Radford hosts fifth annual Institutional Effectiveness Day
To start the 2018 Fall Semester, nearly 200 Radford University faculty, administrators and staff came together on Aug. 20 for Institutional Effectiveness Day in Kyle Hall.
The theme of the fifth annual event, hosted by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Quality Improvement (OIEQP) was “Conversations and Connections: Supporting Student Success.”
“As we start a new academic year, let us continue to add creativity and innovation to the proud heritage of Radford University,” said President Brian O. Hemphill in his welcoming remarks.
President Hemphill framed the impact of the day’s panel discussion and break-out sessions, saying, “We operate in an environment full of financial and accountability pressures, emerging technology and changing demographics. Today, let us explore the ways we can move our strategic plan forward.”
Interim Provost Kenna Colley called Institutional Effectiveness Day “a wonderful opportunity to learn and have rich discussions about the progress of our students, our programs and our teaching.
Colley invited the assembled faculty and staff to engage with the OIEQP, saying “they are ready to collaborate with you to achieve your optimal assessment goals and share guidance and support in every way.”
The OIEQP assists the Radford academic community in making data-informed decisions that enhance the student learning experience and improve the learning environment at Radford University.
To open the working session, Associate Provost for Academic Programs Jeanne Mekolichick led a panel discussion on Generation Z and how Radford generates success for them. GenZ students are typically born in the mid-1990s to mid-2000s and have been characterized as being comfortable with technology and social media and showing entrepreneurial and independent orientations.
Sandra Baker, OIEQP director, said the scope of the annual event had been expanded to encourage broader participation.
“We want to define the larger meaning of institutional effectiveness and detail what it means to be improving the quality of student experiences,” said Baker, who added that the campus-wide gathering was designed to be more interactive and to engage the wide range of Radford University talent.
Institutional Effectiveness Day featured eight breakout sessions that highlighted academic affairs and student affairs perspectives on topics ranging from a demographic snapshot of the Radford student body to a discussion of how to develop talent to enhancing online education.