Comprehensive Standard 3.2.8: Qualified Administrative and Academic Officers

The institution has qualified administrative and academic officers with the experience, competence, and capacity to lead the institution.

Judgment of the Off-Site Review Committee:  Non-Compliance

Comments:  The committee finds a chart outlining positions and the academic degrees held by its administrative staff as well as the job description of each individual which includes desired qualifications for the position.  The institution’s job descriptions did not insure officeholder qualifications were appropriate for the positions.  The College did not make the case that all administrators had the academic credentials and the experience qualifications for the positions held.  In no case was experience documented.  The job description qualification section called for the Associate Vice President for Student Services to have a Master’s Degree in Counseling or a related field, but the chart indicated the individual holding the position had a M.Ed., without reference to the major.  A division head’s job description required the individual possess a Master’s Degree, but the chart indicated the individual had an AAS.  The job description for the Vice President for Educational Support lists as a qualification a Master’s Degree in Business Education or a related field.  On the chart the office holder lists a MS, with no major specified. The institution’s job descriptions require review to insure office holder qualifications are appropriate for the positions.

The on-site committee should verify that administrative office holders have the credentials and experience or appropriate justification specified in appropriate job descriptions. 

College Focused Response: The College has revised the previous academic credential and experience qualifications chart to reflect documented experience on its administrative staff.

The Committee indicated that the job description qualifications section called for the Associate Vice President for Student Development Services, to hold a Master’s Degree in Counseling or a related field, but the chart indicated the individual holding the position had a M.Ed without reference to the major. Response: Ms. Goodman’s college transcript, on file in the WCC Personnel Office, confirms that she has an M.Ed in Education Guidance and Counseling from Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC.

The Committee had a question about the Applied Technologies and Agriculture and Natural Resources division head’s job description requiring the individual possess a Master’s Degree, but the qualification chart indicated the individual had an AAS. Response: The job description for the Applied Technologies and Agriculture and Natural Resources Division Head in question had been revised and updated in January 2005 to reflect the requirement for an AAS degree. Unfortunately, the College provided the previous obsolete job description as documented evidence of compliance for this job description.

The Committee had a question regarding the qualifications for a Master’s Degree in Business Education or a related field on the job description for the Vice President for Educational Support Services. On the chart the office holder lists a MS, with no major specified. Response: The job description for the Vice President for Educational Support Services articulates the qualification of a Master’s degree in public administration, business management, education, counseling and human development, or a closely related field. The incumbent’s (Mr. Ken Ritt), college transcript, on file in the WCC Personnel Office, confirms that he has an MS in Counseling and Human Development from Troy State University, Troy, AL.

As a result, the college certifies compliance with this comprehensive standard.