Application
Components Application
Checklist
Table of Contents
Publicity, Ethics & Release Statement
Letter of Certification of Eligibility
Eligibility Certification Forms
Organizational Chart
Glossary of Terms
Page
G-1
Organizational Profile
i
Category 1 Leadership
1.1 Senior Leadership
1.2 Governance and Societal Responsibilities
1
1
4
Category 2 Strategy
2.1 Strategy Development
2.2 Strategy Implementation
7
7
10
Category 3 Customer
3.1 Voice of the Customer
3.2 Customer Engagement
13
13
16
Category 4 Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management
4.1 Measurement, Analysis, and Improvement of Organizational Performance
4.2 Knowledge Management, Information, and Information Technology
19
19
22
Category 5 Workforce
5.1 Workforce Environment
5.2 Workforce Engagement
24
24
27
Category 6 Operations
6.1 Work Processes
6.2 Operational Effectiveness
29
29
31
Category 7 Results
7.1 Product and Process Results
7.2 Customer-Focused Results
7.3 Workforce-Focused Results
7.4 Leadership and Governance Results
7.5 Financial and Market Results
33
33
38
40
46
49
Alamo Colleges Board of Trustees
J. Alderete, Jr. (Secretary)
D. McClendon
A. Bustamante (Chair)
Alamo Colleges Organization Chart
R. Zárate
Deputy to the Chancellor
Michelle Perales
Dr. G. Sprague
Dr. Y. Katz (Vice Chair)
C. Kingsbery (Asst. Secretary)
J. Rindfuss
Student Trustee S. Adames
Board Liaison
Sandra Mora
CHANCELLOR
Dr. Bruce H. Leslie
General Counsel
Ross Laughead
District Director of
Internal Audit
Matthew Mills
District Ethics & Compliance Officer
Eduardo Cruz
Executive Director of
Institutional Advancement
James Eskin
Director of Education Partnerships
and Engagement
Vacant
Northeast Lakeview College
President
Dr. Craig Follins
Northwest Vista College
President
Dr. Ric Baser
Palo Alto College
President
Dr. Michael Flores
San Antonio College
President
Dr. Robert Vela
St. Philip’s College
President
Dr. Adena Loston
Vice Chancellor of Economic &
Workforce Development
Dr. Federico Zaragoza
Vice Chancellor for Academic
Success
Dr. Jo-Carol Fabianke
Vice Chancellor for Student
Success
Dr. Adelina Silva
Vice Chancellor of Planning,
Performance & Information
Systems
Dr. Thomas Cleary
Vice Chancellor for Finance &
Administration
Diane Snyder
Associate Vice Chancellor
of Communications
Leo Zuniga
Associate Vice Chancellor
for Academic Partnerships & Initiatives
Ruth Dalrymple
Associate Vice Chancellor
for Student & Program
Development
Dr. Cynthia Mendiola-Perez
District Director of Information
Technology Services
Roger Castro
Associate Vice Chancellor
of HR & Organizational Dev
Title IX/VII/ADA/504 Coordinator
Linda Boyer-Owens
Associate Vice Chancellor
of Continuing Education
Tim Rockey
District Director of Curriculum
Coordination & Transfer Articulation
Dr. Christa Emig
Coordinator of Student Leadership
Institute
Rodell Asher
District Director of IR & Effectiveness
Services
Velda Villarreal
Associate Vice Chancellor
of Finance & Fiscal Admin Svcs
Pamela Ansboury
Coordinator of Work-Based and
Experiential Learning Program
Dr. Martha Trevino
Director of
College Readiness
Mary Helen Martinez
District Director of Center for Student
Information
Dr. Elizabeth Garza
Director of Strategic Initiatives &
Performance Excellence
Dr. Debra Morgan
Associate Vice Chancellor
of Facilities
John Strybos
Director of CE & Workforce
Operation Systems
Steve Sparks
Director of
Alamo Colleges Online
Vacant
Director of
District-wide Advising
Blanca Balle-Muniz
Director of Business Outreach
Colin Nichols
Director of
High School Programs
Rosena Garcia
District Director of
Student Success Initiatives
Patricia Parma
Director of
International Programs
Carol P. Fimmen
Director of
Student Completion
Vacant
Director of
Student Access & Support Svcs
Margaret Quintinalla
Director of State Reporting
Kimberly Sanders
Chief of Police
Don Adams
Enterprise IT Risk & Security Manager
Oscar Salazar
District Director of Student Financial
Services
Dr. Harold Whitis
September 15, 2015
Glossary of Terms
4DX
AAP
AC
ACC
ACCT
ACES
ACH
ACOL
ADA
AHRQ
ALAS
AOL
AOS
AP
AS
ASTM
AtD
ATD
AUC
AVC
AW
BAM
BPA
BoT
CC
CCSSE
CE
CEB
COBRA
CoC
CSI
CTTC
CUPA-HR
CVC
DCCCD
DOE-OCR
DSO
EAP
EDD
EEOC
EOP
EPCC
ERM
ETAP
EWD
FA
FAFSA
FCC
FERPA
FLSA
FOCUS
FY
GASB
GCA
GFOA
GPA
HCCS
HEED
HIPPA
HR/OD
ICS
Four Disciplines of Execution
Affirmative Action Plan
Alamo Colleges (DSO and five colleges)
Austin Community College
Association of Community College Trustees
Alamo Colleges Educational Services
Automated Clearing House
Alamo Colleges Online
Americans with Disabilities Act
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Alamo Colleges Leadership Academy for Success
Available Online
Available On Site
Action Plan
Academic Success
American Society for Testing and Materials
Achieving the Dream
Association for Talent Development
Alamo University Center
Associate Vice Chancellor
Alamo Way
Budget Alignment Methodology
Business Process Analysis
Board of Trustees
Core Competencies
Community College Survey of Student Engagement
Continuing Education
Corporate Executive Board
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation
Collin College
Center for Student Information
Central Texas Technology Center
College and University Professional Association for Human
Resources
Chancellor and Vice Chancellors
Executive Leadership Team for DSO
Dallas County Community College District
Department of Education Office of Civil Rights
District Support Operations
Employee Assistance Program
Employee Development Day
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Emergency Operations Plan
El Paso Community College
Enterprise Risk Management
Employee Tuition Assistance Program
Economic and Workforce Development
Finance and Administration
Free Application for Student Aid
Federal Communications Commission
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
Fair Labor Standards Act
Find, Organize, Clarify, Understand, Select
Fiscal Year
Governmental Accounting Standards Board
Housekeeping/Grounds Contractor
Government Finance Officers Association
Grade Point Average
Houston Community College System
Higher Education Excellence in Diversity
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Human Resources/Organization Development
Incident Command System
IPEDS
IRES
ISD
ITS
KPI
LSC
MCCCD
MDC
MOU
MGC
MVV
NACUBO
NCBP
NFPA
NILIE
NLC
NPS
NVC
OCR
OFI
OTC
P-12
P-16
PAC
PACE
PDCA
PEIMS
PM
PO
PPE
PR
PVC
SA
SAC
SACSCOC
SAEP
SAMA
SJC
SC
SHRM
SIPOC
SLI
SO
SoT
SME
SP
SPC
SPP
SPPE
SS
STC
STEM
SWC
SWOT
TACC
TAMUSA
TAPE
TCCD
TCCTA
TEA
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
Institutional Research and Effectiveness Services
Independent School District
Information Technology Services
Key Performance Indicator
Lone Star College System
Maricopa County Community College District
Miami Dade College
Memorandum of Understanding
Mobile GO Center
Mission, Vision, Values
National Association of College and University Business Officers
National Community College Benchmarking Project
National Fire Protection Association
National Initiative for Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness
Northeast Lakeview College
Net Promoter Score
Northwest Vista College
Office of Civil Rights
Opportunity for Improvement
Office of the Chancellor
Pre-school, Kindergarten Through 12th Grade
Pre-school, Kindergarten Through 12th Grade, Postsecondary
Palo Alto College
Personal Assessment of the College Environment
Plan, Do, Check, Act
Public Education Information Management System
Preventative Maintenance
Purchase Order
Personal Protective Equipment
Public Relations
Presidents, Vice Chancellors, and Chancellor
Executive Leadership Team for AC
Strategic Advantages
San Antonio College
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on
Colleges
Summer Academic Enrichment Program
San Antonio Manufacturing Association
San Jacinto College
Strategic Challenges
Society for Human Resource Management
Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Output, Customers
Student Leadership Institute
Strategic Opportunities
State of Texas
Subject Matter Expert
Strategic Plan
St. Philip’s College
Strategic Planning Process
Strategic Planning and Performance Excellence
Student Success
South Texas College
Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics
St. Philip’s College Southwest Campus
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
Texas Association of Community Colleges
Texas A&M University – San Antonio
Texas Award for Performance Excellence
Tarrant County College District
Texas Community College Teachers Association
Texas Education Agency
Glossary of Terms
THECB
TMS
TSSC
TSU
TU
UIW
USDOE
USDOL
UTHSCSA
UTSA
VC
VCAS
VCEWD
VCFA
VCPPIS
VCSS
VOC
VP
VPAA
VPCS
VPSS
WBU
WCE
WETC
WIG
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Talent Management System or Alamo Learn
Texas School Safety Center
Texas State University
Trinity University
University of the Incarnate Word
United States Department of Education
United States Department of Labor
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
University of Texas at San Antonio
Vice Chancellor
Vice Chancellor for Academic Success
Vice Chancellor of Economic and Workforce Development
Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration
Vice Chancellor for Planning, Performance, and Information
Systems
Vice Chancellor for Student Success
Voice of the Customer
Vice President
Vice President of Academic Affairs
Vice President of College Services
Vice President of Student Success
Wayland Baptist University
Workforce Center of Excellence
Westside Education Training Center
Wildly Important Goal
PREFACE: ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE
comprises the three highest priority areas that are critical in
leading the AC: Student Success, Principle-Centered
Leadership, and Performance Excellence. In a cycle of
refinement in 2013, the BoT approved the revised AC strategic
plan with its three strategic objectives being identical to the
Alamo Way (AW) priorities, ensuring full strategic
alignment.
The DSO senior leaders (SL) use the Mission, Vision, and
Values (MVV) and the AW to guide action planning and the
development of related metrics demonstrating progress and
success (Fig. P.1-2). Unit action plans are aligned with the
strategic plan (Fig. 2.2-2). Over the past two years, as a result
of deploying the Four Disciplines of Execution (4DX)
initiative, the AC have refocused on a wildly important goal
(WIG). The original WIG, identified by SL, was to Increase
degrees and certificates earned by students from 6,300 to
7,000 by August, 2015. The AC accomplished this goal in August
of 2014 – hitting the target a full year early -- so the senior
leadership team reset the target for 8000 graduates by August,
2015. Preliminary indications for FY15 reveal that AC graduated
over 9,700 grads as of August, 2015. DSO units use the 4DX
model to execute strategy related to the success of this WIG,
particularly those units that provide direct services to students
(financial aid, student leadership, business office, police.)
P.1 ORGANIZATIONAL DESCRIPTION
The Alamo Colleges consists of five comprehensive
community colleges and the District Support Operations (DSO)
serving Bexar County and seven surrounding counties. The
Alamo Colleges, located in San Antonio, Texas, serves students
and community with transfer courses, academic and technical
degrees, workforce training, continuing education, and contract
training. District Support Operations (DSO) is the
administrative and service-provider entity of the Alamo
Colleges (AC). The five colleges DSO serves and supports are
San Antonio College (SAC), St. Philip's College (SPC), Palo
Alto College (PAC), Northwest Vista College (NVC), and
Northeast Lakeview College (NLC). This TAPE application
addresses the performance excellence journey of DSO only.
Since DSO is primarily a support organization, the service/nonprofit Criteria for Performance Excellence is utilized here as
opposed to the Education Criteria.
P.1a Organizational Environment
P.1a(1) Product Offerings
The primary products and services that DSO provides and
the customer groups to whom they are provided are shown in
Fig. 3.2-1. DSO provides a wide range of services to the five
colleges through 53 distinct operational units, including
academic and student support; Human Resources (HR); facilities,
maintenance and construction; safety and security; budget
development; information technology services; and
purchasing. The services provided by DSO are considered key
to the success of the AC. Additionally, DSO provides some
products and services, such as financial aid, business services,
student outreach, leadership development, facilities
maintenance, and security directly to students on the campuses
in collaboration with the colleges’ personnel, as shown in the
same Figure. AC delivers products and services through
district/college collaboration, face-to-face meetings, and written
and electronic communications.
P.1a(2) Vision and Mission
DSO embraces the concept of stewardship to enable
coordination and collaboration of processes and initiatives
across the AC with a “systems thinking” approach. This
approach reflects the “Alamo Way” mindset and supports the
concepts of a learning organization. In 2011, the Board of
Trustees (BoT) approved an educational philosophy policy
with the purpose of driving increased student performance and
greater service efficiency and effectiveness. This policy,
known as the Alamo Way: Always Inspire, Always Improve
(Fig. P.1-1), has been deployed to all college and DSO
employees at departmental meetings and is also part of the
agenda for New Employee Orientation (NEO). The policy
Figure P.1-2 Purpose, Vision, Mission, Values
DSO Purpose:
To provide operational services to the colleges and
some direct services to students and the community
Alamo Colleges Mission:
Empowering our diverse communities for success.
Alamo Colleges Vision:
The Alamo Colleges will be the best in the nation in Student
Success and Performance Excellence.
Alamo Colleges Values:
The members of Alamo Colleges are committed to building
individual and collective character through the following shared
values to fulfill our Vision and Mission.
•
Students First
•
Respect for All
•
Community-Engaged
•
Collaboration
•
Can-Do Spirit
•
Data-Informed
DSO has identified four core competencies (Fig. P.1-3)
which, combined with a SWOT analysis and environmental
scan, guide the development of strategy during the strategic
planning process (SPP). The strategic plan is the vehicle that
guides us to achieve our mission.
P.1a(3) Workforce Profile
The 828 DSO employees are dedicated to the success of the
AC and the students. Employees are segmented as shown in
Fig. P.1-4. Some positions in the administrative segment
require professional or doctoral degrees. Others require
bachelors or master’s degrees. Most positions in the
professional segment require bachelors or master’s degrees.
Employee ethnic demographics are 7% African American,
66% Hispanic, 24% White, 2% Asian or Pacific Islander, and
1% other. Employees are not part of any organized bargaining
group.
In 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, using the Personal
Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) work climate
survey and focus groups, senior leaders identified the top 4
Figure P.1-1 The Alamo Way Policy
i
Figure P.1-4 Employee Demographics
Figure P.1-3 Core Competencies
Alamo Colleges Core Competencies
Organizational efficiency and sustainability
Innovative technology to support administrative, academic,
and student support operations
Partnership development
Adoption of innovative practices
District Support Operations Employees
PT
Located at DSO Offices
161
396
Co-Located at the five colleges
10
261
171
657
0
18
0
277
171
362
Total:
factors correlating with engagement and satisfaction of our
employees with a focus on achieving the most effective
leadership style: 1) Spirit of cooperation; 2) Open and Ethical
Communication; 3) Encourage Innovation; and 4) Positively
Motivate Performance. These factors have contributed to a
renewed focus on workforce training and development that
align with the strategic plan. For instance, in support of the
strategic objective Principle-Centered Leadership, all
employees are trained in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People. Likewise, with a laser-focus on results and
performance (strategic objective III. Performance Excellence),
key leaders are trained and certified to utilize 4DX in order to
achieve the AC WIG. Many DSO leaders have been trained as
Quality Texas or Baldrige Performance Excellence Program
examiners.
Specific safety requirements identified for DSO workforce
members include the following:
1) Assessment of ergonomic risks for employees who work
at a desk.
2) Defensive driving training for employees who operate a
vehicle.
3) General safety training provided to employees who work
with recognized hazards to include welding safety, electrical
safety, lockout/tagout, personal protective equipment,
ergonomics, chemical safety, emergency evacuation, active
shooter training, first aid and CPR, and behavior intervention.
4) Specialized safety training for DSO police officers who
receive safety training in accordance with Texas Commission
on Law Enforcement standards and utilize body armor for
patrols.
P.1a(4) Assets
The three primary DSO facilities are: West Houston Street
(30,154 sq. ft.) which houses Information Technology Services
(ITS) and Finance; West Sheridan Street (45,770 sq. ft.) where
the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors (VCs), HR, Legal Services,
Ethics, Communications, Internal Audit, Strategic Planning and
Performance Excellence (SPPE), and Institutional Research and
Effectiveness Services (IRES) are housed; and Pat Booker
Road (42,086 sq. ft.), housing Facilities, Student Financial Aid
(SFA), Center for Student Information (CSI), Police, some
workforce programs, and other service units. We have a future
site (200,000 sq. ft.), which will bring all DSO services together
under one roof and provide a large conference center for crosscollege meetings, program collaboration, and community use.
The BoT is currently reviewing possible funding sources for
this project. The remaining DSO personnel are co-located with
the colleges on their campuses, enabling them to be close to the
customers that they support. DSO utilizes information,
instructional, communications, office, and security technology
systems. Instructional Technology supports teaching and
learning activities. Communications Technology includes those
applications that help facilitate work output enterprise-wide.
Office Technology supports operational activities.
DSO also utilizes information, instructional, communication,
office, and security technology communication equipment.
Administrative: 18
M-9
(2%)
Professional: 277
277
(34%)
F- 9
M - 101
211017711
F - 176
Classified: 533
(64%)
M - 230
F - 303
828
DSO 18
DSO
NLC
247
5
NVC
6
PAC
6
SAC
8
SPC
5
DSO
NLC
292
24
NVC
30
PAC
35
SAC
89
SPC
63
FT
This includes two mainframe servers for legacy information
services; three IBM Power series servers to service Banner/
Oracle / Argos system; 50+ network servers; and 18,000
workstations. Redundant storage allows for real-time data
replication; and virtual servers allow reactive server
management to address performance requests. Facilities and
Construction operate physical plants at each college location
in addition to DSO locations. Maintenance, grounds, and
housekeeping equipment is standard in each location.
P.1a(5) Regulatory Requirements
DSO operates in accordance with regulatory requirements at
the federal, state, and local levels. Fig. P.1-5 shows the types
of requirements AC must meet and the regulators who define
and monitor these requirements. Additional regulatory
environment information is provided in Fig. 1.2-2. The
complete compliance matrix and reporting calendar is AOS.
P.1b Organizational Relationships
P.1b(1)Organizational Structure
The governance structure of the AC is a hierarchical
oversight structure. A nine-member BoT is elected by
taxpayers and serves for six-year terms with unlimited
reelection opportunity. In a cycle of refinement in 2014, the
BoT added a student trustee – the first ever student trustee in a
community college in Texas. The Chancellor is hired by the
BoT and serves at their direction and discretion. The BoT
provides an annual “charge” to the Chancellor, outlining
priorities for the coming year. All other employees of DSO
and the colleges are hired by the Chancellor, including his
direct reports and the executive leadership team of AC: the
five college presidents and the five vice chancellors (PVC).
The Chancellor and the five VCs (CVC) constitute the DSO
executive leadership team. The five VCs include Student
Success; Academic Success; Economic and Workforce
Development; Finance and Administration; and Planning,
Performance and Information Technology. The BoT’s
responsibilities include adopting and periodically reviewing
the philosophy which clarifies the basic educational beliefs
and educational responsibilities of the AC to the community,
adopting policies for the AC including the strategic plan,
ii
Figure P.1-5 Regulatory Compliance
Purpose
Financial and Controls
Regulatory
Student Financial Aid
Federal Human
Resources Regulatory
Issues
whom AC has legal relationships for collaborative projects or
provision of services. Collaborators are those organizations and
individuals who work with AC to develop innovative strategies
to enhance the education of students throughout their education
lifecycle. Key suppliers, partners, and collaborators, their roles,
and the key mechanisms of communication with them and
supply-chain requirements are shown in Fig. P.1-7.
P.2 ORGANIZATIONAL SITUATION
P.2a Competitive Environment
P.2a(1) Competitive Position
There is no direct outside competition for the services
provided to the colleges by DSO as the administrative and
service-provider entity of the AC. The colleges use HR,
purchasing, security, ITS, and other DSO-provided services
and cannot contract for any of these those services outside of
DSO. Considering its core competencies, DSO periodically
assesses the cost-benefit of outsourcing non-core functions and
redeploying internal resources to other priorities. For example,
senior leaders examined the efficiencies gained by having the
housekeeping and grounds crew outsourced. In an example of
innovation, no individual lost employment during this transition.
Employees were retrained and placed in other roles when
appropriate. The performance of DSO products and services
directly impacts the competitiveness of the colleges. The
colleges’ primary competitors are the public universities in the
area, including the University of Texas at San Antonio
(UTSA) and Texas A&M University at San Antonio (TAMUSA), four private universities, various proprietary institutions,
and online educational providers such as Kaplan, DeVry, and
University of Phoenix. The five colleges are more competitive
than these institutions in terms of availability, access, cost,
class size, and comprehensive student support.
P.2a(2) Competitiveness Changes
Changes in the market affecting the competitive success of
the colleges and DSO include fluctuations in the economy and
unemployment rates. AC and other community colleges
generally see increasing enrollment when the economy
worsens. Other changes include competition in online
instruction, decreased state education funding, and increased
public demand for accountability (producing graduates.) A
Budget Alignment Methodology (BAM) was implemented to
engage faculty, staff, administrators, and trustee leaders to
address budget challenges, while continually striving to
improve student success. For five consecutive years (FY11
through FY15), AC has successfully balanced the budget
without layoffs, even with significant declines in state funding.
In FY14 and FY15, the BAM process was further refined
Regulator
GASB, IRS, TRS, ERS, FPIA,
Single Audit, various federal and
state grantor agencies; THECB
DOE
US DOL, EEOC, FCC Fair Credit
Reporting,
Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, Office of Contract
Compliance
Fire Safety
NFPA
US Office of Special
Counsel (Whistleblower
Protection Act)
Texas Human
Resources Regulatory
Issues
US Office of Special Counsel
Environmental
(Environmental Quality)
Local Building Codes
Curriculum approval
Program approval State
reporting
Accreditation
requirements
TX Environmental
Quality Commission
City Code Compliance
Texas Workforce Commission,
Attorney General, Department of
Insurance, Health & Safety Code
Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board
Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools
approving site and facilities purchases and upgrades, and
providing ways and means of financial support including
budget approval. The Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the regional
accrediting body for higher education for Texas, stipulates that
there is a clear and appropriate distinction between the policymaking function of the governing board and the
responsibility of the administration, staff, and faculty to
administer and implement policy. The BoT and its five
sub-committees meet monthly with the Chancellor, VCs, and
college presidents to address DSO and college business. The
meetings are open to the public and include an opportunity
for citizens to be heard.
P.1b(2) Customers and Stakeholders
The key market area of the Alamo Colleges is the
educational community of Bexar County, and seven other
counties in the AC service area. Texas defines the service area
for community colleges in the state. The DSO’s International
Programs unit coordinates and oversees international students
attending the five colleges, and the Academic Success area
works with the colleges to provide dual credit courses to high
school students. The DSO’s role is providing leadership,
coordination, and services to the colleges, thus its primary
customers are the five community colleges and the students at
these colleges. DSO serves all students indirectly through
coordination and support of the colleges and some DSO units
provide services directly to students. These units work with
the colleges’ personnel to meet student requirements. Fig. P.16 outlines key customers and stakeholders and their key
requirements.
P.1b(3) Suppliers and Partners
Key suppliers are those that provide efficient and/or one-ofa-kind services to DSO and reduce costs as part of AC’s
competitive position as a low-cost, open access higher
education institution. Partners are those organizations with
Figure P.1-6 Customer/Stakeholders and Requirements
Groups
Five Alamo
Colleges
Students of the
Colleges
Business and
Industry groups
Board of Trustees
Community
iii
Requirements
Customers
Efficient, accurate and timely services to
support operations.
Accessible, accurate, timely, affordable
services
Timely, demand-driven training and services
Stakeholders
Efficient and effective operations, legal
compliance
Graduates who contribute to society and
community; economic development;
accessible and affordable education and
training
Figure P.1-7 Suppliers, Partners, and Collaborators
Types
Methods of communication or
managing relationships
Role in the Work System
Suppliers
1. IT Hardware
Major computer provider
Email, contracts, meetings
2. Office Depot
Office supplies—online and walk-ins
Email purchase orders
3. IT Software
Operational and student applications
Email, contracts, meetings,
single point of contact
Contracts, single point of
contact
Email, meetings, contracts,
phone
Supply-Chain Requirements
Cost effectiveness, timeliness,
quality product, warranty
Cost effectiveness, timeliness,
flexibility, quality product
Timeliness, flexibility, quality
product, support, training
Cost effective, quality, range of
products, warranty
Cost effective, timely, quality
4. State Contracts of
Vendors
5. Financial Institutions
Advantage of college purchasing from
pooled providers
Checking, payroll, investments,
merchant and e-commerce
6. Architects and
contractors
Partners
1. Community-based
Organizations
Buildings and renovations
Email, meetings, contracts,
phone
Cost effectiveness, timeliness,
to work with variety of users
Provide services to our students
Email, publications,
meetings, phone, surveys,
committees
Email, meetings, phone,
single POC, committees,
user groups
Timeliness, quality programs
and services, flexibility
Email, meetings, phone,
single POC, committees
Timeliness, quality product,
flexibility, cost effectiveness
2. Outsourced student
support - food, contact
center, bookstore, SFA
verification,
3. Outsourced
Operations support –
print shop, mail,
grounds, housekeeping
4. Texas Higher
Education Coordinating
Board (THECB)
Providers to students—books, other
instructional supplies, food services,
call center, SFA Pell grant verification
services
Maintains facilities for students and
employees; and provide copy and mail
services for employees
Works with Legislature, Governor, AC
and other higher education entities to
meet the State’s higher education plan
Email, POC, committees,
directives, reports
Accurate and timely reporting;
compliance with directives and
policy
5. National Student
Clearinghouse
Education verification (degrees and
certificates) and student outcomes
research.
Email, reporting, phone
Accurate and timely reporting
Collaborators
1. Other higher
education institutions
Collaboration to serve students in
higher education
Partnerships to serve students,
timeliness, flexibility
2. P-16 institutions and
the Texas Education
Association
Collaboration on creating a collegegoing culture and prepare students for
transition from one level to next
Email, meetings, phone,
committees, state-wide
groups
Email, meetings, phone,
surveys, individual
feedback, committees
3. Texas Workforce
Commission
Collaborates on grant funding for
workforce development in Bexar
County
Meetings, Email, phone,
committees
AC is in a state of readiness to
design and implement
workforce training for local
business/industry groups.
to include tighter alignment to strategic initiatives and a
renewed focus on savings for future investments.
P.2a(3) Comparative Data
For college performance and DSO operational performance,
primary sources of comparative data come from:
• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)
• Community College Survey of Student Engagement
(CCSSE)
• Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE)
• National Clery Safety Data.
• State comparative data from TAPE recipients,
• Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
(IPEDS).
• National Association College University Business
Offices (NACUBO)
Timeliness, quality product,
flexibility, cost effectiveness
Partnerships to serve students,
timeliness, flexibility, quality
product
• Higher Education Excellence in Diversity - HEED
• Society for Human Resource Management - SHRM
• National Community College Benchmarking Project –
NCCBP
• Association for Talent Development – ATD
• College and University Professional Association for
Human Resources - CUPAHR
Through information provided by the Texas Education
Agency (TEA) and the Public Education Information
Management System (PEIMS), AC also gains input used
for market penetration reports.
Because of the nature and complexity of student data,
both state and national sources make data available on a
one-year lag which sometimes limits AC’s ability to utilize
comparisons for the current academic year.
iv
Organizational Profile
P.2b Strategic Context
Our key strategic challenges and advantages are shown in
Fig. P.2-1 and Fig. 2.2-2 (within our Strategic Plan
Integration matrix which is used to align challenges,
opportunites, advantages, core competencies, and action
plans to the strategic plan).
FOCUS PDCA (Fig. 6.1-3) to ensure continuous
improvement of processes, use of measurements to learn
and to inform decision-making, and implementation of 4DX
– a strategy execution tool. Innovation is driven through
these assessment approaches and strategic planning
activities. Improvement approaches are shown in
Fig. P.2-2.
• Strategic Planning – annual cycle of planning activities
• Division and Unit evaluation and improvement – Data
Days, 4DX
• Innovation - DSO employees share their units’
approaches to and outcomes in innovation during Data
Days annual reporting.
