SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE
Institutional Effectiveness Committee
November 20, 2009
9:00 a.m. – Founders Room
MINUTES
Members Present: Rob Blair, Randy Robertson, Phyllis Kennon, Cary Banks, Todd Gregg,
Mollie McCook-Melton, Sue Ann Lopez, Jack Wardlow, Dennis Chruchwell, Andrew Ruiz,
Rafael Aguilera, Jay Driver, Myrna Whitehead, Katheryn Townsend, Robert Plant, Tiffany
Cavazos, Russell Hall, Sharon Bogener, Debbie Britton, Ann Hebisen, Christi Anderson,
Stephen John.
Members Absent: Kimbra Quinn, Ginger Mulloy, Wayne Langehennig, Patrick Logue,
Deborrah Caddell, Dawn Valles, Urisonya Flunder, Brandon Awbrey, Yancy Nuñez, Jim
Walker.
The Institutional Effectiveness Committee met at 9:00 a.m. November 20, 2009 in the Founders
Room. Minutes of the September 11, 2009 meeting had been previously distributed by email.
Motion by Jack Wardlow, second by Rafael Aguilera to accept the minutes as distributed.
Motion approved.
Tiffany Cavazos was introduced and welcomed as the Student Government Association
representative to the committee. She is a freshman pre-engineering major from Sundown.
The following agenda items were discussed.
Demonstration of TaskStream Accountability Management System
The committee heard a presentation by Courtney Peagler of TaskStream, which was delivered
via webconferencing. Ms. Peagler presented information and demonstrated the TaskStream
Accountability Management System (AMS), which provides a customizable system to facilitate
and manage strategic planning and assessment initiatives institution-wide. The AMS has been
demonstrated to the Administrative Council and Departmental Chairs. Ms. Peagler showed the
various aspects and features of the AMS and how it can be used to develop a collaborative
environment for continuous improvement by centralizing communications and information
and establishing an institutional memory for planning and assessment. She also responded to a
number of questions from committee members, regarding access levels for users, program
reporting, document storage, technical support services, reporting functions, and other aspects
of the system.
Following the demonstration, members discussed the use of the AMS in the college’s planning
and assessment initiatives, noting the following consideration:
 The TaskStream AMS will help standardize planning and assessment initiatives across
the institution
 It will provide online 24/7 access to information and will create a paperless
environment for planning and assessment
 It will provide for a formalized review process of departmental/program plans.
 Implementation of the AMS will require training and support for populating the content
areas of the system
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

It will provide a system for compiling documentation to support reaccreditation
compliance with institutional effectiveness
If it is properly utilized, it has the potential to foster shared decision making institutionwide.
It was explained that the Instructional Deans has reviewed several other data management
systems and found TaskStream to be the most adaptable to our college’s system of planning and
assessment. For this reason, it has been investigated for adoption.
Items that need to be confirmed include:
 Since this is a web-hosted application, what provisions does TaskStream make for data
security, back-up and redundancy?
 The claim of unlimited support needs to be verified with other clients.
 Administrative support for transitioning our paper system to an on-line system
including data and content entry into the system.
It was the consensus of the committee that the TaskStream AMS would be a dynamic resource
in managing the college’s planning and assessment process. Stephen John asked if the
committee would entertain a motion to recommend adoption of the AMS to the Administrative
Council. Motion by Ann Hebisen to recommend adoption. Second by Robert Plant. Motion
approved unanimously by voice vote.
Supervisors Network – LeadSPC
Rafael Aguilera reported that the Supervisors Training Network Subcommittee met November
13 to review its purpose and identified three objectives.
1. Develop programs to improve organizational communications
2. Create opportunities for shared decision making
3. Foster employee awareness, understanding and involvement in planning and
assessment.
The subcommittee will solicit feedback from employees concerning topics for professional
development through a survey. This information will be used to develop and deliver a series of
roundtable discussions that will be held in the spring on the following dates: Jan. 22 on the
Levelland Campus; March 26 at the Reese Center; and April 30 at the Byron Martin ATC.
Assessment & Outcomes Subcommittee
Jay Driver distributed minutes from the Assessment and Outcomes Subcommittee’s Oct. 30
meeting. The subcommittee heard a report on the Five-Year Interim Compliance Report that
was submitted to the SACS Commission on Colleges in October from Yancy Nuñez.
Additionally, Nuñez updated the subcommittee on the review of the TaskStream AMS at the
meeting. Subcommittee members also compiled a list of questions that were presented at
today’s demonstration of the AMS.
THECB Accountability Peer Group Fall Report
Jack Wardlow reported on a recent meeting of the Accountability Peer Group that was
facilitated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. This group serves in an advisory
capacity to the THECB in the further development of the higher education accountability
system. Wardlow shared with committee members a draft resolution from the Undergraduate
Education Advisory Committee calling for a revision of learning outcomes for the general
education core curriculum. The advisory committee is calling for a review and revision of the
1999 document “Core Curriculum: Assumptions and Defining Characteristics” and has
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proposed the following statement regarding learning outcomes as the guiding principle for
decisions for the statewide general education core curriculum:
Through the general education core curriculum, students will gain a foundation of knowledge of human
cultures and the physical and natural world; develop principles of personal and social responsibility for
living in a diverse global world; and cultivate advanced intellectual and practical skills that are essential
for all learning.
He also referenced the Association of American Colleges and Universities Liberal Education
and America’s Promise (LEAP) initiative that the Accountability Peer Group has been asked to
investigate as it sets guidelines for defining “valued added” education and learning in the State
of Texas.
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Announcements
John announced that the IE Committee objectives for 2009-10 presented at the September 11,
2009 meeting have been reviewed and approved by the Administrative Council to serve as a
program of work for the committee.
Wardlow announced that the members of the Institutional Research and Data Subcommittee
will convene for a short meeting following adjournment of the IE Committee.
Spring semester meeting dates were also announced. The IE Committee will meet 9 a.m.
January 29 and 9 a.m. April 16 in the Founders Room of the Student Center.
Adjournment
With no further business or announcements, the meeting adjourned at 10:45 a.m.
Next Meeting
Friday, January 29, 2010, 9 a.m., Founders Room
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