Hcc Opportunities For Improvement Survey Results & Post Survey Action Plan

HCC Opportunities for Improvement Survey Results & Post Survey Action Plan

August 2009 Daniel Seymour, Vice Chancellor, Planning & Institutional Effectiveness Martha Oburn, Executive Director, Institutional Research Tenecia Brown, Web Content Specialist

Introduction A survey was administered to all full-time faculty and staff members of Houston Community College in May, 2009. The purpose of the survey is to generate feedback on a range of institution-wide climate issues, district-level work processes, and strategic planning initiatives. The intention is to administer this survey on a bi-annual basis so that longitudinal changes can be tracked and used to drive continuous improvement. By asking ourselves these questions, it also forces us to be accountable, not to an external agency, but to ourselves in making our vision to become “the most relevant community college in the country” a reality. Five hundred and fifty-one (551) individuals responded to the on-line survey of which 43% are faculty members, 40% staff members, 12% administrative/executive and 6% department chairs. This report is divided into six sections: Executive Summary—This section provides a short summary of the survey results as well as key items from the Post Survey Action Plan. Climate—The climate section is intended to evoke an overall impression of the respondents’ view of their work at Houston Community College rather than specific areas or detailed topics. District-Level Services—While the initial set of climate questions evaluates a broad set of attitudes about Houston Community College, the second set of questions is specifically targeted at district-level services. (It should be noted and acknowledged that discriminating between district-level service and college-level services is an imperfect exercise.) Strategic Planning—This section generates feedback on how people perceive the strategic planning effort of the College is proceeding. Post Survey Action Plan—The draft results of the survey were presented to the Chancellor’s Cabinet for review and discussion of next steps. As a result, this section begins to answer the question— “What do we do now?” Methodology—The final section describes the research methodology used to generate these findings.

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Executive Summary

The Climate section of the survey yielded important feedback on how HCC employees feel about broad aspects of the institution. Perhaps most importantly, a series of general questions, such as, “I would recommend HCC to others” and “All things considered, HCC is a great place to work,” produced very positive results with almost 90% stating they “somewhat agree,” “agree,” or “strongly agree” with the statements. Written comments like “While things are not perfect, there is a real sense of momentum at HCC” and “Things are much better and improving every day” reinforce the data. Overall, the survey results paint a picture of an institution on the move. The feeling is that HCC is doing a lot of things right and moving in the right direction with a sense of purpose and urgency. Statements that cluster at the bottom of the rankings tend to reflect decision-making, accountability and the management of resources—indeed, the statement that ranks the lowest is, “HCC manages resources effectively.” The Post Survey Action Plan (PSAP) section of this report enumerates a broad series of efforts currently being undertaken that are intended to address directly many of these issues. The other area that should cause concern is the mediocre response to the statement, “HCC is truly a student centered college.” Less than 20% of the respondents strongly agreed with the statement while more than one in four expressed some level of disagreement. The PSAP section outlines a proposal to engage in a district-wide effort to improve these results over the next two years. The District-Level Services section describes both bright spots as well as a series of opportunities for improvement. At the top of the list of “high satisfaction” services are a number of information technology functions—web-based communication, access to the internet and wireless infrastructure, and support services to PeopleSoft. What is most impressive about these results is that these same functions were deemed of “high importance” to the respondents. Congratulations to our techies! Other areas that generated strong, positive feedback are:    

Payroll—salary and wage payments, time entry, and so on Business Services—mail distribution, asset and fleet management HCC Foundation—private fundraising Division of Extended Learning—School of Continuing Education, Corporate College, Adult Education Programs and so on.

The Post Survey Action Plan section discusses actions proposed to respond to services that scored the lowest on the “satisfaction” scale. Two of our contracted services fall into this

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category—Barnes & Noble and Aramark. Other services that were lower on the scale that prompted serious discussions and change strategies are, “creating a fair and equitable workplace” and “instructions and response to security threats.” Finally, services relating to “hiring of new faculty and staff members” and “performance evaluation” scored in the lower range and present opportunities for improvement. Ideas for improving performance in these areas are detailed in the Post Survey Action Plan. The Strategic Planning section of the survey yielded two important results. First, almost one in three people responded, “I don’t have enough information to evaluate progress.” This clearly means that the plan and the College’s efforts to advance the plan are not being effectively communicated. The PSAP section addresses this opportunity in greater detail. Second, the Goal area that generates the least positive response is, “Accountability and Strategic Decision Making.” This result aligns with Climate section statements such as “Senior leadership at the District demonstrates a high degree of accountability for institutional decisions” that are also relatively lower scoring. As one respondent stated, “In the spirit of the administration’s openness, I hope the results of this survey will be made available to the HCC community.”

The results are in.

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Climate The 25 questions in the Climate section of the survey cover a broad range of topics such as resource management, communication, and leadership. As such, “climate” entails a respondent’s general sense of Houston Community College.

Appendix A displays all 25 Climate questions in rank order from highest to lowest mean score. On a scale of 1 (very dissatisfied) to 6 (very satisfied), the range of mean responses was from a low of 3.44 (“HCC manages resources effectively”) to a high of 5.18 (“I understand how my job contributes to HCC’s mission”).

An initial observation is that HCC’s faculty and staff members have a generally positive attitude about the health and direction of the institution. The average of even the lowest-rated items are in the positive area of the six-point scale (somewhat agree). Further, one of the most broadsweeping questions—“I would recommend HCC to others”—is the second highest-rated question (5.01). Almost 90% of the respondents stated they “somewhat agree,” “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement. Another global question, “All things considered, HCC is a great place to work” is the sixth highest-rated question. Again, almost 90% agree with this statement. The following quotes reflect this sentiment:  “I think the college under this new administration is moving in the right direction.”  “Things are much better and improving every day. We are on the right track but have some more work to do.”  “While things are not perfect, there is a real sense of momentum at HCC.”

A second general observation reflects a phenomenon in survey research. All of the questions that focus on the individual respondent (questions that begin with the personal “I” or “My”) tend to result in higher levels of satisfaction; questions that are directed at an organizational entity— e.g., senior leadership, district administration—tend to score lower.

