Dr. Roy Flores, former President of CCAC, initiated the self-study process during the Fall of 2002, just prior to accepting a new appointment as Chancellor of Pima Community College in Tusan, Arizona.

Dr. Flores selected Betty Davis, Dean of Enrollment Management, and Susan Myrick, tenured faculty member in the Business Technologies Department at the college’s North Campus, as co-chairs for the self-study. Dean Davis’s participation insures that the study will have top-level administrative support and experience; Professor Myrick’s long history as a faculty member and successful businessperson brings management experience and an attention to detail that will be instrumental to the success and depth of the self-study. Daniel Lowe, Dean of Occupational Technologies, former English professor, was appointed Editor of the final report, and to assist with the organization and development of the self-study design.

In November of 2002, the Co-chairs for the self-study, in conjunction with Dr. Flores and senior administrators and faculty members, began recruiting members for participation on the self-study’s Steering Committee. Since CCAC serves a large number of students with varying demographics and career goals at four campuses and eight centers, as well as other satellite locations, leaders of the self-study nominated Steering Committee members after careful evaluation of the function of their roles at the college and their level of demonstrated commitment to these roles.

After accepting their nominations, members of the Steering committee were assigned to Task Forces that co-related their areas of expertise with the Standards of Excellence designated in the Middle States publication, Characteristics of Excellence.

• Qualifications for Task Force leadership and membership are listed as follows:
• Members demonstrate commitment to the continuing success of CCAC
• Members are able to critically analyze the college’s strengths and weaknesses
• Members are objective and open-minded in their evaluations and approaches to their work
• Members are disciplined and organized, and able to meet deadlines
• Members are respected for their expertise in and dedication to their discipline and position
• Members have excellent oral and written communication skills
• Members are team builders and team players
• Members are effective problem-solvers

In conjunction with the co-chairs, Steering Committee members began developing the charges for their specific Task Force in December 2002 and January of 2003. Much discussion was dedicated toward the streamlining of the self-study; certain elements of particular Standards of Excellence were re-distributed based on the nature of the self-study and the organization of the college and its academic areas. This work was completed by early February, with each Task Force’s charges being reviewed by the full Steering Committee. All recommendations for changes were implemented and completed by March 7th of 2003.

The recruitment of task force members began in January of 2003 with Steering Committee members submitting names to the co-chairs for consideration. The Task Force Chair, working in tandem with the Steering Committee, will determine the number of members on each task force, with particular emphasis on the amount and types of expertise and study that will be needed to complete each Task Force report. Since members of the college community were sometimes recommended for more than one task force, the co-chairs, in association with the Steering Committee, will distribute members so that each task force will have every opportunity for efficient and effective work. College Council and President’s Council will then give final approval to the Task Forces lists.

As Task Forces begin to meet in the late summer of 2003, they will use the charges as a foundation for the self-study of their Characteristic of Excellence. As their studies unfold, adjustments to these charges will likely be necessary, and all changes and recommendations for re-focusing Task Force work will be sent back through the Steering Committee for action.