Student Achievement Assessment Committee

Construction Management & Technology (Non-credit Instruction/Professional Training and Development)

Service Outcomes

Assessment Methods
(Techniques/Frequency/etc.)

Inferences from Assessment

Actions Taken/
Program Improvements

1. Sustain a lifelong learning program model to serve more people, benefit participants and generate institutional support by training instructors to be customer driven and learner oriented. Outcomes will:

a) determine criteria for course success

b) develop and use performance results

c) adapt to changes which result from evaluation process

2. Provide classes and workshops that the customer demands.

a) Improve course instruction and develop ideas for programming based on the outcome of surveys.

This evaluation will be conducted among participants of Options programs with the intention of ensuring learning outcomes and objectives were met and improving instruction where deemed appropriate.

Assessment tool: Written evaluation

a) Options Director reviews evaluation completed by participants and a quantitative analysis of enrollment patterns is prepared and shared w/ instructor.

Instructor completes a course proposal before class begins with minimum and maximum expectations set and an instructor contract is signed. A new expectation will be enforced as of July 1, 2002 to hold instructors accountable for enrollment, which will ultimately affect instructor pay.

b) Participants evaluate instruction and objectives. A summary is provided to instructors. Changes are determined at this point. A class must score a certain amount of points based on the # of participants & the total # of points possible. This sets the criteria for success. Of the majority of points are not favorable, action will be taken to either improve or eliminate the course.

a) On-going marketing analysis surveyed registrants to determine how they heard about the class for which they registered. This survey was conducted with registration staff via phone interviews when a customer called to register.

c) Customer Evaluation is distributed at the conclusion of a program. See evaluation tool attached.

b) An evaluation was distributed to each participant at the end of class to assess instructor, program content, logistics of location, and several open-ended questions, which enabled the participant to voice opinions.

b) Options Director summarized and provided summary to instructors. Changes needed were discussed at the time of the evaluation summaries.

On-going analysis led to the following inferences this year:

a) Although evaluations helps to improve delivery method and instruction, it does not help increase enrollment.

b) To decrease cancellation rate, instructors will be expected to help generate enrollment and will be compensated on an enrollment basis instead of a flat rate. This should help reduce the number of courses canceled, and increase the number of people enrolled in Options classes.

a) We do not have an adequate assessment tool for evaluating dollars spent on marketing and advertising Options programs. This is evident by the fact that when a class is canceled we don't know if the community wasn't interested in the concept or the dates and times it was offered were inconvenient or even if the people weren't reading the medium in which we advertised.

b) We track enrollment patterns by surveying every participant who enrolls. We ask the person how he/she heard about the class. We hope to target the correct media in which to place ads based on these answers. These results should result in cost savings and an increase in enrollment with properly placed advertising.

a) This survey method helps the director determine if the program met the needs of the customers and if the program should continue. Of course, the net revenue determines this answer as well.

b) Programs could perhaps be more successful if the instructor would assume part of the risk by marketing his own program and generating more revenue.

a) An assessment regarding course offerings should be conducted. A mail survey to the top 200 customers could determine future needs very easily since 80% of business comes from 20% of customers. This assessment will be conducted in July 2002 after CEISP receives marketing data collected from Great Lakes Marketing in June 2002.

A strategic plan was developed to determine the future direction of both CEISP and Option Programs. Please find report attached for the current strategic directions Options will be challenged to meet in 2002/03.

b) This new compensation model should help to hold instructors more accountable so that the burden of lost income is not solely on the Options program's budget. And this will help determine a new criteria for success

a) The solution to offering the right programs is to allocate dollars toward a community survey of the best customers. A needs assessment will be conducted July 2002. (Director was asked not to conduct this survey until summer 2002 after GLM does their report.)

b) 40% of enrollment came from the catalog and Young People's Brochure. Therefore at least 40% of the marketing budget should remain allocated to these two print vehicles. Ads should still be placed in local papers to keep the name circulating in the public eye, but large display ads were not necessary to sell classes. An accurate marketing plan should be designed this next year after conducting a needs analysis.We surveyed the guests at Tea and Tranquility to gather demographic information. Please see a copy of survey and results attached. This will help determine who spends how much on what and where do they come from.

a) Many personal enrichment courses are not generating enrollment nor net revenue so the director eliminated every program that does not meet this criteria and cleaned house as of May, 2002. Fall will have a smaller amount of course offerings, but will leave more time to develop larger, profitable conferences and professional development.

b) If an instructor is not willing to assume the marketing risk (which means s/he will now be paid on a per/person enrolled basis), s/he will no be asked to continue to teach a class for Options. This is effective as of July 1, 2002.

