New York City College of Technology has a well-defined system of governance in place that meets all of the attributes expected of an accredited institution (City Tech Governance Plan, Constitution of the College Council of New York City College of Technology). As outlined in Section 6204 of the New York Education Law, CUNY has a governing board of 17 trustees, with 10 members appointed by the Governor and five appointed by the Mayor of New York City with the advice and consent of the New York State Senate. The CUNY Board of Trustees (BOT) has oversight over all branches of CUNY and is responsible for governing and administering all constituent colleges. The chairs of the University Faculty Senate (CUNY University Faculty Senate) and the University Student Senate (CUNY University Student Senate) serve as ex officio trustees, the former in a non-voting capacity, to avoid any conflict of interest. The University Faculty Senate consists of 136 elected senators and performs essential roles in governance by fostering the collective voice of all the colleges. The University Faculty Senate represents both full- and part-time faculty. Undergraduates participate in governance through the University Student Senate.

City Tech is one of 11 senior colleges, seven– community colleges and four graduate schools in the City University of New York (“CUNY”), with a total enrollment of 243,526 undergraduates as of Fall 2016. CUNY has a governance structure that serves the University’s mission (Bylaws CUNY Board of Trustees, CUNY Board of Trustees Handbook). The BOT conducts itself pursuant to the provisions of the BOT Bylaws, which are easily accessible on the CUNY website. In accordance with the BOT Bylaws, the BOT holds regular meetings in January, February, April, June, September, and November that are open to the general public. Notice of time, place and agenda for each regular meeting are posted online. All BOT meetings are webcast live at www.cuny.edu/livestream. Summaries of BOT actions and approved minutes are made available at http://www2.cuny.edu/about/trustees (Minutes of Board of Trustees Meetings, Podcasts of Board of Trustees Meetings).

The BOT Bylaws outline the authority and duties of the chancellor, president, vice-presidents, deans, department chairs, and faculty at the individual colleges. The Chancellor is appointed by the BOT and serves as the chief executive, educational and administrative officer. The president of each constituent college is appointed by the BOT upon recommendation of the Chancellor and has full authority over all matters of the college. Specifically, the President of the college is an “advisor and executive agent of the chancellor … with full discretionary power to carry into effect the bylaws, resolutions, and policies of the board, the lawful resolutions of any board committees, and policies, programs, and lawful resolutions of the several faculties and students where appropriate.”

Section 8.11 in Article VIII of the BOT Bylaws addresses the power of individual colleges to establish their own governance plans. The BOT Bylaws also provide that duly adopted college governance charters govern in areas not otherwise covered, in Article VIII. City Tech’s current governance plan was approved by City Tech’s College Council on March 16, 2010, by the faculty on April 30, 2010 and by the CUNY BOT on June 24, 2013. City Tech’s governance plan, which is available online, addresses a number of governance related issues, including the constitution of College Council, departmental elections and administrative accountability.

Per BOT Bylaws, article VII, college governance charters establish college policy on all matters except for those specifically reserved by the BOT Bylaws, state laws or collective bargaining agreements. College Council is the self-governance body of City Tech. Membership is outlined in Part I, Article II and includes ex officio members with voting rights (e.g., President, provost, all vice presidents, deans), chairs from each instructional department, and voting unit (including college laboratory technicians and higher education officer series), elected delegates-at-large and student delegates (including two students elected by the student government and four students from each school). The governance plan also outlines the power and duties of college council committees in Article V.

The College Constitution is organized according to the Plan of Governance for New York City College of Technology, with a separate set of procedures supplemented in the Bylaws for New York City College of Technology. Both governing documents have been written and amended in compliance with the CUNY Bylaws. While CUNY Bylaws provides rules governing the entire university, campus governing bodies are given wide berth for self-governance (CUNY Bylaws, Articles VIII, Sec. 8.11; IX, 9.9; XV, 15.6; City Tech Governance Plan). The College Council annually elects a Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary to serve as officers. Their responsibilities are defined in Article III of the City Tech Governance Plan. College Council is made up of seven Standing Committees: Budget, Building & Grounds, Curriculum, Legislative, Personnel, Students, and Technology. Specific responsibilities of each Committee are defined in Article V of the City Tech Governance Plan. Current membership is available online (College Council Standing Committees). Each committee elects its own Chair and Secretary. Standing Committees meet once a month for deliberation and report to the entire College Council, when appropriate, at the monthly General Meetings of the College Council (College Council Minutes). The Chair of College Council is also a member of the University Faculty Senate. Governance Leaders from all CUNY campuses deliberate at monthly meetings and also communicate to one another through the committee listserv.

