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University Planning & Assessment Plan for FY2004-2012
I. Introduction
The mission of University Planning & Assessment is to promote and guide comprehensive university strategic planning and assessment activities through encouraging and utilizing useful feedback in the planning process, facilitating the assessment process, and ensuring that outcomes are used to further university excellence.
Planning efforts at Texas State have been growing tremendously with more faculty and staff direct involvement in the process. In an effort to meet our mission and expand our service efforts to better serve our faculty, staff and students, we will be undertaking two major new initiatives during this planning period. Aside from the current planning oversight function, the office will implement a new coordinated comprehensive assessment function that creates a clearinghouse for campus-wide assessment activities that are occurring in the various divisions within the University. We will also increase efforts to obtain feedback from the campus community regarding the planning and assessment efforts and make process adjustments based on feedback received. Our focus during this planning period will be to “close the loop” and increase communication by sharing feedback to the campus regarding outcomes as a result of planning and assessment activities throughout the University. This will involve more reports and publications, both written and via the Web, sharing our progress toward achieving both academic and university goals.
II. Process
The University Planning & Assessment office, at present, consists of one full-time Director. The plan was developed, by the Director, over a period of three days.
III. Program Maintenance
The University Planning & Assessment office has not existed as an independent department in the past. The one full-time Director was considered a staff member within the Institutional Effectiveness Office therefore no funding has been specifically allocated to the university planning and assessment processes. In order to become a fully independent stand-alone office, initial M&O funding will be needed to maintain the travel and maintenance needs of the department.
Additionally, in order to better serve the growing needs of the university community and to enable us to expand our services offered, a support staff position is needed to assist with planning, assessment, and UPPS processes, as well as to serve as additional support to the Institutional Effectiveness office. This administrative assistant position was requested beginning in 2004 and funding was requested to be reallocated from within the Institutional Effectiveness/Provost funds.
These two proposed funding needs should total approximately $25,000 and was requested beginning in the first year and should continue to be funded for the duration of the planning period. Since initial funding has yet to be allocated, we are again requesting the initial amount beginning in FY2008. As a stand-alone department, any resource requirements are addressed as new funding needs. However, funds may be identified by reallocating existing budgets earmarked for planning and assessment activities.
IV. Planning Categories
A. Academic Programs Support
In support of new major program needs, University Planning & Assessment will work with the Steering Committee for University Planning to develop a comprehensive process to directly link budget allocation/ reallocation to university planning priorities. The process should be implemented in the 2004-2005 academic year and should not require any additional resources to support the proposed program. The initiative will be assessed by reviewing the budget allocation process utilized in 2004 and comparing with priorities within the academic plan. COMPLETE
Assist in review and revision of academic program review process to be followed by a complementary revision of the administrative program review process. The entire process revision should be in place by the end of 2008-09 and should not require additional resources. This initiative will be assessed by the completion of a consolidated calendar of both academic and administrative program reviews scheduled. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
B. Student Learning and Success Support
In an effort to both improve the recruitment, retention and completion rates of our students, as well as to ensure and/or document student learning, University Planning & Assessment will work with appropriate individuals to develop and maintain a process that coordinates and aligns all college and division assessment activities at a university level while directly linking to the planning process. This initiative will be implemented in the next 2-5 years and will require the addition of a support staff person so that time can be spent researching and coordinating the process. The implemented process will be assessed by a comprehensive consolidated calendar of assessment activities for all areas of the university. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
Coordinate the development and implementation of student learning outcomes/educational and administrative support outcomes and the appropriate measures of such outcomes. This initiative will be in place by 2007-08 and should not require additional resources. It will be assessed by the completion of college/division assessment plans. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
Develop and present workshops designed to inform and educate faculty and staff on outcomes assessment. This initiative will begin in 2006 and continue as necessary. No additional funding is requested. Assessment of this initiative will consist of the number of assessment workshops offered. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
C. Scholarly and Creative Activity/Grant Activity Support
In an effort to promote scholarly and creative activity, University Planning & Assessment will pursue avenues for increased presentations at national and regional conferences, as well as submitting publications to reputable journals. This will increase the visibility and prestige of Texas State as a pioneer of successful planning and assessment activities focused on academics. Funds needed to implement this initiative include travel funds listed in the introduction. This initiative will be pursued within the next 2-5 years and will be assessed by the number of presentations made and articles published. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
D. Development
Not applicable
E. Diversity
In support of the University’s goal to become a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), as a Hispanic professional, the Director of University Planning & Assessment will work with appropriate individuals to implement and participate in minority student recruitment and retention activities and in the assessment of such activities. Assessment of this initiative will include number of activities involved in. (NEW)
F. Other
Other initiatives to be pursued in support of the overall university plan include:
Assess and obtain feedback from all levels of the University community regarding the newly implemented planning and assessment processes and modify accordingly. This initiative will be implemented beginning in the second year of the process and should not involve additional funding other than the M&O funds requested in the Introduction. Assessment tools to be used include a satisfaction survey to be distributed every two years to the entire university community. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
Implement a method of providing continuous feedback to the entire University community regarding university planning, budgeting, and assessment efforts via the Planning & Assessment website, as well as annual publications. This initiative will be implemented in the second year of the planning and assessment processes and should not involve additional funding other than the M&O funds requested in the Introduction. Assessment methods will include the number of published reports, as well as the number of updates posted to the Web. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
Assist in the development, implementation, and assessment of SACS accreditation requirements leading to the University’s 2010 Reaffirmation. Assessment of this initiative will be include successful reaffirmation report from SACS. (NEW)
The mission of University Planning & Assessment is to promote and guide comprehensive university strategic planning and assessment activities through encouraging and utilizing useful feedback in the planning process, facilitating the assessment process, and ensuring that outcomes are used to further university excellence.