Strategic Plan Update for Options Programs
Director: Cindy Wildes Smith
Thursday, May 23, 2002

Internal Advisory Committee:
Jasmine Gordon Anita Knauss
Sandy Lane Stan Lewis
Cindy Smith

External Advisory Committee:
This group will convene once Dean Balzer officially approves the strategic direction, and the members have been identified.

***Update: The external advisory committee will consist of:

Linda Yang-International perspective (and Marketing/English major)
Tanya Jensen-business professional
Sandi Jacomini-professor at BGSU (Saturday Art program)
Rhonda Schnipke-Gymnastics Director (BGSU Student)
Jim Hasenfratz-(Instructor and marketing professional)

We will convene for the first meeting of External Advisory Committee in early July, 2002.

QUALITY COURSE MIX:
Strategic Direction 1: Develop a system for offering quality courses with enrollments to enhance net revenue. Monitor percentage of capacity to affect instruction and percentage of full guarantee will motivate instructors to take ownership and share the risk of program.

***Update*** focus on these items for the strategic plan.
" Certificate programs
" Professional development/conferences
" Web-based courses

MARKETING COLLECTION:

Timeline: January 1, 2003
Benchmark: Measure number of repeat customers by using FoxPro data. This can be identified after each program ends, enrollment and data collected and delivered in report form at the conclusion of each semester. (*Why just repeat customers? How about % of class capacity and/or % of classes canceled?)-REPORT INCLUDED--

My summer intern and I are collating and gathering this data now. We should have it collected and report back by July 30, 2002.
Options strategic plan/page 2

CANCELLATION RATE:

The Cancellation report for the past two semesters is being included with my performance review materials. Overall, by eliminating the classes with a low rate of return, the cancellation rate diminished by 15% (less cancellations) this spring.

GOAL SETTING FOR NET REVENUE COURSES:
Timeline: This should be included with new budget and goal setting.
Benchmark: Aim to net 20% profit from major events and programs measurable after fixed and variable costs are determined, and before the event is considered for future programming in the next catalog.

Timeline: September 1, 2002
Benchmark: (***Bill's directive is to increase the overall net revenue after all expenses. This can be achieved by eliminating low revenue generating classes and adding new programs that generate a large rate of return on net profit.)

COURSE DELIVERY

Strategic Direction 2: Improve Course Delivery and Offerings

Focus on convenience
Location
Name change
Accessibility
Competitive pricing
Web-based classes
Reduce or eliminate low enrollment/low rate of return classes

Timeline: Between February 2002 and February 2003
Benchmark: Track best customers of Tea and Tranquility to observe other enrollment patterns they may have. This can be conducted between February 2002 and 2003.

***Update: Eliminate Tea and Tranquility after February 22, 2003.***

ENROLLMENT PATTERNS:

Timeline: ongoing each semester
Benchmark: Compare enrollment patterns from year to year to determine spending trends of customers. (I have report if requested.)

Options strategic plan/page 3

DATA COLLECTON:

Strategic Direction 3: Data Collection

Initiate needs assessment and customer surveys
Hire an intern to help facilitate this research
Research how other Continuing Education Units operate
Determine a plan to compete, even with limited resources

Timeline: Summer (by August 15, 2002)
Benchmark: Although I prefer that CEISP invest in a better data collection software, in lieu of that replacement, Options will conduct it's own survey this summer, 2002, with surveys of best customers, phone calls, inexpensive post card surveys and focus groups.

FOCUS GROUP IN THE FIRELANDS COMMUNITY:

(***Update: I am going to conduct a focus group in Firelands this July to determine the needs of the community and interest in BGSU/Firelands professional development. Joyce Steffan will help me facilitate. She has many contacts at Firelands and has taught many classes for them.)

