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Institutional Effectiveness Assessment

2015-16 Annual Report

Don Sutherland

Institutional Effectiveness Coordinator

November 2016

Change Begins to Overspread the Lehman College Campus

This summer, Lehman College saw one era come to a close, and a new chapter begin. After more

than quarter-century of service, President Ricardo Fernández retired. In addition, Provost Anny

Morrobel-Sosa also retired. President José Luis Cruz became the College’s third President. Dean

of Education Harriet “Nikki” Fayne assumed the role of Acting Provost.

Already President Cruz has laid out a number of initiatives to guide the College. Those

initiatives included:

• Establishing a “robust structure” to support the College’s re-accreditation process

• Strengthening Lehman College’s institutional effectiveness from adopting the “most

promising recommendations in the school’s Advancing the Vision report” that resulted

from the campus’ prioritization process

• Ensuring healthy enrollment from the development and implementation of a

comprehensive enrollment management plan

• Increasing performance on key metrics including graduation rates and achievement gaps

• Diversifying the College’s revenue streams

Even as Lehman College has experienced changes in its senior leadership, it is now embarking

on its re-accreditation process. Already, the Steering Committee has been appointed and

Working Groups formed. Those groups are in the early stages of an inquiry that will allow the

College to demonstrate that it is in compliance with the Middle States Commission on Higher

Education’s Accreditation Standards and the Requirements of Affiliation. Their inquiry will also

allow Lehman College to identify opportunities for improvement and innovation. The resulting

Self-Study report will constitute an important building block in setting the College’s strategic

direction into the 2020s.

Considering the vital role the Self-Study process will play and the broad engagement of the

campus community that will be required, the Appendices of this report provide information

concerning the development of a Self-Study Design. That Design will provide a road map for the

Self-Study process.

Finally, I thank President José Louis Cruz, President Ricardo Fernández, Acting Provost Harriet

“Nikki” Fayne, Provost Anny Morrobel-Sosa, the Vice Presidents, the administrative units’

Directors, Dean of Arts & Humanities Deirdre Pettipiece, Institutional Research Director

Susanne Tumelty and all of their staff, Lehman College Assessment Coordinator Raymond

Galinski, and Alejandra Rodriguez of the Office of Assessment and Planning for their support,

collaboration, assistance, and insights. Without all of these dedicated people, Lehman College

could not possess a culture of assessment or the capacity to translate assessment outcomes into

institutional improvement.

Don Sutherland,


http://wp.lehman.edu/lehman-today/2016/09/president-cruz-announces-his-six-point-plan-for-lehman-college/

Institutional Assessment: Background

Overview:

Assessment at Lehman College encompasses all major academic and administrative areas,

ranging from the institution as a whole to individual units. Its major components include the

Performance Management Process (PMP), academic unit assessment, academic program

reviews, administrative unit assessment, program accreditation participation, and Middle States

Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) accreditation participation. This report discusses

the PMP and administrative unit assessment in particular and institutional effectiveness in

general.

The Performance Management Process

The Performance Management Process (PMP) is a foundation of Lehman College’s planning and

assessment activities. The PMP, which was first initiated during the 2000-01 academic year,

establishes goals and targets that are linked to the College’s mission and to the larger mission

and goals of the City University of New York (CUNY). It is anchored in CUNY’s Master Plan.

The purpose of the PMP is to:

Ensure clarity about CUNY and Lehman College priorities and expectations for the

academic year

Recognize and acknowledge progress at all levels

Unite a diverse set of colleges into an integrated University

Ensure that the CUNY Master Plan, (which is approved by the New York State Board of

Regents every five years), guides the plans and priorities of the colleges while each

retains its own identity, mission, and governance

Introduce more accountability into the system

The PMP consists of nine objectives. They are:

1. Strengthen CUNY flagship and college priority programs, and continuously update

curricula and program mix

2. Attract and nurture a strong faculty that is recognized for excellent teaching, scholarship,

and creative activity

3. Ensure that all students receive a quality general education and effective instruction

4. Increase retention and graduation rates and ensure students make timely progress toward

degree completion

5. Improve post-graduate outcomes

6. Improve quality of student and academic support services

7. Increase or maintain access and enrollment; facilitate movement of eligible students to

and among CUNY campuses

8. Increase revenues and decrease expenses

9. Improve administrative services

The annual targets set forth in the PMP are categorized by specific goals and objectives that are

critical to institutional performance. Those targets are timely, understandable, measurable, and

responsive to change. CUNY’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) collects

and publishes data for quantitative indicators and context indicators. The quantitative indicators

are “main indicators” that directly relate to performance and are regularly assessed. Context

indicators are supplemental measures that help CUNY’s campuses interpret the main indicators.

During the current academic year, 107 indicators were provided.

At the end of each academic year, each college measures its performance against the PMP targets

that were established in the previous year, and reports results to CUNY’s Chancellor. Based on

the outcomes of that review, PMP targets can be revised. In addition, necessary program and

service changes are developed and implemented at each CUNY college. The following table

provides a timeline and description of the annual PMP cycle.

Annual Performance Management Process Cycle

Spring Semester:

June:

July:

August:

CUNY goals and targets for the next academic year are distributed.

PMP year-end report for the current academic year is due ; The

President’s year-end letter to the CUNY Chancellor is due ;

Program review reports (several programs reviewed each year) is due

Next academic year’s PMP “Goals and Targets” report is due

CUNY’s PMP Review Team reviews OIRA data, the reports from each school,

and additional campus performance information reported by central office staff.

The team scores each college’s performance in terms of absolute performance,

as well as improvement (on each of the nine objectives) on a 100-point scale in

which a score of 50 represents “meets expectations.”

The presidents are told into which quintiles their campuses’ scores fall, as well

as whether or not the scores met expectations.

Outcomes for retention/graduation and revenues carry double the weight of

other outcomes due to their importance to the future of the University (CUNY).

