Standard Number 3.3.1: The institution identifies expected outcomes for its educational programs and its administrative and educational support services; assesses whether it achieves these outcomes; and provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of those results.  

Georgia Southern University remains fully committed to utilizing assessment as the primary mechanism for improving learning and programmatic outcomes across the University. The University realizes that strategic planning and assessment processes are inseparable in a high-function/high-performance system and that the integrity of both must be rigorously defended for optimal performance. Again, with each iteration of planning and assessment, the University builds on strengths within the system and works to overcome any weaknesses that may appear. A planning and assessment timetable appears in Table 3.3.1a.

At Georgia Southern, planning and assessment activities are coordinated by the Strategic Planning Council (SPC) which also functions as the Institutional Effectiveness Committee (IEC). This 16 person cross-functional team (comprised of faculty, staff, and students) meets bimonthly to carry out its charge. The activities of the SPC/IEC are supported by both the Office of Strategic Research and Analysis and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning. With the support of these two offices, the SPC/IEC makes recommendations to the President’s Cabinet regarding future iterations of the planning and assessment processes across campus.

[Response to #1-3:] The Off Site Review Team recognized that at Georgia Southern the outcomes and assessments are in place, yet the linkages to the goals of the various levels of the strategic plan are “not consistent.” While each reporting unit on campus maintains an Institutional Effectiveness Plan (IEP) that relies on assessment tools and techniques identified in the University’s assessment inventory, not all of the plans successfully link back to the University’s Strategic Plan, Levels I-III. Each reporting unit was explicitly required to link its mission to that of the University. It was left to the unit to decide if linkages should be made between the IEP and the various levels of the strategic plan. ( Table 3.3.1b shows the template initially used for the IEPs. Note the template appears on four separate worksheets.) It should be further noted that the Level I Strategic Plan was completed in the Spring of 2000, and that the Level II plans were not completed until 2002. Consequently, IEPs collected for the Off Site Review Team represented the first iteration at Georgia Southern where attempts were made to link the strategic plan with assessment. The next iteration will improve on this first attempt by utilizing an IEP template with an explicit linkage to the strategic planning process required. (See Table 3.3.1c for the revised IEP template.)

The Off Site Review Team correctly recognized inconsistencies in the quality of the Institutional Effectiveness Plans. The SPC/IEC, in reviewing the IEPs from 2002-03, also identified many weaknesses. After reviewing each IEP, the SPC/IEC made a judgment of either “excellent,” “acceptable,” or “needs additional clarification.” (See Table 3.3.1d for the assessment rubric used in this analysis. Hard copies of the completed rubrics are available for review, but a summary of the recommendations is presented in Table 3.3.1e.) A judgment of “excellent” or “acceptable” certainly does not imply that the unit IEP is without flaw, only that the unit provides sufficient evidence that assessment processes are in place and are being used to improve the quality of programs. The review teams cite problems, such as those specified by the Off Site Review Team, and expect them to be corrected in future iterations. Training is designed to specifically target weaknesses that appear with regularity across IEPs. The SPC/IEC noted that where units have undergone individual accreditation, the IEPs tend to be strong, and, conversely, where there is no accrediting body, the IEPs tend to be weak. The Level II plans call for all units on campus to seek accreditation, when available, because accreditation tends to emphasize assessment (and thus enhance programmatic quality). Currently, most units on campus have IEPs evaluated as “acceptable.” Georgia Southern’s ambition is to have the majority of our program IEPs rated as “excellent.” Two units that exhibit “best practices” are the College of Graduate Studies and the School of Nursing. These units have been proactive in sharing their knowledge with others through training sessions held for the general campus community (academic and support units) and specifically for the graduate academic programs. They will be further utilized in training sessions to come.

Under the new strategic and assessment conceptualization, as depicted in Figure 3.3.1f, the IEP is clearly the foundation of all planning and assessment activities. All other required reports, plans, and evaluations will be derived from this plan. While tertiary units in academic and support areas will maintain Institutional Effectiveness Plans on an annual basis, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning intends to formally solicit the IEPs triennially. In preparation for the next formal iteration of the IEPs, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning will be coordinating a series of intensive assessment training sessions targeted toward administrators as well as academic chairs and support unit department heads who are involved in writing IEPs. Plans are to utilize external experts in the assessment field as well as tap into “local” talent available in the various schools and colleges. In addition, discussion is underway regarding a proposal to separate the formal functions of the SPC and IEC. Even though separated in function, the two committees would share liaisons to ensure coordination and maintain the linkage between planning and assessment. This separation would involve more people from across campus in assessment and planning activities and task a specific group (the IEC) for guiding units in the preparation of IEPs. As proposed, all academic colleges and support unit divisions would have representation on the Institutional Effectiveness Committee.