Pulling It All Together

1. Pulling It All Together Maintaining a balanced perspective of assessment processes in the IR office TAIR 2002 Corpus Christi, Texas

2. Organizing your workload Sandra Shingleur Research Assistant, Texas A&M University-Texarkana Dealing with persistent challenges Lillian Young Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Central Texas College, Killeen Pulling It All Together TAIR 2002

3. Keeping research at the top of your priorities Julie Thomas Coordinator of Institutional Research, Central Texas College, Killeen Managing external mandates Dick Roach Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Texas A&M University-Texarkana Pulling It All Together TAIR 2002

4. Pulling It All Together Organizing your workload Sandra Shingleur TAIR 2002 Corpus Christi, Texas

5. Keeping track of the tasks and prioritizing the projects can add a valuable sense of control to your office. Building a tracking matrix can help keep you on task when the projects pile up, and can help you to effectively delegate and manage projects. Organizing your workload TAIR 2002

6. Top 10 signs that you may need to use a tracking matrix Your boss assigns you to the project you’ve been working on for three weeks. You missed your last time estimate by four days. The campus safety committee notifies you that your office is a fire hazard. The project you just submitted was cancelled five weeks ago. Five of your seven wall calendars have expired. Organizing your workload TAIR 2002

7. Top 10 signs Your inbox has a proposal in it dated May 14, ‘98 Your office decor is “Pattern Post-it” Your boss commends you for an early arrival, but you’ve not left the office yet. Your forty hour work week is attained by Wednesday morning Your family uses this list to determine the engraving for your headstone. Organizing your workload TAIR 2002

8. Person Responsible Project Due Date Notes Organizing your workload TAIR 2002

9. Prioritizing those tasks can be as simple as asking yourself some basic questions: Organizing your workload TAIR 2002

10. Will this project contribute significantly tothe goals of the institution and/or department? Is there another project that demands my attention? Is it important? Or is it urgent? Who are the major stakeholders in this project? Organizing your workload TAIR 2002

11. What will happen if the project is delayed? What are the manageable components of the project? Can this entire project be delegated? Can part of the project be delegated? Is there another study that provides much the same information? Organizing your workload TAIR 2002

12. “As a field of higher education, institutional research will be fruitful and gather strength if the individual researcher neither allows himself to be intimidated by those who wish to save our institutions through pervasive management un-tempered by social conscience nor permits himself to ignore the value to be derived from management tools when aptly applied… Organizing your workload TAIR 2002

13. “If we are pretentious in our pride for our achievements to date, then let us simply accept it: if we are satisfied to rest with this achievement we are foolish, and if we cannot accelerate and enlarge on our achievements, then I for one, will be damned disappointed.” Organizing your workload ~Sidney Suslow~ TAIR 2002

14. Pulling It All Together Dealing with persistent challenges Lillian Young TAIR 2002 Corpus Christi, Texas

15. Prioritizing IR tasks Inconsistent data Inaccurate information Reports too complex Conflicting data Making recommendations Replicating reports Dealing with Persistent challenges TAIR 2002

16. Prioritizing IR tasks Proactive vs. reactive Anticipate needs Review efficiency Delegate Negotiate priorities Relate priorities to purpose Communicate with constituents Catalog reports and services Persistent challenges TAIR 2002

17. Inconsistent data Review data collection methods Review procedures, noting: Sharp changes in data Where new systems came on-line Where new staff were employed Document inconsistencies Document procedures for correction Persistent challenges TAIR 2002

18. Inconsistent data (cont.) Document changes in collection procedures Correlate definitions Maintain error diagnostics plan Document limitations of data Persistent challenges TAIR 2002

19. Inaccurate information Review data collection methods Build cooperation with other departments Assess the capabilities and limitations of information systems Persistent challenges TAIR 2002

20. Inaccurate information (cont.) Build processes that address system and staff limitations Evaluate information systems processes Document limitations Establish team processes to address system limitations Promote institutional information systems upgrades Establish IR’s role in information systems design Persistent challenges TAIR 2002

21. Reports too complex Establish client objectives An executive summary Avoid statistics in the narrative Use most effective statistical tool Simplify explanation of complex statistical techniques Persistent challenges TAIR 2002

22. Conflicting data Look for: Changes in data collection procedures Installation of new data system Policy changes affecting data Document inconsistencies and corrective actions Persistent challenges TAIR 2002

23. Conflicting data (cont.) Procedures manual Evaluate data definitions across the institution and other organizations Routine to detect and correct data errors Checks and trends Rules for anomalies Program error diagnostics Relational edits Persistent challenges TAIR 2002

24. Conflicting data (cont.) Explain limitations of the data Share “preliminary reports” with key personnel Persistent challenges TAIR 2002

25. Making recommendations Provide alternate actions Steer studies to “issues” orientation Keep it relevant Maintain “problem-solution” orientation Present alternate solutions Estimate advantages and disadvantages Recommend one solution as best Persistent challenges TAIR 2002

26. Replicating reports Detail inventory of reports Negotiate maximum use of existing data and reports Expand report formats for broader utilization Simplify report formats for intensity of impact Persistent challenges TAIR 2002

