STILLMAN

Institutional Planning and

Evaluation Guide

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Table of Contents

Overview of Institutional Effectiveness at Stillman College ........................ 1 Educational Planning ..................................................................................... 4 Operational Planning ................................................................................... 12 Strategic Planning ........................................................................................ 13 Long Range Planning .................................................................................. 13 Campus Master Planning ............................................................................. 14 Personnel Evaluation ................................................................................... 14 Appendices .................................................................................................. 16

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Overview of Institutional Effectiveness at Stillman College As an institution of higher education, the Mission of Stillman is at the

core of everything that Stillman does. To effectively accomplish that

mission, Stillman understands that it must utilize strategies and

methodologies that are designed to ensure and document institutional

effectiveness. The long tradition of planning at Stillman has a well-

documented history; however, as strategies and methodologies evolve and

change both internally and externally, it is essential to organize and integrate

these concepts and processes. That is the purpose of this Guide.

The Annual Institutional Effectiveness Cycle illustrated on page 2

involves four integrated and ongoing stages: Planning, Implementation,

Evaluation, and Use of Results. Specific planning, evaluating, and reporting

events are also outlined within the calendar on page 3 of this document. The

documents used to implement the institutional effectiveness cycle are

provided in the appendices of this Guide.

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STILLMAN COLLEGE ANNUAL INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS CYCLE

PLANNING

• Academic Plans • Operational Plans • Strategic Plan

AUGUST

IMPLEMENTATION

• Assessment of SLOs • Assessment of departmental

objectives • Assessment of faculty, staff,

Board of Trustees, and President • Assessment of Students

(Midterms, Sophomore Proficiency Exam, Final Exams, Senior Thesis, Senior Departmental Exams, and NSSE)

SEPTEMBER - JUNE

EVALUATION

• Academic Plans • Operational Plans • Strategic Plan

JULY

USE OF RESULTS

• Modify Academic Plans & SLOs • Modify Operational Plans and

Objectives • President’s Annual Report on

Strategic Plan

AUGUST

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STILLMAN COLLEGE

Annual Planning, Evaluation, and Reporting Calendar

August September October November December January • Leadership Retreat • Fall Planning

Institute

• Campus wide Planning & Implementation - Academic and Operational Plans

• Sophomore Proficiency Exam

• Senior Dept. Exam • Student Evaluation

Instruction • Midterm Exams

• Senior Thesis • Senior Dept. Exam

• Final Exams • Spring Planning Institute

February March April May June July • Sophomore

Proficiency Exam • National Survey

Student Engagement

• Midterm Exams • Student Evaluation

Instruction • Senior Dept. Exam • Board Evaluation

of President

• Senior Thesis • Senior Dept. Exam • Annual Faculty

Evaluation

• Final Exams • Annual Staff

Evaluation

• Campus wide Evaluation & Use of Results - Academic and Operational Plans

• Assessment Strategic Plan

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Educational Planning The central function of Stillman College is to provide a quality

transformative educational experience for all students who enroll. Because

of the disparate levels of preparation and socio-economic backgrounds of the

students historically served by the College, the educational program must be

planned in a fashion that is both predictable and reliable.

All academic planning must represent a collectivist approach.

Departments rather than individuals plan majors, programs and the related

objectives. While individual faculty members may develop courses, those

courses must be vetted and approved by the full department. Such courses

must be forwarded to the school for review, and finally submitted to the

Academic Affairs Committee for approval. The foregoing framework is

expected to deliver a "managed curriculum" where little is left to chance and

there are no surprises.

Definitions for the various terms and concepts that guide educational

planning are provided below. The documents that compose the annual

Academic Plans for each academic program/major are included in

appendices of this Guide. To complete the first portion of the Academic

Plan – Defining Student Learning Outcomes each program lists the student

learning outcomes (SLO) and classifies the SLO as content, critical thinking,

or communication. Next the SLO are mapped to indicate courses where the

outcomes are introduced, reinforced, and assessed. Finally, the assessment

tool and anticipated results are indicated for each SLO. During the second

phase of completing the Academic Plan – Assessment and Use of Results,

the actual results for the assessment time period are added, an analysis of the

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next steps needed for improvement or use of results are provided, and a

timeline is established for the implementation of the use of results.

