br />
<br />
The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
<br />
===4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.===<br />
<br />
Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
<br />
In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
<br />
In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
<br />
===4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
<br />
===4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
<br />
'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
<br />
(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
====Findings====<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
<br />
2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
<br />
3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
<br />
5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
<br />
7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
<br />
8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
<br />
====Conclusions====<br />
<br />
1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
<br />
a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
<br />
b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
<br />
c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
<br />
3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
<br />
4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
<br />
====Commendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
<br />
2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
<br />
3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
<br />
====Recommendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
<br />
2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
<br />
5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
<br />
6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
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7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
<br />
8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
<br />
====Plans====<br />
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1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
<br />
2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
<br />
3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8820Standard 42008-07-24T22:46:02Z<p>Coghlanl: /* 4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation. */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
<br />
We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
<br />
The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
<br />
The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
<br />
The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
<br />
The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
<br />
One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
<br />
In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
<br />
With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
<br />
====Size of Teams====<br />
<br />
The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
<br />
====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
<br />
====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
<br />
We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
<br />
The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
<br />
Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
<br />
====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
<br />
With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
<br />
<br />
All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
<br />
====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
<br />
The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
<br />
Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
<br />
====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
<br />
=====Planning=====<br />
<br />
At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
<br />
Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
<br />
* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
<br />
One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
<br />
While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
<br />
=====Advising=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
<br />
Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
<br />
Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
<br />
The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
<br />
There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
<br />
=====Governance=====<br />
<br />
Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
<br />
The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
<br />
Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
<br />
Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
<br />
====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
<br />
The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
<br />
=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
<br />
There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
<br />
* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
<br />
* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
<br />
* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
<br />
* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
<br />
*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
<br />
*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
<br />
*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
<br />
<br />
In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
<br />
Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
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Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
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*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
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<br />
Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
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* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
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====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
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The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
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Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
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Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
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We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
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====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
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Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
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Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
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* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
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Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
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Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
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The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
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====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
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The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
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The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
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* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
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Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
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* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
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We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
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Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
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Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
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To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
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The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
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For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
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We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
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Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
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Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
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In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
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What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
<br />
===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
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* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
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====4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty====<br />
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Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
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====4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
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The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
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Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
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Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
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====4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.====<br />
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Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
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New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
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====4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
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There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
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===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
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====4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.====<br />
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One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
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Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
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The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
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Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
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In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
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===4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.===<br />
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Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
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Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
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At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
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===4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.===<br />
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The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
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===4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.===<br />
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The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
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===4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.===<br />
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Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
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In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
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In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
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===4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
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As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
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===4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
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The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
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'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
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(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
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(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
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(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
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===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
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====Findings====<br />
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1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
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2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
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3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
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4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
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5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
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6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
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7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
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8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
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====Conclusions====<br />
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1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
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a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
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b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
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c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
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2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
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3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
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4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
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5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
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6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
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====Commendations====<br />
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1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
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2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
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3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
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4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
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====Recommendations====<br />
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1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
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2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
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3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
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4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
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5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
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6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
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7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
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8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
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====Plans====<br />
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1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
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2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
<br />
3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8819Standard 42008-07-24T22:45:49Z<p>Coghlanl: /* 4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution. */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
<br />
We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
<br />
The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
<br />
The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
<br />
The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
<br />
The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
<br />
One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
<br />
In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
<br />
With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
<br />
====Size of Teams====<br />
<br />
The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
<br />
====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
<br />
====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
<br />
We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
<br />
The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
<br />
Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
<br />
====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
<br />
