CHAPTER 6 Planning &' Assessment Planning &' Assessment Criterion 4: YSU Can Continue to Accomplish Its Purposes and Strengthen Its Educational Effectiveness Part I: Planning Documents, I988 -2000 Several major planning documents have guided YSU since the last North Central visit: Recommendations Toward a Strategic Plan (1991); Report of the Strategic Planning Team: Further Suggestions. . . Concern- ing Strategic Planning in 1992-1997 (1992); Managing for the Future (1992); YSU 2000: A Vision for a Premier Metropolitan University (1994); and The Challenge Is Change: Ohio's Master Plan for Higher Education (1996). Other planning documents include annual budgets, technology plans/ and capital plans. In 1989/ the Academic Planning Committee of the Academic Senate recommended that the administration engage in a more participatory process for developing long-range institutional plans. The resulting process included development of an "exposure draft" to elicit wide- spread comment on future directions of the University. The final draft, presented on August 30,1990, recommended: (1) immediately and significantly expanding recruitment/ outreach, and development activi- 6-2 NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION SELF STUDY - ties; (2) modifying existing planning activities to create one process that serves all planning needs; (3) expending resources to protect the enrollment base and areas of achievement and to increase access, and (4) increasing information capacities and services. The Academic Planning Committee of the Academic Senate responded to this report by developing a document entitled Recommendations Toward a Strategic Plan. RECOMMENDATIONS TO WARD A STRATEGIC PLAN AND REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING TEAM Recommendations Toward a Strategic Plan was adopted by the Senate and presented to the Board of Trustees in spring 1991. It recom- mended that a strategic planning team be charged with further refining the planning process. This team, composed of both faculty and adrnin- istrators, addressed such topics as resource acquisition and allocation, academic programs, scholarship, academic structure, student services, institutional advancement, and planning. Its report, titled Report of the Strategic Planning Team: Further Suggestions to the New Adwinistra- tion and the Board of Trustees Concerning Strategic Planning in 1992- 1997, recommended that the Academic Senate, through its Academic Planning Committee, conduct biennial evaluations of adherence to the strategic plan. Although the report coincided with the arrival of the new president and provost, who instituted a different planning struc- ture and processes, several of the team's recommendations were incor- porated in YSU 2000. MANAGING FOR THE FUTURE In 1992, the Ohio Board of Regents, at the request of the governor, required each of Ohio's state-assisted colleges and universities to organize a Managing for the Future Task Force to suggest ways public higher education could become more effective and efficient. At YSU, community leaders, business executives, and educators worked to- gether to develop recommendations for cost containment included in the resulting report, Managing for the Future. The University reports progress toward meeting recommendations of this document to the Regents annually. This annual report provides specific examples of cost containment, with estimates of dollars saved and additional informa- tion about institutional priorities, efforts at strategic planning, and institutional best practices. CHAPTER 6: PLANNING & ASSESSMENT 6-3 YSU 2000 The University developed the strategic-planning document YSU 2000: A Vision for a Premier Metropolitan University in 1993-94. This docu- ment, discussed under Criterion 1 (Chapter 3), includes the Youngstown State University Mission and Goals Statement approved in 1993; Campus Space and Remodeling Plans, an outline of projected physical development formulated by the President's Cabinet and campus and community representatives; and Institutional Strategies, an overall institutional context for the future, developed within the University divisions. The Institutional Strategies evolved from the University Mission and Goals Statement as each division developed goals and objectives consis- tent with the mission. Common themes among these goals and objectives shaped 13 strategies: Enhance community leadership and partnership. Expand commitment to diversity. Expand international activities. Promote collegiality. Integrate teaching, scholarship, and service. Implement outcomes assessment and new procedures and pro- grains that improve effectiveness. Extend program-development activities. Extend institutional visibility. Implement Campus 2000. Create an electronic campus. Strengthen student recruitment and retention. Expand revenue streams. Extend development efforts. Specific goals for achieving each of the strategies appear in YSU 2000. After this document was developed, the Academic Planning Committee became relatively inactive in overall planning because many of its func- tions were assumed by other governance groups. 