MISSION - A mission is the guiding sense of purpose that informs actions and decisions at the institution. This statement may set out a frame of historical reference, may set forth an identification with regards to the kind of education provided, and may declare the global outcomes unique or specific to the institution’s endeavors. SCHOOL GOALS - Schools are substructures of the institution organized to facilitate optimal achievement of its mission. The goals of a school are logical outgrowths of the relationships between the departments and programs that form it. Goals may take the form of articulated aims that under gird attainment of global institutional outcomes. Such goals reflect the peculiar knowledge and expertise resident within the school. GENERAL EDUCATION OBJECTIVES - General education can be viewed from multiple perspectives, but will normally attend an institution’s concept of the liberally educated person and process skills essential to doing academic work. Quite often, the intent to inculcate values or a worldview resides in general education. While general education objectives tend to reflect expectations from a limited collection of lower division courses where among other outcomes communication skills, computer skills, and mathematical skills are vested, global expectation may be realized throughout the total curricular and extracurricular experience afforded by the institution. DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES - Departments are units organized around finite bodies of knowledge, distinct ways of knowing, and generally agreed upon modes of intellectual inquiry. Departmental objectives may reflect any of the foregoing areas especially as it would relate to contributions to the infinite aspirations of the institution, the school, general education, and students. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR THE MAJOR - The expectations of outcomes from a major are global relative to the discipline and specific with regards to the institution. Student Learning Outcomes set out knowledge, skills, competencies, and values expectations that are unique to the character of what the institution provides while maintaining fidelity to the discipline. Additionally, outcomes in this area must speak to what students will be prepared to do upon completion of the prescribed course of study. COURSE OBJECTIVES - Courses are the building blocks of curricula that deliver both a general education and a major within a discipline. Some courses may exist within the segment of courses that serves to enrich and broaden the horizon of students. Most courses fit into an organic framework of courses designed to achieve the stated objectives of general education or of the major. Course objectives attend a range of learning expectations, in terms of breadth and depth, specific to the disciplinary content of the specific course and its purpose.

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UNIT OBJECTIVES - Well-defined courses are often organized into units. Units recognize pedagogical management needs and may suggest an explicit or implicit relationship of content for students. Objectives for units are quite specific with regards to expected student learning. Such objectives may attend the acquisition and use of various intellectual or performance skills, the acquisition and use of knowledge, or the clarification and use of value-laden propositions. Unit objectives may be thought of as specifications for the development of examinations.

Departmental/Program Review

As a part of ongoing educational planning and evaluation, the

academic programs or departments are subject to review. The purpose is to

insure institutional effectiveness and continuous improvement. The

methodology for the review is an internal self-study and the review of an

external evaluator selected by the department and approved by the

Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The Review will focus on five areas: 1) goals and objectives; 2)

faculty; 3)students; 4) institutional impact; and 6) strengths and weaknesses.

The external review will review the department's self-study, offer

professional judgments and comments, and offer recommendations and/or

suggestions to the College administration.

Departmental (Program) Review

Responding to Questions and Providing Supporting Documentation

I. Goals and Objectives - Departments (programs, majors) may have a range of goals and objectives that attend institutional expectations, program expectations, disciplinary expectations, performance expectations, and expectations regarding student competence. These expectations should serve the greater interest of the institution, the interest of the faculty who plan and deliver the program, and the interest of students. In addition, programs must be open to examination and objective evaluation. The foregoing should be addressed in this review, and evidence presented to support the narrative.

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Mission - Describe how the goals and objectives of the program support the institutional mission. Include, if appropriate, how courses in the department facilitate achieving the purposes of the College.

Documentation - Include a copy of the goals and objectives with a discussion of how they align with institutional mission.

Discipline - Describe congruence between the objectives of the program and those of the larger disciplinary community. Discuss in particular how the objectives may be similar to and appropriate for institutions of this type.

