Institution: |
Highland Community College |
Submitted: |
2004-01-12 |
Contact: |
Jeff Davidson |
Email: |
jeff.davidson@highland.edu |
Telephone: |
815-599-3417 |
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Timeline: |
Planned project kickoff date: 01-01-2005
Target completion date: 01-01-2005
Actual completion date: — |
A. Give this Action Project a short title in 10 words or fewer: |
Developing a Data-Driven Planning and Decision Making Culture
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B. Describe this Action Project’s goal in 100 words or fewer: |
The goal of this project is to make the college’s planning and decision making systems more data-driven. One key component in this process is improving access to, and use of, the college’s information system, which has traditionally not been available for direct access by faculty. Even for staff with access to the information system, querying the system for information has been difficult. Third party software tools will be implemented to address these issues. Improved access to data will allow us to develop a culture based on systematic, data-driven planning and decision-making.
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C. Identify the single AQIP Category which the Action Project will most affect or impact: |
Primary Category: Measuring Effectiveness
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D. Describe briefly your institution’s reasons for taking on this Action Project now — why the project and its goals are high among your current priorities: |
Highland Community College has for many years used the Banner administrative and financial software system. This database system is reasonably effective for the regular, well-trained, frequent user to access individual records and to run standard required reports. However, it has less utility for the typical decision-maker who is unable to write search scripts in the query language. Access to the system has been historically limited to Admissions and Records staff, Advisors, Financial Aid staff and a few others. Faculty has not had ready access. The college desires to make the information in its database much easier to access by many more college personnel. Another rationale for this project is to change the college culture into one in which the use of data and subsequent interpretation are routinely used in planning and decision-making. By making information more readily available, the use of data-grounded information, rather than anecdotal “facts,” will become the norm in support of problem-solving. Our expectation is that long term this will lead to real college-wide process improvements.
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E. List the organizational areas – -institutional departments, programs, divisions, or units — most affected by or involved in this Action Project: |
Areas affected are all areas where staff participate directly in decisions impacting the college. This includes the vast majority of our internal stakeholders, including faculty, administration, and support staff. Information Technology staff and software trainers will also be affected due to the need to maintain software tools and address training requirements.
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F. Name and describe briefly the key organizational process(es) that you expect this Action Project to change or improve: |
The processes that will be affected span across all of those college processes where problems are identified and staff seek to bring about improvements. Student processes involving registration, advising, faculty interactions, scheduling, enrollment management, program planning and evaluation are most likely to be affected.
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G. Explain the rationale for the length of time planned for this Action Project (from kickoff to target completion): |
We will form a broadly representative committee to oversee each action project. In addition to the specific task given to each committee, these committees will also be required to develop a program or system to regularly update the entire college community on the progress of the project. These committees will also need to be open to input from throughout the college community and will actively need to seek that input. Finally, the AQIP steering committee will regularly distribute an AQIP newsletter as a tool for continuous “marketing” of the AQIP function on campus.
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H. Describe how you plan to monitor how successfully your efforts on this Action Project are progressing: |
1. Extent to which staff and faculty identify on survey instruments enhanced data use in the processes identified above. 2. Extent to which decision-making involves the use of new data items.
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I. Describe the overall “outcome” measures or indicators that will tell you whether this Action Project has been a success or failure in achieving its goals: |
1.Number of information system users. 2. Extent to which data/information is used in decisions. 3 Extent to which staff expresses satisfaction with the accessibility and use of the information system. 4. Extent to which the college develops long range plans and uses them to drive specific decisions.
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J. Other information (e.g., publicity, sponsor or champion, etc.): |
1. Collect pre-project survey data on the current extent of use of the information system. 2. Provide access and training to faculty for the “web” product. 3. Provide access and training in use of Web Focus software tool. 4. Provide training in data-oriented problem solving.1. Review the efficacy of available data, data sources, and data collection methods. 2. Promote data-driven process improvements. 3. Survey extent of information system use. 4. Begin develop of long range plans based on data-driven analyses of college goals.1. Continue data-driven problem solving and decision-making. 2. Survey extent of information system use. 3. Begin implementing plans developed in the prior year.
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K. Project Leader and contact person: |
Contact Name: |
Matt Gargano, Director Information Technology |
Email: |
matt.gargano@highland.edu |
Phone: |
815-599-3432 Ext. |
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