University-Wide Policies and Procedures

In order to maintain the integrity and viability of institutional data at the micro- and macro- levels, the following procedures and policies related to OIPRE and its role as a source of data and information supporting data-driven planning and decision-making have been approved and implemented:

All requests both internal and external for information concerning the University (its characteristics, student data trends, faculty or staff data, programs, survey results, and other data) must be directed to the Office of Institutional Planning, Research, and Evaluation. This includes data request at the unit level as well as the over all institutional level.

Internal requests from administrative, support or academic units for data that reside on the mainframe and must be accessed through Computer Services must be routed through OIPRE to reduce or eliminate duplication of requests and to insure that data has been examined and verified.

Annually in the spring of each year, OIPRE shall publish an up-to-date University Fact Book that contains data for students, faculty, staff, finances, and facilities for the previous year's Fall and Spring semesters and presents trends and projections for comparison against regional or internal benchmarks.

OIPRE shall maintain on its web page, an electronic version of the University Fact Book that contains the same data, trends, and projections.  This web site shall be updated each semester.  This site will also publish alerts or communiqués concerning new facts, data, trends, or analyses so that the information may be used in the planning process.

So that decisions will be driven by data, OIPRE will provide information and documentation concerning internal data, trends, and survey results to all relevant planning entities on campus including the Board of Trustees, President, President’s Cabinet, Deans and Chairs, Directors/Coordinators and various planning and/or effectiveness committees.

OIPRE's Assessment Coordinator will develop a comprehensive University Assessment Plan that will include three to five year cycles of academic, support, and administrative program reviews; student, faculty, and staff satisfaction surveys; yearly review of academic and administrative unit effectiveness plans; and benchmarking against internal and regional standards.

In addition to general institutional data, the OIPRE will coordinate the assessment of program units and services according to the assessment schedule.

Information contained in the University’s Fact Book or Electronic file shall be the official source of data for the Institution.

OIPRE will serve as a central repository for minutes from all standing university committees related to planning, effectiveness, viability, space utilization, and budgeting.

Program Review Policies and Procedures

A. Annual Program Review:

Each school, department and program unit must have a five-year strategic plan on file in the Office of Academic Affairs and Office of Institutional Planning, Research, and Evaluation. This plan should be updated annually. In addition, each academic unit should prepare an annual plan of work in support of its long-range plan.

Procedures:

1. By September 1 of each academic year, each department, academic unit and school should prepare an annual plan of work on support of its five year strategic plan to submit through channels to the office of Academic Affairs.

2. By June 30 of each academic year, each department, academic unit and school should file an update of its five-year strategic plan in the Office of Academic Affairs. This update should be based on an evaluation of the annual plan of work, including attainment or non-attainment of goals and objectives.

B.Five-Year Program Evaluation:

All academic programs of the university will be evaluated and reaffirmed every five (5) years in accordance with established guidelines and approved criteria.

Procedures:

Each department shall conduct a self-study using the criteria and format in section two. The self-study shall include the following

1. Program description and curriculum
2. Faculty qualifications
3. Faculty load (including research activities, service activities, course teaching load, advising activities)
4. Faculty salaries
5. Number of graduates and placement of graduates
6. Enrollment
7. Facilities and equipment
8. Faculty size
9. Curriculum assessment
10. The review shall occur by schools according to the ACHE timetable. The school reviews shall be conducted on an individual departmental basis.
11. The self-studies shall be submitted to external reviewers for assessment and recommendations.
    The results of the self-study assessment shall be submitted to the Academic Standards committee for appropriate action through the Office of Academic Affairs.
12. Where appropriate, data compiled for accrediting agencies shall be used for the program review. However, such reports shall not substitute for the five-year review.

Actions:

After the self-study reports have been reviewed by external appraisers, the reports and recommendations shall be submitted to the Academic Standards and Curriculum Committee for final actions.  According to the various academic policies, the committee may take one of the following actions as appropriate.