For example, the statements that generate the highest levels of agreement (“strongly agree”) are:  My job at HCC makes good use of my skills and abilities (47%).  I understand how my job contributes to HCC’s mission (45%).  My supervisor/department chair makes his/her expectations clear (43%).

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This suggests that individuals have a strong personal connection to the institution regardless of whether they agree with other aspects of its direction or priorities. While, as stated, the overall results are quite positive, there are “opportunities for improvement” embedded in the climate results. First, it can be noted that three of the bottom five lowest-rated items reflect resource management:  HCC manages resources effectively (3.44)  Senior leadership at the District demonstrates a high degree of accountability for institutional decisions (3.73)  HCC is well run (3.74) Given the size of HCC and its administrative structure (six colleges but accredited as one institution), these observations would not be unexpected. Still, if HCC can find innovative ways to make closer connections between the institutional operations and individual needs, these results may improve. A second observation is in some ways more problematic. While the administration at both the district and college levels is responsible for developing and implementing effective resource allocation processes, everyone—faculty, staff, and the administration—has an important role in making HCC a student-centered institution. However, the question, “HCC is truly a studentcentered college” yielded a mean score of 4.23, placing it in the middle of the pack of 25 climate questions. Only 19% of the respondents say they “strongly agree” with the statement, while more than one in four respondents expressed some level of disagreement. While one respondent took a narrow focus, “HCC is not student-centered, it is administratorcentered,” another took a broader look, “I believe we do some excellent work at HCC, but I also believe we are severely lacking in some services for students.” Another individual said, “I feel that in recent years HCC has lost its focus on the student . . . every day I watch students fight their way through admissions, attempt to speak to a ‘real live’ person, only to be sent to a computer lab.” Perhaps the most comprehensive comments are as follows:  “This College needs to realize that our students are our greatest asset and quite frankly our clients. If the College cannot (or will not) address its issues, we can only expect to see our enrollment decrease and our students drift away to the plethora of education opportunities that are placed throughout the city of Houston.”

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 “Better customer service from the staff to our students; remember that if it wasn’t for our magnificent students there will be no HCC.”  “The relationship between teacher and student is the key ingredient in learning and we spend the least on this aspect.”

District-Level Services Each statement in this section is rated on two scales: importance and satisfaction. This dual exercise is critical because it acknowledges that not all services are viewed as being equal. Appendix B displays the services in rank order on “importance.” It should not be surprising that questions regarding payroll functions and compensation and benefits are rated “very important”:  HCC ensures that all payroll functions—salary and wage payments, time entry, deductions, and so on—are conducted in a correct and timely fashion (76%).  HCC provides up-to-date information and services regarding compensation and benefits (68%).

Respondents also feel that services around safety and security are “very important”:  HCC maintains a highly visible presence on campuses to ensure a safe and orderly environment on campus and helps to prevent crime and to protect life and campus property (77%).  HCC provides employees with clear instructions as to their responsibilities and suggested responses to bomb threats, lockdowns, and other security threats (68%).

What might be surprising is that various information technology functions which might be perceived as necessary tools to enable individuals to do their jobs were also rated as “very important”:  HCC provides effective telephone, e-mail and other web-based communication services for faculty, staff and students (74%).  HCC provides timely and effective Help Desk support for faculty and staff members (73%).  HCC ensures stable and secure access to the college’s network and wireless infrastructure (71%).

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An analysis of services that were rated lower might indicate a differentiation between things that are traditionally considered core to the mission of community colleges and things that might be perceived to be less central to that mission. For example, “We provide effective leadership in the area of ‘grantsmanship’—research, writing, training and administering—to increase external resource development for HCC” and “HCC has developed strong district-wide international initiatives, including partner programs with foreign institutions of higher education and study abroad opportunities” were both among the areas that were seen to be of less importance. As noted, each statement in this section is also rated on a scale of satisfaction. Appendix C displays the services in rank order on “satisfaction.” The Information Technology area has three of the top four rated services. Respondents stated they are “somewhat satisfied,” “satisfied” or “very satisfied” at the following rates:

 HCC provides effective telephone, e-mail and other web-based communication services for faculty, staff and students (80%).  HCC ensures stable and secure access to the College’s network and wireless infrastructure (78%).  HCC provides and ensures administration, access and support services to PeopleSoft student, human resources and financial management systems (75%). The other services that received high satisfaction ratings are:  HCC offers effective non-credit instruction—e.g., School of Continuing Education, Corporate College, Adult Education Programs—throughout the city of Houston (Division of Extended Learning).  HCC ensures that all payroll functions—salary and wage payments, time entry, deductions, and so on—are conducted in an accurate and timely fashion (Finance).  The Foundation has developed a strong private fundraising capacity that results in increased resources for student scholarships as well as faculty and staff support (HCC Foundation).  We provide effective and timely business services—mail distribution, asset management and fleet management—that enable faculty and staff to concentrate on the business of student success. Two contracted services—Barnes and Noble and Aramark—were at the lower range of the satisfaction scale. The other services that received low satisfaction ratings (on a scale of 1 = very dissatisfied to 6 = very satisfied) were:

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 We assist in the recruiting and hiring of new faculty and staff members by providing the necessary information and services as well as responding promptly and reliably to inquiries and requests (3.55).  HCC provides an effective performance evaluation methodology that allows HCC employees and supervisors to set goals and assess their accomplishments (3.69).  HCC provides effective procurement services—processing requisitions and placing orders—for timely acquisition of resources and services that support instruction and operational needs (3.81)

Another analysis in this section is the review of N/As (not applicable). It is appropriate for individuals to respond to a service area with N/A if they do not have enough knowledge or experience to give an accurate response. With the two particular services below, more than one in three respondents answered N/A on the importance and satisfaction scales:  HCC has established active district-wide councils (e.g., Counselors, Testing, Enrollment Deans and Student Life) to engage and support the colleges’ student services departments (Student Services).  We provide effective student account payment and support services that results in increased student options for college access (Finance). There may be a need to communicate more effectively about what we do in these areas.

