Assessing Student Affairs Processes: A pilot study

1. Assessing Student Affairs Processes: A pilot study Josh Brown Liberty University Greg McCurdy Centra Health Mark Davis Centra Health International Assessment and Retention Conference- 2007

2. Overview • What we did • What resulted • What we’re doing • What you can do

4. What we did Context • Assessment at Liberty University divided into Curricular & Co-curricular responsibilities • Attained varying levels of assessment • Frequency – attendance, cost, etc. • Satisfaction – locally developed instruments • Satisfaction with GAP analysis (Noel Levitz SSI) • Engagement (NSSE) • Focus Groups • Process Analysis • Process Engineering, Six Sigma, ISO 9000

5. What we did Six Sigma • Roots of Six Sigma can be traced to Carl Frederick Gauss (1777-1855) as a measurement standard with the normal curve • Walter Shewhart, in the 1920’s, used six sigma as a measurement standard in product variation • Bill Smith receives the credit for coining the term “six sigma” while working as an engineer with Motorola • In the early 1980’s, Motorola chairman, Bob Galvin, desired a measurement by which defects per million opportunities could be shown and the after effect resulted in $16 Billion in savings • Since then, companies such as Honeywell (Lawrence Bossidy) and GE (Jack Welch) adopted the six sigma method as a means of doing business, not just a quality management tool like TQM (W. Edwards Deming)

6. What we did Six Sigma Process: DMAIC • Define problem from the voice of customer (V.O.C.) • Measure extent of problem by collecting data to be able to create metrics • Analyze data for sources of variation • Improve process by addressing root causes, identify high-impact benefits • Control processes through continuous improvement mechanisms

7. What we did Step One: Define • Define problem from the voice of customer • Directive came from VPSA: • “We need to streamline the judicial life process.” DMAIC

8. What we did Step Two: Measure • Measure extent of problem by collecting data in order to create metrics • S.I.P.O.C. - a six-sigma tool, will be utilized to create metrics for analysis • Suppliers • Inputs • Processes • Outputs • Customers DMAIC

9. What we did SIPOC: Suppliers • Conducted inquiry sessions with all levels of persons in the judicial process: • Session One: RA’s & RD’s • Session Two: Associate Deans (DOM/DOW) • Session Three: Head Deans and VPSA • Session Four: Students who experienced the judicial process at various levels • Session Five: Administrative Assistants, Secretaries, and Student Workers overseeing data entry DMAIC

10. What we did SIPOC: Inputs • Student Handbook • Violation & Incident reports • Data entry at RD level • Res Life staff: manually sorting reports • “Why do we need to process warnings?” • Difference between practice and policy: confusion of appeal process • “There are too many hand-offs of paperwork.” • “We handle data differently than the other office.” DMAIC

11. What we did SIPOC: Outputs • Lack of communication of appeals • Appeal process is slow/inconsistent • “I am not sure of the process.” • Not enough qualified counselors on campus • Differing approaches: men-discipline, women-counsel • Dean on-call schedule is confusing as it varies too frequently • Fines are confusing and don’t seem to be achieving their intended purpose • Too many logs! (cont.) DMAIC

12. What we did SIPOC: Outputs • RA Official Correspondence Log • Call Slip Log • Non-Return Log • Permission Slip Log • Violation Report • Incident Report – Residence Hall • IR-Type Log • Case Load Log • Discipline Community Service Log (twice) • FERPA Log • Probation Log • AW Log • Student File Database • File Log (who has what) • Self-Reports Log • No Contact Agreement Log • Permission Restriction Log DMAIC

13. What we did SIPOC: Customers • Students • Student Leaders: RA/RD/Deans • Res Life • Dean of Men & Dean of Women • VPSA • Sodexho – community service • LUPD • Counselors • Faculty/Staff • Campus Pastors DMAIC

14. What we did Step Three: Analyze • Analyze data for sources of variation • Three analyses conducted: • Process Maps – this is the “P” in SIPOC processes & is implemented at this stage • Fishbone Analysis • SWOT Analysis DMAIC

