There are several processes that fall under Syracuse University’s Institutional Effectiveness umbrella. Each is summarized below.
Strategic Planning
- Responsibility: School/college deans, divisions, and respective teams
- Timeframe: Updates and revisions to strategic plans are conducted on an ongoing basis. Implementation and monitoring reporting timelines to be established.
The school/college/division strategic plan is a systematic 3–5 year organizational plan that drives action to address the gap between the current state of affairs and the desired state. The strategic plan’s operationalization is guided by an implementation and monitoring plan. The school/college/division’s assessment results and program review contribute information to the strategic plan’s implementation.
Program Review
- Responsibility: Deans, department chairs, and faculty
- Timeframe: Conducted on a four-year cycle. One quarter of each school/college’s departments are reviewed on an annual basis. Program review documents are due to the Provost in March.
The purpose of program review is to maintain a set of high-quality academic programs that support our educational objectives while making effective use of out institutional resources. Programs are reviewed on four criteria: quality, demand, cost effectiveness, and centrality to mission. Our goal is high-quality programs that are consistent with our mission, sought by students, and sustainable.
Dean’s Office Assessment and Action Plan
- Responsibility: Deans and associate deans
- Timeframe: Conducted on an annual basis
- An annual assessment update is completed in the University’s assessment management system, Planning & Self-Study. Each success outcome in the Dean’s Office assessment and action plan is assessed at least once over the University’s four-year assessment cycle. The annual update is due November 1.
This process assesses the academic and functional areas within schools/colleges in a comprehensive assessment and action plan and helps to inform the school/college’s strategic plan implementation.
Academic Program, Co-Curricular and Functional Assessment and Action Plan
- Responsibility: Faculty, department chairs, unit/program directors, and staff
- Timeframe: Conducted on an annual basis.
- An annual assessment update is completed in the University’s assessment management system, Planning & Self-Study. Each learning and/or success outcome in the program’s or unit’s assessment and action plan is assessed at least once over the University’s four-year assessment cycle. The annual update is due November 1.
Assessment of student learning outcomes is an ongoing reflective process conducted by the faculty for each academic program. Academic program assessment focuses on student learning outcomes associated with knowledge, skills, abilities, capacities, attitudes, or depositions to be gained by students who complete the academic program. Co-curricular and functional area assessment focuses on aligning learning and/or success outcomes with the program’s or unit’s mission. Together these assessment activities ensure institutional effectiveness.
Middle States Accreditation
- Responsibility: Middle States Steering Committee
- Timeframe: Conducted on an eight-year cycle. Syracuse University hosted its peer review team in March 2018 and provides MSCHE with annual updates.
Syracuse University is accredited by the Middle State Commission on Higher Education(MSCHE). Middle States “…accreditation is an expression of confidence in an institution’s mission and goals, its performance, and its resources.” Individual schools/colleges, academic programs, and other University areas may have specialized accreditations as well. A listing of specialized accreditations and the University’s accreditation schedule can be found on the IE website.