6-4 NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION SELF STUDY -- THE CHALLENGE IS CHANGE Youngstown State University works in cooperation with the Ohio Board of Regents (OBOR), the planning and coordinating group for state institutions of higher education in Ohio. The regents issue peri- odic master plans, most recently The Challenge Is Change: Ohio's Master Plan for Higher Education (November 1996). YSU and the other state institutions had an opportunity to comment on and shape this plan. It will continue to influence higher education across Ohio but has little direct impact on the operation of individual institutions. The Challenge Is Change identifies five core values to guide state institutions of higher education in Ohio: 1. affordable access to higher education for Ohio citizens; 2. highquality learning experiences that help students develop to their fullest extent; 3. basic and applied research that contributes to knowledge and meets regional and statewide needs; 4. services that help citizens, communities, regions, and the state, as well as businesses and industry to meet their goals; and 5. effective, efficient use of limited resources and accountability for the use of public funds. In February 1997, YSU1s newly created University Planning and Budget Committee discussed the relationship between The Challenge Is Change and the University's own strategic-planning document, YSU 2000. The committee found the state master plan consistent with the purposes and strategies contained in YSU 2000. By working to achieve the plan developed in YSU 2000, the University will implicitly contribute to achieving the Master Plan for Higher Education in Ohio. BEYOND 2000 The development of future comprehensive planning documents has been assigned to the University Planning and Budget Committee, organized in January 1997 and charged with developing long-term vision and direction for the University-specifically, what will YSU look like in 2008, the 100th anniversary of the institution? How can YSU continue to build distinctive programs or services? Further, as noted under Criterion 2 (Chapter 4), the committee is charged with providing institutional perspective on and assessment of the goals and directions of the University. Its functions include clarifying insti- tutional purposes and directions, reviewing divisional plans and priorities, and then linking resource allocation to the medium- and long-term goals of the institution. CHAPTER 6: PLANNING & ASSESSMENT 6-5 -. Part II: Planning and Assessment ~rocesses The 13 strategies identified in YSU 2000: A Vision for a Premier Metropolitan University provide a framework for moving the Uni- versity into the 21st century. Annually, institutional goals and objec- tives related to these 13 strategies are developed through discussion within and across divisions. These annual priorities are discussed with the Board of Trustees, disseminated to the campus through the Administrative Advisory Council, reviewed again at mid-year, and finally assessed at an annual retreat. Each division assesses progress toward achievement of these strategies and then identifies objectives and priorities for the upcoming year. The following paragraphs summarize the relationship between planning and assessment in each of the divisions. DIVISION OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Mission and Goals Each unit in the Division of Academic Affairs has developed a mission and goals statement linked to the mission and goals of the University. These statements serve as planning documents, outlining short- and long-term goals for units, colleges, and departments. Within the context of the mission and goals statements, faculty mem- bers and administrators develop individual goals for the upcoming year. Faculty members, in consultation with their department chair- person, set goals in teaching, scholarship, and service (see the YSU- YSU-OEA Agreement, section 11.7). Furthermore, the Council of Deans annually develops plans and goals for the upcoming year and reviews progress on the preceding year's activities. Mission and goals state- ments of the individual units are revised periodically. These state- ments are available in the deans' offices within the respective colleges, as well as in the NCA exhibit room. Annual Reports. Annual reports reflect each year's progress in achieving missions and goals, serving to focus the efforts of individuals and units, to highlight what has been achieved, and to identify what needs to be done during the next year. College annual reports, which are organized according to the six purposes that accompany the Youngstown State University Mission and Goals Statement, provide specific ex- amples of each unit's contributions to realizing the vision of YSU as a premier metropolitan university. 6-6 NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION SELF STUDY -. Program Development Curricular development and planning for the use of resources are initiated at the department level and linked to the mission and goals statements of the department, college, and University. Major resource requests (faculty positions and equipment) are reviewed by the respec- tive Dean's Advisory Council, from which recommendations are for- warded to the Provost's Advisory Committee, where decisions are made. Curriculum development falls under the purview of the Academic Senate for undergraduate programs and under the Graduate Council for gradu- ate programs. New academic programs must be submitted to the Ohio Board of Regents for approval. Before development of detailed course and pro- gram proposals for submission to Senate committees, there is an informal preliminary-approval process to determine support for the program from the department, college, University administration, and Ohio Board of Regents. The goal is to ascertain at an early stage in program develop- ment those programs that are worthy of consideration and financially feasible. A concept commentary (see Development of Academic Infra- structure, 1994) is developed and discussed with Board of Regents staff. If the program appears viable, the curriculum is submitted to the appro- priate Academic Senate committees. A formal proposal, including an analysis of needed resources, is then forwarded to the Board of