Strategic Planning

This section is focused on the college-wide strategic plan that was developed in 2008 (The Strategic Plan for our Future). Appendix D has the detailed responses.

For each of the six strategic goal areas the question was asked “To what extent has HCC made progress towards Goal ____?” The highest-rated goal was “Student Learning” (4.72) and the lowest was “Accountability and Strategic Decision Making” (3.94). The range here is very narrow, and all the means are on the positive side of the six-point scale.

There are two key opportunities for improvement reflected in these results. The first is that the goal area that received the lowest score—“Accountability and Strategic Decision Making”— correlates with the finding in the Climate section concerning accountability and resource management:

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 “This administration is working to create leadership stability and consistency. Please stay on track. Also, continue on the path of accountability by placing high expectations and standards among the decision makers of the organization.”  HCC needs to accept no less than total accountability on all levels.”  The accountability at some levels is ineffective and allows incompetent managers to exist on their jobs.”  “Hold everyone accountable for their actions.”

The second key finding is embedded in the response, “I don’t have enough information to evaluate process.” The range of responses was a low of 22% to a high of 36% across the six goal areas, making it evident that the plan itself and the actions that are being taken need to be more fully communicated.

Post Survey Action Plan It can be noted that while many people had comments such as, “Thank you for this opportunity to give input,” others stated the importance of being transparent—e.g., “In the spirit of the administration’s openness, I hope the results of this survey will be made available to the HCC community.” Perhaps most importantly, however, there were numerous comments and references that reflect the sentiment: “There is always room for improvement.” With that in mind, the initial results of this survey were compiled and presented to the Chancellor’s Cabinet for discussion and action planning. The key question was, “What do we do now?”

Climate Actions It was noted in the survey analysis that three of the bottom five lowest-rated items reflect resource management issues:  HCC manages resources effectively (3.44)  Senior leadership at the District demonstrates a high degree of accountability for institutional decisions (3.73)  HCC is well run (3.74)

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After careful analyses it was concluded that many initiatives are well underway to address the effective management of resources and improve decision-making. The following activities are currently being pursued: Containing costs—Phase 3 of our successful cost-saving program, now beginning its third year, starts in September (the first two phases have resulted in more than $2 million in direct savings and an additional $14 million in revenue). Phase 3 has 11 ideas selected and prioritized from 230 ideas gathered from employees’ suggestions submitted anonymously in October 2008 and January 2009. All selected ideas have been assigned to a leader and team of administrators accountable for ensuring their implementation. Top priorities include a staffing audit, on-line meeting software, a comprehensive recycling program, and on-line attendance rosters and semester grades. Increasing effectiveness in teaching and learning—It is imperative that we find ways to manage of resources (including time and energy) so that they bring direct benefit to the classroom. Two new efforts should help do that: 

CurriucUNET has been identified as a program that will streamline curriculum development and approval tracking. It will automate the entire process of submitting course and program proposals via a Web browser and provide historical tracking of all courses and programs. It will also maintain all necessary information on courses. A prime example is student learning outcomes.

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The Program Review Self Study Instrument for Career and Technology Education (CTE) has been revised and piloted with 18 CTE programs. Similar revisions are scheduled this year for Transfer and Continuing Education. In general, the process is more streamlined but calls for the use of more and better data to inform decisionmaking. Finally, a new rating system has been approved. The system will result in self study reports that are more quantifiable and provide more thorough analyses of program accomplishments and challenges.

Improving the budgeting process—Several major initiatives are underway: 

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Budget reform has been affected over the two years, with the result that the process is now more transparent and college-centric. The major component of this transformation has been the focus on academic planning, which now uses class sections as the unit of measure for resource allocation. Class schedules drive more than 80% of all college resources and the other 20% are relatively fixed costs (escalated by inflation or by debt agreements). Class sections are a universally understood concept within the institution and, therefore, create additional transparency in how and where resources are distributed and used. The final

component is measurement of effectiveness, and class sections provide the most direct correlation to successful employment of resources. 

HCC’s Board of Trustees approved the implementation of the first two-year budget appropriation. This major change aligns the college with the Texas bi-annum of appropriations schedule, and allows the college scheduling process to be framed within the known amount of resources available for consumption. The new methodology creates more certainty and confidence with the ranks of the faculty and administration, and strengthens leadership’s ability to manage growth, new program development, and access for students. The two-year budget cycle allows the development of multiple year operational planning, which ties into the strategic plan and goals. The most significant outcome is that longer-term planning is now enabled and supported at the governance level in a truly landmark way.

Using technology to improve efficiencies—There are a broad range of efforts being implemented that result in a more efficient and effective HCC:

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The external student application has been reprogrammed and integrated into the PeopleSoft system. The application was reduced from 15 web pages to 5 which reduced the amount of time required for students to input their information. The application has also eliminated an external process that required special programming skills and a custom interface.

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PeopleSoft registration and payment rules were developed that require students to pay for their course sections when registering. The process provides college presidents, deans and department chairs with accurate information concerning their section enrollments and provides them with a decision-making tool for managing sections and staffing.

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The financial aid automatic award recalculation module has been implemented. The module automates the recalculation of financial aid awards when students drop or withdraw from course sections. The module provides the financial aid department with a method of tracking over-awards which reduces bad debt and debt collection needs as well as the staff time required.

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A process that provides students with 1098Ts (validation of tuition paid needed for income taxes) online has been implemented. The process has improved student access to information and reduced printing, handling and postage costs.

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An online attendance sheet system in being piloted and implemented for the fall 2009 semester. The system provides each faculty member with an accurate student roster and allows faculty to enter section attendance for each student via a

PeopleSoft screen and submit the sheet electronically to the registrar’s office. The system tracks the entire attendance sheet submission process and provides a method of keeping the college in compliance. 

A workflow that provides budget authorities with the ability to approve purchase requisitions online has been developed and implemented. The workflow documents and tracks the purchasing process from the point of creation through to the assignment of a purchase order number. The workflow has reduced the amount of time required to create a PO and has eliminated the need to print and route paper requisitions.

