Achieving Quality Enhancement Through Institutional Effectiveness in Changing Times

1. 2005 SACS-COC Annual Meeting; December 3-6, 2005; Atlanta, Georgia Achieving Quality Enhancement Through Institutional Effectiveness in Changing Times Ms. Phuong T. T. Nguyen, Dr. Diane E. Oliver, & Dr. T. Gilmour Reeve Texas Tech University

2. Co-authors • Moderator • T. Gilmour Reeve, Ph.D.:Director of Strategic Planning, President’s Office, Texas Tech University • Presenter • Phuong T. T. Nguyen: Doctoral Candidate (December 2005), Higher Education Program, College of Education, Texas Tech University • Co-author • Diane Oliver, Ph.D.:Visiting Assistant Professor, College of Education, Texas Tech University

3. Panelists • Dr. Mary C. Jones, Jefferson Community & Technical College • Dr. A. Rebecca Owens, Texas Tech University • Dr. Teresa A. Summers, Louisiana State University System

4. Format • Research-Based Presentation Interviews with higher education professionals involved in institutional effectiveness  • Discussion by Panelists The practice of institutional effectiveness • Audience Discussion, Questions, and Answers

5. Background • Two primary environmental challenges for higher education institutions: • a funding crisis(fiscal, human, and physical resources; increased enrollments) • increased accountability • How to retain core values and continuous quality enhancement while coping with these challenges

6. Definitions Comprehensive efforts to improve the institution and its programs • Quality enhancement • Institutional effectiveness • “Presumes that each institution is engaged in an ongoing quest for quality and can demonstrate how well it fulfills its stated purpose” (SACS-COC, 1998, p. 17) • - Broad-based • - Planning and assessment • - A multi-layered system

7. Institutional Effectiveness Paradigm ADJUSTMENTS FOR IMPROVEMENT PLANNING SWOT analysis, specific measurable outcomes, assessment methods ASSESSMENT Formative & Summative IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS

8. Purposes • To identify how institutional effectiveness benefits institutions in achieving quality enhancement • To identify how institutional effectiveness not only benefits the institution, departments, and units, but also the work of faculty and staff

9. Significance • To fill a void in the literature by considering institutional effectiveness at each level of the institution • Planning and assessment (critical components of institutional effectiveness) help higher education professionals to maintain core values by enhancing their ability to anticipate and effectively address environmental challenges in changing times

10. Methods • Review of the literature on institutional effectiveness • Interviews with professionals who are knowledgeable concerning institutional effectiveness practices at four institutions in the SACS region

11. Findings Regarding Benefits of Institutional Effectiveness • For all levels(the institution, departments and units, and the work of faculty and staff) • For the institution, departments, and units • For the work of faculty and staff

12. Findings Regarding Benefits of Institutional Effectiveness For all levels(the institution, departments and units, and the work of faculty and staff), institutional effectiveness: • Provides evaluative data analysis for • Decision making • Responding to unpredictable environmental challenges • Evaluating progress toward achieving the mission and goals • Enables university-wide ongoing planning and evaluation in breadth and depth, meeting external accountability while maintaining unique identity and core values • Helps obtain resources from the state and stakeholders

13. Findings Regarding Benefits of Institutional Effectiveness For the institution, departments, and units, institutional effectiveness: • provides evidence and support for SACS-COC reaffirmation as well as programmatic accreditation • improves curriculum and instruction as well as programs and services for students • helps to strategically allocate resources

14. Findings Regarding Benefits of Institutional Effectiveness For the work of faculty and staff, institutional effectiveness: • Leads to a more integrated overall effort, a stronger sense of ownership of programs and services, and a clearer measure of expected outcomes • Gives faculty and staff a voice in planning and assessment For faculty: • Helps the faculty members to move from only concentrating on the individual class to an awareness of the need to improve the quality of the overall academic program • Provides an opportunity for professional development For staff: • Engages staff in the institution, department, and unit missions

15. Recommendations Regarding Good Practices for Improving Institutional Effectiveness • Promote a culture of planning and assessment • Integrate institutional effectiveness with budgeting, and resource allocation • Keep the process simple and minimize extra work • Provide training and one-on-one tutorials • Involve broad-based participation • Develop accessible assessment documentation

16. Conclusions • Good practices can address some negative aspects of institutional effectiveness(e.g., time-consuming, resistance to change) • Institutional Effectiveness: • is an essential tool for achieving quality enhancement and preserving core values • helps to project environmental challenges, identify problems, and make adjustments thus enabling quality enhancement • Ultimately institutional effectiveness benefits students by improving the learning environment

17. Panel Comments • MODERATOR • Dr. T. Gilmour Reeve, Texas Tech University • PANELISTS • Dr. Mary Jones, Jefferson Community & Technical College • Dr. Rebecca Owens, Texas Tech University • Dr. Teresa A. Summers, Louisiana State University System

18. Dr. Mary C. Jones Director Institutional Effectiveness, Research & Planning Jefferson Community & Technical College

20. Programs for Academic Support Services Learning Center Supplemental Instruction XL: Strategies for Learning Developmental Education Program Testing Accommodations Academic Testing Services National and State Standardized Testing Admission Exams Certification Exams CLEP (course credit) Extended Studies and Outreach Examinations Make-up Examination Service Dr. Rebecca OwensManaging DirectorOffice of the Provost, Texas Tech University

21. Benefits of Institutional Effectiveness • Planning • Provides a “map” for the upcoming year • Increases awareness of each unit’s contributions • Understanding of other’s job demands and responsibilities • Drawing upon each person’s expertise • Assessment • Clarify what is important • Opportunities for growth and development • Curricular changes in programs • Revise strategic plan

22. Dr. Teresa A. Summers Assistant Vice-President for Academic AffairsLouisiana State University System Cliff & Nancy Spanier Alumni Professor in Human Ecology

23. Institutional Effectiveness at LSU • Used to develop QEP • Focused on issues/concerns revealed in: • Institutional data • Graduating Student surveys • Longitudinal study of Gen Education • Coop. Inst. Research Project (CIRP) • Your First College Year (YFCY) • National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)

24. Institutional Effectiveness at LSU For example…. • Comparisons of LSU results on NSSE: • LSU seniors comparable to seniors at peer institutions • LSU freshmen lower on NSSE Benchmarks than peer freshmen • Level of Academic Challenge • Active and Collaborative Learning • Student-Faculty Interaction • Enriching Educational Experiences

25. Institutional Effectiveness at LSU As part of QEP…. • Implemented Summer Reading Program • Introduces incoming freshmen to academic/ intellectual culture • Fall semester begins with Academic Convocation with Book author • After Convocation, students meet and discuss Book with faculty members and other students • Book tied to other campus events, courses throughout year • (www.lsu.edu/srp)

27. Questions

28. Thank you!