Executive Staff

Mission

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness facilitates the systematic evaluation of how well we accomplish our mission, goals and intended student outcomes. We use evaluation results for continuous improvement of our instructional programs, institutional services, and activities. Specifically, this includes:

• Designing, developing, and man aging an outcomes assessment system and a quality improveme nt program;
• Championing assessment, evaluation, and accountability in all campus planning and improvement efforts;
• Advising the institution in areas related to the PBA (Planning, Budgeting, and Acc ountability) process and strategic/operational planning;
• Providing training and consultative services; and
• Providing support in all ongoing considerations for institutional re gional accreditation as well as specialized progr am accreditation or certification.

Several organizational changes affecting the offices of Institutional Effectiveness (IE), Planning, and Institutional Research and Information (IRI) have occurred during the past five years. Prior to fall 2006, these offices reported through Student Affairs. They now report to the President as part of the Executive Division in the Office of Planning and Budget in a consolidation of the functions critical to evaluation and planning. This organizational change provides increased visibility for planning, research, and assessment and clearer connection with senior administrative and central institutional activities. In addition to the organizational change, these departments now occupy a suite of offices within the Browning Administration Building, providing greater opportunity for interaction.

  As a result of findings during the previous NWCCU Self-Study, a full-time Director of Institutional effectiveness was hired in 2006. In the fall of 2007 the director accepted another position on campus. Though a national search was conducted and a replacement was selected, that search failed after the candidate (months later) rescinded his acceptance of the position. Senior administration reviewed staffing and

leadership needs for Institutional Effectiveness and determined to hire a half-time faculty member as the Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning and a full-time staff Assistant Program Director. To provide further emphasis to academic program assessment and support institutional planning, the Director has a dual-reporting relationship to the Executive Director of Planning and Budget and the associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. The temporary absence of leadership in Institutional Effectiveness did slow previous momentum, but this delay also provided the administration an opportunity to reconsider the structure of the department and implement long-term improvements.

  The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning helps to identify key outcomes and objectives for the institution and indicators to measure those outcomes. The Director chairs the Academic Institutional Effectiveness Committee and serves as a staff member on planning committees across campus, including the Accreditation Executive Committee; Planning, Budgeting, and Accountability Coordinating Committee; General Education Committee; Engagement Advisory Committee; and Strategic Directions Advisory Committee (SDAC). Both the Director and Assistant Program Director have been instrumental in reviewing and developing UVU’s proposed Core Themes and Objectives.

  Each department and division on campus develops outcomes and related methods of measurement connected to that unit’s mission and goals. Alignment with the institutional mission is critical. Each program is required to report outcomes assessment on at least a two-year cycle. The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning works with department chairs and directors to develop and refine unit outcomes assessment plans; provides workshops to faculty and staff to increase knowledge and awareness of assessment practices; and maintains a warehouse of current and completed outcomes assessment plans, program reviews, and other assessment-related documents.

  Over the past several years and, most notably, in the last 18 months, the university has made significant progress in program assessment and the use of that information in program review, improvement, and development. A recent reorganization within Academic Affairs, combined with a new Academic Assessment Specialist position, provides greater energy and focus toward program assessment and student learning outcomes. Discussion is underway with academic leadership and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness to further define and support systematic assessment for program improvement and to better communicate student learning outcomes and assessment results. Some immediate initiatives for program assessment improvement include:  

• Integration of multiple program review activities (such as specialized accreditation and cyclical program reviews) into individual department/program portraits. UVU will shortly identify a vendor to help establish an integrated and ubiquitous planning/assessment documentation system.
• Development and implementation of a process for evaluating these portraits through greater use of institution and school/college assessment committees
• Development and publication of an internal UVU handbook on planning and assessment

  To strengthen the link of planning and assessment to resource allocation, President Holland has directed leaders to more strategically align resource requests with UVU’s core themes and objectives and provide evidence of need through the use of assessment.