UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
PLANNING AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE
REQUEST FOR INPUT
PRESENTED BY:
Jay Kalra, Chair, Planning and Priorities Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
May 21, 2009
SUBJECT:
University of Saskatchewan Draft Achievement Record
COUNCIL ACTION:
For input only
DISCUSSION SUMMARY:
The Quality and Accountability Commitment is one of the four supporting strategies
expressed as commitments within the Second Integrated Plan and the creation of a
University Achievement Record a key outcome of that commitment. Throughout the
year, the identification of performance and benchmark measures has been a key
consideration of the Planning and Priorities Committee related to the Provost’s intent as
the commitment’s executive sponsor to collaboratively define a set of broad universitylevel indicators by the fall of 2009. On May 1, a symposium on the Quality and
Accountability commitment was held, attended by over 75 individuals from across
campus, including members of the Planning and Priorities Committee.
The commitment to measure performance is critical to inform decisions and to
demonstrate accountability through reporting to stakeholders. The indicators will
contextualize the university’s performance relative to comparable institutions and enable
the university to assess its own performance over time. In order to gauge the progress of
the university’s strategic directions and to report on this progress to the public, the
university has developed a set of assessment indicators called an “achievement record.”
All colleges and units have been asked to propose those indicators comparable to their
unit. The Planning and Priorities Committee supports the identification of outcome
measures at the unit level, and recognizes that the college and unit plans have identified
benchmarks based upon specific measures. Although colleges and units will adopt the
university-wide indicators articulated in the university’s achievement record, by defining
specific indicators to report to their own constituencies, colleges and units will be able to
account for their own unique circumstances and differences. The committee also
recognizes faculty members will direct their efforts towards success within their
discipline from a national perspective.
The Planning and Priorities Committee believes that performance measures should be
selected based on the university’s aspirations; that the indicators should be transparent
and relate to core institutional priorities; and that the indicators selected should be stable
and provide the ability to report on multi-year results. The intent is to enhance
performance measured against a balanced set of indicators over a range of activities. The
committee acknowledges the difficulty of disciplinary differences in selecting reporting
measures, and asserts that with transparent recognition of these differences, their
existence should not be a barrier.
In general, the committee has supported the development of a limited number (about 7 to
10) of broad measures, which resonate across the university and allow flexibility for
colleges and units to measure those activities most relevant to their mandates. The draft
achievement record proposes a set of practical indicators within five broad areas, with
subsets of related assessment indicators. Further development on related concepts,
available benchmarks, appropriate targets, and coordination with units will occur as
needed following the adoption of the Achievement Record.
The five broad areas proposed are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Student experience and success;
Teaching and learning;
Research, scholarly and artistic work;
Institutional effectiveness, efficiency and endurance;
Reputation and community engagement.
In keeping with the principle employed that the Achievement Record should be widely
discussed and collaboratively used, the views of Council members on the proposed areas
and indicators is sought. It is emphasized that this collaborative venture is essential in
ensuring that the institution develops an Achievement Record that adequately reflects the
nature and scope of its core activities. In the process, members are asked to consider the
effectiveness of the Achievement Record in supporting multiple purposes, including
accountability, informed decision-making, streamlined processes, and a common
framework for action.
In addition to the discussion planned at the Council meeting, comments, suggestions and
questions can be directed to Lori Auchstaetter at 966-8484 or lori.auchstaetter@usask.ca
ATTACHMENTS:
University of Saskatchewan Draft Achievement Record
DRAFT ‐ University of Saskatchewan Achievement Record Area 1: Student Experience and Success 1. Student Recruitment and Demand a. Scholarships and awards b. Student enrolment c. Instructional activity 2. Student Retention Success a. 1st to 2nd year undergraduate retention b. Completion rates (within specified time periods) 3. Student Diversity a. Graduate students b. Aboriginal students c. International students 4. For Future Development: Student Satisfaction and Learning Outcomes a. Student evaluation of their educational experience b. Measurement of knowledge and understanding c. Demonstrated level of competence Area 2: Teaching and Learning 5. Quality of Instruction and Instructors a. Peer and student evaluation of teaching b. Faculty with external awards and recognition 6. Teaching and Learning Environment a. Library resources b. Technology enhanced learning opportunities 7. Enriching Opportunities for Students a. Internal learning opportunities b. External learning opportunities c. Blended learning opportunities Area 3: Research, Scholarly and Artistic Work 8. Faculty Recruitment and Retention a. Ratio of applicants to positions b. Competitive salary c. Senior and co‐authored papers Achievement Record ‐ For Q&A Symposium Page 1 of 2 9. Faculty Research Activity a. Tri‐council funding b. Total research funding c. Faculty holding grants 10. For future development: Research Output and Engagement a. Publications, performances, citations and exhibits b. Research and career awards and recognition c. Public impact of research Area 4: Institutional Effectiveness, Efficiency and Endurance 11. Utilization of Human Resources a. Ratio of students to faculty b. Faculty and staff engagement c. Faculty and staff turnover 12. Utilization of Financial Resources a. Ratio of administrative to total expenses b. Management of Trusts and Endowments 13. Utilization of Capital Resources a. Facility Condition Index 14. For Future Development: Sustainability a. Sustainability initiatives Area 5: Reputation and Community Engagement 15. External Assessment a. External rankings b. Survey of perceptions of university as good corporate citizen with stakeholders c. External reviewers’ perceptions of the University of Saskatchewan d. Survey of alumni 16. For Future development: Community‐Based Activities a. Public participation b. Community service Achievement Record ‐ For Q&A Symposium Page 2 of 2