Regents. Program Review A program-review process was begun in 1995-96. Program review involves all aspects of departmental programs and is undertaken every five years for programs without national accreditation. Accredited pro- grams undergo an institutional review in the year following the accredi- tation     visit. The specific procedure is as follows: - The department prepares a self-study report that addresses mis- sion and goals, curriculum, teaching, assessment, faculty, students, resources, and projections for the future. Accredited programs use the format required by their accrediting agencies. The department presents the completed self-study report to the college dean and to a reviewer from another university, who visits the department and then provides a written report to the depart- ment and dean. Visiting teams and accrediting-agency reports fulfill this function for accredited programs. The respective dean and the Dean's Advisory Council review the reports. Procedures for providing feedback vary by college. The department submits the self-study to the Office of the Provost. The Provost's Advisory Committee reviews the self-study report, and the department chairperson meets with the PAC to discuss the program and answer questions. CHAPTER 6: PLANNING & ASSESSMENT 6-7 The PAC provides comments to the provost, who then prepares a report of strengths and weaknesses and areas for future focus by the department. The department responds to the specific feedback by developing an action plan and reporting progress on the plan in its annual reports and in its next five-year review. Since the Provost's Advisory Committee makes recommendations about the allocation of resources, the program-review process pro- vides a natural link between assessment and budgeting in the Division of Academic Affairs. Program review in the School of Graduate Studies also takes place in five-year cycles, which usually correspond to the cycles for departmental reviews. These graduate-program reviews, mandated by the Ohio Board of Regents Advisory Council and the Higher Education in Ohio Master Plan (1976), take the form of self-study and critical evaluation by the department and review by the Graduate Council, with feedback to the dean of Graduate Studies. Departmental responses and action plans are required before the Graduate Council recommends continuation of the program. The results of graduate-program review are examined by the Provost's Advisory Committee during departmental review. The relationship between assessment and planning in the Division of Academic Affairs can best be summarized in the following table: Table 6.1 Assessment and Planning in the Division of Academic Affairs Faculty Members 1 Student Evaluation of Teaching 1 Annual Goals Chairpersons Dean's Informal Evaluation Annual Goals Deans Merit Evaluation Annual Goals Academic Departments Annual Report Mission and Goats Student Assessment Assessment Plan Program Review Action Plan Response Accreditation Review to Program Review Mission and Goals Divisional Priorities 6-8 NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION SELF STUDY -. DIVISION OF BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS Planning YSU 2000 is used to guide planning in the Division of Business and Financial Affairs. Divisional Priorities~or for the upcoming year- are developed within the Division as an outgrowth of the University Mission and Goals Statement and the six purposes and 13 strategies that flow from it. Specifically, near the start of each fiscal year, the five execu- tive directors meet with each of the directors reporting to them to formu- late goals and objectives for the year for the unit. Executive directors also develop personal goals. These two-part goal statements are then used in performance appraisal. Planning in the Division also includes preparation of multi-year plans for development of parking facilities; annual budgets and a three-year budget forecast each year; a Capital Projects plan for submission to the Ohio Board of Re- gents each biennium; a deferred-maintenance plan; and the University Affirmative Action Plan. Special-purpose plans-such as that for the design, installation, and activation of the new telephone switching system-are developed as needed. Assessment The Division has begun identifying objective performance measures for each area as the beginning step in a benchmarking project. Given the diverse services provided by the Division, assessment often takes the form of noting the number of requests for services, the promptness with which requests are filled, and the degree of satisfaction expressed by those who use the services. In certain areas, it is possible to quantify the services, e.g., the number of personnel requisitions filled or the number of purchase orders processed. In other areas, assessment takes the form of evaluating how well services are provided. This is particularly true in the financial area, where an external auditor performs an audit each year. In addition to the audit, the auditor reviews the financial operations and provides a management letter with recommendations for improvements. These types of assessment information are included in annual reports for the various offices. Additional reports from the Division include Personnel Activities Reports and the Affirmative Action Workforce Analysis Reports that are produced quarterly. Each executive director performs an annual assessment of how well the goals and objectives of the department have been met. CHAPTER 6: PLANNING & ASSESSMENT 6-9 The relationship between assessment and planning in the Division of Business and Financial Affairs can be summarized in the following table: Table 6.2 Assessment and