Clarification “The Objective is measurable” – Any starting statement – And the Benchmark, Indicator, and Target are- part of the objective. – You don’t need to have one honking great sentence cover everything in one go…

Sample Rewording University Transfer Students: The college will strive to increase the proportion of students attaining a transfer degree within 3 years of starting SCC. Further, we will determine the ratio of the transfer degree graduates who successfully transfer to a 4 yr institution within 4 years of starting at SCC.* – Note: We have no direct control over how a student does, once they get into a 4 yr institution. If student successfully transfers, the 4yr has made a determination that the student is ‘good enough for them’. Recommendation is to stop the objective at ‘when they leave here’.

Benchmark: Cohort: Headcount of new (to SCC) students enrolling in Fall 2006(x), identified as having a transfer intent. Measure1 – Number of Transfer degree Graduates from the Fall cohort as of (end of) Spring 2008(y), Divided by the headcount of the starting cohort. Expressed as a percentage. i.e. x/y % Measure2 – Number of transfers to a 4 yr institution as of Spring 2009(z), from the cohort Divided by y, and expressed as a percentage. z/y % Note: Spring 2008 = A894

Target: Cohort: Headcount of new (to SCC) students enrolling in Fall 2010(x), identified as having a transfer intent. Measure1 – Number of Transfer degree Graduates from the Fall cohort as of (end of) Spring2012(y) Divided by the headcount of the starting cohort. Expressed as a percentage. This will be 2% higher than benchmark. i.e. x/y% +2%. Measure2 – Number of transfers to a 4 yr institution as of Summer 2013(z) Divided by y, and expressed as a percentage z/y% + 3%. (i.e. 3% higher than benchmark)

Indicators: Measures taken in quarters between the Benchmark and Target start-end points. Indicator1: Quarterly measure of remaining students. Headcount of currently enrolled (sub)set of cohort (x) expressed as a percentage of the original starting headcount. Indicator 2: Quarterly calculation of average GPA of remaining students.

How I think! Yes, it’s true…I think! (Despite any empirical evidence you may have to the contrary…) How I got there

The Practical Application of “Cosmic Zoom” Or Drill Baby! Drill ! Or Going down the rabbit hole Or Playing with Russian dolls Take one Big problem challenge – Break it into two smaller pieces – Take each of the smaller pieces and break it into two smaller pieces… – Repeat as necessary. – For example. University Transfer Students. PseudoCoding

University Transfer Students Graduate SCCNot Graduate SCC Graduate <3Yrs Not Graduate <3 Yrs Transfer in <4 Yrs Not Xfer in 4 Yrs Xfer < 4 Yrs Not Xfer < 4 Yrs Xfer <4 Yrs Not Xfer <4 yrs JobNo Job Done

Not Transfer in 4 yrs JobNo Job Job Related to Study Job Unrelated to Study Studying elsewhere Not studying Done ?

University Transfer Students Graduate SCC Graduate <3Yrs !Graduate < 3 Yrs Xfer < 4 Yrs !Xfer < 4yrs Xfer <4 Yrs Done The ‘Final’ cut

Sample Rewording University Transfer Students: The college will strive to increase the proportion of students attaining a transfer degree within 3 years of starting SCC. Further, we will determine the ratio of the transfer degree graduates who successfully transfer to a 4 yr institution within 4 years of starting. – Note: We have no direct control over how a student does, once they get into a 4 yr institution. If student successfully transfers, the 4yr has made a determination that the student is ‘good enough for them’. Recommendation is to stop the objective at ‘when they leave here’.

Summary Goals are fuzzy Objectives are measurable. – They should be SMART – And have Benchmarks, Targets, and probably Indicators. S.M.A.R.T. – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.

Definitions! Goals are ‘Big Picture’ statements that are generally not measurable Objectives are SMART Indicators are driven by the Objectives and are measurable They are signposts toward the objective. Note: Indicators may look like benchmarks. Benchmarks are driven by the Objectives and are measurable A Benchmark defines your starting point. Targets are what you want the next benchmark to show and are measurable. It should mirror the Benchmark in format.