As part of its work, the Office of Planning & Institutional Effectiveness prepares and produces a number of reports each year.  The Office responds to requests for internal ad hoc research and analysis, and coordinates a regular cycle of institutional studies related to planning. Due the nature and purpose of these reports, most are confidential in nature and are distributed to select internal audiences for improvement purposes.

Guidelines for Institutional Effectiveness Surveys

Environmental scanning is a critical component to any good planning program.  Scanning is a process by which an institution looks outside of itself to identify emerging and continuing trends, changes, and opportunities in its wider environment.  Scans are used at the University to inform our SWOC analyses, whereby we identify internal strengths and weaknesses, and identify how those align with external opportunities and challenges to help us make informed decisions.  As part of this process, the University planning model applies the Jesuit practice of discernment - choosing between the many good things we could do to identify those we should do - to prioritize planning goals.

Several of the scans featured below hail from the SWOC processes for the University's 2005-2010 strategic plan development. Newer scans to support the current process for developing our next plan for 2015-2010 are also included here. This list will continue to be updated throughout this planning cycle.

About Environmental Scanning

Scanning Reports: 2015-2020

Nontraditional Student Trends

Demographic Trends

Scanning Reports:2005-2010

Affordability and Access

Local Economic Trends

Campus Diversity

Globalization

Hispanic Population Trends

Legislative and Accreditation Trends

Public Perceptions of Higher Education

Demographic Trends

Technology and Student Learning

 Faculty Trends

Human Resources Trends

Issues in Student Retention Brief  

Institutional Effectiveness Studies & Reports:

NOTE: Many of the studies conducted are for the confidential, developmental use of the University departments involved. Reports from these studies are not included on this web page.

 2007 Mission & Planning Survey report

Planning Reports:

Strategic Plan 2005-2010: 2005-2006 Progress Report

Strategic Plan 2005-2010: 2006-2007 Progress Report

Strategic Plan 2005-2010: 2007-2008 Progress Report

Strategic Plan 2005-2010: 2008-2009 Progress Report

Strategic Plan 2005-2010: 2009-2010 Progress Report

Strategic Plan 2010-2015: First Year Report