In addition to the governance plan, City Tech also has its own set of bylaws (City Tech Bylaws). The College Bylaws, which were approved by College Council on May 31, 2001, with amendments approved by council on May 15, 2007, April 2008 and April 13, 2010, were “developed to define procedures necessary for orderly functioning of the college council and other bodies described in the college constitution.” The College Bylaws address a number of matters including, college-wide and departmental elections.

At the academic department level, the chairperson serves as the executive officer for the department. At City Tech, there are currently 27 academic chairpersons who are responsible for carrying out the department’s policies as well as those of the faculty and BOT. In each department, the chairperson and four other departmental faculty members constitute the departmental appointments committee, which is responsible for making recommendations to the college Personnel & Budget Committee (P&B).

In accordance with the BOT Bylaws, the college Personnel and Budget (P&B) Committee makes recommendations to the President regarding the appointment, tenure, and promotion of academic personnel following recommendations made at the department level (Report of the Personnel Committee on Promotion and Tenure Procedures). Voting members of P&B include the chairs of the 26 academic departments, the chief librarian, the VP of Enrollment and Student Affairs, the Provost and the Dean of Continuing Education. The Executive Director of the Office and Faculty Staff Relations (OFSR) and Labor Designee serves as secretary to the committee. P&B meets regularly during the academic year and minutes of these meetings are available in the OFSR.

City Tech’s Student Government Association (SGA), consisting of an Executive Board and the SGA Body, represents City Tech’s students on all college policy issues. As outlined in the SGA Constitution, which was approved and ratified on October 2016, the Executive Board, all elected by the student body annually, includes the President, Vice President, Chief Justice, Treasurer, Secretary, Social Director, and Part-time/Evening Student Representative. The SGA Body is comprised of 7 elected officers and 13 senators. The powers and duties of the Executive Board and the SGA Body are outlined in the SGA constitution (SGA Constitution).

Analysis: The College meets this criterion of the standard. Governance at the local level is organized to assure that the college fulfills its mission with respect to academic quality, planning, and fiscal well-being. Minutes demonstrate that the College Council is an active governance body.

Local governance at City Tech is active, participatory, dynamic and shaped by influential groups that meet regularly and include the President’s Cabinet, P&B, Departmental Governance, College Council, and Student Government. These multiple sources of authority and governance influence the college and set the climate of the institution. The President is the chief executive officer and is assisted by three vice-presidents. The job descriptions of these senior administrators clearly outline their roles and responsibilities (Provost Job Description, VP Administration, and Finance Job Description). Provost Bonne August has responsibility for overall academic quality, teaching and learning, faculty scholarship and research, and interfaculty collaboration. Vice President Miguel Cairol is responsible for facilities and the financial well-being of the institution. Vice President Marcela Katz-Armoza is responsible for the supervision of enrollment services and college life. Other senior members of administration assist the three Vice-Presidents.

Personnel & Budget (P & B) is chaired by the President and typically meets eight or more times during the academic year. A review of minutes demonstrates that the Department Chairs, Provost and Deans communicate important information about academic quality and planning. The Vice President for Enrollment and Student Affairs regularly updates the group on registration and enrollment. The President provides fiscal updates at most meetings. Chairs volunteer to serve on committees that review faculty in accordance with BOT Bylaws. Heightened attention to faculty scholarship has accompanied the improvements in faculty workload and release time for scholarship.

Eligible tenure-line departmental faculty (reappointed at least once, not on Travia leave, have not submitted their resignation) elect chairpersons for a three-year period per CUNY guidelines. Responsibility for oversight of academic quality and renewal begins at the departmental level. Departments review their curriculum and outcomes and make revisions though votes at faculty meetings.