• Process Management – Key processes identified and
cycles of improvement applied
• Use measurement and review to drive strategic
direction and operational performance – SP
Scorecard; Strategy Map; Data Days; KPIs
• Baldrige-based Assessment - Category Teams,
Trained examiners and Self-Assessments
• Organizational Learning – Employee development,
PDCA continuous improvement approach,
benchmarking, knowledge and best practice sharing
When improvement opportunities are identified in DSO
work systems, teams are assigned to address those issues
using the FOCUS PDCA approach. These teams use
multiple strategies such as swim lane flowcharting and
benchmarking to determine root causes of problems and to
identify solutions to achieve breakthrough improvement.
Figure P.2-1 Strategic Challenges and Advantages
Strategic Challenges
1. Ensure quality and effectiveness with decreased state
funding
2. College readiness of incoming students
3. Online competition
4. Public expectation of performance
Strategic Advantages
1. Alamo Colleges reputation and community support
2. Financial stability
3. Regional economic development provider of training
4. Board leadership and policy governance
5. Secondary, university and business partnerships
P.2c Performance Improvement System
For five years, DSO has been committed to the principles
of quality improvement. Performance improvement is
addressed through DSO’s commitment to ongoing learning
aligned with the priorities defined in the AW. The approach
includes Baldrige-based assessments to identify
improvement opportunities that are used as a key input to
our systematic annual strategic planning process, use of
Figure P.2-2 Performance Improvement and Learning Approaches
v
CATEGORY 1: LEADERSHIP
aligned with the MVV and elements of the strategic plan
(SP); videos of employees sharing their most significant
value are located on the AC webpage; and each employee
selects the one value that resonates most to be printed on the
front of his or her ID badge. SL deploy the MVV to key
suppliers and partners using one- and two-way
communication approaches and through daily interactions
and business documentation. The MVV are also posted on
the AC webpage, SP posters, and in many daily business
communications. An agreement to support the MVV is
included in all solicitation agreements with our vendors and
partners. In addition, SL disseminate annually the MVV
and AW to all ISDs before engaging in any partnership
agreement. In fall of 2015, blank posters were hung in
kitchens throughout the AC with an invitation to employees
to respond to the prompt “What ‘Students First’ Means to
Me.” Through their personal actions, SL model their
commitment to the six values: 1) Students First is placing
students at the heart of everything AC does. No matter the
topic, SL discussions and decisions always center on what is
best for students. It was the Students First value that drove
the recent decision to add a student trustee to our BoT and
Foundation Board. AC is proud to be the first and only
community college in Texas to have made the decision to
have a student trustee. SL have fully encouraged and
supported the formation of a Student District Council
comprising students from throughout the system to provide
advice to SL. Students participate in the strategic planning
retreat and other events, such as the Chancellor’s “Starting
from Scratch” meetings and Student Forums at the colleges.
2) Respect for All is demonstrated daily. It goes beyond
valuing and treating each other well; it is also respect for the
environment, the community, and the mission. Respect for
All also means giving everyone a voice in decision making.
In the fall of 2015, the Chancellor assembled a group of
faculty, students, and staff to develop a decision-making
model to ensure participation in important decisions that
affect students. Moreover, the BoT approved an amendment
to Policy F.6.1 (Student Success) which addresses the intent
to ensure all student cohorts (gender/ethnicity) achieve
equity in academic performance. 3) Community-Engaged
is demonstrated by SL through their personal involvement
in working to strengthen alliances, partnerships, and
relationships with diverse communities. SL submit quarterly
reports of volunteer and civic commitments and
participation in community organizations, including external
presentations. As an example, the San Antonio Mayor and
the County Judge have appointed the Alamo Colleges to colead the region’s workforce development efforts, with the
new San Antonio Talent for Economic Competitiveness
initiative. SL participate on numerous community, state, and
national boards. In a cycle of refinement in 2012, a new
position, Director of Community Partnerships, was created
[1.2c (2)] by the PVC to provide purposeful coordination of
community-based outreach specifically to ISDs and other
key stakeholders. 4) DSO leaders’ commitment to the value
of Collaboration is demonstrated by creating cross-college
and cross-DSO teams and community partnerships to
improve processes and enhance services to key
stakeholders. For example, cross-functional teams are
evident in many of the FOCUS PDCA activities (6.1b(3)).
.
1.1 SENIOR LEADERSHIP
The Alamo Colleges (AC) Board of Trustees (BoT) and
senior leaders (SL) guide the organization, promote effective
shared leadership, review performance, and support
performance excellence through the three elements of the
Alamo Way (AW) policy. The leadership system (Fig. 1.1-1) is
built on leadership processes, the AW, the mission, vision, and
values (MVV), and emphasizes meeting student and key
stakeholder requirements by being a learning organization
focused on the development of the students and employees as
leaders.
Figure 1.1-1 Alamo Colleges Leadership System
1.1a Vision, Values, and Mission
1.1a(1) Vision and Values
The MVV of the AC are set as part of the strategic planning
process (SPP) in a collaborative effort led by the PVC team
composed of the Chancellor, college presidents, and vice
chancellors (VC) and deployed to District Support Operations
(DSO) and the five colleges. The MVV reflect our primary
focus on student success, leadership, and performance
excellence, as prioritized by the AW. The MVV are reviewed at
the annual stakeholders’ strategic planning retreat [2.1a (1)],
updated by the PVC, and reaffirmed by the BoT. The AC
Values were first established as part of the SPP in 2005. In
2009, a cross-functional team gathered feedback from all
employees to create a refined set of values. The MVV were
reviewed again in 2012 and revised in 2013. At the time, each
college had its own set of values. In 2013, a unifying and
single set of values was identified by senior leaders and
deployed to the AC. The vision statement was refined in 2012
by the PVC after stakeholders’ recommendations to emphasize
Student Success and Performance Excellence in the journey to
become the best in the nation. The mission Empowering our
Diverse Communities for Success has been validated by the SP
stakeholder team for the past five years. In a cycle of
refinement in 2013, the elements of the Alamo Way (Student
Success, Principle-Centered Leadership, and Performance
Excellence) became the centerpiece of the AC SP at the
recommendation of the stakeholders and the BoT.
The MVV are systematically communicated, deployed, and
reinforced through multiple leadership communication
approaches (Fig. 1.1-2), and integrated into the work systems
and aligned action plans. For example, minute orders (the legal
document that captures decisions made) at BoT meetings are
1
During FOCUS PDCA implementation, process owners must
answer the question “who else should be at the table as we
work to improve this process?” 5) Can-Do Spirit is modeled
by SL in their willingness to creatively promote innovation and
maintain a positive attitude. For example, in seeking ways to
improve student success metrics, the PVC adopted the Covey
Four Disciplines of Execution (4DX) approach for increasing
graduation numbers (Fig. 7.1-1) 6) SL are committed to DataInformed decision-making in the following ways: Use of key
measures as a part of action planning; utilizing a high-level
organizational scorecard; analyzing drill-down key
performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics; use of a strategy
map with essential targets; and the facilitation of Data Days
presentations by DSO leaders. As an Achieving the Dream
(AtD) Leader College, the use of evidence to improve programs
and services is one of five principles required for an institution
to participate. An annual calendar of events provides the
schedule of data reports to be submitted to the BoT for their
review. In January 2014, the AC SL launched an institutional
4DX WIG for increasing student graduation and persistence.
SL, designated as “4DX champions,” collect/analyze data to
monitor progress every week toward the completion of the
WIG. Also, DSO unit leaders participate in the annual Data
Days event which highlights process improvement,
performance results, and innovation.
1.1a(2) Promoting Legal and Ethical Behavior
The PVC promotes legal and ethical behavior through
personal actions, policies, and organizational decision
making which are founded in the value of Respect for All
and articulated in both the Financial Ethics and
Accountability Policy C.1.1, and the requirement for ethics
training for all AC employees and BoT members (Fig. 7.49). The ethics policy includes training and a process for
responding to complaints submitted through the ethics
hotline (Fig. 7.4-7). Unique to the AC is the reporting
structure that places the internal auditor as a direct report to
the BoT instead of the Chancellor, as is the norm in
community colleges. This approach provides an additional
level of checks and balances. SL ensure that employees and
all stakeholders understand the organization’s legal and
ethical requirements by inviting participation in the
development (or update) of organizational policy and by
communicating policy updates to the workforce.
Immediately following regular BoT meetings, the Ethics
and Compliance officer emails updated policies to the AC
family. The update notes what changes were made and why.
SL support and communicate the availability of the ethics
hotline to report violations and utilize the Ethics and
Compliance and Legal Services units as internal resources
to inform ongoing decision making to ensure that actions are
legally and ethically appropriate.
1.1a(3) Creating a Sustainable Organization
AC and DSO create a sustainable organization as
described in Fig. 1.1-3.
Figure 1.1-2 Organizational Communication and Engagement Approaches
Communication Approach
What is communicated…
Strategic Planning Mtgs (Annual)
MVV, environmental issues, decisions and reasons, org performance
Yes
S, E, C, P
Employee Development Day (Annual)
MVV, strategic and annual directions, values, recognition, development, input for
improvement
Yes
E
College and District Town Hall Meetings (5 x
year)
Alamo Colleges Family Emails
Chancellor’s Video Blog (Weekly)
MVV, strategic direction, key decisions, organizational performance, gaining input
Yes
S, E, B
Key decisions, strategic direction, organization performance, recognition, gaining
input
No
S, E, B, C
Policies, Procedures, Guidelines (Monthly)
Standards, organizational knowledge and learning, best practices
No
S, E, B
Web site postings (weekly)
No S, E, B, C, P, S
BoT Meeting Outcomes (Monthly)
Key decisions, strategic direction, organization performance, recognition, news,
resources, organization knowledge
Key decisions, organizational performance information
No
S, E
Alamo Colleges Family Memorandums
(Periodic)
Key decisions, strategic direction, organization performance,
recognition
No
S, E, B
Chancellor’s PowerPoint presentations
(Periodic)
MVV, Key decisions, strategic direction, organization
performance, recognition
No S, E, B, C, P, S
Reports & Documents distributed by
Chancellor (Periodic)
Chancellor’s PVC Action Items (Weekly)
Key decisions, recognition
No
E, B, C
Key decisions, recognitions, organization performance PVC Action
No
E
6 Strategic Priorities Dashboard (Online)
Status Updates
No S, E, B, C, P, S
Emergency Notification System (As needed)
Key decisions, emergency information as needed
No
S, E, B
Key meetings and reviews
Key decisions, strategic direction, progress to plans, areas for improvement,
gaining input
Yes
E, B, C
Colleges Catalog(s) (ongoing)
MVV, strategic directions, expectations, opportunities
No S, E, B, C, P, S
New Employee Orientation and
Documentation (First 90 days)
Employee Performance Evaluations (Yearly)
Training on MVV, history, review of employee handbook and
other documentation provide expectations, practices
Yes
E
Performance & expectations, development opportunities, values
Yes
E
Variety of Employee Development Activities
Organizational knowledge, recognition, values, best practices
Yes
E, B
Audience Legend: S – Students
E – Employees
B – Board of Trustees C – Community Members
2
2-Way Audience
P – Partners S - Suppliers
Council Employee of the Month award at the monthly BoT
meeting. SL also recognize employees for outstanding
performance and exceeding expectations at the monthly BoT
meetings. A performance excellence Pacesetter recognition
was started in 2014 to recognize those DSO leaders who
embrace improvement in planning, use of voice of the
customer, and process improvement. Recognition for
accomplishments such as earning degrees and years of service
is also provided by SL at Employee Development day
functions. In a cycle of learning, the Chancellor also
recognizes an employee or team each week in his video blog
which is broadcast to the AC family. Teams are recognized
during 4DX summits held twice a year for accomplishment of
unit WIGs.
SL also actively apply for external awards to recognize
exceptional employees, initiatives, and departments. For
example, every year an outstanding faculty or staff member is
nominated for the Association of Community College Trustees
(ACCT) Faculty Award and an administrator is nominated for
the Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC) Carl
Nelson Administrative Leadership Award. SL also host annual
Partner of the Year recognitions for outstanding community
1.1b(1) Communication
SL use a wide variety of systematic approaches to
communicate and engage the entire workforce as shown in Fig.
1.1-2. Several of these approaches provide opportunities for
two-way communication. For example, the Chancellor’s
weekly video blog was developed in 2011 in a collaborative
effort to meet the need of a more technologically savvy student
and employee population and in order to reach more
stakeholders. In addition, the Roundup newsletter and the
Chancellor’s weekly report is disseminated to the Board of
Trustees, the Alamo Colleges Foundation Board, and external
members of the community. These communication mechanisms
highlight important, relevant topics such as new organizational
initiatives, budget updates, and legislative issues. Town Hall
meetings are held with students and employees at each college
location annually. These are two-way communication events
that provide a listening post for senior leaders. The Alamo
Colleges’ website features information about the organization’s
key strategic priorities, project management, and progress on
the Alamo Colleges 4DX WIG.
SL communicate key decisions and needs for organizational
change at their executive leadership meetings in the form of
PVC minutes. Decisions from these meetings are distributed
to the AC family following the meeting. The message is further
validated by unit/departmental meetings facilitated by SL with
mid-level leaders, and the information about key decisions is
cascaded throughout the organization.
SL reinforce high performance by motivating employees to
focus everything they do on student success (Strategic
Objective I) and on the performance excellence (Strategic
Objective III) priority to “Continuously improve our employee,
financial, technological, physical and other capacities with
focus on effectiveness, efficiency, and agility.” They
complement this reinforcement with various reward and
recognition programs. For example, SL present the Staff
collaborators.
1.1b(2) Focus on Action
To create a focus on action throughout DSO, SL set
strategic objectives and goals for the SP (Fig. 2.2-2) and
define specific measures and targets (Fig. 4.1-3) for strategic
and operational performance evaluation and improvement. In
2013, the PVC adopted the 4DX tool, an innovative
methodology for focused execution of high-level strategic
priorities. The PVC adopted a WIG focused on student
completion. Leaders throughout the organization were trained
to serve as 4DX coaches. As a result, new behaviors have
taken hold across the AC to focus on the WIG and leading
Figure 1.1-3 Leadership Approaches to Create an Environment of Organizational Sustainability
Performance Area
Approaches to Create an Environment for Sustainability
Achievement of
Mission
Development and deployment of MVV and long-term strategic plan, budget allocated to strategic initiatives; select and track
performance measures with targets for improvement; link strategic objectives to performance appraisals; SWOT analysis as part of
SPP, linking strategies to budget priorities; leadership retreats for strategic planning
Performance
Improvement
Organizational
Performance
Establishment of, and service on, various teams and committees to address issues; providing teams with improvement initiatives;
participation in Performance Excellence training; public recognition for team accomplishments; post-event debriefs (e.g., hiring
process, post- registration) to identify improvements; seeking out external competitive recognition (TAPE for example) for
organizational improvements; external evaluations to obtain improvement feedback; input for improvement opportunities through
Alamo Ideas, driving improvement initiatives through strategic planning, review of student results across colleges.
Performance
Leadership
Leaders act as role models/catalysts for internal/external benchmarking; leaders set goals to outperform best-in-class. AC has been
innovative in adapting traditional business tools such as Covey 7 Habits and 4DX in the education industry.
Organizational
Leaders encourage employee development opportunities and provide time to attend the training; encourage and pay for attendance at
Learning
seminars and conferences. Alamo Learn, part of the Talent Management suite was deployed in efforts to align employee training and
performance with strategic goals; Deliver on demand, measurable training initiatives to all colleges and district offices; and, provide
transparent processes around learning and performance management, career planning, and goal setting.
Customer Experience/ Environmental scanning, surveys, focus groups, external evaluations, benchmarking, program and service offering assessment, and
Customer Engagement measurement tracking and sharing to gain info to improve the organization.
Innovation and
The strategic plan encourages innovation to accomplish stretch goals and budget is set aside for related innovation and improvement
intelligent risk taking
projects. The PVC identified six priorities within the SP including AlamoADVISE, AlamoENROLL, Alamo INSTITUTES, Dual
Credit, Accreditation/reaffirmation and Completion. 4DX, Data Days, policy development, project management, organizational
learning and benchmarking are some of the many innovative approaches to these priorities.
Succession Planning
Senior leaders address the need by developing leaders, particularly through the ALAS program (see 5.2b[1]). Employees are provided
and Development of
opportunities to take on additional responsibilities and authority, be placed in “acting” capacity when leaders are away, be designated
as backup for the senior leader they report to; and participate in Performance Improvement (PI) teams.
Future Leaders
3
indicators, to maintain visible performance data scoreboards,
and to create a cadence of accountability (Fig. 7.3-24). An
example of intelligent risk taking is the AC’s focus on effective
advising as an essential element of student success. The BoT
invested over $4 million in hiring new advisors and providing
them with advising training and industry certification to reduce
the students-to-advisor ratio, thereby improving student
graduation rates. This program was developed after
benchmarking several winning advising practices across the
country.
Leaders manage the budget process to ensure that
improvement actions are allocated sufficient resources. During
the annual budget development process, budget goals and
current year achievements are tied to the SP and final decisions
are made on actions that advance innovation and value for
customers based on performance data and taking intelligent
risks. To further focus on action, leaders compile weekly
updates related to strategic initiatives, submit these updates to
the Chancellor, and a synopsis of progress is provided to the
BoT every Friday. SL provide continuous support and
immediate feedback to teams regarding expectations and goals.
SL focus on creating and balancing value for customers and
other stakeholders in performance expectations by aligning key
measures and goals to stakeholder groups through the strategy
alignment approach (Fig. 2.2-2).
SL set expectations for organizational performance beginning
with the identification of the WIG and institutional priorities
aligned with the three priorities of the Alamo Way. The results
from the WIG, institutional priorities, and action plans align
with the Student Success priority.
1.2 GOVERNANCE AND SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITIES
SL are committed to DSO and its performance success with
the highest level of ethics, integrity, and accountability in
accordance with AC values. To that end, SL have deployed
internal controls to manage and monitor behavior and activities,
and are committed to positive organizational citizenship within
our diverse communities.
1.2a Organizational Governance
1.2a(1) Governance System
The AC governance systems and internal controls ensure
accountability within DSO and with the colleges. Fig. 1.2-1
outlines key governance approaches. Accountability for the
strategic plans is achieved through SL performance evaluations
[1.2a(2)] and guided by the AC strategy map.
1.2a(2) Performance Evaluation
The BoT evaluates the Chancellor’s performance annually
based on accomplishment of the defined BoT Charges,
including system-wide strategies for improvement in
operations, academics, student retention and success, and
personnel capacity and capability. The BoT Charges are
emailed to faculty and staff annually and posted online.
Other SL’s performance is evaluated annually by the
Chancellor using a systematic process. Each SL meets with the
Chancellor, provides a written response demonstrating how he
or she has met goals from the previous year based on the BoT
Charges to the Chancellor (AOS) and strategic goals/targets. In
this process, they discuss and establish new short-term and
longer-term goals and targets for the following year.
Participation in 4DX projects also enables evaluation of and
accountability for SL performance. Development plans are
created and appropriate training is established for performance
areas needing improvement.
In a cycle of refinement in 2011, the BoT conducted its
first self-evaluation and, as a result of feedback on the
evaluation, committed through Policy B.3.2 to a selfevaluation every odd-numbered year. The evaluation was
conducted again in 2013 and 2015. Results are used to
further improve BoT processes and address any identified
gaps. For example, as a result of an identified theme/issue
about new BoT members not getting up to speed fast
enough, the BoT developed a mentoring program that
expedites a new BoT member’s orientation to AC priorities.
The BoT also added a student trustee to ensure student
representation and provide greater responsiveness to student
interests.
The AC leadership system (Fig. 1.1-1), incorporates the
Alamo Way’s three elements, Covey’s 7 Habits, and the AC
values. To evaluate the performance of the leadership
system, the Chancellor and Vice Chancellors (CVC) review
DSO’s performance to key metric targets in a high-level
scorecard and strategy map (AOS) to identify areas where
improvement might be needed. Increased visibility to FY
2016 unit goals and FY 2015 achievements was
accomplished by each VC and college president by sharing
their organizational plans at the July 2015 BoT Budget
Retreat. Other evaluations of DSO performance, including
assessment of performance excellence according to the
Baldrige Criteria, are used to identify needed improvement
to the leadership system as well. They exemplify how
collective participation and leadership drive the AW policy
through performance evaluation and strategic planning.
The Chancellor’s performance goals are set annually each
Fall by the Board of Trustees in the Board's annual "Charge
to the Chancellor." At the end of the performance year, the
Trustees reconvene to evaluate Chancellor performance
relative to the Charges (performance goals) and a
determination about compensation is made by the Trustees
based on performance results. When the Charge is issued,
the Chancellor assigns portions of the Board's Charge to
specific members of the executive team and he assigns some
Charge responsibilities to all administrators in the annual
administrator employment contracts which are issued in the
Fall. A recommendation on administrator pay is made by
the Chancellor to the BoT approximately one year thereafter
based on overall performance of the Administrative team
and, as is true for all pay adjustments, based on availability
of funds.
1.2b Legal and Ethical Behavior
1.2b(1) Legal and Regulatory Behavior
AC identifies and anticipates future adverse impacts on
society of programs, services, and operations by tracking
regulatory issues (Fig. 1.2-2), conducting proactive
environmental scanning, and using a variety of listening
posts (Fig. 3.1-2). Information sources include: National
and state education associations and groups (e.g., League for
Innovation, American Association of Community Colleges,
ACCT, TACC)
• Chambers of Commerce
• Advisory boards for programs
• Business and civic groups
• Public information from state and federal agencies
4
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (accreditation
agency) for changes to standards and compliance
requirements
During weekly leadership meetings, the PVC discusses
current or potential adverse impacts on society that have been
identified to further understand the implications. The SP and
aligned DSO and college plans are modified as required to
address the identified issues. As an example, in recent years AC
has experienced significant reductions in state appropriations.
This has led Texas community colleges to face enormous
funding restrictions. This financial challenge has potential
significant negative impacts on the public including the
possibility of tax increases on Bexar County citizens, tuition
increases for students, and service quality deterioration. To
avoid these undesirable outcomes, AC developed a model to
address the challenge as part of its annual budget development
process. Using the Budget Alignment Methodology (BAM), a
team of 50 leaders from the DSO and all five colleges,
including staff, faculty, administrators, and trustees, held
strategic meetings to tackle an $18 million gap in funding. The
Bellwether Award for Innovations in Planning, Governance,
and Finance award (a nationally recognized model) was the
impetus for changes that led to greater transparency of
documents, budget materials being designed in a more userfriendly format, and a more streamlined budget process. As
actions are modified or designed to deal with potential adverse
impacts of our operations or public concern, AC ensures that
the affected parties, including suppliers, partners, community
members, K-12, and university groups get involved in decisionmaking.
Where appropriate, AC considers environmental issues as a
potential adverse impact on society and includes suppliers in
the solution. For example, AC is in its sixth year as an American
College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment
signatory, an initiative to reduce our carbon footprint. AC
submits yearly greenhouse gas reports to Second Nature, the
organization that directs this commitment. Yearly reports
include emissions on areas such as electricity, fleet fuel use,
water and waste. Yearly usage is calculated and reported as
CO 2 -equivalent metric tons from all of these sources (Fig.
7.4-13, 14 and 15). The importance of this environmental
sustainability item is reflected in our SP scorecard (Fig. 4.13 – SO III, Goal E). Fig. 1.2-2 shows areas of potential
societal impact and the processes we use to address issues
and attain compliance.
The Legal Services unit is consulted regarding
compliance, and the internal auditor regularly brings risk
assessment issues and findings to the BoT such as those
related to ongoing construction/ facilities audits and internal
financial functions. The internal auditor conducted a needs
assessment to determine the greatest areas of risk for the
AC. Financial Aid, Veteran’s Affairs, and other units with
direct regulatory issues are regularly audited by external
agencies. The VC of Academic Success monitors the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) rules to
ensure compliance with State of Texas legislation and
policy. Other methods of listening and learning include
those shown in Fig. 3.1-2 for our ongoing environmental
scan. The Economic and Workforce Development (EWD)
division listens and learns from external organizations and
customers in order to manage risks and impacts resulting
from adverse market trends. For example, EWD has the
organizational responsibility to respond to the training needs
of new companies relocating or expanding in San Antonio
as well as responding to layoffs from San Antonio
companies that are downsizing or closing. Processes to
manage business needs include active listening to market
developments in the area in close coordination with local
and state agencies for economic and workforce
development. This market intelligence is taken back to the
DSO, colleges, and EWD staff who lead development and
deployment of appropriate education and training responses
Figure 1.2-1 Governance System
Key Aspect
Accountability for
management’s
actions
Key Measure
Accomplishment of targets for
the Strategic Goals, assigned
responsibility for strategic plan
Process
Financial and process controls such as step-level approvals for
hiring and spending limits, holding leaders accountable for
attainment of Strategic Goals.
Fiscal accountability
Expenditures vs. budget, audit
findings
External & internal financial audit/review; Financial & process controls;
Monthly Chancellor/PVC review.
Selection of BoT members
Attendance and participation in Orientation for BoT members; BoT mentoring
monthly/committee meetings
Transparency in operations and Performance to KPIs
Transparency - Publish outcomes from meetings. Posting important
reports on ethics and compliance online, such as the Clery report and the
selection/disclosure for Board of
Ethics and Compliance quarterly report.
Trustee members and members
of other policy making groups
Selection/Disclosure – Employees/members are required to disclose
financial holdings or potential conflicts of interest when hired and at all
times thereafter if there is a change in status.
External and internal audit
Findings from internal and
External auditors are retained by DSO to conduct annual financial,
external audits, reports, and
compliance and control audits for the BoT. Results are reported to district
Independence
recommendations
and college administrators, as well as the BoT.
Internal auditors are independent of the district and college operations and
report to the BoT. They have defined operating protocols set by the BoT.
Established periodic review of critical district operations and reports are
reviewed and approved by the BoT.
Student and employee grievance processes; Review of district success
Protection of stakeholder
Performance on regulatory
metrics; Procedures for supplier selection, e.g., bidding; Ethics Hotline
requirements (Fig. 1.2-2),
interests
program outcome measures
5
offered by the colleges.
1.2b(2) Ethical Behavior
One of the organizational values is Respect for All which is
communicated and reinforced with all employees as described in
1.1a (1). To assure that the organization acts accordingly, the
Ethics and Compliance unit oversees our ethics program.
Through open channels of communication, employees, students,
and community can participate in improving the AC and help to
promote a safe and ethical work environment. Annual ethics
training reinforces the employees’ right to work in a positive
environment and the individual’s responsibility for ethical
behavior. An ethics hotline provides stakeholders an anonymous
method for reporting issues. A systematic approach is deployed
to ensure appropriate responses to reports of ethical violations.
First, the ethics officer carefully evaluates all reported issues.
An ethics committee, comprised of the ethics officer and
representatives from HR, Alamo Colleges Police department,
and Information Technology Services (ITS), research and
investigate the issue. Once investigated and found to be a
breach, appropriate action, up to and including termination, is
taken. Every submission to the ethics hotline receives a
response. Substantiated ethics reports from the hotline are
submitted to the BoT quarterly and a full presentation is
made annually (Fig. 7.4-7). These ethics reports highlight the
number of substantiated/validated reports compared to the
total number of reports on an annual basis. According to
NAVEX and The Network, Inc., two major hotline
companies, the Alamo Colleges number of substantive
reports is 50% below the industry average of 30 substantive
reports per year. In addition, all employees are required to
complete online ethics training annually, with completion
acknowledged in the personnel file.
AC responds to breaches of ethical behavior by applying
established procedures for Progressive Discipline (HR policy
D.9.1) regarding Nepotism; Conflicts of Interest; Protection
from Retaliation; Employee Complaints; Workplace
Violence Notification of Misdemeanors; Separation from
Employment; Conduct Constituting Moral Turpitude; the
Faculty Code of Professional Ethics, and other areas.
1.2c Societal Responsibilities and Support of Key
Communities
1.2c(1) Societal Well-Being
DSO is committed to the Community-Engaged value and,
as such, engages in a number of programs for contributing
to society. One approach includes the provision of
community education centers at multiple locations, which
Figure 1.2-2 – Regulatory Environment
Issue
Regulator
Measures
Targets
Process to Address Requirements
Financial and Controls
Regulatory
GASB, External
Auditor
Significant audit findings
100%
compliance
Effective business practices
Institutional Accreditation
SACS
Compliance to Criteria with
respect to District Operations
100%
compliance
SACS accreditation
requirements
Federal Human Resources
US Department
Regulatory Issues (e.g., FLSA, of Labor,
Uniformed Service and Veterans EEOC, FCC
Employment,
Fair Credit
COBRA, Fair Labor Standards, Reporting,
Patient Protection & Affordable Immigration
Care, Title VII, Equal and Fair and Customs
Pay Acts, ADA, Title VII Civil
Enforcement,
Rights, Various AntiOffice of
Discrimination, Sexual
Contract
Harassment, Employment
Compliance
Eligibility Verification, Diversity/
Affirmative Action)
Fire Safety
NFPA
Complaints, Correct paychecks,
Restoration of covered employees,
Timely Notification, Training, Requests
for service,
Compensation analysis,
Employment records, Correct
paperwork (I-9, immigration and work
authorizations, Violations,
participation rate, retirements, claims
vs contributions, Representation &
distribution of minority groups in the
workforce)
100%
compliance,
100%
compliance to
plan
Polygraph Request, Payroll,
Compensation Review,
Leave, Employment,
Benefits, Nondiscriminatory Policies and
Procedures, Awareness,
Investigations, Employment,
Records, Review of IC
Requests,
TPA Services, Benefits Plan
Administration, Diversity Planning
Process
Code compliance
100%
compliance
Facilities Work Orders
(Electrical, building, etc.)
