AN ASSESSMENT PLAN FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE GOVERNING BOARDS

Abstract

This research developed an assessment plan for community college governing boards. The method of development was based on the use of the Delphi technique. We identified five components of an assessment plan from a content analysis of the literature pertaining to governing boards. These five components, and many subparts of each component, were subjected to the judgments of an expert panel of presidents and trustees from six accrediting regions and three size‐categories of community colleges. The panel arrived at consensus on all five of the following components: prerequisites of an assessment plan for community college governing boards, purposes of the assessment plan, areas of assessment and criteria related to each area, sources of assessment data, and administrative procedures. Several subsections to each component were presented to the panel. The conclusion was reached that it was possible to develop a consensus about the components of an assessment plan for community college governing boards, that the majority of board members are open to assessment as a necessary part of their job as trustees, and that the majority of trustees are concerned with their performance and look for methods of improvement, including assessment.