Principles Assessment Survey Summary
__________________________________________________________________________________
In March and April of 2015, the Principles Assessment Survey (PAS) was completed by 41 administrators,
faculty, students, and staff at RTC. Respondents were asked to indicate, on a scale from 1 to 5, to what
extent the college has implemented 41 practices listed under each of five principles. These five
principles are: (1) Committed Leadership; (2) Use of Evidence to Improve Policies, Programs, and
Services; (3) Broad Engagement; (4) Systemic Institutional Improvement; and (5) Equity. Each principle is
further broken down into 2-3 sub-categories containing two or more questions that pertain to different
aspects of the principle (see Table 1).
Average scores were calculated for each of the five principles, as well as each individual sub-category, to
identify RTC’s strengths and areas for improvement. Average scores vary from 1 (little/none) to 5 (a lot)
for each principle and sub-category. In cases where a respondent was not sure of the answer, they were
able to indicate they were “unsure.” Responses of “unsure” were not included in the average score
calculations.
Table 1. Principles Assessment Survey - Principles and Sub-Categories
Principle
Sub-Category
Number of
Questions
Committed Leadership
(Principle 1)
1.1 Vision and Values
1.2 Commitment
3
3
Use of Evidence to
Improve Policies,
Programs, and Services
(Principle 2)
2.1 IT and IR Capacity
2.2 Process for Identifying Achievement Gaps
2.3 Process for Formulating and Evaluating Solutions
4
3
2
Broad Engagement
(Principle 3)
3.1 Faculty and Staff
3.2 Students and External Stakeholders
5
2
Systemic Institutional
Improvement
(Principle 4)
4.1 Institutional Management
4.2 Organization
4.3 Professional Development
7
2
3
Equity
(Principle 5)
5.1 Institutional Equity
5.2 Equity in the Classroom
4
3
Responses indicate that Committed Leadership is RTC’s highest scoring principle, while Broad
Engagement is RTC’s lowest scoring principle (see Chart 1). Furthermore, the Vision & Values,
Institutional Equity, Commitment, and Institutional Management sub-categories had the highest scores.
Professional Development, Faculty and Staff Engagement, Process for Formulating and Evaluating
Solutions, and Process for Identifying Achievement Gaps had the lowest scores (see Chart 2).
1|Page
Chart 1. Average Scores for the PAS Principles
4
3.68
3.56
3.28
3.03
2.94
Principle 2
Principle 3
3
2
1
0
Principle 1
Principle 4
Principle 5
Chart 2. Average Scores for the PAS Sub-Categories
4.00
3.79
3.57
3.53
3.11
3.00
2.98
3.65
3.40
3.40
3.15
2.93
2.85
2.67
2.00
1.00
0.00
1.1
1.2
2.1
2.2
2.3
3.1
3.2
4.1
4.2
4.3
5.1
5.2
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The number of responses in each response category (1 to 5) for each of the 41 questions are
outlined below, in addition to the “unsure” responses.
Principle 1: Committed Leadership
1.1 Vision and Values
Question 1.1a CEO and leadership team actively support efforts to improve
student learning and completion, not just increase enrollments.
20
16
16
11
12
9
8
4
3
2
0
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 1.1b CEO and other senior leaders have made an explicit policy
commitment, communicated to faculty, staff, students and community, to
achieve equity in student outcomes across racial/ethnic and income groups.
20
16
16
12
12
8
8
4
2
2
1
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
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Question 1.1c College communications, including website and news releases,
emphasize a student success agenda.
20
15
16
12
9
9
8
3
3
1 (Little/None)
2
4
2
0
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
1.2 Commitment
Question 1.2a The board expects, and the CEO provides, regular reports on
student outcomes and the impact of efforts to improve success rates.
16
12
10
9
8
8
8
4
4
2
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
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Question 1.2b Senior leaders demonstrate willingness to support changes in
policy, procedures and resource allocation to improve student success.
16
13
12
11
11
8
4
3
2
1
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 1.2c Faculty leaders actively support a broad-based student success
agenda.
16
12
12
12
8
6
5
4
4
2
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
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Principle 2: Use of Evidence to Improve Policies, Programs, and Services
2.1 Institutional Research (IR) and Information Technology (IT) Capacity
Question 2.1a IT capacity is adequate to meet the demand for data and
institutional research.
20
17
16
12
7
8
6
5
4
4
2
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 2.1b Policies and procedures are in place to ensure integrity of data
collected.
20
15
16
12
9
8
4
6
3
3
1 (Little/None)
2
5
0
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
6|Page
Question 2.1c IR staff capacity is adequate to meet demand for data and
research.
16
12
12
12
8
6
5
4
4
2
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 2.1d IR staff effectively educates and assists college personnel in
using data and research to improve programs and services.
20
17
16
12
8
6
4
3
4
5
6
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
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2.1 Process for Identifying Achievement Gaps
Question 2.2a College routinely collects, analyzes and reports longitudinal
data on cohorts of students to chart student progress and outcomes.
16
13
12
11
10
8
4
3
2
2
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 2.2b College routinely disaggregates student cohort data by age,
race, gender, income, and other factors to identify gaps in achievement
among student groups.
16
14
13
12
10
8
4
2
1
1
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
8|Page
Question 2.2c College regularly conducts surveys and focus groups with
students, faculty, and staff to identify weaknesses in programs and services
and opportunities for improvement.