The CUNY presidents meet individually with the Chancellor

The campus community (faculty, staff, and administrators) at each school:

• Discusses the results from the previous academic year

• Develops and implements strategies for addressing PMP-related issues

and for continuous improvement

• Studies school-related issues (e.g., student satisfaction)

• Refines goals and targets for the next academic year based

on the results from the most recent PMP report

The Strategic Plan: 2010-2020

In fall 2008, President Fernández appointed a Strategic Planning Council to draft a new ten-year

strategic plan for the College. The Strategic Plan is rooted in CUNY’s Master Plan and Lehman

College’s mission.

Beginning in September, the Council held nineteen bi-weekly meetings, where the Council

examined College data and reports, met with key College officers, and collaborated with the

authors of the College’s 2001 and 2005-08 strategic plans. A draft of the Council’s report was

circulated to the campus community for comment in fall 2009, and several Town Hall meetings

to discuss the draft were held in the ensuing months. In January 2010, the Council released a 25-

page report to the college community, outlining the College’s direction for the next decade.

During the first half of 2010, the Council’s report was condensed into four institutional goals and

published in a document entitled: Achieving the Vision by Building on a Strong Foundation:

Strategic Directions for Lehman College 2010-2020. It was introduced at a College Senate

meeting and was distributed to the community and posted online in April 2010.

The College launched its strategic planning process in large part to respond proactively to the

challenges and opportunities that lay ahead of it. Among other things, the Council cited the

following realities that the College is likely to confront during the 2010-20 timeframe:

CUNY’s evolving vision of hierarchies among the University’s senior colleges

Growing competition from the region’s public and private colleges and universities

Likely reductions in tax-levy resources, especially during the next 3-5 years

Expected significant turnover of the College’s faculty due to retirements of long-term

faculty members

Growing emphasis on enhancing assessment and accountability

Enhanced and ongoing assessment is a fundamental aspect of the plan and is anchored in various

provisions of it. The following table highlights the goals and objectives explicitly pertaining to

assessment.

Assessment Goals and Objectives in the 2010-2020 Strategic Plan

GOAL 1:

Objective

1.2:

GOAL 3:

Objective

3.1:

Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Learning.

Support existing academic programs and develop new programs of exceptional

quality informed by a rigorous review process.

• Foster a culture of continuous assessment focused on evaluating student learning

outcomes to improve academic programs.

Greater Institutional and Financial Effectiveness.

Integrate institutional planning and assessment to improve effectiveness.

• Modify the budget planning and resource allocation process to better integrate

them with institutional assessment and achieve greater transparency.

• Foster a culture of continuous assessment focuses on institutional effectiveness

to improve overall performance.

• Create the administrative infrastructure necessary to support ongoing planning,

assessment, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Assessment of Institutional Effectiveness

The Performance Management Process (Targets 1.3 and 3.6) and Lehman’s 2010-2020 Strategic

Plan (Objectives 1.2 and 3.1) embrace a culture of continuous assessment that is integrated into

the College’s academic and administrative activities. Both the PMP and strategic planning

process engaged the entire campus community, including faculty, administrators, staff, and

students. In connection with the PMP, Strategic Plan, and its last accreditation report, the

Lehman College has made progress in building and implementing and sustaining its assessment

activities.

Lehman College’s assessment of institutional effectiveness is a component of the Middle States

Commission on Higher Education’s (MSCHE) four-step planning-assessment cycle.

Middle States Planning-Assessment Cycle

1. Defining clearly articulated institutional and unit-level goals

2. Implementing strategies to achieve those goals

3. Assessing achievement of those goals

4. Using the results of those assessments to improve programs and services and inform

planning and resource allocation decisions Source: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Assessing Student Learning and Institutional Effectiveness: Understanding Middle States Expectations. The College’s annual institutional effectiveness assessment process, designed in the spring of

2010 to complement the assessment-related activities carried forth under the PMP, aims to

examine institutional effectiveness in greater detail than is possible under the PMP.

The initially-adopted timeline for the College’s institutional effectiveness assessment process

was designed to mirror that of the PMP. During the 2010-11 assessment cycle, issues arose that

led the Office of Assessment and Planning to review and refine its timeline. A prominent issue

concerned a spike in workload for a number of administrative units, including but not limited to

the Office of the Registrar, that occurs at the end of semester and academic years.

Based on the experience of the 2010-11 cycle and feedback from administrative units, the

timeline was reviewed and refined. The current timeline moves reporting dates away from the

end of semesters and academic years. This timeline provides administrative units greater

flexibility to balance their workloads and assessment activities, avoiding a counterproductive

competition for time.

The current timeline follows.

Institutional Effectiveness Assessment Timeline

August • Written administrative unit assessment plans are collected by the


• The plans should provide the unit mission statement (if that has changed),

the unit goal(s) that will be assessed, a specific reference to Lehman

College’s goal(s) to which the unit’s goal(s) are linked (i.e., the specific

PMP target or objective from the Strategic Plan), the related unit objectives,

the assessment methods that will be deployed, and any targets or

benchmarks that will be referenced

• The Institutional Effectiveness Coordinator will provide assistance and

suggestions to the units in advance of their assessment plans and will meet

with the relevant unit heads

August • Assessment Reports from the prior academic year are submitted

• Unit assessment plans are submitted

• The Institutional Effectiveness Coordinator maintains a copy of the plans

Sep – May • Units conduct their assessment activities

May –

August

• Units provide the assessment outcomes/findings

• Units explain how the results were used or will be used

• Units identify decisions/changes that resulted from the assessment

findings

• Units develop assessment plans for the next academic year

Since the development and implementation of Lehman College’s annual institutional

effectiveness assessment cycle, there has been a high rate of participation by Lehman College’s

administrative units. The following table summarizes that participation.

Participation Rate by

Assessment Cycle:

2010-11 Assessment

Cycle:

86% of units submitted goals and objectives during the

2010-11 assessment cycle. 83% of units submitted

completed assessment reports.