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An electronic timesheet system is being tested, piloted and implemented. The system has been installed and is being configured with a pilot scheduled for September 2009. The system is expected to go LIVE in February 2010. The system will automate the entry and routing of timesheets through to the PeopleSoft payroll system. Anticipated outcomes include the elimination of hard copy timesheets, reduced data-entry errors, improved tracking capabilities and reduced costs for document printing, handling, storage and retrieval.

Using information to improve decision-making—The Office of Institutional Research is taking the lead in helping decision-makers make better decisions by improving access to timely information:

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A Decision Support System (DSS) is being developed in the Office of Institutional Research. This system will include a comprehensive series of reports targeted at key decision-making groups—e.g., department chairs. The reports will focus on the decisions that each group regularly makes and then provide trend and/or comparative information according to a defined timeline. NW College is the beta site for this work with the results in place later this fall.

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An HCC Dashboard—or easy-to-read display of key performance indicators—is currently being developed by the Office of Institutional Research. The ten items are Access, Persistence, Completers, Transfer Rates, Faculty Ratios, Student Engagement, Placement Rates, Financial Aid, Stakeholder Satisfaction and Recognition of Excellence. The Dashboard is designed to demonstrate accountability to external stakeholders and will be placed on our web page by January 2009.

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Survey research is being used on a regular cycle to develop longitudinal data and drive continuous improvement. This district-wide survey will be done every other year and will be accompanied by a Post Survey Action Plan (PSAP). This coming

spring a college-based survey will enable college employees and students to give feedback on campus-level services. It should be noted that many of these initiative are included in the College’s Strategic Plan in Goal Area 6—Accountability and Strategic Decision-Making. Another climate question that received a lower score was, “HCC’s policies and practices ensure fair treatment for all faculty, administration and staff.” The Chancellor’s Office has recently created the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance reporting to the General Counsel which will assist the college in ensuring that students and employees have the opportunity for full participation in the life of the Houston Community college by:

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Ensuring compliance with HCC policies, employment law, and laws governing higher education. Providing counsel and support for informal resolution of discrimination and harassment complaints. Promoting the positive impact of the diverse HCC community (moving beyond compliance) through systematic initiatives such as training, to proactively advance awareness of the benefits of inclusion and equity. Investigating formal complaints of discrimination promptly and impartially and reporting findings and recommendations to the appropriate senior administrator for action.

As noted in the results section of this report, the question, “HCC is truly a student-centered college” yielded a mean score of 4.23, placing it in the middle of the pack of 25 climate questions. Only 19% of the respondents say they “strongly agree” with the statement, while more than one in four respondents expressed some level of disagreement. This is not acceptable. The Vice Chancellor of Student Success has been charged with appointing a district-wide task force to research this issue during the fall semester. While the colleges and the district office are undoubtedly doing many good things, this effort will look externally for best practices in creating a student-friendly environment. The task force will also use the electronic suggestion box method that has been used successfully at HCC to generate cost containment ideas, to engage HCC employees and students in the exercise of becoming more student-centered. Finally, while the colleges already gather information on students—e.g., Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE)—the Chancellor will begin requesting that campus administrators show evidence that they are using the results to make changes.

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District-Level Services Actions A useful way of addressing the district-level services is to juxtapose “importance” and “satisfaction” in a Resource Optimization Matrix (Appendix E). By combining the importance and satisfaction scales we can create four quadrants. The quadrants are as follows: High importance/high satisfaction: These areas can be described as “relative strengths.” These are functions that we need to continue to invest in because of their importance to the community. The relative degree of that investment, however, needs to be tempered. It does make sense to communicate these successes and to acknowledge the hard work on the part of many at HCC that have enabled these achievements to happen. In particular:  Information Technology—Three of the four services provided by HCC’s Information Technology group had the highest combination of importance and satisfaction.  HCC Police—The stated service, “HCC maintains a highly visible presence on campuses to ensure a safe and orderly environment . . .” was also perceived as being both very important and the respondents were very satisfied with the service.  Finance—“HCC ensures that all payroll functions . . . are conducted in an accurate and timely fashion” is a service that is also in this quadrant. Low importance/high satisfaction: The concern in this quadrant is that while the respondents give them high ratings in terms of satisfaction, they also acknowledge they are relatively less important. Simply put, it is far better to have high satisfaction ratings than low. The only service that fell into this quadrant was, “HCC has developed strong district-wide international initiatives, including partner programs with foreign institutions of higher education and study abroad opportunities.”

Low satisfaction/low importance: This quadrant generates low satisfaction ratings which make them a source of concern. On the other hand, their lower importance ratings suggest that this is not where we can get the greatest “bang for our buck.” None of the rated services were in this quadrant.

Low satisfaction/high importance: These areas are of high importance to the respondents. The fact that they also generate low satisfaction ratings—“relative weaknesses”—means that we could have a disproportionate impact on the College by improving these areas or services. The

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relative weaknesses can be clustered in three areas. The following are the recommended actions:

Contracted Services—Barnes and Noble is rated very low in satisfaction while the function itself is perceived as being fairly important. Aramark has similar scores. It is the intention of the administration to communicate these results to both contractors as part of upcoming contract negotiations. A recent analysis of Aramark’s corrective and maintenance task list shows over 16,000 work orders this year with a completion rate of 98% and so the focus of improvement efforts will be on timeliness.

Human Resources—Several services provided by Human Resources will be addressed in the Post Survey Action Plan as opportunities for improvement. First, “HCC provides an effective performance evaluation methodology that allows HCC employees and supervisors to set goals and assess their accomplishments” was in the high-importance/low-satisfaction quadrant as can be seen in Appendix E. The Performance Excellence Program (PEP) was implemented four years ago, based upon HCC shared values and the belief that each HCC employee plays a vital role in helping achieve our vision. The power of PEP to enhance alignment of individual goals with those of HCC contributed to our exceeding last year’s all-college fiscal and enrollment growth. The relatively high scores (means of 4.74 -5.18) for climate questions 1, 4, 5, 13, 14, 15, and 24 are related to a positive PEP effect. The following are specific action to be taken:

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A five-year review cycle of the evaluation documents will be implemented to ensure continued relevance, starting with the faculty evaluation instruments put in place in 2004. In partnership with the Faculty Senate and VP Instruction, a cross-discipline team of faculty, deans, and college presidents will be formed this fall.