1. Continue program approval
2. Place a program or major on hold.  This means that no new students may be enrolled in this program or major
3. Place a program or major on probation
4. Remove a program from probation
5. Remove a program from hold
6. Recommend elimination of a program

C. Evaluation Results:

Any program or major that is found to have significant deficiencies in faculty, student enrollment, facilities, equipment and resources during the general review will be notified of said deficiencies and placed on probation, pending further review.

Procedures:

The Office of Academic Affairs will review and act on findings of evaluation reports through the Academic Standards and Curriculum Committee.

• If a program or major is found to warrant probation status, the Office of Academic Affairs will notify the Dean and Department chair of status.
• A detailed plan of action shall be developed and approved to address the deficiencies that resulted in the probationary status.
• A time frame of three years shall be established for the length of the probationary period to correct identified deficiencies.
• At the end of the three-year period the program in question shall complete a report requesting the removal of probationary status.  An earlier request may be made.

D. Program Probation:

Once a program or major is placed on probation, it may remain on probation for no more than three years before being placed on “hold”.  The hold status shall remain in effect for no longer than three years.

Procedures:

If a program or major is found to warrant “hold status”, the Office of Academic Affairs will notify the dean and department chair.

1. A report that outlines the basis for the hold status shall be submitted to the unit in question.
2. Within the three-year review period, a determination will be made regarding the continuance or discontinuance of the program or major.  If warranted, the program may be taken off hold during the three-year period.  The unit shall develop a plan that will address activities for the removal of the hold status.  The plan shall be approved through channels by the Office of Academic Affairs.
3. While a program or major is on hold, an annual review will be conducted for at least three years.  The removal of  “hold” from any program or major shall be initiated by the Chair of the Department and approved by the Dean of the School, using the following steps:
4. Write a report to the Office of Academic Affairs, detailing justification for removal of  “hold” status on the plan that was approved for addressing deficiencies at the time the program was placed on hold.
5. The Office of Academic Affairs through the Academic Standards and Curriculum Committee will review the report and make recommendations regarding the status of the unit.

E. Evaluation Results:

Programs may be reviewed for elimination from the curriculum, or they may be realigned with other units based on the following:

• Fewer than ten (10) enrollees in the total program.
• No graduates from the program within a three-year period.
• Lack of adequate institutional financial support.
• Relationship of program to projected occupational trends and societal demands.

Procedures:

1. A program shall be placed on probation.
2. The probation review shall determine if a program is placed on hold.
3. The review of the hold status shall be the basis for determining the elimination or realignment of the program.

F. Criteria, Policies, Procedures and Reporting Format for the Revies of Existing Programs of Instruction, Research, or Service:

Purpose:

The overriding purpose of program review is the improvement of program quality, utility, and efficiency.

Program improvement should be a primary concern of institutions of higher education since, in the final analysis, improvements must occur at the institutional level.  It follows that the review process should be one which is of greatest benefit to the institution.

Institutions of higher education, being concerned with the quality, utility, and efficiency of their programs, can and will objectively evaluate programs in order to determine strengths and weaknesses and propose strategies for improvement as needed.

Criteria:

Each program should be evaluated in terms of quality, utility, and efficiency.

Program Requirements:

1. Each program adheres to the University Admissions Standards.  In instances where these differ from the general requirement, they are clearly defined and serve to enhance the general standards.  There are clearly identified program requirements to include: specialized testing, exit requirements, etc.
2. Each program has identified program goals/purposes and expected educational outcomes.  A mechanism is in place to inform students of these goals and outcomes.
3. There are well-defined mechanisms for assessing and monitoring the progress of students throughout the completion of their degree requirements.
4. Each major has sufficient breadth and depth; and provision is made for the practical application of knowledge through various avenues such as practicums, internships, cooperative education, laboratory, etc.
5. The quality of each instructional program is identified and maintained through:  course objective, learning experiences, instructional assessment of students, and instructional assessments of courses.