2011-12 Assessment

Cycle:

2012-13 Assessment

Cycle:

2013-14 Assessment

Cycle:

2014-15 Assessment

Cycle:

2015-16 Assessment

Cycle:







100% of units submitted goals and objectives during

the 2013-14 assessment cycle. 89% of units submitted






2015-16 Assessment Cycle. 62% of units submitted


The significant decline in completed assessment reports during the 2015-16 assessment cycle

coincided with completion of the prioritization process. A rebound to earlier levels is anticipated

for the 2016-17 assessment cycle based on feedback from administrative units.

The Office of Assessment and Planning receives assessment reports, reviews the unit assessment

reports, provides feedback, and then receives revised reports. The unit assessment reports are

evaluated based on criteria aimed at ensuring the measurability of assessment goals and

objectives, description of the assessment process or methodology, clear description of the

outcomes, and usage or planned usage of the assessment outcomes.

Criteria for the Evaluation of Unit Assessment Reports:

• The unit’s assessment goal is explicitly and succinctly stated.

• The unit’s assessment goal is related to Lehman College’s mission, the College’s

strategic plan, the College’s Performance Management Plan (PMP), the unit’s

strategy/operations/activities, or a problem that the unit is seeking to address.

• The unit’s assessment objective(s) is (are) explicitly and succinctly stated.

• The unit’s assessment objective(s) is (are) measurable.

• The unit has clearly provided a description of the process by which it evaluated its

performance related to its assessment goal and objective(s).

• The unit has provided a clear description of the outcome of its assessment review.

• The unit has furnished reasonable supporting evidence related to its assessment outcome.

• The unit has clearly explained how it used or plans to use its assessment results.

Each element is given equal weight. An element that was met would receive a score of 1. An

element that was not met would receive a score of 0. Hence, a unit meeting 5 of the 8 criteria

would receive a score of 5/8.

The following were the average scores from the completed unit assessment reports for the 2015-

16 cycle:

Criteria Average Score

Explicitly stated goal 0.7

Strategic relationship of the goal 0.4

Explicitly stated objective(s) 1.0

Objective(s) is(are) measurable 1.0

Clear description of the assessment process 1.0

Clear description of the outcomes 1.0

Reasonable support 1.0

Clear explanation of the use of the assessment results 0.7

Total Score 6.8 Note: Scores may not add up due to rounding errors in the individual scores.

This data reveal that there remain challenges in relating assessment plans to the institution’s

strategic goals and objectives. There was a slight increase in the overall quality of submitted

assessment reports.

Prioritization Initiative:

Lehman College launched a campus-wide planning and prioritization process in 2013 on account

of a number of factors:

• A continuing long-term trend of decreasing public (State and Federal) funding in real

terms for higher education

• Changing national demographics

• Evolving global competition for talent

• Expiration of the CUNY Compact in 2016. The Compact allowed CUNY institutions to

increase tuition by $500 per year and obligated New York State to cover mandated salary

increases and energy costs

• Uncertainty about future tuition increases and State funding through Fiscal Year 2018

The prioritization process involved dozens of Lehman College faculty, staff, administration, and

students. The process examined 65 undergraduate academic programs and 88 administrative

programs based on criteria including centrality to institutional mission, assessment, efficiency,

and vision. Extensive cost, student, and other resource-related data were gathered and reviewed.

Focus was given to integrating planning and resource allocation.

The process resulted in a number of recommendations aimed at guiding Lehman College into its

50th

anniversary year in 2018. The Steering Committee submitted a report to President Fernández

in May 2015. The College’s Vice Presidents developed and shared their divisional action plans

with President Fernández in August 2015 and were charged with developing improvement plans

for each of their programs in consultation with their respective Chairs/Directors during Fall

2015. A final report was submitted to the Lehman College community on July 27, 2016.

President José Luis Cruz directed the College to examine the recommendations, identify the most

promising ones, and then move to implement those recommendations.

Snapshot of Select Assessment Reports and Activities

Accounts Payable:

As part of its goal to “develop a centralized and user friendly website,” Accounts Payable

established an objective of developing fillable forms for inclusion on the website. Progress

would be measured by identifying the number of fillable forms that are needed versus the

number that are completed and uploaded to the website. A target that 50% of required forms

would be completed and uploaded by the end of 2016 was set. The project is continuing.

Art Gallery:

In seeking to draw greater recognition for academic quality, the Art Gallery organized a number

of contemporary exhibits. The Architectural Intersections and Landmarks of New York saw

attendance of 5,000 persons. The Rosemarie Fiore: SMOKE and Urban Archives drew 4,000

persons.

Bursar:

The Bursar’s Office constructed an assessment project based around the use of the CUNYFirst

Enterprise Resource Planning system using targeted e-mail notifications to increase collections

from students. The target collection rate was a 5% increase over the prior year’s figure. The

result was a 40% increase in the collection rate and a “significant decline” in the number of holds

that were placed on student accounts.

Career Services:

The Office developed an Internship 101 workshop aimed at preparing students for the pre-

requisites for securing internships. The ideal target was that 80% of students who attended the

workshops would be able to identify two pre-requisites for internships. The pre-requisites are the

student resume and the ability to interview. Prior to the workshop, 17.3% of students identified

the resume as a pre-requisite while 0.1% identified the ability to interview. Following the

workshops, 89.9% of students identified both pre-requisites.

Child Care Center:

The Child Care Center focused on being re-accredited. The onsite visited was conducted on

February 4, 2016. On March 17, 2016, the Child Care Center was re-accredited for a five-year

term by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Environmental Health & Safety:

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) set an objective of developing and implementing a

biological safety program based on the U.S. Public Health Service’s “Guide for the care and use

of Laboratory Animals” and the National Institutes of Health’s Institutional Biosafety Committee

guidelines. Targets included the development of a biological safety website and EH&S’ serving

as a biosafety officer for the College. EH&S’ director currently serves as Lehman College’s

biosafety officer. Relevant biosafety documents have been posted on LehmanConnect and a

Laboratory Safety module is available on EH&S’ website.