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HR will also be working with end-users to pinpoint any other barriers to effectively setting goals and assessing accomplishments under the PEP methodology. The District action item to more effectively communicate the College’s efforts to advance the strategic plan may also address this issue by helping clarify the link between individual and college goals.

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The PEP work group will commit this year to another round of improvements to the instrument itself with the goal of making it “more user-friendly.”

Next, the statement “We assist in the recruiting and hiring of new faculty and staff members by providing the necessary information and services as well as responding promptly and reliably to inquiries and requests” deserves special attention since it is the second lowest of all district services. HR will be examining the process on several fronts: a “part-time hiring” process reengineering project will be conducted this fall as well as an Employment Services restructuring project. Changes in HR work approach are anticipated. Implementation of a hiring workflow

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and implementation of “short work break status” in PeopleSoft-HR has the potential to significantly reduce time-to-hire and largely eliminate paper transactions. This improvement will be placed in the IT implementation pipeline for fall.

Police—The issue of HCC providing employees with “clear instruction as to their responsibilities and suggested response to bomb threats, lockdowns, and other security threats” was rated very high on the importance scale but generated a somewhat less than satisfied response on the corresponding satisfaction scale.

The HCC Police has recently put in place a National Incident Management System (NIMS) compliant, all-hazard emergency plan for the colleges and the district. Meetings with the administrators at each college have been scheduled and working plans will be in place on or about August 15th. The Police is also offering three classes starting this fall through the Center for Teaching & Learning Excellence (CTLE) for faculty and staff—TL5000 Active Shooter, TL5010 Fire/Bomb Threat, and TL5020 Chemical Spill/Major Crime.

A multimodal-hosted system for communicating emergency information (Connect-Ed) has been implemented that provides all HCC faculty, staff and students with a text, email, cell phone and land line message in the event of an emergency. Contact information is updated by faculty, staff and students and uploaded directly from the PeopleSoft system to the Connect Ed system. Finally, it was also noted earlier that two areas of the survey yielded a high numbers of N/As (not applicable). One way to interpret these results is that people don’t have enough information to respond.

The first area of concern is, “HCC has established active district-wide councils (e.g., Counselors, Testing, Enrollment Deans and Student Life) to engage and support the colleges’ student services departments.” This lack of knowledge of the wide range of groups charged with integrated information flow prompted an exercise to answer some basic questions: Who are they? What do they do? Who convenes them? When do they meet? The result is an inventory of these district-wide groups organized on our web page http://www.hccs.edu under “About HCC” and then “District-Wide Councils.”

A second area of concern is, “We provide effective student account payment and support services that results in increased student options for college access (Finance).” We are implementing the HCC EZ Student Payment Plan this fall. It was successfully piloted last spring with 36,000 students enrolled and effectively eliminates the need to deregister or “purge” students from the system. HCC students only need to go online, register for classes and sign up for a payment plan. Students can spread the cost of their tuition and fees over the semester.

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Payment terms are dependent upon the career and term for which they register. A clear description of this student-friendly process will be posted in HCC News several times this fall.

Strategic Plan Actions As was noted earlier, the most important feedback in this section is that one-third of the respondents don’t have enough information to evaluate HCC’s progress on the strategic plan. Two action items will be taken. First, the details of planning activities will be placed in the web under Institutional Effectiveness. Each goal area and the strategic activities describe the Unit of Primary Responsibility (UPR), the timeline and up-to-date notes. Second, the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness have committed to giving annual updates on the Strategic Plan at the colleges.

Methodology The survey was administered by the Office of Institutional Research (OIR) during a one-week period at the beginning of May 2009. The intent is to conduct the survey every other year using approximately the same questions so as to track longitudinal performance and drive improvement. Moreover, a college-level instrument is currently under development and will be administered in May 2010. The survey was developed using Zoomerang, an on-line survey software.

A total of 551 HCC employees responded to the survey. Representation was distributed broadly across colleges as follows:       

Central 16% Coleman 8% Northeast 12% Northwest 15% Southeast 6% Southwest 19% District 23%

In terms of employee groups, 43% of the respondents were faculty and 40% staff. Administrators represented 12% of the respondents, with an additional 6% being department chairs.

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Appendix A Climate Section - -Sorted by Mean

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Mean

N

Question 13: I understand how my job contributes to HCC's mission.

5.18

537

Question 24: I would recommend HCC to others.

5.01

535

Question 1: My job at HCC makes good use of my skills and abilities.

5.01

546

Question 5: My job performance is evaluated fairly and by my immediate supervisor.

4.89

514

Question 14: My supervisor/department chair makes his/her expectations clear.

4.89

535

Question 25: All things considered, HCC is a great place to work.

4.88

539

Question 15: I receive feedback from my supervisor/department chair that helps me.

4.74

533

Question 11: HCC places sufficient emphasis on having a diverse faculty, administration and staff.

4.58

521

Question 4: I am given the opportunity to develop my skills at HCC.

4.58

544

Question 16: Non-teaching professional personnel meet the needs of the students.

4.33

492

Question 2: I am provided the resources I need to be effective in doing my job.

4.30

548

Question 17: HCC is truly a student centered college.

4.23

532

Question 19: Senior leadership at the District has the knowledge, skills and experience necessary for institutional success.

4.15

468

Question 9: When I offer a new idea, I believe it will be reasonably considered.

4.04

512

Climate Section - -Sorted by Mean

19

Mean

N

Question 3: There is appropriate recognition of innovative and high quality teaching at HCC.

4.00

486

Question 18: Senior leadership at the District (3100 Main) provides a clear direction for HCC's future.

3.98

486

Question 12: Faculty are appropriately involved in decisions related to education programs.

3.93

406

Question 7: HCC's recognition and award programs are meaningful to me.

3.84

490

Question 20: Senior leadership at the District shows a genuine interest in the well-being of faculty, administration and staff.