Planning in the Division of Business and Financial Affairs DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS Mission and Goals The Division of Student Affairs has developed a mission and goals statement. The mission, which flows from the mission and goals of the institution, outlines the purposes, key priorities, and overall direction of the Division, while the goals serve as a broad plan for achieving the mission. The leadership of the Division, with feedback from staff, devel- ops annual Divisional goals. These goals shape short-term strategies for achieving the broader mission and goals. Each unit and office within the Division of Student Affairs has also developed a mission statement and annual goals consistent with those of the Division and the University. All staff members within the Division, from executive directors to clerical staff, set annual goals regarding professional development, individual improvement, and quality service. At least once during the year and at the end of the year, supervisors meet with staff members to review progress toward achieving these goals. 6-10 NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION SELF STUDY -. Assessment In 1997! the Division formed a Student Affairs Assessment Task Force to facilitate development of a Divisional assessment plan. The task force! using input from the Division, has rewritten the Student Affairs mission statement, making it more specific and assessment oriented. In addition, the task force developed a template as a guide for assessment within departments. Assessmt Tmplates. Each unit or 06ce completes an assessment template outlining specific processes and timelines for achieving its annual goals. When assessment is completed, the results are summarized and added to the template! as is a post-assessment action plan identify- ing what needs to be done in the upcoming year. Beginning in 1998! the Student Affairs Assessment Task Force will =view the templates annu- ally and provide feedback to the units and offices. Annual &pods. All offices in the Division of Student Affairs, using the assessment-template in€ormatio will produce annual reports that highlight achievements, identify shortcomingsl and outline a plan of action for the hmediate future. The Vice President's Cabinet and the Student Affairs Advisory Committee will review the annual reports and make recornendations for further action. Vice President's Retreat. Each year! the vice president of Student Affairs holds a retreat with members of the Vice President's Cabinet and the Student Affairs Advisory Committee to review the accomplishment of annual Divisional goals and to set goals for the upcoming year. All staff are asked for input, and the new goals are communicated widely throughout the Division. The Student Affairs mission statement is also reviewed and revised periodically, as needed. Review of Programs and Se~ces - Each office within the Division of Student Affairs uses additional methods of assessmentl depending on the programs or services pro- vided. These methods include computer tracking systems, participant surveysl focus groups! and customer-satisfaction surveys. The Division administered the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory in lB7 and plans to repeat the survey on a regular basis. A Student Affairs Customer-Service Questionnairel which will be used Division-wide! has been developed to gain broader feedback from students and other customers. Each customer who visits an office will be asked to complete a questionnaire rating the service, staff! physical facilities, and convenience of hours of the office. The responses will be tabulated quarterly in the office of the vice president and used-in consultation with the appropriate executive director, director! and office staff-to make changes in procedures and services. CHAPTER 6: PLANNING & ASSESSMENT 6-11 The relationship between assessment and planning in the Division of Student Affairs can be summarized in the following table: Table 6.3 Assessment and Planning in the Division of Student Affairs DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS Each unit of the Division of Development and Community Affairs- the Public Service Institute, Intercollegiate Athletics, University Rela- tions, University Development, Media Services, Special Events and Events Preparation, and WYSU-FM-develops annual priorities. The director of each unit, in collaboration with staff members, develops goals and objectives for the upcoming year. The Vice President's Cabinet coordinates the goals and objectives of the units within the Division and determines Divisional Priorities. Units also develop detailed plans as needed for their area of responsibility. For example, University Relations has a marketing plan, and University Development prepared detailed plans for the Capital Campaign. University Development, in consultation with the Development Council, is responsible for designing and implementing 6-12 NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION SELF STUDY -- fund-raising strategies that increase the level of private support for the institution. The Development Council consists of representatives of the YSU Foundation, the Alumni Association, the Penguin Club, WYSU-FM, the McDonough Museum of Art, the Department of Inter- collegiate Athletics, and the Colleges of Fine and Performing Arts, Arts and Sciences, and Business. To coordinate fund-raising efforts, solicitation of gifts for the benefit of Youngstown State University requires prior approval of the council. Assessment of the effectiveness of the units within the Division of Development and Community Affairs entails evaluation of the goals and objectives accomplished in