16
14
12
9
8
8
5
3
4
2
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
2.2 Process for Formulating and Evaluating Solutions
Question 2.3a College routinely engages personnel from across the campus
community to review data on student achievement and help develop and
refine strategies for addressing priority problems.
16
11
12
8
6
7
7
7
3
4
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
9|Page
Question 2.3b College routinely evaluates the effectiveness of efforts to
improve student success and uses the results to improve policy and practice.
20
16
16
12
7
8
5
4
4
5
4
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Principle 3: Broad Engagement
3.1 Faculty and Staff Engagement
Question 3.1a Faculty meets regularly to examine course and program
outcomes and develop strategies for addressing achievement gaps and
improving student success.
16
12
12
8
10
7
5
4
3
4
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
10 | P a g e
Question 3.1b Faculty routinely assesses academic programs and teaching
strategies from the perspective of current research on effective practice.
16
12
12
12
8
6
5
4
4
2
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 3.1c Part-time or adjunct faculty are actively engaged in
institutional efforts to improve student success.
16
12
10
9
9
8
6
4
4
3
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
11 | P a g e
Question 3.1d There is alignment and extensive collaboration on efforts to
improve student success between academic/instructional affairs and student
services.
16
14
12
7
8
6
4
6
4
4
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 3.1e Student services staff routinely assesses student success
strategies from the perspective of current research on effective practices.
16
12
12
9
8
8
4
4
1 (Little/None)
2
4
4
0
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
12 | P a g e
3.2 Students and External Stakeholder Engagement
Question 3.2a College secures active student participation in efforts to
improve student outcomes.
16
12
10
8
4
7
7
7
7
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
3
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
Question 3.2b College secures input from external stakeholders to identify
causes of achievement gaps and inform the development of strategies for
improving student success.
16
13
12
8
8
4
7
5
5
4
5 (A lot)
3
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
Unsure
13 | P a g e
Principle 4: Systemic Institutional Improvement
4.1 Institutional Management
Question 4.1a College has established strategic planning process that relies
on data to set goals for student success and to measure goal attainment.
16
12
11
9
8
8
7
5
4
1
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 4.1b Plans for a given year are driven by a limited set of strategic
priorities that have a focus on student success.
16
12
10
9
9
8
8
4
3
2
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
14 | P a g e
Question 4.1c College regularly evaluates its academic programs and student
services to determine how well they promote student success and how they
can be improved.
16
11
12
10
7
8
5
4
5
3
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 4.1d Decisions about budget allocations are based on evidence of
program effectiveness and linked to plans to increase rates of student
success.
16
11
12
10
10
8
4
4
4
4
5 (A lot)
2
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
Unsure
15 | P a g e
Question 4.1e College uses external grant funds strategically to support
systemic efforts to improve outcomes for students broadly, not just for
isolated projects that benefit small numbers of students.
16
14
12
10
9
8
5
4
1
2
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 4.1f College actively works to scale up and sustain pilot programs or
practices that prove effective.
16
12
10
10
5 (A lot)
Unsure
8
8
7
5
4
1
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
16 | P a g e
Question 4.1g The student success agenda is integrated with on-going
accreditation activity.
16
12
10
9
9
8
8
4
4
1
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
4.2 Organization
Question 4.2a The college has a standing committee or committees
responsible for guiding and monitoring efforts to improve student outcomes.
16
12
12
8
8
7
5
5
4
4
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
17 | P a g e
Question 4.2b Major meetings, organizational units, and work groups
regularly focus on student success.
16
12
11
10
8
8
5
4
4
3
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
4.3 Professional Development
Question 4.3a The college offers faculty and staff professional development
that reinforces efforts to improve student success and close achievement
gaps.
16
12
12
8
7
8
8
4
4
2
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
18 | P a g e
Question 4.3b Induction and orientation activities for new faculty and staff
foster a commitment to student success.
16
12
10
9
9
8
8
4
3
2
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 4.3c College provides training to faculty and staff on using data and
research to improve programs and services.
16
12
11
9
8
8
7
5
4
1
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
19 | P a g e
Principle 5: Equity
5.1 Institutional Equity
Question 5.1a The college has a climate of respect for inclusiveness.
20
17
16
11
12
7
8
4
4
1
1
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 5.1b The college consistently demonstrates a commitment to equity
for all students.
20
17
16
13
12
7
8
4
2
2
0
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
20 | P a g e
Question 5.1c The college's staffing reflects the demographic composition of
its service area’s population (community or region).
16
13
12
8
8
6
5
5
4
4
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 5.1d The college routinely creates opportunities for all students,
especially those who have traditionally faced the most significant barriers to
achievement, to voice opinions about their college experience.
16
12
12
7
8
8
9
5
4
0
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
21 | P a g e
5.2 Equity in the Classroom
Question 5.2a Faculty members proactively create a learning environment
that promotes the success of all students.
16
12
12
10
9
8
6
4
2
2
1 (Little/None)
2
0
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
Question 5.2b Multicultural perspectives are integrated throughout the
curriculum.
16
13
12
10
8
6
5
4
4
3
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
22 | P a g e
Question 5.2c Adjunct and full-time faculty, staff (including front-line and
student support services), and administrators have experience or knowledge
of how to work with students from diverse backgrounds and are sensitive to
the unique needs of cultural
16
11
12
11
9
8
5
4
2
3
0
1 (Little/None)
2
3 (Increasing)
4
5 (A lot)
Unsure
23 | P a g e