Back See this section in context: Criterion 2 Core Component 2A

2A.3: Identified Authority for Decision-Making

An expectation of shared governance is now embedded in Sauk’s planning culture and evident in the cross-institutional involvement of employees in the various planning system processes. In the spring 2010 assessment survey, 79% of faculty agreed or strongly agreed to the statement “SVCC has proven its willingness to integrate employees into the decision-making process.” As the various planning systems have evolved, accountabilities have been clearly identified. Responsibility for maintaining the various planning systems and for decision-making is shared among staff throughout the college:

• Strategic planning: Responsibility for maintaining and updating the Strategic Plan is included in the Dean of Institutional Research and Planning’s job description. The Dean chairs OPIC, whose charge makes it responsible for drafting and proposing planning recommendations. The Dean also prepares Sauk’s annual report, which has been tailored to become a Strategic Plan status report.
• Operational planning: Responsibility for facilitating operational planning is also assigned to the Dean of Institutional Research and Planning. Non-instructional supervisors involve their subordinates in the process, and faculty Area Facilitators coordinate faculty planning. The Operational Plan Template requires responsibility for each planned activity to be assigned to an individual (Appendix).
• Program review: The Program Review Committee (Appendix), which focuses on content, and the Dean of Institutional Research and Planning, who oversees the process, work in partnership to maintain the ICCB-mandated program review process. A review team, the membership of which is established in Sauk’s Program Review Guidelines (Appendix), reports action plans identified during a review in the appropriate Operational Plan. The Program Review Committee and the supervising administrator of the office or academic area approve the review before it is forwarded to the President for final approval.
• Budgeting: The Dean of Business Services initiates and oversees the budget allocation process every spring in compliance with ICCB timelines. Administrators make requests based on the operational planning process. The Dean of Institutional Research and Planning forwards budget requests received through the program review process. The President’s Cabinet discusses budget issues, communicates the level of need for their respective area’s requests, and relays information and budget decisions back to their areas. The President recommends the budget to the Board for its final approval.