HELPFUL TIPS FOR UNIT PLANNING Office of Institutional Effectiveness

INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS IS A MUST FOR SACSCOC COMPLIANCE  2.5 (Core Requirement) The institution engages in ongoing, integrated, and institution wide based planning and evaluation processes that:  (1) incorporates a systematic review of institutional mission, goals, and outcomes;  (2) results in continuing improvement in institutional quality; and  (3) demonstrates the institution is effectively accomplishing its mission.

UNIT LEVEL PLANNING IS A MUST FOR SACS COMPLIANCE  SACS The institution identifies expected outcomes for its educational programs (including student learning outcomes for educational program) and its administrative and educational support services; assesses whether it achieves these outcomes; and provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of those results. (Institutional Effectiveness)

UNIT PLAN ITEMS  Purpose  Unit Objectives/Related Institutional Goal(s) and Objective(s)  Strategies  Expected Outcomes

DEFINITION - PURPOSE The purpose statement should include a concise description of the unit’s general mission and core functions.

HINTS - PURPOSE How to write a departmental purpose statement? 1.Find job description of person responsible for the unit plan. 2.Review essential functions and select the ones that are unique to your office. (These are the core functions for your office). 3.Using these core functions develop your departmental purpose statement. ( Purpose statement should include a variety of activities related to your job description.)

EXAMPLE (PURPOSE) The mission of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness is to collect, analyze, and interpret data to help the college leadership determine whether Angelina College is fulfilling its mission and strategic goals. The office is responsible for a variety of activities including: implementation of the Quality Enhancement Plan, implementation and analysis of student satisfaction and faculty surveys, annual institutional effectiveness reports, completion of all external surveys.

RELATED INSTITUTIONAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Unit Goals: Question: How can my unit address the institution’s goals and objectives? Think in broad terms when selecting Institutional Goals. Objectives: Remember for every Institutional Objective you must include the appropriate Institutional Goal.

DEFINITION - OBJECTIVES  Administrative Departmental Objectives should be based on job description, core functions, and purpose statement.  Objective statements are specific methods to improve departmental performance.  Each unit must establish between three and eight objectives.  Additionally, the objectives should be measurable.

HINTS - OBJECTIVES The most useful objectives are those that are time specific and that are stated in more quantitative, results-oriented terms. Job descriptions WILL provide some assistance or help when developing objective statements. Objectives MIGHT be the same from year to year.

OBJECTIVES FYI Instructional departments should include objectives related to the following program review areas: 1. Student Enrollment 2. Faculty Performance 3. Student Performance

OBJECTIVES VERBS  Improve  Increase  Enhance  Decrease  Achieve  HINT: Some verbs are easier to measure than other verbs. Notice that the above verbs indicate movement – up or down.

DEFINITION - STRATEGIES  Each objective should have three or more strategies.  Strategies should include the specific activities that will lead to the accomplishment of the objective. (Need to use an action verb)

STRATEGIES VERBS (ACTION)  Create  Analyze  Investigate  Survey  Establish  Attend  Conduct  Implement  Develop  Provide Hints: Use a verb that indicates you are doing something – ACTION! You should be able to answer a strategy statement with ‘yes’ or ‘no’ at the end of the planning period.

DEFINITION - EXPECTED OUTCOMES  Outcomes should be tied to the objective and must include some type of measurement.  Hint: Outcomes MIGHT use the same verbs as used in the objectives.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES Objective (Increase, decrease) + Type of measurement (available by Fall 2013) = Expected Outcome

MEASUREMENTS - EXPECTED OUTCOMES EXAMPLES:  by September 1, 2014  increase/decrease by 2%  90% of students  available Fall 2014  two or more  at least ten  increase student satisfaction by 10%

EXAMPLE  OBJECTIVE - Improve effectiveness of unit-level planning process and planning/budgeting process.  STRATEGY - Conduct ongoing training for division directors and program directors on the unit-level planning process.  EXPECTED OUTCOME – 90% of units will have their plans completed by the September 30, 2013.

FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE CONTACT: Office of Institutional Effectiveness Monica Peters-Clark Coordinator of Institutional Effectiveness and Research