With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
<br />
<br />
All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
<br />
====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
<br />
The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
<br />
Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
<br />
====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
<br />
=====Planning=====<br />
<br />
At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
<br />
Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
<br />
* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
<br />
One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
<br />
While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
<br />
=====Advising=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
<br />
Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
<br />
Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
<br />
The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
<br />
There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
<br />
=====Governance=====<br />
<br />
Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
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The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
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Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
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Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
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====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
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=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
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Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
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The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
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=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
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There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
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* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
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* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
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* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
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* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
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*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
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*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
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There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
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*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
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In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
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Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
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Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
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*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
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Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
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* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
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====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
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The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
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Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
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Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
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We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
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====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
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Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
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Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
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* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
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Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
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Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
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The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
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====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
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The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
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The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
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* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
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Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
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* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
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We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
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Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
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Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
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To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
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The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
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For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
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We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
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Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
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Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
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In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
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What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
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===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
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* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
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====4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty====<br />
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Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
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====4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
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The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
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Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
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Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
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====4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.====<br />
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Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
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New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
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====4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
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There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
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===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
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===4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.===<br />
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One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
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Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
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The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
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Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
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In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
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===4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.===<br />
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Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
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Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
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At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
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===4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.===<br />
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The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
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===4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.===<br />
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The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
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===4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.===<br />
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Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
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In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
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In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
<br />
===4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
<br />
===4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
<br />
'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
<br />
(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
====Findings====<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
<br />
2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
<br />
3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
<br />
5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
<br />
7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
<br />
8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
<br />
====Conclusions====<br />
<br />
1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
<br />
a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
<br />
b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
<br />
c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
<br />
3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
<br />
4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
<br />
====Commendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
<br />
2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
<br />
3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
<br />
====Recommendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
<br />
2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
<br />
5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
<br />
6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
<br />
7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
<br />
8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
<br />
====Plans====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
<br />
2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
<br />
3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8818Standard 42008-07-24T22:45:41Z<p>Coghlanl: /* 4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of empl</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
<br />
We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
<br />
The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
<br />
The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
<br />
The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
<br />
The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
<br />
One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
<br />
In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
<br />
With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
<br />
====Size of Teams====<br />
<br />
The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
<br />
====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
<br />
====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
<br />
We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
<br />
The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
<br />
Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
<br />
====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
<br />
With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
<br />
<br />
All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
<br />
====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
<br />
The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
<br />
Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
<br />
====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
<br />
=====Planning=====<br />
<br />
At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
<br />
Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
<br />
* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
<br />
One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
<br />
While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
<br />
=====Advising=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
<br />
Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
<br />
Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
<br />
The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
<br />
There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
<br />
=====Governance=====<br />
<br />
Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
<br />
The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
<br />
Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
<br />
Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
<br />
====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
<br />
The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
<br />
=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
<br />
There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
<br />
* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
<br />
* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
<br />
* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
<br />
* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
<br />
*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
<br />
*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
<br />
*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
<br />
<br />
In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
<br />
Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
<br />
*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
<br />
<br />
Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
<br />
* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
<br />
The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
<br />
Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
<br />
Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
<br />
We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
<br />
====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
<br />
Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
<br />
* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
<br />
<br />
Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
<br />
Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
<br />
The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
<br />
====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
<br />
The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
<br />
The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
<br />
* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
<br />
<br />
Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
<br />
* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
<br />
<br />
We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
<br />
Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
<br />
Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
<br />
To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
<br />
The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
<br />
For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
<br />
We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
<br />
Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
<br />
Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
<br />
In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
<br />
What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
<br />
===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
<br />
* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
<br />
====4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty====<br />
<br />
Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
<br />
====4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
<br />
====4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.====<br />
<br />
Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
<br />
New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
===4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.===<br />
<br />
There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
<br />
===4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.===<br />
<br />
One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
<br />
Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
<br />
The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
<br />
Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
<br />
In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
<br />
===4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.===<br />
<br />
Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
<br />
Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
