OATdb Archive

2008 - 2009

Correspondence

Goal
Timeliness in Enrollment Procedures
To review and process enrollment applications in a timely fashion

Objective
Increase Accessibility of Packets
To have enrollment packets ready for shipment to allow students the option for print-based or electronic packets

Indicator
Utilization of Activity Report
An activity report within CORR01M is utilized to notify the student that his/her application has been processed.

Criterion
Improve Process Time
Enrollment applications received by mail are processed within one (1) to two (2) business days.

Finding
Improve Process Time
Ninety-five percent (95%) of the students' applications are received, processed, and mailed within the one- to two-business day time frame. Official transcripts that are not received with the enrollment application, appropriate Dean approval, Hazelwood exemption, and prerequisite requirements account for the remaining five percent (5%) not processed during that time period. Generally, once those issues are addressed, the remaining applications are processed and returned.

Action
Improve Process Time
Upon reviewing the findings from 2008-2009, the Correspondence Course Division is satisfied with the percentage of student applications being processed and returned. The Division will review its policies and procedures regarding the processing of student applications to determine if any continued improvements can be made towards efficiency. In addition, the Division will seek to create for 2009-2010 a more formalized report tracking all mailed enrollment applications being processed by the office.

Goal
Correspondence Students' Satisfaction
To promote student satisfaction in all aspects of correspondence course operations including the enrollment process, efficient communication with students and graders regarding timeliness in lesson submission and return, and the process of the final exam application

Objective
Increase Accessibility of Packets
To have enrollment packets ready for shipment to allow students the option for print-based or electronic packets

Indicator
Utilization of Activity Report
An activity report within CORR01M is utilized to notify the student that his/her application has been processed.

Criterion
Improve Process Time
Enrollment applications received by mail are processed within one (1) to two (2) business days.

Finding
Improve Process Time
Ninety-five percent (95%) of the students' applications are received, processed, and mailed within the one- to two-business day time frame. Official transcripts that are not received with the enrollment application, appropriate Dean approval, Hazelwood exemption, and prerequisite requirements account for the remaining five percent (5%) not processed during that time period. Generally, once those issues are addressed, the remaining applications are processed and returned.

Action
Improve Process Time
Upon reviewing the findings from 2008-2009, the Correspondence Course Division is satisfied with the percentage of student applications being processed and returned. The Division will review its policies and procedures regarding the processing of student applications to determine if any continued improvements can be made towards efficiency. In addition, the Division will seek to create for 2009-2010 a more formalized report tracking all mailed enrollment applications being processed by the office.

Objective
Technology Utilization
Increase use of electronic means of communication

Indicator
Electronic Activity Report to Students -- CORR01M
An activity report within CORR01M will automatically be sent via-email upon completion of requests for extensions, drops, reinstatements, transfers, and final grades.

Criterion
Correspondence Course Communication
One hundred percent (100%) of communications will be sent to students and faculty via e-mail.

Indicator
Late Lesson Report to Graders -- CORR76RC
A late lesson report, CORR76RC, will be generated on a monthly basis to alert course graders of their tardiness in returning lessons.

Criterion
Increase in Grader Compliance
One hundred percent (100%) of all course graders will comply with the two-week return time frame.

Finding
Increase In Grader Compliance
As a result of the 2008-2009 assessment, the Correspondence Course Division determined that seventy percent (70%) of the course graders complied with the two-week return time frame for graded assignments.

Action
Increase In Grader Compliance
In an effort to continue to encourage increased grader compliance, the Correspondence Course Division will implement an email-based reminder built in to the Late Lesson Return program which will send bi-weekly reminder messages to these professors prompting them to return graded assignments. It is hoped that this new program will increase participation to the one hundred (100%) level.

Objective
Correspondence Course Grader Evaluations
to put into place a system to evaluate correspondence course graders

Indicator
Scantron
The department will purchase a scantron machine which will be used to evaluate course graders evaluation forms.

Criterion
Scantron Machine
The scantron machine will be purchased and implemented beginning of the new Fiscal year 2009.

Finding
Scantron Machine
The Correspondence Course Division has purchased a Clarity Scantron grading machine. In February 2009, all office staff received training on the operations of the machine, and an appropriate Course and Instructor Evaluation form has been designed, developed, and implemented on July 20, 2009.

Action
Scantron Machine
Now that the machinery has been purchased and put in place, the Correspondence Course Division has begun to implement regularly scheduled Faculty and Instructor Course Evaluations. For 2009-2010, the Correspondence Course Division will seek to evaluate all of the print-based correspondence courses being offered and use those evaluations to not only help the instructor improve but also to help increase the quality of service provided by the Division as a whole.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Plan for continuous improvement As part of its effort for continuance improvement, in 2009-2010, the Correspondence Course Division (CCD) will continue to seek increased grader compliance by implementing new mechanisms for communicating with instructors and professors in reference to the returning of graded assignments. It is hoped that by implementing this procedure that the percentage of faculty in compliance will increase for 2009-2010. Additionally, the Correspondence Course Division will seek to increase the timeliness and efficiency of how it is processing student applications through digitizing student applications and creating mechanisms for better tracking mailed applications as they are processed by the CCD. In a continued effort to improve the quality of service provided by the CCD, the Division will implement a process by which the course packet, which includes course syllabus, instructions, information, etc., can be sent to the student digitally. Finally, now that the CCD has purchased the Scantron equipment necessary for conducting faculty evaluation, the Division will implement, beginning Summer 2009 for the 2009-2010 academic year, course evaluations for all print-based correspondence courses. The Division will investigate, during 2009-2010, methods for evaluating online correspondence courses. It is hoped that the information gained from these course evaluations will allow both the professors teaching the courses and the CCD to make improvements to the services that they are providing to their students and ultimately lead to greater student learning.