3.83

487

Question 21: Senior leadership at the District communicates openly about important matters.

3.80

488

Question 23: HCC is well run.

3.74

534

Question 10: HCC's policies and practices ensure fair treatment for all faculty, administration and staff.

3.74

524

Question 22: Senior leadership at the District demonstrates a high degree of accountability for institutional decisions.

3.73

465

Question 8: District administration works together with college faculty and staff members to ensure the success of institutional programs and initiatives.

3.66

479

Question 6: HCC manages resources effectively.

3.44

524

Appendix B Services --sort by Importance Mean 51. HCC maintains a highly visible presence on campuses to ensure a safe and orderly environment on campus and helps to prevent crime and to protect life and campus property. 43. HCC ensures that all payroll functions—salary and wage payments, time entry, deductions, and so on—are conducted in a correct an accurate and timely fashion. 49. HCC ensures stable and secure access to the college's network and wireless infrastructure. 48. HCC provide effective telephone, e-mail and other web-based communication services for faculty, staff and students. 55. HCC ensures that policies and procedures regarding financial aid, admissions, international and veteran student affairs are clearly and concisely written. 47. HCC provides timely and effective Help Desk support for faculty and staff members. 52. HCC provides employees with clear instructions as to their responsibilities and suggested responses to bomb threats, lockdowns, and other security threats. 50. HCC provides and ensures administration, access and support services to PeopleSoft student, human resources and financial management systems. 57. HCC services offices regularly reviews and updates student information (e.g., student handbook, catalog and web pages).

20

Chart Importance Satisfaction Number Mean Mean 26

5.66

4.41

18

5.65

4.58

24

5.64

4.76

23

5.61

4.67

30

5.55

4.02

22

5.55

4.37

27

5.54

3.86

25

5.53

4.60

32

5.53

4.26

Services --sort by Importance Mean 46. We provide effective student account payment and support services that result in increased student options for college access.

21

5.52

4.16

31

5.51

4.30

38

5.49

4.05

10

5.47

4.22

36

5.47

4.11

37

5.47

3.44

19

5.47

3.81

37. HCC provides up-to-date information and services regarding compensation and benefits.

12

5.46

3.88

28. HCC's website is an effective resource for faculty and staff members.

3

5.46

4.14

9

5.46

3.99

54. Environmental safety practices—fire drills, first aid kits, bio hazard—are taken seriously at HCC.

29

5.44

4.09

65. Aramark provides timely and appropriate facilities repairs and maintenance at the colleges.

40

5.44

3.79

56. We encourage and support professional development and training opportunities for counselor and student services associates. 63. ABM helps to maintain a clean work environment. 35. HCC has built an effective leadership team that works with the Board of Trustees and all internal constituencies to address critical issues. 61. HCC ensures that legal documents are reviewed, revised and finalized in a timely fashion. 62. Barnes and Noble provides a convenient and wellstocked bookstore that responds to both faculty members and students’ needs on a timely and costeffective basis. 44. HCC provides effective procurement services— processing requisitions and placing orders—for timely acquisition of resources and services that support instruction and operational needs.

34. HCC supports and works collegially with deans, disciplines chairs, division chairs, and other instructional leaders to ensure quality in instruction.

21

Chart Importance Satisfaction Number Mean Mean

Services --sort by Importance Mean 45. HCC delivers accounts payable services that ensure timely and accurate payment to vendors for services rendered. 41. HCC creates a fair and equitable workplace through the administration of HCC policies and employment laws such that problems and concerns are dealt with in a legal, confidential and timely fashion. 38. HCC offers a full-range of professional development opportunities to staff members. 53. We provide effective and timely business services— mail distribution, asset management and fleet management—that enable faculty and staff to concentrate on the business of student success. 36. HCC ensures an open and transparent internal communications effort that both reinforces the vision and listens for opportunities to improve. 59. HCC creates an internal environment in which data—e.g., reports, surveys—are collected and distributed to decision-makers to ensure timely and factbased decisions. 60. HCC offers effective non-credit instruction—e.g., School of Continuing Education, Corporate College, Adult Education Programs— throughout the city of Houston. 33. We create many opportunities for increased professional development—e.g, Center for Teaching and Learning—for faculty members. 58. HCC has established active district-wide councils (e.g., Counselors, Testing Enrollment Deans and Student Life) to engage and support the colleges' student services departments. 42. We provide proactive HR Generalist services that aid in advising and counseling employees with a sense of fairness and in accordance with HCC policy.

22

Chart Importance Satisfaction Number Mean Mean 20

5.43

3.87

16

5.42

3.89

13

5.42

4.21

28

5.42

4.51

11

5.42

3.97

34

5.38

4.13

35

5.38

4.64

8

5.38

4.43

33

5.36

4.30

17

5.34

3.86

Services --sort by Importance Mean 64. A-Rocket Moving provides efficient and effective moving and storage services to the colleges.

39

5.32

4.49

4

5.31

4.52

15

5.31

3.55

30. HCC provides strong leadership in the coordination and delivery of distance education courses.

5

5.27

4.45

26. HCC presents a strong, consistent image in advertising, media stories and through its website.

1

5.27

4.38

6

5.24

4.00

14

5.19

3.69

2

5.19

4.29

7

4.84

4.24

29. The Foundation has developed a strong private fundraising capacity that results in increased resources for student scholarships as well as faculty and staff support. 40. We assist in the recruiting and hiring of new faculty and staff members by providing the necessary information and services as well as responding promptly and reliably to inquiries and requests.

31. We provide effective leadership in the area of “grantsmanship”—researching, writing, training and administering—to increase external resource development for HCC. 39. HCC provides an effective performance evaluation methodology that allows HCC employees and supervisors to set goals and assess their accomplishments. 27. We create well-designed, timely and effective publications that help advance the colleges and their programs. 32. HCC has developed strong district-wide international initiatives, including partner programs with foreign institutions of higher education and study abroad opportunities.

23

Chart Importance Satisfaction Number Mean Mean

Appendix C Services --sort by Satisfaction Mean 49. HCC ensures stable and secure access to the college's network and wireless infrastructure.