Myriad policies at the college, university, and state level help ensure independence and the avoidance of undue influences (Conflict of Interest Policy, Public Officers Law 73 JCOPE, Public Officers Law 74). For instance, all employees must comply with the CUNY Conflict of Interest Policy, which provides that “all [university] activities shall be conducted in accordance with the highest standards of integrity and ethics….” The CUNY Conflict of Interest Policy includes several general standards of conduct including a prohibition on accepting other employment that will impair independence of judgment. Similarly, as previously noted in Standard II, as state employees, City Tech employees are subject to several sections of New York State Public Officers Law and Civil Service Law, including Section 73-2, which requires decision-makers to file annual financial disclosure statements. In addition, strict workload rules apply to faculty and staff members. Faculty must also adhere to the CUNY BOT Statement of Policy on Multiple Positions and complete multiple position forms each semester (Multiple Position Policy, Multiple Position Form).

As previously noted, CUNY and City Tech have a complex, multi-tiered governance structure that emphasizes collective decision-making and self-governance. BOT Bylaws for example clearly outline the power and duties of the chancellor, president and individual colleges. In addition, members of the various governing bodies on campus are elected to their positions and must meet specified qualifications in the Bylaws and Governance Plan. Curricular changes are initiated and approved at the departmental level and are vetted and approved by the College Council and CUNY BOT. Hiring, promotion and tenure recommendations begin at the department level, then are vetted by the P & B which makes recommendations to the President, whose decisions must also be approved by the CUNY BOT. This system of checks and balances prevents individual members from interfering in the day-to-day operations of the institution. The Governance Plan has several provisions providing that individual members of College Council do not have the authority to act on behalf of the council. (City Tech Governance Plan, art. III.A.7, III.B.6, III.D.8, V.B.9.)

Table VII.1

The College Council Curriculum Committee evaluates curriculum, (City Tech Governance Plan, Article V.D.8) including the review of proposals to develop and/or modify curricula, and to formulate curriculum policy, as discussed in Standard III. Online records indicate that 18 major modifications were presented by the Curriculum Committee to College Council in the 2016-2017 year and all 18 were approved, along with 2 that had been submitted the previous year (Past Proposals _ College Council). New programs undergo further review at CUNY Office of Academic Affairs, the Board of Trustees, and the New York State Education Department.

The Personnel Committee is working on modifications to the Governance Plan regarding promotion procedures, and will collaborate with the Legislative Committee. Last year, the committee also reviewed the peer observation process for online and hybrid courses.

The Legislative Committee is building a concordance table of the three components of the Governance Plan (City Tech Plan of Governance, City Tech Bylaws, and CUNY Bylaws) in order to make university policy and procedure clearer and is testing a new electronic voting system, which will increase accessibility to voting on college-wide issues. The Buildings and Grounds Committee is collaborating with the Technology Committee to produce new models of classroom design that incorporate General Education principles. The Technology Committee initiated a trial model for peer observation and student assessment of online courses, which received the approval of College Council.

As described in more detail in Standard III, teaching  is evaluated  in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement. Every semester, faculty’s teaching is evaluated by students (Student Evaluation of Teaching) in accordance with contractual guidelines. The results of the SETS are included in the faculty member’s annual evaluation and reported in P&B. Teaching is also observed each semester by a peer designated by the department’s Appointments Committee, in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement.

The vice president for finance and administration reports to the president and is responsible for the fiscal operation of the college and the development of plans and procedures that are congruent with sound business practices and academic objectives. The Budget Committee of the College Council is “responsible for recommendation, review and evaluation of policy relating to the financial planning, budget allocations, the use of allocated funds and long-term planning of the college” (City Tech Governance Plan, Article V. D. 10). The Committee is also required to produce a report to college council every academic year. The Budget Committee meets monthly and the Vice President for Administration and Finance is regularly in attendance. The President also attends the monthly College Council general meetings and makes a report to the body as a whole. The President’s report provides information on matters of budget and administration with an opportunity for questions and responses from those in attendance. The College is audited annually.