Faculty:

1. Faculty as a whole should be of sufficient number to provide adequate instruction to all segments of the developmental and general education programs as well as for all majors and minors.  At least 75% of the total faculty should be full-time.
2. Faculty in each program should have a degree at no less than the master’s level in the appropriate or closely related discipline.  Degrees shall be from a regionally accredited institution.
3. Faculty instructional loads should be based on an average of twelve (12) hours per semester for undergraduate and nine (9) hours for graduate.
4. Evaluation of faculty should be conducted annually and include provisions for feedback and development.  There should be evidence of scholarly productivity through the faculty’s active participation in professional organizations, research, scholarly writing, curriculum development, artistic activities, etc.
5. The faculty represents diversification in educational preparation and background.
6. The size of the faculty must be considered in terms of the number of students, number of courses offered and the degree of specialization for each major.

Enrollment and Credit Hour Production:

• Credit hour production in developmental courses should be limited to a maximum of twenty (20) enrollees per section.
• Credit hour production in general education courses should be limited to a maximum of thirty (30) enrollees per section.
• Credit hour production in major courses should be determined by the department with approval through channels.

Instructional Resources:

Provision must be made for the acquisition of adequate resources for the effective operation of each program.  The allocation of resources is based on program needs and the five-year plan for program development.  Instructional resources are defined as supplies and equipment.  The following guidelines should be used for the allocation of University and departmental instructional resources.  There must be adequate funds for:

1. Instructional supplies for faculty and departments or academic units, at a minimum of $250 per faculty member.  This fund may be converted to computer support upon consent of the faculty member.
2. Professional development of faculty and staff.  A minimum of $500 should be allocated per faculty.
3. University-wide access to Internet and other computer equipment including personal computers, word  processors, modems, and printers.
4. University membership in professional organizations and agencies.
5. Appropriate library resources to support academic programs.
6. Proper maintenance of equipment and physical facilities.
7. Department chairpersons and school deans for support of units where unforeseen problems arise.
8. Furthermore, in all cases, the total amount contributed through laboratory fees and special program fees for the designated department must be expended.

Library Resources:

Library resources, services and related educational resources should be sufficient to assure student and faculty access in a timely and efficient manner.

• Library resources should be adequate and up-to-date for each of the areas of specialization offered.
• There should be evidence that faculty and students are aware of and use the resources of the library.

Physical Facilities:

• Classrooms, laboratories and equipment should be adequate and up-to-date for the number of students enrolled.
• Office space should be provided for privacy when counseling with students or for scholarly activities.
• Facilities should be accessible to students with special needs.
• There should be adequate daily and periodic maintenance of facilities and equipment.

Students:

1. There should be clear policies and procedures for student advising and counseling.
2. Adequate provision should be made for student follow-up.
3. Student self-appraisal should be encouraged and guided.
4. Provision should be made for student pre-professional involvement.
5. Provision should be made to address the needs of students at all points on the educational ladder (remedial, average, and excellent).
6. Provisions should be made for student organizations.

OIPRE Internal Policies & Procedures

The following guidelines reflect those policies and procedures which will be applied internally within the office to ensure smooth and effective function of OIPRE.

Professional Ethics and Confidentiality Policy: The Office of Institutional Planning, Research, and Evaluation adheres to those guidelines established in the Code of Ethics established by the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) which was adopted by its membership in 1992.

Data which are held in strict confidence includes the following types:

Any data which can be personally-identified, whether student, faculty, or staff, must be considered confidential due to federal legislation and/or university policy. Examples of such data are admissions family profile information on students and salaries of faculty or staff. All queries which ask for specific information on salaries other than the broad category means which are published in the printed or electronic factbook, are to be referred to University legal services.

Any data on other colleges or universities provided through means other than public documents.

Information which has not been verified by an official source, data or information that has been identified as 'for internal distribution only', and data or information which has been released to OIPRE under the veil of confidentiality.