24

5.64

4.76

23

5.61

4.67

35

5.38

4.64

25

5.53

4.60

18

5.65

4.58

4

5.31

4.52

28

5.42

4.51

64. A-Rocket Moving provides efficient and effective moving and storage services to the colleges.

39

5.32

4.49

30. HCC provides strong leadership in the coordination and delivery of distance education courses.

5

5.27

4.45

48. HCC provide effective telephone, e-mail and other web-based communication services for faculty, staff and students. 60. HCC offers effective non-credit instruction—e.g., School of Continuing Education, Corporate College, Adult Education Programs— throughout the city of Houston. 50. HCC provides and ensures administration, access and support services to PeopleSoft student, human resources and financial management systems. 43. HCC ensures that all payroll functions—salary and wage payments, time entry, deductions, and so on—are conducted in a correct an accurate and timely fashion. 29. The Foundation has developed a strong private fundraising capacity that results in increased resources for student scholarships as well as faculty and staff support. 53. We provide effective and timely business services— mail distribution, asset management and fleet management—that enable faculty and staff to concentrate on the business of student success.

24

Chart Importance Satisfaction Number Mean Mean

Services --sort by Satisfaction Mean 33. We create many opportunities for increased professional development—e.g, Center for Teaching and Learning—for faculty members. 51. HCC maintains a highly visible presence on campuses to ensure a safe and orderly environment on campus and helps to prevent crime and to protect life and campus property. 26. Communications Department (3 Questions) HCC presents a strong, consistent image in advertising, media stories and through its website. 47. Information Technology (4 Questions) HCC provides timely and effective Help Desk support for faculty and staff members. 56. We encourage and support professional development and training opportunities for counselor and student services associates. 58. HCC has established active district-wide councils (e.g., Counselors, Testing Enrollment Deans and Student Life) to engage and support the colleges' student services departments. 27. We create well-designed, timely and effective publications that help advance the colleges and their programs. 57. HCC services offices regularly reviews and updates student information (e.g., student handbook, catalog and web pages). 32. HCC has developed strong district-wide international initiatives, including partner programs with foreign institutions of higher education and study abroad opportunities. 35. HCC has built an effective leadership team that works with the Board of Trustees and all internal constituencies to address critical issues.

25

Chart Importance Satisfaction Number Mean Mean 8

5.38

4.43

26

5.66

4.41

1

5.27

4.38

22

5.55

4.37

31

5.51

4.30

33

5.36

4.30

2

5.19

4.29

32

5.53

4.26

7

4.84

4.24

10

5.47

4.22

Services --sort by Satisfaction Mean 38. HCC offers a full-range of professional development opportunities to staff members.

13

5.42

4.21

21

5.52

4.16

3

5.46

4.14

34

5.38

4.13

61. HCC ensures that legal documents are reviewed, revised and finalized in a timely fashion.

36

5.47

4.11

54. Environmental safety practices—fire drills, first aid kits, bio hazard—are taken seriously at HCC.

29

5.44

4.09

38

5.49

4.05

30

5.55

4.02

6

5.24

4.00

9

5.46

3.99

46. We provide effective student account payment and support services that result in increased student options for college access. 28. HCC's website is an effective resource for faculty and staff members. 59. HCC creates an internal environment in which data—e.g., reports, surveys—are collected and distributed to decision-makers to ensure timely and factbased decisions.

63. ABM helps to maintain a clean work environment. 55. HCC ensures that policies and procedures regarding financial aid, admissions, international and veteran student affairs are clearly and concisely written. 31. We provide effective leadership in the area of “grantsmanship”—researching, writing, training and administering—to increase external resource development for HCC. 34. HCC supports and works collegially with deans, disciplines chairs, division chairs, and other instructional leaders to ensure quality in instruction.

26

Chart Importance Satisfaction Number Mean Mean

Services --sort by Satisfaction Mean 36. HCC ensures an open and transparent internal communications effort that both reinforces the vision and listens for opportunities to improve. 41. HCC creates a fair and equitable workplace through the administration of HCC policies and employment laws such that problems and concerns are dealt with in a legal, confidential and timely fashion. 37. HCC provides up-to-date information and services regarding compensation and benefits. 45. HCC delivers accounts payable services that ensure timely and accurate payment to vendors for services rendered. 42. We provide proactive HR Generalist services that aid in advising and counseling employees with a sense of fairness and in accordance with HCC policy. 52. HCC provides employees with clear instructions as to their responsibilities and suggested responses to bomb threats, lockdowns, and other security threats. 44. HCC provides effective procurement services— processing requisitions and placing orders—for timely acquisition of resources and services that support instruction and operational needs. 65. Aramark provides timely and appropriate facilities repairs and maintenance at the colleges. 39. HCC provides an effective performance evaluation methodology that allows HCC employees and supervisors to set goals and assess their accomplishments. 40. We assist in the recruiting and hiring of new faculty and staff members by providing the necessary information and services as well as responding promptly and reliably to inquiries and requests. 62. Barnes and Noble provides a convenient and wellstocked bookstore that responds to both faculty members and students’ needs on a timely and costeffective basis.

27

Chart Importance Satisfaction Number Mean Mean 11

5.42

3.97

16

5.42

3.89

12

5.46

3.88

20

5.43

3.87

17

5.34

3.86

27

5.54

3.86

19

5.47

3.81

40

5.44

3.79

14

5.19

3.69

15

5.31

3.55

37

5.47

3.44

Appendix D Strategic Goal

28

Question

N

Mean

419

4.72

415

4.33

343

4.58

356

4.61

Goal 1: Student Learning — Helping students achieve their fullest potential by investing time and resources in innovative methods of course delivery, teaching practices and support services.

Question 66: To what extent has HCC made progress towards Goal 1?

Goal 2: Effective Leadership — Empowering diverse teams and individuals to meet our institutional values, fulfill our mission, and realize our vision.

Question 67: To what extent has HCC made progress towards Goal 2?

Goal 3: Resource Development — Enhancing resources by developing revenue streams— federal grants, corporate and private giving, enrollment management—to support our mission, vision, and strategic goals.