<br />
At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
<br />
===4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.===<br />
<br />
The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
<br />
===4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.===<br />
<br />
The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
<br />
===4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.===<br />
<br />
Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
<br />
In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
<br />
In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
<br />
===4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
<br />
===4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
<br />
'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
<br />
(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
====Findings====<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
<br />
2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
<br />
3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
<br />
5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
<br />
7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
<br />
8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
<br />
====Conclusions====<br />
<br />
1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
<br />
a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
<br />
b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
<br />
c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
<br />
3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
<br />
4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
<br />
====Commendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
<br />
2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
<br />
3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
<br />
====Recommendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
<br />
2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
<br />
5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
<br />
6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
<br />
7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
<br />
8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
<br />
====Plans====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
<br />
2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
<br />
3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8817Standard 42008-07-24T22:45:33Z<p>Coghlanl: /* 4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsi</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
<br />
We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
<br />
The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
<br />
The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
<br />
The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
<br />
The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
<br />
One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
<br />
In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
<br />
With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
<br />
====Size of Teams====<br />
<br />
The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
<br />
====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
<br />
====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
<br />
We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
<br />
The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
<br />
Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
<br />
====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
<br />
With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
<br />
<br />
All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
<br />
====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
<br />
The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
<br />
Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
<br />
====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
<br />
=====Planning=====<br />
<br />
At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
<br />
Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
<br />
* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
<br />
One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
<br />
While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
<br />
=====Advising=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
<br />
Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
<br />
Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
<br />
The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
<br />
There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
<br />
=====Governance=====<br />
<br />
Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
<br />
The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
<br />
Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
<br />
Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
<br />
====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
<br />
The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
<br />
=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
<br />
There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
<br />
* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
<br />
* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
<br />
* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
<br />
* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
<br />
*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
<br />
*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
<br />
*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
<br />
<br />
In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
<br />
Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
<br />
*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
<br />
<br />
Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
<br />
* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
<br />
The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
<br />
Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
<br />
Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
<br />
We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
<br />
====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
<br />
Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
<br />
* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
<br />
<br />
Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
<br />
Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
<br />
The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
<br />
====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
<br />
The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
<br />
The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
<br />
* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
<br />
<br />
Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
<br />
* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
<br />
<br />
We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
<br />
Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
<br />
Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
<br />
To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
<br />
The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
<br />
For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
<br />
We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
<br />
Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
<br />
Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
<br />
In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
<br />
What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
<br />
===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
<br />
* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
<br />
====4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty====<br />
<br />
Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
<br />
====4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.====<br />
<br />
The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
<br />
===4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.===<br />
<br />
Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
<br />
New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
===4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.===<br />
<br />
There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
<br />
===4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.===<br />
<br />
One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
<br />
Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
<br />
The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
<br />
Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
<br />
In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
<br />
===4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.===<br />
<br />
Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
<br />
Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
<br />
At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
<br />
===4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.===<br />
<br />
The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
<br />
===4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.===<br />
<br />
The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
<br />
===4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.===<br />
<br />
Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
<br />
In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
<br />
In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
<br />
===4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
<br />
===4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
<br />
'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
<br />
(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
====Findings====<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
<br />
2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
<br />
3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
<br />
5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
<br />
7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
<br />
8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
<br />
====Conclusions====<br />
<br />
1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
<br />
a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
<br />
b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
<br />
c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
<br />
3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
<br />
4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
<br />
====Commendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
<br />
2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
<br />
3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
<br />
====Recommendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
<br />
2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
<br />
5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
<br />
6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
<br />
7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
<br />
8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
<br />
====Plans====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
<br />
2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
<br />
3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8816Standard 42008-07-24T22:45:24Z<p>Coghlanl: /* 4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
<br />
We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
<br />
The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
<br />
The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
<br />
The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
<br />
The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
<br />
One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
<br />
In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
<br />
With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
<br />
====Size of Teams====<br />
<br />
The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
<br />
====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
<br />
====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
<br />
We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
<br />
The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
<br />
Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
<br />
====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
<br />
With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
<br />
<br />
All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
<br />
====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
<br />
The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
<br />
Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
<br />
====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
<br />
=====Planning=====<br />
<br />
At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
<br />
Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
<br />
* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
<br />
One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
<br />
While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
<br />
=====Advising=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
<br />
Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
<br />
Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
<br />
The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
<br />
There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
<br />
=====Governance=====<br />
<br />
Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
<br />
The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
<br />
Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
<br />
Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
<br />
====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
<br />
The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
<br />
=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
<br />
There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
<br />
* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
<br />
* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
<br />
* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
<br />
* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
<br />
*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
<br />
*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
<br />
*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
<br />
<br />
In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
<br />
Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
<br />
*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
<br />
<br />
Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
<br />
* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
<br />
The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
<br />
Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
<br />
Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
<br />
We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
<br />
====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
<br />
Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
<br />
* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
<br />
<br />
Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
<br />
Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
<br />
The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
<br />
====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
<br />
The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
<br />
The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
<br />
* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
<br />
<br />
Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
<br />
* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
<br />
<br />
We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
<br />
Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
<br />
Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
<br />
To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
<br />
The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
<br />
For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
<br />
We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
<br />
Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
<br />
Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
<br />
In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
<br />
What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
<br />
===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
<br />
* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
<br />
====4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty====<br />
<br />
Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
<br />
===4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.===<br />
<br />
The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
<br />
===4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.===<br />
<br />
Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
<br />
New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
===4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.===<br />
<br />
There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
<br />
===4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.===<br />
<br />
One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
<br />
Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
<br />
The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
<br />
Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
<br />
In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
<br />
===4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.===<br />
<br />
Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
<br />
Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
<br />
At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
<br />
===4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.===<br />
<br />
The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
<br />
===4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.===<br />
<br />
The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
<br />
===4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.===<br />
<br />
Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
<br />
In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
<br />
In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
<br />
===4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
<br />
===4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
<br />
