Institutional effectiveness is systemic and ongoing process that allows us to evaluate how well we are fulfilling our mission and focusing efforts and resources on continual improvement.
Elements of institutional effectiveness
- Assessment: collecting and evaluating information about how well we are achieving goals as a university and within functional areas of the campus.
- Planning: frameworks that articulate priorities, focus resources and organize initiatives to affect desired change, and include a cycle of monitoring progress based on indicators (evidence).
- Evidence-based decision-making: using different types of evidence to inform decisions including tactical decisions and those for longer term planning.
SUNY Cortland Model for Institutional Effectiveness
Our model for planning is based on a collaborative and ongoing dialogue among campus colleagues, consideration of accreditation standards, and best practices and scholarship on planning and assessment. The goal is to have a structure that shows the relationship of plans, budgets, and assessments and document how decisions are made.
Guiding Principles for Institutional Effectiveness
- Meaningful goals and measurable objectives for both mission-based operations and for institutional strategic priorities
- Campus involvement
- Processes and structure to ensure alignment of plans, resource allocation, actions, and assessment
- Responsibility for oversight
- Schedule for review of plan
- Transparency of processes and decision-making considerations
Engagement and Oversight
- President’s Cabinet: accountable for ensuring that we have a framework and that it is implemented, communicated, and reviewed on a regular basis. Ensure that the university plan aligns with SUNY system priorities
- Operational leaders: vice-presidents and others that lead operational plans within divisions, align those with mission and tactical work, and align division strategic goals with university priorities
- Institutional Planning and Assessment Committee (IPAC): engage campus on strategic priorities, ensure assessment, and set review cycle
- Resource Allocation Committee (RAC): ensure budget allocation process and protocol is clear, accessible and grounded in mission and strategic priorities
- Stakeholders across campus: plan and assess within their areas and contribute to campus dialogue and decision-making