The City Tech Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation chartered in 1981 under the laws of the State of New York. It is charged with the solicitation and acceptance of gifts to the college in support of City Tech’s educational mission and programs. In addition to raising in excess of one million dollars for a variety of student scholarship, support of undergraduate research, faculty professional travel and other financial assistance programs, the foundation has secured a million dollars more in recent years in donated equipment to enhance both the educational and operational activities of the College. Decisions are discussed and voted upon at Board meetings (City Tech Foundation)

The appointment of a president follows the CUNY guidelines for Presidential Searches and must be approved by the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees (Presidential Search Guidelines). The President is evaluated in accordance with the policy for executive evaluation as outlined in CUNY Policy 5.05 Chancellor and Presidents, Review and Assessment (Chancellor and President Review Policy). [Procedures for the Administrative Evaluation Committee], [Guidelines for the Administrative Evaluation Committee], [President Hotzler’s Curriculum Vitae] [President Hotzler’s Job Description]. The criteria for evaluation include academic leadership, administrative leadership, relationship with the college community and role outside the college. President Hotzler has had an annual evaluation meeting with the Chancellor. CUNY is moving this to an every other year cycle beginning in 2017-2018. The content of the meeting is then summarized in an annual evaluation letter from the Chancellor to the President.

The governing bodies on campus are charged with guiding the overall direction of the college. The Board of Trustees approves the operating and capital budgets that the college president recommends. The president and vice president of administration and finance supervise investment in the college’s infrastructure at the local level, and oversee campus real estate and long-range physical planning. They exercise prior review and approval concerning changes in major policies, such as those in instructional programs and admission, as well as the hiring of faculty members.  Thus, it is imperative that they agree to abide by certain principles to ensure that personal and external bias do not influence policy.  Further, best practices with regard to data collection and analysis, representation of the diversity of stakeholders, the use of key decision-makers, and the validation of policy decisions with respect to feasibility and transparency are followed. Lastly, closing the loop, the effectiveness of policy is assessed through well-defined processes.

As already discussed, myriad rules and regulations at the college, university and state level help ensure independence and the avoidance of undue influences. For instance, the CUNY Conflict of Interest Policy provides that “all [university] activities shall be conducted in accordance with the highest standards of integrity and ethics…” (Conflict of Interest Policy). The Policy includes several general standards of conduct including a prohibition on accepting other employment that will impair independence of judgment. Similarly, as previously noted in Standard II, as state employees, City Tech employees are subject to several sections of New York State Public Officers Law and Civil Service Law, including Section 73-2, which requires certain employees with decision-making authority to file annual financial disclosure statements. Information on the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics is available online at NYS Joint Commission on Public Ethics. The Special Counsel is the designated resource person at campus who also provides trainings to applicable City Tech employees at specified intervals.

Although City Tech is part of CUNY and subject to many of its regulations and rules, the BOT Bylaws also provide that duly adopted college governance charters govern in areas not otherwise covered, in Article VIII. In addition, as previously discussed, there are several governing bodies on campus that work together in order to affect the mission of the college. (City Tech Governance Plan, City Tech Bylaws, CUNY Bylaws)

The governing board of CUNY has the legal authority and accountability in the area of policy as evidenced by the CUNY Bylaws, CUNY BOT policies and CUNY BOT minutes, available on the website. On campus, various other governing bodies ensure that City Tech achieves its mission and goals. There are ample opportunities for administration, faculty, staff and students to participate in governance at CUNY. Rules and regulations are in place to ensure that the governing bodies at City Tech have sufficient independence and expertise to ensure the integrity of the institution. The shared governance structure at the university and college levels ensures that no governing body or individual member may interfere in the day-to-day operations at City Tech. College Council, through its various committees, has continued to work diligently to further the mission of the college and make improvements wherever possible. Teaching is evaluated through peer observations and student evaluation of teaching. College Council through its Budget Committee also plays an active role in the fiscal operations of the college. City Tech’s system of governance supports the President in maintaining the autonomy of the college while at the same time participating in the larger university system. The college abides by a rigorous conflict of interest policy.

The CUNY BOT appoints the president, who serves as the chief executive officer and has primary responsibility for leading the college and overseeing the administration. President Hotzler was appointed by the CUNY Board of Trustees in 2004 after a presidential search consistent with the guidelines of the CUNY bylaws (Presidential Search Guidelines). The president participates in the Council of Presidents (CUNY Bylaws, Article IV Section 4.2) and advises the Chancellor on issues important to the College.