Human Resources:

Human Resources set an objective of creating an “online onboarding page” for all new Lehman

College employees with a target of 100% utilization by faculty/staff within the first 30 days of

their being hired. The page has been completed and has also been updated. No usage statistics

were available.

The Library:

The Library continued its research into the effectiveness of “flipped classroom” techniques. It

analyzed data from two additional flipped courses over multiple semesters. One course was in

Education. Another was in Business. In the Business class, the flipped group performed better on

the pre-test on a statistically-significant basis. However, on the post-test, there was no statistical

difference between the flipped class and the control class. The education class saw no statistical

difference between the flipped and control groups on either the pre-test or post-test. The results

may suggest that “a well-executed lecture/demo class is just as effective, if not more effective,

than hands-on group activities.” The results from this study will be shared with library faculty.

Going forward, the Library planned to increase the level of active learning in its flipped

classroom.

Performing Arts Center:

It established an objective of enhancing academic quality through the presentation of a minimum

of 25 international, culturally-diverse music, dance, and theater performances and achieving

recognition through 100+ performance previews, listings, and reviews. The Performing Arts

Center achieved its target of 25 performances. Its work on receiving more than 100 previews,

listings, and reviews was ongoing.

The Print Shop:

The print shop launched a marketing campaign aimed at increasing the online share of print

requests. The campaign encouraged College users to use an electronic system to submit print

jobs. The Print Shop set a target that electronically-submitted print job requests would account

for 50% of all print job requests. Online requests accounted for 88% of submissions. The Print

Shop will now send an e-Print e-mail at least once per semester to maintain or increase the share

of electronically-submitted print jobs.

Sophomore Year Initiative:

The Sophomore Year Initiative (SYI) program assessed the use of the Student Tracking Early

Alert Retention (STEAR) early warning system for students. During the 2015-16 academic year,

there were 550 “alerts” that covered 532 unique students. Based on the wide usage of the

electronic program, it was recommended that STEAR be integrated into Hobsons Retain, a web-

based communication system to create a communication plan for students with poor attendance.

PMP Outcomes

The College’s performance is described as “Having Met”, “Partially Achieved/Substantially

Achieved/In Progress”, “Achieved” or “Achieved or Exceeded/Surpassed” its targets. During

2015-16, the College saw the percentage of its targets that were met or exceeded stabilize. The

percentage of missed targets decreased from a year earlier, with the 2015-16 percentage of

missed targets being reduced from 33% to 28%. There was an increase in the percentage of

targets that were “Achieved or Exceeded/Surpassed.” More than half (60%) of met targets were

“Achieved or Exceeded/Surpassed” rather than “Achieved.”

The CUNY Student Experience Survey revealed that the trend toward a declining amount of time

spent in classes/labs has continued. That persistent trend may have contributed to the College’s

missing its target for the number of credits earned in one year by full-time, first-time freshmen.

In terms of finances, Lehman College met 50% of its PMP targets. However, it had slight misses

in two: (1) spending on departmental research as a percentage of the tax-levy budget and (2)

spending on student services as a percentage of the tax-levy budget.

Overall, even as the College had previously met or exceeded two-thirds of its targets in recent

years, that figure has now fallen to three out of every five targets for the most recent year. All

said, Lehman College is generally meeting its goals. Moreover, when it meets its goals, it is

typically exceeding them.

Performance Management Report Outcomes (Annual Figures)

Academic

Year

Data Not

Available

Target

Changed

Not

Met

Partially

Achieved/

Substantially

Achieved/In

Progress

Achieved Achieved or

Exceeded/Surpassed

2008-09 3% 0% 13% 14% 53% 17%

2009-10 6% 1% 6% 12% 64% 12%

2010-11 4% 0% 11% 10% 60% 14%

2011-12

2012-13

3%

4%

0%

0%

8%

16%

19%

12%

44%

53%

25%

15%

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

0%

3%

0%

0%

0%

0%

15%

33%

28%

15%

10%

10%

59%

40%

25%

10%

15%

38% Note: Data Not Available includes fiscal items for which final results are not in. Not Met: Target not met, not achieved/target

changed going forward, target deferred, target delayed, target postponed. Partially Achieved/In Progress includes items for which

progress or substantial progress has been made. Achieved also includes items listed as Achieved/Continuing and

Achieved/Ongoing. Items excluded from the figures were contingent targets and indicators that are no longer in use.

Performance Management Report Outcomes (3-Year Moving Averages)

3-Year

Period

Ended

Data Not

Available

Target

Changed

Not

Met

Partially

Achieved/In

Progress

Achieved Achieved or

Exceeded/Surpassed

2010-11 4% 0% 10% 12% 59% 14%

2011-12

2012-13

4%

4%

0%

0%

8%

12%

14%

14%

56%

52%

17%

18%

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2%

2%

1%

0%

0%

0%

13%

21%

25%

15%

12%

12%

52%

47%

41%

17%

13%

21% Note: Data Not Available includes fiscal items for which final results are not in. Not Met: Target not met, not achieved/target

changed going forward, target deferred, target delayed, target postponed. Partially Achieved/In Progress includes items for which

progress or substantial progress has been made. Achieved also includes items listed as Achieved/Continuing and

Achieved/Ongoing. Items excluded from the figures were contingent targets and indicators that are no longer in use.

Ratio of Targets Achieved + Achieved or Exceeded/Surpassed-to-Targets Not Met

Academic Year Ratio

2010-11 6.7

2011-12

2012-13

8.6

4.2

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

4.5

1.7

2.3

Ratio of Targets Achieved + Achieved or Exceeded/Surpassed- to-Targets Not Met (3-Year

Moving Averages)

3-Year Period

Ended

Ratio

2010-11 7.3

2011-12

2012-13

9.3

6.5

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

5.8

3.5

2.8

All of the PMP targets were mapped to one or more strategies contained in the Strategic Plan.

