Planning & Institutional Effectiveness
Function
The Office of Planning & Institutional Effectiveness has the unique charge of providing cross-functional support to the district office and all six of the colleges within Houston Community College. The defining nature of these services is that they impact all instructional programs as well as all administrative units.
Strategic Planning—Houston Community College currently operates within a thee-year strategic planning framework (2016-2019). The plan has four goal areas with steering committees comprised of faculty and staff members, administrators and students assigned to develop and monitor progress in pursuing the College’s vision.
Assessment Framework
Houston Community College is committed to institutional effectiveness and assessment as a methodology to drive continuous improvement. Assessment is intended to help the program/services units achieve congruence with overall institutional goals. Research shows that collecting and analyzing evidence leads to improvement of the institution and to programs/services units effectiveness. There are 8 different assessment methods currently available to programs and support services units for gathering evidence. Assessment methods are applied to units as appropriate.
Assessment Methods
Internal Review
Internal program review is intended to help the academic programs and services units achieve stated goals, improve performance and plan better for the future. Program reviews are conducted every four years by all academic disciplines, career and technical programs and administrative and educational support services operational units. Between program reviews, all programs and services operational units complete an Annual Progress Report focusing on program improvement recommendations as identified during the program review process.
External Review
Academic programs and administrative and educational support services operational units may also have outside agencies or consultants conduct an extensive evaluation of the program or the services unit. For example, the Learning Resources Network (LERN) conducted an evaluation of the restructuring of the Division of Extended Learning. Most of the Health Science programs are evaluated periodically by their outside accrediting bodies, such as the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The institution also undergoes review by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
OFI District Survey
The Opportunities for Improvement (OFI) District Survey focuses on institutional-wide climate issues, work processes and strategic planning initiatives. The survey is administered on a bi-annual basis.
OFI College Survey
The Opportunities for Improvement (OFI) College Survey focuses on the individual college climate issues, work processes, and services provided by the colleges to their respective students, faculty and staff. The survey is also administered on a bi-annual basis at the six colleges.
Academic Dashboard
Academic Dashboard is a set of ten key performance indicators used to track the progress of the institution in achieving its mission, vision and strategic goals.
Student Learning Outcomes
Instructional services units submit annual Student Learning Outcomes assessment reports and use information from assessment activity to improve teaching and learning.
Administrative/Support Unit Assessment Activity
Administrative/support units submit assessment activity information which reflects core function awareness, incorporates elements of the HCC Way and activity related to securing objectives of the strategic plan.
Unit Action Plan (UAP) Brief Analysis Report
All units submit a "closing the loop" report which contains a brief analysis of the unit's outcomes and achievements during the preceding IE cycle.
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Planning & Institutional Effectiveness