The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
<br />
'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
<br />
(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
<br />
(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
<br />
(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
<br />
====Findings====<br />
<br />
1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
<br />
2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
<br />
3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
<br />
5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
<br />
7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
<br />
8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
<br />
====Conclusions====<br />
<br />
1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
<br />
a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
<br />
b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
<br />
c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
<br />
3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
<br />
4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
<br />
5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
<br />
6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
<br />
====Commendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
<br />
2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
<br />
3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
<br />
4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
<br />
====Recommendations====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
<br />
2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
<br />
4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
<br />
5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
<br />
6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
<br />
7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
<br />
8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
<br />
====Plans====<br />
<br />
1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
<br />
2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
<br />
3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
<br />
== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanlhttp://wikis.evergreen.edu/selfstudy/index.php?title=Standard_4&diff=8815Standard 42008-07-24T22:45:08Z<p>Coghlanl: /* 4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to facult</p>
<hr />
<div>==Standard 4 – Faculty==<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Introduction ===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen, from the recruitment and socialization of new faculty members, to curriculum planning and evaluation, is guided by our mission as a public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college. While all elements of our mission are important for the faculty, it is our commitment as a liberal arts college to interdisciplinary studies that makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, and offers the most challenging and transformative experiences for faculty members.<br />
<br />
What makes interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts college so powerful for faculty members comes only in part from the range of areas of study team members bring to their programs. The crucial attraction lies in the inquiry – the creation of new understanding – by faculty with students as they bring together disciplinary and critical perspectives on genuinely important issues. In summer 2007, a group of faculty began meeting to work on the academic standards of the self-study. In their initial conversation, one of the college's original fifty faculty members defined interdisciplinary in the following way: “Interdisciplinary means, in its clearest formulation, a kind of inquiry that looks into the structure and internal logic of the various disciplines and seeks to transcend them in the interest of knowledge through inquiry that is believed to be superior to disciplinary-based inquiry.” He went on to say that such teaching is more aptly described as “transdisciplinary,” where disciplinary-based knowledge provides not only pertinent content but also perspective to query all the fields of study within a program.<br />
<br />
There is no single approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning among faculty members at Evergreen. There is agreement about the essential conditions for such studies in the full-time curriculum: team teaching with colleagues from different fields; collegial teaching where teaching partners collaborate to design, plan, and teach a substantively integrated program; and year-long, or multiple-quarter, full-time study. Faculty members teaching in the part-time curriculum, some of whom team-teach, have worked very successfully to develop inquiry-based learning communities in their classes and half-time programs.<br />
<br />
Looking empirically at what has evolved at the college in the name of “interdisciplinary studies,” we have developed a shared approach to teaching and learning that promotes an integration of knowledge and modes of inquiry. Faculty members seek to establish a critical relationship to the academic material fostered by the multiple perspectives offered by the fields of study, and the ongoing and challenging dialogue among faculty and students.<br />
<br />
At the inception of the college, such programs were called "coordinated studies" and are now also described as "learning communities." Both phrases are useful to speak to the distinctive qualities of our academic programs. In content, we design programs that integrate and coordinate disciplines and fields of study into well focused explorations of ideas and questions. Such explorations, when done within a community of learners, are strengthened by the mutual interests and interactions of faculty and students.<br />
<br />
By their nature, interdisciplinary learning communities invite faculty members and students into unfamiliar areas of study. They can lead to unexpected and surprising new learning. Interdisciplinary teaching can change what faculty members know and how they think. Their interdisciplinary and disciplinary knowledge and insight can expand, and their skills of inquiry can sharpen. Students make it abundantly clear, in their evaluations of their own learning, that faculty members who are engaged in such genuine and collegial inquiry are key to their learning. <br />
<br />
A graduating senior put it this way:<br />
<br />
: Everyone in the program, including the faculty, said this book is so difficult, none of us will be able to understand this book fully. So the professors and the students were in the same boat: we were all learners together. And that’s something Evergreen believes in. We were forced by the enormity of the text to really come together, and the faculty members were leading examples because they were exhausted, too. But they also were showing us the light at the end – not because they knew the end of the book but because they were all people who respect it, because of the sensitivities they had brought to the table. If students don’t respect their faculty, if there’s not a model in the classroom, then I don’t think students are going to get anything out of it.<br />
<br />
In both internal and external measures of learning and satisfaction, students rank their relationships with faculty as the most significant factor in their education at Evergreen. In the 2006 Evergreen Student Experience Survey, students were asked about their level of satisfaction on a number of variables. The highest ranking variable for Evergreen students was with their relationship with their faculty: 47.5% of the students ranked their relationship with faculty members as “very satisfying” and an additional 42.6% ranked it as “satisfying.” The second highest ranking variable was “overall quality of instruction": 43% of the students ranked that as “very satisfying” and an additional 48% ranked it as “satisfying.” One more variable that stood out was “availability of faculty outside of class”: 33% ranked this as “very satisfying” and an additional 53.4% ranked it as “satisfying.” (See the [[Media: Evergreen_Student_Experience_Survey_2006_-_Satisfaction_of_Olympia_Campus_Students.pdf|Evergreen Student Experience Survey 2006 – Satisfaction of Olympia Campus Students]]). The Alumni Survey has comparable results.<br />
<br />
There were similar high levels of satisfaction with student interactions with faculty members in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) where Evergreen students are compared to those at other schools nationally (see the [[Media: NSSE_2007_ Benchmarks_Report.pdf|NSSE 2007 Benchmarks Report]]).<br />
<br />
The engaging and rigorous inquiry essential for interdisciplinary study originates in the academic relationship faculty members establish with one another, students, and the material. In other words, what and how faculty members design and teach is manifest in the academic community created. Evergreen faculty members William Ray Arney and Donald L. Finkel made a very helpful distinction between “team teaching” and “collegial teaching” in their book ''Educating For Freedom: The Paradox of Pedagogy'' (Rutgers University Press, 1995.) Team members choose the nature of the relationship they will establish with one another and the material; collegial teaching reflects a decision to teach where the faculty are actively inquiring with one another and their students into compelling questions and themes:<br />
<br />
: What is crucial to collegial teaching is that the two (or more) teachers join together out of a common intellectual interest. What brings the colleagues together must be a genuine interest, not an interest invented as a pretext for creating a course. And there must be some common ground in their intellectual interests so together they can formulate a question or project the joint pursuit of which will be genuinely interesting to each – though not necessarily for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
They go on to argue that collegial teaching is “…the central supporting, determining, and founding fact of pedagogy.” Based in both genuine difference and genuine equality, it is the fundamental “social pedagogy” essential for interdisciplinary studies. The capacity of the faculty to sustain interdisciplinary studies resides in a network of relationships – among academic disciplines, among the team members and students, and between each faculty member and the unfamiliar new knowledge and assumptions he or she encounters. It is within these relationships, experienced simultaneously, that the nature and experience of interdisciplinary studies is best understood.<br />
<br />
It is useful to think of interdisciplinary studies at Evergreen not so much as a model, but rather as a relationship created by members of a program between knowledge (as it is formalized in disciplines) and inquiries into that knowledge. As a dialectical process, knowledge and insight evolve as members of the program simultaneously challenge one another as they integrate program material. This process is aimed toward the development of reflexive thinking. This is learning that is integrative and through which learners acquire a perspective on themselves, become informed of the array of knowledge in the world, analyze the historical and political origins of knowledge, and recognize the function of knowledge in the public world. Learning, understood in this way, helps make clear the centrality of our five foci as the guiding principles of teaching and learning at the college.<br />
<br />
===What it Means to Teach at Evergreen===<br />
<br />
Teaching at Evergreen places faculty members in a number of paradoxical situations. For example, our best teaching requires the feeling of letting go of expertise (authentically and not simply a posture the faculty assume) while also calling on one’s expertise to judge and guide inquiry within the program. In addition, teaching partners must seek others who share enthusiasm for a question or theme while being genuinely different – in background and approach. That difference, felt unfamiliarity, is essential as a basis to generate authentic critique and questions, and to aim toward new interdisciplinary learning. Finally, while program content must acknowledge current knowledge and formal educational paths organized around disciplines, a thematically organized interdisciplinary study transcends the constraints of disciplines. In this, faculty members are in a complex relationship with their primary fields of study – as insiders knowledgeable of the content and methodology, and simultaneously skeptics and critics. These paradoxical realities of teaching at Evergreen speak to important academic approaches as well as qualities of curiosity and risk taking.<br />
<br />
A new faculty member at the college described one such paradoxical situation:<br />
<br />
: My preparations are really different than they used to be [before coming to Evergreen]. I used to write a paper so that I could provide a strong framework for a discussion. Now I am writing down passages and page numbers, and a few notes. I trust that these things will come out as we talk. I am able to let go, trusting that I can maintain my wits… Working too hard on what I want students to know doesn’t allow the material to open up to them…I am less worried…We have a nice faculty seminar every week so I don’t worry.<br />
<br />
The authors of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Report used the phrase “positive restlessness” to describe Evergreen as an institution and its faculty. It is useful to think about “restlessness” as a key factor sustaining the paradoxes involved in teaching at the college. It is also critical, as an institution, to think well about the structural and organizational conditions that provide the continuity and support for the academic and personal vulnerability to sustain this restlessness.<br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary study at the college varies a great deal. It can take the form of a simple clustering of traditional disciplines in a program as a means of better integration for students, or a thematically designed program where disciplinary distinctions recede and transdisciplinary questions and problems are at the center of inquiry. While every program includes both emphases on subject matter content and modes of “inquiry,” they are distinguished by the relative priority given these two elements.<br />
<br />
The kind of interdisciplinary program faculty teams design is based on the intended learning in a program, and the team members’ backgrounds and teaching preferences. Some areas of the curriculum at the undergraduate level, by tradition, are more inquiry-based (e.g. humanities, some areas of the social sciences) while others, again by tradition, are more content focused (e.g. sciences, social sciences). Thus there are a number of variables – the intended learning in a program, the disciplinary biases of the faculty team members, and the degree of academic risk-taking team members are willing to assume – that affect the decisions that go into the kind of interdisciplinary programs offered. All faculty teams have both matters of content and inquiry on their minds. They constantly negotiate a balance between the two throughout the duration of a program.<br />
<br />
Whatever the interdisciplinary nature of a program, learning evolves as the program moves along. Faculty teams provide a syllabus with readings, program activities, and assignments, but what students and faculty make of that (the learning) comes out of the thinking, discussion, and processing that occurs over time. As such, faculty members do not know at the beginning everything that will be learned. Teaching at Evergreen, thus, means simultaneously remaining knowledgeable of one’s field of study and authentically pursuing new and previously unaddressed questions and knowledge. In other words, faculty members inhabit an academic space between what they know well and what is unfamiliar. <br />
<br />
Interdisciplinary teaching, as it is being described here, requires distinctive supportive structures and work conditions:<br />
<br />
* Team teaching in interdisciplinary studies programs can create a sense of vulnerability and uneasiness for faculty members. The college must provide explicitly articulated and tangible practices to support the risk taking and experimentation crucial for such teaching.<br />
* The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams not only determine the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests while being academically challenging colleagues for one another.<br />
* Faculty members develop an intellectual identity that grows out of their teaching, scholarship, and artistic work. These are not static and often change as faculty members explore new academic areas. An intellectual identity provides a frame of reference and functions a bit like a rudder for faculty members as they navigate options for future teaching and other academic projects. The college must provide opportunities for teaching and professional development, for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
<br />
===Evergreen Faculty Members===<br />
<br />
<br />
There are 232 faculty members teaching at the college; 70% teach full-time while the remaining 30% teach part-time. There is almost an equal number of women and men, and a quarter of the faculty members are faculty of color.<br />
<br />
During this period of review, the college created a new category of regular faculty appointments for Evening and Weekend Studies. Twelve of the current 179 faculty members teach primarily in EWS and are on continuing half-time appointments.<br />
<br />
We are a different faculty group than we were at our last reaccreditation. Almost 50% of our current faculty members have been hired in the last ten years; 21% in the last five years. An additional 14% have been here for fifteen years or less; and the remainder have taught at the college since its earlier years. Many of the faculty in this latter group will be retiring within the next five years.<br />
<br />
The current faculty has a different disciplinary distribution than at our last review. Most notably we have hired more faculty members for our professional programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We have fewer faculty members in the humanities (21% of the faculty in 2005, down from 25% in 1997) and greater numbers in the sciences (35% in 2005, up from 26% in 1997). The following shows the number of faculty members hired and those that retired by planning unit over the last ten years.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="0"<br />
| Planning unit<br />
| '''CTL'''''<br />
| '''EA'''''<br />
| '''ES'''''<br />
| '''SI'''''<br />
| '''SPBC'''''<br />
| '''NAWIPS'''''<br />
| '''GRAD'''''<br />
|-<br />
| Hires<br />
| 13<br />
| 12<br />
| 16<br />
| 21<br />
| 10<br />
| 8<br />
| 10<br />
|-<br />
| Retirement<br />
| 26<br />
| 9<br />
| 16<br />
| 10<br />
| 14<br />
| 5<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
'''CTL''' = Culture, Text, and Language; '''EA''' = Expressive Arts; '''ES''' = Environmental Studies; '''SI''' = Scientific Inquiry; '''SPBC''' = Society, Politics, Behavior, and Change; '''NAWIPS''' = Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies; '''GRAD''' = Graduate Programs<br />
<br />
<br />
The regular faculty has grown by 16% since 1997 – from 153 to close to 180. Of those, 51% are women and 49% men, and 25% are persons of color. In terms of age distribution, the following shows numbers and percentage (based on 180 regular faculty members in spring of 2007) in five major age categories.<br />
<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| Age Range<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 30 - 39<br />
| 22<br />
| 12%<br />
|-<br />
| 40 –49<br />
| 44<br />
| 24%<br />
|-<br />
| 50 – 59<br />
| 64<br />
| 35%<br />
|-<br />
| 60 – 69<br />
| 52<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 70 – 79<br />
| 1<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The majority of our faculty members are mid-career; we have a very small percentage in their thirties. We expect high rates of retirement over the next fifteen years. The turnover we have already experienced will continue, and will make our processes of socialization and orientation to the college a very high priority for us.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
| '''Years of teaching at Evergreen'''<br />
| '''Number of faculty'''<br />
| '''Percentage of faculty'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1 – 5 years<br />
| 38<br />
| 21%<br />
|-<br />
| 6 – 10 years<br />
| 51<br />
| 28%<br />
|-<br />
| 11 – 15 years<br />
| 26<br />
| 14%<br />
|-<br />
| 16 – 20 years<br />
| 34<br />
| 18%<br />
|-<br />
| 21 – 25 years<br />
| 14<br />
| 7%<br />
|-<br />
| 26 – 30 years<br />
| 6<br />
| 3%<br />
|-<br />
| 31 – 33 years<br />
| 11<br />
| 6%<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Faculty interests, issues, and concerns===<br />
<br />
The following are issues and concerns that have emerged for faculty during the period of this review. Each of these issues requires further discussion by the faculty and possible changes in our practices.<br />
<br />
====Diversity====<br />
<br />
The faculty maintains a solid commitment to creating a community of creative, diverse, and academically accomplished colleagues. Our success has been greater with some of these goals than others. For example, while 25% of the faculty are faculty of color, many of those faculty members are on the Tacoma campus or teaching in the reservation-based program. <br />
<br />
The diversity of the faculty on the Olympia campus is not as great as we want. We continue to address this concern through our recruitment and hiring process. Over the years, we have learned the necessity of achieving "critical mass" for faculty of color to experience sufficient presence and agency in their work at the college.<br />
<br />
One of our younger Native American faculty members made the issue of "critical mass" clear to the Hiring Office when she was hired two years ago. She described how she perused the faculty directory before she accepted her position. She not only found a larger number of other Native faculty members, but also that many had been at the college for years. This gave her some assurance that other Native faculty found the college a good environment in which to teach and work.<br />
<br />
In contrast, the number of African-American faculty members on regular appointment on the Olympia campus has only grown from three at our last review to eight now. Further hiring will not only increase the overall diversity of our faculty, but also help create a sense of critical mass for these faculty members and their colleagues.<br />
<br />
====Faculty:Student Ratios====<br />
<br />
With a 25:1 ratio in the beginning of the academic year and given the array of activities faculty want to include on a weekly basis in programs (e.g. seminars, lectures, field trips, workshops, labs, studios), many faculty report that it is difficult to offer large programs with more than one or, at most, two other colleagues. Since our last reaccreditation we have seen an overall decrease in the size of teaching teams and program participants. We have also seen a reduction in the length of programs. The majority of programs are now two quarters (typically offered in fall and winter quarters), and many are single-quarter, one-faculty programs are offered in the spring. Thus, unlike ten years ago, a faculty member is interacting for shorter periods of time with twice as many students within a single year. This has posed tensions and constraints for the faculty who attempt to create supportive conditions for engagement and complex learning.<br />
<br />
====Size of Teams====<br />
<br />
The faculty have identified a number of changes over the years that have led to smaller teams. These include changes in student preparation, more activities (labs, field trips, and studio) that are time intensive for the faculty, and more time spent on faculty governance. In order to preserve close faculty involvement (e.g. responding to student writing, time spent one-on-one with students, time for faculty seminar, evaluation conferences) faculty have tended toward smaller teams and shorter programs than was the case at our last reaccreditation. This tendency was noted in the last planning unit reviews by Expressive Arts, Environmental Studies, and Scientific Inquiry. <br />
<br />
====Effects of Planning Units====<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2006, the faculty began a serious review of our current planning unit structure. That work has been conducted by the Curricular Visions DTF that was jointly charged by the provost and the Faculty Agenda Committee. Based on the 1995 Long Range Curriculum DTF recommendations, we have planned the full-time curriculum within our most traditionally defined planning units (e.g. Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Scientific Inquiry). Many faculty members are experiencing an unintended consequence of that structure: an organization of the curriculum in more traditional departmental ways that tends to pull faculty members back into their disciplinary origins. The Curricular Visions DTF members have generated three curricular changes (First-Year Cohort, Thematic Planning Units, Fields of Study) that remain under consideration by the faculty.<br />
<br />
====New Faculty Orientation====<br />
<br />
We are a very different faculty than we were at our last reaccreditation. More than 50% of the current faculty has been hired within this period, the distribution of primary fields of study has shifted toward more professional and scientific areas, and new faculty come with strong disciplinary backgrounds along with an interest in teaching in interdisciplinary programs. The orientation of new faculty members is an especially high priority for us. For many years, we could be confident that new faculty members’ teaching partners could provide the most critical orientation for them. By experience, though, we found new faculty orientation to be uneven. In the late 1990s, the deans instituted a more comprehensive orientation for new faculty that included a week-long summer retreat and monthly meetings during their first year of teaching.<br />
<br />
New faculty members, as they go through orientation activities together, function as a cohort; they gather regularly around professional and social interests. There are monthly meetings throughout the first year in which new faculty members gather with the dean responsible for faculty development to share and process their teaching experiences with one another, and to be introduced to key features of academic programs. The more formal part of new faculty orientation is organized around the faculty portfolio. The elements of the portfolio (e.g. self-evaluation, evaluations of students, program documents) provide the foci for the meetings. New faculty members receive formal information on each topic covered and are encouraged to make their own judgments on their particular approach and style. New faculty orientation is meant to be informative and useful, but conducted in such a way that new faculty members know that they must make choices about how best to teach. <br />
<br />
The importance of such orientation has changed as the college has grown in size and years. We now understand that orientation is not only a practical matter, but has the effect of a re-articulation and re-affirmation of key college values and principles. Through this regular process of welcoming new members, the college is compelled to be explicit about the mission of the college and to allow our newest members to be part of that process. There will be more discussion of this in the section following regarding faculty development.<br />
<br />
Most new faculty members are attracted to teach at Evergreen because of the creativity and collegiality of teaching, and less so because of their own experience with educational reform. In contrast, many of the original faculty were seasoned in the protests on college campuses in the 1960s. The planning faculty settled on interdisciplinary studies as our pedagogical innovation as both more educationally sound and better suited to develop the insights and skills useful for participation in a democratic society. In other words, Evergreen was meant to be a better and more civic-minded education. While most faculty members share those values, the depth of experience is now more varied. The college's philosophical origins should remain as an explicit thread woven throughout the orientation of new faculty members.<br />
<br />
====Relationship of the Full-Time And Part-Time Curriculum====<br />
<br />
With the growth and success of the Evening and Weekend Studies area, questions have arisen about the coordination of the part-time and full-time curricula, and the degree of interaction among the faculty members who teach in these different areas. The college recognizes the need for greater coordination and interaction, and will focus future faculty discussion on these issues.<br />
<br />
===Standard 4.A – Faculty Selection, Evaluation, Roles, Welfare, and Development ===<br />
<br />
<br />
All of the practices discussed in this section are done collaboratively, calling on the involvement and judgment of many faculty members at the college. Our primary goal is to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding and sensibilities of our faculty through the following institutional processes: recruitment and selection of faculty members; the orientation and support provided in their first years in both their teaching assignments and development opportunities; their participation in the planning and teaching of the curriculum; ongoing and extensive review and evaluation of their teaching; governance and scholarly work; and their involvement in ongoing faculty development events. It is both through whom we hire and then through the conditions within which they work that we sustain a faculty capable of the meeting the challenge of providing an innovative liberal arts and interdisciplinary education for students.<br />
<br />
====4.A.1 The institution employs professionally qualified faculty with primary commitment to the institution and representative of each field or program in which it offers major work.====<br />
<br />
The qualifications for each teaching position are determined by our best judgment of required academic background and relevant experience, and the desired qualities of our applicant pool. The review and selection process for hiring new faculty members is involved and in-depth, thus assuring the college and prospective new faculty members that we will attract high quality faculty who are well suited for the engaged and collegial nature of teaching and learning at the college. With very few exceptions, we are able to hire our first choice finalists.<br />
<br />
Our process assures us that we hire very good faculty members. We also know that new faculty members need assistance and support as they become good ''Evergreen'' faculty members. Thus new faculty orientation is critical to maintain high quality faculty members at the college. New faculty orientation spans the first year of new faculty members' teaching at the college. It begins with an intensive week-long retreat in mid-June that includes new faculty members, deans, provost, academic support staff, and other faculty members. The focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and the elements that go into creating and sustaining a learning community. This has been a very successful event; new faculty members report that they learn much about the college, meet many support staff and learn about the support services available to students and faculty, and establish friendships with other new faculty members and others at the college.<br />
<br />
====4.A.2 Faculty participate in academic planning, curriculum development and review, academic advising, and institutional governance.====<br />
<br />
=====Planning=====<br />
<br />
At any one time, a faculty member is in three phases of “program planning”: their immediate program, their program for the next year, and their program for two years hence. Planning, as both a process of curricular design and inquiry, is inextricably linked to teaching at the college.<br />
<br />
Assuring innovation and collaboration requires genuine and open inquiry as a basis for planning; and it must be supported by opportunities for rethinking and redesigning curriculum. (This means that the college’s catalog is rewritten every year.) Currently those opportunities include the weekly faculty seminar, two annual faculty retreats, summer program planning institutes, and an annual September Symposium. While the scale of participation in these opportunities varies from immediate team members in a program to the whole faculty, they all present opportunities for faculty members to articulate the substance and goals of their teaching, to listen and learn from one another, and to have an inclusive process of curriculum planning in which faculty members can draw from this wide array of input. This allows the faculty to provide not only a foundation and progression in our fields of study, but also a responsiveness that is key to relevant and thoughtful learning experiences. Collegial interaction and dialogue are the basis for rethinking and redesigning curriculum, and call upon the most thoughtful and collaborative skills of the faculty. This process is intended to provide a process of planning curriculum that is disciplinarily substantive and promotes genuine, engaged teaching and learning.<br />
<br />
There are a number of ways in which faculty members participate in curriculum planning. It may be useful to think about these ways as concentric rings. At the center, and the work that is most compelling, is the planning each faculty members does with his/her teammates for the program they will teach. At any one time, a faculty member is involved in planning three such programs:<br />
<br />
* Within their current program, faculty team members meet at least weekly and many are in touch more often by e-mail to do the ongoing planning of their programs. While the major elements of the program were determined before the program started, there are ongoing refinements and changes that must be done as the substance and issues of the program emerge. For this kind of planning, all faculty members are expected to participate in their team faculty seminar. There is wide variation in how the faculty do this kind of planning. Many teams do schedule these seminars, but not all.<br />
* During any year of teaching, faculty members have been assigned to their teaching teams for the following year. They may meet occasionally during the year for informal discussions or more formal planning. The spring of the year preceding this next program, there is a spring retreat where those team members prepare materials for students prior to registration. In the summer preceding this program, faculty members can attend one of five, four-day Team Planning Institutes where they meet intensively with team members to design their upcoming programs.<br />
* In the fall of the year, all faculty members are invited to attend a Fall Faculty Retreat that occurs over a period of three days. During this retreat, faculty members take the first steps in proposing new programs and talking with potential team members for their programs two years hence.<br />
<br />
One of the persistent tensions for the faculty around planning is between their interests in teaching within the curriculum generated by their planning unit and in new, inter-area programs. The faculty are very interested in teaching with new faculty colleagues and around new questions, but many feel they don't have sufficient opportunity to know more about the interests of other colleagues and the time to generate new program ideas.<br />
<br />
While the current faculty retreats and summer institutes are excellent settings in which to get to know other faculty and start generating program ideas, it is critical to create more frequent venues for the faculty to meet face-to-face to stay abreast of one another's interests and teaching emphases, and generate program proposals.<br />
<br />
=====Advising=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members are in a position to advise the students in their programs throughout the time they have contact with them. Advising relationships between students and faculty are a natural outgrowth of the sustained connections that emerge from the learning communities created by interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members will continue on as advisors for students doing advanced work in their field. All faculty members do some amount of advising through the larger process of reflection and decision making that is embedded in the narrative evaluation process. But many faculty teams do much more.<br />
