Systems Portfolio

Systems Portfolio 2011

AQIP requires institutions to undergo a Systems Appraisal every four years. The appraisal provides expert, objective, third-party feedback on its strengths and opportunities for improvement and helps the institution determine the next targets for advancing quality through Action Projects and other plans. The Systems Appraisal is based on the Systems Portfolio. The Portfolio presents an overview of the institution and answers explicitly all of the questions under each of the nine AQIP Categories.

Links to PDF Files

Systems Portfolio 2011

AQIP Categories

Category 1 : Helping Students Learn

Category One identifies the shared purpose of all higher education organizations and is accordingly the pivot of any institutional analysis. This Category focuses on the teaching-learning processes within a formal instructional context, yet also addresses how the entire organization contributes to student learning and overall student development. It examines processes and systems related to: learning objectives, mission-driven student learning and development intellectual climate academic programs and courses.

Category 2 : Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives

Category Two addresses the processes that contribute to the achievement of the major objectives that complement student learning and fulfill other portions of the mission. Depending on the organization's character, the Category examines processes and systems related to: identification of other distinctive objectives, alignment of other distinctive objectives, faculty and staff roles, assessment and review of objectives, measures, and analysis of results.

Category 3 : Understanding Students' and Other Stakeholders' Needs

Category Three examines how the organization works actively to understand student and other stakeholder needs. It examines processes and systems related to: Student and stakeholder identification, student and stakeholder requirements, analysis of student and stakeholder needs, relationship building with students and stakeholders, complaint collection, analysis, and resolution, determining satisfaction of students and stakeholders.

Category 4 : Valuing People

Category Four explores commitment to the development of faculty, staff, and administrators, since the efforts of all are required for success. It examines processes and systems related to: work and job environment, workforce needs, training initiatives, job competencies and characteristics, recruitment, hiring, and retention practices, work processes and activities, training and development, personnel evaluation, recognition, reward, compensation, and benefits, motivation factors, satisfaction, health and safety, and well-being.

Category 5 : Leading and Communicating

Category Five addresses how the leadership and communication structures, networks, and processes guide the organization in setting directions, making decisions, seeking future opportunities, and building and sustaining a learning environment. It examines processes and systems related to: leading activities, communicating activities, alignment of leadership system practices, institutional values and expectations, direction setting, future opportunity seeking, decision making, use of data, leadership development and sharing, and succession planning.

Category 6 : Supporting Institutional Operations

Category Six addresses the support processes that help provide an environment in which learning can thrive. It examines processes and systems related to: student support, administrative support, identification of needs, and contribution to student learning and accomplishing other distinctive objectives, day-to-day operations, and use of data.

Category 7 : Measuring Effectiveness

Category Seven examines how the organization collects, analyzes, and uses information to manage itself and to drive performance improvement. It examines processes and systems related to: collection, storage, management, and use of information and data at the institutional and departmental/unit levels.

Category 8 : Planning Continuous Improvement

Category Eight examines the planning processes and how strategies and action plans are helping achieve the mission and vision. It examines processes and systems related to: institutional vision, planning strategies and action plans, coordination and alignment of strategies and action plans, measures and performance projections, resource needs, faculty, staff, and administrator capabilities.

Category 9 : Building Collaborative Relationships

Category Nine examines the organization's relationships-current and potential-to analyze how they contribute to accomplishing the mission. It examines processes and systems related to: identification of key internal and external collaborative relationships, alignment of key collaborative relationships, relationship creation, prioritization, and building, and needs identification.

Innovation Exchange

AQIP, through its mission, is obligated to helping participating quality-focused colleges and universities share the successful innovations, initiatives, and improvements that they have developed with each other - and with the higher education community, nationally and internationally. The achievements of AQIP institutions committed to continuous improvement represent the "best of the best" in higher education, and sharing these innovative practices celebrates the outstanding colleges and universities responsible for them while stimulating overall improvement in the quality of higher education. Based on self-assessment, feedback, and discussion among Dean's Council and the Officer Team, Northwood has submitted the following Innovation Showcases: