PEER REVIEW MEETS JUNE 14TH
Eighteen faculty and staff met on June 14th to review the academic assessment reports that were created for 2016-2017. Participants in the photo foreground include Dr. Jimmy Case, Dr. Sharon Hileman, and Dr. Jorge Hernandez. Feedback from the reviewers was sent back to the program coordinators for any editing necessary. All of the academic assessment reports will be included in the SACSCOC Compliance Report for SRSU accreditation. Reviewers from the past two years observed that the reports demonstrate ongoing refinement of the academic programs that we offer SRSU students.
DR. JOHN HARDT VISITS SRSU
On June 6, 2017, Dr. John Hardt met with over 70 faculty, administration, and staff groups from Alpine and RGC to review our preparations for our SACSCOC Accreditation Compliance Report that is due on September 11th. He stated that we are making good progress, and he gave us tips for completing the project. Once the report is filed in September, it will be reviewed by an off-site review committee in November who may give recommendations for revisions, and then SRSU will host our on-site review committee in April 2018. The on-site committee’s findings will be forwarded to the SACSCOC Board of Directors for review, and the final decision on SRSU accreditation will be announced by SACSCOC in December 2018.
QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM
Members of the QEP Committee met with Dr. John Hardt, SACSCOC Vice President, during his visit on June 6, 2017. He commended the group for their progress in the important areas of 1) broad-based involvement; 2) identified goals; and 3) institutional support including budgeting. The QEP theme, Navigating Excellence through Effective Communication, was well-presented in an exhibit designed by Professor Carol Fairlie in the display cases in BAB 201.
INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH
Backlog clear!
Though IR services continue to be in great demand, I am happy to announce that the backlog is gone! I would like to thank all of you for your support and patience. There are still a number of major projects to tackle this summer: continue efforts to build a data warehouse; overhaul the Graduating Student Survey (GSS); and launch the IR Blog among others. I will be working on editing the GSS survey in July, so I will be asking some of you for your participation. If you are interested in providing input for the GSS, please contact me at axv16gy@sulross.edu.
SRSU Info Website Launch
Al Brautigam has been hard at work finalizing the new SRSU Info site to be launched this fall. Beta testing of the site is currently underway while the soft-launch is scheduled for late this summer. We expect the site will be fully launched a few weeks before the Fall term begins. We appreciate the assistance and support of all the Beta Testers who are helping us make sure we have a smooth and successful launch in the Fall.
STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE
Strategic Plan Coordinator, Dr. Eric Funasaki, has been reviewing the 87 measures for the five goals of the Strategic Plan, STRATEGIES FOR THE SECOND CENTURY 2017-2022.
1) Promote Growth in Academic, Research, and Artistic Excellence; 2) Target Recruiting, Maximize Retention, and Increase Graduate Rates; 3) Strengthen a Sustainable and Diversified Financial Base While Ensuring Affordable Access; 4) Recruit, Retain, and Develop Faculty, Staff, and Student Employees; and 5) Unify and Enhance the Image and Visibility of Sul Ross. During the summer, he is meeting with administrators and faculty and staff to prioritize measures for implementation in Year One. More information about the Strategic Plan will be presented at the August 28th Staff Meeting with the President.
SUMMER SACSCOC CONFERENCE IN AUSTIN
Libby Newman, April Aultman Becker, and Dan Foley will be attending the conference on July 16-18, 2017. They will be gaining new information for developing our Quality Enhancement Plan and preparing for our SACSCOC Accreditation.