US Office of Special Counsel
(Whistleblower Protection Act)
US Office of
Special Counsel
Filings, Violations
100%
compliance
Employee Complaint
Process
Texas Human Resources
Regulatory Issues (e.g.,
Unemployment Comp, Labor
Code, Employment Reporting,
Open Records Grievances,
Const. Rights, Workers Comp,
Occupational Health, Health
and Safety – Drug Free)
Texas
Workforce
Commission,
Attorney General,
Department of
Insurance, Health
& Safety Code
Unemployment reimbursement
costs, training, complaints, timely
reporting, response, grievances, due
process, claim coverage, permits,
leave use. workplace incidents
100%
Separation and unemployment
Compliance, insurance response, policy,
investigation, payroll, new hires,
zero incidents
open records request,
complaints, pers. actions,
workplace injury process,
facilities work orders, awareness
and EAP
Environmental (Environmental
Quality)
TX Environ.
Quality Comm.
Testing / Compliance / Permits
100%
compliance
Timely licensing , CEU’s
100% required Employment Procedures,
licenses
Training, Tracking
Compliance
100%
compliance
Federal Regulations
State of Texas Regulations
Licensing Boards (Professional TX Professional
Licensure)
Licensing Boards.
Facilities, Waste Disposal
Local Regulations
Building Codes (Live Oak,
Universal City)
City Code
Depts.
6
Facilities
offer college awareness programs and support for adult
learners. For instance, the Westside Education and Training
Center (WETC), located in the heart of the Edgewood
community, was opened as an avenue for community residents
to attain entry-level occupation skills or increase technical
skills to connect to jobs or higher education opportunities. The
City of San Antonio, Edgewood Independent School District
(ISD), the AC, and numerous community representatives are
working together to bring this workforce specialty center model
to the community. The WETC provides short-term workforce
training programs, technical skill assessment, advising, career
exploration and job search assistance.
The Strategic Planning and Performance Excellence (SPPE)
unit conducts environmental scans and makes them available
weekly to leaders across the AC to inform societal contribution
decisions in areas of greatest need. The research drives
responsiveness to the needs of the community, including the
impact of layoffs and closing or relocating businesses.
As part of the institution’s commitment to improving the
environment, the BoT approved an environmental sustainability
policy based on national best practices. AC Policy B10.1 and
Procedure B10.1.1, Environmental Sustainability, identifies
seven areas of concentration to address environmental
sustainability concerns: Sustainability Literacy; Energy; Air
Quality; Waste Management; Water; Facility Maintenance,
Renovation and Construction; and Purchasing. B.101.1
identifies methods and standards, performance measures, and
goals for each of the seven areas for promoting environmental
sustainability system-wide. A cross-college Environmental
Sustainability Council was also established in 2011, and they
are credited with bringing greater awareness to internal
programs, such as recycling and external efforts such as
collaborating with the Sierra Club and working to garner
support for the City of San Antonio’s campaign to ban plastic
bags.
1.2c(2) Community Support
Each year AC identifies the high-impact areas of focus that it
will support with time, resources, and the employee giving
campaign. AC supports the areas of underprivileged San
Antonio citizens, business and industry associations,
community education [1.2c (1)], and the broader education
community in Bexar County. Through the Employees Giving
Back campaign, the AC supports the community through three
essential causes — The United Way, The Fund (San Antonio
arts and culture), the AC Foundation (AC scholarships and
programs).
The annual AC Employees Giving Back campaign allows
employees to support their cause of choice. SL promote the
campaign and set an example by giving at the leadership level.
Through a targeted campaign, employee participation has
increased every year. In 2009, participation was 13 percent, and
it reached 40 percent in 2014 (Fig. 7.4-11). Other campaigns
are reinforced by staff and others conducting fundraisers
benefitting specific organizations such as the American Cancer
Society.
AC key communities are those it serves in Bexar County and
neighboring counties belonging to the AC service area. AC
participates in supporting its communities and enhancing its
core competencies, particularly Partnership Development,
through broad involvement in business and community
organizations such as the chambers of commerce, the Greater
Bexar P-16 Council, Alamo Workforce Council, and
other community organizations. Rural and urban centers
partner with the local communities to provide local access to
the Alamo Colleges. This support of community education
is described in 1.2c(1). SL also serve on local boards, such
as United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County.
To support the broader education community, AC
participates in a number of best-practice organizations for
education such as the Quality Texas Foundation, AtD, the
TACC, The American Association of Community Colleges,
and the Association of Community College Trustees, the
Community College Association of Texas Trustees, and
Continuous Quality Improvement Network.
To further support and strengthen key communities, in
2012 the AC created a new position, Director of Community
Partnerships. Since then, quarterly partnership dinners have
been held and over the course of several years,
superintendents and school board members representing
over 28 ISDs and charter schools have participated in
planning sessions with AC leadership. At the initial dinner,
ten priority partnership strategies were identified by the K12 sector leaders, which have driven the focus of subsequent
meetings.
An additional example of community support is the Dual
Credit Program which allows high school students to coenroll in college courses for credit prior to high school
graduation. College credits earned through dual credit can
be applied toward high school and college graduation and
can be transferred to other colleges or universities. Students
may select from a variety of courses. Tuition is waived for
this popular program, effectively providing over 9,000 high
school students with a full scholarship (Fig. 7.1-7) to AC.
CATEGORY 2: STRATEGY
.
2.1 STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
2.1a Strategy Development Process
2.1a(1) Strategic Planning Process
AC conducts systematic, iterative strategic planning every
year to ensure appropriate strategy formulation and SPP
improvement. The SPP provides direction and sets the
priorities for the five DSO divisions and the five colleges.
The high-level activities that occur each year as part of the
ongoing SPP are depicted in Fig. 2.1-1.
The SPP includes the following strategic planning
activities:
1) Review and reaffirm the MVV each year to ensure
continued alignment and relevance in direction setting.
2) Core competencies (CC) are evaluated and updated
annually by the PVC during dedicated strategic planning
retreats.
3) Throughout the year SPPE conducts environmental
scanning to collect input from the external environment and
stakeholders about areas of potential impact on AC.
Information about trends, shifts, needs, and risks is
categorized, linked, and posted daily on the SPPE webpage.
In a cycle of improvement, SPPE now “pushes”
environmental scan information to all DSO and college
leaders through emails containing scan links and highlights
sent several times a week. Areas covered by the scan are
shown in Fig. 2.1-2. Prior to the AC stakeholders’ strategic
planning retreat held in February, stakeholders review scan
information to enable data-informed planning.
7
Figure 2.1-1 Strategic Planning Process
metrics aligned to those KPIs. Benchmarks are also
identified for KPIs, and annual
performance targets are set.
9) AC ensures full alignment of
all 53 DSO units with its
strategic direction by developing
SP-aligned unit APs. These APs,
built by each DSO unit, identify
unit goals, strategies, action
items, KPI metrics, targets, and
available benchmarks.
10) Throughout the year, AC
tracks and evaluates performance
results, posts the progress on the
intranet and Weave, and shares
this information with the BoT
and the public. Prior to the next
planning cycle, SPPE evaluates
the entire SPP using feedback
and FOCUS PDCA, identifies
potential improvements, and
implements changes. The
implementation of Data Days in
December 2012 is an example of
SPP review and improvement.
During Data Days, all DSO units
present their performance
accomplishments and innovation approaches to DSO and
college leaders to share best practices and promote cycles of
improvement. The fourth annual Data Days event will occur
in January 2016.
The longer-term planning horizon for the SP is three years
with annual SP updates. The BoT sets this long-term
planning horizon to allow AC to complete major projects,
while still providing a perspective that allows AC to
proactively identify strategic opportunities (SO) and
emerging threats. The SP goals represent long-term plans,
and DSO unit APs are the short-term (annual) plans.
AC addresses the potential need for transformational
change by infusing the SPP with environmental scan and
SWOT analysis information and by engaging the workforce,
customers, partners, and collaborators via the strategic
planning retreat in the synthesis and analysis of existing
issues, concerns, and processes. DSO also systemically
collects, analyzes, and reviews data and promising best
practices from local, regional, and national peers to inform
our change agenda in alignment with the SO and vision.
AlamoADVISE is an example of peer best practice initiative
adoption.
The prioritization of change initiatives is an iterative
process:
1) During the strategic planning retreat, stakeholders rate
and rank potential initiatives; 2) the PVC, on follow-up
retreats, reviews this feedback and prioritizes strategies; and
3) the BoT finalizes, adopts, and reinforces its prioritized
listing through its deliberations and resulting Charges to the
Chancellor.
The thoroughness of the SPP and performance reviews
contributes to organizational efficiency and sustainability
and operational flexibility. Regular analysis of performance
and availability of resources allows SL to make data-
4) Input from AC stakeholders is gathered through an online
survey of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
along with the identification of priorities and competitive
factors. The resulting SWOT analysis report (AOS) is
forwarded to participants in advance of the stakeholders’
strategic planning retreat and posted on the webpage and
intranet.
5) Suppliers and other stakeholders are engaged in planning
through continuous interaction with VCs and supervisors. For
example, additional input from the community was received
through a recent initiative to develop student leadership
competencies. AC met with the city Mayor and key business
leaders to define the competencies identified by business and
industry leaders as essential for a skilled workforce. This
community engagement led to the inception of our second
strategic objective of developing principle-centered leaders.
6) During the AC stakeholders’ retreat, priorities and strategies
are identified in support of our short- and long-term goals (Fig.
2.2-2). Stakeholders identify needs/priorities/strategies and
provide their voice for setting the organization’s direction.
Attendees include DSO workforce (chancellor, VCs, AVCs,
directors, staff, and other leaders); key DSO customers,
including college presidents, vice presidents (VPs), faculty and
staff and their senate/councils; student representatives,
including leaders of student government; and community
members such as advisory councils and key business/industry
customers.
7) The information gathered during the stakeholder retreat is
later reviewed by the PVC, while leveraging CC, and used
along with the BoT priorities to establish or reaffirm long-term
strategic objectives and goals. Subsequently, DSO and the
colleges use this information to align and drive their strategic
planning efforts.
8) Each summer, the PVC reviews/updates SP KPIs while DSO
divisions and units and the college presidents define/refine their
8
Figure 2.1-2 Key Inputs to Strategy Development
Environmental
Scan Area
Content
Sources
• Student/community demographic shifts; • US Census;
Demographic
• Educational attainment;
• Student census;
Trends
• Migration patterns;
• Industry news;
• Social and cultural changes
• Open literature
• Early indications of risks and shifts in
• Industry sources;
educational programs and offerings;
• Benchmarking;
• Changes in student and stakeholder needs • THECB;
Educational
and preferences for educational services; • Open literature;
and Student
Trends
• Innovation trends in teaching and
• Surveys with
learning
students/
stakeholders
• Industry performance and forecasts;
• News;
• Labor demand and supply;
• State agencies’
releases;
• Employment and employer trends;
Economic Trends
• Workforce survey
• Salary/benefits analysis;
assessments;
• Economic impact of AC on the region
• Open literature
• Risks/shifts in state and federal funding; • News;
• Evaluation of financial and other
• Open literature;
Fiscal Trends
resources for the SP;
• State and local
• Factors affecting the sustainability of AC agencies
• News and forecasts of technology
• IT industry news;
risks/shifts;
• Education industry
Technological
• New technology impact on education and news
Trends
the financial stability and sustainability
of AC
• Emerging city, state, and national
• News
Political
political issues and regulatory
Trends
requirements
• Early indications of risks associated with • Industry news;
Legislative and
the Texas Legislature and the national • Information from
Regulatory
regulatory environment
regulators,
Trends
contacts
• Risks associated with competition;
• News; THECB;
Peer Institutions
• Performance monitoring of peer
• Database searches
& Competition
institutions
• Benchmarking
• Trends in HR;
• News;
• Workforce satisfaction and engagement • Open
Employee Focus trends;
literature;
• Issues in hiring, retention, succession, an • Benchmarking
professional development
informed decisions to address external factors and meet the
established and unexpected needs of customers and other
stakeholders in a timely manner.
Approaches to ensure organizational agility include (1)
Continuous environmental scanning to identify needs for course
changes; (2) Flexibility built into the budget to change course
or start new activities as fitting; (3) Process improvement focus
for more efficient and effective processes to adapt as needed;
and (4) Monitoring performance measures to identify needs and
risks. To reinforce flexibility and model best practice, the SPP
was evaluated using FOCUS PDCA with CVC members.
2.1a(2) Innovation
Reflecting two of its CC (Innovative technology and Driving
adoption of innovative practices), DSO leaders are encouraged
to incorporate approaches for innovation while focusing on
their customers’ requirements and the changing environment to
achieve the three strategic objectives and execute APs. To
support the business model, AC stimulates and incorporates
innovation in two areas: in-house development of innovative
approaches that will lead to breakthrough improvement and
adoption/adaptation of external approaches. This helps
services/programs stay current and grow through new
technologies and the introduction of new or modified methods
while meeting our customers’ needs. Innovations in the current
9
SP include the deployment of the AW, a policy started in
2011 to foster student success, principle-centered leadership
competencies for employees and students, and continuous
performance improvement. Additional innovation examples
include the adoption of 4DX as a tool for focused strategy
execution; the implementation of a Budget Alignment
Methodology (BAM); the in-house development of
interactive gaming as a tool for team building and
dissemination of the AW; and the design of
AlamoENROLL, AlamoADVISE, MyMAP, and
AlamoINSTITUTES by consolidating and adopting best and
promising student support/ success practices from leading
colleges across the nation. In 2012, AC received the
prestigious Bellwether Award from the Community
Colleges Futures Assembly for its outstanding and
innovative BAM (AOS).
Through environmental scanning, DSO leaders identify
SO, including those for innovative business growth. SO and
priorities are also identified through SWOT analysis. To
determine which SO are intelligent risks worth pursuing, SL
analyze stakeholders’ recommendations in the SWOT
analysis, benchmarks best practices from peer institutions,
develops action plans to deploy new initiatives and then
announces the decision/approach to the AC community
following weekly SL meetings. MyMAP, AlamoADVISE,
AlamoENROLL, and AlamoINSTITUTES are each
examples of SL acting on SO. The key SO are listed in the
footnote of Fig. 2.2-2.
2.1a(3) Strategy Considerations
To collect and analyze relevant data and developing
information for the SPP, DSO capitalizes on increasingly
complex and larger amounts of data and information (Fig.
2.1-2) AC makes substantial investments in data mining,
cleansing, and analyzing and using business intelligence
tools. Some of these tools include SAS, Argos, data
warehouse, DegreeWorks, Civitas (predictive analytics),
and Banner Workflow. IRES also consolidates large data
sets, research reports/studies, and survey results into
consumable Research Briefs housed in a central repository
along with institutional research studies, reports, KPIs, and
metrics.
SL identify strategic challenges (SC) and strategic
advantages (SA) during strategic planning retreats through
prioritization of key SWOT elements and discussions based
on environmental information. This helps to continuously
improve key planning inputs that can help provide insight
into unknown issues and risks to organizational
sustainability. For example, when the completion
(graduation) agenda became the priority from the State of
Texas and the City of San Antonio, 4DX was deployed to
increase the number of graduates.
In support of the third strategic objective and under
Baldrige Framework guidance, DSO analyzes relevant
data/information to prepare for potential changes in the
regulatory environment. DSO Ethics and Compliance
maintains a listing of regulatory agencies associated with
AC and assigns ownership to key personnel who are
responsible for monitoring and managing changes. In
addition, weekly SL meetings and regular contact with
stakeholders keep the organization abreast of and prepared
for changes in the regulatory environment.
To identify potential blind spots during strategy
development, DSO remains informed of potential threats and
challenges through the daily environmental scan. Also, ongoing
interaction with and input from key stakeholders assures that
DSO remains current in areas of greatest risk to the
organization. Through partnerships with business/industry,
community, and local, state, national, and international
organizations and governments, AC has secured a foothold in
emerging workforce development, learning, and career needs.
This allows AC personnel to serve on legislative committees,
become well informed about opportunities and threats, and be
on the cutting-edge of change.
DSO systematically ensures the ability to execute the SP by
providing sufficient resources. For key strategic initiatives,
multi-disciplinary teams are formed and adequate human and
other resources are allocated to projects to ensure successful
execution. Each of these teams includes members of the PVC
who review and approve the plans to make resources available.
SL also ensure the ability to execute the SP by 1) providing
specific leadership for each AP, 2) aligning assignment of APs
to areas with similar duties, and 3) having a tiered system of
reviews at the supervisor, leadership, and PVC levels for
accountability and AP modification as needed (see Item 2.2).
An example of this approach is the Dual Credit priority (AOS).
2.1a(4) Work Systems and Core Competencies
DSO has three work systems: Leadership System, Student
Systems and Support Systems (Fig. 6.1-1). Within the three
systems are nine process families. The DSO work system
model (Fig. 6.1-2) depicts systems through which all AC
strategies, APs, and measures are deployed. This model begins
in the leadership system where strategic objectives and goals
are identified. This model reflects the system paths where
processes lead to outcomes. The workforce, key suppliers,
partners, and collaborators deliver services to customer
segments through the Student Work Systems and the Support
Work Systems. Data/information from measures are captured,
reviewed, and used as key inputs into the SPP to help identify
the need to analyze, design or modify key work systems and
processes.
The DSO work system philosophy centers on collaboration,
efficiency, and effectiveness. The organizational MVV provide
focus for the work systems. DSO expects and plans our work
systems to support our three strategic objectives in service to
the colleges and other key stakeholders. In its primary role as
providers of services, DSO creates work systems and discrete
processes to support the growing needs and offerings of the five
colleges. The PVC receives input from college and DSO
personnel and other stakeholders through its listening posts
(Fig. 3.1-2). The need for new or modified work systems, those
that begin and end with the customer, can be identified through
numerous sources such as a request from a stakeholder, a
benchmarked best practice shared by any employee, or a
performance efficiency improvement need or initiative
identified by the PVC. When the need for new services or gaps
in services are identified, the PVC first determines whether the
services should be provided through current systems. The CVC
incorporates feedback from multiple stakeholders including
college presidents, suppliers, partners, and collaborators;
conducts an assessment of internal capabilities and capacity;
and evaluates performance. The CVC then evaluates the
effectiveness of the current work system and makes appropriate
10
changes, if necessary.
The PVC decides when to outsource a key process based
on comparative cost analysis and the identification of the
CC of existing and potential suppliers and partners to ensure
value creation for DSO customers. An example of a recent
decision to outsource is the Call Center, the place where
incoming calls from students and the public to the colleges
are directed. The CVC identifies future core competencies
and work systems by analyzing generated ideas and
consensus around themes of needed competencies as well as
from areas of desired strategic direction and growth. For
instance, the PVC identified that while AC is very good at
strategy development, the organization was less effective at
strategy deployment. Understanding this weakness allowed
SL to identify the 4DX approach to execute strategy
effectively.
2.1b Strategic Objectives
2.1b(1) Key Strategic Objectives
The three overarching strategic objectives (aligned to the
AW) and their corresponding goals (long-term plans) have
been defined through the systematic SPP. They are shown in
Fig. 2.2-2. Timetables for completion are embedded in
action plans. The goals represent the planned key changes to
services, customers, markets, suppliers, and operations.
2.1b(2) Strategic Objective Considerations
To balance varying and potentially competing
organizational needs, AC has adapted the strategic
objectives to the three AW elements (student success,
principle-centered leadership, and performance excellence)
to redouble focus on the highest priorities while taking into
consideration the SC, CC, SA, and SO. Through systematic
approaches, the three strategic objectives and corresponding
goals achieve the following:
• Address SC. DSO analyzes the various inputs captured
through the environmental scan to update SC and ensure
that they are addressed every year when the organization
defines or reaffirms the strategic objectives, goals, and key
APs. Linkages are shown in Fig. 2.2-2.
• Leverage CC, SA, and SO. During strategy development
(Fig. 2.1-1), CC and SA are leveraged by aligning them to
the SO, strategic objectives, and strategic goals for
innovation in services, products, and operations. AP
execution demonstrates an effective leverage of CC, SA,
and SO. Fig. 2.2-2 demonstrates how the strategic
objectives align to and leverage the CC, SA, and SO.
• Balance short and longer terms. SL balance short and
longer terms through the use of a strategy map (AOS).
Organizational priorities are identified with baseline, one,
two and three year targets. These strategy maps are located
throughout the organization to remind stakeholders of short
and longer term targets.
• Consider the needs of all key stakeholders. DSO ensures
that its stakeholders are involved in the strategic (SP) and
operational (SIPOC, AP) planning. It monitors evolving
stakeholder expectations to ensure that their needs and
concerns are considered and balanced when formulating,
implementing and re-evaluating strategic objectives, goals,
and strategies.
2.2 STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION
The integrated planning model (adapted from Patrick
E.Below et al.) enables organizational communication and
integration by relating strategy to operations to performance
results (Fig. 2.2-1).
Figure 2.2-1 Integrated Planning Model
2.2a Action Plan Development and Deployment
Sample longer-term APs (“goals”) are shown in Fig. 2.2-2.
These plans are further broken into short-term APs by each
DSO unit. Some key APs are shown in Fig. 2.2-2.
2.2a(1) Action Plans
Annual APs are implemented by DSO units to achieve unit
goals in the short term and support its longer-term plans. With
VC support, SPPE personnel coach unit leaders and their teams
on how to complete SIPOC forms to identify suppliers, inputs,
processes, outputs, customers and their requirements, OFIs,
measures of success, and unit targets. SIPOC information is
used to complete SP-aligned unit APs including goals and
strategies.
Measures and their targets are defined for each strategy.
Action items (activities and tasks), owners, required resources,
and timelines for execution are also included. DSO units
complete their APs before the start of each fiscal year. SPPE
manages WEAVE, a cloud-based strategic/action planning
application used by DSO units to create/post APs, align them to
the SP, input implementation progress and data, and ensure
coordination, sharing, and reporting across DSO. A matrix of
linked SIPOC forms, unit APs, and unit key metrics is posted in
the Alamo Share intranet for unit leaders and SL to monitor and
share. The strategic goals identified under each strategic
objective in the SP represent the key longer-term plans.
Samples of short-term annual APs aligned with those goals and
strategic objectives are shown in Fig. 2.2-2. AP results are
included in Fig 7.4-16.
2.2a(2) Action Plan Implementation
After development, APs are deployed by DSO leaders
through unit team meetings and other communication
approaches. APs are updated with results and action item
progress data and modified during the year. In a cycle of
learning, 4DX, an innovation for strategy implementation was
adopted by the PVC and DSO/ college unit leaders to prioritize
goals (lag measures), leverage leading measures, maintain
transparent performance scoreboards, and hold
accountability/support meetings. To ensure that their
capabilities are incorporated and their commitment is
understood, suppliers and other stakeholders are included in the
AP process. For example, Student Success is working with
vendors to identify tracking software that will assist advisors
and faculty to support students as they move them towards
graduation, the WIG.
11
2.2a(3) Resource Allocation
The systematic budgeting process ensures that financial
and other resources are available to support annual
implementation of APs. DSO ensures that the key outcomes
of APs are sustained by assessing customer feedback, costs,
and benefits and by incorporating needed changes into
processes. This, in turn, secures ongoing resource
commitment. The operating expense budget calculates
budget allocations by function (instruction, academic
support, student services, institutional support, and
operation and maintenance) using a standard workload
allocation formula (AOS).
In FY 2010, a financial viability paradigm shift changed
how DSO and the colleges operate at the administrative,
operational, academic, and student support levels. At that
time, AC faced a significant financial challenge: 28%
enrollment growth during a four-year period, construction of
1 million ft2 in new facilities including a new college, and a
23% decrease in state funding. With 80% of the budget tied
up in employee-related costs and a goal of avoiding layoffs,
AC needed to engage the workforce in reshaping operations
and closing a $30 million budget gap in FY11 and FY12.
An innovative BAM (AOS) was implemented to engage
stakeholders in addressing budget challenges while striving
to improve student success (our first strategic objective).
The BAM has been improved to include a tighter alignment
to our strategic initiatives and a renewed focus on savings
for future investments. AC successfully balanced the budget
four consecutive years, even after a decline in two of three
revenue sources (state and tax funding). The BAM has been
established as a continuous cycle to manage financial risks
and ensure financial viability.
2.2a(4) Workforce Plans
To support strategic objectives and APs, the HR/OD team
manages a multi-year HR People Plan based on stakeholder
input to establish workforce goals and priorities. The HR
People Plan elements are organized into 7 Plan Goal areas:
1) Talent, 2) Engagement, 3) High Performing Teams, 4)
Learning Organization, 5) Culture, 6) Stakeholder
Collaboration, and 7) HR/OD Flywheel to support the
People Plan vision: Best People, Best Practice, Best Place
to Work. Support of strategies within each goal area directly
aligns to the AC SP and WIG. Performance targets are set
and results are measured against national benchmarks drawn
from the annual PACE employee survey and employer
workforce assessment surveys conducted annually by
CUPA, BLS, ATD, DOL, and SHRM and by calculating
Net Promoter Score (NPS). To date, the HR People Plan has
undergone three cycles of improvement to enhance
stakeholder input, incorporate NPS, and include
benchmarking to national workforce standards. Performance
against targets has continuously improved over that period
(7.3).
Employee and organizational development strategies to
build workforce capabilities include principle-centered
leadership development (second strategic objective) for
every employee; 4DX mastery to achieve the AC WIG and
develop accountability; project management proficiency for
project teams; and Crucial Conversations to improve
interpersonal communication. Workforce capacity analysis
is conducted annually to identify over- and under-utilized
Figure 2.2-2 Strategic Plan Integration
Strategic
Objectives
I. Student
Success:
Provide
academic and
student support
and align labor
market-based
pathways with a
focus on
Achieving the
Dream to
achieve student
completion.
II. PrincipleCentered
Leadership:
Provide
opportunities
for AC students
and employees
to develop as
principlecentered
leaders.
III.
Performance
Excellence:
Continuously
improve our
employee,
financial,
technological,
physical and
other capacities
with focus on
effectiveness,
efficiency, and
agility.
Sample Long-Term Goals (three years)
Sample Action Plans and Results
SC
CC
SA
SO
A. Leverage and strengthen engagement with P-12 partners to improve
the college-readiness and transition of students from high school to
college and to work/careers.
Advance College Connection
program (Figs. 7.1-9 & 7.1-10)
2
3
3,5
4,5
B. Increase overall student performance by closing performance gaps
between ethnic/racial, gender and socioeconomic groups.
AC Mobile GO Center
recruitment (Fig. 7.1-8)
2
1,2
3,4
,5
1,5
2,4
1,2,4
3
1,3
,5
1,2,4
1,2,4
3
5
1,4
1,2,4
5
1,2
C. Deploy and improve the MyMAP student experience to integrate
advising, support and academic progress.
Deploy MyMAP
D. Provide an aligned, comprehensive approach to accelerate the
completion of required AlamoPREP and AlamoREADY to accelerate
students’ progress toward academic/career goals.
Deploy AlamoPREP
Deploy AlamoREADY
E. Define, align, assess, and improve student learning
outcomes/competencies for all academic & workforce programs.
(Implemented by the colleges,
not DSO)
F. Organize and deploy the Alamo INSTITUTES to align our
instructional system to labor market demand and career pathways.
Increase access to AC
Academies (Fig. 7.1-3).
1,2,3
,4
1,2,3
,4
3,4
,5
1,2
3,5
G. Increase performance (retention, graduation, transfer, job
placement) of all students to exceed the state and national average
levels.
A. Incorporate personal and social responsibility, global citizenship,
critical thinking, and life-long learning as the framework of principlecentered leadership into the culture and curriculum of the AC.
Student Success Policy F.6.1
(Figs 7.1-2, 7.1-11 through
14)
1,2,4
1,2,4
3,4
,5
1,2
,5
Improvement in CCSSE and
NILIE PACE Results (Figs.