Documentation - Include a copy of the objectives. Include a discussions of how the program objectives are reflected in the specifications for relevant standardized exams in the discipline.

Assessment - Describe the tools used to assess the program objectives.

Documentation - Include samples from the various tools.

Competencies - Describe and discuss the Student Learning Outcomes that address what students should know, be able to do, or values to manifest. Where appropriate, discuss outcomes where competence (ability to perform at a certain level) is the aim.

Documentation - List of student learning outcomes.

II. Faculty - The work of the faculty - quality and quantity - determines the nature and quality of the experiences afforded to students. These experiences impact retention as well as the focus and aspirations of the institution. Planning and delivering the instruction that guide student learning is at the core of the faculty's responsibility. In the same way, the professional work (including scholarship, research, and creative) of faculty can inspire students as it aids in shaping the reputation of the institution.

Teaching - Describe the collective work of the department in terms of planning and delivering instruction, and evaluating student learning. In addition, discuss the use of technology and recent innovations in instruction.

Documentation - Include comparative data (other departments, the division, the campus) from student evaluation of instruction. Include excerpts and samples of items referenced in the description/discussion.

Professionalism - Outline the work of the faculty within disciplinary organizations and / or in the performance of the core work/practice of the discipline. Discuss any unique or exceptional examples in this area.

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Documentation - Include reviews, critiques, event programs, selection/election letters, abstracts, and examples. Include a chart setting out the activity of each member of the faculty.

External funding - Discuss the sources of funds available to support work in the discipline(s) and describe the efforts and successes in obtaining that support. Describe specific projects, with dollar amounts, underway in the department.

Documentation - Include award notifications and regret letters generated.

Adequacy - Discuss the adequacy of the current faculty in terms of number and range of courses offered. Discuss the faculty's quality as suggested by student outcomes.

Documentation - Include a table showing the average number of credit hours taught per semester. List the courses offered by the department and the average number of sections offered each semester. Provide average grade distribution graphs for courses in the major(s).

III. Students - The reason for the academic enterprise is the education of students who enroll in it. The students that enroll in a course of study in the Department become the responsibility of that Department. One measure of departmental success is the rate of retention of its majors and the annual progress their majors make through the program.

Retention - Describe the persistence of the department's sophomore students from year to year to graduation. Discuss the students that enter the department in terms that have observable and/or measurable attributes.

Documentation - Include a table setting out the averages for sophomore classes that entered the department over the past five years in the following areas 1) number of students, 2) hours completed, and 3) grade point average. Report the actual number of students who graduated each of the past five years, notwithstanding the level at which they entered the department.

Outputs - Discuss the paths that students generally have taken after graduating from the program. Describe any exceptional accomplishments or recognitions earned by students in the department. Discuss the percentage of graduates who eventually earn a graduate or professional degree.

Documentation - Include report of post-graduation choices made by students from the last five graduating classes. Include description of exceptional accomplishments of the department's graduates.

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Transformation - Discuss observable changes manifested by students in terms of intellectual growth, enhanced values, increased skills, and personal maturation that resulted from their experiences in the department.

Documentation - Include referentially correct documents to support the narrative. Such might include letters from students, graduates, employers, and other observers. Detailed anecdotes or case studies might also be included.

IV. Institutional Impact - Departments are part of a larger community with obligations beyond their disciplinary pursuits. General education, cognate courses, co-curricular programs, intellectual diversity, service to the greater good, are critical to making an institutional difference.

General Education - Discuss the extent to which the department participates in prescribed general education. Describe the extent to which courses in the department are used to support other departments and/or serve as electives for students.

Documentation - Include a table showing the courses and number of sections offered by the department for each of the last three years that served general education, cognate courses, and electives.

Institutional Citizenship - Discuss the department's participation in campus-wide activities. Discuss the department's stewardship of student organizations, sponsorship of intellectual/cultural programming, and recruitment/retention efforts.

Documentation – Include any referentially correct materials.

Comparative Effectiveness - Discuss the department's performance relative to instructional performance, retention of students, professional activities, and citizenship.

Documentation - Include any referentially correct materials.