President Hotzler holds a Bachelor of Science Degree and Master of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Physical Metallurgy from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (now NYU Tandon School of Engineering). He has vast experience in both teaching and administration. President Hotzler is particularly attuned to the CUNY mission, having served in many capacities at the University since 1971. [President Hotzler’s Curriculum Vitae] [President Hotzler’s Job Description][CUNY Bylaws, Section 11.4 The President]

The authority and autonomy of the president derive from the CUNY Bylaws (CUNY Bylaws, Section 11.4 The President). The President has identified and implemented institutional plans, staffed the organization, allocated resources, and directed the institution toward attaining the goals and objectives set forth in its mission. Examples of these actions included the expansion and modernization of the physical structure of the college, the creation of partnerships that benefit the organization, the expansion of faculty lines and increased emphasis on scholarly work. The workload for faculty was reduced from 24 to 21 workload hours per academic year in 2015. Other improvements included the creation of the Faculty Commons in 2009, the addition of the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (AIR) in 2009, the recruitment of a Chief Diversity Officer in 2007 and the creation of an Assistant Vice President and Chief Information Officer Position in 2015.

The President works closely with his dedicated and well-qualified senior administrative team in order to efficiently affect the mission of the college. The current members of the senior administrative team are listed below.

• Bonne August, PhD, Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs
• Miguel Cairol, PhD, Vice President for Administration and Finance
• Marcela Armoza, PhD, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Affairs
• Pamela Brown, PhD, Associate Provost
• Kevin Hom, MArch, Dean, School of Technology & Design
• Justin Vazquez-Poritz, PhD, Dean, School of Arts & Sciences
• David Smith, PhD, Dean, School of Professional Studies
• Carol Sonnenblick, EdD, Dean, Continuing Education
• Gilen Chan, JD, Special Counsel
• Stephen Soiffer, PhD, Special Assistant to the President
• Angelo Pace, CPA, Assistant Vice President, Budget and Finance
• Rita Uddin, JD, Assistant Vice President, Chief Information Officer
• Wayne Robinson, MS, Executive Director, Business Management
• Sandra Gordon, JD, Executive Director of Office and Faculty Staff Relations and
• Labor Designee
• Vera Amaral, JD, Executive Director, Human Resources
• Jacinth Hansen, Executive Director, BEOC
• Faith C. Corbett, MPA, Executive Director, Public Relations

As evidenced by their resumes, the senior administrative team members are well qualified by training and experience for the positions they hold. In addition, many members of the senior administrative team are long-term CUNY and City Tech employees, who have brought much stability and institutional knowledge to the process. For example, Bonne August has served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at City Tech since September 2006, having served as acting provost beginning in February 2005. Previously, she was chair of the English Department and professor of English at Kingsborough Community College/CUNY, where she had been on the faculty since 1982. Miguel F. Cairol came to City Tech in 2004 as acting dean for planning after serving in a similar capacity at York College, which also included responsibilities as special assistant to the president. Prior to his role at York College, Dr. Cairol served at Queensborough Community College/CUNY as Professor of Business Administration, Dean of Administrative Affairs, Dean of Facilities Management, Dean of Faculty and Staff Relations and Dean of Academic Planning. Marcela Armoza has served as vice president of enrollment and student affairs at City Tech since 2006, after serving one year as acting vice president. Prior to her appointment as vice president, Dr. Armoza, was dean of enrollment management and director of the SEEK (Search for Elevation and Education through Knowledge) program at City Tech, a dual position she had held since 2002. Dr. Armoza began her tenure at City Tech in 1994 as director of the SEEK program.

The role of College Presidents in the governance structure of CUNY is well-defined. President Hotzler has extensive knowledge of CUNY based on his long tenure. He served as interim President at two other CUNY colleges during periods of transition. He is dedicated to CUNY’s mission. The President has been the architect of many improvements at City Tech and made dramatic progress since our last Middle States visit. Leadership is more effective, transparent, and participatory. The governance structure has been enhanced since the last Middle States visit. The President has the assistance of qualified and dedicated administrators who are equally committed to City Tech’s important mission. The president works closely with his administrative team, which has enjoyed a period of stability since the last Middle States visit as indicated by the hire dates of the cabinet positions. Looking to the future, a new generation of administrators has come on board to carry on the institutional mission.

