Transcript Finding from 1997 NCA Site Visit

Findings from 1997 NCA
Site Visit
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Strengths
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Strong university-community linkages
Attractive physical plant
Cooperative Education
NIAR
Friendly, courteous and helpful staff
“The Metropolitan Advantage”
Findings from 1997 NCA
Site Visit
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Institutional Concerns
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Unclear mission and lack of action-oriented
planning that linked resources and
operational priorities
Lack of use and follow-through on
assessment
Absence of measurable and assessable
goals for general education
Approved Goals for WSU SelfStudy 2005-2007
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Produce a self-study report that results
in full reaccreditation from HLC
Instill a culture of assessment and
institutional improvement across all
university operations
Instill a commitment to enhancing
organizational diversity
Approved Goals for WSU SelfStudy 2005-2007
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Develop a process for (1) aligning Board
of Regents’ performance agreements
and HLC criteria with WSU’s
Accountability Planning Matrix and (2)
assessing the quality of the decisions
that have been guided by the planning
initiatives
Approved Goals for WSU SelfStudy 2005-2007
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Provide an opportunity for reflective and
analytic discussion of substantive
institutional issues, e.g.
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General education
Assessment of student learning
Information resources
Succession planning
Space requirements
Approved Goals for WSU SelfStudy 2005-2007
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Effectively use the new Enterprise
Resource Plan to facilitate improvement
of institutional functions and operations
to more efficiently and effectively
support WSU’s mission and goals
Increase effective interaction among
university divisions
Increase the sense of community at
WSU
1. Mission and Integrity
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The organization operates with integrity
to ensure the fulfillment of its mission
through structures and processes that
involve the board, administration,
faculty, staff, and students.
2. Preparing for the Future
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The organization’s allocation of
resources and its processes for
evaluation and planning demonstrate its
capacity to fulfill its mission, improve
the quality of its education, and
respond to future challenges and
opportunities.
3. Student Learning and
Effective Teaching
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The organization provides evidence of
student learning and teaching
effectiveness that demonstrates it is
fulfilling its educational mission.
4. Acquisition, Discovery, and
Application of Knowledge
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The organization promotes a life of
learning for its faculty, administration,
staff, and students by fostering and
supporting inquiry, creativity, practice,
and social responsibility in ways
consistent with its mission.
5. Engagement and Service
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As called for by its mission, the
organization identifies its constituencies
and serves them in ways both value.
Self-study Process 2004-2007
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Appoint Coordinator 2004
Prepare and submit self-study plan
Appoint Steering Committee January
2005
Appoint Working Groups Spring 2005
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Review Criteria
Collect Evidence
Self-study Process
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Set up Blackboard Site
Briefing meetings
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Constituent Senates
Division and college executive committees
Student leaders
Unclassified Professional Roundtable
Discussions – Fall 2004
National Advisory Committee Focus Groups –
Spring 2006
Self-study Process
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Assessment Symposia – 2005-2006
Hutchinson Progress Report – January
2006
Surveys – Spring 2006
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Student Learning
Criterion
Student
Faculty/Staff
Self-study Process
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Draft Report
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Rough draft September 1
Second draft October 6
Final draft December 2006
Share Findings
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Town hall meetings
Assessment symposium
Brownbag discussions
Self-study Process
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Distribute drafts for review
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College and divisional readers
Web posting for campus reaction
Produce report – January, 2007
Mail report – February 1, 2007
Site visit – March 26-28, 2007
Follow up
Survey Results – Student
Learning
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53 of 75 surveys returned – 71%
response rate
Academic, student and institutional
support units have a clear sense of how
their missions relate to WSU’s mission
and how they contribute to student
learning.
Survey Results – Student
Learning
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The support units regularly assess their
activities although they don’t directly
assess their contribution to student
learning.
The vast majority use the Accountability
Planning Matrix for planning.
Survey Results – Criterion
Survey
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49 of 50 surveys completed – 98% response
rate
Deans and chairs report that they know WSU
and their unit missions and believe that they
appropriately articulate WSU’s activities.
A bare majority believe that WSU’s planning
and budget flow from the mission.
Survey Results – Criterion
Survey
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Most units participate in environmental
scanning, i.e. they consider external social
and economic trends in decision making.
Academic programs are dynamic. Curricula
and programs change on a regular basis to
respond to changing environment,
professional practice, advancement in
knowledge and interdisciplinary opportunities.
Survey Results – Criterion
Survey
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Deans and chairs are very positive
about their academic programs,
reporting that they prepare students to
live and work in a world characterized
by information technology,
globalization, and diversity.
Less than half provide study abroad or
global learning experiences.
Survey Results – Criterion
Survey
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There were some minor concerns about
General Education.
