No. 141 August 2011
Feature Article: Louise Sandmeyer retires
Louise Sandmeyer, executive director of the Office of Planning and Institutional Assessment, who first came to work for Penn State in the 1970s and had a hand in facilitating much of Penn State’s change over the past 30 years, retired June 30, 2011.
Mike Dooris, director of Planning Research and Assessment and an adjunct faculty member in the College of Education's Higher Education Program, has assumed her responsibilities in the interim, and a search for a new director will begin in the fall.
Penn State Institutional Research Interest Group: Interesting Uses of Data to Support Student Learning
Drs. Hoag, Pursel and Yin will share information about several research projects aimed at enhancing student learning at Penn State. The projects are all data-driven, leveraging institutional data sources such as the data warehouse and NSSE results to explore student learning.
Quality Advocates: Planning, Budgeting and the Core Council Process
Provost Erickson will share his perspectives on the budgeting and planning challenges facing Penn State. He will also provide an update on the work of the Core Council as the academic and administrative review process winds down, and discuss initiatives that have been implemented or recommended from that University-wide process.
Quality Advocates: Planning and Budgeting: Challenges and Approaches in Outreach and Agricultural Sciences
Two administrative leaders will share information about the planning and budgeting challenges facing the College of Agricultural Sciences and Penn State Outreach, and discuss the initiatives being undertaken in these two large and important Penn State units.
Workshop: Closing the Gap with Continuous Quality Improvement
What goals has your unit set in its planning for the future? Learn about the relationship between planning, assessment, and process improvement, and how continuous quality improvement approaches and tools can help you accomplish your unit goals.
Workshop: Applying Quality Principles in Daily Work
Find out how to apply the activity based analysis improvement tool outlined in Innovation Insights #6: Doing the Right Things Right to your work situation. Learn how you can apply basic quality principles to develop more effective and efficient work processes.
Workshop: Facilitating Planning, Improvement, and Assessment Projects and Teams
This full-day workshop provides hands-on experience in the role of a facilitator working with a team addressing a planning, improvement, or assessment initiative. It also identifies the parallels between any of these approaches and classic project management, and the further considerations for the individual serving as both the group leader and facilitator.
Cost Saving Ideas:
Submit your ideas for increased efficiency and effectiveness at Penn State.
Support for Planning, Improvement, and Assessment in Your Unit
The Office of Planning and Institutional Assessment supports the University’s efforts to plan, assess, and improve programs and services. The Office is available, at no charge, to consult with units and use organizational change tools to help units assess their needs, develop strategic plans, improve key processes, and develop collaborative team environments. If you would like to discuss the planning, quality, or assessment needs of your unit with one of our consultants, please contact the Office at 814-863-8721 or e-mail mjd1@psu.edu.
The Quality Endeavors newsletter is published several times each semester. If you have any questions or comments about what you read here, or if you would like to suggest items for future newsletters, please contact Barbara Sherlock, Senior Planning and Improvement Associate, Office of Planning and Institutional Assessment, at 814-863-8721 or psupia@psu.edu. To read past issues, see the Office's Web site at http://www.psu.edu/president/pia/s/5ztbIb.
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Office of Planning and Institutional Assessment
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502 Rider Building
University Park, PA 16802-4819
Phone: (814) 863-8721
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Email: psupia@psu.edu
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