7P1 Data Management to Support Programs and Services

Data Selection

STI established Key Performance Indicators and targets, as well as strategic goals, action projects and action project measures to directly reflect the institute’s mission and vision. STI believes that each indicator and action project is critical to the institute’s ability to meet its mission.

Key Performance Indicators and targets are developed by the STI Administrative Team with input from faculty, staff and the STI Council. An AQIP Information and Analysis Team developed the initial draft of the indicators. The STI Council made recommendations to the indicators. Finally, the Sioux Falls School Board granted official approval. Action projects and measures supporting the Key Performance Indicators and strategic plan are developed by departments, programs, and STI committees and teams.

Where specific data is needed, such as for individual program accreditation, faculty and staff work directly with the Vice President of Student Affairs and Institutional Research to select and collect data.

Data Management

The Key Performance Indicators and other institutional data are managed by the Vice President of Student Affairs and Institutional Research who works with the appropriate administrators, faculty and staff to collect and analyze the data. Data is stored in STI’s administrative software system, various Access databases and Excel spreadsheets, and on the STI datacluster and STInet websites.

Data Distribution

Once collected, data is shared with the appropriate stakeholders through a variety of methods, including the STI and STInet web sites, publications, team and committee meetings, and in-service and monthly staff meetings.

Table 7.1 lists STI’s Key Performance Indicators, why STI believes the indicators are important to the mission and vision, and how the indicators are communicated to stakeholders:

Table 7.1 STI Key Performance Indicators, Connection to Mission, and Communication Method

Category	Performance Indicator	Importance to Mission	Communication
Student Learning	% of eligible programs maintaining accreditations/program certifications	Provides outside verification that STI is educating individuals for employment opportunities	STInet STI Catalog Newsletters Celebrating Learning
	% of eligible programs at or above national licensure or certification pass rates	Provides benchmark data on educating for employment	STInet Newsletters
	% of programs with identified program learning outcomes	Provides evidence that STI is committed to the verification and improvement of student learning	STInet program pages STI Databases Newsletters
	% of students meeting Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) workplace standards	Provides evidence that STI is committed to the verification and improvement of general education student learning	STInet Newsletters STI Monthly Meeting WAC Report
Graduate Employment	% of graduates employed; % of graduates employed in field	Maintaining high employment rates directly shows that STI is meeting its mission.	STInet State Reports
Student Enrollment	Total fall program enrollments (new students); Total fall STI enrollments; and Unduplicated yearly STI headcount	In order to achieve the mission of educating for employment, it is vital that STI maintain the appropriate enrollment numbers	STInet Internal reports Newsletters IPEDS State Reports
Student Retention	% retention first fall to first spring; first year to second year; and graduating in 3 years	Retention and graduate measures help STI maintain a focus on the mission.	STInet IPEDS State Reports
Employer Satisfaction	% of categories with ratings at or above 3; % of categories at or above 4	Assures that STI is meeting the needs of its employer stakeholders	STInet
Student Satisfaction	% of categories with ratings at or above 5; % of categories at or above the national mean	Assures that STI is meeting the needs of its student stakeholders	STInet
Employee Satisfaction	% of questions with ratings at or above 70% agreement (faculty and staff)	Assures that STI is meeting the needs of its employee stakeholders	STInet

STI’s Key Performance Indicator chart includes STI target ranges and results information and is available for viewing by the public on the STInet Continuous Quality tab (see 8R 2 ).