540-338-1776

Institutional Effectiveness

At Patrick Henry College

accred_sm.jpgThe Office of Institutional Effectiveness coordinates the assessment, planning, and evaluation cycles that promote accountability for the continuous improvement of programs and services at all levels of the institution.  We support our colleagues in this process through the clarification of goals and the identification of measurable expected outcomes.  The evaluation of actual results against expected outcomes prompts the College to affirm or modify its strategies for Mission fulfillment.

 

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Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Patrick Henry College
10 Patrick Henry College
Purcellville, VA   20132

Phone: 540.441.8060
Fax: 540.441.8069
Email: IE@phc.edu

 

Research & Assessment

Students, alumni, faculty, staff, and other key constituents are periodically invited to communicate with College leaders by means of surveys, focus groups, or other assessment methodologies, including the Noel Levitz® Student Satisfaction SurveyTM, the CIRP Freshmen Survey®, and alumni surveys.  Certain student learning assessments are administered to measure attainment of learning objectives for the Core curriculum or other academic programs, such as the ETS®Proficiency Profile, Project SAILS® (Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills), or ETS® Major Field Tests.  Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other key constituents regularly contribute to the body of assessment data that campus leaders use to inform improvement plans.

In collaboration with offices throughout the College, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness conducts research that campus leaders use to measure mission fulfillment, including research on enrollment, finance, financial aid, faculty loading, and library resources, among other core functions.  This information is reported to accreditors, state regulators, in institutional publications, and other databases for a variety of purposes.

A necessary element of the effectiveness strategy at PHC is the establishment of expected outcomes for certain Mission critical research and assessment items.  Meaningful expected outcomes (or benchmarks) provide context to assessment data and are useful for identifying opportunities for continued improvement.  Expected outcomes are identified by the relevant person(s) on Assessment Plans.

Planning & Evaluation

Collectively, research and assessment data inform improvements at the institutional level and within the educational programs, academic and student support services, and administrative support units.  Effectiveness planning (i.e. the process of measuring actual results against intended results and developing plans for improvement) is formalized through strategic planning, academic program reviews, unit level planning, and interim enhancement reports.  The Office coordinates these various cycles; at the conclusion of each cycle, campus leaders evaluate actual performance and use results for further enhancement.

 

Other Functions

Additional functions of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness include:

  • Promoting compliance with accreditation and regulatory requirements;
  • Maintaining a database of institutional memberships with external entities;
  • Monitoring adherence to best practices in higher education;
  • Tracking relevant trends and developments in higher education policy at both state and federal levels
  • Coordinating compilation of documentation and reports for accreditors and state regulators, facilitating site visits when necessary
  • Providing support for the external reporting needs of other functional areas
  • Serving as the College's primary "accreditation liaison" to institutional stakeholders, prospective students and their parents, and interested public
  • Providing the president and executive officers with conceptual and data-driven guidance to prioritize, plan, and implement the College's strategic initiatives

Visit the Office of the Registrar for more information

Office of the Registrar