the preceding year. The results of the evalua- tions shape the planning of goals and objectives for the next year. The Division prepares the University's Annual Report, which recognizes contributors to the University in the previous year and highlights signifi- cant accomplishments. The relationship between assessment and planning in the Division of Development and Community Affairs can be summarized in the following table: Table 6.4 Assessment and Planning in the Division of Development and Community Affairs Events Preparation Merit Evaluation Annual Goals CHAPTER 6: PLANNING & ASSESSMENT 6-13 OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment collects, ana- lyzes, and disseminates relevant data to support decision-making, plan- ring, and assessment activities of the institution. The office is staffed by a coordinator of institutional research, a director of assessment, and one part-time data-systems coordinator. In 1997, the office was moved from the Division of Business and Financial Affairs to the Division of Aca- demic Affairs) and the position of director of assessment was created. The office now reports to the assistant provost for academic planning. These changes were made to support the student outcomes assessment effort and to integrate research/ assessment/ and planning more effectively. In the past six months, the staff has developed a mission statement and identified goals and priorities in six areas: regulatory reporting/ external relations, historical tracking! quality, service, and assessment. The office is responsible for regulatory reporting of institutional data to the Ohio Board of Regents (OBOR) and the federal government. Currentlyt OBOR is implementing the Higher Education Information System (HEI), a new integrated data-reporting system, with reporting scheduled to begin by fall 1998. The coordinator of Institutional Research is responsible for synchronizing the work of several offices across three divisions to develop systems that comply with the new HE1 reporting requirements. Substantial staff time is being devoted to this project! limiting the attention that can be given to other institutional needs. Howevert when completed, the HE1 system will enable Institutional Research to report, analyzet and disseminate both historical and com- parative data more effectively. The Office of Institutional Research also maintains a regular cycle of institutional reports to support recurring decision-making needs of the University. Many of these reports are contained in the YSU Factbook/ a large and unwieldy binder. The Factbook and its updates have been distributed to only a few people/ such as deans and execu- tive directors. &cause accurate, easy-to-understand information is essential for decision making and planning at every level, the reports are being redesigned for distribution to a variety of internal and external audiences. Although Institutional Research has always responded to requests for informationr it has recently taken a more proactive approach to the University's information needs. For examplel staff members recognized that retention data were not being routinely analyzed and disseminated. An advisory committee was convened to determine what retention data are needed, how the data should be calculated, to whom the information should be reported, in what format) and how often. The committee included representatives from all divisions of the University. 6-14 NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION SELF STUDY -. In response to the committee's work, a plan was developed to pm- vide retention statistics on a routine basis, in an easily readable format, to a broad group of people. The new retention report compares one-year retention rates for full- and part-time first-time freshmen over a five-year period; tracks cohort groups from 1992 on, providing retention and graduation rates; and provides demographic information. The report will be distributed widely as part of the University's efforts to involve more employees in enrollment management. An important new focus for the Office of Institutional Reseaa is student outcomes assessment. The director of assessment works with the Assessment Council and academic departments! comecthg the capabili- ties of the office with the assessment needs of academic programs. The director also serves as staff support to the Assessment Councill facilitat- ing meetings, keeping records, organizing resources, planning work- shops! designing and administering surveys, and disseminating educa- tional outcomes data to the campus community. Although the office is relatively small (2.6 RE), it enables the Univer- sity to meet its reporting requirements and to respond to requests from external agencies. Currently housed in temporary quarters, the staff is scheduled to move to larger, more suitable quarters by Sptember 1998. Future goals include developing more efficient methods for data acquisi- tion, enhancing technical capabilities! disseminating information more effectively, and expanding services to meet the specific needs of offices throughout the University. Part III. Transition to Semesters The president of the University appointed a Semester Conversion Work Group in July 1997, with broad representation from the campus community to explore academic and nonacademic issues involved in a transition from quarters to semesters. The transition was proposed because of changes in state-funding procedures, the expense involved in administering a quarter-based institution, the wish to bring YSU into conformity with hstitutions h the state and in western Pennsylvania, and the desire to improve access. Conversion will serve students by facilitating transfer and articula- tion