Question 68: To what extent has HCC made progress towards Goal 3?

Goal 4: Global Perspective — We are committed to both a wide range of ideas and to a broader context of diverse partnerships and communities in order to extend the boundaries of the institution.

Question 69: To what extent has HCC made progress towards Goal 4?

Goal 5: Effective Communication — We use open and transparent communication across internal boundaries and interact effectively with external audiences.

Question 70: To what extent has HCC made progress towards Goal 5?

417

4.04

Goal 6: Accountability — We use timely, logical, and deliberate processes to assess the quality of institutional and individual actions to improve decision-making.

Question 71: To what extent has HCC made progress towards Goal 6?

395

3.94

Appendix E Importance and Satisfaction

5.00 4.80 35

4.60 5 1

Satisfaction

4.40 2

7

4.20

6

4.00 3.80

4 39

25

24 23 18

28 8

22 33 31 32 13 10 21 3 34 29 36 38 30 11 9 16 17 20 12 27 19 40

26

14 3.60

15 37

3.40 3.20 3.00 4.40

4.60

4.80

5.00

5.20 Importance

29

5.40

5.60

5.80

6.00

Reference Table for Importance/Satisfaction Matrix Low Importance, High Satisfaction 7

32. HCC has developed strong district-wide international initiatives, including partner programs with foreign institutions of higher education and study abroad opportunities.

High Importance, High Satisfaction 2

26. Communications Department (3 Questions) HCC presents a strong, consistent image in advertising, media stories and through its website. 27. We create well-designed, timely and effective publications that help advance the colleges and their programs.

3

28. HCC's website is an effective resource for faculty and staff members. 

4

29. HCC Foundation (1 Question) The Foundation has developed a strong private fundraising capacity that results in increased resources for student scholarships as well as faculty and staff support.

5

30. Office of Instruction (5 Questions) HCC provides strong leadership in the coordination and delivery of distance education courses.

6

31. We provide effective leadership in the area of “grantsmanship”—researching, writing, training and administering—to increase external resource development for HCC.

8

33. We create many opportunities for increased professional development—e.g, Center for Teaching and Learning—for faculty members.

9

34. HCC supports and works collegially with deans, disciplines chairs, division chairs, and other instructional leaders to ensure quality in instruction.

10

35. Office of the Chancellor (2 Questions) HCC has built an effective leadership team that works with the Board of Trustees and all internal constituencies to address critical issues.

11

36. HCC ensures an open and transparent internal communications effort that both reinforces the vision and listens for opportunities to improve.

13

38. HCC offers a full-range of professional development opportunities to staff members.

18

43. Finance (4 Questions) HCC ensures that all payroll functions—salary and wage payments, time entry, deductions, and so on—are conducted in a correct an accurate and timely fashion.

21

46. We provide effective student account payment and support services that result in increased student options for college access.

22

47. Information Technology (4 Questions) HCC provides timely and effective Help Desk support for faculty and staff members.

23

48. HCC provide effective telephone, e-mail and other web-based communication services for faculty, staff and students.

1

24

49. HCC ensures stable and secure access to the college's network and wireless infrastructure.

25

50. HCC provides and ensures administration, access and support services to PeopleSoft student, human resources and financial management systems.

26

51. HCC Police (2 Questions) HCC maintains a highly visible presence on campuses to ensure a safe and orderly environment on campus and helps to prevent crime and to protect life and campus property.

28

53. Administrative Services (2 Questions) We provide effective and timely business services—mail distribution, asset management and fleet management—that enable faculty and staff to concentrate on the business of student success. 

29

54. Environmental safety practices—fire drills, first aid kits, bio hazard—are taken seriously at HCC.

30

55. Office of Student Services (4 Questions) HCC ensures that policies and procedures regarding financial aid, admissions, international and veteran student affairs are clearly and concisely written.

31

56. We encourage and support professional development and training opportunities for counselor and student services associates.

32

57. HCC services offices regularly reviews and updates student information (e.g., student handbook, catalog and web pages).

33 34 35

60. Division of Extended Learning (1 Question) HCC offers effective non-credit instruction—e.g., School of Continuing Education, Corporate College, Adult Education Programs— throughout the city of Houston.

36

61. General Counsel (1 Question) HCC ensures that legal documents are reviewed, revised and finalized in a timely fashion.

38

63. ABM helps to maintain a clean work environment.

39

64. A-Rocket Moving provides efficient and effective moving and storage services to the colleges.

12

37. Human Resources Department (6 Questions) HCC provides up-to-date information and services regarding compensation and benefits.

14

39. HCC provides an effective performance evaluation methodology that allows HCC employees and supervisors to set goals and assess their accomplishments.

15

40. We assist in the recruiting and hiring of new faculty and staff members by providing the necessary information and services as well as responding promptly and reliably to inquiries and requests.

16

41. HCC creates a fair and equitable workplace through the administration of HCC policies and employment laws such that problems and concerns are dealt with in a legal, confidential and timely fashion.

17

42. We provide proactive HR Generalist services that aid in advising and counseling employees with a sense of fairness and in accordance with HCC policy.   

19

44. HCC provides effective procurement services—processing requisitions and placing orders—for timely acquisition of resources and services that support instruction and operational needs.

20

45. HCC delivers accounts payable services that ensure timely and accurate payment to vendors for services rendered.

27

52. HCC provides employees with clear instructions as to their responsibilities and suggested responses to bomb threats, lockdowns, and other security threats.

37

62. Contracted Services (4 Questions) Barnes and Noble provides a convenient and well-stocked bookstore that responds to both faculty members and students’ needs on a timely and cost-effective basis.

40

65. Aramark provides timely and appropriate facilities repairs and maintenance at the colleges.

Low Importance, Low Satisfaction

30

58. HCC has established active district-wide councils (e.g., Counselors, Testing Enrollment Deans and Student Life) to engage and support the colleges' student services departments. 59. Office of Institutional Research (1 Question) HCC creates an internal environment in which data—e.g., reports, surveys—are collected and distributed to decision-makers to ensure timely and fact-based decisions.

High Importance, Low Satisfaction