7.4-19, 7.4-20)
1,4
1,4
1,5
1,2
,5
B. Promote data-informed innovation, intelligent risk taking, and
entrepreneurship with a focus on action, value, and the future.
Improvement in CCSSE and
NILIE PACE Results (Figs.
7.4-19, 7.4-20)
1,4
1,4
1,5
1,2
,3,
4,5
C. Build and foster a system that allows us to model two-way internal
communication with students and employees to improve collaboration,
teamwork, and build trust to promote leadership.
Improvement in CCSSE and
NILIE PACE Results (Figs.
7.4-19, 7.4-20)
4
1,3
1,5
-
A. Deploy performance excellence (Baldrige) approaches to ensure
organizational sustainability through use of data, continuous
improvement & efficient and effective work systems.
Increase TAPE overall
weighted score (AOS); 4DX
WIG achievement (Fig. 7.1-1)
1,4
1,4
1,2
,5
1,2
,3,
4,5
B. Build talent and engage employees with a focus on collaboration,
knowledge/skills, and high performance teams.
Increase overall PACE climate
score (Fig. 7.3-10) 15
1,4
1,4
1
2
C. Ensure sound financial management with emphasis on cost
containment.
Increase composite financial
index (AOS)
1
1
1,2
4
D. Innovate and maximize technology to support student and
employee success.
Improve ITS key systems
availability (7.1-28)
Ensure student satisfaction
(Fig. 7.2-3)
1,3,4
2
1,2
3
E. Develop environmental sustainability initiatives and processes.
Increase energy savings (Figs.
7.4-12, 7.4-13, 7.4-14, 7.4-15)
4
1,4
1
5
F. Improve partnerships and alliances by two-way communication
with external communities.
Partnerships growth (MOUs
and/or contracts) (Fig. 7.5-9).
4
3
1,3
4,5
1,4
5
Strategic Challenges (SC): 1. Ensure quality and effectiveness with decreased funding; 2. College readiness of incoming students; 3. Online competition; 4.
Increased public expectation of performance; Core Competencies (CC): 1. Organizational efficiency and sustainability; 2. Innovative technology to support
administrative, academic, and student support operations; 3. Partnership development and stewardship; 4. Driving adoption of innovative practices.; Strategic
Advantages (SA): 1. Board leadership and policy governance; 2. Financial stability; 3. Secondary, university, and business partnerships; 4. Regional economic
development provider; 5. AC reputation and community support. Strategic Opportunities (SO): 1. Establishing articulation agreements with four-year
institutions; 2. Addressing workforce needs; 3. Leveraging technology; 4. Addressing annexation leading to increased enrollment and revenue; and 5.
Strengthening our partnerships and the exchange of data and information with our feeder/receiving schools, suppliers, partners, and collaborators.
staffing levels based on budgeted workloads and staffing
metrics that are monitored and reported in monthly staffing
ratio reports.
Staffing adjustment strategies, such as retirement incentives
and reorganization, are then improved and incorporated into the
People Plan. Individual and team capacity and capability
development needs are identified annually through needs
assessments and the employee performance evaluation process.
Cycles of improvement in capacity alignment are evident in the
successive refinement of the retirement incentives program
over the last three cycles in order to realign capacity to the
WIG rather than reduce total full-time equivalent employees.
12
2.2a(5) Performance Measures
Each DSO unit has established specific key metrics to
monitor progress in AP goals and strategies. Unit key
metrics are included in Fig. 4.1-3. The key metric common
to all DSO units which is used to track service effectiveness
is customer satisfaction. Key metrics are aligned to strategic
objectives and goals in the Strategy Alignment Matrix (AOS
in Alamo Share intranet). This matrix ensures that all key
areas of the APs are measured and have appropriate targets.
The measurement-analysis system reinforces organizational
alignment and covers all key deployment areas and
stakeholder groups.
2.2a(6) Performance Projections
Short-term performance projections (annual AP targets) are
made by benchmarking and working with DSO and college
customers when creating/completing annual APs. During this
activity, DSO leaders also determine projections for the next
three years to ensure continuous improvement and alignment to
strategic objectives. A strategy map with the highest level
performance targets is AOS. APs with short-term and longerterm performance projections are available in Alamo Share.
These longer-term performance projections derive from desired
performance based on best-in-peer-group and best-in-state
comparisons.
2.2b Action Plan Modification
Through environmental analysis, DSO identifies changes that
may require shifts in plans and rapid execution of new ones.
When significant changes occur, the PVC reviews the situation
and quickly identifies needed changes to those plans. An
example is the development of the AlamoINSTITUTES which
guide the students’ selection of courses to match the
requirements of receiving institutions. At the operational level,
when required, DSO unit AP owners work with their teams and
corresponding VC to make the necessary AP modifications and
allocation of resources to meet customer requirements, address
environmental changes, and accomplish the plan. The AP
leader notifies all involved internal and external parties of the
changes through the same mechanisms used to deploy APs.
Deployment of the WEAVE software tool for strategic and
action planning has made the creation and modification of AP
strategies easier, transparent, and more integrated.
For example, when planning a large manufacturing facility in
San Antonio, Toyota was concerned that a workforce pool did
not exist in the area. In response to this challenge, DSO utilized
a $12 million grant from the Texas Workforce Commission to
implement manufacturing training programs that met Toyota
international production standards. AC established advanced
manufacturing training programs at two of the colleges while
hiring over 15 adjunct faculty members trained and certified by
Toyota. All 2,000 employees hired by Toyota completed an
average of 120 hours of training. In response, Toyota adopted a
positive perspective about workforce availability in the area
and used the AC team as a key member of their Economic
Development Business Recruiting team. They understood
AC’s ability to be agile in meeting their requirements
CATEGORY 3: CUSTOMERS
.
3.1 VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER
DSO obtains information from the colleges and other
stakeholders through listening and learning methods to capture
customer-related information. The student success agenda
guides the DSO responses to the colleges’ needs which are
informed by the needs of other customers and stakeholders.
DSO uses the information gathered to respond to customer
needs through processes deployed across the DSO units and the
cross-college teams. The manner in which DSO listens to
customers is described in Fig. 3.1-2.
3.1a. Customer Listening
3.1a(1) Current Customers
DSO has a systematic approach including formal and informal
listening and learning methods (Fig. 3.1-2) to capture and use the
VOC to serve the colleges in meeting the educational needs in
its service area. The methods address the requirements of the
colleges, students, and other customer and stakeholder groups.
13
Figure 3.1-1 Voice of the Customer Process
To support students who are served directly by DSO units
such as the Bursars offices, financial aid, and the regional
education and training centers or indirectly by facilities and
police, DSO collaborates closely with the colleges to gather
student information to identify college and student needs.
As shown in Fig.3.2-2, each VC regularly meets with crosscollege teams of leaders from the colleges to capture voice
of the customer by enabling the colleges to make
recommendations on key decisions. Concerns collected
during PVC meetings or in cross-college team meetings are
analyzed and appropriate changes may be addressed by the
cross-college team or could be reviewed by the PVC and
addressed through a VOC process (Fig. 3.1-1). For example,
the VCs for Academic Success and Student Success meet
twice a month with the VPs of the colleges. In 2012 in a
cycle of improvement, the VCs of Academic Success and
Student Success, listened and worked with college faculty
and staff to create MyMAP (Monitoring My Academic
Progress.) MyMAP is an innovative, comprehensive flow
of the student’s experience from initial interest in AC
through completion of certificate or degree. The four
components of MyMAP are Connection, Entry, Progression,
and Completion identifying the student life cycle. The VCs
led the development of AlamoADVISE, a comprehensive
monitoring and advising model integrated with MyMAP
that begins with prospective students and continues through
a case management advising model. Each student’s
progress is monitored toward completion while involving
continuous communication with advisors and faculty
mentors. Complementing AlamoADVISE is
AlamoINSTITUTES which is the academic model that
provides six career pathways, combines the available
transfer and workforce programs across the colleges in each
Institute, and offers advising which ultimately leads to a 4year degree at local universities. With these models, AC
demonstrates a systematic process to listen to and assist
students through their lifecycle at the AC. DSO is
leveraging its core competency of innovative technology to
assist in working with 60,000 plus college students
throughout their academic and technical experience at the
AC to increase their likelihood of success. Increasing the
success of students is a key expectation of the colleges.
The VCs also work with college leaders to guide the
implementation of the Board’s policies, completion of the
BoT’s Charges to the Chancellor, the SP, and the state
legislature requirements. Through specific agendas, the crosscollege teams address the colleges’ needs and make just-in-time
adjustments in processes affecting students’ programs and
services. Examples include the college calendar and the
semester registration schedule. The college teams submit
requests for action at these cross-college team meetings.
Topics might include application processes, continuing
registrations, or completion requirements for graduation.
Decisions made at these cross-college meetings can
immediately impact the services to the colleges. For example,
as an improvement to communication in 2014, academic
success and student success began monthly joint meetings to
discuss items that impact both instruction and student success.
As members of the PVC, the VCs report many of the
discussions and decisions made by the cross-college teams
either as information or for further discussion with the college
presidents before decisions are made. These presentations
ensure a two-way communication structure between DSO and
its primary customers, the colleges. Another example of this
type of communication is the VC for Planning, Performance,
and Information Systems who regularly meets with DSO and
ITS leaders based at the colleges to address technology issues
identified by the college customers. When upgrades are made
to hardware or software such as ACES, which impacts
academic instruction at the colleges, the ITS team works with
the colleges’ teams to ensure no disruption in services to
students. In 2012, when the colleges expressed a need to make
it easier for students to access email and web sites, the ITS
team built a portal for students to directly access email and
other information. The system is called ACES. In a cycle of
refinement, that portal was upgraded in 2015 to provide easier
access to college services for students. In addition, the ITS
team created the quick links “MyPage” and “MyCourses”
where students can easily find information related to
transcripts, financial aid, degree plans, current courses, holds,
dropping/adding classes, academic profile, and the personal
college experience. These improvements are interventions that
contribute to our WIG – increasing graduation -- and were
developed and recommended by the cross-functional teams.
DSO uses social media and web technology approaches to
increase the colleges’ and DSO’s communication with students,
the community, and other customers and stakeholders. In 2013,
the Public Relations unit hired a social media specialist to work
with the colleges’ PR units to expand the reach in the
community for current and prospective students and other
customers. Various units, including International Programs,
SPPE, and Communications, use Facebook as a means for twoway communication with the colleges, students, and other
potential customers. (Fig. 7.2-11)
DSO listens to the colleges’ needs around the students’
admission and registration stages. An example is the process
for student tuition payments. When the AC transitioned to the
Banner student system in fall of 2010, student payment
problems were identified. Using feedback from the colleges and
students, the Business Office implemented an online payment
plan in 2011 and an additional option for installment plans in
2012 to allow check, debit, and credit card payments online by
students (Fig. 7.1-31). Continued enhancements were made,
based on VOC input in 2013 and 2014, to tighten the tuition
payment schedule thereby opening up seats during the
registration period.
14
DSO seeks immediate and actionable feedback from
partnerships with P-12 stakeholders through regular
feedback sessions. Annual feedback sessions with these
stakeholders have been held for several years to gather dual
credit information from the area ISDs. In 2013, the
Chancellor's office began to hold quarterly dinner sessions
to strengthen the partnerships with public schools in its
service area and to collect and analyze qualitative data to
address improvements. In 2015 these quarterly sessions
were expanded to include presentations and discussions on
topics that are of concern to both ISDs and higher education
such as leadership and quality approaches to leading.
Concerns collected during the quarterly meetings are
reviewed by the VCs and presidents to determine which can
be addressed through changes in processes. Dual credit is
an example of an area targeted for improvement. These
changes may be addressed through PDCA process with the
colleges’ dual credit liaisons or with one or more of the
DSO units. While meeting the needs of the stakeholders,
the DSO is also addressing the expectations of the colleges.
The VC for EWD captures a wide range of information
from the colleges, responds to the requests of business and
industry and other stakeholders, and works collaboratively
with Workforce Solutions Alamo (the regional Texas
workforce council), City of San Antonio, Bexar County, and
the State of Texas Economic Development offices. EWD
participates in the community talent pipeline labor market
information committees (LMI), Chamber of Commerce,
employer networks, and associations which all provide
important forums for listening, attaining, and interacting
with customers. These communication pipelines allow DSO
to achieve the goal of aligning our instructional system to
labor market demand and career pathways.
The EWD division listens to and collaborates with
Workforce Solutions units to align Texas Workforce
Commission (TWC) and Workforce Solutions–Alamo
(WSA) labor market data with local workforce data
provided by area business and industry needs, ultimately
impacting economic development. To link industry skills
and hiring requirements with grant opportunities at the state
and federal level, the EWD staff gathers feedback from the
colleges and community stakeholders through the Perkins
Workforce Development Plan process as a means to
strengthen colleges’ workforce development programs and
curriculum to offer to business and industry. The process
serves the business community and serves the colleges. For
example, when a new technology company in San Antonio
identified a need for training, EWD applied for and obtained
a $4.7M grant that assisted in training new hires for that
company through one of the colleges. EWD also worked
with the San Antonio Manufacturers Association (SAMA)
to develop an industry certification program for Veterans,
the Manufactures Skills Standard Council (MSSC). The
Just in Time MSSC produced over 150 MSSC certified
skilled technicians and job opportunities for veterans. This
program was awarded the National 2014 LERN Award for
Instructional Innovation. These are examples of how the
EWD listens to customers to create training opportunities
for the colleges. Through the colleges’ CE departments,
almost 9000 CEU and 11,000 non-credit workers are trained
annually.
In 2013, to improve the response time for addressing
business needs, DSO added a Corporate College unit creating
contract training as an option for customers. These examples
illustrate how DSO utilizes its many listening posts to follow
up with students, business/industry customers, and other
stakeholders to drive improvements. Listening methods vary
for different types of customers across the life cycle of their
relationship with the DSO. DSO units seek immediate and
actionable feedback from the colleges and students on the
quality of their services and leaders use the results to improve
the quality of services. Each unit determines the most
effective timeframe for reaching out to the colleges and other
customers for feedback. Some request feedback with each
transaction; others choose to follow up at the end of each
semester, quarterly, or at some other regular interval. In
addition to using this regular feedback process and making justin-time changes, the DSO units share the results during the
Data Days report outs.
3.1a(2) Potential Customers
Potential customers are the colleges’ prospective students and
new or established business/industry organizations with
training needs. Collaborations and partnerships with ISDs and
local universities across the AC service area contribute to
enhancing our competency of partnership development.
Through frequent PVC and other key meetings and our
systematic listening/learning approaches (Fig. 3.1-2), the
Chancellor, VCs, AVCs, and directors continually share the
voice of students and that of former and current business and
industry customers to determine how well AC continues to
meet customer requirements. For instance, the VC EWD sits on
numerous city and county workforce boards and commissions.
In addition, other EWD leaders gather information from
business and industry representatives about what new industries
are coming to San Antonio and how AC can meet their needs
for trained workers. The VC monitors trends and information
related to high demand occupations, local industry needs, and
the labor market. Businesses seek such information before
making a decision about growth or relocation. In 2015, San
Antonio’s mayor named the Chancellor to lead SA Talent for
Economic Competitiveness (SA-TEC) which is a regional
initiative intended to create a pipeline from colleges into the
workforce, thereby meeting employer needs.
The VCs of Academic and Student Success are in regular
contact with ISDs and universities to learn what is required
from the Alamo Colleges to better serve students from high
school graduation through completion at the universities. By
improving the relationships with the ISDs, 4-year institutions,
and potential and former students, the DSO is meeting the
needs and expectations of the colleges. These types of
collaborations make AC agile and provide the capacity to
upgrade skills of the local workforce to meet the needs of
businesses and industry. In 2013, the VCs began to work with
several ISDs with low percentages of students attending college
to create more dual credit opportunities in the career-technical
areas. As a result, multiple new early college high schools were
opened in 2015 (Fig. 7.1-4). DSO guides these initiatives and
the result is a consistent, high-quality, comprehensive program
available to increase access to higher education and improve
student success.
The VC of Student Success is involved in recruiting new
students for the colleges through the Mobile Go Center (MCG)
15
(Fig. 7.1-8), the College Connection program (Figs. 7.1-9
and 7.1- 10), Student Leadership Institute (SLI) (Fig. 7.115), and an AC presence on military bases. All of these
programs provide opportunities to hear from and provide
outreach to potential students, parents, and communities
while growing enrollments at the colleges.
Figure 3.1-2 Listening and Learning Methods
Listening/Learning Method
C S B T
PVC Meetings (weekly)
VP/Vice Chancellor Meetings
Cross-College Councils/Team
Meetings (at least monthly)
BoT Meetings (bi-monthly)
Chancellor’s Ideas
Chancellor’s Communication (wkly)
Emails
Ad hoc cross-college teams(ongoing)
Community Advisory Groups
Strategic Planning Meetings
Employee Development Day
College/DSO Town Hall Mtgs (5/yr)
Surveys and Focus Groups
Superintendent quarterly dinners
Pathways, Diplomas, Other
Community-wide Groups
Student Affairs in Higher Ed(mo)
ISD & Home School Breakfast
(annually)
Mtgs w/business & industry groups
DSO Unit Meetings
Student Affairs in Higher Ed(monthly)
ISD Superintendent Dinner
Meetings w/business/industry groups
Region 20
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X X X
X
X X X
X
X X
X X X
P
/16
X
X
X
X
X
X
x
x
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Types of Stakeholders: C= 5 colleges S=students B=business and
industry T=trustees P/16=preschool – university partners
X
X
X
3.1b Determination of Customer Satisfaction and
Engagement
3.1b(1) Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction, and Engagement
DSO determines satisfaction and engagement through a
variety of formal and informal methods. DSO units
determine customer dissatisfaction by maintaining regular
contact with DSO, college, and community customers and
by conducting formal customer satisfaction surveys that
include an open-ended question requesting feedback on how
the unit could improve. In addition, root-cause analyses
conducted during FOCUS PDCA exercises contribute to
process improvement. Analysis of complaints contribute to
understanding factors of dissatisfaction. Student satisfaction
and engagement are measured through the Community
College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) and the
results are segmented by college which is important to the
DSO as it serves each college. Many of the programs and
services provided by DSO units directly impact student
satisfaction and engagement which is an identified need of
the colleges. The BoT adopted The Student Responsibility
for Success policy which lists student engagement as the
number one responsibility for success. The Chancellor
leads the PVC in an analysis of each college’s CCSSE
results.
The monthly BoT committee meetings, the weekly PVC
meetings, and VC/VP meetings are additional opportunities for
the VCs to gather and address the colleges’ satisfaction levels.
Ongoing meetings with business and industry groups provide
customer satisfaction feedback from potential, current, and
former customers which the Chancellor and VCs use to address
business, industry, student, and other stakeholder needs. This
information is analyzed by DSO and the colleges to improve
services to business and industry. At the conclusion of each
training contract provided by EWD division units, students and
businesses are asked to complete customer satisfaction surveys
and the feedback is analyzed to make improvements in
curriculum and service. These units also survey the colleges on
satisfaction with the quality of CE enrollment and student
management support. The quarterly ISD superintendent dinners
(Fig. 3.1.2) and regular meetings with Region 20 (regional
education service agency) are sources of satisfaction feedback
on P-16 partnerships.
Measuring customer satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and
engagement enables DSO to capture actionable information to
make improvements to better serve its customers. Examples
include the addition of a fifth Alamo Academy in 2016, the
Corporate College in 2013, and the consolidation of Continuing
Education in 2015. The Corporate College has partnered with
over 200 businesses in the Alamo Colleges service area. These
key employers and corporate citizens include USAA, Toyota,
HoltCat, Zachary Construction, Pressure System Incorporated
(PSI), Rackspace, Mission Solar, City Public Service (CPS),
City of San Antonio (COSA), Bexar County, CMC Steel,
Alcoa, San Antonio Manufacturing Association (SAMA),
Citibank, Nationwide, and San Antonio Credit Unit.
DSO continuously gathers customer service feedback from
the colleges and other stakeholders through our listening posts
(Fig. 3.1-2.) Through annual monitoring of SIPOCs and APs,
DSO units review customer requirements and assess customer
satisfaction improvement. Satisfaction and engagement
information is reported during Data Days where college leaders
(customers of DSO) participate in the discussions. During the
SPP and SWOT analysis, information is also generated from
the review and discussion of data by college and DSO senior
leaders and other stakeholders including community members
and students. These data are used to identify opportunities for
improvement. Opportunities for improvement identified
through the various listening methods are assigned to
improvement teams, unit teams, or individuals to ensure
processes are responsive and current.
DSO units began to identify and gather customer satisfaction
information from the colleges and other customers/stakeholders
in 2011. As a cycle of improvement in 2013, each DSO unit
began to systematically capture satisfaction feedback from the
colleges and other stakeholders to report on customer
satisfaction performance results. In an additional refinement of
the collection of satisfaction data, each customer satisfaction
survey administered by the 53 DSO units includes an overall
customer satisfaction statement: “Overall, I am satisfied with
the service provided by this unit.” Survey recipients respond on
a Likert scale and the collected data gives the leadership a
complete picture of how satisfied the colleges are with DSO
services (Fig. 7.2-1).
3.1b(2) Satisfaction Relative to Competitors
DSO works with the colleges to offer quality transfer and
16
workforce programs to prepare students for completing a
baccalaureate degree or getting employment. The VC for
Academic Success, VC for Student Success, and VC for
Economic and Workforce Development work with ISDs to
provide high school students access to the Alamo Colleges
through programs such as dual credit and College
Connections which area competitors such as universities do
not offer. Since the Texas legislature determines the service
area for each community college in the state, our
partnerships with the ISDs are limited to those ISDs within
our defined service area. We gauge student satisfaction with
the ISDs based on increased dual credit enrollments (Fig.
7.4-10) and through the expansion of the Early College
High Schools and Alamo Academies (Figs. 7.1-4 and 7.13). Enrollments continue to grow in dual credit, the Alamo
Academies, and Early College High School. The DSO
works with the colleges to develop articulation agreements
with higher education institutions in the region, across
Texas, and many across the country to provide students with
multiple opportunities for transfer. In addition, the VC
EWD works with the colleges to develop workforce
partnerships for both credit and continuing education
students. All of these services to the colleges are identified
through the cross-college teams, developed by the DSO
units with college leadership, and approved for
implementation by the PVC.
3.2 CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
3.2a. Product Offerings and Customer Support
3.2a(1) Product Offerings
The formal and informal listening and learning methods
are the primary source for determining products/services
(Fig. 3.1-2). These methods are driven by the Chancellor
and the vice chancellors through the cross-college teams and
the PVC. DSO’s primary products/services and customers
are indicated in Fig. 3.2-1. Its close association and
systematic interaction with personnel from the colleges and
other service recipients and shared vision, they provide a
unique opportunity for listening and learning about
customer and market requirements for services. Through
cross-college teams (Fig. 3.2-2), feedback from all levels
and areas of the colleges is gathered on an ongoing basis.
DSO units have key measures of success and report on these
to the colleges. The VCs gather market requirements from
other customers and stakeholders as well as the community,
and analyze the information with the colleges’ leadership to
meet expectations and expand programs and services for
students. DSO guides the collaboration and consistency
across the colleges for programs and services using best
practices both within the colleges and across the state and
national community college institutions. DSO leads the
standing cross-college teams or creates task forces to
develop or enhance programs and services (Fig. 3.2-2). For
example, when the Board of Trustees charged the
Chancellor with creating a comprehensive advising
program, a team of staff and faculty spent a year developing
the AlamoADVISE model based on research from
organizations such as Achieving the Dream. We have been
a participant in the AtD initiative for ten years. It currently
has over 200 community college members in 35 states
focusing on increasing student success and sharing best
practices. Using best practices from several national
sources and feedback from the colleges on preliminary advising
plans, the extensive case management model, AlamoADVISE,
was approved by the PVC and the BoT.
When new or improved service offerings are needed, DSO
follows a systematic process to design these offerings. The
opportunity for a new or modified service is assigned to a VC
who works with one of the three college VP groups to design
the new product or service to meet customer requirements. For
example, through the listening and learning tools referenced in
Fig. 3.1-2 and 3.2-2, the VC of EWD determined the need for
additional manufacturing capabilities for San Antonio
employers through research done with the San Antonio
Manufacturing Association (SAMA). The VC worked in
partnership with the VPs of Academic Success at the colleges
that had academic programs that could address the needs of
SAMA. AC created a Manufacturing Academy through one of
the colleges that enrolls high school students in a technical dual
credit program. This program enables high school students to
earn a college certificate with 28 college hours by the time they
graduate from high school. These students are employable upon
high school graduation and can continue at the colleges to
complete a two-year degree. In 2013, again in response to
identified needs in the business community, a Heavy
Equipment Academy was created. These Academies serve
identified needs in the business community by providing
workforce programs through the colleges. In a cycle of
refinement this year, DSO added an internship coordinator
position to help the colleges facilitate student work experience
in the field.
3.2a(2) Customer Support
DSO has multiple approaches to allow its customers and
other stakeholders to seek DSO information and customer
support. DSO units are in touch regularly with the colleges and
other customers through face-to-face meetings, telephone,
email, electronic media, social media, and video conferencing.
Through active and continuous communication with
partnership groups and community advisory groups, DSO
enables businesses and industry groups, ISDs, higher education
institutions, and the community to conduct business. DSO units
gather requirements from customers and stakeholders and share
these with the colleges’ leadership through the cross-college
teams. Using the VOC process (Fig. 3.1-1) and the Responding
to the VOC approach (Fig. 3.2-3) DSO units identify key
support requirements and deploy them across the appropriate
colleges. Accessibility is reflected in the focus on mission and
the strategic objective of Performance Excellence (Fig. 2.2-2).
As part of the DSO unit planning activities, SIPOCs, APs, and
annual Data Days report-outs, DSO units improve methods to
reach out to primary customers. In addition, unit leaders
improve the key support requirements for these customer
groups and work with unit teams to discuss how those
requirements are met through the identification of OFIs and AP
action item deployment. Units provide leadership in
collaboration and consistency across the colleges.
3.2a(3) Customer Segmentation
DSO segments data by college and student groups (ethnicity,
gender) some programs are available at several or all of the
colleges while others are offered at only one college. The
counties in the service area constitute AC’s primary market.
Figure 3.2-2 Cross-College Team Structure
17
The service area is served by the five colleges through their
collective programs and services. Student key performance
results are then used by the VCs and presidents to set targets
by student segment. Since joining Achieving the Dream in
2003, AC has been adopting innovative practices to improve
student success across ethnic groups. Each term, when
student results are reported, they are segmented so the
analysis can include differences across student groups. Last
year, the BoT added focusing on closing achievement gaps
among student segments to the Educational Philosophy
Policy. In addition to initiating strategies to increase new
students enrolling in the AC, DSO also identifies processes
and sets targets to increase student persistence from term to
term, and ultimately to improve graduation numbers.
Figure 3.2-1 Primary Products/Services and Customers
Chancellor / Vice
Chancellor
Division
Primary Product/Service
and Customer Groups
Cat. 7
Figures
Chancellor
Leadership, Scholarships,
Grants /Program Funding
C, S, Y
7.1-7, 7.419, 7.4- 20
Academic
Success
Academic Stewardship
C,
7.1-1
Workforce and Economic
Development Stewardship
C, S, Y
7.5-8
Marketing / Communication
C, S, Y
7.4-8
Student Services Stewardship
C, S,
7.1-24 & 25
7.2-10
Student Leadership
Preparation
C, S, Y
7.1-12,
7.1-15
Information Technology
Services
C, S,
7.1-28 ,
7.2-3
Institutional Research and
Effectiveness Services
C, Y
Scorecard
AOS
Strategic Planning and
Performance Excellence
Support
C,
TAPE
Performan
ce AOS
Human Resources (HR)
C, S
7.3-28,
7.3-29
7.5-3
Workforce and
Economic
Development
Student Success
Planning,
Performance, and
Information
Technology
Financial Services
C, S,Y
Administration and
Finance
Facilities Maintenance and
Construction
C, S, Y
7.4-12,
7.4-13
Security
C, S, Y
7.1-19
Business Office
C, S
7.1-29,
7.1-31
7.1-30
Student Contact Center
C, S
Student Financial Aid
C, S
7.1-5 & 6
7.1-26
7.2-4
C = Colleges; S = Student, Y = Community
DSO Rep
VC Academic
Success
College Rep.