For 2015-16, the PMP targets covered 12 of the 45 (27%) strategies contained in the Strategic

Plan. The following chart shows the percentage of PMP targets not met, partially achieved/in

progress, achieved, or achieved/exceeded by Strategic Plan goal and objective. The figures only

reflect unique PMP targets. PMP targets that apply to more than one strategy for each Strategic

Plan goal or objective are counted only once.

Strategic Plan Performance based on 2015-16 PMP Outcomes (Comprehensive Mapping):

Strategic Plan Not

Met

Partially

Achieved/

Substantially

Achieved

In Progress

Achieved Achieved/

Exceeded

Goal 1: Excellence in Teaching, Research, Learning 20% 30% 20% 30%

1.1 Recruit, support, and retain distinguished faculty 25% 25% 25% 25%

1.2 Support existing programs/develop new programs 0% 40% 20% 40%

1.3 Achieve greater external recognition 100% 0% 0% 0%

1.4 Enhance existing facilities/efficient use of space 0% 0% 0% 0%

Goal 2: Enhanced Student Success 38% 5% 19% 43%

2.1 Recruit well-prepared, promising, motivated

students

80% 0% 20% 0%

2.2 Strengthen academic resources/support services 25% 6% 19% 50%

2.3 Enhance student experience and life on campus 50% 0% 25% 25%

Goal 3: Greater Institutional/Financial Effectiveness 17% 0% 33% 50%

3.1 Integrate institutional planning and assessment 0% 0% 40% 60%

3.2 Strengthen existing sources of revenue support 29% 0% 29% 43%

3.3 Increase visibility and alumni engagement 0% 0% 0% 0%

Goal 4: Engagement/Community Service 0% 0% 0% 0%

4.1 Enrich community through increased engagement 0% 0% 0% 0%

4.2 Improve community health/well-being 0% 0% 0% 0%

4.3 Contribute to the Bronx’s economic vitality 0% 0% 0% 0% Note: The 2015-16 figures are based on a more comprehensive mapping done by the Office of Assessment and Planning. Any

difference between the sum totals of the categories is applicable to rounding errors and/or data that was unavailable at the time of

the report.

Indicators of Institutional Effectiveness

Description:

For this report indicators were selected to emphasize outputs/outcomes, measure overall progress

toward institutional goals and objectives (PMP outcomes), and provide evidence of continuous

institutional assessment as it relates to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education’s

Standard 71.

Indicators related to Lehman College’s overall PMP outcomes and institutional assessment will

be retained in future reports. The former provides a snapshot of the College’s overall progress

toward its goals and objectives. The latter is a critical component of its accreditation

requirements. Other indicators could be added or existing ones excluded based on feedback on

this report.

PMP Outcomes: Lehman College’s overall progress toward its goals and objectives:

Ratios: 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

Fully Achieved : Not Met 6.7 8.6 4.2 4.3 1.7 2.3

Partially or Fully Achieved : Not Met 7.6 11.0 4.4 5.1 2.0 2.6

One-Year Retention Rate (First-Time, Full-Time Freshmen):

Ratios: 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Lehman : Sr. Colleges (Annual) 0.943 0.955 0.948 0.976 0.978 0.986 0.998

Lehman : Sr. Colleges (3-Year Moving Average) 0.912 0.929 0.949 0.960 0.968 0.980 0.987

One-Year Retention + Graduation Rate (Full-Time Transfer Students):

Ratios: 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014



Four-Year Graduation Rate (First-Time, Full-Time Freshmen):

Ratios: Fall

2005

Fall

2006

Fall

2007

Fall

2008

Fall

2009

Fall

2010

Fall

2011



Difference between Actual and Predicted Four-Year Graduation Rates (First-Time, Full-

Time Freshmen):

Six-Year Graduation Rate (First-Time, Full-Time Freshmen):

Ratios: Fall

2003

Fall

2004

Fall

2005

Fall

2006

Fall

2007

Fall

2008

Fall

2009



Four-Year Graduation Rate (Full-Time Transfer Students):

Ratios: Fall

2005

Fall

2006

Fall

2007

Fall

2008

Fall

2009

Fall

2010

Fall

2011



Alumni-Corporate Fundraising: An indication of how alumni and the business community

view Lehman College:

Common Size Data: FY

2008-

2010

FY

2009-

2011

FY

2010-

2012

FY

2011-

2013

FY

2012-

2014

FY

2013-

2015

FY

2014-

2016

Lehman College as a % of CUNY Senior Colleges 3.3% 3.6% 3.9% 4.1% 4.8% 5.3% 6.2%

Grants and Contracts Awarded:

Common Size Data: FY

2010

FY

2011

FY

2012

FY

2013

FY

2014

FY

2015

FY

2016

Lehman College as a % of CUNY Senior Colleges 12.4% 9.6% 7.4% 7.6% 8.1% 7.5% 9.4%

Student Progress Dashboard:

This dashboard illustrates Lehman College’s performance and Lehman College’s performance

relative to CUNY’s senior colleges on a range of student retention, progression, and graduation

metrics.

Boxes coded in green illustrate 2 or more consecutive years of improving outcomes. Boxes

coded in red illustrate 2 or more consecutive years of worsening outcomes. All other boxes are

coded in orange. The percentages in rows marked “Lehman College” reveal the College’s

retention, progression, and graduation rates. The percentages shown in the “Vs. CUNY Senior

Colleges” row show the College’s advantage or gap relative to the CUNY senior college

average.

One-Year Retention Rate for First-Time, Full-Time Freshmen (3-Year Moving Average):

2011 2012 2013

Lehman College 80.5% 80.9% 82.1%

Vs. CUNY Senior Colleges -3.4% -2.7% -1.7%

One-Year Retention + Graduation Rate for Full-Time Transfer Students (3-Year Moving

Average):

2011 2012 2013



Four-Year Graduation Rate for First-Time, Full-Time Freshmen (3-Year Moving

Average):

2012 2013 2014



Six-Year Graduation Rate for First-Time, Full-Time Freshmen (3-Year Moving Average):

2012 2013 2014



Four-Year Graduation Rate for Full-Time Transfer Students (3-Year Moving Average):

2012 2013 2014



Lehman College Admissions Trends:

One of the concerns raised by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) is

Lehman College’s growing reliance on transfer students for its overall enrollment. Transfer

students can require addition academic and student support services.

