Institutional Effectiveness

Assessment takes place within the Institutional Effectiveness Framework, supported by its structure and process outlined in York College Institutional Effectiveness Plan.

Institutional Effectiveness is the degree to which York College students attain success in achieving Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) and Student Success Outcomes (SSOs) through investments in organizational capacity and student learning. Institutional effectiveness responds to the needs of our stakeholders, accomplishing our mission and goals, and planning, assessing, and deploying our resources so that students can effectively achieve ILOs and SSOs.

Framework

The Institutional effectiveness framework encompasses two overlapping areas of planning and assessment:

Organizational capacity – i.e., York College’s ability to assess the extent to which it fulfills its mission through sound management and strong operational processes; and

Student learning – i.e., York College’s ability to assess the extent to which it is helping students achieve learning outcomes

Figure 1: Institutional Effectiveness Framework

Learning and Student Success Outcomes (e.g., graduation rates, retention rates, completion rates) act as driving forces for assessment in both the organizational capacity and student learning areas so that the College can more effectively conduct evidence-based decision-making to improve student achievement

Accountability Structure

York's Institutional Effectiveness Accountability Structure illustrates who is accountable for assessment. The Institutional Effectiveness Committee (IEC) coordinates the work of the College-wide assessment committees (Academic Assessment Committee, General Education Assessment Committee and Administrative, Educational, and Student Support Assessment Committee) and reports to the President and the Cabinet as depicted in Figure 3 below.

Figure 3. Institutional Effectiveness Accountability Structure