LSQIP Update
January 16, 2007 | EditorThe Learning Systems Quality Improvement Process (LSQIP) is in its fourth year and there are several exciting changes taking place. For those new to LSQIP, it is the basis for organizational self-assessment and the process has been designed to serve three important roles:
- to help improve performance practices, capabilities and results;
- to facilitate communication and sharing of best practices; and
- to serve as a working tool for understanding and managing performance.
The goals of the process are to deliver increased value to students and stakeholders and to improve overall effectiveness and capability.
Due to input by the process users and reviewers several new changes are being implemented this year.
- Service areas are included in the assessment process. This increases the total number of assessments to approximately 140.
- It would be extremely difficult to complete nearly 50 assessments a year so the second change is that the three-year rotation between assessments has changed to a five-year rotation. Twenty-six programs and service areas are scheduled this year. We are finalizing the schedule and hope to have an orientation in March for units scheduled next year.
- The assessment criteria have changed to better reflect the Academic Quality Improvement Process (AQIP) criteria while incorporating the previous work.
- The rating system has changed. The previous document had several different rating scales that may have been confusing. The new rubric encompasses all the rating scales within the document.
- The portfolio has been re-formatted and is available as a form in MS Word. Tips for completing a question are available simply by pressing the F1 key.
- Units have the opportunity to submit a draft document a month prior to the time it is due in order to receive feedback and suggestions.
- Units may request that an outside expert of their choice be included on the LSQIP Review Team. This outside expert has the same rights and responsibilities as the rest of the team, providing valuable insight to both the team and the unit.
- Finally, units have the opportunity to have an individual present at the LSQIP review session to answer questions or to clarify any issue. This is not an opportunity for the unit to “defend� its LSQIP portfolio; it is merely to allow the unit to help the LSQIP Review Team better review the document and to understand how the comments were arrived at.
These changes are the direct result of input from the programs and other stakeholders in an effort to better serve the units. LSQIP will continue to evolve so that all programs and service areas receive the best possible feedback allowing them to improve how they serve students, stakeholders and co-workers. If you’d like to be a part of this effort, contact Scott Beard at (608) 246-6446 or via email.