This section has been added to the report to focus on the composition of admissions and

introduces the concept of a weighted average one-year retention rate based on the composition of

new students. The weighted average retention rate better reflects the composition of new

students, as it includes both first-time, full-time freshmen and full-time transfer students.

New Students (%):

Entering

2011

Entering

2012

Entering

2013

Entering

2014

Entering

2015

First-Time, Full-Time

Freshmen

38.3%

39.9%

33.7%

35.3%

31.9%

Transfer Students 61.7% 60.1% 66.3% 64.7% 68.1%

Note: The last year in which freshmen accounted for 50% or more of new students was 2008.

New Students (%): 3-Year Moving Average:

Entering

2009-11

Entering

2010-12

Entering

2011-13

Entering

2012-14

Entering

2013-15

First-Time, Full-

Time Freshmen

43.5%

41.1%

37.0%

36.0%

33.6%


One-Year Retention Rate:

Entering

2010

Entering

2011

Entering

2012

Entering

2013

Entering

2014


Freshmen

79.0%

82.1%

81.5%

82.6%

82.6%


Weighted Average 75.5% 75.5% 76.4% 76.1% 77.3%

Two-Year Retention Rate for First-Time, Full-Time Freshmen:

Entering

2010

Entering

2011

Entering

2012

Entering

2013


Freshmen

63.5%

70.4%

67.5%

72.5%

One-Year Retention Rate: 3-Year Moving Average:

Entering

2008-10

Entering

2009-11

Entering

2010-12

Entering

2011-13

Entering

2012-14

First-Time, Full-

Time Freshmen

78.8%

80.5%

80.9%

82.1%

82.2%


Weighted Average 75.1% 75.7% 75.8% 76.0% 76.6%

Two-Year Retention Rate for First-Time, Full-Time Freshmen: 3-Year Moving Average:

Entering

2008-10

Entering

2009-11

Entering

2010-12

Entering

2011-13

First-Time, Full-Time Freshmen

63.1%

64.9%

67.1%

70.1%

Student Workload Dashboard:

This dashboard illustrates student perceptions related to their workload2. Workload consists of

time spent in classes/labs and studying outside of classes/labs. The data is reported every two

years on the CUNY Student Experience Survey (SES).

Boxes coded in green illustrate 2 or more consecutive periods of increasing time. Boxes coded in

red illustrate 2 or more consecutive periods of decreasing time. All other boxes are coded in

orange. The percentages in rows marked “Lehman College” reveal the College’s retention,

progression, and graduation rates. The percentages shown in the “Vs. CUNY Senior Colleges”

row show the College’s advantage or gap relative to the CUNY senior college average.

Weekly Study Values (3-Period Moving Average):

2012 2014 2016

Lehman College 8.40 8.58 8.58

Vs. CUNY Senior Colleges -0.32 -0.47 -0.23

Weekly Values for Time Spent in Classes/Labs (3-Period Moving Average):

2012 2014 2016



Weekly Academic Workload Values (3-Period Moving Average):

2012 2014 2016



Ratio of Weekly Values for Study-to- Weekly Values for Time Spent in Classes/Labs (3-

Period Moving Average):

2012 2014 2016


Vs. CUNY Senior Colleges +0.01 +0.02 +0.05

Brief Discussion:

Lehman College’s students have continued to reduce the weekly time they spend in classes/labs

while increasing their study. Their overall academic workload has been declining. The reduced

time spent in classes/labs largely explains the improvement in Lehman College’s student’s ratio

of study time-to-time spent in classes/labs relative to those in all of CUNY’s senior colleges. It

remains to be seen if the improved ratio of study time-to-time spent in classes/labs will translate

into future gains in retention and graduation. There may be a risk that the decreased time spent in

classes/labs could result in slower credit accumulation and slower overall progression. The

modest gains in the six-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time freshmen relative to the

stagnant four-year figure (both 3-year moving averages) may, in part, reflect a slower

accumulation of credits.

1 Standard 7 states: The institution has developed and implemented an assessment process that evaluates its overall

effectiveness in achieving its mission and goals and its compliance with accreditation standards. (Middle States

Commission on Higher Education, Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education, 2009, p.25). 2 Hourly values assigned for the time ranges provided in the CUNY Student Experience Survey as follows:

Hours (CUNY Student Experience Survey) Hourly Value

0 0

1-5 3

6-10 8

11-20 15.5

>20 20

Afterward, the overall value = ∑(Hourly Value * % of Students reporting a specified time range).

APPENDIX 1

Preparation for the Self-Study Process

1

The Self-Study Process: Background

The self-study process is comprehensive review that includes the visit of an accreditation team,

written Self-Study Report, and submission of documentation that an institution is complying

with applicable regulations. An institution reviews all of its academic programs, non-academic

programs, services, and policies to determine how well it is fulfilling its mission and meeting its

accreditation requirements.1 The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) has

published a summary that specifies the primary purpose of the Self-Study Report, target

audiences, and useful attributes.

Self-Study Report Snapshot2:

Purpose:

Audiences:

Useful Attributes:

To advance institutional self-understanding and self-improvement

• Institutional community

• External constituents (MSCHE, government, public, etc.)