Timeline: Academic Year 02-03 and ongoing
Benchmark: Compare enrollment from semester to semester (Fall to Fall or Spring to Spring to gauge accurate spending). This can be determined from running a report from Fox Pro that will show best customers, how much they spend, when they spend, and what do they spend their disposable income on? I also have this report if requested.

WIA and Work Force Agencies:

Strategic Direction 4: Develop Relationship with Workforce Agencies (school-to-work agencies and federal grant-funded agencies)

Collaborate internally with other directors to avoid confusing external audience with multiple messages
Centralize program offerings within noncredit program areas

Timeline: Began this last summer 2002 and ongoing.
Benchmark: MOBT courses are currently being offered to Bryan and Defiance, OH via the WorkForce Development Agency. We currently have over 20 people enrolled in these courses. The number of participants will measure growth.

Options strategic plan/page 5

Options Name Change:

Strategic Direction 5: Develop a Mission Statement and Name Change for Options

Although Options needs a new mission statement, this should not be the first step. Assessment should be the first step.
Develop a generalized statement as a guide until the mission statement is finalized.
A new name is needed to better reflect the new mission and strategic direction of CEISP and help the community recognize programs offered on and off campus.
Research and investigate what other noncredit CE units call themselves

Timeline: August 30, 2002
Benchmark: Revised mission statement and name change to reflect new strategic directions for Options.

(****Update from Bill on May 20, 2002***Please hold off on changing the name of Options until the CEISP name change has been achieved.)

ADVISORY COMMITTEE:

Strategic Direction 6: Establish a Permanent Internal and External Advisory Committee

Include external people for a fresh perspective
Include internal people who know the ropes

Timeline: Internal Advisory Committee is already formed. External will be formed by beginning of new FY 2002 (July 1, 2002).
Benchmark: The objective of the Options Advisory Committee is to recommend strategies that ensure the best alignment between the external environment and the internal situation. The course of action should rely on building Strengths, minimizing Weaknesses, seizing Opportunities, and counteracting Threats.

(***Update***The entire Options Advisory Committee will meet in late June to review strategic directions and offer suggestions on how to meet the objectives. Their focus will be to keep the Options Director on task and offer ideas and insight into the attitudes of the local community and BGSU environment, the competition and other course offerings in the area.)

Options strategic plan/page 6

Summary and Order of Priorities:

First: Focus on data collection to assist with determining needs by summer 2002.
Second: Evaluate a mix of courses. Offer conferences and more professional development training and workshops. Explore opportunities to partner with Firelands. Look at the percentages of net revenue and break even course offerings. (August 30, 2002 and ongoing)
Third: Develop a mission statement and name change after data is collected by August 30, 2002. (This is on hold until further notice)
Fourth: Improve delivery methods by August, 2002 and ongoing.
Fifth: Create an External Advisory Committee to help determine future direction of a new Options Program by July 1, 2002.
Sixth: Develop specific objectives, which will be determined by Dean Balzer and Program Director, Cindy Wildes Smith. (FY end 2002) New focus will be to develop successful partnership opportunities with BGSU Firelands; offer conferences, workplace training workshops and certificate programs using state-of- the art delivery methods such as web-based learning instruction, distance learning classroom, etc. which will generate a positive net revenue averaging 20% above the expenses.

General Mission Statement for NEW NAME (formerly Options) Programs

Options programs offer quality, noncredit programming mandated by the role and mission of the University to foster the pursuit of lifelong learning. Options classes cultivate a diverse community and collaborate with many constituencies. Program offerings include professional development, personal enrichment via conferences, distance learning classrooms, and web-based instruction.

The new strategic direction for Options Programs will "promote enhanced educational opportunities such as evening, weekend, distance-learning and web-based programming to facilitate the success of traditional and non-traditional learners, " according to the strategic direction of the University.

Options strategic plan/page 7

Bill's final comments to improve this strategic plan:

Better budgeting/enrollment projections, breakevens, net margins, etc.-new model of thinking about revenue & ALL expenses.

BGSU Firelands

Course Mix-Course focus (academic, don't step on toes, keep everyone informed.)

Synergy/Strengthened relations w/ ACPI & Training Center

Overlap-create partnerships

Meet w/ Anne about finding new classes

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