COLLEGE DECISION

TSTC-Harlingen supports the concept of program improvement through the Quality Enhancement principle of active participation at all levels of the organization, and through the planning, implementation, evaluation, and adjustment of its purposes, policies, and procedures.

PROCEDURE:

1. A. The Vice President for Student Learning and the Chair of Instructional Development Services (IDS) will appoint the Assessment and Improvement Teams according to the following criteria:
   1. Each Assessment and Improvement Team will consist of three individual members.
   2. Team Members must be employed by TSTC for a minimum of 2 years.
   3. Members of the Team will be appointed for a two year term.
   4. Program Assessment and Improvement Team members will not be eligible for re-appointment for a period of 2 years after their initial appointment has expired.
   5. All qualified department chairs and faculty members will be required to serve.
   6. A Team Leader will be appointed by the Chair of Instructional Development Services in consultation with the Vice President for Student Learning.
   7. One Team member will be a faculty member in the division of the program to be assessed.
   8. Team members will not be eligible to serve on a Team charged with evaluating their own programs.
   9. TSTC employees are encouraged to participate in program improvement. Upon completion of the term, each Team member will receive a certificate of participation, a copy of which will be retained in his/her personnel file.
2. The appointed Program Assessment and Improvement Teams will adhere to the following policies:
   1. The new Team members must attend training session(s) provided by Instructional Development Services prior to conducting program assessments. The training will consist of expected standards, reporting procedures and the use of required documents.
   2. The Team Leaders will report directly to the Chair of Instructional Development Services and are responsible for the following:
      1. Reporting Team progress and activities to the Chair of Instructional Development Services.
      2. Adhering to required timelines.
      3. Preparing final Program Assessment and Improvement Report.
      4. Completion of all tasks assigned by the Team Leader in an objective, precise, and timely manner.
      5. Compliance with the standards and procedures of the assessment.
   3. The Chair of Instructional Development Services will assist the program with interpretation of measures and standards, as well as forms used prior to the Team’s on-site visit.
   4. The Assessment and Improvement Team will provide the Chair of Instructional Development Services with a detailed report within four weeks of the on-site visit.
   5. The Assessment and Improvement Team will participate in a formal Exit Interview with the department chairperson and faculty, the Director of Institutional Effectiveness & Research, the Chair of Instructional Development Services, and the Vice President for Student Learning.
3. Assessment and Report Procedures are as follows:
   1. The Chair of Instructional Development Services will distribute the upcoming Annual Program Assessment Schedule to the department chairs of the programs to be reviewed, the Instructional Administration Council and Director of Institutional Effectiveness no later than August 15.
   2. The Chair of Instructional Development Services, in coordination with the PAIT Team Leader and the department chair of the program to be reviewed, will schedule the official start date of the review and notify all participants.
   3. The Department Chair of the program to be reviewed will provide an overview and tour of the program at the meeting scheduled to officially begin the program review. Program review materials will be made available in a convenient location to PAIT members by the department chairperson.
   4. PAIT members will complete their review assignments and reports within four weeks o f the official start date of the review.
   5. The Chair of Instructional Development Services will schedule an exit interview with the PAIT Team, Vice President for Student Learning, Division Director, Department Chairperson and faculty at which the final Program Assessment Report will be presented by the Team Leader.
   6. The Cycle of Assessment and Improvement for Technical Program and for General Education Programs based on PAIT results in summarized in the tables below.

      PAIT CYCLE OF ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVEMENT - TECHNICAL PROGRAMS
      Number Received		Next Assessment
      Does Not Meet Standards	Meets/Exceeds Standards
      0-1	6-7	Three years
      2	5	Two years
      3 or more	4 or more	One year

      
      

      PAIT CYCLE OF ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVEMENT - GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS
      Number Received		Next Assessment
      Does Not Meet Standards	Meets/Exceeds Standards
      0-1	5-6	Three years
      2	4	Two years
      3 or more	4 or more	One year

4. The Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research will monitor the process of Program Assessment and Improvement as follows:
   1. The Chair of Instructional Development Services will inform the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research of all scheduled program reviews.
   2. The Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research will attend all exit interviews.
   3. The Chair of Instructional Development Services will provide the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research with a copy of each Program Assessment and Improvement Report.
   4. The Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research, in cooperation with the Vice President for Student Learning, will present a short oral report to the President’s Council on each program review.
   5. The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research will follow-up on recommendations and suggestions included in each report by tracking the action taken by administration and/or the program(s).6. The Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research will prepare a follow-up report for submission to the Vice President for Student Learning and the President of TSTC-Harlingen.