• Analytical

• Forward-looking

• Identifies problems

• Develops solutions to address those problems

• Is part of the institution’s regular planning cycle

The self-study process needs to provide credible and sufficient evidence that an institution is

“fully” meeting the Requirements of Affiliation and that compliance is “continuous.”3 An

institution must also “demonstrate on an ongoing basis that it meets” all of the “standards for

accreditation.”4

An institution’s self-study process commences when its leadership appoints a Steering

Committee, the Steering Committee’s chairpersons, and assigns responsibility to that Committee

for organizing a self-study design.5 Among other things, the Steering Committee prepares a

Documentation Roadmap that allows it to align “documents and processes with the Standards for

Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation.”6

Basic Steering Committee Responsibilities7:

• Develop a Self-Study Design

• Develop a Documentation Roadmap

• Oversees the completion of a Compliance Report

MSCHE’s staff liaison reviews the Design and Documentation Roadmap, visits the institution to

provide feedback, and approves the final draft of the Design.8 Once the final draft of the Self-

Study Design is approved, the self-study process begins.9

2

Several months after the institution as submitted its final Self-Study Design, MSCHE assigns an

evaluation Team Chair and members.10

The institution is permitted an opportunity to inform the

liaison whether any team members present conflicts of interest.11

The evaluation Team Chair visits the institution approximately 4-6 months before the evaluation

team visit to “review a draft of the Self-Study, to suggest revisions, and to discuss team visit

logistics.”12

Following a review of the Self-Study Report by “appropriate institutional constituents,” the final

Self-Study Report is submitted electronically to MSCHE.13

MSCHE provides the evaluation

Team Chair with the institution’s Compliance Report, which is submitted prior to the submission

of the Self-Study Report.14

Following the evaluation team’s visit, the Team Chair submits a Team Report to MSCHE and

the institution.15

The institution reviews the Team Report and submits an Institutional Response

to MSCHE.16

The Team Chair also provides the MSCHE with a Confidential Brief that

summarizes the evaluation team’s findings and suggests MSCHE Commission action.17

Afterward, the Committee on Evaluation Reports discusses the Self-Study Report, Team Report,

Confidential Brief, and Institutional Response with the Team Chair and “makes a proposal for

Commission action.”18

The institution would be contacted and asked to submit additional

materials prior to the MSCHE Commission meeting if the Committee on Evaluation Reports’

proposal “differs substantially” from the Confidential Brief.19

The Commission “determines” the

final action and notifies the institution.20

Typically, the Commission holds its meeting on the last Thursday of June. In the case of Lehman

College’s Self-Study Report, the relevant date would be June 27, 2019. The final outcome is

posted one week later on the MSCHE website on the “Accreditation Actions” page. In the case

of the 2019 cycle, the results would be posted on July 4, 2019.

3

Requirements of Affiliation21

:

4

Accreditation Standards22

:

5

Alignment of Requirements of Affiliation with the Accreditation Standards23

:

6

Focusing the Self-Study Design:

An institution should focus its efforts on (1) matters that can contribute most to its success; (2)

issues that can facilitate its strategic direction; and, (3) items most likely to be cited by MSCHE .

Greater attention should be devoted to those relatively more important matters.

A focused approach can be guided by among the following questions:

• What does MSCHE require?

• What does the institution find important (where is continual improvement most

valuable)?

• In what areas is the institution strong and in what areas does the institution have

documented weaknesses?

• What strategic opportunities and threats would most impact the institution?

• What resources are available to the institution, what factors (State budget, financial aid,

enrollment, etc.) impact those resources, how are those resources deployed?

• Is resource deployment planned in a strategic fashion and does outcomes-related data

lead to adjustments in resource deployment?

• What areas have been cited most frequently by MSCHE (areas that MSCHE believes are

important to an institution’s performance)?

The information related to those questions can be found in:

• Recommendations and suggestions arising from the prior decennial review

• Elements and processes highlighted in follow-up reports (monitoring reports and/or

progress letters)

• Recommendations and suggestions arising from the preceding Periodic Review Report

• MSCHE’s responses to submitted Self-Study and Periodic Review Reports (the

institution’s reports, along with those of other institutions)

• An institution’s mission, values, and vision statements

• An institution’s strategic plan

• An institution’s financial statements and budget and underlying processes and major

assumptions

• Linkage between an institution’s planning, resource allocation, and budgeting activities

• Lehman College’s Prioritization Process

7

Prior Self-Study Recommendations and Suggestions:

Below are the recommendations and suggestions from Lehman College’s 2009 Self-Study

Report. Those findings were mapped to the MSCHE Standards that were adopted in 2014.

Standard I: Mission and Goals24

Recommendations: None

Suggestions: None

Standard II: Ethics and Integrity25


Suggestion:

• Assess the impact of the new bell schedule to improve classroom space utilization

(NOTE: MSCHE grouped this suggestion based on where it appeared in Lehman

College’s self-study report)

Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience26


Suggestions:

• Address issue of aging full-time faculty (especially at the professor rank) and devise a

plan for replacement.

• Mentor new faculty on the tenure clock, and closely monitor the impact of the recent

change [New York State Law extending the tenure period to 7 years coupled with 24

semester hours of released time during the first 5 years27

].

• Continue mentoring faculty to meet T&R [teaching & research] expectations, and

expectations of the weight of Scholarship of Teaching and Scholarship of Research.

• More systematic assessment of General Education should take place. While initial steps

have been taken, there appears to be incomplete or unanalyzed data. There are significant

opportunities for further assessment of General Education.

• Begin to collect data from direct measures of student learning.

• Based on the success of LEH 100, consider a correlate course for transfer students, and a

similar process for its development, assessment, and revision.

• Learning goals and objectives for related educational activities should be embedded more

deliberately in the programs, and assessment procedures should be developed and

implemented more systematically.

• Develop specific objectives for online programs and courses; further research is needed

to determine reasons for the different outcomes for students in online courses as

compared with traditional courses.

• Develop an appropriate student evaluation form for online courses.

8

Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience28


Suggestions:

• Lehman College should consider adding an advising mentoring component to the First-

Year Initiative.

• Lehman College should consider taking a more robust approach to advisement that will

ease the registration process for continuing and transfer students and assist them toward

degree completion.

• Examine the administrative support for the graduate program.

Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment29

Recommendations:

• Lehman College should implement the plans put together by the Assessment

Council. This should include meeting the timelines for completing the plan.