V. Strengths and Weaknesses - Discuss those areas where the department performs well in terms of instruction, professional activities, and citizenship. Describe those areas where the department's performance faces challenges. Discuss the nature of the challenges and offer considered views on how they might be addressed.

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GENERAL EDUCATION OBJECTIVES/COMPETENCIES

OBJECTIVE/COMPETENCY COURSEWORK AND EXPERIENCES 1. To make reasoned and informed ethical decisions when confronting moral choices.

REL 131, REL 132, LOG 330

2. To acquire and demonstrate an understanding of the role of art and artistic expressions in society.

HUM 130, REL 300

3. To develop and demonstrate analytical skills applicable to any area of inquiry.

MAT 131, LOG 330, Senior Thesis

4. To formulate and express arguments with clarity in written and oral forms.

ENG 131, ENG 132, LOG 330, SPE 232

5. To communicate ideas in written form appropriate for the intended audience and purpose.

ENG 131, ENG 132, All Courses, Senior Thesis

6. To develop knowledge and skills that facilitate lifelong habits of healthy living.

HPR 121, BIO 131, Intramural sports, Wellness Weeks

7. To develop and demonstrate the ability to analyze and discern meaning in textual material.

ENG 132, REL 131, REL 132, HIS 131, HUM 130, Thesis Literature Review

8. To employ computational thinking skills to solve quantitative problems.

MAT 131, PHY 131

9. To engage in oral discourse appropriate for the intended audience.

SPE 232, LOG 330, Thesis Presentation, Stillman Research Symposium, QEP – Intergenerational Communication: Preparing Students for the Professional Workplace

10. To develop an understanding of the role Christianity has played in shaping Western Culture.

REL 131, REL 132, REL 300-400, HIS 131, Religious Emphasis Series

11. To develop an awareness of and appreciation for African and African American Cultures and their impact on Western Culture.

HUM 130, Black History Month, African American Heritage Festival

12. To develop a knowledge of the structure and systems of the physical and biological worlds.

PHY 131, BIO 131

13. To develop and demonstrate the ability to use computer technology to access, process, manipulate, and communicate information.

CSC 121, Universal E-mail and Internet Access, Thesis, Other Literature Searches, Thesis Presentation, Canvas Course Management software, EDU 310

14. To demonstrate an understanding of how society may be shaped by religious, artistic, economics, and political forces.

HIS 131, HUM 130, Social Science Options

15. To demonstrate an understanding of the consequence and by-products of the behaviors and interactions of individuals, groups, and institutions.

BUS 210, HIS 131, HUM 130, Social Science Options

16. To develop and demonstrate a commitment to service for the common good.

Community Outreach, Service Programs, Models and Institutional Modeling, Experiential Learning, Co-Ops

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STILLMAN COLLEGE Ongoing Planning and Evaluation of General Education

OBJECTIVES/ COMPETENCIES

Sixteen objectives, subsuming six college level competencies that attend knowledge, skills, and values

COURSES AND EXPERIENCES

Seventeen-plus unduplicated courses, various programs, and co-curricular activities

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

• Common Exams

• Final Grades

• Sophomore Proficiency Examination

• Abstract for Thesis

• Senior Thesis

• Oral Presentation of

USE OF RESULTS AND

DOCUMENTATION

• Course Revisions

• Modification of teaching pedagogy

• Add/delete instructional materials

• Change in instructional assignments

• Meeting Summaries

• Memoranda

• Reports

• Minutes

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Operational Planning The administrative and support units of the College and the academic

departments have duties and responsibilities that not only directly and

indirectly support the mission of the College, but serve its status as a not-for-

profit business. Many of these responsibilities are tied to the unit specific

tasks; however, these units also play a role in assisting the College reach its

strategic goals. It is these tasks and objectives that constitute the operational

planning for each fiscal year.

