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The best of evaluation and audit are brought
together to form a process of accountable self-assessment |
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Outcome and “use of results” issues are fully
addressed |
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Management issues are fully addressed |
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Faculty and staff maintain control over
evaluation processes while administrators collect the necessary data and
audit information to make informed decisions |
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Department supervisors are held accountable for
their department’s performance while receiving a balance of technical
guidance and self direction to achieve results |
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THE PRESIDENT’S VISION REMAINS INTACT |
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INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS REMAINS INTACT |
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A SINGLE, EFFECTIVE MODEL EXISTS TO FULFILL BOTH
AUDIT AND EVALUATION NEEDS |
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South Texas Community College defines
Institutional Effectiveness (IE) as a results focused and broadly driven
approach to research, planning and evaluation. It provides for the
systematic use of evaluation results to continuously guide institutional
planning and improve institutional performance |
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The IE process runs on a three-year cycle, with
assessment activities taking place annually |
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IE is governed by an Institutional Effectiveness
Team and supported by the Office of Institutional Research and
Effectiveness (OIRE) |
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A 17-member body of representatives of faculty,
staff, administration, and student government, chaired by the Director of
Institutional Research and Effectiveness |
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Ex Officio members include the Assistant for
Accountability, the Director of Self Study, and the PDC liaison |
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The Team oversees all of IE and receives its
guidance from the college’s Planning and Development Council |
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Four subcommittees |
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Policies and Procedures |
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Accountability Review |
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Training and Marketing |
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Awards |
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Produced at the Division and Vice-Presidential
level |
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Developed Every Three Years |
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Drawn from the institution’s Mission and
Strategic Focus |
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Identifies the “Strategic Intent” and Mission |
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Identifies the Critical Success Factors |
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the Objectives |
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the Initiatives |
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Identifies a Master List of Intended Outcomes |
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Produced at the Departmental level |
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Developed Every Year at the beginning of each IE
cycle |
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Drawn from the department’s Strategic Plan |
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Identifies the department’s Intended Outcomes |
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identifies the department’s Performance
Indicators |
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Produced at the Departmental level |
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Developed Every Year at the end of each IE cycle |
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Drawn from the Institutional Effectiveness Plan |
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Identifies the department’s Intended Outcomes |
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identifies the department’s Performance
Indicators |
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identifies the department’s Actual Results |
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Produced at the Departmental level |
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Developed Every Year at the end of each IE cycle |
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Drawn from the Institutional Effectiveness
Report |
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Outlines a Plan of Action for Improving Results |
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Specific Actions and Steps |
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Staff or Faculty members assigned |
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Expected Completion Date |
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Expected Results |
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Accountability Review is performed by the
department supervisor and the Assistant for Accountability under the
observation of the IE Team’s subcommittee for Accountability Review |
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Accountability Review evaluates a department’s
overall effectiveness, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance |
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Accountability Review evaluates a department’s
implementation of its improvement strategies |
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Accountability Review results in recommendations
and plans of action for improving performance |
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MATERIALS |
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Supervisor’s Self-Assessment Guide |
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Faculty / Staff Self-Assessment Survey |
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GUIDE ELEMENTS |
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Planning Assessment |
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Unit Specific Questions related to the annual IE
cycle |
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Academic/Technical Assessment |
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General Assessment (fiscal, personnel,
resources, security, policy, general compliance, special issues) |
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The IE Team’s Subcommittee for Accountability
Review |
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The Assistant for Accountability |
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Report of Recommendations and Departmental
Response |
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Technical Assistance and Management Services |
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Six Month Follow-Up (depending on
classification) |
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Quarterly Report to Administrative Staff |
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Faculty appreciated the Bottom-Up approach of
the model. |
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Upper-level administrators continuously
expressed a desire to become “more involved” in their departments’ planning
and assessment activities.
Subsequently, the IE Team’s role as a representative body was
heavily tested. |
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“Constant communication & training” was a
dominant theme. |
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There was a rush to implement the new model
quickly, so the complexity in such a new approach to IE frustrated some
faculty and administrators who had difficulty grasping the concepts of
outcomes, standards and accountability. |
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Some departments appeared to experience a longer
learning curve in adopting and properly practicing IE and accountability
than others, requiring varying training levels. |
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Institutional Effectiveness Findings |
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Strategic Planning was being practiced in more
areas of the College than expected by the Team |
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Most departments were progressing with IE and
implementing their Improvement Strategies |
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Some departments were not fully implementing
their improvement strategies and were instructed to do so |
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“Outcome-based evaluation” was the most
difficult concept for some departments to grasp. More training and
evaluation were suggested in several reviews |
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Due perhaps to the continued growth and many
staff changes, some departments were found lacking in the area of “broad
participation” in planning and evaluation |
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Management Findings |
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A series of departments were developing their
own internal Procedures Manuals. |
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Record retention scheduling and document
security was found to be in need of improvement. |
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The use of adjunct faculty was not
constant. Some departments, unable
to locate qualified faculty, were allowing full-time faculty to teach many
overloads. |
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More professional development for faculty was
needed. |
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Appropriate back-up of electronic files was
lacking. |
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Proper inventorying of capital assets was
lacking. |
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Constant and visible leadership from the
President is key |
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Constant and varying training and communication
are key |
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The IE Team should be heavily trained and
mentally prepared to serve as “resident experts” in their areas |
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Introduce concepts gradually; allow for the
learning curve |
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Corrective action is inevitable - be up front |
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Integration can easily lead to complexity - keep it simple |
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The Accountability staff must report directly to
the President |
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Reward excellence and spotlight model plans and
reviews |
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Link the cycles by using results and improvement
strategies from the prior cycle to guide the next cycle’s Strategic Plan |
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Assessment is everyone’s responsibility -
ownership is key |
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