Section II: Core Requirements

2.5. The institution engages in ongoing, integrated, and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation processes that incorporate a systematic review of programs and services that (a) results in continuing improvement and (b) demonstrates that the institution is effectively accomplishing its mission. (Institutional Effectiveness)

JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

Compliance.

NARRATIVE/JUSTIFICATION FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

Northeast Alabama Community College demonstrates compliance. The college engages in an ongoing, integrated, and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation process. The process incorporates systematic review of programs and services with emphasis on (a) continuing improvement and (b) effective accomplishment of the mission.

The components of the planning and evaluation process include the following:

·     An institutional mission statement expressing the unique role of the college, approved by the governing board and reviewed periodically by constituents.

·       An Institutional Management and Planning Committee representative of all curricular areas and administrative or support units of the college.

·       A three-year Institutional Management Plan (IMP) updated annually.

·      A Statistical Profile presenting facts about the community, the college, the students, and higher education in Alabama.

·       An effectiveness plan (within the IMP) encompassing all areas of the college within the context of the mission statement.

·     Assessments answering to the effectiveness plan (Information on Fulfillment of the Mission), assembled for annual review by the Institutional Management and Planning Committee.

·      Directive goals developed by the IMP Committee each year, to define the focus of planning for that year with reference to the mission statement, assembled data, and internal and external factors that could affect the college.

·       Purpose statement for each administrative, support, and curricular unit relating the role of that unit to the institutional mission.

·       Annual goals set by administrative, support, and curricular units defining their objectives for the year within their individual unit purpose and with reference to the institutional directive goals.

·      Annual evaluation of unit goals with application of evaluation results for improvement of programs and services.

·       Personnel evaluation by immediate supervisor each April, with focus on improvement of services, and a program of faculty evaluation. 

·     Program review on a scheduled basis to include each program at least every fifth year, with emphasis on improvement of student learning outcomes.

·     A student services survey, a library survey, a graduated student survey, and follow-up surveys to completers and leavers of A.A.S. and Certificate programs. Results of the surveys are used to inform specific improvements and are taken into consideration in planning.

With these components, Northeast complies with the standard in the following specifications:

·        The planning and evaluation process is ongoing.  The first institutional management plan as such was developed in 1988 for 1989-1991. The earliest unit goal statements appeared in the late nineties, and the directive goals and unit goals first took their place in the plan with the 1995-1998 cycle.

·        The planning and evaluation process is integrated. It is guided by directive goals developed annually by the IMP Committee with reference to the institutional mission, empirical data and qualitative assessments of institutional status, and internal and external factors affecting the institution. 

·        The planning and evaluation process is college wide. It involves personnel representing curriculum and instructional programs, student services, administration and support services, public relations and marketing, economic development activities and continuing education, community service activities, physical plant, and financial administration.

·        The planning and evaluation process is research-based. Both the Statistical Profile and the Information on Fulfillment of the Mission embody research that informs the planning and evaluation processes. Additionally, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness assembles data on request as needed to monitor and assess specific situations. 

·        The planning and evaluation process incorporates a systematic review of programs and services.  Instructional program review is on a five-year cycle; administrative, educational support, and curricular unit goal setting and review occur annually; and evaluation of personnel is on an annual cycle. The surveys (student services, library, graduated student, and completer/leaver of vocational programs) are administered annually.

·        The systematic review of programs and services places emphasis on (a) continuing improvement and (b) effective accomplishment of the mission. The effectiveness process, including review of programs and services, begins with and is guided by the mission. The mission, along with empirical data on the status of the institution and internal and external factors affecting it, is the source from which the directive goals are annually developed; these directive goals provide the focus for the annual administrative, educational support, and curricular unit goals, as well as for the Institutional Management Plan encompassing all aspects of the college. The annual unit goal cycle concludes with application of evaluation results to the ongoing refinement and development of processes, which in turn support mission fulfillment.

Table 1

Directive Goals 2003-2004

The Institutional Management and Planning Committee periodically identifies directive goals.  These goals serve to focus planning on issues that can strategically impact fulfillment of various aspects of the college mission. Personnel should pursue these directive goals at the office and divisional levels and on an individual basis. As a result of an analysis of institutional effectiveness data, and taking into account trends impacting Northeast Alabama Community College, the committee establishes the following directive goals to assist the college in achieving its mission.

1.     Throughout the NACC educational program, emphasis should be placed on assisting marginally prepared students in becoming academically successful.

2.     Emphasis should be placed on enhancing the advising and career counseling process.

3.    Racial/ethnic minorities and nontraditional age college students should have greater access to NACC.

4.     An examination of retention rates at NACC demonstrates that college personnel should seek ways to assist students in completing educational goals.

5.     The college should continue to incorporate technology into the educational process and assure that faculty, staff, and students have access to technological resources, training, and professional development.

 Source: Institutional Management Plan 2003-2004 through 2005-2006

Files of the Directive Goals for 1999 through 2003 are presented as supporting documents.

Table 2

Table 3

Table 4

Example 1

The library survey of Spring 2003, along with other observations and student comments, revealed several ways the library could be more user friendly. Consequently, the Learning Resources Committee voted the following changes at their July 2003 meeting:

·         Increase the maximum number of books that adult community patrons (age 19 and older)

      may check out from two books to five. 

·         Accept phone renewals.

·         Allow patrons to renew books without having the books with them.

·         Stop charging fines on weekends since the library is not open.

These changes will be reflected in the 2004-2005 College Catalog, pending approval by the Curriculum Committee.

Example 2

Both through advising and through the Graduated Student Survey of Year 2001, personnel of the Social Sciences, Speech, and Foreign Languages Division noted the need for a geography course and coursework in religion, for transfer purposes. These courses, already in the Alabama State Course Directory, were added to the NACC curriculum through established procedures (which include review and approval by the Curriculum Committee). These courses are now offered regularly.

Example 3

Distance learning registered as a potentially significant element of the NACC curriculum in the Fall 2002 semester, with 55 enrollments in three online courses. After the term, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness provided the Curriculum Committee with an analysis of the outcomes of the online courses, comprised of a grade distribution study and summary of student evaluations.  Attrition had run high: of the 55 enrollments, 35 concluded with a grade of Incomplete, F, or Withdrawal. The distance instructors responded by initiating measures to retain the students, including frequent instructor-student interaction and short, frequent assignments. 

The result was a lowered attrition rate for Spring 2003 and an even lower attrition rate for the summer, as shown on the accompanying table.

Meanwhile, the college made application to the Commission on Colleges for substantive change approval in regard to the distance coursework, anticipating increased numbers of online courses Fall 2003. Commission approval was affirmed in a letter to the president October 6, 2003. Monitoring of online courses will continue, along with measures to increase the effectiveness of distance offerings at NACC.

A detailed explanation of the manner in which planning and evaluation inform the budgeting process is presented in the final section of Core Requirement 2.11.

SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION

Some documentation files were created in Adobe Acrobat 6.0.  You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0 in order to view them correctly.  Click here to download free version.