The organizational structure at City Tech is clearly delineated with defined reporting relationships. Several members of the senior administrative team, including the three vice presidents, the special counsel, the Title IX officer, and executive director of office and faculty staff relations, report directly to the president. In turn, the organizational charts for the three vice presidents list the names and positions of those who report to them. For example, as the chief academic officer, the provost oversees the school deans, the associate provost, and all the full-and part-time faculty members in 28 academic departments, as well as directors of support units in Academic Affairs. (Organizational Chart Office of the President, Organizational Chart Academic Affairs, Organizational Chart Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Organizational Chart Administration & Finance, Institutional policies, Position Descriptions, Instructional Staff Handbook)

A review of the organizational charts and relevant position descriptions reflects that the college administration is an appropriate size and has the relevant experience to assist President Hotzler in filling his roles and responsibilities.

As already previously noted, all of City Tech’s administrators are well-qualified by training and experience for their positions. Members of the administration are selected from a competitive pool of applicants and undergo a rigorous interview process. All finalists are interviewed by the president. Furthermore, the Executive Director of Office and Faculty Staff Relations (OFSR) reports directly to the president and oversees all personnel action related to the hiring or administrators and instructional staff at the college. The Executive Director of OFSR ensures that all relevant policies are adhered to and that finalists have the requisite qualifications and experience.

As previously demonstrated, the administration has the skills, time and assistance to perform their duties. In 2015, Rita Uddin was promoted to Assistant Vice President and Chief Information Officer and became a member of the President’s Cabinet. This promotion emphasizes the importance of IT services at City Tech. In 2016, City Tech transitioned from GroupWise to Outlook, a faster and more effective email system. The college’s website was also upgraded, based in part on feedback from the college community, including department chairs.

A review of calendars and minutes demonstrates that senior academic and administrative leadership engage with faculty and students on a regular basis. The president and provost attend all College Council Meetings, as well as the P&B, which the President chairs. The provost meets four to five times a semester with the department chairs. Senior leadership, especially the resident and the vice president for enrollment and student affairs, is very responsive to Student Government concerns. (College Council Minutes, P&B minutes, chairs’s colloquium agendas, President’s Address to Students 2017)

Since 2008, the college has a system to collect feedback from the faculty with the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) survey. Longitudinal data evaluating faculty assessment of all aspects the nature of their work is tracked and used for improvement. The COACHE Provost’s Report is posted on the AIR Surveys website (COACHE Provosts Report 2015). The COACHE survey evaluates senior, divisional and departmental leadership. Results from the Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey from 2015 reflected that faculty felt recognition from senior administration for teaching, advising scholarship and service. In 2015-16 Provost August conducted faculty focus groups to share results of the COACHE survey and identify solutions to areas identified for improvement.

One example of a change resulting from COACHE Survey data is that faculty expressed concerns about clarity of the tenure and promotion process in both the 2011-12 and 2015 COACHE survey. The Faculty Commons now has a Professional Activity Report and Self Evaluation (PARSE) homepage which clearly describes the annual evaluation process, Tenure Track Reappointment Process, Cumulative Self Evaluation Process, Scholarly and Professional Growth, Service and Samples of PARSE and Teaching Portfolios. The College Council Personnel Committee is currently working on improving the promotion process. The Office of Faculty and Staff Relations holds yearly seminars on the promotion process for the departmental appointments committees.

Higher Education Officers (HEOs), non-instructional professionals and Executive Compensation Plan (ECP) administrators who oversee units are evaluated regularly and systematically by their supervisors. Quantitative and qualitative goals and targets are submitted annually and outcomes are reviewed at the end of the year.

A clearly defined organizational structure delineates responsibilities and is supported by carefully observed institutional policies. The organizational charts were compared to other CUNY four-year colleges such as Brooklyn and Queens College and found to be comparable. The organizational structures of both City Tech and a sample of other CUNY institutions are provided (Organizational Chart Office of the President, Organizational Chart Academic Affairs, Organizational Chart Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Organizational Chart Administration & Finance, comparison org charts). Comparisons between City Tech and the comparison colleges found that the size of the City Tech’s leadership structure, while lean, was comparable to other schools. Hiring at the college is highly competitive and all administrators are hired according to well-established procedures. Accordingly, administrators have the credentials and experience required to affect the college’s mission. Technological resources are essential to achieving the mission and goals of the institution, and the College has made tremendous strides toward an efficient IT structure. All members of the administration are regularly engaged both directly and indirectly with City Tech’s faculty and students in order to advance the college’s goals and objectives. For example, the President regularly meets with members of cabinet, including the provost and deans, who in turn regularly meet with the department chairs and faculty members. The college community also has several opportunities to come together at College Council meetings and BOT meetings, which are open to all and widely publicized. The COACHE survey has been an excellent source of data for the College to base its improvement plan in several critical areas.