activities and providing time for more in-depth study of course material. Further, iiall-term counting" will begin in 1998. Cur~nt levels are based on enrollments in fall and summer quarters. With the new state formula, subsidies will be tied to enrollment in every term. It is anticipated that a semester system's smaller number of entry and exit points will make enrollment more stable, thus stabilizing or increasing YSU's subsidy levels. CHAPTER 6: PLANNING & ASSESSMENT 6-15 Q2S:-Quarters to Semesters, the work group's report to the president, submitted in September 1997, outlined key principles to serve as guide- lines for the transition, as well as specific recommendations concerning participatory processes, timing, fairness to students, concern for faculty and staff, quality of curricula, calendar and scheduling, open communi- cation, and resources. Also in summer 1997, a subcommittee of the Joint Negotiations Team-a team composed of both faculty and administrative repre- sentatives-began to examine the current YSU-YSU-OEA Agreement to identify areas that would be affected by the transition and to formulate proposals for appropriate changes in language. The sub- committee will make recommendations to the next Joint Negotia- tions Team on issues such as workload, summer teaching, and ex- tended teaching service. Following campus-wide discussion, the Academic Senate supported the change with the following resolution: . . . the Academic Senate conditionally endorses a conver- sion to a semester system, provided that the Academic Senate and appropriate committees are centrally involved in the process of approval of changes to curricula and programs resulting from such a conversion. The president recommended and the Board of Trustees approved the transition at the December 1997 Board meeting. The target date for implementing the calendar change is fall 2000. The work group sug- gested that the president appoint a full-time transition coordinator, who would work with representatives University-wide to ensure a smooth and effective transition. The transition coordinator and transi- tion team were appointed in December 1997. The team includes fac- ulty, administrators, and a student; the coordinator is the current president of the YSU-OEA. The Semester Transition Team is currently working with Aca- demic Senate committees to plan the conversion processes and to develop more streamlined procedures for processing course and program proposals. 6-16 NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION SELF STUDY Part IV: Enrollment Management Youngstown State University recognizes the need to engage the entire campus in understanding and implementing a comprehensive approach to enrollment management. The goals of enrollment manage- ment at YSU are to clarify the desired enrollment; formulate enrollment goals that will sustain the goals of the institu- tion; address the issue of quality of entering students; review and correct institutional image and market position; address marketing, public relations, and advertising; mobilize the campus to develop and implement strategies to increase the retention and graduation of students; make better use of data in decision making related to enrollment management; and provide staff development to achieve the goals of strategic enroll- ment management. An Enrollment Management Council-led by the president and consisting of the provost, executive vice president, vice president for Development and Community Affairs, vice president for Student Affairs, deans, and executive director of Enrollment Management-has been recently formed to coordinate activities directed toward these goals. Additional subgroups may be formed to address specific tasks such as marketing or curricular delivery. The council has served as a catalyst to stimulate a series of actions intended to stop the enrollment decline and lead in the long run to enrollment growth. These actions include a series of public-relations activities and a new advertising campaign during the critical applica- tion months. The Office of New Student Relations and the Office of Admissions have merged in one location. This reorganization will streamline communication with potential students. The merger facili- tates the use of the Enrollment Management Action System (EMAS) for admissions functions, as well as recruiting functions. This inte- grated admissions system will minimize data entry and improve response time. Several other, short-term strategies have been implemented or planned. The process of re-enrolling former students is being streamlined. A monthly time-payment tuition plan will be in effect for fall-quarter registration. A two-year projected schedule of course offerings will be available in May to assist current and prospective students in their planning. CHAPTER 6: PLANNING & ASSESSMENT 6-17 Longer-term strategies are also being implemented, such as a new standard-of-progress policy for purposes of federal financial aid. The new policy is expected to improve retention of financial aid recipients. The use of financial aid as a recruitment tool is being examined and improved. For example, award notices in 1998 are being made two months earlier than in 1997. Through dissemination of the results of the Student Satisfaction Inventory, the campus is being engaged in discus- sion of issues related to retention. Many units are planning additional ways to contribute to the enroll- ment-management effort, and assessment of activities is ongoing. For example, within the Division of Academic Affairs, colleges have devel- oped recruitment plans, and the Office of Institutional Research has developed a plan for collecting and disseminating retention data. The