This update will be distributed each month throughout the SRSU/RGC campuses to keep everyone informed and to invite everyone’s participation, as we are measuring our success. Please forward your contributions, comments, and questions to jqvarnstrom@sulross.edu.
SRINFO Website for HB 2504
Many thanks to all faculty for uploading their syllabi onto the new HB 2504 website that features syllabi, curriculum vitae, and selected items from the student course evaluations for each semester. To comply with the law, this will be a process followed each long semester as well as summer sessions.
Anyone who has comments or suggestions about the process is invited to share them with Al Brautigam or Alejandra Villalobos Melendez or Laura Polanco.
A pizza party will be offered again during the spring semester for the first academic department to upload all syllabi.
QEP Oversight Committee Activities on Many Fronts
QEP Logo
All students (SRSU and SRSU-RGC) are invited to submit an entry for a QEP logo. The logo should represent the theme, Compass: Navigating Excellence Through Effective Communication. All entries must be submitted by October 31, 2017. The designer for the winning logo will receive $500.00.
QEP Professional Development
The QEP sub-committee is planning to hold a professional development workshop in Alpine and Uvalde this fall semester. Presenters will discuss strategies to implement the three student learning outcomes for the QEP:
1. The student will demonstrate effective development and expression of ideas in writing.
2. The student will exhibit skill in prepared, purposeful oral communication of material or concepts.
3. The student will create and deliver visual works that facilitate audience understanding of a central message or purpose.
Dates and times will be announced soon.
To join the QEP efforts, contact Dean April Aultman Becker in Alpine or Dr. Dan Foley in RGC.
Strategies for the Second Century 2017-2023 Strategic Plan
Implementation of the Strategic Plan for Sul Ross State University, RGC began in June 2016. My thanks to the many individuals who met with me this summer to discuss their roles in implementing the 88 strategies in the Strategic Plan. During the 2017-2018 academic year, at least 56 of the 88 strategies will be addressed.
Strategic plan innovations with the Sustainability Council implementing sustainability initiatives, Dr. Sally Roche developing a leadership program for faculty and staff, and Dr. Sharon Hileman and Dr. Theron Francis organizing an on-campus graduate and undergraduate research symposium starting in spring 2018. If anyone has questions or comments about the strategic plan, contact Dr. Eric Funasaki at 432-837-8109 or eric.funasaki@sulross.edu
INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH
Updated and Improved Website!
We are excited to share the news about the IE Website improvements. A shout-out to Rob Stolz in helping us completely revamp the IE site. You can now find information on assessment, program reviews, log into TracDat, access current and previous IE Newsletters (now the IE Blog), access NSSE reports and a complete Institutional Research section! On the IR section, you will find facts and highlights, many resources of public data about SRSU, the IR data request form, the IR Blog, reports of institutional surveys and access to Qualtrics. We hope these improvements make it a more useful site, so please give us your feedback and let us know what else you would like to see in our site.
It’s Official Reporting Season!
Fall is here and with that comes a busy time for official reporting at IR. Over the next month, SRSU has reports due to the Department of Education (IPEDS), the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), the system office (TSUS) and the Coordinating Board (THECB). There are also upcoming Program Reviews at both campuses and other departmental requests. If you have a departmental request over the next few weeks, please submit it with as much advance as possible. Your patience is much appreciated!
CORE CURRICULUM CYCLE FOR 2017-2018
This academic year, faculty who teach core curriculum courses will be incorporating teamwork skills and communication skills into their courses. Students’ knowledge of these skills will be assessed each semester through student surveys on blackboard, embedded assessments, and the National Survey of Student Engagement and the ETS Proficiency Profile to be administered in spring 2018.
ADMIN IE REPORTS
Non-Academic Assessment coordinators, please be on the look-out for e-mails regarding our upcoming 2017-2018 assessment cycle. Libby Newman will be contacting each individual department to meet about making changes and updates to this year’s assessment reports. We are ready for another great year! Thanks!