27. Pulling It All Together Keeping research at the top of your priorities Julie Thomas TAIR 2002 Corpus Christi, Texas

28. Prioritizing IR tasks Time management for research Avoid duplicating efforts Utilizing the research committee Keeping research at the top of your priorities TAIR 2002

29. Prioritizing IR tasks Two Dimensions Importance Urgency Keeping research at the top of your priorities TAIR 2002

30. Keeping research at the top of your priorities TAIR 2002

31. Time management for research Long Term Goals “To do” lists The Lakein Question Keeping research at the top of your priorities TAIR 2002

32. Time management for research Personal Long Term Goals Which of the institution’s goals will make the greatest impact? What would you like to accomplish at your institution in the next 3 years? If you had only one report to influence the future of your institution, what would you choose? Institutional mission and goals Keeping research at the top of your priorities TAIR 2002

33. Keeping research at the top of your priorities • Time management for research • “To do” lists • Reasonable • Sufficient TAIR 2002

34. * Lakein, Alan (1974). How to Get Control of your time and Your Life. Signet: New York. Keeping research at the top of your priorities • Time management for research • The Lakein* Question: • “What is the best use of my time RIGHT NOW? TAIR 2002

35. Keeping research at the top of your priorities • Time management for research • Avoid working on a single tedious task for extended periods • Work alternately on tasks requiring different skills, but maintain focus on priorities! • Accommodate your and others’ good and bad times of day TAIR 2002

36. Avoid duplicative efforts Recycle your data Check to see if it’s been done Make your data available to others Keeping research at the top of your priorities TAIR 2002

37. Utilizing the research committee Presentations by department heads Internal/External analysis Experience and knowledge of diverse committee members Keeping research at the top of your priorities TAIR 2002

38. If there is no research committee, strive for appointment to key committees to: Learn what’s on the horizon Offer research assistance for decision making Make sure you have clear questions to answer, to avoid duplicating effort. Keeping research at the top of your priorities TAIR 2002

39. Pulling It All Together Managing external mandates Dick Roach TAIR 2002 Corpus Christi, Texas

40. Frequently, the work of the IR office is driven by unseen external mandates. Identifying, prioritizing and coordinating these can help researchers manage the tasks at hand. Managing external mandates TAIR 2002

41. Common external drivers State mandates System plans Developing a management system Managing external mandates TAIR 2002

42. Common external drivers Governing Boards Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Closing the Gaps Uniform Recruitment and Retention Strategy Plan Enrollment Management Plan Distance Education Plan P-16 Strategic Initiatives TAMUS -“Regent’s Initiative” Managing external mandates TAIR 2002

43. Common external drivers Legislative Appropriations Texas Legislative Budget Board Governor’s Office of Budget and Planning Texas State Performance Measures Texas State Benchmarks Agency Strategic Plan (repealed – 77th Legislature, HB 1545) Managing external mandates TAIR 2002

44. State mandates Performance measures Five-year projections for Outcomes Customer Satisfaction Report The report on the Survey of Organizational Excellence Results and Utilization Plans Future performance funding Managing external mandates TAIR 2002

45. Common external drivers Accrediting agencies SACS Criteria for Accreditation - 1998 Principles of Accreditation – 2001 Professional program accreditation Managing external mandates TAIR 2002

46. System plans The A&M System’s “Integrative Plan” The UH’s “International Initiatives” UT System’s “Service to Texas in the New Century” Other system plans Managing external mandates TAIR 2002

47. Developing a Management system Design a comparison matrix Keep It Simple Identify the basics of each plan Determine which plan will be primary Use it as a template Develop your matrix as far as necessary to grasp the inter-relationships Managing external mandates TAIR 2002

48. Managing external mandates * Governor Perry’s Special Commission on Education TAIR 2002

49. THECB Closing the Gaps October, 2000 A&M System Integrative Plan September, 2000 Special Commission December, 2000 • ·Recommended High School Program standard; require for admission • ·Recruit, prepare and retain additional well-qualified educators for elementary & secondary schools • ·Ensure students & parents understand benefits of higher education & steps to prepare academically & financially for college • ·Focus efforts on increasing graduates in education, engineering, computer science, math, physical science, allied health, nursing & other critical fields • ·Carry out state's Uniform Recruitment & Retention Strategy and other efforts aimed at making enrollment reflect the population • ·Reward increases in retention & graduation from high quality programs • * Manage growth to provide appropriate educational access • ·Increase the participation and success of underrepresented groups at all A&M System institutions • ·Use technology, where appropriate, to increase access to excellence • ·Teacher education is a critical mission for the comprehensive universities, as is providing access to undergraduate education throughout the State • ·Produce highly qualified graduates for the State of Texas and beyond • ·Provide pipelines to graduate and professional school for graduates of A&M System institutions • ·Cultivate partnerships with community colleges • ·Develop a comprehensive, statewide campaign (comparable to the "Don't Mess with Texas" anti-litter campaign) that informs students and parents of the value of higher education, the academic preparation needed to access higher education, and the availability of financial aid • ·Authorize the "Pre-K-16 Council" to review education issues that contribute to a seamless governance of education from Pre-K through post-secondary education. PARTICIPATION Managing external mandates TAIR 2002

50. Managing external mandates TAIR 2002