Institutional Effectiveness is the systematic and continuous process of collecting, analyzing, and distributing data and information linked to goals and outcomes developed by each program to embrace the mission and vision of Edgecombe Community College. Institutional Effectiveness does not occur in isolation nor is it a one-time activity. It is an ongoing, cyclical process composed of goal setting, implementation, evaluation, assessment, and improvement that is applied at every level of the college and involves all faculty, staff, and students. Institutional effectiveness is dynamic and constantly evolving. It is a fundamental part of ECC’s commitment to continuous improvement of programs and services. At ECC, we are committed to the review of our mission, goals, and objectives, and to the measurement, evaluation, and reporting of the outcomes of our activities to ensure the quality of our services.

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness provides administrative assistance, coordination, information, and data analysis for college’s planning and research activities. The office works collaboratively with all members of the college to fulfill the educational mission of the North Carolina Community College System and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges while achieving the mission and vision of the college. The office facilitates the incorporation of assessment, planning, and institutional research to evaluate and enhance all academic programs and services.

The office collects, analyzes, organizes, and disseminates data and institutional information by conducting the following activities:

• Providing leadership that encourages campus-wide participation in the planning process
• Facilitating and serving as the liaison for the collection, distribution, and exchange of college-wide information to support institutional decision-making, planning, and reporting
• Guiding the development, implementation, and assessment of strategic planning and institutional improvement throughout the college
• Coordinating institutional evaluation and assessment activities
• Developing and publishing institutional reports
• Assisting with the development of appropriate outcomes and evaluation measurements
• Facilitating the utilization of evaluation results to improve processes
• Assisting programs with compliance and accreditation requirements
• Guiding the college through a successful Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges reaffirmation process and assisting in the preparation of responses
• Monitoring the utilization of institutional goals and objectives in the development of the college budget

Planning Process

Planning and assessment at ECC begins and ends with the college mission. Specifically, measurable educational and service outcomes have been derived from a mission and long-term goals that stress educational access, comprehensive choices, and quality. How effectively the college achieves its expected outcomes is a measure of overall institutional effectiveness.

The conceptual model of ECC’s annual cycle of planning and assessment operates on two types of planning, assessment planning and strategic planning. Assessment planning involves setting specific, measurable program and service outcomes that describe the benefits that students, faculty, staff, and other community stakeholders can expect.

Strategic planning supports assessment planning by setting the future direction of the college and by anticipating the physical and human resources necessary to provide timely, effective, and meaningful outcomes. Both types of planning are superimposed on a four-stage, quality improvement based cycle. Each stage (Plan, Do, Study, and Act) is depicted by a separate quadrant of the model and each quadrant is subdivided into specific planning and assessment activities.

Performance Results

In February 1999, the North Carolina Board of Community Colleges adopted twelve (12) performance measures for accountability. The performance measures focus primarily on student success and serve as the college’s primary public accountability tool. In the 2007 Session, the General Assembly approved a modification to the North Carolina Performance Measures and Standards as adopted by the State Board of Community Colleges on March 16, 2007. The result was a reduction in the number of performance measures to eight (8). In 2011, the performance measures were reviewed and revised again to both reduce their number to seven (7), and to include baselines and goals for each standard. In March 2015, the Performance Measures Committee reviewed the measures and established a three (3) year review process. The State Board of Community Colleges reviews the accountability measures and performance standards annually to ensure that they are appropriate for use in recognition of successful institutional performance.

The seven (7) required standards include Basic Skills Student Progress, Student Success Rates in College-Level English Courses, Student Success Rates in College-Level Math Courses, First Year Progression, Curriculum Completion Rate, Licensure and Certification Passing Rate, and College Transfer Performance.

NCCCS Dashboard