Assistant Vice President (Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment)

The Assistant Vice President (Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment) provides strategic leadership in advancing a culture of data-informed decision-making, continuous improvement, and institutional accountability. The Assistant Vice President oversees the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Effectiveness, leads college-wide Administrative and Educational Support unit (AES) assessment and strategic planning initiatives, and serves as the College's Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. This position reports to the Chief of Staff/Vice President of Strategic Operations.

The essential functions of the position include the following:

Institutional Assessment:

• Develops and implements AES assessment plans and oversees AES assessment strategies at WCC.
• Works closely with departments to align assessment activities with institutional goals.
• Ensures appropriate WCC personnel charged with submitting plans and results adhere to appropriate timelines.
• Directs operations and activities involved in the research, review, analysis, interpretation and reporting of a variety of data and information used in assessing institutional effectiveness and student success.
• Communicates assessment results and insights to various stakeholders, including students, staff, faculty, and college leadership.
• Uses assessment findings to identify areas for improvement and supports the development of action plans.
• Promotes a culture of continuous improvement and data-informed decision making across the institution.

Institutional Research:

• Supervises staff in the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Effectiveness, including an Assistant Dean.
• Supervises the process for data requests, analysis, and reports that enhance data-informed decision-making processes.
• Pursues opportunities where strategic research can drive significant outcomes, helping to shape data and information into strategic priorities and change needs.
• Ensures the application of advanced institutional research methodologies and systems in the creation and management of data.
• Leads efforts to modernize institutional data systems, dashboards, and analytic tools to enhance evidence-based decision-making and transparency.
• Organizes, manages, and participates in the annual planning and budgeting process.
• Conducts appropriate annual evaluations and goal setting for direct reports.

Accreditation Liaison Officer:

• Serves as the Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) between WCC and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
• Coordinates and oversees all accreditation activities, including self-studies, interim reports, and site visits.
• Ensures that the College meets all MSCHE standards and requirements.
• Facilitates the development and implementation of plans to address recommendations or requirements from accreditation reviews.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of accreditation standards and best practices.
• Provides training and support to faculty and staff on accreditation process and requirements.
• Prepares and submits required documentation to the MSCHE promptly.

Strategic Planning:

• Provides leadership for the institution's strategic planning initiatives, including helping to implement and report on the status and progress of the institution's Strategic Plan goals and objectives.
• Provides guidance and support to departments, groups, and individuals across the College in support of alignment between operational plans and the institutional strategic plan.
• Oversees the development and maintenance of data dashboards to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and presents regular progress highlighting achievements and areas needing attention.
• Organizes annual strategic planning retreats for senior leadership and key stakeholders.

Compliance:

• Ensures institutional compliance with accreditation and assessment standards, including those of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and SUNY.
• Collaborates with campus leaders to integrate assessment results, accreditation findings, and institutional data into continuous improvement processes.
• Oversees the preparation of required state, SUNY, and federal reports related to institutional effectiveness and student outcomes.
• Performs other duties as assigned.