<br />
Many teams meet with students before the program begins (during orientation week) or shortly after the beginning of the year. They also will hold special advising meetings with students in their program, and invite professional advisors from the college’s Student Academic and Support Services to meet with students. We have had a longstanding practice of faculty members serving for a year in a rotation as the “faculty advisor.” That person is relieved of assigned classroom teaching duties for the year in which he or she serves as faculty advisor, and works in the Academic Advising office with the same roles as our professional academic advising staff. As a result of how long we have done this, we now have many faculty who have had extensive experience in advising and draw on their knowledge at faculty meetings and other discussions.<br />
<br />
Many program teams have their students develop an academic plan at the beginning of the academic year. This practice, along with the college’s decision to make it a requirement for all incoming students to attend an initial advising workshop in which they begin the process of an academic plan, will help embed advising within the ongoing activities of a program.<br />
<br />
The college has a longstanding program called "Core Connectors" in which each Core program (with 100% freshmen) and lower division program (with up to 50% freshmen) has an assigned student services professional to serve an advising role with the students in the program. The Core Connector, most often an academic advisor, visits the program at least weekly and works with the faculty to resolve student difficulties. This collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs serves not only to provide important academic advising to students, but it also strengthens faculty advising skills and their knowledge of college processes and resources.<br />
<br />
There is further discussion of advising in Standards 2 and 3.<br />
<br />
=====Governance=====<br />
<br />
Faculty governance at Evergreen is divided into two major sections: control over the curriculum and the educational offerings of the institution, on the one hand, and advice to academic and college-wide administrators, on the other. The process of curriculum planning described above illustrates the intense and collaborative nature of the work of the planning units and the academic deans. Curriculum planning engages nearly all members of the faculty in any given year and is organized primarily through the planning units, their coordinators, and the curriculum deans. There is an extraordinary amount of creativity, autonomy, and negotiation in the process of creating the annual curriculum and recreating the elements (pathways) of the ongoing curriculum. Closely associated with this work is the college-wide process of determining hiring priorities, establishing hiring committees, and hiring new members of the faculty. In any given year this process, coordinated by the academic dean in charge of hiring and the faculty hiring coordinator, can directly involve as many as one hundred faculty members.<br />
<br />
The other major faculty governance responsibility involves providing advice and recommendations from the faculty in a formal way to college administrators, in academics and college-wide. This advice is solicited by administrators or through the establishment of temporary committees called Disappearing Task Forces (DTF). These requests for faculty participation are channeled through the Faculty Agenda Committee of ten elected members plus the faculty chair and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. This committee is charged with organizing meetings of the faculty as a whole, soliciting and organizing (with the assistance of the Provost's Office) governance assignments for faculty, and organizing in conjunction with the deans and the provost the agenda for faculty retreats. The faculty meeting can and does conduct formal votes on policy recommendations made by DTFs dealing explicitly with academic policy, and offers advice and consent to major college-wide policy efforts. Faculty approval of changes in the ''Faculty Handbook'' has been a longstanding tradition at the college, but this will change as the faculty and the administration enter into a formal collective bargaining process in the 2007-08 school year.<br />
<br />
Beyond the curriculum and hiring, and participation in formal policy advice, faculty members serve as part of their governance responsibility in a wide range of functions administering sponsored research funds, working with college recruitment efforts, serving in the formal governance structures, serving on faculty contract conversion panels, or assisting with a wide range of faculty-based or college-wide administrative tasks.<br />
<br />
Historically, the faculty has had significant influence over the central academic policy decisions of the college. The college has evolved over the years from a widely egalitarian/communitarian structure and ethos, toward more formal governance structures. The growth of the faculty, the complexity of its membership, and the ever-increasing range of policies that are seen by faculty and administrators as affecting faculty, have put pressure on the faculty to make the Agenda Committee more of an advisory/representative body, and have created strains in the process. Nevertheless, the idea of DTFs has proved an important device for gathering views from a broad set of constituencies and the pattern of advice and consent in policy matters has been generally salutary. Clearly, issues of governance will be important in the coming decade as the presence of the union becomes regularized, as the college continues to grow, and as the external demands on the college multiply. Please see [[Media: Governance0708_faculty_assignments.xls|Faculty Governance Assignments 2007-2008]] to understand the scope and level of faculty participation in governance and hiring, in particular.<br />
<br />
====4.A.3 Faculty workloads reflect the mission and goals of the institution and the talents and competencies of faculty, allowing sufficient time and support for professional growth and renewal.====<br />
<br />
=====Faculty Workload=====<br />
<br />
Faculty members report heavy workloads. The normal ratio at the beginning of the academic year is 25:1. In addition to the number of students faculty work with, the heavy workload is also shaped by our pedagogy that rests on extensive contact with students and teaching partners. Most faculty members are in class fourteen to sixteen hours a week or more, and spend an additional two to three hours in faculty planning and seminar. New faculty, who tend to spend more time preparing for class and familiarizing themselves with the college, spend even more time on their teaching. <br />
<br />
The Long Range Curriculum DTF of 1995 proposed a new time framework for programs. It urged more two-quarter and one-quarter programs, in addition to three-quarter programs. This had the effect of increased pressure for planning time, and doubled the number of students faculty engaged within any given year. <br />
<br />
=====Professional Growth and Renewal=====<br />
<br />
There are a variety of opportunities and resources to support faculty scholarship, artistic work, professional travel, participation in professional organizations, travel, and other activities related to research. All of these opportunities are meant to enrich the work of individual faculty members (and their success as teachers), but they are collectively designed to be shared with the college community. In this, we are promoting the quality of our faculty members and intending to maintain a vibrant academic community, one where the substantive work of its members can be shared in public ways.<br />
<br />
* '''Sabbatical leaves.''' The award of sabbaticals is non-competitive and treated as an essential opportunity for all faculty to renew and deepen themselves as teachers. Faculty members accrue eligibility for sabbatical by teaching: it requires 5.33 years of teaching to be eligible for one quarter of sabbatical leave. The curriculum deans and provost determine the number of lines available for sabbatical and faculty are invited to apply. The lines are awarded in order of priority on the eligibility list. To apply, a faculty member submits a proposal with a description of his or her intended project. The faculty member is asked to clarify the contribution this project will make to his or her own learning, to his or her teaching and to the college more broadly. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, faculty members submit a report of their experiences.<br />
<br />
* '''Professional Travel.''' Faculty members have an allocation for professional travel. Faculty members on full-time contracts have on average $750 a year; adjuncts may request a proportion of that dependent on percentage of their FTE. This fund covers all expenses if the faculty member is presenting at a conference, and travel if they are only attending.<br />
<br />
* '''Leave Without Pay (LWOP).''' Faculty members apply for leave without pay for any number of reasons. Some have a research grant and intend to work full-time on that project. Others request leave for personal reasons or other professional reasons. This leave allows faculty more flexibility than is available in other colleges. LWOP leaves are awarded when the faculty member’s absence will not undermine curricular offerings, and we are assured of being able to fill their assigned position. <br />
<br />
* '''Summer Sponsored Research'''. Every summer eight to twelve faculty members are awarded sponsored research grants for a wide range of proposed projects. Some faculty members use the funding to begin a new project. For others, it allows the faculty member to finish up a manuscript or the final details on a project. Faculty members submit a proposal in the preceding fall quarter. The proposals are read by members of the Sponsored Research DTF and awards made based on the quality of the proposal and the history of past awards. We tend to be able to support 50-75% of the proposals submitted.<br />
<br />
*'''Faculty Foundation Grants.''' This is a new source of funding provided by the The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors. Faculty members can submit proposals to fund research activities; this includes travel, supplies, transcription services, and other resources necessary for a project. The proposals are read and awards made by the Sponsored Research DTF.<br />
<br />
*'''Fund for Innovation'''. Faculty and staff can apply for funds from this source for collaborative new projects. Each year the fund has approximately $60,000 to award and does so through a review process.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are other opportunities funded for the faculty that support events, workshops, institutes, and symposia in which faculty integrate their research, scholarly interests, and teaching.<br />
<br />
*'''Summer Institutes'''. The college currently offers twenty to twenty-five workshops and institutes for the faculty over the summer months. Faculty members not on contract are paid a stipend of $125 a day to participate in these events. One category of these institutes is focused on program planning. These include six Team Planning institutes, the New Faculty and Their Teams institute, the Core Colloquium, and an Evening and Weekend Studies institute. The primary focus in these institutes is on preparation for upcoming teaching. Faculty members prepare for these institutes with short readings focusing on priority issues in the curriculum (e.g. diversity, assessment, etc.), begin each planning day in a discussion of that issue, and generate ideas about how to address it within their program design. In addition to these planning institutes, there are many other institutes that provide exposure to or training in topical areas or skills. For example, every summer we offer five to six institutes in instructional technology. In summer 2007, we had a number of very topical institutes dealing with sustainability, teaching climate change, and innovative approaches to teaching quantitative material.<br />
<br />
<br />
In all of the institutes, whether the focus is on planning or accruing new knowledge and insights, the emphasis is on improving teaching. And there are many other additional values that come from this time the faculty spend together. There are many informal discussions of what people are teaching and their interests and concerns. Faculty members have a chance to meet many more faculty and establish personal relationships. Since many of the institutes are convened by academic support staff, faculty also become much more knowledgeable about the depth of expertise of support staff at the college.<br />
<br />
Summer institutes have grown steadily in the number of offerings and participants. The following table does not include the program planning institutes (six offered each summer), and does include those institutes having to do with instructional technologies. These institutes are some of the most popular, often having waiting lists that cannot be accommodated.<br />
<br />
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1"<br />
|<br />
| Number of institutes offered<br />
| Number of participants<br />
| Number of IT related institutes<br />
|-<br />
| 2005<br />
| 19<br />
| 155<br />
| 6<br />
|-<br />
| 2006<br />
| 17<br />
| 177<br />
| 3<br />
|-<br />
| 2007<br />
| 22<br />
| 180<br />
| 4<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
Summer institutes are one of our primary means of linking research and assessment back into teaching. In the process of program planning, the faculty are exposed to new research and skills meant to be directly relevant to their upcoming programs. The primary emphasis in all the summer institutes is on improving teaching. How can faculty incorporate new material and insights into their teaching? What new learning, from their previous teaching and current institute material, can they use to inform upcoming teaching?<br />
<br />
*'''September Symposium'''. In fall quarter of 2001, then Dean Nancy Taylor hosted the first faculty September Symposium. The event preceded the beginning of classes and spanned two days. There were formal presentations of research and innovative curriculum; there were literary readings; a gallery was set up to display a wide array of faculty artistic work; and the skippers on the faculty hosted others on the college’s teaching sailboat.<br />
<br />
<br />
Since 2003, the college has sponsored a September Symposium. It may be safe to say that this is now an anticipated part of the beginning of our academic year. We have expanded participation to more staff and students, and for the first time in 2007 included it in orientation week to allow students to attend.<br />
<br />
* '''College Speaker Series'''. We are inaugurating this yearlong series of speakers and other events this fall. We believe that events that allow faculty members to learn more about one another’s interests and work are directly useful in the process of selecting teammates and helpful in creating a more vigorous academic culture on campus for everyone. There is much vitality within programs; these events are ways to generate such vitality for the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
====4.A.4 Faculty salaries and benefits are adequate to attract and retain a competent faculty and are consistent with the mission and goals of the institution. Policies on salaries and benefits are clearly stated, widely available and equitably administered.====<br />
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The college, in its origin, rejected market-driven or disciplinary-based salaries in the interest of a non-stratified and egalitarian faculty. It was assumed that the challenges inherent in team teaching would be undermined with any of the traditional relations of power or prestige present in most colleges and universities. Currently all full-time and visiting faculty members are paid on the same scale, and income increases with each additional year of experience. Adjunct faculty members are paid at 80% of the scale. See [[Media: salarygrid0708.pdf|Faculty Salary Grid 2007-08]] for the rationale and basis of computation of experience years. There are two exceptions to this practice. Adjunct faculty members, if they participate in college governance, are paid an additional hourly wage for that work. And faculty members who serve as academic deans make an additional 5%, and a yearly increase beyond this of 1% for each year they continue to serve. <br />
<br />
Our salaries are not competitive in some academic areas, notably in areas of professional studies and fields where market forces drive up salaries at other universities (e.g. engineering, sciences, business). We are as competitive or more so in other areas traditionally paid less (e.g. humanities, arts).<br />
<br />
Faculty salaries are based on a nine-month contract, with payment spread out over ten months. Many faculty members, especially those lower on the salary scale, depend on the opportunity to teach summer school to augment their annual income. Because summer contracts are not guaranteed (classes that do not fill are canceled), this is a concern for some faculty members.<br />
<br />
We make information available about salaries in our advertising and the hiring process. Most candidates find the values regarding salary attractive, appealing to values of equity in contrast to the overly hierarchical nature of faculty relations at other colleges.<br />
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====4.A.5 The institution provides for regular and systematic evaluation of faculty performance in order to ensure teaching effectiveness and the fulfillment of instructional and other faculty responsibilities. The institution’s policies, regulations, and procedures provide for the evaluation of all faculty on a continuing basis consistent with Policy 4.1 faculty evaluation====<br />