The operational planning process is accomplished and reported via

two documents: 1) Planning and Implementation and 2) Evaluations and Use

of Results. The Planning and Implementation form links the operational

goals of the unit to the more comprehensive college-wide strategic plan

goals and outlines the objectives needed to accomplish the operational goal

for the unit. Planning and implementation is further elucidated by

identifying the persons responsible, the timeline for implementation, and

budgetary implications of completing each objective. The Evaluations and

Use of Results form, which is completed at the end of the fiscal year,

describes the means of evaluation for accomplishment of the objective,

provides the actual results garnered during the fiscal year, describes how the

results will be used to improve during the subsequent year, and lists

examples of how the use of results are documented. The Planning and

Implementation and Evaluation and Use of Results forms for Operational

Planning are provided in the appendices of this Guide.

Strategic Planning The Strategic Plan 2017 – 2022 represents the strategic vision of the

current President, Dr. Cynthia Warrick to RAMP (Retain, Advance, Measure,

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and Place) Up Stillman. The strategic planning process began with the new

president outlining the theme of RAMP to the entire college. Individual

units then defined and/or revised their mission statement and identified how

the unit would play a role in retaining, advancing, measuring, and placing

students. The units next identified goals and objectives that were

appropriate to their core function and that would allow them to realize the

President’s vision. From the myriad of goals identified by all units, a

consensus was reached that identified nine (9) overarching institutional

strategic goals, each of which has corresponding outcomes/milestones that

will be achieved during the five year planning period.

The Strategic Plan is submitted to the Board of Trustees for its review,

input, and endorsement. Each year, an assessment of the significant

accomplishments made in meeting the goals of the Strategic Plan are

documented in President’s Annual Report on the Strategic Plan, which is

submitted to the Board of Trustees. The Strategic Plan is a living document

and as such is updated as goals are accomplished and the various units make

modifications.

Long Range Planning The Long Range Plan of the College is a ten-year projection regarding

where and what the institution might be in the future. The questions that

drive the long range planning process are:

• What would we like to have people say about the College ten years

from now?

• What would we like for the College to be doing ten years from now

that is beyond its current scope?

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Campus Master Planning The Campus Master Plan is an updated and modified version of a

seminal document developed in 1990. Every five to ten years, the President

appoints a Master Plan Committee charged with revisiting, updating, and

modifying the Campus Master Plan. The plan includes an Inventory of the

current campus; a Design Framework that includes problems and

opportunities, goals and objectives, and program elements; and a

Recommended Plan for the campus.

Personnel Evaluation Faculty The College evaluates the performance and effectiveness of its

personnel via a variety of performance metrics. Faculty members are

evaluated each semester by students completing a Course and Instructor

Evaluation in each course. Faculty also complete a Workload Form each

semester, which provides information on courses taught, advisees assisted,

organizations sponsored, committee service provided, professional

organizations, and community service rendered. Faculty members are

evaluated each year by Department Chairs using the Annual Evaluation

Report. Part-time faculty are evaluated both by Department Chairs using the

Part-Time Assessment Report form and by students in courses using the

Course and Instructor Evaluation. Department Chairs are evaluated by the

School Deans using both the Annual Evaluation Report and Department

Chair Evaluation Form. The Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

evaluates Deans using the Dean Evaluation Report Form.

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Administration

The President evaluates the Vice Presidents annually, using objectives

set out at the beginning of the fiscal year. During the evaluation, each Vice

President performs a self-assessment of accomplishment of objectives;

performance of units within their division; and professional and personal

attributes followed by the President’s evaluation. The President may

provide a narrative that outlines improvements for the next year. Vice

Presidents also perform annual peer evaluations of their colleagues.

The Vice Presidents evaluate the Senior Administrators who are direct

reports annually. During the evaluation, each Senior Administrator

performs a self-assessment of accomplishment of objectives; performance of

units within their division if applicable; and professional and personal

attributes followed by the Vice President’s evaluation. The Vice President

may provide a narrative that outlines improvements for the next year.

Staff

All other non-faculty employees are evaluated annually by their direct

supervisor, using major responsibilities set out at the beginning of the fiscal

year. During the evaluation, each staff member performs a self-assessment

of accomplishment of major responsibilities and professional attributes

followed by the supervisor’s evaluation. The supervisor may provide a

narrative that outlines improvements for the next year.

