ATLANTA HONG KONG LACOSTE SAVANNAH eLEARNING

About SCAD

Institutional Effectiveness

Within the mission of SCAD, the institutional effectiveness department actively builds the university's reputation as a leader in art and design education by fostering a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring adherence to best practices in evaluation and assessment, advancing the systematic use of information for decision-making, monitoring the university's regional and professional accreditation compliance, and facilitating the achievement of the university's strategic goals.

The department includes three functional reporting areas (institutional research, institutional assessment, and evaluation and policy studies) and another location (SCAD Atlanta). The vice president for institutional effectiveness is a member of the President's Cabinet and serves as the institutional liaison to the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Vision

The institutional effectiveness department is a nationally recognized leader in providing assessment, planning and evaluation information and strategies that are current, rigorous and useful. As the university’s centralized office for planning, assessment, institutional research and accreditation, the department supports SCAD’s success and growth by fostering a culture of evidence-based decision making, promoting best practices for student learning, and maintaining and developing relationships with external constituencies that further SCAD’s leadership in art and design education.

Values

The institutional effectiveness department's values:

Unified dedication to SCAD's mission, goals and values
Clarity of departmental mission and goals
Excellence and rigor in all phases of the research and evaluation process
Rigorous critique and review of all analytic information, as well as thoughtful planning and evaluation
Dissemination of accurate information that is both useful and used for decision-making
A culture that encourages an honest and open exchange of ideas
Respectful and open communication
Continuous development of individual talents and the contributions of each staff member
Appropriate and timely follow-through to completion of assigned projects

Goals

The institutional effectiveness department facilitates the progress of academic and non-academic areas at SCAD as well as the university overall in achieving and maintaining the highest standards of quality and international recognition.
The institutional effectiveness department provides leadership for accreditation actions.
SCAD meets and exceeds standards for use of student outcomes-based assessment and institutional effectiveness requirements as relevant to SACS and professional accreditation reviews.
SCAD evaluates overall institutional effectiveness on an annual basis and uses the resulting information in annual and strategic planning processes to facilitate continuous improvement.
The institutional effectiveness department provides an information-rich environment and actively disseminates findings of evaluative studies to further develop data-rich discussions about student learning and a culture of evidence in decision making at SCAD.
The institutional effectiveness department collaborates with other departments and units at SCAD to understand user needs for information, provide relevant information in a timely and understandable manner, and provide appropriate consultative expertise.
The institutional effectiveness department utilizes best practices in designing, conducting, analyzing and reporting decision-facilitation research, evaluation and assessment studies.

Office of institutional assessment

The office of institutional assessment exists to promote and advance the systematic collection and use of information for program and institution decision making. The office supports the university’s success and advances SCAD’s reputation as a leader in art and design assessment by promoting reflective inquiry and interest in program improvement. The office advocates a core institutional process of inquiry that bridges SCAD locations, is embedded in institutional life, and promotes the implementation of evidence-based changes.

MUSE 2009
In February 2009, the office of institutional assessment hosted the inaugural MUSE (Measuring Unique Studies Effectively) conference. The first conference of its kind in art and design education assessment, it is designed to build a community of art and design professionals who share an intellectual curiosity about student learning. MUSE speakers, presenters and vendors helped illuminate the many creative best-practice approaches and successes in art and design education.

More than 130 attendees from five countries, 30 states and 64 academic institutions attended MUSE. SCAD staff and faculty provided keynote speeches, facilitated pre-conference workshops and presented concurrent sessions in program assessment, academic course review and rubric creation. The conference showcased SCAD’s best practice assessment processes and moved SCAD forward as the leader in art and design assessment.

Office of institutional research

The office of institutional research is a service unit that provides management information and centralized reporting services. The office responds to internal data requests by providing official counts and customized statistical analyses, and by designing and executing survey research and interview-based studies. The office responds to external data requests by providing official institutional information to governmental, accreditation and other agencies interested in advertising and comparing university statistics. Such institutional information includes retention rates, completion/graduation and transfer-out rates for students and students receiving athletically related student aid. The work of institutional research is guided by the overarching goal of assisting the institution in its understanding of the external environment, including its opportunities and challenges to build on institutional values to aid decision-makers in assessment, planning, policy development and the implementation of creative strategies to achieve its mission.

SCAD Fact Book
The Fact Book, produced by the office of institutional research, is published every fall and is available to the SCAD community in early December. This fact book serves as a useful resource to SCAD students, faculty and staff as it contains a collection of commonly used and cited official university statistics.

Office of evaluation and policy studies

The office of evaluation and policy studies is charged with accreditation coordination, participating in compliance and reaffirmation efforts related to regional accreditation (SACS) and specialized accreditation or certification (such as NAAB, CIDA, GAPSC). The office facilitates the review of the qualifications of new and continuing faculty, in collaboration with human resources and academic services. The office conducts studies of policy interest to SCAD using best practice quantitative and qualitative research methods.

SCAD Atlanta institutional effectiveness

Staffed by a director of institutional effectiveness and coordinator of institutional effectiveness, the SCAD institutional effectiveness office in Atlanta provides support for assessment efforts, institutional research and survey research at the Atlanta location.

Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA)
The Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), includes disclosure and reporting requirements for postsecondary education institutions. SCAD is in compliance with these disclosure and reporting requirements, and is committed to the principle of providing information access to current and prospective students, parents, faculty, employees and the general public. Please use this online menu to have single point access to all federally mandated reports and disclosures:

General institutional information

Accreditation, approval or licensure of institution and programs

Information about SCAD’s accreditation, approval and licensure is available online.

Academic programs

Information about SCAD’s programs of study is available online.

Facilities

Information about SCAD’s facilities is available online.

