Office of Institutional Effectiveness

The continuous improvement cycle underlies everything the Office of Institutional Effectiveness does.  We provide support for strategic planning and the continuous improvement of all academic programs, educational support units, and administrative units at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA). The office provides oversight, training, analysis, and support for ongoing assessment of administrative operations and student learning outcomes.

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.”[1] Measuring the attainment of student learning outcomes and administrative operations aligns directly with the university’s mission and strategic plan.  We are expected to measure things that are important to continuously improve our operations and ultimately, the quality of education our students receive.

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness specifically seeks to:

• Promote data informed decision-making and the adoption of the continuous improvement into the culture of SFA.
• Provide training, information and support for faculty, staff and administrators as they carry out their duties and responsibilities in ongoing improvement processes.
• Assist in developing and managing a strategic plan that is measurable and capable of moving the university forward.
• Promote the development of academic schedules that support on-time delivery of courses to reduce time-to-degree completion and increase graduation rates.
• Provide course offering analysis and schedule monitoring.
• Conduct individual consultations with, and provide feedback to, faculty, staff and administrators charged with developing and implementing continuous improvement processes.
• Provide training and assistance in the use of the improvement management systems (Nuventive Improve, Platinum Analytics and Astra Schedule).
• Maintain institutional effectiveness records.
• Conduct ongoing research of developing issues in assessment, institutional effectiveness and accreditation in higher education at the local, regional and national levels.
• Actively manage classroom assignments that optimize instructional capacity while being sensitive to pedagogical requirements and faculty preferences.

Institutional planning and effectiveness involves all academic programs, university services, administrative units and stakeholders. Our office advocates incorporating the continuous improvement cycle in decision-making processes at all levels; and provides a sound basis for budgetary decisions and resource allocations.

[1][1] Attributed at various times to Peter Drucker, Lord Kelvin, William Thomson and Yoda