The evaluation metrics for all personnel are provided in the

appendices of this Guide.

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Appendices

STILLMAN COLLEGE Planning and Implementation

Administrative and Educational Support Services College Division: Unit/Program: Year: Strategic Plan Goal: Operational Goal: Objectives Person(s) Responsible Timelines Budget Implications

STILLMAN COLLEGE Evaluations and Use of Results

Administrative and Educational Support Services College Division: Unit/Program: Year: Strategic Plan Goal: Operational Goal: Objectives Means of Evaluation Actual Results Use of Results Documentation of Use

of Results

DEFINITIONS AND EXAMPLES FOR PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION AND USE OF RESULTS

College Division One of six divisions within the college; e.g. academic affairs, finance and facilities, student affairs, institutional advancement, strategic initiatives, or institutional effectiveness Year The academic year for which data is being provided; e.g. 2018-2019 Strategic Plan Goal One of nine goals provided within the 2017-2022 Strategic Plan Operational Goal List of goals provided by the unit in the 2017-2022 Strategic Plan Objectives What tasks must be completed in order to accomplish the operational goal listed? The objectives are also included in the 2017-2022 Strategic Plan; however, the objectives may be changed over time as progress is made or if it is determined that the objective is not reasonable. Person(s) Responsible Who will complete the task? Timelines When will the task be initiated? When will it be completed? These items may change in each I.E. cycle as progress is mae. Budget Implications What will it cost to complete the task? If this amount is substantial, the college must adjust the budget accordingly to facilitate the task. Means of Evaluation How will you know that the task has been completed? What will you be measuring, reviewing, observing? e.g. satisfaction survey; review of donor list; review of enrollment report; review of sales Actual Results What was accomplished during the year? Did the item you are interested in increase, decrease, or stay the same? e.g. Did you raise more money?; Did you enroll more students?; Did you decrease interest paid?; Did you obtain more grants? Did you improve satisfaction? Provide the change in the item (baseline vs. improvement) Use of Results How will you modify the actions of your unit during the next cycle based upon the results obtained during this year? If your actual results are perfect – will you continue as is? If your actual results were okay – how could you improve? If you actual results were not good – what will you do differently next time? Documentation of Use What evidence can you provide that demonstrates you used the results of Results as described? e.g. minutes, emails, flier, report, etc. that document the change during the next I.E. cycle

STILLMAN COLLEGE Academic Plan

Defining Student Learning Outcomes Department: Name of Department Major: Name of Major Student Learning Outcomes: Upon the completion of a major in , students will be able to: Provide list of student learning outcomes and label as content, critical thinking, or communication In chart below, list all courses required for graduation in major, identify where the specific SLO is introduced (I), reinforced (R), and assessed (A). Provide the assessment tool for each SLO and identify the expected result. Add additional columns as needed to accommodate the list of SLOs.

Required Courses/

Graduation Requirement

Content Critical Thinking Communication

SLO#1 SLO#2 SLO#3

Assessment Tool

Anticipated Result

I – Student Learning Outcome Introduced R - Student Learning Outcome Reinforced A - Student Learning Outcome Assessed

STILLMAN COLLEGE Academic Plan

Assessment and Use of Results Department: Name of Department Major: Name of Major Assessment Period: List the semester(s) when results were gathered In chart below, list the assessment tool and anticipated result provided in the Academic Plan – Defining Student Learning and Program Outcomes. Then provide the actual results from the assessment period, describe the next steps (how will you use the results to improve the program), and determine a timeline for next steps.

Content Critical Thinking Communication

SLO#1 SLO#2 SLO#3 Assessment

Tool

Anticipated Result

Actual Result

Next Steps

Timeline for implementation

STILLMAN COLLEGE FACULTY WORKLOAD FORM

NAME POSITION DEPARTMENT SEMESTER DATE A. TEACHING

COURSE DESIGNATOR

COURSE NAME

# STUDENTS ENROLLED

B. ADVISING Number of Academic Advisees: Advisor to Organizations: C. COMMITTEES D. PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS E. COMMUNITY SERVICE