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Evergreen originated with and has continued a culture of evaluation and reflection. Our evaluations are narrative, and are shared and discussed in face-to-face conferences. While there are conditions and expectations that provide a framework for faculty evaluations (see [[Media: facultyreappointment.pdf|Faculty Reappointment]]), faculty members also use their evaluations to address personal interests and insights about the college and their teaching. We intend the faculty evaluation process to be both developmental and supportive of genuine inquiry into teaching, and essential to adequately evaluate faculty members on the quality of their teaching and participation in the college as a whole.<br />
<br />
Faculty members hired into regular positions go through two three-year term contracts before being reviewed for a permanent continuing appointment. Each year of the term contract, they are involved in reciprocal and comprehensive evaluations that focus on their teaching and the other conditions for reappointment. The evaluation process is based on the following evaluations:<br />
<br />
* Faculty member’s self-evaluation<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of his/her teaching partners for that year<br />
* Teaching partner’s evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Faculty member’s evaluations of students<br />
* Faculty member’s students’ self-evaluations<br />
* Student evaluations of the faculty member<br />
* Dean's evaluation of the faculty member<br />
<br />
<br />
Faculty members on term contracts have an annual evaluation with an academic dean. The dean does not write an independent evaluation, but rather one based on the comments found in all the above evaluations. The dean meets with the faculty member for a conference in which key patterns and outcomes are discussed. If there are any problems noted, they will appear in the dean's evaluation for that year with direction for satisfactorily addressing the problem. In some situations, the dean will suggest that the faculty member go through a "developmental review” with the dean responsible for faculty development (who does not evaluate faculty members).<br />
<br />
Once the faculty member has taught nine quarters and with six colleagues (four of whom are on continuing contracts), the faculty member goes through a cumulative review. The evidentiary base is the faculty member’s portfolio, which includes all evaluations and other relevant material and documents from teaching and research. The review panel is made up of the faculty member’s teaching colleagues and two other faculty members. An academic dean facilitates the review.<br />
<br />
The faculty evaluation process, while it includes as evidence a range of evaluations, rests on peer review. For example, the faculty member as well as his or her teaching colleagues is expected to interpret and make sense of evaluations from students or student self-evaluations. The faculty, in its review, also maintains internal standards for reviews of such reappointment criteria as “professional development” or “intellectual vitality.” In this, our review is meant to be rigorous yet non-competitive, and with the frame of reference for judgment determined by the faculty member’s immediate colleagues.<br />
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====4.A.6 The institution defines an orderly process for the recruitment and appointment of full-time faculty. Institutional personnel policies and procedures are published and made available to faculty.====<br />
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The provost is the faculty hiring authority and delegates the coordination of that process to an academic dean. That dean, informally known as the “hiring dean,” works in partnership with the faculty hiring coordinator. They are responsible for implementing the college’s policy regarding the qualifications and experiences determined for each position, and assuring continuity in the hiring process.<br />
<br />
The hiring dean works with the curriculum deans and Hiring Priorities DTF members (representatives from all the curricular planning units) to select positions necessary for a comprehensive curriculum. The process for determining required qualifications is consultative involving the provost, deans, and faculty members in the field. They determine the requirements for each position based on their best judgment of an expected applicant pool, and the particular background and experiences necessary for each position. Thus our qualifications can vary from position to position (see the [[Media: facultyapplication.pdf|Regular Faculty Application Process]]). Our usual qualifications, unless there are other considerations, are the following:<br />
<br />
* Terminal degree<br />
* College teaching experience<br />
* Interdisciplinary teaching and/or research<br />
* Intellectual and artistic vitality<br />
* Ability to teach writing (and for some positions, quantitative reasoning)<br />
<br />
<br />
Common “desirable” qualifications often include:<br />
<br />
* Work with underrepresented student populations<br />
* Work with community organizations<br />
<br />
<br />
We assure faculty commitment to the institution in a number of ways. In our recruitment materials and when candidates are on campus for interviews, we stress the primacy of teaching. Candidates meet with faculty members in their same field, specifically to discuss the time spent teaching and the ways in which faculty balance scholarly and artistic interests with teaching.<br />
<br />
Establishing qualifications, and selecting new faculty members, requires striking a balance between disciplinary expertise and interdisciplinary breadth. The college’s Hiring Priorities DTF, which includes members from all the planning units, determines the positions to be hired. Then another small group, including members from across fields and working with the hiring dean, writes the final job description. A good job description makes clear that we seek both depth and breadth, and that both sets of criteria have equal weight.<br />
<br />
Key to this process is the language we use to announce positions and describe the qualities in successful candidates. We craft job announcements that articulate the required areas of expertise and qualifications, and that also convey the qualities of our work and teaching relations. Using language like “collegiality,” “diversity,“ “innovative and engaging pedagogy,” and “intellectual and artistic curiosity,“ we hope to catch the attention of potential applicants for whom teaching, interdisciplinary studies, inclusiveness, and collaboration are strong priorities.<br />
<br />
To convey our commitment to diversity, we ask applicants to submit a statement of their multi-cultural experiences and the impact of those experiences on their teaching. To deepen the diversity in our applicant pools, we have as a preferred qualification experience working with students from "underrepresented populations." We continue to refine our recruitment language and strategies, as well as the hiring process, to attract a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.<br />
<br />
The college has developed a core set of publications and other channels for advertising all faculty positions. That list has been determined by feedback from candidates (the majority of candidates say they find our advertisement in the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', for example) and our interest in recruiting diverse candidate pools. Included in our core list of sites is ''The Chronicle of Higher Education, Academic Careers Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Perspectives, The Women’s Book Review, Indian Scholar, and Indian Country Today''. We also advertise in regional metropolitan newspapers including ''The Seattle Times, The Portland Oregonian, The Daily Olympian, and the Tacoma News Tribune''. For some positions we also advertise in the ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Most candidates report that they learn about our positions from either the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' or the college’s Web site.<br />
<br />
For each position, we consult with faculty in the area to find out the important journals, Web sites, professional organizations, and conferences where we should advertise and recruit. These two approaches assure us that we are advertising broadly and reaching target audiences, including those in specific disciplines.<br />
<br />
We believe that we hire qualified and compatible new faculty members because the hiring process is based in extensive community participation. Beyond the provost, deans, and faculty hiring coordinator, many people are involved in reviewing, interviewing, and then selecting new faculty members. For each position, there is a subcommittee that includes faculty, staff, and students. The campus-wide Hiring DTF is also made up of faculty, staff, and students. Candidates meet other faculty members and students at presentations, class visits, and over lunch and dinner. Everyone who has contact with the candidate is asked to review and advise the subcommittee and Hiring DTF. The procedures involved in hiring continuing faculty members is stipulated in the ''Faculty Handbook'' (see [[Media: facultyrecruitmentappointment.pdf|Faculty Recruitment and Appointment]]).<br />
<br />
Faculty hiring is a very involved and labor-intensive process. Members of the subcommittee thoroughly read each application. They are charged, in consultation with the Hiring DTF, to make the first cut of semi-finalists. Once candidates come to campus, they spend two days being interviewed by a number of groups and having the opportunity to observe and ask questions of faculty members, deans, provost, and students. Once it comes time to discuss and compare qualities and qualifications of candidates, we have much material to consider.<br />
<br />
Recommendations for hiring are put forward by the subcommittee to the Hiring DTF. In consultation with the deans, the Hiring DTF members and subcommittee members ideally reach consensus on the preferred candidate. That recommendation, along with a summary of references, goes to the provost for the final decision.<br />
<br />
In a faculty poll conducted a few years ago about faculty governance, serving on hiring subcommittees and the Hiring DTF ranked the highest in terms of value. In spite of the very large amount of work involved, the faculty find this very satisfying work and readily agree to serve when asked. When you add up the number of faculty, staff, and students on the Hiring DTF and the varied subcommittees, it is not uncommon to have well over 100 community members involved. Thus faculty hiring is also the largest governance activity at the college.<br />
<br />
What follows is a schema that lays out the progression of the hiring process and the key groups involved in the process.<br />
<br />
===== Steps in the Hiring Process =====<br />
<br />
* Members of the six planning units generate position proposals.<br />
* Members of the Hiring Priorities DTF are charged by the provost to select positions to be hired. These recommended positions are discussed by the faculty as a whole.<br />
* Hiring dean meets with representatives from Hiring Priorities and planning units to write job descriptions.<br />
* Hiring coordinator and hiring dean finalize position descriptions and develop plan to advertise and recruit applicants.<br />
* Hiring dean, in consultation with planning unit coordinators, invites members from across the college (faculty, students, staff) to serve on the position subcommittees.<br />
* Faculty members volunteer or the hiring dean invites members from across the college (faculty, staff, students) to serve on the Hiring DTF.<br />
* Subcommittee members for each position review and select semi-finalists. In consultation with the Hiring DTF they then select finalists.<br />
* Candidates are on campus for a two-day interview process. The groups involved in the interviewing process include the following: members of the subcommittee, members of the Hiring DTF, two deans, community members, and the provost. Candidates also make a public presentation and often teach a class.<br />
* The review and recommendations from these groups are discussed at a “decision meeting” facilitated by the hiring dean. Members of the subcommittee, Hiring DTF, and deans make up this group.<br />
* The recommendation to hire for the position is sent forward to the provost who makes final decision in consultation with the president''.''<br />
<br />
===4.A.7 The institution fosters and protects academic freedom for faculty===<br />
<br />
Please see Standard 9 of this report for a description of the college’s position protecting academic freedom and inquiry.<br />
<br />
===4.A.8 Part-time and adjunct faculty are qualified by academic background, degree(s) and/or professional experience to carry out their teaching assignment and/or other prescribed duties and responsibilities in accord with the mission and goals of the institution.===<br />
<br />
The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies, often in consultation with the members of the EWS planning unit, determines the adjunct positions to be hired and the required qualifications. Prerequisites for each position are determined by the field of study and the scope of desired qualifications and experiences.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members are hired through an interview process that involves a review of their resume or Curriculum Vitae and a formal interview, usually with the dean of EWS and faculty who understand the area of expertise for which the adjunct is being hired. Specific attention is paid not only to their academic background and professional experience, but also to their potential to teach in Evergreen's somewhat unusual environment. Over time, we have developed a large and experienced pool of potential adjunct faculty members. The dean works closely with adjuncts and is able to call on this experienced pool of faculty as needs arise.<br />
<br />
Adjunct faculty members maintain a portfolio of teaching materials and evaluations. The dean of Evening and Weekend Studies formally evaluates them once within their first year of teaching and approximately every three years after that.<br />
<br />
===4.A.9 Employment practices for part-time and adjunct faculty include dissemination of information regarding the institution, the work assignment, rights and responsibilities, and conditions of employment.===<br />
<br />
Employment practices regarding work assignment and conditions of employment are spelled out in the contract letter. In that letter, new adjunct faculty members are directed to the formal ''Faculty Handbook'' for more specific information on employment policies and responsibilities.<br />
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New adjunct faculty members receive the ''Evening and Weekend Faculty Guide'' that provides information about the college, teaching and learning expectations, and clarification of the contract and other working conditions for adjuncts. New adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the broader new faculty orientation meetings scheduled throughout their first year of teaching.<br />
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===4.A.10 The institution demonstrates that it periodically assesses institutional policies concerning the use of part-time and adjunct faculty in light of the mission and goals of the institution.===<br />
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There is periodic review of policies relevant to part-time and adjunct faculty members. The most recent review began in 2006-07 and addresses the question of whether long-term adjunct and visiting faculty members should have a process for review in order to move to a regular contract. Those deliberations are still in process and may very well be affected by the pending union contract. The faculty, through meetings in fall 2007, has agreed to a procedure and formally forwarded it to the administrative and faculty bargaining teams as of April 2008.<br />
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===Standard 4.B – Scholarship, Research, and Artistic Creation===<br />
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===4.B.1 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty are engaged in scholarship, research and artistic creation.===<br />
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One of the very distinctive sources for faculty research and creative work emerges from teaching. Because faculty members teach with others from varied fields, and have the opportunity to include new areas of inquiry into their teaching, many find teaching to be a constant source of creative inquiry. Faculty development, research, and artistic work are top priorities for fund raising in the academic division. Additional funding and resources are critical for the ongoing vitality and learning for faculty members.<br />
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Funding for faculty research falls into two broad categories: internal sources of funding and external sources. The Office of Academic Grants coordinates both areas of funding, and provides guidance and information to faculty about opportunities, procedures, and legal policies including human subjects review and ethical considerations. <br />
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The internal sources of funding include a non-competitive sabbatical program (faculty accrue time towards sabbatical leave by teaching), professional travel, summer sponsored research, Faculty Foundation Grants, the Harvill Award, the PLATO Award, and mini-grants for assessment from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Examples of projects funded through these sources in the past can be viewed in Supporting Documents for Standard 4 (see [[Media: SponsoredResearchHistory2000_present.pdf|Sponsored Research History 2000-present]]). <br />
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Faculty members at the college are currently conducting research with grant support from a number of public and private organizations, including: Murdock Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Lumina Foundation. To review procedures and guidelines regarding college support of grants, see [[Media: sponsoredresearchgrants.pdf|Sponsored Research Guidelines]].<br />