VPAS
Developmental
Education Leads
TEAM NAME
VC Economic and
Workforce
Development
VC Student Success
VC Planning,
Performance, and
Information Systems
Presidents, Super Senate, Staff Council
VPSS
Admissions and
CE Deans
Records
VC Finance and
Administration
VPCS
IT Leads
Budget Officers
Facilities
Superintendents
Dual Credit
Workforce Deans
Financial Aid Directors
Institutional Research
and Planning Directors
Discipline and
Program Leads
AP Curriculum
Council
Workforce Program
Leads
Military Education
Council
IT Council
PR Council
The VCs for Academic Success and Student Success
collaborate with the area ISDs and universities to determine
future and current student needs by segments. AC is focused on
working with the colleges through the cross-college teams, to
provide easily accessible programs and services and to increase
service quality, satisfaction, and engagement. The
AlamoINSTITUTES (academic career pathways) and
AlamoADVISE (ongoing monitoring and advising) models
have been created with input from key collaborators as noted in
Figure 3.2-2. The focus at the 2015 strategic planning retreat
was to share and gather feedback from the colleges’ leadership
and other participants (students, business, public education, and
universities) on the models. As part of the SPP, AC annually
reviews market conditions/potential and penetration in the
service area, (penetration reports AOS) which enables DSO to
explore and determine customer groups and market segments
for business growth. This has allowed expansion across the
eight-county service area through the creation of several
regional education and training centers in different counties
where AC provides services. To gather and update actionable
information on market segments, AC invited businesses, school
districts, and community leaders to forums in each county to
gather needs and expectations and to provide information on
offerings. As a result of that feedback, AC worked with the
colleges to increase dual credit opportunities and to add early
college high schools to meet the needs of those market
segments. The Community Partnerships director is focused on
identifying community needs and expectations, and works with
the VCs to address these needs which are then explored and
addressed by the cross-college teams through Responding to
the Voice of the Customer Process (Fig. 3.2-3). The long-term
goal is bringing additional communities within the eight-county
service area into the AC our taxing district. This will provide
expansion of students and business/industry customer groups
enhancing the AC's financial sustainability, while allowing
lower tuition rates for students in those counties.
3.2b Customer Relationships
3.2b(1) Relationship Management
DSO markets, manages, and grows its relationships with the
colleges and other customers through consistent and systematic
personal interaction with them (Fig. 3.2-2), effective use of
electronic and other means of communication, and by
addressing and anticipating their needs. The SIPOC process
helps DSO units identify their customers’ current and
anticipated requirements. All DSO SIPOCs are AOS. The
action planning process, as described in Item 2.2, complements
the SIPOC process by identifying the specific unit goals,
strategies, and action items necessary to address customer
requirements.
18
Relationships with the colleges are built through the
existing AC organizational structure requiring active
involvement in cross-college teams and participatory
activities such as meetings, trainings, and sharing best
practices and initiatives efforts. All of these approaches
help increase customer engagement, satisfaction, and
retention as well as enhance communication and trust. DSO
manages relationships with the colleges by meeting the
colleges’ needs to increase enrollments and provide quality
programs and services to students. DSO manages
relationships with other customers and stakeholders through
assisting the colleges to meet the needs of ISDs, businesses,
and universities.
To acquire and retain external customers, DSO’s VCs
establish and build relationships with representatives of
education, businesses, industry, and the community through
activities such as the quarterly superintendent dinners,
business forums, regular meetings with the Region 20
education service agency, universities, and the academy
advisory committee. The VCs, through appropriate DSO
units, work through the cross-college teams using the
Responding to the Voice of the Customer process (Fig. 3.22 and Fig 3.2-3) to meet and exceed the needs of the
customers and stakeholders. DSO meets the colleges’ needs
by working with them to increase enrollment of new
students, retain students through successful course
completion, and increase persistence until completion. The
AlamoADVISE and AlamoINSTITUTES models in the
MyMAP student experience leverage the key competency of
ongoing adoption of innovative practices aimed at
increasing student engagement and the colleges’ success
with students. Implementation of the developmental
education refreshers and advising points prior to initial
enrollment were achieved through collaboration with the
colleges’ leadership groups using the Voice of the Customer
process (Fig. 3.1-1). Complementing this, the Corporate
College unit is expanding external customer partners with
the EWD division to establish mutually supportive goals.
The chancellor has also formed a business CEO council to
advise him on matters pertaining to meeting their specific
needs.
The Alamo Academies is an example of effective
relationship-building with external customers. This DSO
unit, through programs offered by the colleges, provides a
bridge between the K-12 and post-secondary systems,
creating a path to life-long learning for the participating high
school students. The Alamo Academies channels students into
two of our colleges in support of the state’s increasedgraduation initiative (and the AC WIG).This initiative supports
regional economic development by helping recruit, train, and
retrain college educated, qualified employees in high-paying
jobs in areas of high demand. As evidence of its effectiveness,
Alamo Academies has increased its number of academies over
the last four years. In 2015, the Academies were awarded the
prestigious Bellwether Award recognizing innovation leading
to student success.
DSO provides communication with students by leveraging
social media to enhance customer engagement and updates
DSO information on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, as
explained in 4.1a(3). DSO delivers messages through Alamo
Share intranet, the public web site and electronic forums, and
by conducting environmental scanning to monitor and respond
to information in external web sites, journals, and blogs.
3.2b(2) Complaint Management
Employee dissatisfaction is assessed through the ethics
hotline system, a comprehensive reporting tool that enables
management and employees to identify issues of fraud, theft,
and violations of laws, regulations, and AC policies or Code of
Conduct. The system includes a toll free phone number and a
website for online reporting (Fig. 7.4-7).
Student concerns and complaints are initiated through the
Alamo Colleges Contact Center. The tier 1 model tasks tier 1
agents to triage each complaint to isolate general questions and
potential student information oversight complaints in order to
avoid unnecessary escalation. This results in less general
inquiry call volume, thus allowing the tier 2 SME teams to
focus on complaints that require more research
On each call, data is collected in the ticketing system: a)
student stated reason for their call, b) additional coding based
on review of student account if other issues are present that are
proactively discussed with the student (This is the “Answer the
unasked question” strategy which anticipates customer
concerns), and c) reason code for any issues needing to be
transferred to the college Tier 2 team. Reporting is produced
weekly and monthly to identify any unusual trends at the reason
code level for investigation of systemic issues. Specific issues
are tracked in a log for further root cause analysis and
corrective actions. Issues are grouped into one of three areas
supported by cross-department resolution team: Banner
Functionality; Processes and Procedures; and Web and
Information.
The contact center was initially launched in August 2012 in
support of Student Financial Aid questions and complaints, and
based on its success, was expanded in fall 2014 to provide
services for the Business Office, Admissions, Advising, Testing
Residency, Registration, Transcripts (inbound/ outbound), Dual
Credit, Veterans Affairs, and Orientation. The reason code
tracking and issue analysis process described above enables
DSO to recover its customers’ confidence, enhance their
satisfaction and engagement, and avoid similar complaints in
the future. Most complaints are resolved promptly and
effectively on the call as demonstrated by three years results for
Student Financial Aid showing an increased number of calls
resolved without transfer to the college (Fig. 7.1-30)
The listening posts shown in Fig. 3.1-2 are used to gather
complaint information from the colleges and other customers.
One of the most effective methods for complaint
management is the DSO cross-college team structure. On a
19
Figure 3.2-3 Responding to Voice of the Customer
regular basis, at various levels, the colleges provide
feedback when day-to-day or other processes are not
effective. The VCs gather the feedback during weekly PVC
meetings and in the regular meetings with the college VPs.
In addition, VCs directly gather feedback and complaints
through their direct interaction with the colleges and the
business/industry community and other stakeholders and
immediately respond to complaints. Complaints are also
collected through the ethics hotline (Fig. 7.4-7). They are
logged, sent to the appropriate person/unit, investigated, and
reported to the ethics officer. They are aggregated and
shared with the corresponding VC to enable prompt
resolution and improvement. HR monitors employee
complaints (Fig. 7.3-18). The phone bank gathers
complaints and areas for improvement from students,
faculty, and others seeking to share feedback. The PVC is
the place where the VCs and presidents bring together all
the complaints from the colleges. In 2013, a recurring
theme was the colleges’ dissatisfaction with organizational
communication. Significant initiatives were developed to
improve communication, including weekly dissemination of
PVC agendas and minutes, discussions, and decisions
occurring at PVC meetings. Town hall meetings with the
Chancellor and VCs are now held every semester to engage
in two-way communication with each college. An
additional refinement included the facilitation of several
focus groups around the topic of internal communication.
In 2015, the Chancellor also brought together a team of
faculty and staff to design a decision-making model in an
effort to improve communication.
CATEGORY 4: MEASUREMENT, ANALYSIS, AND
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
.
4.1 MEASUREMENT, ANALYSIS, AND IMPROVEMENT OF
ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE
4.1a Performance Measurement
4.1a(1) Performance Measures
DSO’s system for measuring, analyzing, and improving
performance (Fig. 4.1-1) is linked from strategic planning to
daily operations. In coordination with the PVC, the DSO
division of Planning, Performance, and Information Systems
(composed of the VC, SPPE, IRES, ITS, and State
Reporting) manages the selection, collection, alignment,
safeguarding, and integration of data and information for
tracking performance and progress in strategic objectives,
goals, and APs. In this system, each strategic objective, and
goal (Fig. 4.1-3) and AP (Fig. 2.2.2) has defined KPIs and
corresponding measures/metrics.
longer term), DSO units are responsible for gathering and
forwarding unit performance data (short term). IRES
routinely collects data and produces reports and briefs
related to strategic objectives and goals for distribution to
the PVC, college executive teams, and faculty. DSO’s key
short-term and longer-term strategic plan-based key
organizational performance measures are shown in Fig. 4.13. They include a financial vulnerability ratio (Fig. 7.5-4).
Figure 4.1-1 Performance Measurement-Analysis System
Figure 4.1-2 Measurement Selection Process
This system is designed to establish responsibility and
accountability, align activities with strategies, track
performance, and use data for decision-making and DSO
action. In Step 1, the PVC sets direction through the SPP, (Fig.
2.1-1) and communicates goals and strategic direction through
the Leadership System (Fig. 1.1-1). In Step 2, goals and
strategies are translated into performance measures/ metrics
that cascade to all organizational levels to ensure the alignment
of strategies, APs, and metrics across the organization.
Department/unit directors and managers identify efficiency and
effectiveness measures through the Measurement Selection
Process (Fig. 4.1-2). Annual targets are set for measures based
on efficiency (productivity, timeliness, error-reduction, costsavings), effectiveness (customer satisfaction), and
best/promising practices of other organizations. National and
state benchmarks are collected annually for comparisons. In
Step 3, daily operational/business measures are aligned to
system-wide KPIs. In a cycle of refinement started in 2011,
SPPE coordinated the completion of SIPOC forms and annual
APs for each DSO unit including metrics aligned to
organizational strategic goals. In Step 4, results are analyzed
and information is used to inform decisions on required actions.
Analysis is also performed at every level of the organization,
with lower-level decisions focused on daily operations and
corrective action, while higher-level decisions are focused on
strategies, resource allocation, and overall organizational
direction. In Step 5, measures are aggregated at successively
higher levels in the organization and analysis helps evaluate
overall DSO performance and identify improvement
opportunities. All DSO unit SIPOCs, APs, and performance
metrics are housed on the Alamo Share intranet to promote
transparency and accountability among the DSO workforce,
collaborators, partners, suppliers, and customers. Each DSO
unit identifies longitudinal and comparative data to set targets,
project performance goals, and assist with the creation and
transfer of workforce knowledge.
The AC Banner system has increased the depth and breadth
of information available to unit leaders to manage daily
operations via Argos reports and data blocks. The system
integrates student, finance, HR, and financial aid data. DSO
units administer surveys, manage operations, and develop and
track key metrics to monitor performance progress and
improvement.
While IRES gathers system-wide KPI data (short-term and
20
4.1a(2) Comparative Data
DSO uses comparative data to understand performance
relative to best-in-class and to set performance targets. It
gathers comparative data and information from state and
national peer institutions and best-in-class performers with
similar numbers of students, programs and services, and
organizational size. The THECB, the Integrated PostSecondary Educational Data System (IPEDS), the National
Association of College and University Business Officers
(NACUBO), NILIE PACE, and MBNQA recipients are
sources of comparative data. When data analysis reveals an
OFI in performance compared to benchmarks, the
organization does analysis before deciding
corrective/improvement action in DSO operations. When
benchmarks and performance targets are not met, APs are
modified or created for driving improvement. For example,
in the annual inventory data review, it was found that there
was inadequate oversight of AC property. It was
determined that the best performing institutions in the nation
had no more than 1% in lost or missing property. Leaders in
Inventory Control identified processes, measures of success,
and performance targets, including utilization of a national
benchmark from the American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM). They innovated solutions, tracked
performance, and achieved top-performing results (Fig. 7.120).
4.1a(3) Customer Data
The requirement to complete/update SIPOC forms
ensures that all DSO units contact key customers; collect
VOC, market data, and information; and validate customer
requirements while developing a customer-focused culture
in operational decision making for improvement. After
service delivery, DSO units administer customer satisfaction
or NPS surveys (Fig. 7.2-1) and review received/resolved
customer complaints. Collected data are used to develop or
modify plans for service improvement and innovation.
The chancellor created the Community Partnerships unit
to solicit and document external stakeholder feedback which
is used in strategic and operational decision making by the
PVC and taken into consideration by the BoT for policy
decisions and recommendations for innovation (Figs. 7.2-6 and
7.2-8)
DSO has resources and personnel dedicated to managing data
and information gathered through social media and making
them available for analysis and decision making (Fig. 7.2-11).
Daily, the social media specialist tracks the number of
followers on and communications received via Instagram,
Twitter, and Facebook. Segmented by gender and campus, the
data and information are incorporated into weekly analytical
reports and made available for decision making.
Communications received via social media helped establish a
one-on-one community-support approach, enhancing DSO’s
customer-centric culture and the values of Community-engaged
and Data-Informed.
Figure 4.1-3 Key Organizational Performance Measures
DSO’s Key Organizational Performance Measures
Strategic Objective I. Student Success
(Long-Term) Goal
Key Measure
Cat.7 Figures
A. Engagement with
- Dual-credit enrollment.
7.4-10
Partners
C. MyMAP
- Mobile-Go activities
7.1-8
- % “Excellent” and “good”
7.1-9
responses to CCSSE
7.2-10
question 27.
G. Increase Student
- Graduation rate (SLI,
7.1-1, 7.1-2
Performance
AA)
7.1-3, 7.1-15
Strategic Objective II. Principle-Centered Leadership
(Long-Term) Goal
Key Measure
Cat.7 Figures
A. Principle-Centered
- NILIE PACE overall
7.4-19
Leadership
climate score.
7.4-20
Framework
B. Innovation,
- Responses to NILIE
7.4-19
Entrepreneurship,
PACE questions 11, 22,
7.4-20
Risk-Taking,
and 48.
C. Internal
- Responses to NILIE
7.4-19
Communication
PACE questions 16 and
7.4-20
25.
Strategic Objective III. Performance Excellence
(Long-Term) Goal
Key Measure
Cat.7 Figures
A. Performance
- TAPE application score.
AOS
Excellence (Baldrige)
B. Workforce
- CE Revenue
7.5-8
Capabilities,
Engagement
C. Financial
7.5-1, 7.5-2
Bond Rating
Management
7.5-3
Excellence in Budgeting
D. Technology
- % “very” and
“somewhat” responses to
7.1-28
CCSSE question 13h.
7.2-3
- Employee satisfaction
with IT.
E. Environmental
- Energy savings.
7.4-13, 7.4-14,
Sustainability
- Preventative
7.4-15
maintenance.
F. External
- Growth in Partnerships
7.5-9
Communication
4.1a(4) Measurement Agility
To keep the performance measurement-analysis system
current with needs and directions, DSO performance data
related to its three strategic objectives are collected in the Fall
and Spring terms or annually while observing changing trends
that may require institutional action.
1) DSO systematically updates its measurement system as part
of the SPP through annual validation of key metrics as part of
goal flow down and the action planning process. Other
21
improvements are made through regular communication
between IRES and DSO and college leaders to ensure that
KPIs, measures, and data definitions are relevant.
2) CSI regularly communicates with college customers to
ensure that processes are reviewed/documented in BPAs and
are current and valid to allow continuous improvement.
3) SPPE regularly conducts environmental scanning for
detecting emerging trends related to performance
measurement. This information is shared with senior leaders
and posted on Alamo Share and the AW Facebook page.
4) DSO units gather input from customers via SIPOCs and
APs. This enables the creation, modification, and
replacement of unit measures, benchmarks, and targets,
adding flexibility/agility to our performance measurementanalysis system.
5) SPPE meets every year with each DSO unit to review and
reaffirm, or, if necessary, replace unit key metrics.
6) DSO units review/report their performance measures
during Data Days and 4DX Summit presentations. This
contributes to accountability and the continuous
improvement of the performance measurement-analysis
system.
4.1b Performance Analysis and Review
DSO leaders utilize key organizational performance
measures data, comparative data, and customer data to
conduct systematic key performance analysis and reviews
(Fig. 4.1-4). VCs review division and unit performance and
capabilities through regular meetings with their AVCs,
directors, managers, and supervisors. Weave Online is the
systemic tool used to track unit goals and strategies and
align them with divisional and system-wide goals.
Performance review and FOCUS PDCA implementation
include root-cause analysis, trend analysis, comparative
analysis, and variance/gap analysis. Also, during summer,
DSO divisions and units review AP progress (before SIPOC
updates and AP closing in August), new AP creation, and
AP performance reporting at Data Days. These reviews
ensure leaders’ proactive view when assessing unit
performance, comparisons, financial sustainability, progress
on achieving strategic objectives and APs, and
organizational success.
In a cycle of improvement, DSO benchmarked the KPI
scorecard approach used by Baldrige award recipient
Richland College. Reviewing this scorecard provided the
opportunity to clearly delineate to any reader how AC is
performing with a green, yellow, or red legend in the
scorecard.
The VCs address external pressures and concerns in
weekly leadership discussions: The VC of EWD responded
to a Mayor’s request to collaborate on the development of
training to support new industries moving into San Antonio.
Creation of the Corporate College unit has been the positive
AC response to this request. At the PVC level, SL use an
AC SP scorecard to review performance on strategic
objectives, goals, and APs. This scorecard details the
longitudinal results, current targets, and best-in-class
benchmarks. It is housed on the AC website to promote
transparency and accountability. This site also houses DSO
unit-specific metrics and data to keep AC’s workforce,
suppliers, customers, collaborators, and partners informed.
4.1c Performance Improvement
4.1c(1) Best Practices
High-performing DSO units are identified in their Data Days
performance progress reports (AOL). Internal best practices are
compared to state and national benchmarks and to the degree
that they contribute to student success. At CVC meetings, the
VCs routinely share their division best practices, lessons
learned, and performance outcomes. VCs also share
performance with the college presidents at the weekly PVC
meetings. In addition, best practices are shared by crossdistrict/cross-college teams assembled to develop and work on
system-wide priority initiatives. Public recognition events,
Alamo Share, FOCUS PDCA report-outs, and Facebook page
are other platforms where DSO shares best practices and
process improvements.
Figure 4.1-4 Performance Analysis and Review Schedule
.DSO Operational Meeting Rhythm
Meeting
Freq.
Attendees
Leading
the AC
Weekly
PVC, other
DSO/College
leaders as
appropriate
Leading
support
initiatives
BoT
Meetings
Monthly
Monthly
Strategic
Planning
Retreats
Annual and
quarterly
VC staff
Meetings
Weekly
Town
Hall
Meetings
Annual at
each
location
CVC
PVC, BoT,
other DSO
leaders as
appropriate
PVC, other
DSO and
college
leaders, staff,
students,
community
VC, AVC,
DSO directors
CVC,
presidents,
students and
employees
Purpose
Review scorecard data;
Address hot topics; Set
priorities; Establish and
monitor systematization
team work and outcomes;
Address BoT charges
SPP results;
Progress towards goal and
strategy accomplishment;
Review of customer data
Dashboard review;
Key project updates;
Governance issues
Review SP; Analyze
SWOT and other
environmental scans;
Address gaps in current
plan with new strategies
Project update, Review
results, governance issues
Address issues of
importance to the success
of the AC; Facilitate twoway communication with
key stakeholders. Share key
scorecard results.
Regular meetings with partners, collaborators, and suppliers
lead to identification, sharing, and implementation of best and
promising practices. Each month, a DSO or college program
with positively trending results is identified and shared with the
BoT. Demonstrating the CC, the BoT approved a motion that
local innovations are to be brought to scale throughout AC, and
this policy has set the ground work for continued collaboration
and transparency among the five colleges and DSO. Examples
of shared best practices include the Ethics Hotline, MyMAP,
College Institutes program, and the ALAS program.
4.1c(2) Future Performance
To project future performance, the CVC sponsors annual
performance sessions where agreement with DSO unit leaders
is reached regarding the appropriate annual and 3-year
performance targets for AP unit goals and strategies. Through
SIPOCs and APs, unit leaders manage “drill down” metrics for
their units. These measures demonstrate performance efficiency
and effectiveness at the process level. Unit leaders use
comparative/competitive data and findings from AP
22
performance analysis and reviews to determine performance
benchmarks, targets, and 3-year projections. Once
agreement is reached, the metrics are added to the high-level
AC KPI scorecard system and dashboard. Review of
performance progress in the SP scorecard system by the
PVC and review of AP results by both VCs and DSO unit
leaders facilitate reconciliation of differences between
projections of performance in strategic objectives and their
goals and performance projections developed for the unit
APs.
4.1c(3) Continuous Improvement and Innovation
DSO has a multi-level approach for continuous
improvement and innovation. Continuous improvement
opportunities and evidence of innovation from the previous
cycle are addressed during Data Days where DSO teams are
required to present examples of their improved processes
utilizing FOCUS PDCA and to share an innovation in
process or service. Various standing and ad-hoc DSO
committees (Fig. 4.1-5) review performance findings on a
periodic basis to identify and prioritize opportunities for
continuous improvement or innovation and assess their
intelligent risk levels.
Upon review of findings, their recommendations for
continuous improvement and innovation are developed and,
in a “Refer and Respond” approach, forwarded to the PVC
for review and approval. Recommendations approved for
action are returned to the committee for implementation. If
the OFI or innovation is formulated by the PVC, the
designated VC sends the item to the appropriate division
committee or unit for development or action. The VC or
committee ensures that actions are implemented and that
progress is tracked and reported back to the PVC.
As previously referenced, the AC were recognized with
the national 2012 Bellwether Award for deploying the
innovative process that has saved over $131 million since
2010 while supporting a 23% enrollment growth
In 2015, the Alamo Colleges was again recognized for
innovation with the Bellwether Award for the development
and deployment of the Alamo Academies. The hallmark of
this program is collaborating with K-12, business and
industry, and higher education to provide a skilled
workforce in high demand occupations. The Secretary of
Labor visited AC to recognize this innovation.
To ensure that priorities for continuous improvement and
opportunities for innovation are deployed to suppliers,
feeder/receiving school partners, and collaborators, DSO
leaders and teams partner with these key stakeholders on
external committees to exchange data and information,
enhance communication, align efforts, and improve service
to customers (Committee list AOS). Regular meetings with
the AC Business/Industry Advisory Council and quarterly
dinners with K-12 partners allow SL to share our strategic
priorities, initiatives, and opportunities for improvement and
innovation. We also ensure that all stakeholders are
represented and offer their voices in planning retreats, BoT
meetings, and advisory councils.
4.2 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT, INFORMATION, AND
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
4.2a Organizational Knowledge
4.2a(1) Knowledge Management
Organizational knowledge is collected via several
methods and platforms, including the AC webpage, Alamo
Share intranet, BPAs, AlamoTalent, Weave Online, Data Days
repositories, and AP reporting. Knowledge transfer occurs
through BoT outcomes memos shared with employees;
Chancellor’s Roundup Newsletter and weekly video blogs
highlighting best practices; organizational learning activities;
BPA sharing; environmental scan data/information distribution;
information posted in Alamo Share; and other activities.
Figure 4.1-5 Key Committees and Stakeholders
DSO Unit/
Committee
College
Connections
Workforce
Financial Aid
ITS and CSI
Purchasing
Chancellor
and PR
Collaborator
Purpose Activity
Area High
Schools
Universities
SAEP
Admissions Information/Process
Texas College
Connection
Buy Board
Editorial Board
University Level Opportunities
Financial Aid Information and
Scholarships
Texas Configuration of Enterprise
Information System
Cooperative Purchasing
Community Awareness and
Communication
In his e-Newsletter and video blogs, the Chancellor shares
weekly activities, new initiatives, and progress on current
initiatives. The Chancellor also sends out AC Family
Memorandums to address selected topics and explain how these
affect the workforce and the institution. In addition, DSO
committees and cross-functional teams transfer knowledge to
the workforce, suppliers, partners, and collaborators. As it
interacts among stakeholder groups, the DSO front line helps
deploy key communications and productivity strategies.
Through AC Educational Services (ACES) and Alamo Share,
employees have access to DSO policies and procedures,
training opportunities, help guides, business process
documentation, administrative tools, and shared drives. The
assembly/transfer of knowledge for use in strategic planning,
SWOT analysis, action planning, and decision making is
supported by environmental scanning.
Blending and Correlating Data from Different Sources:
To build new knowledge, DSO gathers and blends related data
from a variety of repositories, databases, initiatives and other
sources (Banner ERP, Canvas LMS, IPEDS, THECB, customer
and supplier surveys, etc.). These data are run through a variety
of cleansing and review protocols to ensure data are consistent,
reliable, and ready for use in decision making and knowledge
creation.
Transfer of Knowledge from and to Students,
Stakeholders, Partners, and Collaborators: AC embraces a
culture of transparency. Sharing of knowledge starts with the
BoT whose meeting agendas and minutes are available to the
public via audio podcast and streaming video on the AC
website. DSO unit-specific and enterprise-wide goals and
performance results are shared publicly via SIPOCs, SP
Scorecard, Unit Scorecards, Dashboards, Data Days, and 4DX
results posted on Alamo Share and the AC website.
Assembly and Transfer of Knowledge for Innovation and
Strategic Planning: The assembly and transfer of relevant
knowledge for use in innovation and strategic planning are
accomplished through the environmental scanning process.
Strategic planning participants refer to environmental scans
managed by SPPE to review pertinent information and prepare
for strategic planning sessions. DSO also develops SWOT
analyses and APs to address SC and leverage SA, SO, and CC
23
to create and transfer knowledge before its use in innovation
and the SPP (2.1a(1)). DSO divisions and their key units
utilize Alamo Share to allow teams and work groups to
maintain/share knowledge associated with planning
documents, meeting minutes, recommendations, activities,
and outcomes. Knowledge transferred after environmental
scanning, SWOT analysis, and during Data Days helps to
strengthen DSO competencies on innovation at all levels
and across units.
4.2a(2) Organizational Learning
The Performance Excellence element of the AW
philosophy is the framework used to embed learning and
continuous improvement in DSO units and operations. It
guides the search for expanded knowledge and allocation of
appropriate supporting resources through constant review,
continuous improvement, and knowledge/practice learning
and sharing across DSO. While DSO units describe and
characterize their service processes in their SIPOCs and
APs, learning occurs when reviewing and updating
customer requirement information and when assessing
results and identifying opportunities for continuous
improvement. Learning is also embedded when these
results, opportunities for improvement, and innovation
highlights and approaches are shared across DSO units
during Data Days presentations and video sharing.
4.2b Data, Information, and Information Technology
4.2b(1) Data and Information Quality
We use a variety of systematic approaches to ensure the
accuracy, validity, integrity and reliability, and currency, of
organizational electronic and other data and information.
Accuracy:
• The Data Standard Committee for data governance
reviews/decides effective entry/use of information in
Banner system.
• Banner data stewardship resides with data owners. Data
access reinforcement is via monthly audit reports sent by
IT Risk and Security to authorized data custodians.
• Banner users must participate in system training before
being provided update and maintenance access.
• Audit trails identify users entering data. These controls
are automated (systems monitoring systems) and regularly
reviewed by the Enterprise Security Team and Council.
• Change management processes allow for impact analysis,
quality assurance, and Electronic Data Interchanges use.
Validity:
The IRES, CSI, and State Reporting units cross-check and
validate all data against student records, historic data, and
report findings. They systemically review, cleanse, and
certify data and information from integrated data systems
(Banner, Canvas, Argos, SAS and Civitas) so data can be
validated and ready for use by IRES, PVC and DSO units.
Integrity and Reliability:
• Referential integrity is employed within the metadata.
• Production input data are linked to source documents,
including security classification and recent revision date.
• Controls help prevent unauthorized information alteration.
• Change management processes in ITS provide for impact
analysis and quality assurance.
• Daily backups of data are conducted. Redundant storage
systems are in place.
• Standard definitions are used in Banner, Argos data blocks,
and SAS and made available to users.
Currency: DSO manages electronic and other data and
information to ensure their currency by constant monitoring
of networks, workflows, databases, and repositories in Alamo
Share and by regular contact with customers.
