College Accreditation Report Is Filed

Oxnard College officials should focus their efforts on planning and shared decision-making, according to a preliminary report filed by an accreditation panel.

The initial findings came at the end of a three-day visit by the committee that is expected to recommend that the college be recertified to award degrees and allow the transfer of course credits.

“I hope that you are aware that we offer these as encouragement,” said Leslie Purdy, who oversaw the 12-person review panel. “We’re not just here to point out problems or weaknesses.”

Although the committee made a report on its early findings, Oxnard College will not be officially reaccredited until the Western Assn. of School and Colleges, a private agency that oversees accrediting schools, makes its final report this summer.

The committee recommended that the college focus and structure its long-term planning and program review efforts so they are developed on an ongoing basis, Purdy said. The college also should rely more on research when making decisions, she said.

Chancellor Philip Westin, who attended the informal interview Thursday afternoon, said he agreed with the committee’s recommendations. Planning is also a key concern for the district, he said.

Although shared governance is required by law, the committee said it would also recommend that the college create a written definition to help everyone understand how participatory decision-making works at Oxnard College.

The school’s mission statement, which has not been revised for two decades, should also be reviewed by the campus community, Purdy said.

She said the college and district need to reestablish trust with the employees after the long and contentious faculty contract negotiations that ended last summer.

“The college needs to deal with some of the residual effects of the divisiveness,” she said.

Most of the recommendations were expected by campus officials who spent the past two years conducting a required self-study.

Purdy also enumerated 10 areas where she said Oxnard College is excelling. The committee commended the college for providing more student services, a broad range of courses and an attractive campus environment.

Committee members also were impressed with the college’s enrollment growth, a stronger education foundation, stronger marketing efforts and well-developed community partnerships.

Purdy said the team took special note of the “energetic, positive, creative, can-do attitude of the staff.”