Planning efforts at Texas State have been growing tremendously with more faculty and staff direct involvement in the process. In an effort to meet our mission and expand our service efforts to better serve our faculty, staff and students, we will be undertaking two major new initiatives during this planning period. Aside from the current planning oversight function, the office will implement a new coordinated comprehensive assessment function that creates a clearinghouse for campus-wide assessment activities that are occurring in the various divisions within the University. We will also increase efforts to obtain feedback from the campus community regarding the planning and assessment efforts and make process adjustments based on feedback received. Our focus during this planning period will be to “close the loop” and increase communication by sharing feedback to the campus regarding outcomes as a result of planning and assessment activities throughout the University. This will involve more reports and publications, both written and via the Web, sharing our progress toward achieving both academic and university goals.
II. Process
The University Planning & Assessment office, at present, consists of one full-time Director. The plan was developed, by the Director, over a period of three days.
III. Program Maintenance
The University Planning & Assessment office has not existed as an independent department in the past. The one full-time Director was considered a staff member within the Institutional Effectiveness Office therefore no funding has been specifically allocated to the university planning and assessment processes. In order to become a fully independent stand-alone office, initial M&O funding will be needed to maintain the travel and maintenance needs of the department.
Additionally, in order to better serve the growing needs of the university community and to enable us to expand our services offered, a support staff position is needed to assist with planning, assessment, and UPPS processes, as well as to serve as additional support to the Institutional Effectiveness office. This administrative assistant position was requested beginning in 2004 and funding was requested to be reallocated from within the Institutional Effectiveness/Provost funds.
These two proposed funding needs should total approximately $25,000 and was requested beginning in the first year and should continue to be funded for the duration of the planning period. Since initial funding has yet to be allocated, we are again requesting the initial amount beginning in FY2008. As a stand-alone department, any resource requirements are addressed as new funding needs. However, funds may be identified by reallocating existing budgets earmarked for planning and assessment activities.
IV. Planning Categories
A. Academic Programs Support
In support of new major program needs, University Planning & Assessment will work with the Steering Committee for University Planning to develop a comprehensive process to directly link budget allocation/ reallocation to university planning priorities. The process should be implemented in the 2004-2005 academic year and should not require any additional resources to support the proposed program. The initiative will be assessed by reviewing the budget allocation process utilized in 2004 and comparing with priorities within the academic plan. COMPLETE
Assist in review and revision of academic program review process to be followed by a complementary revision of the administrative program review process. The entire process revision should be in place by the end of 2008-09 and should not require additional resources. This initiative will be assessed by the completion of a consolidated calendar of both academic and administrative program reviews scheduled. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
B. Student Learning and Success Support
In an effort to both improve the recruitment, retention and completion rates of our students, as well as to ensure and/or document student learning, University Planning & Assessment will work with appropriate individuals to develop and maintain a process that coordinates and aligns all college and division assessment activities at a university level while directly linking to the planning process. This initiative will be implemented in the next 2-5 years and will require the addition of a support staff person so that time can be spent researching and coordinating the process. The implemented process will be assessed by a comprehensive consolidated calendar of assessment activities for all areas of the university. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
Coordinate the development and implementation of student learning outcomes/educational and administrative support outcomes and the appropriate measures of such outcomes. This initiative will be in place by 2007-08 and should not require additional resources. It will be assessed by the completion of college/division assessment plans. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
Develop and present workshops designed to inform and educate faculty and staff on outcomes assessment. This initiative will begin in 2006 and continue as necessary. No additional funding is requested. Assessment of this initiative will consist of the number of assessment workshops offered. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
C. Scholarly and Creative Activity/Grant Activity Support
In an effort to promote scholarly and creative activity, University Planning & Assessment will pursue avenues for increased presentations at national and regional conferences, as well as submitting publications to reputable journals. This will increase the visibility and prestige of Texas State as a pioneer of successful planning and assessment activities focused on academics. Funds needed to implement this initiative include travel funds listed in the introduction. This initiative will be pursued within the next 2-5 years and will be assessed by the number of presentations made and articles published. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
D. Development
Not applicable
E. Diversity
In support of the University’s goal to become a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), as a Hispanic professional, the Director of University Planning & Assessment will work with appropriate individuals to implement and participate in minority student recruitment and retention activities and in the assessment of such activities. Assessment of this initiative will include number of activities involved in. (NEW)
F. Other
Other initiatives to be pursued in support of the overall university plan include:
Assess and obtain feedback from all levels of the University community regarding the newly implemented planning and assessment processes and modify accordingly. This initiative will be implemented beginning in the second year of the process and should not involve additional funding other than the M&O funds requested in the Introduction. Assessment tools to be used include a satisfaction survey to be distributed every two years to the entire university community. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
Implement a method of providing continuous feedback to the entire University community regarding university planning, budgeting, and assessment efforts via the Planning & Assessment website, as well as annual publications. This initiative will be implemented in the second year of the planning and assessment processes and should not involve additional funding other than the M&O funds requested in the Introduction. Assessment methods will include the number of published reports, as well as the number of updates posted to the Web. PROGRESS (CONTINUE)
Assist in the development, implementation, and assessment of SACS accreditation requirements leading to the University’s 2010 Reaffirmation. Assessment of this initiative will be include successful reaffirmation report from SACS. (NEW)