Faculty

Information about SCAD’s faculty is available online.

Facilities and services available to students with disabilities

Information about facilities and services available to students with disabilities is available online. Admitted students receive additional information about disability services, along with an invitation to disability services orientation.

SCAD complies with all regulatory bodies related to the admission and service of students who self-identify as having a disability that may impact their ability to learn, including various intellectual disabilities. A variety of services and accommodations are available to students with disabilities based upon their individual need(s) and challenge(s). These may include, but not be restricted to: academic accommodations, housing accommodations, meal plan accommodations, building accessibility accommodations, course load accommodations, assistive technology accommodations, and other accommodations.

To self-identify as having a disability and to access accommodations, one may contact the counseling and student support services department via e-mail at counseling or disability services or by telephone at 912.525.6971 (Savannah) or 404.253.3400 (Atlanta). SCAD elearning students should call 912.525.6971. The counseling and student support services department has a list of facilities accessible to students with disabilities and makes it available to current and prospective students to determine the accommodations and services needed to facilitate the needs of individual students.

Student body diversity

Information about student body diversity is available online in the 2010-11 Fact Book. Refer to Pages 17-20 for student demographics, Page 13 for enrollment by gender, and Page 7 for scholarship and grant funds paid.

Internet course schedule and textbook information

SCAD's course schedule and textbook information are published online at the university's . booklook™ is Follett's solution for the Higher Education and Opportunity Act (HEOA) provision on course material information disclosure. booklook™ ties SCAD's online course schedule directly to the bookstore’s database to display author, title, ISBN, retail price and all of the information required for full compliance with HEOA legislation. Required and recommended course materials are made available no later than two weeks prior to the start of the quarter on SCAD's online course schedule.

Privacy of student records (FERPA)

Details about student rights under FERPA are listed in the policies section of the student handbook on the Resources tab in MySCAD, the university's online information portal. This information is updated annually and is available to enrolled students. Student rights under FERPA also are outlined on the SCAD website.

Copyright infringement policies and sanctions

SCAD’s policies and sanctions related to copyright infringement are available in the copyright compliance guidelines, copyright compliance policy and the student technology policy, which are published online.

Transfer of credit policies and articulation agreements

Information about transfer of credit policies and articulation agreements is available online.

Intercollegiate athletic program participation rates and financial support data

To get information regarding SCAD's intercollegiate athletic program participation rates and financial support data, visit The Equity in Athletics Data Analysis Cutting Tool website and search for Savannah College of Art and Design.

Consumer information on College Navigator website 

SCAD reports to the Department of Education the institutional information that is posted on the College Navigator website by the National Center for Education Statistics. Search for Savannah College of Art and Design to access publicly available consumer information about SCAD. College Navigator has a link to SCAD’s website, which provides access to detailed information about student life, student services, career services and transfer of credit.

Voter registration forms

Voter registration forms for the state of Georgia are made available at the Student Center in Savannah and the Student Success Center in Atlanta.

Health and safety

Security report

The annual security and fire safety report is available online.

Timely warning reports

Timely warning reports are issued through the SCAD e-mail system to students, faculty and staff. The reports also are posted on the Home tab in MySCAD, the university’s online information portal.

Crime log

The security report is available online and in the SCAD security office in Savannah and Student Success Center in Atlanta.

Missing person notification policy

The statement of policy regarding missing student notification procedures for students is available in the annual security and fire safety report and in the policies section of the student handbook found on the Resources tab in MySCAD, the university's online information portal.

Fire safety report and fire log

The fire safety report and fire log are available in the annual security and fire safety report.

Information for crime victims about disciplinary hearings

Upon written request, SCAD discloses to the alleged victim of any crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense the results of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by the institution against a student who is the alleged perpetrator of such crime or offense.

Drug and alcohol abuse prevention program

Information regarding SCAD's complete drug and alcohol policy is available in the student handbook under Drug and Alcohol Policy and in the corresponding policy in the staff and faculty handbooks. In compliance with the requirements of HEOA, each student and each employee provides an electronic signature for which they have received a copy. This information contains descriptions of applicable legal sanctions, description of health risks, and available counseling, treatment, rehabilitation or re-entry programs. Students and faculty can access the handbook on the Resources tab in MySCAD, the university’s online information portal.

Recognition

Mary Taylor presents paper at annual meeting
SCAD senior survey coordinator Mary Taylor presented a paper titled "Non-disclosure options are good for your data" at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Southern Association for Institutional Research held in New Orleans, Louisiana, Sept. 25-28.
Lowery attends weeklong research institute
Regina A. Lowery, senior coordinator of assessment, was selected to attend the National Summer Data Policy Institute sponsored by the Association for Institutional Research in 2009. The weeklong institute, held in Washington, D.C., is an intensive introduction to National Center for Educational Statistics, National Science Foundation and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System datasets and research methodologies using large national data sources. She served as a reviewer of applicants for the 2010 program.
Yap article published by GIA Publications
Director of Institutional Assessment Ching Ching Yap’s paper titled "Investigation of the Multiple-choice Formats for Assessing Music Notation Reading," will soon be published in the "Proceedings of the 2009 Florida Symposium on Assessment in Music Education: The Practice of Assessment in Music Education: Framework, Models, and Design" by GIA Publications Inc.
Tara Pearsall presents paper and poster
Senior assessment coordinator Tara Pearsall, Ph.D., will present her paper titled "Examining the Effect of Students' Rhythm Syllable System on the Tempo Consistency Demonstrated during a Standardized Rhythm Performance Task" and poster titled "The Impact of Cognitive Complexity on Rater Accuracy in a Music Performance Assessment" at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, held in Denver, Colo., April 30-May 4.

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