15. What we did DMAIC

16. What resulted DMAIC

17. What resulted DMAIC

18. What resulted SWOT Analysis • Strengths • Skilled staff • Judicial process affords student appeal • Education of student handbook • Weaknesses • Communication breakdown • Inconsistent processes • Lack of technology to integrate processes • Paper workload with many hand-offs DMAIC

19. What resulted SWOT Analysis • Opportunities • Software integration upgrade • Office PC’s interconnect all Student Affairs • Educational development through residence hall Peer Judicial Councils • Threats • Reactive vs. proactive • Legal aspects: FERPA • Overstressed staff, burnout, and turnover DMAIC

20. What resulted Step Four: Improve • Improve process by addressing root causes and identify high-impact benefits. • Critical-to-success-factor chart • Prioritizing benefits and efforts • Final recommendations DMAIC

21. Application • You and your group members have been hired by Liberty University as judicial consultants to remedy this process. • For the next few minutes, use the collective knowledge and experience of your group to provide at least four recommendations for the university to improve its judicial processes. • Please place your recommendations on the provided note cards.

22. Application Critical-to-success factor chart

23. Critical-to-success Factor Chart What resulted DMAIC

24. Prioritizing Benefit & Effort What resulted DMAIC

25. What resulted Final Recommendations • Acquire a centralized student database that can integrate judicial operations • Streamline judicial process and structure • Eliminate conflicts of interest in the current process • Involve students in the appeal process • Equip the division of SA with the necessary qualified counselors DMAIC

26. What resulted Step Five: Control • Control processes through continuous improvement mechanisms: • Formulate action plans for implementing strategies • Establish an ongoing QA program DMAIC

27. What we’re doing • Since the conclusion of the Six Sigma judicial study, Student Affairs has begun the following for a Fall 2008 implementation: • Purchased a new judicial software package • Created & implemented a student court for judicial appeals • Revised judicial organizational chart • Redefined and clarified roles (as result of above) • Eliminated policies from student handbook • Created policies from student handbook

28. What you can do Six Sigma Tips For Educators • Know your customers • Identify them (SIPOC) • Listen to them (VOC) • Understand and define their needs (CTQ) • “Know thyself” • Examine your processes (SIPOC / mapping) • Measure your performance (baseline; DPMO; Sigma; statistics)

29. What you can do Six Sigma Tips For Educators 3. Know what to do next • Get to the roots (fishbone; hypothesis testing; VA/NVA) • Define the ideal state (gap analysis) • Brainstorm your opportunities (SWOT; prioritization matrix) • Drive change (force-field analysis) 4. Know how to do it • Decide on your method (project vs. go-do) • Open the toolbox • Start with what you have

30. What you can do Recommended Resources • Academic • Assessing Organizational Performance in Higher Education (Miller, 2007)http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0787986402.html • Continuous Process Improvement in Higher Education (Inozu & Whitcomb, 2007)http://www.novaces.com/pdfs/CoF_NovacesWhitePaper_r1std.pdf • Process Improvement to Achieve Institutional Effectiveness (Lake, 2005) www.ncci-cu.org/Visitors/Documents/processimprovement070905AC.ppt • Business • Six Sigma for Dummies (Gygi, DeCarlo, Williams & Covey, 2005) • The Six Sigma Way: How GE, Motorola, and Other Top Companies are Honing Their Performance (Pande, 2000)

31. Presenter Bios • Josh Brownis currently the Associate Director of University Assessment for Liberty University, coordinating the assessment of all co-curricular departments. He possesses an earned Master's of Student Development from Azusa Pacific University. Email – jtbrown@liberty.edu • Greg McCurdyis currently the manager of the Radiation Oncology Department at Centra Health, where he utilized the six sigma philosophy and instruments to hone difficult processes in a medical setting for increased workflow efficiency. He is concluding his Master's of Higher Education at Geneva College. Email – McCurdysrus@juno.com • Mark Davisis currently a process engineer with Centra Health, where he is assisting with the implementation of a system wide healthcare improvement initiative called CH2. He holds a degree from William & Mary and a Six Sigma Black Belt from Villanova. Email – Mark.Davis@centrahealth.com