Division of Student Affairs sets goals for its recruitment activi- ties and uses a variety of measures to monitor the success of recruit- ment and retention efforts. EMAS software enables Student Affairs to track the effectiveness of advertising and recruitment efforts. Recruit- ment-program participants complete surveys, and results are used to make modifications. The Division conducts focus groups with guidance counselors and high school students to review marketing materials. Periodic surveys are conducted of students who apply for admission but choose not to attend YSU, and exit interviews are conducted with students who withdraw. Additional information regarding enrollment-management activities can be found in the Recruitment section of Chapter 1 and the Access and Diversity section of Chapter 7. Conclusions PLANNING Youngstown State University has instituted the planning processes required to continue fulfilling its educational mission. As pointed out by the 1988 NCA team, previous planning had lacked the specificity neces- sary to influence actions. Since 1992, planning has become more system- atic and dynamic, less ad hoc and reactive. Each division within the University helped shape the vision of YSU 2000, and in turn each division's plans are shaped by that vision. Planning is particularly strong within the Division of Academic Affairs. Through annual goal setting, faculty and professional staff focus indi- vidual activities on the mission and goals of the University, college, and department. Divisional resource allocation is also closely attentive to these statements. Planning within this Division appears to be thoughtful, coher- ent, systematic, and well integrated into the functioning of the Division. 6-18 NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION SELF STUDY -. Planning processes are well underway in other divisions as well. In each division, the merit performance-appraisal system links individual administrators' objectives with divisional priorities. All divisions estab- lish goals and evaluate progress toward them annually. The institution is also planning carefully to meet major challenges such as conversion to the semester system and integration of technology into instructional and administrative areas (see discussion of the Elec- tronic Campus, Criterion 2, Chapter 4). Converting from a quarter system to a semester calendar is an extremely demanding, labor-intensive pro- cess. All parties must recognize the need to collaborate to make the transition successful. The transition leadership team will need adequate resources for planning and implementation. The role of the Senate's Academic Planning Committee in planning and assessment activities is unclear. Members participated actively in the development of YSU 2000. Since then, the committee has been relatively inactive in overall planning. However, specific assignments-such as reviewing the University's class-scheduling format and examining academic matters related to semester conversion-have been referred to the committee by the Academic Senate. The Academic Planning Commit- tee is represented on the University Planning and Budget Committee. Planning is especially important and especially challenging because of the lack of "new" money. Competition for a portion of the budget creates frustration as units try to reconcile vision with available re- sources. Resources within divisions have been, and must continue to be, reallocated to respond to changing priorities. Institutional planning for interdivisional reallocation has been the responsibility of the President's Cabinet until recently. The institution has had to make difficult decisions (e.g., a $6.7 million base reduction), recognizing that such decisions are not always well understood by faculty and staff. The Planning and Budget Committee was created to expand the process so that individuals across the campus can understand and help shape the institution's response to financial realities. ASSESSMENT Youngstown State University has only recently begun to assess institutional effectiveness and educational outcomes systematically. Progress has been made, but efforts to collect data to measure institu- tional effectiveness are not consistent across units. Some units system- atically seek direct feedback from users of services, while others rely on informal comments to identify problem areas. Academic and noninstructional units need to develop more systematic methods to measure effectiveness. However, formal assessment is increasing, particularly in the Division of Student Affairs, which has established a Student Affairs Assessment Task Force and plan. CHAPTER 6: PLANNING & ASSESSMENT 6-19 RECOMMENDATIONS Reallocate resources to provide sufficient support for the semester transition. Intensify faculty- and staff-development activities related to assessment. Reward effectiveness and encourage assessment activities by developing closer links between budgeting and assessment. Develop a more formal and systematic approach to the assessment of institutional objectives in areas that lack a defined plan. Clarify the roles of the Senate Academic Planning Committee and the University Planning and Budget Committee. Youngstown State University meets Criterion 4. Youngstown State University has the written plans, as well as plan- ning processes, to ensure that the institution can continue to accomplish its purposes. The University has integrated assessment with planning to strengthen educational effectiveness. Evidence is provided in Chapter 4 that YSU has a sufficient base of human, physical, and financial resources upon which to build the future. 6-20 NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION SELF STUDY