4.2b(2) Data and Information Security
Security and Confidentiality:
• AC data access is restricted. Level of data access depends on
the employee’s role. Reports are generated/reviewed monthly
to ensure that security protocols are accurate and enforced.
• Access to servers is restricted to ITS personnel.
• Firewalls are maintained to assure that data are available only
through Alamo network resources.
• For security and cybersecurity, ITS maintains intrusion
detection and protection systems, operates dual firewalls,
conducts regular vulnerability scans and penetration tests,
staffs a 24/7 Network Operating Center, and scans the
network for negative occurrences 24/7/365. AC executes a
defense information and cybersecurity approach to help
mitigate threats, minimize vulnerabilities, and implement
operational/technical controls to safeguard its IT ecosystem.
AC has a dedicated IT Risk and Security unit and a
Technology Security Council dedicated to cybersecurity.
Monthly access control reports and system activity logs are
generated, analyzed, and reviewed by these teams to ensure
that all security protocols are implemented and enforced. In
the last seven years, AC systems have experienced no data
breaches, data loss, or successful intrusions. AC is in 100%
compliance with Payment Card Industry(PCI) standards and
has no negative findings in its recent IT-specific audits.
• Data transmitted to external organizations are encrypted.
• Network users are trained to protect data and passwords.
4.2b(3) Data and Information Availability
Employees, students, suppliers, partners, collaborators, and
other stakeholders can access user-friendly employee and
student information through AC website pages (iDashboards,
DSO and AC performance scorecards, IRES Fact Book) and
through the ACES portal. Employees can access staff
development opportunities information via the Cornerstone
Talent Management System (TMS or Alamo Talent). The
Banner system provides data and information to employees.
Additional information is also available through electronic
systems such as Department of Public Safety, linked to Crime
Star, a system connected to the Emergency Notification
System. E-mail also helps keep employees informed (e.g.,
policy updates and ethics reminders sent by Ethics and
Compliance). DSO units hold meetings and their minutes and
other information is made available to employees via e-mail
and Alamo Share.
ACES is a user-friendly information portal for student access
to email, admission, registration, financial aid, calendars,
discipline information, program information, and maps. ACES
provides single sign-on, a central entry point, and the learning
management system (Canvas). Through the AC website and
ACES, students complete admissions applications, financial
aid, register, and pay online.
Information for use by external stakeholders is accessible
through the Purchasing unit website where vendors become
familiar with registration, purchase orders (POs), and
request for proposals (RFP) procedures. Newspaper and
24
media advertising is another avenue for disseminating
information, as are targeted faxes, e-mails, and phone calls.
Timeliness:
• Employees have access to data/information 24/7. Banner
integrates data from its student, finance, HR, and financial
aid modules. Data are dynamic and timely accessed.
• The computer network infrastructure offers immediate
access to the Internet, intranet, and other technologies.
• All employees have immediate access to data related to
performance via the IRES website and Alamo Share.
• IRES maintains a shared drive with key research/budget
data and a calendar for standard research reports.
4.2b(4) Hardware and Software Properties
DSO hardware and software systems are made reliable,
secure, and user-friendly through various systematic
approaches. To ensure reliability, ITS coordinates all
hardware and software purchases and upgrades. Systemic
technology inventory and refresh policies are in place to
ensure that all technology capital equipment and software
applications remain current. For security, DSO hardware is
maintained in a secure environment with card-reader entry,
door cameras, security logs, and video recording. Security
and cybersecurity are maintained through redundant
firewalls, network and application security, encrypted
virtual private networks, and passwords. ITS provides
electronic security alerts when potential viruses and/or
attacks are detected. ITS installs/updates anti-virus software
on all PCs.
Employees access the student system based on their roles
and manager’s authorization. Software and hardware are
kept secure, user-friendly, and current through collaboration
with the IT Leadership Council and IT Advisory Panel. All
new hardware and software must pass a user-acceptance test
prior to their introduction into the production environment.
4.2b(5) Emergency Availability
ITS maintains a sophisticated disaster recovery plan that
includes hardware redundancy and failover mechanisms for
mission critical systems. Servers and switches use
emergency backup power supplies, and primary and
secondary secure server facilities use diesel generators to
activate within one minute of power disruptions. Data
replications and redundant storage negate data losses in case
of a disaster. Daily backups are produced for all data and
systems and stored at the disaster recovery backup facility,
also serving as the standby data center to be utilized in the
event of a disaster making the primary data center
inoperable. System uptime has been greater than 99.99% for
over three years (Fig. 7.1-28).
CATEGORY 5: WORKFORCE
.
5.1 WORKFORCE ENVIRONMENT
It is the intent of the HR People Systems Map (Fig. 5.1-1)
to deploy strategies and approaches to integrate the Best
People with Best Practices to create the Best Place to Work
to ensure the Best Place to Learn.
5.1a. Workforce Capability and Capacity
5.1a(1) Capability and Capacity
Workforce capability and capacity needs are assessed and
managed using systematic annual staff planning in conjunction
with the HR People Plan (Fig. 5.1-3). This plan, encompasses
hiring/training the best people, developing best practices,
becoming a best place to work, and learning through a focus on
the voice of customers. Staffing levels are based on staffing
ratios that have been developed by the leadership teams based
on national staffing benchmarks for higher education job
families.
onboarding process, which includes orientation, and they are
retained through the combined results of benefits packages
employee development, and Principle-Centered Leadership
initiatives that enhance personal commitment to the AC
mission and vision.
Development and maintenance of a Diversity/ Affirmative
Action Plan guides recruitment and workforce development
efforts to maintain a workforce that truly reflects the
diversity of ideas, culture, and thinking of our student
population and community. Additional insights are gained
during the annual AC strategic planning stakeholder retreats
(Fig. 2.1-1) from community members, students, and
partners. Specific Minority and Female Recruitment
strategies are executed each year to meet AAP staffing goals
and close any identified gaps (see Figs. 7.3-3 and 7.3-4).
These strategies have helped AC maintain exemplary
diversity. AC’s record of leadership in diversity was
recognized in 2015 with an award of the HEED Diversity in
Higher Education for outstanding commitment to diversity
and inclusion.
Figure 5.1-1 HR People Systems Map
Figure 5.1-2 Workforce Capacity and Capability
Skill needs are determined by the leadership and experts in
each functional area. Productivity factors, such as Average
Class Size and % Labor Cost are applied to the workload
driver, student enrollment, to determine FTE targets each year.
Fig. 7.3-1 shows AC staffing has been maintained at a level
substantially better than the Delta Cost Project AIR
productivity benchmark for community colleges. Some
positions, such as Certified Advisors have recognized training
and certifications for their role that is provided and required for
all incumbents within a certain amount of time on the job.
5.1a (2) New Workforce Members
Recruiting occurs to close staffing gaps between the staffing
plan and actual staffing, as identified through monthly
monitoring and ongoing dialog with customers about
departmental needs and staffing plans. Proactive recruitment
plans are developed with customers for advertising on
professional websites and via social media. In a cycle of
improvement in 2014-2015, a cross-functional team reinvented
the work-study hiring process, resulting in shorter “time to
hire” and higher placement rates (Fig 7.1-33). Hiring is
managed through the Applicant Tracking System (ATS),
housed in AlamoTALENT, the enterprise-wide Talent
Management System (TMS). ATS empowers prospective
employees to actively and passively seek positions specific to
their interests. It enables AC hiring managers to efficiently
navigate the hiring and placement process in collaboration with
the employment team. Positions are opened and filled based on
staffing ratios, a product of AC workload-driven budgeting and
staffing processes. Staffing ratios represent the number of
employees per current/projected student head count at each
college. New employees are hired and placed based on the
availability of positions and designated ratios at specific
locations. In another cycle of employment improvement, the
days to fill vacant positions was decreased 34% to 33 days/hire,
substantially below the SHRM Higher Ed benchmark of 54
days (Fig. 7.1-32). New employees participate in the
25
5.1a(3) Work Accomplishment
DSO maintains a supportive and secure work climate and
empowers employees to accomplish the organization’s work
by implementing the HR People Plan (Fig. 5.1-3). This
plan, from building talent to collaboration and leadership,
inculcates the principles of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective
People: Be Proactive; Begin with the End in Mind; First
Things First; Win/Win; Seek First to Understand;
Synergize; and, Sharpen the Saw (continually improve).
AC intends, through the plan and habits to establish a
culture where there is a “leader in every seat.” HR
implements AC policies and annual staffing plans. DSO
workforce utilizes work systems, processes, and initiatives
aligned with the MVV and CC to accomplish organizational
work. They include the systems and processes discussed in
Fig. 6.1-1, 5.0, the SPP, unit APs managed by each DSO
unit, 4DX (Fig. 5.1-4), and Data Days.
Figure 5.1-3 HR People Plan
5.1a(4) Workforce Change Management
The HR People Plan charts a course for how AC empowers
employees to accomplish their best work processes and
initiatives that enable employees to innovate and implement
“best practices” that, in turn, contribute to a “best place to
work.” DSO units regularly survey customers to gather
feedback on services provided (Cat. 3.) Survey results provide
crucial information on customer requirements and satisfaction,
providing insight that guides decision making for improving
service/quality and exceeding customer expectations of
performance throughout the organization. DSO and AC have
developed ways to improve service while maintaining or
reducing the level of resources used over time. The workforce
adapts to change through feedback, continuous learning/
improvement, and innovation. In addition to evaluating
outcomes and inputs from strategic planning, HR gathers
feedback from employees and executive teams at each college
through ongoing collaboration designed to learn about changing
capability and capacity needs. Continuous learning,
accomplished through ongoing and evolving employee
development programs, ensures that employees have the
knowledge and skills necessary to adapt and perform in an
ever-changing work environment. Employees are empowered
to engage in continuous improvement of their work processes
through application of FOCUS PDCA, 4DX, Project
Management and other tools for work deployment.
Capability and capacity needs change with strategy
development, budget constraints, competitive forces, workforce
evolution, state/federal requirements, and technology. Change
is communicated consistently across DSO and AC via
newsletters, video, and regular email updates. In addition, the
need for changes in capability and capacity is shared and
supported via departmental meetings, focus groups, trainings,
town hall meetings, and other methodologies as needed.
The probability and adverse impact of staff reductions are
reduced through the use of staffing ratios, based on a budgetary
process that forecasts the capability to increase or decrease staff
levels based on current and projected student enrollment.
Workforce growth is managed through staffing ratios in step
with workload and revenue growth. DSO and AC have been
successful in keeping commitments to avoid layoffs and pay
cuts, seeking first to reduce expenses through innovation in
efficiencies, hiring freezes, attrition, retirement incentives, and
26
redeployment of existing employees. When reorganization
and reassignment are unavoidable, HR implements specific
policies regarding workforce reorganization or reduction to
ensure fairness throughout the process (HR policies AOS).
Effective communication and collaboration across the
system and continuous workforce development and crosstraining contribute to prepare the workforce for possible
changes in the organizational structure and work systems.
5.1b. Workforce Climate
5.1b(1) Workplace Environment
Workplace health, security, and accessibility for
employees and students are critical to accomplishing the AC
mission. DSO uses a variety of approaches to ensure a
supportive and safe environment for our workforce. AC
provides Drug-Free Campus and Workplace, Title IX,
Sexual Harassment Prevention, Active Shooter, and other
essential training to all employees (and students as
applicable) to provide a healthy/secure work environment.
In all issues concerning workplace health, security, and
accessibility, employees are empowered to voice concerns
through appropriate communication channels.
AC identifies environmental conditions and variables,
develops site-specific solutions at each of our colleges and
throughout DSO to address potential hazards. AC trains its
workforce to identify and address potential hazards in work
areas. This includes electrical safety, lockout/tag out,
ergonomics, welding, chemical safety, personal protective
equipment (PPE), powered industrial trucks, fleet safety,
defensive driving, behavior intervention, first aid/CPR,
hazardous communications, and emergency planning and
training. The Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) unit
identifies areas in which to focus safety efforts. ERM tracks
and reports accident and injury trends (Fig. 7.3-13) to
identify areas of greatest need and works with the affected
areas to develop best practice solutions and preventative
training. AC conducts safety assessments to identify and
address any hazards. Defined criteria/steps to determine
how to address hazards include asking the following to
determine if PPE is needed: 1) Is the process required? 2)
Can the process be automated? 3) How can a correction be
engineered around the hazard (e.g., machine guarding)?
DSO assesses performance in the areas of safety and
security through measures of risk assessment, incident/
injury rate and cost, training frequency in safety and
emergency management, and customer satisfaction.
Figure 5.1-4 Four Disciplines of Execution
Workplace issues vary for employees with different types of
work responsibilities. Each job type has certain identified issues
that require specific training. Training frequency and
effectiveness are tracked and segmented by job type. DSO
employs 65 commissioned, licensed peace officers that have a
presence 24/7 at the DSO locations and on each college campus
to ensure the safety and security of the workforce. Control
systems exist at each college to limit access to buildings to
qualified individuals. DSO employs a closed-circuit TV
security system to allow visual oversight at most of the external
areas of facilities. DSO also has emergency call stations at each
college for anyone to report an emergency, which directly
notifies Police dispatch. DSO utilizes standard metrics for its
law enforcement and security concerns. Clery Act reporting is
completed and utilized along with trend analysis to minimize
duplication of activities. Employees are trained to respond to
situations such as student behavior issues, active shooter, and a
variety of criminal events.
Comprehensive disability services and accessibility for
students and employees are provided at all locations.
Enhancing AC efforts is the appointment of disabled students to
assist accessibility audits for the identification of access
barriers and opportunities to enhance ease of access. Annual
employee development offerings develop disability awareness
and understanding.
5.1b(2) Workforce Benefits and Policies
DSO workforce is supported by services provided by HR,
Facilities, Payroll/Finance, Police, and ITS. Primary workforce
services are provided by HR in the key areas of employee
benefits and compensation, employee relations, diversity and
equity, employment and recruiting, training and development,
risk management and safety, innovation, records management,
and HR information systems. At each location, employees have
the support of a dedicated HR partner and benefits coordinator
for customized personal services in employee relations and
employee benefits.
DSO recommends and follows BoT personnel policies. These
are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect best and updated
practices. Employees are notified via email when policies are
updated or added, and all policies are made available online to
employees and the public. Significant policy changes are
created with employee input through the Super Senate and
Unified Staff Council. Health and safety services provided to
employees include access to campus Wellness Centers, Health
Fair services, ergonomic-fitted furniture, workers’
compensation, police courtesy services, employee assistance
program (EAP), and flexible/family friendly work schedules.
AC provides a competitive benefits package including
medical insurance, leave and time off, tuition reimbursement
and retirement plans. AC tailors services, benefits, policies
through new employee orientation, benefits orientation,
dedicated HR partners for unique and dynamic employment
areas such as Continuing Education, Workforce, Grants, and
Work Studies. In a cycle of improvement, DSO developed a
dedicated HR Employee Service Center Coordinator dedicated
to faculty scheduling, workload, contracts and pay for faculty
and support staff. Additionally, specialized sections of the HR
intranet site are designated for Grants, Work Studies, and a
“Faculty Information Center” for all other faculty related items.
Pay design is segmented between faculty and staff to ensure our
pay programs are competitive and relevant to both populations,
especially regarding the unique requirements of faculty as a
profession.
5.2 WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT
27
Employees are developed through a combination of
systems that manage learning, goals, performance, process
improvement, and innovation. TMS provides access to
professional development and training opportunities for
employees to continuously improve skills and abilities or
what we call “sharpening the saw” in accordance with the
AC mission and vision and The Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People. Engagement in process improvement and
innovation are guided/managed through the philosophy that
there “is a leader in every seat,” meaning all employees are
empowered to lead and drive innovation in support of the
MVV.
5.2a. Workforce Engagement and Performance
5.2a(1) Organizational Culture
DSO and AC regularly exchange information with
employees through several channels, including email,
intranet sites, and knowledge banks located in AlamoTalent.
DSO units create, manage, and share reports, APs, data
outcomes, and 4DX WIG scoreboards, ensuring high
performance and effectiveness in the work they do. The
implementation of 4DX as an implementation tool came
about as a cycle of improvement in 2014 to empower and
focus employees on AC Wildly Important Goals (WIGs)
(Figs.1.1-1 and 7.3-24). The organizational culture benefits
from the diverse ideas, cultures, and thinking of our
workforce through an emphasis on open communication,
collaboration, respect for all, community engagement, cando spirit, and continuous improvement (the AC values and
priorities.) To ensure this benefit, DSO empowers every
employee to lead innovation and program/process
improvement efforts, provides employee development
offerings, and ensures employee involvement in shared
governance.
5.2a(2) Drivers of Engagement
Annual administration of the AC employee engagement
survey, PACE, provides employee feedback on workforce
environment and identifies trends and factors affecting
workforce engagement. Data are analyzed by senior leaders
and questions/elements that most correlate to employee
engagement are designated as priorities for improvement.
The different engagement drivers for different workforce
groups are identified by disaggregation of the survey results
by DSO, college and employee types (Faculty,
Administrator, Professionals, Classified) (Fig. 5.2-1).
5.2a(3) Assessment of Engagement
Workforce engagement is assessed using the PACE
survey which evaluates four workforce climate factors
(institutional structure, supervisory relationships, teamwork
and student focus). NILIE PACE research shows the
climate factors and results are derived from the style of
leadership employees experience: coercive, competitive,
consultative, and collaborative (Fig. 5.2-1). The PACE
survey reveals employee engagement levels based upon
responses to statements such as “the extent to which I am
satisfied with my overall employment experience at this
institution.” Key measures of engagement on the PACE
survey address the following: utilizing clear administrative
processes, practicing open and ethical communication,
valuing the expression of idea and opinions, and positively
motivating performance.
Outcomes across workforce groups and segments vary.
PACE survey results are segmented by college and DSO and
distributed to college and DSO leaders and personnel to guide
decision making at each location (complete survey results
AOS.) PACE survey results of AC employee engagement are
benchmarked against 69 peer institutions (Fig. 7.3-10). PACE
statements related to employee satisfaction are complemented
by our systematic DSO surveys of customer satisfaction
administered by each DSO unit. Additional measures of
engagement such as turnover rates (Fig. 7.3-7), participation in
voluntary employee development (Figs. 7.3-36 and 7.3-37),
productivity and workload trends (Fig. 7.3-1), employee
grievance/complaint (Fig. 7.3-18), and participation in 4DX
projects (Fig. 7.3-24) and sharing of 4DX WIG scoreboards are
used as supplemental data points to refine key drivers of
employee engagement, validate PACE survey findings, and
guide organizational improvement efforts. PVC and BoT
review this data. During the stakeholder’s strategic planning
retreat, participants are asked to prioritize items for
improvement (2.1a(1)).
5.2a(4) Performance Management
The workforce performance management system integrates
the processes of strategic planning and action planning, data
information capture, review and analysis, and performance
scorecards and dashboards with a module within TMS. This
module provides employees the tools and resources necessary
to build on strengths and address weaknesses individually or
through the creation of individual/learning plans by employees
and their supervisors. In this system, goal and target setting are
focused on customers and their requirements, and they are
aligned to organizational goals throughout AlamoTalent,
enabling employees to work towards goals established
personally or with supervisors in a consistent, transparent
manner.
Annual evaluation of individual performance is a central
feature of the AC performance management process. The
performance of each employee is formally evaluated at the end
of each evaluation period. At that time, opportunities for
improvement are identified, development plans are created and
goals for the upcoming evaluation period are agreed upon by
the employee and their immediate supervisor. Performance
goals are aligned to the goals of the organization as they
cascade from the strategic plan and the BoT’s annual Charge to
the Chancellor.
DSO innovation, supported by intelligent risk taking, is
reinforced through empowered/collaborative teams that are
organized around meeting individual and unit AP targets and
maintaining focus on the customer by achieving established AC
WIGs using the 4DX tool. In addition, DSO leaders are
required to share unit innovation initiatives, progress, and
success data during Data Days to demonstrate cycles of
improvement and achievement of unit action plans, and at DSO
and College 4DX Summits held twice each year to report
progress toward the WIG. In 2015 an Alamo Colleges WIG
team was awarded the national CUPA-HR Innovation Award
for their WIG designed to bring the message of the impact of
higher education on the lifetime earnings potential of students
(Fig. 7.3-25).
Compensation strategy is implemented through the consistent
application of point factoring, job descriptions, pay grades, and
benchmarking with similar institutions. DSO and AC update
28
job descriptions across the organization to accurately reflect
the work being done and to ensure that appropriate
compensation is awarded in line with AC strategy through
the application of the Hay Methodology (AOS.) The
performance management system supports employee and
manager feedback that leads to continuing development for
staff and faculty. This fosters employee readiness for
increased responsibilities as promotional opportunities arise.
AC provides training and resources to managers to foster
recognition of employee accomplishments and contributions
to our shared success.
Figure 5.2-1 PACE Climate Model and Scoring
5.2b. Workforce and Leader Development
5.2b(1) Learning and Development System
Employees are developed through a combination of
systems that manage learning, goals, performance, process
improvement, and innovation. The TMS provides
professional development and training opportunities for
employees to continuously improve their skills and abilities
in accordance with the AC mission and vision.
Engagement in process improvement and innovation are
guided/managed through the philosophy that there “is a
leader in every seat,” meaning all employees are empowered
to lead and drive innovation in support of our MVV.
Workforce learning and development needs are identified
through the SPP where training requirements are assessed
based on internal and external environmental changes.
These needs are incorporated into the HR People Plan to
enable the development of needed future capabilities.
Development of workforce members, managers, and leaders
is managed through the learning systems across DSO and the
colleges. The AlamoTalent learning module aligns employee
learning and development to strategic objectives, APs, results,
and performance evaluations.
Through the Principle-Centered Leadership philosophy and
the leadership Seven Habits program, the term “there is a leader
in every seat,” allows the DSO to empower employees to “lead
from where they are” in order to improve customer focus,
organizational performance improvement and change, and
innovation. In addition, ethical business practices are supported
through annual ethics training based on current trends and
recommendations by the Ethics and Compliance unit (Fig. 7.49). These leadership concepts and habits provide the framework
for employees and students to lead in the workplace, classroom,
and larger global community. They are integrated and
reinforced through development opportunities within
AlamoTalent, the ALAS Leadership Development program,
and informal leadership development programs. My4DX is an
online tool that allows DSO to focus on, manage, and achieve
WIGs. Alignment and focus across the organization through
long-term and short-term APs aligned to the core competencies
and strategic challenges (Fig. 2.2-2) guide the accomplishment
of learning and development training activities and
achievement of DSO goals using My4DX with active
involvement of key leaders and workgroups.
Transfer and reinforcement of knowledge and skills is
accomplished through informal and formal approaches,
including internal networking, on-the-job training, crosstraining, and FOCUS PDCA.
Knowledge transfer is accomplished through network drives
housing documents/data, Alamo Share intranet housing unitspecific information, and the AlamoTalent Knowledge Bank
housing key insights/information posted by employees.
Leadership development programs have multiple built-in
methods to reinforce the learning and utilization of new
knowledge and skills on the job. Reinforcement of skills is also
built into cultural expectations. For example, DSO’s focus on
the Baldrige Excellence Framework, the AW, and performance
improvement processes reinforce the use of skills that are
learned during training, including FOCUS PDCA for process
improvement.
5.2b(2) Learning and Development Effectiveness
AC aligns learning programs to the three strategic objectives
in the SP, and evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of
learning and development programs through assessment by
both participants and trainers. Participants complete individual
critiques/evaluations of the courses attended and their learning
immediately following the delivery of training. Trainers and
HR staff conduct Plus/Delta analysis and hold individual and
group analyses and discussions to determine program
effectiveness and improvement. Additionally, AC surveys
employees on the usefulness/effectiveness of AlamoTalent,
using the data to make improvements to the learning system
and employee learning, and provides customized learning
metrics/reports to AC senior leaders. In a cycle of
improvement, HR has established key metrics and measures
using Association for Talent Development (ATD) “Best Places
to Work and Train” data and reviewing stakeholder and
customer needs to measure and plan for the appropriate
training. AlamoTalent also has the capability to assess
29
employee needs and satisfaction after training/learning
delivery. Knowledge transfer from the most skilled subject
matter experts (SME) in the AC workforce occurs
continuously by developing SME trainers and facilitators
for the rest of the workforce. SMEs with strong customer
focus have been certified and are engaged to facilitate 7
Habits, Speed of Trust, Project Management, 4DX, and
many academic topics across the AC. Recognized internal
SMEs and leaders present each month to the ALAS class,
further enhancing customer focus and knowledge transfer
prior to retirement.
5.2b(3) Career Progression
AlamoTalent houses tools and resources for career
planning and development and allows the review of
workforce capabilities via talent pools, employee profiles,
résumés, and additional certifications. This is integrated to
learning modules to ensure top performers are candidates
for career progression. AlamoTalent allows DSO to create
talent strategies and talent pools based on learning and
performance measures and results. As part of the evaluation
activity, supervisors may discuss desired career progression
opportunities with their employees and assist them in
creating a development plan to prepare them to achieve their
goals.
Employees have access to job postings and new career
opportunities via Talent Search, a weekly email bulletin of
open positions at AC. AC affords employees the
opportunity to step into jobs as “interim” assignments. This
allows both the employee and the leadership to get exposure
to new and growing roles. Employees have an opportunity
to learn new skills while being compensated for their
interim responsibilities. They are then allowed to apply for
the position if they feel it is a good match for them. This
allows leadership the opportunity to actually see the
employee “in action” to get a glimpse at where the
employee may still need more development or be ready for
the opportunity.
As a public entity, AC is not allowed to pre-select
individuals for future succession to a more senior position,
but developing the leadership talent of many employees
ensures internal candidates are prepared to compete for
advancement into senior leadership. Four college presidents
have retired in the last 4 years. Qualified internal candidates
were considered for all of the positions and two were
selected in a highly competitive national search conducted
for each position. Similarly, four of the five Vice
Chancellors have been promoted from within.
CATEGORY 6: OPERATIONS FOCUS
.
6.1 WORK PROCESSES
DSO’s work processes are part of the interconnected AC
key work systems framework (Fig. 6.1-1) which is used
with a focus on improvement. This best-practice framework
approach is based on the work of Boeing Aerospace, a
national Baldrige Award recipient.
6.1a Product and Process Design
6.1a(1) Product and Process Requirements
Work product/service and process requirements are
identified in the SIPOC development step of our integrated
planning activities (Fig. 2.2-1). DSO unit leaders complete a
SIPOC where they identify key unit processes, suppliers and
their inputs, key customers and their requirements, OFIs, and
measures of success. All DSO units have SIPOCs (AOS) that
are updated each year as the need for new or modified processes
may be identified either by the PVC, the customers, or the unit.
Leaders are asked to verify customer requirements by
contacting customers to survey their needs and expectations of
each process. A master list/matrix of SIPOCs and APs
reflecting the process requirements and work of our 53 units is
posted on Alamo Share. Key work processes and requirements
are shown in Fig. 6.2-1.
Figure 6.1-1 Key Work Systems Framework
6.1a(2) Design concepts
PVC members are responsible for the various products,
processes, and services which are designed within the AC key
work systems framework to meet customer requirements. For
example, the Student Experience work systems (2.0, 3.0, 4.0)
were redesigned in 2015 using a review and refinement process
spearheaded by their owners (VC for Student Success, VC for
EWD, and the VC for Academic Success). This process design
includes: 1) Identification of the need for a new product or
process; 2) Review and discussion by CVC or PVC; 3)
appointment of cross-functional team by SL; 4) benchmarking
best practice and research by teams of models; 5)
recommendations to SL to proceed; 6) SL endorsement or
recommendation returned to team for further review and
tweaking; and 7) implementation of product or process design
with milestones identified along the way for SL review.
Process owners validate customer requirements with their
customers. For example, the director of IT asks customers what
their requirements are during cross-functional team meetings
and technology requirements and other inputs are identified
during SIPOC development. SIPOCs also involve the
identification of OFIs in each key process. An OFI might
address the need for agility, a gap in service, duplicated steps in
a process, or the need to incorporate more customer input. For
example, in 2014, the Communications unit facilitated focus
groups to further understand customer requirements related to
effective organizational communication. HR has also been
conducting focus groups to gain a deeper understanding of their
customers’ requirements and OFIs. SIPOCs for each unit are
AOS.
6.1b Process Management
DSO leaders manage work systems and processes and
evaluate their performance through the Performance
Measurement-Analysis System (Fig. 4.1-1). Work system and
process performance is monitored through a set of unit key
30
metrics developed to evaluate efficiency and effectiveness.
DSO directors or managers have a defined set of measures
they continuously monitor to ensure organizational and unit
success and sustainability. If processes are not performing
as predicted, senior leaders analyze the data and recommend
necessary process changes as needed.