Information which is accessible by the OIPRE staff is to be used only for fulfilling the mandates and duties of the office, will not be released either verbally or in written form to individuals outside the office, and will be disposed of properly if containing sensitive data such as social security numbers and salary information. Employees will notify the Director if breaches of confidentiality or security occur or if persons external to OIPRE attempt to solicit information to which they should not have access.

Requests for information: Much of the data requested by various entities on campus and externally can be found in the public domain due to mandated state and national reporting requirements and on the OIPRE web site, particularly the fact book.

All queries for information whether internal to the university or external from various agencies, organizations, or other entities will be forwarded to the Secretary/Receptionist to ensure their entry into the Query Management System (QMS). The system captures information on the person and unit placing the request for information, the date the request was made, what information was being requested, when the information was desired, what use the information will serve, and how the query was received. Details of the system and its capabilities are provided in the section entitled "Query Management System".

The Director of OIPRE reviews the queries logged into the QMS and then assigns the query to the Primary Assignee whose responsibility it will be to collect the data, format the response, and communicate the results, thus completing the query. The Primary Assignee may need to make additional contacts with the unit or person requesting information to clarify exactly what data is desired, or if questions arise concerning options in providing the information. In all cases, if apparent conflicts of information between sources or in the historical records are found, the Primary Assignee should consult with the Institutional Data Coordinator to determine the reason for the discrepancy or the problem and work on resolving it. Quality assurance requires going the extra mile.

To prevent unnecessary duplication of requests, if a query requires data from Computer Services, the request will be made by the Institutional Data Coordinator. The Institutional Data Coordinator may sign the ‘computer services request for data’ should the Director be unavailable. If time permits, the Primary Assignee or the Institutional Data Coordinator will also verify information with the relevant departments to a) add an additional layer of verification to the information, and b) provide information to the departments on the state of information as it is currently in the student or faculty/staff databases. This procedure will help to identify potential problems before they impact negatively on viability or accuracy in reporting.

All queries that contain data should be identified with a footnote to indicate the source of the data used. If there is no space to accommodate the source of data on the response form, the source of the data and the date retrieved from that source should be indicated on the QMS request form so that if problems arise, the original source information can be checked. Before a Primary Assignee sends out information under the letterhead of OIPRE, the response to the query must be verified by either the Institutional Data Coordinator, Assessment Coordinator, or the Director.

For the purposes of assessing the performance of OIPE, twice yearly in December and June, the Assessment Coordinator will examine the QMS log file to determine the percentage of completion of requests and the timeliness of response rates. This information will be used when office procedures are reviewed for effectiveness.

Reminders and periodic alerts: The Secretary/Receptionist will examine the QMS log at the end of each week to determine the status of ‘open’ queries or those that have not been completed. It is very important that the Primary Assignee for each query use the QMS to log when the response to the query has been sent (after it is verified by the Coordinator or Director). A list of outstanding queries, their status, and the assigned Primary will be printed and presented to the Director.

The Secretary/Receptionist will also use the QMS as ‘periodic alert’ system to help plan for recurring queries that require time or extensive preparation to gather data. The queries that are known to be recurring and occur in the next month will be printed by the 15th of the previous month and presented to the Director.

GENERAL OFFICE PROCEDURES

Working Hours, Decorum, and Professionalism: Normal working hours for the office are 8:00 am until 5:00 pm unless circumstances dictate and adjustment of these hours is needed to accommodate the needs of the office or the university. If adjustments need to be made, these must be made with prior approval of the Director. Lunch times should be staggered to ensure that the office is staffed by at least one regular full-time staff member at all times.

Personal appearance and behavior of OIPRE personnel reflect the image and effectiveness of the office. Normal professional attire is appropriate. Attire worn on Fridays customarily reflects the university colors and can be more informal. An attitude of respect and professionalism shall characterize all interactions among the members of the office and between OIPRE personnel and our clientele.

Filing of information: The Secretary/Receptionist shall keep current an Access database that identifies what each file cabinet contains and where hard copies of various information and records may be found. This database shall be routinely updated at the end of each filing day. The Access database shall be located on the OIPRE Server so that it can be reached by all personnel in the office enabling them to locate specific files. Sole copies of information may not be taken out of the office. Access to information that resides in the files in OIPRE shall not be given to individuals outside of the office unless approved by the Director.

