NEASC INTEGRITY COMMITTEE
DRAFT REPORT
April 2003
Paul Leclerc, chair,
E-mail:
logos53@juno.com,
paleclerc@ccri.edu
Tel.:
Office: (401) 333-7294, Home: (401) 886-4107
In this report, the Integrity committee intends to describe the present
state, evaluate the effectiveness, and offer projections of CCRI with
respect to NEASC standard eleven: Integrity.
I)
DESCRIPTION
We define
institutional integrity as 1) a steadfast commitment to the moral
values endorsed by CCRI and as 2) institutional coherence and cohesion.
This report addresses issues pertaining to equal opportunity, affirmative
action, individual rights, grievance policies, and academic freedom. We
examined integrity at CCRI, focusing on the concerns of students,
administrators, faculty, and staff. Our examination is based on
questionnaires, interviews, and existing policies and procedures (see
supporting documents). The analysis reflects the current perception of
integrity at CCRI.
II) APPRAISAL
The following lists are ordered hierarchically, i.e., according to the
degree of strength or weakness identified by questionnaire and interview
respondents.
A.1)
Strengths According to CCRI Students
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The CCRI College Catalog and Student Handbook are readily
available and the Catalog provides sufficient information to make
educational decisions.
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CCRI exhibits respect and support for diversity and the physically
disadvantaged.
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CCRI has an adequate level of physical safety in its buildings and on its
grounds and a healthy level of environmental safety inside college
facilities.
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CCRI has a high level of academic integrity, an adequate level of academic
freedom, and a fair grading system.
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CCRI’s policies and procedures are applied equally to all students, the
registration process is fair and efficient, and faculty and counselors
consistently treat students in a non-sexist manner.
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CCRI respects student confidentiality and affords students the freedom to
express their concerns to administrators.
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CCRI exhibits respect and support for diversity and the physically
disadvantaged.
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CCRI provides appropriate academic freedom.
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CCRI has adequate technical support and the Information Technology
department publicizes and complies with pertinent copyright and
confidentiality policies.
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CCRI provides adequate policies and procedures to resolve college-related
concerns.
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The CCRI No Harassment policy effectively deters harassment of any
kind (sexual, racial, religious, etc.) throughout the college.
A.3) Strengths According to Interviewed Institutional Leaders:
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CCRI maintains basic standards of institutional integrity.
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Many CCRI employees exhibit exemplary professional dedication in their
commitment of time and energy.
B.1) Weaknesses According to CCRI Students
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The CCRI Code of Ethics is not readily available, does not set
clear standards for integrity, and is consequently not read.
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CCRI does not provide students a secure area for personal possessions.
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CCRI’s policies and procedures for addressing allegations of
unprofessional faculty behavior are ineffective. Correlatively, students
generally lack knowledge of appropriate procedures for resolving academic
or personal problems.
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CCRI admissions and transfer counselors are not always available or
knowledgeable. Academic advisors are not always accurate about degree
requirements.
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Student orientation is inadequate.
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CCRI’s budgetary process is not open to public scrutiny and budgetary
allotments to and within CCRI are insufficient to fulfill its
institutional mission.
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CCRI facilities are not environmentally healthy (e.g., poor air quality).
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CCRI’s promotions and hiring practices are not open and fair.
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CCRI’s academic and administrative departments are inadequately staffed.
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CCRI’s administrative policies are not fair to all stakeholders and its
administrative decisions and actions lack accountability.
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CCRI orientation policies, procedures, and process are inefficient and
poorly designed.
B.3) Weaknesses According to Interviewed Institutional Leaders:
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CCRI administrative and academic departments are inadequately staffed and
budgetary allotments to and within CCRI are insufficient to support them.
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CCRI should periodically publicize information that clearly explains the
essential necessity of ethical integrity for achieving its interrelated
institutional missions.
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Some CCRI employees and departments function on the basis of narrow,
sectarian self-interests that compromise institutional integrity.
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CCRI needs more minorities in high-level positions and needs to make a
more concerted effort to reach out to minorities.
III) PROJECTION
Therefore, the Integrity committee respectfully submits, on the basis of
the evidence adduced above and its supporting documentation, the following
institutional recommendations:
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CCRI should reformulate the Code of Ethics and Mission Statement
into concise, clear, and complementary guidelines that incorporate the
college’s concept of institutional integrity, educational values and
priorities, professional principles of practice, and institutional goals.
CCRI should also regularly highlight the essential necessity of the
Code of Ethics and Mission Statement for accomplishing its
interrelated institutional missions. Hence, in recognition of this
essential necessity, CCRI should also conduct periodic self-assessments of
the effectiveness of its ethical policies and clearly demonstrate that
procedural mechanisms exist for the effective implementation of its
principles.
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CCRI needs to constructively engage the Physical safety and
health concerns of many employees. Existing problems need to be
corrected and suitable policies designed and implemented. CCRI must comply
with all federal and state legal requirements (OSHA, etc.) and conduct all
its affairs in the spirit as well as the letter of the law.
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CCRI needs to constructively engage the concerns of many employees
regarding their longstanding perception of unfair hiring and promotion
practices. The widespread perception is that this area is
“politicized” and therefore unfair, preferential, and nepotistic.
Accordingly, CCRI needs to develop more institutional openness and
transparency regarding its hiring and promotion integrity. In particular,
CCRI needs to clearly publicize and, more importantly, consistently
practice fair, non-discriminatory, and open hiring and promotion
practices.
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CCRI must vigilantly impress upon state political leaders and legislators
that the educational quality of our institutional mission—which impacts
all RI citizens—is drastically diminished by their unrealistic regulatory
restrictions (e.g., frozen number of full-time equivalents [FTE]).
Consequently, CCRI should present relevant evidence to state legislators
and leaders that confirms its strained institutional status.
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Currently, both students and employees lack confidence in what is
generally perceived as an understaffed and consequently inefficient and
occasionally incompetent advising and counseling staff. Therefore,
CCRI should critically review its advising and counseling and
orientation policies, practices and process and, on this basis, design
and implement appropriate corrective measures
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CCRI would improve with more open, inclusive, and collaborative
intra-institutional communication. CCRI employees, departments, and
administrative levels need to constructively communicate and collaborate
with each other on the basis of inclusive institutional interests and
ideals. There is also a widespread perception among CCRI employees that
some serious college business is being conducted clandestinely. CCRI
should accordingly take concrete measures to scrupulously avoid even the
appearance of a lack of professional openness.
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CCRI should critically reevaluate its institutional relationship with
adjunct faculty.
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