6.1b(1) Process Implementation
DSO identifies systems and processes as “key” when they
are important to 1) meeting college or other stakeholder
requirements (for example, budget development and the
delivery of HR processes are key to meeting college
requirements); 2) financial viability (such as accounting and
financial management); 3) overall success (such as the AC
Foundation); or 4) long-term sustainability (such as strategic
planning and business development). Key processes are
designed to meet the growing needs and offerings of the five
colleges, the higher education community, and the business
community. Customer requirements are captured during
SIPOC creation and annual updates. The PVC prioritizes
work process improvement decisions during the SPP or
weekly SL meetings. The need for new or modified work
processes can be identified through numerous sources such
as a request from a stakeholder, a benchmarked best practice
shared by any employee, or a performance efficiency
improvement initiative identified by the PVC. Often, these
process decisions emanate from conversations held by
cross-functional, cross-college teams (Fig. 3.2-2).
Figure 6.1-2 DSO Work System Flow Model
DSO leaders manage work processes through evaluation of
their performance through the Performance MeasurementAnalysis System (Fig. 4.1-1). Work system and process
performance is monitored through a consistent set of metrics
developed to evaluate efficiency and effectiveness to ensure
success and sustainability. Each DSO unit identifies two or
more key performance measures, including customer
satisfaction, and these measures are tracked throughout the
year. As part of the improvement approach, where available,
leaders determine benchmark performance and establish
goals to achieve world-class performance levels. Trend data
are shared during the annual Data Days event so that SL can
see results and consult with other leaders about
opportunities to improve. Those units that demonstrate
progress and leadership by utilizing SIPOCs and APs,
participating in FOCUS PDCA training/coaching, and
providing evidence of continuous improvement and
innovation are recognized at the annual Pacesetters in
Commitment to Excellence event.
Performance measures such as safety, cycle time,
productivity, and cost control are incorporated into process
design and monitored through process management,
improvement, and control. For instance, the Accounts Payable
team monitors and seeks to improve the cycle time of
payments. Improving results are shared annually through the
Data Days event. (Fig. 7.1-38).
6.1b(2) Support Processes
The PVC determines its key work systems. Key Support
processes are shown in Fig. 6.2-1. These key processes are
reviewed annually. In the day-to-day operation of its key
support processes, DSO ensures that they meet
customer/business support requirements by improving
performance efficiency based on customer requirements and
addressing feedback on satisfaction collected through surveys
or focus groups. OFIs are identified in SIPOCs and addressed
through AP implementation.
6.1b(3) Product and Process Improvement
Work processes are reviewed and improved through
disciplined deployment of the FOCUS PDCA process (Fig. 6.13) to ensure that acceptable performance levels are achieved
and sustained. The steps are: F – Find a process to improve. O –
Organize a team around the process C- Clarify the current as-is
process. U -Understanding variation through flow charting and
root cause analysis. S – Select strategy. P - Develop a Plan. D
- Execute the Plan. C - Analyze the data around the
improvement. A - Act on the results.
Figure 6.1-3 FOCUS PDCA
During the past 18 months, DSO units have participated in
FOCUS PDCA training/coaching and in completing a FOCUS
PDCA project. Employees recognize the value of bringing
customers and other stakeholders to the table to collaborate on
the improvement and innovation of the process. Two examples
of work process improvements that reduces variability are the
improvement of cycle time for awarding financial aid and the
awarding and posting of credits for transfer students. The
FOCUS PDCA approach allows continuity of methodology
between work system improvement initiatives and process
improvement activities.
6.1c Innovation Management
The PVC identifies strategic opportunities and determines
which are intelligent risks worth pursuing through the SPP
(Fig. 2.1-1) and through issues that may surface during weekly
PVC meetings. Responsibility is assigned to a PVC member to
vet and research opportunities to determine if the opportunity is
an intelligent-risk. After research is conducted, proposals for
31
AC implementation of innovative initiatives are shared with
the PVC for their consideration. For example, in 2013, the
idea of coordinating all curricula through six institutes in an
effort to create easy career pathways for student success was
researched and developed by the VC for Academic Success.
A proposal to implement the process was vetted both at the
colleges and with the PVC. BoT support was solicited and
received, and the implementation is now underway.
When an innovation opportunity is determined, resources are
provided by either the operational budget or by special funds
made available by the BoT. For example, in the MyMAP
student experience initiative, it was determined through
benchmarking and the work of a process team that a case
management system for advising held much promise of
improving student success. The steps in this process included
1) a team with SL guidance was deployed to investigate best
practices 2) recommendations and results from the team were
shared with PVC 3) discussion occurred with PVC regarding
the risk vs. benefit of this approach to advising 4) a budget was
developed for first-year deployment of the approach, 5) a
presentation was made to the BoT to endorse and fund the
innovation. Human resource and technology requirements were
identified as a part of the budget proposal to the BoT.
Other examples of innovation include: the establishment
of the Faculty Innovation Fund, the BAM (2.2a(3)), and the
appointment of a student representative to the BoT (1.1a(1)).
An additional example is the approval of several million
dollars at a BoT retreat for funding important elements of the
MyMAP process after staff outlined four priorities for
MyMAP deployment and all questions and issues were
satisfied. An example of discontinuing an opportunity
includes the Alamo Ideas program. The structure of this
innovation did not allow for expedient implementation of
new ideas.
DSO uses project management tools to manage
innovation initiatives. For example, the current six
priorities of the PVC are managed using project
management tools. Results are transparent and located on
the Chancellor’s webpage for public consumption.
Innovation initiatives are sponsored, deployed, and tracked
for performance by a senior leader. Project analysis is
managed by a new position called Project Facilitator. At
the DSO, this individual is assigned to the VCFA. A
Project Facilitator is now located at each college as well.
6.2 OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS
In 2011, the BoT approved the Alamo Way (AW) policy
which provides a comprehensive, integrated systems
perspective of overall organizational performance
improvement management to promote student and
organizational success. The AW involves a commitment to
the Baldrige Criteria to ensure that processes are designed
and implemented for efficiency, effectiveness, and ongoing
success. All DSO employees have been introduced to the
AW via required presentations and discussions outlining the
Baldrige Criteria and addressing employee involvement in
work process improvement.
6.2a Process Efficiency and Effectiveness
DSO controls the overall costs of its work systems by
improving efficiencies in and reviewing processes or
designing effective strategies through FOCUS PDCA and
strategic planning initiatives. As a result of these reviews,
unnecessary complexity and redundancy is eliminated across
business units. For example, the Purchasing unit eliminated
undesirable waste by implementing a workflow process to validate
the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) before loading vendor
data into the Banner system. This strengthened controls to ensure
vendor profile information is accurate and compliant with IRS
reporting, thus reducing risk and potential penalties for missing or
incorrect TIN for non-student and non-employee vendors.
DSO prevents defects, service errors, and rework by focusing
on core administrative functions that can be improved,
automated, standardized and/or centralized. The Chief Bursar’s
Office, for example, developed a notification process that
informs college departments of invoice status for third-party,
student-sponsored receivables for paid and outstanding invoices,
thereby reducing errors through a standardized and automated
process where results can be reviewed by all in a standard
format and centralized repository.
A collaborative process in decision making to balance the
needs of customers and steward expenditures affecting
stakeholders is utilized to ensure success. An example of a
redesign using FOCUS PDCA resulted in the AC
significantly improving its process for accounting of the
annual inventory. This FOCUS PDCA, in concert with
property steward training, has helped the team to reduce
losses from 1.6% of unresolved items in 2011 to a record
0.01% in 2014 (Fig. 7.1-20). As part of the FOCUS PDCA
approach, the process was reevaluated and restructured to
clarify objectives, eliminate waste, and improve
collaborative accountability utilizing a systematic process.
DSO minimizes the costs of inspections, tests, and process
and performance audits by building into the processes daily
and monthly edit checks and reconciliations to proactively
detect and correct errors before results are produced.
6.2b Supply-Chain Management
DSO has a collaborative process for defining clear
specifications and requirements, conducting competitive
bidding, selecting experienced and capable suppliers,
managing performance of suppliers, and conducting
systematic contract administration deployed throughout
DSO. In the selection process, DSO ensures that suppliers are
qualified and positioned to enhance performance and
customer satisfaction.
Figure 6.2-1 – Key Processes, Requirements, and Measures
SUPPORT PROCESSES
STUDENT EXPERIENCE
“MyMAP” Processes
Leadership System
Process
Key Process
Examples of How
Sample Process
Requirements
Process Contributes
Strategic
Planning
· Provides organizational
focus
· Demonstrate agility
· Accuracy
· Flexible
1.6.
Organizational
Excellence
· Quality service
· Positive AC image
· Operating efficiency
· Quality
1.5
Student
Scholarships and
Program Support
· Enrollment growth
· Access
Financial Aid
Advising and
Awarding
· Student access
· Organizational
sustainability
2.1
AlamoENROLL
· Access
· Service to community
· Accessibility
3.4
Dual Credit
7.12
1.1.
2.6
· Responsiveness
· Effective
communication
· Stewardship
· Accuracy
· Timeliness
· Student-centered
Sample Process Measures
· Strategic objectives/Strategic
Plan Scorecard (AOS)
Cat. 7
Figs.
7.4-16
· Action plan accomplishment
· Satisfaction with DSO service
· # of dollars generated
· # of scholarships awarded
· Cycle Time Direct loan
applications
· Student satisfaction with
financial aid
7.2-1
7.5-6
7.5-7
7.1-7
7.1-26
7.2-4
7.1-9
· Coordinated marketing
· # of student recruited through
college connection
7.1-10
· Increase enrollment
· Increase access
· Timeliness
· # of students enrolled
7.4-10
· Accuracy
· # of ECHS
7.1-4
Supply Chain
· Organizational
sustainability
· Timeliness
Efficiency
· Cost savings for purchases
7.1-36
5.1
HR Planning,
Policies and
Strategies
· Employee engagement
· · Organizational
sustainability
· Quality
5.8
Organizational
Development
· Employee engagement
· Employees trained
appropriately
6.4
Technology
Solutions
· Organizational
sustainability
· Operating efficiency
· Accessibility
7.3
General
Accounting and
Reporting
· Operating effectiveness
· Operating efficiency
· Accuracy
7.1-37
· New Employee engagement
7.4-3
· Alignment w/SP
· PACE employee-supervisor
relationship
7.4-4
· PACE professional dev
opportunities
7.3-35
· Performance focused
· Innovation
7.1-28
Satisfaction with ITS
7.2-3
· Excellence in financial
reporting
7.5-1
· Financial Audit results
32
7.4-5
DSO evaluates potential supplier’s capabilities against
specific customer requirements; system capabilities and
capacity; implementation assistance and management; and
financial viability. DSO also considers the ability of the provider
to reduce the price of goods or services. Supplier performance is
evaluated by surveying customers and stakeholders, assessing the
billing, delivery, and payment processes. The purchasing unit
uses this survey feedback to help suppliers improve.
6.2c Safety and Emergency Preparedness
6.2c(1) Safety
The AC Environmental Health and Safety program is
implemented and managed by the DSO ERM unit. ERM and
facilities routinely conduct inspections to identify potential
hazards and to develop a plan to eliminate hazards identified
during inspections. In these inspections, ERM determines the
most effective way to remove, engineer, or design procedures to
address the identified hazards. DSO has developed both policy
and procedures to address operations where identified hazards
are present, and to train personnel to safely perform operations
in accordance with established procedures.
AC has a police department that employs 70 licensed peace
officers that operate 24/7/365 and cover all AC property.
Officers serve as first responders to incidents that occur on AC
property and are trained in CPR, First Aid, and other
procedures. DSO uses several methods to prevent accidents at
the AC, and in a cycle of refinement and improvement, have
trained over 700 employees on ERM awareness and an additional
200 employees in CPR/first aid in 2015. Where job duties
expose employees to potential hazards, job-specific training is
conducted. DSO also uses established procedures to ensure that
job tasks are completed without incident. ERM actively
responds to any safety concerns issued by employees, students,
or community members. In the event of an employee, student, or
other stakeholder injury, a root-cause analysis is used. All
facilities systems are placed on a preventative maintenance
schedule to ensure equipment is properly maintained in order to
prevent untimely breakdown of services. Recovery operations
are incorporated into the AC Emergency Operations Plan
(EOP).
6.2c(2) Emergency Preparedness
The AC has adopted an EOP that encompasses the four
elements of emergency management: Mitigation, Preparedness,
Response, and Recovery. The plan complies with the National
Incident Management System framework and incorporates
Incident Command System (ICS) protocols. All AC buildings
have personnel identified as the Building Action Teams to assist
occupants during emergency incidents. AC has an integrated
emergency notification system that can be used to notify the
population of events that could affect their safety. Each location
conducts training drills for five types of emergencies:
evacuations, reverse evacuations, lock-down, severe weather,
and shelter-in-place.
The EOP has established multiple Emergency Response
Teams that follow the ICS organizational structure and can be
implemented and scaled according to an emergency event.
Teams conduct annual tabletops exercises to practice roles and
become familiar with the EOP and more detailed Standard
Operations Plan. IT has established and conducts annual testing
of the Disaster Recovery Plan to ensure data and network
security and backup protocols. Funds have been allocated for
FY 2016 to purchase and deploy an enterprise Continuity of
Operations Plan to supplement the AC EOP.
33
CATEGORY 7: RESULTS
.
7.1 PRODUCT AND PROCESS RESULTS
7.1a Customer-Focused Product and Service Results
In 2014, the PVC adopted 4DX to improve execution of
strategies and key actions. The 4DX WIG was to increase
the number of certificates and degrees awarded from 6,300
in 2013 to 7,000 in 2015. With careful execution and
participation by all college and DSO units, the goal was
achieved a year early by awarding 7,310 degrees and
certificates in 2014 (Fig. 7.1-1). This is a 73% increase
since 2007 when 4,219 degrees and certificates were
awarded. By the end of August, 2015, 9,765 degrees were
awarded, far surpassing the updated 2015 target of 8,000.
Figure 7.1-1 Degrees and Certificates Awarded
In Texas, graduation rates (Fig. 7.1-2) are calculated for
students over a three year period. In other words, we track
whether each three-year cohort of new students has
graduated three years later. Preliminary data indicates that
last AC cohort (Fall 2012) has achieved the state
benchmark.
Figure 7.1-2 Three-Year Graduation Rate
AC offers high school students the ability to earn college
credit and high school credit through three dual credit
programs: Traditional Dual Credit, Early College High
Schools, and Alamo Academies [see Fig. 7.4a(5)].
Annually, the Alamo Academies (Fig. 7.1-3) provide
access to almost 400 mostly minority (78%) and
economically disadvantaged (86%) students to enroll in
applied STEM technical careers. Almost 66% percent of
these students graduate with a degree or marketable skill
certificate within two years. This is significantly higher than
the state benchmark of 3%. The Community College
Futures Assembly awarded the Alamo Academies the
Bellwether Award recognizing its outstanding and
innovative programs. With more than 1,200 competing
national community colleges, this is one of the highest
honors an institution can receive.
Figure 7.1-3 Alamo Academies Enrollment and Graduation
Figure 7.1-7 Scholarships Awarded
To expand post-secondary student access and readiness in the
AC service area, DSO and the AC have established 11 Early
College High School (ECHS) partnerships (Fig. 7.1-4)
designed to serve as a college gateway for area secondary
students. To date, AC maintains a tuition- and fee-free funding
model for dual credit, and has granted over $36 million in
tuition and fee waivers to dual credit and ECHS students.
The AC Mobile GO Center provides college and career
related services to prospective students, parents, and
community members, ultimately increasing the number of
students enrolled in higher education (Fig. 7.1-8).
Figure 7.1-8 Mobile Go Center Outreach
Figure 7.1- 4 Early College High School Growth
In partnership with local ISDs, the AC College
Connection program is designed to help high school seniors
transition into higher education (Fig. 7.1-9). The goal is to
engage every high school student to consider higher
education (Fig. 7.1-10).
AC urges students not to take out student loans through the
financial literacy program. This initiative has resulted in not
only a lower number of students securing unnecessary loans
(Fig. 7.1-5), but also a decline in AC student loan default rates
(Fig. 7.1-6).
Figure 7.1-9 College Connection Enrollment
Figure 7.1-5 Texas Students Receiving Loans
Figure 7.1-10 High Schools Serviced Through College
Connections
Figure 7.1-6 AC Student Loan Default Rates
Part of AC and DSO success is increasing the rate of
students who transfer to universities (Fig. 7.1-11).
The AC Foundation has made significant progress putting
people, processes, and best practices in place to ensure integrity
in the administration of scholarships with the end result of
increasing scholarship dollars being awarded to students over
the past three years (Fig. 7.1-7).
34
Figure 7.1-11 Student Transfer Rate
program on increasing student persistence among student
members of the SLI program and on maintaining SLI
student graduation rates above those of AC students.
Figure 7.1-15 SLI Student Persistence and Graduation
Another part of success is the increase in the rate of
students who complete a technical degree or certificate and
are employed within six months of graduation (Fig. 7.1-12).
Degrees conferred as a percentage of enrollment (Fig.
7.1-16) is a proxy measure on effective contribution to
realize the AC vision. This measure is regularly presented to
all stakeholders, including the BoT, and is an indicator on
the collective achievement of our number one metric (WIG)
– graduating students.
Figure 7.1-12 Employment Placement
Figure 7.1-16 Degrees as a Percentage of Enrollment
A leading indicator of completion or graduation is the
percentage of students who complete individual courses each
semester. This number has been trending favorably since 2006
(Fig. 7.1-13).
Figure 7.1-13 Course Completion Rate
Graduation rates for students earning technical certificates
and degrees are also on the rise (Fig. 7.1-17).
Figure 7.1-17 EWD Graduation
Another leading indicator of completion or graduation is
productive grade rates (% of students earning an A, B, or C in a
course) which has improved since 2006 (Fig. 7.1-14).
Figure 7.1-14 Productive Grade Rates
HR has expanded its beneficial impact on students
through its 4DX student-facing educational project (Fig.
7.1-18). This activity increases employee engagement
through direct interaction with students and supports WIG
achievement.
Figure 7.1-18 4DX: Students Educated on Benefits of
Degree
In alignment with the priority of developing leaders per
the AW, SLI offers students the opportunity to learn,
understand, and demonstrate the competencies and qualities
of effective, principle-centered leaders. Out of the 50
community college institutions in Texas, only 5 colleges
(16%) offer comparable student leadership programs. SLI’s
performance indicators include student persistence (students
who enroll in a given fall semester and who enroll the
subsequent fall semester) and completion (graduation) rate.
Fig. 7.1-15 shows the comparative effect of the SLI
Through a variety of strategies complementing its direct
service, the Police department has been able to improve
35
Figure 7.1-22 Preventive Maintenance
sense of security scores (Fig. 7.1-21). They include
improvement in facilities lightning, reduction of tree shrub
overgrowth, control of vagrancy and trespassing, and
increase of police officer presence on the campuses.
Figure 7.1-19 Sense of Security
Internal Audit has realized significant efficiencies in the
average number of hours spent on single audits (Fig. 7.123).
Figure 7.1-23 Internal Audit Efficiency
7.1b Work Process Effectiveness Results
7.1b(1) Process Effectiveness and Efficiency
DSO inventories property at all facilities. In the last five
years, the Inventory Control unit has used FOCUS PDCA to
significantly reduce inventory losses and strengthen property
stewardship (Fig. 7.1-20). According to the ASTM, the
acceptable level of non-high-risk property lost, damaged, or
destroyed is 1% (benchmark). With a 0.01% level, DSO has
become the inventory control benchmark for other institutions.
Figure 7.1-20 Inventory Control Improvement
By implementing a new model based on best practices
for processing and posting student transcripts, CSI has
increased productivity. Figs.7.1-24 and 7.1-25 show DSO's
gains in efficiency in number of incoming and outgoing
transcripts processed and cycle time to complete processing.
Figure 7.1-24 Incoming College Transcripts Processed
AC overall cost reduction strategies have included increasing
college class size, installing a new computer system, providing
an early retirement incentive, centralizing certain operational
functions, reducing energy costs, streamlining publications,
applying recommendations from our internal auditor and Texas
State Performance Review, and reducing duplication across the
five colleges. These strategies have resulted in savings and
demonstrated our operational effectiveness (Fig. 7.1-21).
Figure 7.1-25 Outgoing Transcripts
Figure 7.1-21 Cumulative Savings from Cost Reduction Strategies
Preventive maintenance (PM) is regularly scheduled repair
and maintenance needed to keep building components (heatingventilation-air conditioning systems, roofs, plumbing, and
electrical systems) operating efficiently and to extend their
useful life. National standards recommend 1% to 5% of Asset
Replacement Values (a FY15 range of $11 to $54 million for
AC). In recent years, PM funding has improved (Fig. 7.1-22),
and AC is targeting $21 million in the FY18 operating budget.
36
Part of the success of AC students depends on the
availability and awarding of financial aid to thousands of
students. By reducing the cycle time to make the awards
(Fig. 7.1-26), students are able to enroll more quickly and be
ready for school on the first day of class. In FY14, SFA
implemented a workflow so students could submit
applications online. This reduced the number of forms to
process and also reduced the number of trips required by the
student to our office by 4,000.
Figure 7.1-26 Direct Loan Applications Process
Efficiency
increased from 92.3% in FY12 to 97.6% in FY15 (Fig. 7.130).
Figure 7.1-30 Financial Aid Call Handling Efficiency
AC’s online installment plan is a green initiative that
provides a convenience to students to pay tuition. The
number of students utilizing this efficiency continues to
improve (Fig. 7.1-27).
A green initiative to get students out of line and get online to
pay tuition bills continues to improve (Fig. 7.1-31).
Figure 7.1-31 Online Payment Efficiency
Figure 7.1-27 Online Installment Plan Efficiency
Staffing levels are maintained through recruitment of
personnel to levels defined by the annual staffing plan.
Speed of recruiting and employment has been improved to
better-than-benchmark rates in a cycle of improvement that
involved replacement of software, employment of a
professional recruiter, and redesign of employment and
onboarding processes. Increased efficiency is shown in Fig.
7.1-32 by an overall 33% decrease in time required to fill
vacant positions.
IT maintains numerous online key systems for students and
employees. The IT WIG has been to maintain a minimum
system availability of 99.99 % (Fig. 7.1-28).
Figure 7.1-28 Information Systems Availability
Figure 7.1-32 Cycle Time to Fill a Position
The cost of producing a check, including check stock,
postage, envelopes, toner, equipment costs, and bank charges,
is 400% higher than an ACH (Automated Clearing House
electronic network) transaction. To replace the more costly
paper checks, DSO implemented a pay card along with ACH
payments to pay employees. This initiative supports our
sustainability (going green) program. The goal is to have 100%
electronic payments to employees (Fig. 7.1-29).
Figure 7.1-29 Paper Checks Efficiency
The Call Center handles questions that are common to
most students seeking financial aid. Calls which require
additional data access or special handling are forwarded to
Student Aid officers. The efficiency of calls handled
37
Fig. 7.1-33 shows the positive staffing gain in work-study
employment for students with financial need. The large
increase in the number and speed of student hires in FY15 is
the result of HR and Student Financial Aid WIG team for
collaboration and innovation using FOCUS PDCA. The HR
Work Study Hiring WIG produced a 210% increase in
student employment over the first 12 months and work
study staffing at 100% of the target. The work study target
is determined by funding issued by the Department of
Education to AC for the program. As such, the benchmark
and target are both set to award 100% of funds.
Figure 7.1-33 Work-Study Hiring Efficiency
Figure 7.1-36 Purchasing Cost Savings
7.1b(2) Emergency Preparedness
In FY11, AC began conducting five types of emergency
drills (evacuation, reverse evacuation, lockdown, shelter-inplace, and severe weather) at our facilities (Fig. 7.1-34).
Building Action Teams (BATs) were established and trained
to facilitate the processes during drills and actual events. A
steady increase in positive drill outcomes has been achieved.
The industry best practice of conducting all 5 types of drills
annually is the TSSC Benchmark and target DSO has
adopted. In FY15, 23 drills were conducted, exceeding the
benchmark.
The vast majority of purchases in AC are under $50k
(Informal Requisitions). In FY10, DSO ramped up efforts to
ensure that requisitioners would utilize the procurement card
(p-card) for small dollar and routine purchases. Because of the
implementation and rapid growth of the p-card program, the
number of POs issued has been reduced. This initiative (Fig.
7.1-37) is important because customers get faster turnaround
and the cost and effort to make a purchase are reduced. This
allows DSO to capture cash rebates and sidestep the
work/expense involved in processing check payments.
Figure 7.1-37 Purchasing Requisition Reduction
Figure 7.1-34 Emergency Drills
The Accounts Payable cycle time to process invoices has
been reduced significantly the last three years (Fig. 7.1-38).
Prompt recovery of IT critical systems is vital to ensure
ongoing DSO and college operations. IT system disaster
recovery is tracked annually to assure the availability of key
systems within a 4-hour window post system disasters. Disaster
recovery test results over the past 4 years have met DSO's
100% target of mean time recovery within 4 hours (Fig. 7.135).
Figure 7.1-38 Accounts Payable Cycle Time Efficiency
Figure 7.1-35 Disaster Recovery Efficiency
7.2 CUSTOMER-FOCUSED RESULTS
7.2a Customer-Focused Results
7.2a(1) Customer Satisfaction
DSO monitors and improves overall customer satisfaction,
the key performance indicator of service effectiveness. Each
unit surveys college, DSO, or community customers asking
them to rate "Overall, I am satisfied with the services
provided by this unit" on a 1-5 scale. Fig. 7.2-1 shows the
average overall customer satisfaction scores for all DSO
units.
7.1c Supply-Chain Management Results
With a reduction in state funding, every penny saved in
purchases becomes critically important. The Purchasing unit’s
priority is to reduce item costs. Examples of cost reductions
include a less costly substitute item, a new vendor contract, a
cheaper transportation method, or a lower price negotiated with
the existing supplier. Fig. 7.1-36 shows a positive trend in cost
savings over the past six years representing $6.7 million dollars
in cumulative savings.
38
Figure 7.2-1 Overall Customer Satisfaction with DSO
Services
Figure 7.2-5 Satisfaction with Police
The Community Partnerships unit measures the satisfaction
of ISD customers. (Fig. 7.2-6).
The % of students who answer CCSSE question 27 ("How
would you evaluate your entire educational experience?")
with "Excellent" and "Good" is a performance indicator of
student engagement with DSO (Fig. 7.2-2).
Figure 7.2-6 Community Partners Satisfaction
Figure 7.2-2 Student Satisfaction with Educational
Experience
The Workforce Center for Excellence measures the
satisfaction of customers who utilize this center (Fig. 7.2-7).
Figure 7.2-7 Satisfaction with Workforce Center for
Excellence
Student satisfaction with computer labs measures acceptance
of this aspect of on-campus technology. This measure is
trending upward in 2015 (Fig. 7.2-3).
Figure 7.2-3 Student Satisfaction with IT Computer Labs
The Alamo University Center measures the satisfaction of
university customers who utilize the AUC classrooms and
services (Fig. 7.2-8).
Figure 7.2-8 Higher Education Satisfaction AC
Student Financial Aid measures student satisfaction with the
financial aid services (Fig.7.2-4).
Figure 7.2-4 Student Satisfaction with Financial Aid
7.2a(2) Customer Engagement
The five CCSSE benchmarks (Academic Challenge =
ACh; Active and Collaborative Learning = ACL;
Student/Faculty Interaction = S&FI; Student Effort = SE;
and Support for Learners = SL) address key areas of student
engagement regarding student college experiences and
educational outcomes. They allow colleges to gauge and
monitor their performance in areas that are central to their
work. DSO services to the colleges positively influence
CCSSE benchmark scores (Fig. 7.2-9).
AC Police measure student and employee satisfaction with
safety and security services (Fig.7.2-5).
39
Figure 7.2-9 Overall Student Engagement
Figure 7.2-12 Student Satisfaction/Engagement with SLI
DSO contributes to increased customer engagement at the
AC through innovative initiatives and decisions at the PVC
level and improvement of communication and services for
the colleges and their students. Fig. 7.2-10 shows increasing
AC student engagement for the last three years as measured
through the net promoter score question in the CCSSE.
Three of five colleges have reached the Texas benchmark
and all five consistently surpass the national average score.
7.3 WORKFORCE-FOCUSED RESULTS
7.3a Workforce-Focused Results
7.3a(1) Workforce Capability and Capacity
Workforce productivity and performance are improved by
enhancing staffing levels and skill sets in conjunction with
rightsizing strategies such as retirement incentives. Fig.
7.3-1 shows productivity improvement that is within the AC
target and is 22% better than the Delta Cost AIR Benchmark
for Community Colleges.