The administration garners feedback from alumni, faculty, students, advisory boards, and community residents through surveys, focus groups, open meetings, board minutes and reports. The data obtained from these various constituencies is utilized in the assessment and decision making process.

Internally, the President meets with his cabinet (vice presidents, deans and directors) regularly. Additional reporting systems aid in effective assessment including: Office of Assessment and Institutional Research documents, Computer Center reports, Affirmative Action and Diversity reports, City Tech budget documents and the Performance Measurement Process (PMP), the university-wide planning and outcomes assessment process. City Tech’s PMP is derived from its mission statement and is organized into nine key objectives. This data driven annual institutional review is designed as a useful tool to evaluate the College’s progress in meeting its mission, goals and objectives. The goals and targets are developed at the departmental level and the incorporated into the School level and finally as a college-wide endeavor. City Tech’s 2016-2017 goals are aligned with the University goals. The Vice Presidents and School Deans set annual goals and objectives for their respective areas of responsibility, which are reviewed at the end of the year with the Provost and President.

An important component of assessing the effectiveness of governance, leadership and administration is the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) faculty and staff satisfaction survey. The findings of the most recent 2015 COACHE survey reveal that at the senior and divisional leadership levels, City Tech, vis-a vis its cohorts at other institutions, scored in the top 30th percentile and ranked higher than the comparison group (COACHE Provosts Report 2015). Indeed, the areas of leadership strengths as indicated on the COACHE survey include: pace of decision making, stated priorities, communication of priorities and ensuring faculty input. It is anticipated that the new COACHE survey instrument will specifically include a section on assessing governance. Additional student surveys are used for assessment (City Tech AIR Home Page).

Leadership effectiveness is also measured in the CUNY bylaws mandated annual report that the President must present to the Chancellor and CUNY Board of Trustees. At the end of each academic year, progress towards the college’s performance targets is assessed and the President submits a Goals & Targets report to the CUNY Chancellor. President Hotzler has consistently met this mandate with satisfactory performance outcomes. The accountability and assessment process includes the evaluation of the President by the CUNY Trustees.

Periodic assessment of the effectiveness of governance is reflected in President Hotzler’s annual “State of the College” address to the college-wide community as well as in Provost August’s reports. Indeed, the College Council governance plan, which was approved by the CUNY Board of Trustees, provides for such administrative accountability on the part of the president, academic deans and department chairpersons through annual review of accomplishments at their respective levels of responsibility. Finally, a stated objective in the City Tech Strategic Plan 2014-2019 is to develop a cycle of assessment of college-wide governance efficiency, structures and procedures. To date, the college’s strategic plan is being adequately implemented. (Strategic Plan 2014-19, President’s Address to Students 2017)

The college is successfully satisfying the Middle States criterion for periodically assessing the effectiveness of governance, leadership and administration.

Nurture a shared sense of mission and identity that fosters pride in City Tech’s unique program offerings and that emphasizes ambition for excellence

(Standards I and VII)

Excelling as a baccalaureate-level college of technology requires that the entire institution—administration, faculty, staff, students—share an understanding of the potential for growth enabled by our revitalized program offerings. Over the next eight years, we will make progress towards this ideal by:

Leveraging best practices to communicate to the college community and to external stakeholders about new program offerings, and about the scholarly and professional achievements of City Tech’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni;

Engaging collaboration across college units to ensure that the mission and goals of all departments and offices explicitly link to the overall mission of the college and include goals for supporting student success, post-graduation placement, and support for faculty and student scholarship;

Promoting deeper student involvement in the realization and communication of the college mission by increasing student participation in college governance, and in institutional planning.