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In addition to research and artistic work, some faculty members are involved in funded community projects. The college’s Center for Community-Based Learning and Action helps coordinate such projects for academic programs and provides a home base for faculty members doing such projects. An example of one such academic project, supported with funds from several public and private sources, is the Gateways Project.<br />
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===4.B.2 Institutional policies and procedures, including ethical considerations, concerning scholarship, research, and artistic creation, are clearly communicated.===<br />
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Faculty members are bound by all federal, state, and college policies regarding the funding and conduct of research. These policies are found in the federal, state, and college administrative codes on the college’s Web site (see [[Media: ethics.pdf|Ethics Policy]] and [[Media: facultydevelopment_policy.pdf|Faculty Development Policy]]. The Academic Grants Office directs prospective recipients of research and artistic funds to review this information during their preparation of grant proposals.<br />
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Research or scholarly projects that involve the use of human subjects must be conducted according to the college’s human subjects policy (section 7.700 of the ''Faculty Handbook''). Human subjects reviews of proposed projects are coordinated through one of the academic deans, and proposals are reviewed by faculty members with backgrounds in the areas under review.<br />
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At the time of this self-study, a work group comprised of the academic grants manager, representatives from the Student Affairs and Advancement divisions, and the college’s internal auditor are reviewing the college’s grant policies and procedures in order to provide greater services, training, and management tools for grant recipients.<br />
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===4.B.3 Consistent with institutional mission and goals, faculty have a substantive role in the development and administration of research policies and practices.===<br />
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The award of internal grants and other funding is determined by measures of eligibility as set out in the ''Faculty Handbook''. All faculty are eligible for professional travel funds, as long as they are in good standing. Likewise, all faculty on regular appointments are eligible for sabbatical leave. Faculty eligibility is calculated each year and that information made available to the faculty as a whole. Other awards are determined by peer review. These include Sponsored Research, the Harvill Award, the Fund for Innovation, Faculty Foundation Grants, and PLATO Awards. Faculty volunteer to serve on these review committees. Final membership is determined by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The director of the Academic Grants Office works closely with all review committees to assure compliance with college policies and practices.<br />
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===4.B.4 Consistent with its mission and goals, the institution provides appropriate financial, physical, administrative, and information resources for scholarship, research, and artistic creation.===<br />
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The Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals, and to ensure that the college has adequate resources to meet the project’s needs. Only those projects that fit within the college’s mission and goals, and for which the college can provide the necessary resources, receive college support to pursue grant funding. Similar care is taken with college grants providing programmatic support to students or services to the public.<br />
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===4.B.5 The nature of the institution’s research mission and goals and its commitment to faculty scholarship, research, and artistic creation are reflected in assignment of faculty responsibilities, the expectation and reward of faculty performance, and opportunities for faculty renewal through sabbatical leaves or other similar programs.===<br />
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Consistent with the college’s commitment to alternative pedagogies and professional development, faculty members are encouraged to exercise their judgment in the choice and focus of their research and artistic creations. The application process for internal funds always includes a discussion of the relevance of the proposal to the faculty member’s teaching and the curriculum as a whole. Being able to clarify that contribution contributes to the likelihood of being funded.<br />
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In the early 1990s, the faculty decided to make the award of sabbatical leave non-competitive. Until that time, faculty members submitted proposals and they were reviewed competitively. Now faculty members accrue time toward sabbatical through teaching. In the fall of each academic year, there is a list of leave eligibility circulated among the faculty. Quarters of sabbatical leave are awarded until funds for that year are expended.<br />
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In making sabbaticals non-competitive, the faculty recognized that all faculty members require regular periods of rejuvenation. They also honored the range of interests and methodologies among the faculty, opting to support the development opportunities proposed by each faculty member.<br />
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===4.B.6 Sponsored research and programs funded by grants, contracts, and gifts are consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
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As noted above, the Academic Grants Office collaborates closely with the provost’s staff, other administrative divisions in the college, the academic deans, and faculty committees to ensure that all internally and externally funded scholarship, research, and creative work are consistent with and supportive of the institution’s mission and goals. Internal grants are evaluated, in part, by their potential furtherance of the larger work of the college.<br />
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===4.B.7 Faculty are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship, research, and artistic creation consistent with the institution’s mission and goals.===<br />
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The academic culture and the nature of teaching at Evergreen are meant to promote creativity and free inquiry. Those principles are laid out in the college’s Social Contract as follows:<br />
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'''Intellectual freedom and honesty:'''<br />
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(a) Evergreen's members live under a special set of rights and responsibilities, foremost among which is that of enjoying the freedom to explore ideas and to discuss their explorations in both speech and print. Both institutional and individual censorship are at variance with this basic freedom. Research or other intellectual efforts, the results of which must be kept secret or may be used only for the benefit of a special interest group, violate the principle of free inquiry.<br />
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(b) An essential condition for learning is the freedom and right on the part of an individual or group to express minority, unpopular, or controversial points of view. Only if minority and unpopular points of view are listened to, and are given opportunity for expression, will Evergreen provide bona fide opportunities for significant learning.<br />
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(c) Honesty is an essential condition of learning, teaching, or working. It includes the presentation of one's own work in one's own name, the necessity to claim only those honors earned, and the recognition of one's own biases and prejudices.<br />
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===Standard 4 Findings and Conclusions===<br />
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====Findings====<br />
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1.) Evergreen has worked hard and effectively to identify and describe its hiring priorities and has been able to attract a large number of highly qualified applicants. In nearly 90% of its searches, the college has been able to hire its first choice.<br />
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2.) Diversity has steadily increased in the faculty as a whole and at the Olympia campus. In fact, Evergreen has the second highest percentage of faculty of color (25%) of four-year colleges in Washington state (Heritage University has 26%). The closest four-year baccalaureate is the University of Washington at 14% (see [[Media: chronicle_facultyrace_WAPBI.pdf|Chronicle - Faculty Race/Ethnicity at Washington Public Four-year Institutions]]). With greater diversity, increasingly sophisticated conversations about teaching and content have emerged.<br />
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3.) While the faculty/student ratio has remained stable over the period, the teaching workload of the faculty has continued to be substantial. The growth of one- and two-quarter programs has increased the amount of planning and evaluation time. Many faculty members find their work with students limited by high student/faculty ratios.<br />
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4.) The faculty continues to creatively teach important pathways in many fields. Program teams consistently design and carry out thoughtful, sophisticated, integrated programs. The college is home to a great deal of excellent teaching and important learning for both students and faculty.<br />
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5.) The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching and learning is what makes teaching at Evergreen so distinctive, offers the biggest challenges, and provides the most transformative experiences for faculty. Evergreen is distinctive for the high levels of student engagement with their learning.<br />
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6.) The college has increased support for faculty development and intellectual work by teams and individuals through increased support of summer team planning institutes, sponsored research awards, support for the Fund for Innovation by The Evergreen State College Foundation, foundation awards for faculty, PLATO Awards, and mini-grants from Institutional Research. The development dean has provided more explicit support for attention to pedagogy, and a sophisticated attention to the experiences of new faculty members through summer workshops, and ongoing orientation throughout the year. The freeing of sabbatical awards from competitive pressure has allowed these awards to be seen as grounded in faculty renewal. The college also provides some support for travel and has had a reasonably flexible leave without pay policy.<br />
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7.) The faculty is broadly engaged in academic planning, governance, and hiring and is involved in governance and policy across the institution.<br />
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8.) Interdisciplinary team teaching remains at the heart of Evergreen’s scholarly and pedagogical processes. The teaching team – the backgrounds, modes of inquiry, and sensibilities of its members – is at the heart of successful interdisciplinary programs. Teaching teams determine not only the curricular content offered at the college, but also the quality and depth of student learning. Ideally, a faculty member’s teaching and learning helps create his or her intellectual identity in combination with scholarship and artistic work.<br />
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====Conclusions====<br />
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1.) For interdisciplinary team teaching to be sustained and successful over the long term, Evergreen must ensure that:<br />
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a.) It supports the risk-taking necessarily involved as faculty move beyond the comfortable center of their scholarship to create new learning in the public arena of the programs.<br />
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b.) The college must maintain, and ideally expand, the opportunities for faculty members to form new and interesting teams where members have overlapping interests and are academically engaging colleagues for one another.<br />
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c.) The college needs to provide opportunities – through teaching and professional development – for faculty members to explore their intellectual interests, take on relevant academic identities, and develop confidence and mastery of each one's expanding fields of study.<br />
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2.) The faculty in general work in a variety of modes and configurations to create a genuinely exciting curriculum for faculty to teach and in which students may learn.<br />
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3.) The fact that the college has done so well in recruiting new faculty members is a testimony to the power of Evergreen’s vision of public, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the genuine desire of faculty to undertake collaborative work, and the engaged and active interests of our students.<br />
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4). Evergreen’s ongoing commitment to diversity is reflected in its hiring of faculty and the inclusion of significant consideration of diversity within the curriculum.<br />
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5.) Evergreen faculty have a strong interest in issues of pedagogy and a genuine desire to learn through the process of teaching.<br />
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6.) The college has become more aware of, and has provided more support for, individual and team needs for time, research, pedagogy, and artistic work in preparing for teaching and sustaining intellectual vitality.<br />
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====Commendations====<br />
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1.) The college has done excellent work in identifying, recruiting, and hiring new faculty members over this time period.<br />
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2.) Faculty have demonstrated a genuine desire to teach, to stay intellectually engaged with their fields and interests, and to be available to new combinations of faculty teams and new material for inquiry over this time.<br />
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3.) Faculty have demonstrated explicit interest in pedagogy in terms of approaches to materials and strategies for learning. They learn from each other in teams and through collaborative work at summer institutes dealing with writing, mathematics, and a wide variety of teaching and scholarly practice.<br />
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4.) The faculty have a genuine interest in the work of the college as a whole and have a willingness to be engaged in a wide variety of governance activities across nearly all aspects of the institution.<br />
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====Recommendations====<br />
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1.) The faculty and deans need to continue their thoughtful work in shaping hiring to maintain a strong interdisciplinary liberal arts center for the curriculum.<br />
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2.) The college needs to continue to effectively support new faculty at Evergreen as they come to find roles in the institution and continue to develop their intellectual identity and patterns of teaching and learning.<br />
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3.) The college needs to find ways to more systematically involve faculty in advising and to free time in the calendar for that to happen.<br />
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4.) Evergreen needs to maintain and increase opportunities for faculty to meet, converse, and work together in support of developing program ideas and identifying teams broadly across the college.<br />
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5.) The college should explore alternative calendar arrangements in order to find time for college-wide planning and advising work.<br />
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6.) The college should consider greater institutional support for individuals and groups of faculty to take the intellectual insights developed in team teaching forward into publications and articles.<br />
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7.) Evergreen should continue to develop funds to support the intellectual work of faculty members individually and as teams.<br />
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8.) Faculty role in governance is changing as the United Faculty of Evergreen negotiates the first bargaining agreement for Evergreen. The faculty needs to think through the role of the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Meeting, and focus faculty efforts in governance on central issues. Faculty and administration need to work together to find a way to effectively involve faculty views in response to external initiatives and demands.<br />
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====Plans====<br />
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1.) The faculty needs to continue to develop and work with the ideas that surfaced in the Curricular Visions process including implementation of fields of study, thematic planning, and continuing work on the first-year cohort.<br />
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2.) Issues about governance are on the agenda of the faculty and will be an item of concern in the coming year.<br />
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3.) Fundraising in support of faculty development funds is a high and continuing priority of The Evergreen State College Foundation.<br />
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== Supporting Documentation ==<br />
See [[Supporting Documentation for Standard Four|Supporting Documentation for Standard Four]]</div>Coghlanl