Figure 7.2-10 AC Student Engagement
Figure 7.3-1 Rightsizing and Productivity Trend
DSO uses social media to listen to its customers to enhance
customer engagement. Fig. 7.2-11 demonstrates a continuous
increase in communication and interaction with customers via
use of Facebook and Twitter for the last five months. Data
segmented by college indicates that communication with
customers via Facebook is growing every month at every
location.
AC is committed to rightsizing the workforce for
optimum capacity without relying on pay cuts or layoffs.
Incentive offers designed for full and phased retirement
have accelerated turnover in areas of excess staffing to
allow staffing increases needed elsewhere to improve
performance. In 2011 the first incentive was offered as one
of the 25 Key Strategies to respond to State funding
reductions. Success of this strategy is evidenced in Fig. 7.32 by retirement rates substantially higher than the NCCBP
benchmark and by the FY15 final year results showing that
the full retirement incentive opportunity had been reached
(when incentive funding exceeded demand).
Figure 7.2-11 Use of Social Media
Figure 7.3-2 Rightsizing Retirement Incentive
SLI serves students directly by providing the tools and
experience needed to shape their leadership capabilities.
Customer satisfaction positive ratings by SLI-served students
have continued to increase since FY10 and remained above the
80% target. NPS assessments reveal off-the-chart student
engagement scores for the last three years, demonstrating the
high effectiveness of SLI services (Fig. 7.2-12).
Staffing in support of the AC mission is evidenced by the
diversity of our workforce. In 2015, AC received the
national HEED Award for outstanding commitment to
diversity and inclusion. AC maintains an Affirmative Action
Plan (AAP) with annual goals to continually maintain
minority and female representation that meets or exceeds
availability by job group in the relevant AC job market.
40
Figs. 7.3-3 and 7.3-4 show most AC job groups far exceed
area diversity.
has remained well below the higher education benchmarks
(CUPA, BLS and SHRM) even though retirement was being
incentivized during this period. The involuntary separation
rate is slightly higher than the CEB benchmark for all
industries. The AC involuntary rate is validated for AC by
an overall decline in the employee complaint rate for
separations (see Fig. 7.3-14).
Figure 7.3-3 Workforce Diversity: Minorities
Figure 7.3-7 AC Turnover Separation by Classification
Fig. 7.3-4 shows the area availability and the actual
female representation for each job group. The AC meets or
exceeds AAP goals in most job groups. Placement goals are
set each year for any job group that does not meet or exceed
the AAP goals and feeder groups by at least 1 full person.
Figure 7.3-8 Distribution of Employee Separations by
Type
Figure 7.3-4 Workforce Diversity: Females
Fig. 7.3-5 and 7.3-6 show evidence of AC and DSO
successful AAP diversity goal attainment over time. Analysis
conducted at the end of each AAP year classifies progress for
each goal as ‘attained’, ‘limited attainment’, ‘no opportunity to
attain’, and ‘not attained/in progress.’ Annual placement goals
have been met wherever opportunities existed from 2013 to
present. FY16 goals are in progress with success assessed in
May 2016. DSO, as part of the AC, has consistently maintained
levels of minority and female representation that meet or
exceed the standard for all job groups.
AC seeks to minimize demand on the workforce of
overtime in support of employee health and well-being. Fig.
7.3-9 shows that classified overtime demand (paid overtime
hours) has declined over the last 4 years even as the size of
the workforce has also decreased through rightsizing. Actual
average weekly overtime hours for classified employees are
below the national BLS average and the AC target.
Figure 7.3-9 Overtime Demand
Figure 7.3-5 AC Diversity Goals Attainment
7.3a(2) Workforce Climate
AC’s annual PACE survey is administered to every
employee. The survey utilizes a five-point Likert scale to
measure employees’ satisfaction with Institutional Structure,
Supervisory Relationships, Teamwork, and Student
Focus. PACE is administered nationally to 69 community
colleges, allowing AC to compare employee climate
satisfaction to a national norm base. AC has established a
2016 target score of 4.01 (or a “Collaborative Leadership
System” according to the PACE Model) Figs. 7.3-10 and
7.3-11 show overall upward progress towards this goal for
AC, DSO, employee types, and key climate indicators.
Figure 7.3-6 DSO Diversity Goals Attainment
Figs. 7.3-7 documents turnover rates for faculty and nonfaculty positions for the past five years and the reasons for
turnover. Turnover has decreased steadily since 2012 and
41
Figure 7.3-10 PACE Overall Workforce Climate
based complaints has been achieved over the last three years,
indicating overall improvement in fairness and respect in
conducting the separation process.
Figure 7.3-14 Separation-Based Complaints
Figure 7.3-11 PACE Overall Workforce Climate by DSO
Employee Type
In keeping with AC commitment to maintain a safe and
healthy workforce, employees are encouraged to utilize sick
leave time when they or their dependents are ill, injured, or
required preventive care visits. Fig. 7.3-15 shows use of
sick time is below the national average reported by AHRQ
and below the target level. Unused sick time is banked and
carries over from year to year for future use.
Figure 7.3-15 Average Sick Days Used
AC tracks EAP utilization rates to determine awareness and
willingness to use this important employee benefit. Trending up
EAP data indicates that employees are getting assistance to deal
with personal and work issues that would otherwise adversely
affect quality of life, engagement, attendance, productivity, and
benefits costs (Fig. 7.3-12). DSO monitors EAP primary
presenting problem data to inform HR strategies in support of
workplace priorities such as a Drug/Alcohol Free Workplace
and Campus.
Figure 7.3-12 EAP Utilization Rate
DSO uses NILIE PACE survey's question 51 to gauge
employee satisfaction with their employment (Fig. 7.3-16).
Figure 7.3-16 Employee Satisfaction with Employment
AC also measures workers compensation injury rates per 100
FTE employees. Benchmarks are from the U.S. BLS data
source for education organizations. Fig. 7.3-13 shows an annual
injury rate that is three times below the industry benchmark of
1.9.
Figure 7.3-13 Workers Compensation FTE Injury Frequency
Rate
Fig. 7.3-14 shows the number of separation-based appeals,
civil actions, grievances, and EEOC complaints filed by
separated employees. A decrease in the number of separation-
42
AC began conducting five different types of emergency
drills (evacuation, reverse evacuation, lockdown, shelter-inplace and severe weather) at all facilities starting in 2011 as
indicated in Figs. 7.3-21. Over this period, Building Action
Teams (BATs) were established and trained to facilitate the
processes during drills and actual events. A steady increase
in positive drill outcomes has been achieved. Industry best
practice is to conduct all 5 types of drills annually. In FY15,
23 drills were conducted exceeding the benchmark.
Figure 7.3-17 Emergency Drills Conducted by Location
The fail rate for AC is lower than the national benchmark,
evidence of successful communication of the AC Drug-Free
policy to job seeking individuals.
Figure 7.3-20 Pre-Employment Drug Screening Failure
Rate
AC is committed to fair, equitable and respectful treatment of
all employees. Prompt, fair resolution of any employee
complaint is a priority. Fig. 7.3-18 shows a positive reduction
in the number of complaints and virtual elimination of
complaints filed externally, outside the internal grievance
process established to provide prompt, fair resolution. This
beneficial trend occurred during a period of significant change,
rightsizing, and productivity increase efforts. The AC EEO
complaint rate trend is favorable when benchmarked against the
national EEO complaint trend.
Figure 7.3-18 Employee Complaints
Maintaining a drug/alcohol free campus and workplace
enhances the AC ability to reduce Title VII and Title IX
incidents that have a recognized correlation to sexual
harassment, assault, and related undesirable behaviors.
Violations of the AC drug/alcohol-free policy are identified
through several channels as trigger incidents and managed
in accordance with the Federal Drug-Free Workplace Act
and the Drug/Alcohol Free Campuses and Communities
Act. Suspected violations normally lead to assessment,
testing, and referral for professional counseling and
rehabilitation which, upon successful completion, allow for
a return to work. While no benchmarks for trigger
incidents and outcomes have been found, 100% of trigger
incidents have been resolved in accordance with AC policy
and provisions of the Federal Acts. (See Figs. 7.3-21 and
7.3-22).
Figure 7.3-21 Annual Drug/Alcohol Trigger Incidents
AC is dedicated to maintaining a healthy environment for work
and learning free from harassment, discrimination, and
retaliation. Training has been conducted bi-annually to raise
awareness of sexual harassment under Title VII. In 2015 efforts
were expanded to raise awareness of Title IX and sexual
violence in educational settings under the Violence Against
Women Act (VAWA). Awareness and the number of reported
cases has increased dramatically with incorporation of Title IX
and VAWA, evidence of training effectiveness and a high sense
of safety employees have to make reports (see Fig. 7.3-19). The
rise in reports is consistent with reports from the U.S. Office of
Civil Rights Department of Education where a 228% increase
in Title IX complaints filed by students was recorded between
2010 and 2014 and a 1000% increase over the past 5 years.
Figure 7.3-22 Annual Drug/Alcohol Trigger Incident
Resolution
Figure 7.3-19 Title VII and IX Awareness and Compliance
AC has conducted correlation analysis to identify the
PACE Climate Factors that are most important to improving
AC climate and employee satisfaction. Fig. 7.3-23 shows
positive gains for these factors toward the target of full
Collaborative Leadership across AC and within DSO.
AC is committed to providing a drug/alcohol free
environment for work and learning. In keeping with this
commitment AC instituted a policy of pre-employment drug
screening in FY14. The fail rate for pre-employment drug
screening shows a meaningful avoidance of candidates who are
not drug-free in the workplace/on campus (See Fig. 7.3-20).
43
Figure 7.3-26 PACE Employee-Supervisor Relationship
Figure 7.3-23 PACE Indicators of AC Employee Overall
Satisfaction
AC is committed to providing high levels of HR service to
employees. Figs. 7.3-27 shows employee satisfaction with
HR services using NPS measurement and benchmarking
across industries against the most engaging service
organizations in the country. Over time, through cycles of
improvement, HR has substantially increased NPS results
and raised the target score from 0, indicating “good” service,
to a score of +30 which is Nike’s NPS score used as a
benchmark. HR continues to develop service improvements
with a longer-term goal of NPS +50, Disney’s NPS score.
7.3a(3) Workforce Engagement
Implemented in 2014, the Four Disciplines of Execution
(4DX) has become a powerful leadership tool to engage all
employees in pursuit of the AC WIG – to increase the number
of degrees and certificates awarded. At each college and at
DSO, the WIG has been achieved, mostly ahead of schedule.
Three full WIG cycles have been completed. Fig. 7.3-24 shows
the engagement of employees at all levels of leadership in
establishing new habits of excellence in each cycle by focusing
on the WIG; setting lead and lag measures; creating compelling
scoreboards; and, establishing a cadence of accountability.
Figure 7.3-27 Employee Engagement with HR
Figure 7.3-24 4DX Engagement Trend
Figs. 7.3-28 and 7.3-29 illustrate the positive trend in
average overall satisfaction with HR by location, based on a
survey of 100% of the workforce each year. The survey is
sent to 1/12 of the workforce each month to measure
satisfaction factors, such as accessibility, timely service,
communication, fairness/objectivity, usefulness, and
provision of workable solutions. Monthly results support
learning and improvements in specific HR service areas to
achieve NPS gains.
4DX WIGS executed by DSO teams evidence engagement in
the supporting the AC mission and directly influence student
success. Fig. 7.3-25 shows the innovation and impact of one
WIG developed by HR compensation professionals in
collaboration with college student success professionals to
educate incoming students about their earnings potential after
educational completion. CUPA-HR awarded the HR
Compensation WIG team the CUPA-HR 2015 HR Innovation
Award for increasing employee and student engagement in
educational completion. More than 5,000 incoming students
have been reached via this WIG activity.
Figure 7.3-28 Overall HR Customer Satisfaction by
Location
Figure 7.3-25 4DX Employee Engagement for Student
Engagement
The NILIE PACE survey asks employees about the
relationship they have with their supervisor, a measure that
contributes to employee engagement. The goal is to attain an
overall workforce climate of “Collaborative Leadership” (Fig.
7.3-26).
44
Figure 7.3-29 Overall HR Employee Satisfaction by Service
The ALAS program (Fig. 7.3-33) is a nine-month
program designed to equip, strengthen, and prepare AC
leaders. Leadership development is focused on key leaders
having, mind-set, skill-set and tool-set to assist in the
execution of AC goals aligned to the MVV. Leadership
development at AC builds great leaders, great teams, and
great results. Since the creation of the ALAS program, the
number of leaders developed per class has doubled. Our
target will stabilize at the 10-year mark as we expand
development to the next phase: AC Leadership Academy for
Success and Partnership Impact. While no leadership
development benchmark is available for educational
institutions, other assessments of the training and
development investment are followed by DSO.
The AC Emergency Sick Leave bank is a benefit for
employees who have exhausted all forms of leave and are faced
with catastrophic illness or injury to. The bank receives
voluntary donations of sick leave hours from AC employees
(Fig. 7.3-30).
Figure 7.3-33 ALAS Leadership Development
Participation
Figure 7.3-30 Emergency Sick Leave Donations
Understanding the need to provide employee development
at all levels, AC has established a tuition reimbursement
program to provide opportunities for full-time employees
with one or more years of service to take higher education
courses or professional certification courses to enable them
to further our mission. This program provides eligible
employees with up to $2,200 in tuition reimbursement per
year (Fig. 7.3-34).
7.3a(4) Workforce Development
AC is deeply committed to employee development as
evidenced by the financial investment made each year for each
employee (Fig. 7.3-31). AC expenditure on training and
development as a percent of payroll exceeds the national
benchmark while AC cost per FTE is slightly below the
national level per FTE due to the development of a more costefficient internal training and development capacity that
utilized a large cadre of certified content facilitators. Even
though the number of tuition reimbursement hours has
increased, the cost per employee for tuition reimbursement, a
component of overall investment, has decreased as employees
enrolled in more cost-efficient institutions and program
offerings (Fig. 7.3-32).
Figure 7.3-34 Employee Tuition Reimbursement
Participation
Figure 7.3-31 Employee Development Investment
Fig. 7.3-35 shows AC’s overall upward progress towards
providing employees with professional development
opportunities. DSO has established a PACE survey goal of
4.01 for the “Collaborative Leadership” area.
Figure 7.3.35 PACE Employee Professional
Development Opportunities
Figure 7.3-32 Employee Tuition Assistance Costs
45
AC employee engagement begins during onboarding for
hire and New Employee Orientation. A key aspect of
engagement is to connect new employees to the MVV and
their work team (See Fig. 7.3-17). Effectiveness of
orientation is evidenced by new employee sense of
connection and teamwork. While no benchmark exists, AC
has set a target and assesses this form of engagement among
new employees.
Figs. 7.3-36 and 7.3-37 show a positive trend in the
development of non-faculty and faculty employees.
Development hours per employee are benchmarked against
national AtD benchmarks. AC development hour targets and
actual hours exceed the national standard.
Figure 7.3-36 Non-Faculty Development Hours
Figure 7.4-3 New Employee Understanding of
Mission/Culture
Figure 7.3-37 Faculty Development Hours
Fig. 7.4-4 shows yearly improvement in how DSO
employees see their working relationship with senior leaders,
as measured through an overall average score from 13 PACE
survey questions.
Figure 7.4-4 PACE Employee-Leader Relationship
7.4 LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE RESULTS
7.4a Leadership, Governance, and Societal Responsibility
7.4a(1) Leadership
The PACE Survey asks employees about “the extent to which
student needs are central to what we do,” a key measure of
employee understanding of the AC value of “Students First”.
DSO has experienced improvement in this area and AC is nearing
the “Collaborative Leadership” target (Fig. 7.4-1).
Figure 7.4-1 PACE Employee Understanding of Student as
Priority
On the PACE survey, DSO asks employees “the extent to
which institution-wide policies guide my work” (Fig. 7.4-2).
7.4a(2) Governance
The state of Texas requires an annual financial report and
a financial audit of the report by external auditors. The
report must comply with the requirements of Annual
Financial Reporting Requirements for Texas Public
Community and Junior Colleges as set forth by the THECB.
The report is used by bond rating agencies, taxpayers,
regulators, bond holders, creditors, and the public to
determine if AC has presented fairly in all material respects
the AC financial position and any changes in the financial
position in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles. The goal is to have unmodified opinion and no
findings (Fig. 7.4-5).
Figure 7.4-5 Financial Audit
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Type of Opinion Unmodified Unmodified Unmodified Unmodified Unmodified
1
0
0
0
0
N. of Findings
Figure 7.4-2 PACE Extent to Which Policy Guides Work
7.4a(3) Law and Regulation
Each year AC is required by the Single Audit Act
Amendments of 1996 and OMB Circular A-133 to have a
single audit performed on its federal awards. Additionally,
AC is required to have a single audit performed on its state
awards. Both audits are to determine if AC has complied
with the laws, regulations, contracts and grants applicable to
the federal and state programs. A qualified opinion or too
many findings indicate the inability of the AC to administer
these programs. The AC goal is to have unmodified
46
Figure 7.4-10 AC Dual Credit Enrollment (Unduplicated)
(=unqualified) or “clean” opinion and no findings (Fig. 7.65).
Figure 7.4-6 Financial Regulatory Opinions
2010
Type of Opinion
N. of Findings
$ audited (both
federal and
state)
Qualified
7
$147.2
million
2011
2012
2013
Unmodified,
except for
Unmodified
Unmodified
Qualified on
1 program
6
8
4
$180.5
million
$160.7
million
2014
Unmodified
$146.2
million
2
$133.6
million
7.4a(4) Ethics
The number of substantiated reports represents the number of
ethics hotline reports that are investigated because the
allegations are supported by the evidence (Fig. 7.4-7). DSO has
been effective in reducing the percentage of hotline reports that
were substantiated and maintaining our counts below 30, the
industry average used as benchmark.
Figure 7.4-7 Substantiated Ethics Hotline Reports
DSO conducts an annual campaign to support three
important causes within the community: The United Way
providing critical health and human services; the Fund
supporting arts and cultural events; and the AC Foundation
offering scholarships and educational programs to students.
Through the campaign, employees build a culture of
philanthropy to give back to the community by enhancing
the economic well-being and quality of life of our citizens.
Fig. 7.4-11 demonstrates our giving trends by participants
and their average gift size per capita.
Figure 7.4-11 Employee Giving Back Donations
Another indicator of the AC ethics climate is the rating given
by employees in the NILIE PACE survey statement 16, “The
extent to which open and ethical communication is practiced at
this institution” (Fig. 7.4-8).
Figure 7.4-8 PACE AC Open/Ethical Communication
DSO and AC have a proven record in energy cost savings.
Through process improvement and innovation, DSO has
implemented a variety of energy savings measures,
including system-wide adoption of four-day work weeks
every June and July, shut down of facilities on holidays,
turning off lights in vending machines and digital signage
after hours, energy audit implementation, and TAMU
Energy System Laboratory Continuing Commissioning
implementation. This has resulted in cumulative savings for
the last 7 years of approximately $10.6 million (Fig 7.4-12).
Ethics training was first required of all full time employees in
2008 and had a participation of 96%. Since FY10, we have
consistently reached our goal of 100% participation every year,
including BoT members (Fig. 7.4-9).
Figure 7.4-12 Cumulative Energy Savings
Figure 7.4-9 Ethics Training Participation
7.4a(5) Society
In the last four fall semesters, enrollment in dual credit
programs has increased and provided free tuition to over 34,549
students valued at over six million dollars in tuition waivers
annually (Fig. 7.4-10).
47
DSO measures CO 2 emission (tons/student) using a
Second Nature calculator and average of community
colleges as benchmark. Several of the college campuses
have achieved the benchmark level through better building
use optimization, including consolidation of low-attendance
classes in fewer buildings and investment in insulation and
solar gain reduction strategies (Fig. 7.4-13).
Figure 7.4-13 CO 2 Emissions Per Student
Figure 7.4-17 4DX Implementation Trend
Figure 7.4-14 Water Consumption Reduction
During the annual AC strategic planning retreat, DSO
uses the “Are We Making Progress?” Baldrige survey to
gauge participants’ perception about progress in the journey
to performance excellence. At the end of each survey
section, DSO includes a question asking for an overall grade
on progress in each Baldrige category. Fig 7.4-18 shows
perceived performance excellence improvement as an
indicator of the achievement of organizational strategy
according to AC leaders.
Figure 7.4-18 Baldrige Survey Results
Overall, I give the Alamo Colleges the following
grade (1-5) for
Leadership
Strategic Planning
Customer Focus
Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge
Management
Employee Focus
Operations/Processes Focus
Performance Results
* Yearly scores (1.00-5.00) are weighted averages.
Figure 7.4-15 Waste Reduction
2014
2015
2.48*
2.34
2.32
3.62
3.37
3.86
2.41
3.60
2.48
2.27
2.54
3.77
3.43
3.68
DSO leaders track results for key measures of the
achievement of our SP strategic objectives and
corresponding long-term plans and annual AP. To monitor
implementation and achievement of principle-centered
leadership (the second strategic objective) and those plans,
DSO collects and analyzes CCSSE and NILIE PACE survey
data students and employees, respectively (Fig. 7.4-19 and
Fig. 7.4.20). CCSSE's question 12 and NILIE PACE's
overall climate score and selected statements are DSO's key
measures of senior leadership long-term goals and action
plans. The chosen items of CCSSE’s question 12 are 12c
(How much has AC contributed to your and effectively?),
12e (thinking critically and analytically?), 12h (working
effectively with others?), 12i (learning effectively on your
own?), 12l (developing a personal code of values and
ethics?), 12m (contributing to the welfare of your
community?), and 12n (developing clearer career goals?).
The selected NILIE PACE statements are 11 (extent to
which institution teams use problem solving techniques), 16
(extent to which open and ethical communication is
practiced at this institution), 22 (extent to which this
institution has been successful in positively motivating my
performance), 25 (extent to which spirit of cooperation
exists at this institution), and 48 (extent to which innovation
is encouraged at the institution). CCSSE’s 90% quantile and
NILIE PACE’s 2014 norm are used as benchmarks.
Questions 48 and 51 are custom questions without a NILIE
PACE norm as benchmark.
7.4b Strategy Implementation Results
To ensure systematic strategy alignment and implementation,
all DSO units within their corresponding divisions (AS, SS,
EWD, FA, and PPIS) as well as the BoT unit (Internal Audit)
and the five OTC units (BoT Liaison, Community Partnerships,
Ethics and Compliance, Legal Services, and the Foundation)
prepare, modify manage, and complete unit action plans. The
rates of successful action plan completion appear in Fig. 7.416.
Figure 7.4-16 Action Plan Completion Rate
Fig. 7.4-17 shows how DSO is trending steadily toward
100% engagement of DSO employees in 4DX goal execution
projects through the current fourth cycle.
48
Figure 7.4-19 CCSSE Leadership Responses (Students)
In addition to awards in financial reporting, AC has
earned the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from
the GFOA each year since 2010 (Fig. 7.5-2). This
prestigious program recognizes conformance with the
highest standards for preparation of state and local
government budgets. The budget document must meet
program criteria as a policy document, as an operations
guide, as a financial plan, and as a communications device.
The document is judged by three experts across the nation.
Figure 7.5-2 Excellence in Budgeting
2009- 2010- 2011- 2012- 2013- 20142010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Budget Document
Figure 7.4-20 PACE Leadership Response (Employees)
Submitted Alamo Colleges
budget document
Earned Distinguished Budget
Presentation Award
Figure 7.4-21 Financial Investment on Core Competencies
and Innovation
0.600
Dual Credit (waived tuition and fees)
4DX & Covey-based leadership training
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Aa2
Aa1
Aaa
Aaa
Aaa
Aaa
Aaa
1.000
S&P
AA AA+ AA+ AA+ AA+ AA+ AA+
The financial vulnerability ratio indicates our ability to
cover operating expenses with unrestricted resources. The
formula is unrestricted net assets divided by total operating
expenses. The target is a ratio greater than 0. If the target is
too high, it shows the organization is not taking advantage
of opportunities to use existing resources to invest in future
benefits. If the target is consistent, it indicates
management’s ability to manage changing financial
landscapes. Between 0 and .99 is very good. Less than 0
means the institution does not have enough reserves for
daily transactions (Fig. 7.5-4).
0.018
0.055
2.119
1.017
(included in Organizational Efficiency and
Driving adoption of innovative practices
Sustainability)
FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ($ millions)
AKING INTELLIGENT RISKS FOR INNOVATIO
2012
2013
2014
2015
Student success initiatives (AlamoADVISE,
AlamoENROLL, AlamoINSTITUTES)
Yes
Rating Agency 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Moody’s
-
Yes
Figure 7.5-3 Bond Rating
FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ($ millions)
2012
2013
2014
2015
279.550 290.490 295.840 295.290
-
Yes
A grade is given to bonds that indicate their credit quality.
Bond ratings are expressed as letters ranging from “AAA,”
which is the highest grade, to “C” which is the lowest grade.
AC issues bonds to pay for and maintain property,
buildings, and land. Ratings are reviewed and issued when
the organization plans to issue new debt through bonds in
the market. The goal is to have “AAA” rating by two
nationally recognized rating agencies. Dallas County
Community College District (DCCCD), the benchmark, is
rated “AAA” by both Moody’s and S&P. AC has a triple A
rating from Moody’s (Fig. 7.5-3).
DSO's decision to strengthen the core competencies and take
intelligent risks for advancing innovative initiatives to ensure
student success is reflected in the financial expenditures made
in recent years (Fig. 7.4-21).
BUILDING AND STRENGTHENING
CORE COMPETENCIES
Organizational efficiency and sustainability
Innovative technology to support
administrative, academic, and student
support operations
Partnership development and stewardship
Yes
-
2.000
2.000
4.800
12.713
-
12.569
-
13.648
1.200
14.709
0.300
7.5 FINANCIAL AND M ARKET RESULTS
7.5a Financial and Market Results
7.5a(1) Financial Performance
To demonstrate financial transparency to its faculty, staff,
students, taxpayers, and other stakeholders, AC prepares two
documents each year: a financial report and a budget
encompassing projections and actual results for budgetary
control. AC has earned from the Government Finance Officers
Association (GFOA) a Certificate of Achievement for
Excellence in Financial Reporting each year since 2009 (Fig.
7.5-1). This nationally recognized program requires AC to go
beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted
accounting principles to prepare comprehensive annual
financial reports that evidence the spirit of excellence by an
expert in financial reporting at the GFOA, along with three
higher education reviewers across the nation.
Figure 7.5-4 Financial Vulnerability Ratio
Fig. 7.5-5 indicates the percent of institutional support
expense as a percentage of the total operating expense. AC
has moved slightly above this average in FY 13 and FY14
because senior leaders made a conscious and deliberate
decision to invest in safety and security, student success,
and customer service initiatives. AC seeks to reduce its
institutional support expenses as a percent of total operating
expense. The target is to be below DCCCD, a similarly-
Figure 7.5-1 Excellence in Financial Reporting
Annual Financial Report
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Submitted Alamo Colleges
No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
financial report
Earned Certificate of
No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Excellence
49
Figure 7.5-8 EWD Continuing Education Revenue
sized urban college district used as a benchmark. AC has the
second lowest support to operating expense in the state.
Figure 7.5-5 Institutional Support Expense/Total Operating
Expense
7.5a(2) Marketplace Performance
Fig. 7.5-9 shows DSO's annual market growth as
represented by an increase in partnerships with P-12, higher
education institutions, and business/industry representatives.
The strength of a community college Foundation can be
judged in part by its ability to grow total assets (Fig. 7.5-6) by
raising funds for the permanent endowment. The Foundation
has demonstrated continuous asset growth in the past four
years.
Figure 7.5-9 Growth in Partnerships
Figure 7.5-6 Foundation Assets
Through the BoT and PVC, DSO sets strategic direction
and policy to increase student enrollment and empower the
diverse communities AC serves. DSO tracks participation
rate (Fall headcount divided by the service area population
of ages 18-64) as a measure of market penetration. Fig. 7.510 shows the current status and improvement in market
growth performance.
The Foundation board and staff are committed to the goal of
offering a scholarship to every student who is eligible and who
applies. This informs the unit strategy of meeting the annual
gift income target of four million dollars. Fig. 7.5-7 shows the
Foundation’s favorable performance at reaching this goal in
comparison to peers.
Figure 7.5-10 AC Participation Rate
Figure 7.5-7 Foundation Gift Income
For several years, the EWD CE program has continued to
increase revenue contribution and demonstrated effectiveness
and operational efficiency, despite reductions in its workforce
capacity. Fig. 7.5-8 shows how CE has surpassed the national
LERN standard of revenue based on available workforce
capacity ($125,000 minimum expected revenue generated per
CE FTE employee.
50