M. PearlDRAFT

Notes on Assessment and Mission Statement

Date: 11/07/18

Notes on LAMC Mission Statement and Goals

Mission

  1. Is a statement designed to inform the public of the purpose of the organization.
  2. Distinguishes the community college from other kinds of educational institutions.
  3. Defines the population to be served (see Accreditation standards).
  4. Is reflective of the college philosophy.
  5. Outlines the primary focus of the college as outlined in Title 5, such as offering: lower division transfer courses in arts and sciences, vocational and technical courses, general or liberal arts courses, community services classes, economic development, basic skills instruction, support services.
  6. May be stated with a set of goals that reflect the above categories and that may function as the organizational outline for college plans.
  7. Is congruent with the California Community College mission defined in Title 5.
  8. Is to be reviewed regularly (accreditation standards), but is relatively stable over time.
  9. Is published in the college catalog and other publications aimed at students and the public.

College Goals

  1. Are relatively permanent statements of the major accomplishments that

the college will achieve.

  1. Reflect the entire scope of college activities.
  2. Are reviewed annually but not changed frequently.
  3. Can be listed in the college catalog with brief mission statement and together are labeled “Mission and Goals”.
  4. Are very useful in organizing the objectives in all levels of plans (e.g., institution level, department level, unit level). Examples of goals include: increase student access, increase student success, increase institutional effectiveness.

ACCJC/WASC Accreditation Standard 1.2:

“The mission statement defines the students the institution intends to serve as well as the parameters under which programs can be offered and resources allocated.”

(Taken from Planning Resource Guide, RP Group of the California Community Colleges, Sept. 1997).

1. Mission College Goals Statement

The goal is a most generic statement of a problem or an ideal. The goals should relate to either (1) a perceived problem or (2) an ideal which the college is attempting to promote. The goals developed for the college are institutional level goals, but goals can also be departmental, program, and course specific. Specific, concrete objectives should be established for each goal, the attainment of which would lead to achievement of the goal. In addition, the college can identify specific strategies which provide guidance as to how objectives can be approached. Outcome measures and assessment methods can be attached to each of these objectives.

An example of this is LAMC Goal #5: The college will increase and integrate the use of technology to better serve and educate students. The next step, which is a large part of the planning process, is to formulate one or more objectives--specific, concrete, actions--which would lead to the attainment of this goal. Moreover, the technology area is so broad that this goal can be approached in different ways. Strategies (e.g., incorporate technology into classroom) need to be considered. Each objective would then have an associated outcome measure and assessment technique. These objectives could be established at the discipline or program level.

Goal #2, Increase student access, retention, and success, while sufficiently generic, states the goal in terms of the outcome measures. I think that it says that if the desired outcome is attained (e.g., increased access) then goal is attained. I think it would be more effective to state the goal in terms of a perceived problem or ideal.

For example goal two is to “increase access, retention, and success”. It can be inferred that the institution has some problems, the symptoms of which are low access, retention, and success (the outcome measures). What is the underlying problem? As an example, let’s say that it’s our perception that incoming students possess low basic skills and therefore tend to drop courses, get poor grades, or leave the college. I think it would be better to state the goal in terms of the problem (low basic skills) instead of the symptom (measures of outcome). “Recognizing that lack of basic skills is an impediment to student retention and success, the college will ensure that under-prepared students will attain the necessary basic skills to advance to higher levels of study.” Now, acquisition of basic skills for under-prepared students is the goal. Disciplines can then devise concrete objectives, measures and assessment methods to attain this goal. The goal of attaining basic skills for the institution can then be translated into program and course goals.

Goal #1: Inferred problem is that the college is not adapting programs and services to meet student needs.

What are student needs for educational programs? This could be assessed at the institutional or discipline level. For example, using LMI information, transfer, basic skills, and other educational goals. Objectives (and accompanying outcome measures and assessment techniques) for each discipline could be designed to meet student needs.

What services do students need to facilitate their educational experience? A similar process applies to student services. The need for services can be derived from the students’ needs for educational programs.

Finally, the evaluation can take place. What is the current state of alignment of college provision of educational programs and student services relative to student needs? This may occur at the discipline, program, and institutional levels.

2. Related Assessment Issues

Goals statement doesn’t reflect an “output” goal. E.g. “Mission College will produce a student who can … (exercise critical thinking and reasoning skills).

Our mission is to “provide the highest quality education for each student who comes to us”. It doesn’t state an institutional commitment to produce a “quality product” or ensure a certain level of competency. The mission statement also doesn’t say anything about efficiency, growth.

3. Mission College and PFE Goals

Although I think that some of the goals below are not really goals (they’re measures), and that outcome measures really relate to specific objectives (not generic goals), below is a schema for looking at PFE and Mission College goals. I do not think that there is a problem in defining appropriate measures or indicators and have suggested some in the table below. Reading across the columns, what is apparent is that (1) there is some overlap between PFE and LAMC institutional goals and (2) no institution level goals have been redefined as program or course objectives.

Schema for PFE and College Goals

Goals / Measures or Indicators / Partnership for Excellence (PFE) / Mission College
Institution / Program or Discipline / Course
Transfer / Transfers to 4-year institutions;
Transfer readiness / X / ? (Goal #1)
Awards (Degrees and Certificates) / Degrees and certificates awarded / X / ? (Goal #1)
Successful Course Completion / (operational definition needed) / X / X
Workforce Development
Successful Course Completion:
Apprenticeship / (operational definition needed) / X / ?
Successful Course Completion: Advanced Vocational Courses / (operational definition needed) / X / ?
Successful Course Completion: Introductory Vocational Courses / (operational definition needed) / X / ?
Increase number of Businesses benefiting from training through Contract Education. / (operational definition needed) / X / ?
Increase number of employees benefiting from training through Contract Education. / Satisfaction with CE training; enrollment in CE courses. / X / ?
Increase number of individuals receiving fee-based job training. / Count of participants / X / ?
Basic Skills Improvement ("number of students completing coursework at least one level above their prior basic skills enrollment.” / (operational definition needed) / ?
Access / Enrollment from under-represented groups (ethnic, language, income, etc.) areas, high schools; recruitment visits; off-campus locations; distance education; internet courses offered and enrollment.
(operational definition needed) needed) / X
Evaluate and adapt educational programs and services to meet students needs. / Probably qualitative at this level. (Need to assess student needs for educational programs and services, e.g., basic skills, employment, transfer, general interest) / X
Diversify Environment / Recruitment of students, faculty, staff; College or program course requirements; / X
Strengthen Relationship with Community. / Cooperative ventures (meetings, forums; number of meetings, attendance); use of college facilities (requests, numbers involved); Community service program enrollments; Foundation activities (number of events or participants) / X
Increase and integrate use of technology. / Computers used; contact hours spent by student/faculty in instructional mode; Courses/programs having computer content or applications (operational definition needed) needed) / X
Develop a facilities plan based upon educational and community needs. / Qualitative: Develop, utilize and revise plan. Utilize planning process. / X
Maintain fiscal stability and seek alternative sources of revenue to enrich and expand educational programs. / Grant applications ($ received); Foundation activities ($ raised); specially funded program awards; contract education course enrollment or revenue. / X

Assessment Critique1

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