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78% of those with an opinion (65% of total)
agree or strongly agree that general education
meets the needs of their undergraduate programs
while just under 80% (63% of total) agree or
strongly agree that general education learning
outcomes align with the needs of their academic
programs.
Survey Results – Criterion
Survey
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Commitment to research and professional
community service is clear and well
documented.
The vast majority of academic units have
clearly identified constituencies with whom
they actively pursue partnerships.
There is a commitment to assessment and
trust that it can improve and strengthen
academic programs.
Survey Results – Student
Survey
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The survey was distributed with SPTEs. 643
responses were received.
The survey confirms that students do not
make great use of most available learning
resources and support services.
Students do read the Sunflower, frequent the
RSC, and use the library and computer labs
on a regular basis. They also take advantage
of advising services.
Survey Results – Student
Survey
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Students report strong satisfaction with their
education. They believe that they are being
challenged to work hard (91.1%), and that
they are being prepared to live and work in a
diverse (87.7%), global (79.9%) and
technologically-dependent (85.4%) world.
Very few report knowledge of a foreign
language or participation in an international
experience.
Survey Results – Faculty/Staff
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301 surveys were completed for a
response rate of 17.4 percent. These
include:
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111 Classified Staff
82 Unclassified Professionals
89 Faculty
19 Administrators
Survey Results – Faculty/Staff
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Strengths
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Community ties and support
Cooperative Education/
internships/experiential learning
Faculty/staff
Strong academic programs
Growing research funding
Survey Results – Faculty/Staff
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Challenges
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Low faculty/staff salaries
Enrollment/competition
Changing technology/distance education
Low graduate student stipends
Insufficient student engagement/level of
academic challenge
Survey Results – Faculty/Staff
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Other strengths
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The quality of the faculty and staff
The campus environment and public art
Community ties
Academic programs
Basketball/athletics
Survey Results – Faculty/Staff
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Other challenges
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Resources, resources, resources
Enrollment/competition
Keeping up with technology/distance
education
Internal communication
Effective marketing/public relations
Too many administrators
Survey Results – Faculty/Staff
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What one thing would make WSU a
better university?
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Become more student-focused/friendly
Improve the sense of community
Promote diversity/respect
Develop on-line programs
Improve marketing
Focus Group Findings
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Unclassified Professionals
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Pride in a diverse student body and an
atmosphere that encourages learning for
everyone
WSU is particularly good at nurturing ties
with the community, e.g. NIAR, Coop Ed,
maintaining an attractive physical
environment and supporting nontraditional
students.
Focus Group Findings
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Unclassified Professionals
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The biggest problems facing WSU are
related to resource restrictions and a lack
of a consumer service attitude toward
students and guests.
Focus Group Findings
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To improve WSU should:
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develop more distance education options
stabilize enrollment
increase diversity of staff and emphasize a
global focus
reallocate resources to successful programs
effectively implement the ERP
engage more people in discussions of the
future
foster a greater sense of community
Focus Group Findings
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NAC
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To respond to growing competition WSU
should
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Enhance the West Campus
Improve the convenience of its enrollment and
other services
Be more flexible and innovative in scheduling
and offering.
Focus Group Findings
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Offer more on-line instruction, but not full
degrees
Improve its marketing
Develop an accelerated degree-completion
option
Be more responsive to local employers and the
schedules of their workers
Focus Group Findings
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WSU should be preparing students to
“thrive in a complex world” by
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Emphasizing critical thinking and
communication skills
Expanding global content including
languages
Increasing study abroad opportunities
Focus Group Findings
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WSU should be prepared to respond to
the following trends:
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Local ethnic diversity
Globalization
Resource limitations
Technological change
Other Issues
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Finances
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Kansas provides a larger share of university
operating revenue than many states.
Between FY1997 and FY2005
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GU revenue increased 34.4%
State General fund appropriation increased
21.4%
Tuition increased 63.6%
Other Issues
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Finances
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General Use funds are declining as a share
of total operating revenue, from 66% in
FY1997 to 59% in FY2005
The difference is being made up by
research funding and private gifts and
contracts.
Other Issues
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The demand for accountability will
continue to grow.
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HLC
KBOR
Legislature
Federal government – Spelling Commission
Other Issues
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Student demographics
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Students are younger
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Students are taking more hours
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Average age of undergraduates had dropped from 27 to
25 over the past 9 years.
The average undergraduate credit hour load grew from
9.88 in fall 1996 to 11.07 in fall 2005.
The proportion of ethnic minorities has increased
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From 14.6% in fall 1996 to 17.5% in fall 2005
Other Issues
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ERP implementation is time-intensive
Recruiting a diverse faculty pool is a
challenge.
The number of tenure-eligible faculty has
remained steady
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445 in FY1999
451 in FY2006
Faculty is aging
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42 percent are over age 55
Median age is 52.3
What next?
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What three topics do you want to talk
about this fall?