Each file cabinet has been identified with a letter (A, B, C, etc) and each drawer is identified (1, 2, 3, or 4). To make location of information more visible, a label is also attached to each drawer identifying its contents (eg. IPEDS, SACS, etc.). It is the responsibility of the person removing the file to replace it as soon as possible back into the position where it was originally filed. The file database will be updated at the end of each filing day. Only the Secretary/Receptionist can edit or add entries into the file cabinet database.

Collection and Retention of University Documents: As a part of its function, OIPRE serves as a repository for all official university documents including catalogs, brochures, pamphlets, etc. In addition to these, the Secretary/Receptionist is also responsible for collecting:

• Policies and procedures manuals from all units on campus
• Accreditation documents for all degree programs seeking or reaffirming accreditation 
• Minutes from the following standing committees:
  • Planning and Budgeting Council
  • Strategic Planning Committee
  • Overall University Effectiveness Committee
  • Planning, Assumptions, and Parameters Committee
  • Viability Committee
  • Space and Utilization Committee

Purchasing and requisitions: All requisitions for purchasing supplies, equipment, etc. shall be signed by the Director, or in the absence of the Director, by one of the Coordinators with the prior permission of the Director. Copies of all requisitions, budget transfers, and receiving copies shall be maintained by the Secretary/Receptionist in the Purchasing Files sorted by object code. The Secretary/Receptionist shall cross train the Analyst I personnel so that they may perform this function in his or her absence. At the beginning of each week, the Secretary/Receptionist will print out the current budgets for examination by the Director.

Orientation of Graduate and Undergraduate Student Workers: Since service is a key focus of OIPRE, all contacts with clientele should be conducted in a professional manner. Phones should be answered, "Institutional Planning, Research, and Assessment. May I help you?" When someone is not available and a message is being taken, it is necessary to record the full name of the caller, the phone number including area code, and what the message concerns. When students address senior personnel in the office, they should use last names.

Each semester, a schedule is set up for the required number of hours to be worked each week. The office can be flexible if special circumstances occur and prior notice is given. We will work with you to identify time to make up the lost hours. Upon reporting to work each day, student workers are asked to log in. When leaving for the day, log out and document your activities for that day. The log is kept by the Secretary/Receptionist. Although the graduate students are normally assigned to individuals in the office hierarchy, when the need arises, they may be re-assigned to other tasks with little notice.

ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES

1. The Assessment Coordinator assumes overall responsibility for carrying out the assessment procedures outlined in the overall University  Assessment Plan including but not inclusive of the following:

• Institute a three to five year cycle of Degree Program Review including curricular review.
• Review and provide feedback to units on Degree Program Learning Outcomes and Unit Institutional Effectiveness Matrix forms.
• Review Strategic Focus Areas forms from each unit for consistency with the university mission and adequate progress toward achieving goals.
• Annually verify and update Assessment Tools matrices for academic and nonacademic units and achievement of program learning outcomes.
• Annual survey of Student, Faculty, and Staff satisfaction with policy, services, infrastructure, and personnel.

2. The Assessment Analyst I is responsible for insuring that the appropriate forms have been ordered and are available for conducting teaching evaluations. Teaching evaluations will be planned and distributed by the dates set by the Vice President of Academic Affairs. When completed forms are received from each department, the forms will be scanned and the results compiled for use before the end of the semester and faculty evaluation periods.

3. The Assessment Analyst I will be responsible for scanning the completed forms, recording handwritten comments on the backs of each form, and preparing the results for distribution. A copy of the results will be kept in OIPRE for assessment purposes.

4. All original survey data and the responses obtained must be archived to retain the option of later retrieval and re-evaluation.

5. When name, student ID number, or social security number are used for internal identification only, this information must be safeguarded to protect the identity of the survey respondent