Kaua‘i community college

Self Evaluation

Through the approval of the mission statement by the governing board and the various means by which the statement is published, the college meets the standard. The KCC mission statement was approved at the March 19, 2004, BOR meeting (BOR Minutes 3/19/04). The college will continue to periodically review its mission.

Planning Agenda

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  No action plan.
  

I.A.3. Using the institution’s governance and decision-making processes, the institution reviews its mission statement on a regular basis and revises it as necessary.
Descriptive Summary
In response to a recommendation made in the 2000 Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) accreditation report, Kaua‘i Community College undertook a campus-wide review of its mission in the spring of 2001. Through a combination of retreats, meetings, and workshops, approximately 75 faculty, staff, students and community supporters were able to take direct part in the review of the mission and development of new mission and vision statements. In addition, the college articulated six goals, addressing the concerns of the 2000 accreditation report:

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  Access: To broaden access to postsecondary education in Hawai`i, regionally, and internationally by providing open-door opportunities for students to enter quality educational programs within their own communities.
  

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  Learning and Teaching: To specialize in the effective teaching of remedial/developmental education, general education, and other introductory liberal arts, pre-professional, and selected baccalaureate courses and programs.
  

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  Work Force Development: To provide the trained workforce needed in the state, the region, and internationally by offering occupational, technical, and professional courses and programs which prepare students for immediate employment and career advancement.
  

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  Personal Development: To provide opportunities for personal enrichment, occupational upgrading, and career mobility through credit and non-credit courses and activities.
  

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  Community Development: To contribute to and stimulate the cultural and intellectual life of the community by providing a forum for the discussion of ideas; by providing leadership, knowledge, problem-solving skills, and general informational services; and by providing opportunities for community members to develop their creativity and appreciate the creative endeavors of others.
  

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  Diversity: By building upon Hawai‘i’s unique multi-cultural environment and geographic location, through efforts in curriculum development, and productive relationships with international counterparts in Asia and the Pacific, UHCC students’ learning experiences will prepare them for the global workplace.
  

In 2002, the new mission statement was edited by the Assessment Task Force and sent to a campus committee for review in Fall 2003. The committee was made up of a wide variety of campus faculty and staff (Focused Midterm Report and Midterm Report). The committee edited the new mission statement and sent it to the College Council, which approved it on September 11, 2003 (College Council Notes). The new mission statement was then submitted to and approved by the BOR in March of 2003. It was also agreed that the mission statement would be reviewed every two years.

At a College Council meeting in October 2005, the council members were reminded of the college’s commitment to review the mission statement every two years. Department chairs and other representatives of various units were directed to return to their units and divisions for input regarding possible changes in the mission statement, which they did. Considering the college’s commitment to create measurable SLOs and move all courses to the new Curriculum Action Form, it was generally agreed that we should keep the mission in its current form for the next two years. On October 27, 2005, the College Council met again, and according to the meeting notes, “Input from campus units supported the position that there should be no changes in the mission statement at this point. The mission statement will receive more extensive review in the next several years.”
The mission statement of Kaua‘i Community College has been central to the creation of the college’s Strategic Plan and its implementation. The current Strategic Plan is used in determining the allocation of resources as the college works toward meeting its goals; at the same time, the college is aware that the mission statement and the college’s goals need to be reviewed, revised, and adapted based on continuous data gathering and analysis to assure that the college addresses the changing needs within the institution itself, the larger UH System, as well as the diverse community and students.

Self Evaluation

The college meets the standard. It has continued a dialogue with the various constituents regarding the value and appropriateness of the current mission statement. Further, a process is in place to assure that the mission statement is reviewed every two years. The mission statement was last reviewed October 27, 2005.

However, the current process directly involves only the College Council in the review. The original process was more inclusive and included community members as well as faculty, staff, and students (See Exhibit I-1: KCC Mission Statement Development Meetings; See Exhibit I-2: Workshops on Mission Statement; Exhibit I-11: Sign-in Sheets on Mission Statement; and See Exhibit I-3: Convocation Agenda). Approximately 44 percent of those who responded to a faculty and staff survey agreed that the institutional goals as expressed in the mission statement are useful in setting program priorities. Thirty-four percent were neutral and 18 percent disagreed. Confusion regarding the survey question and the survey’s purpose, as well as the relatively new approach to reviewing the mission, may help to account for the large number of neutral responses. A more inclusive process with greater participation among campus personnel might clarify the meaning of these results.