• The Team agrees that Lehman College should complete the hiring of the Assessment

Coordinator.

• Lehman College should clearly articulate student learning outcomes at the program

level.

• Lehman College should integrate assessments in the new strategic plan that is

currently being developed.

• Lehman College should allocate sufficient resources to assure success of the student

learning outcomes process.

Suggestions: None

Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement30

Recommendation:

• Lehman College should take a more comprehensive approach to collecting and

analyzing data to understand and respond to the varied causes leading to low

retention and graduation rates. The College should increase efforts to ensure stable

retention leading to equally stabilized graduation rates.

Suggestions:

• The College should consider a long range/strategic planning process that includes a

shorter element as well, for instance three-four years, of which, the first year is the

immediate budget year so that there is a current as well as a long range component within

the longer ten-year horizon.

• [T]here should be a direct and continuous input from the assessment of student learning

and institutional effectiveness into the planning budgeting cycle to reflect needed

resources to “continuously improve the plan” with respect to student learning outcomes

and institutional assessment as integral parts of the planning and resource allocation

process.

• Institutional assessment should be coordinated, if not integrated, with the College’s

efforts to plan, design, and implement a student learning outcomes assessment program.

9

This effort, in turn, should be coordinated with the development of the new strategic plan

presently underway. The Team believes this approach will fully achieve the results

contemplated by the accreditation Standards 2, 3, 7 and 14 [Standards V and VI].

• Lehman may wish to focus its efforts on the more predictive measure of high school

academic performance coupled with high school college preparatory units attained.

Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration31


Suggestions: None

Based on the MSCHE’s review of the self-study report and its request for follow-up, Lehman

College submitted a monitoring report on April 1, 2011 covering Standards 7 and 14 [Standards

V and VI], and a Progress Letter on April 1, 2013 covering Standard 14 [Standard V]. MSCHE

made no follow-up requests related to Lehman College’s Periodic Review Report of 2014 and

commended the institution for assessment-related progress.

10

Periodic Review Report Suggestions and Feedback:

Compliance: Transfer of Credit Policies and Articulation Agreements32

Finding:

• Institution is in compliance; however, it would be helpful to specify whether or not all

modes of course delivery are eligible for transfer credit.

Standard I: Mission and Goals Recommendations: None

Suggestions: None

Standard II: Ethics and Integrity Recommendations: None

Suggestions: None

Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience Recommendations: None

Suggestion:

• The readers suggest that Lehman continue its efforts to establish, publish, assess and plan

curricular responses to student learning outcomes for all of its academic programs.33

Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience Recommendations: None

Suggestion:

• It would be helpful to specify whether or not all modes of course delivery are eligible for

transfer credit.34

Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment Recommendations: None

Suggestion:

• The readers suggest that Lehman College document evidence of its efforts to respond to

the causes of low retention and graduation rates, expanding best practices developed in its

Sophomore Year Initiative to additional at-risk populations.35

11

Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement Recommendations: None

Suggestions:

• The readers suggest that the College plan to provide more comprehensive information

about the types of funds and their possible expansion into more advanced STEM and

health-related areas based on future facilities capacity in its next decennial self-study.36

• The readers suggest that illustrative Tables 6.2 and 6.3 from the PRR [Note: these tables

are posted at the end of this section] be shared with more members of the College

community and updated each year, perhaps via a link to an intranet or employee portal

for increasingly transparent communications among multiple College stakeholders.37

Issues raised in the Financial Review:

• Financial outlook: Weak. The “institution will be challenged to find the financial

resources needed to meet its mission.”38

• Capital campaign: Lehman College had raised $16.5 million in the past three years [prior

to the submission of the Periodic Review Report] and had a goal of raising an additional

$23.4 million in the following three years. The figure raised during the prior three-year

period was “rather anemic…given the size of the institution and the number of

graduates.”39

• Capital budget request: Lehman College had requested $282 million in capital funding

from New York State and New York City linked to its strategic plan, but had secured $56

million. MSCHE stated that “it is unclear that they will receive a capital allocation of the

magnitude they are seeking.”40

• Net assets: MSCHE noted “accelerating non-current liabilities associated with accrued

leave and post-retirement benefits”41

• Reserves: MSCHE noted that “for two of the last five years” following its last Self-Study

review, Lehman College “had to rely on reserves to balance its budget” while adding that

the “use of operating surpluses from previous years is unsustainable in the long term.”42

The College responded and addressed the above issues to the Commission’s satisfaction. For

purposes of a more robust Self-Study Design, consideration should be given to those issues, as

some were based on projected data.

Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration Recommendations: None

Suggestion:

• The readers suggest that Lehman College consider the possibility of adding a

visiting/consulting member from a vanguard CUNY campus to their [CUNYFirst]

implementation team.43

12

Periodic Review Report Table 6.2: Linkages, Planning and Budgeting44

:

13

Periodic Review Report Table 6.3: Alignment of Resources and Goals45

:

Note: CUNY Compact funding was used for strategic allocations. The above table reflects the

allocation of these funds by Strategic Goal and Objective.

14

MSCHE Outcomes:

During the 2014 and 2015 Decennial Review cycles, nearly two-thirds of institutions submitting

Self-Study Reports received follow-up requests from MSCHE. Approximately one-in-five Self-

Study reports resulted in sanctions (warnings or probation). For public institutions, about three-

in-five institutions received requests for follow-up reports while more than a quarter of such

institutions received sanctions. Over the last five Decennial Review cycles, a higher share of

Self-Study Reports from public institutions were followed by sanctions, even when 2014 (when

43% of public institutions’ Self-Study Reports resulted in sanctions) is excluded.

Self-Study Report Outcomes:

Year(s) xxx Private Institutions: x Public Institutions: x All Institutions: x xxx

Year(s) Follow-up Sanctions Follow-up Sanctions Follow-up Sanctions

2014 64% 21% 71% 43% 66% 26%

2015 70% 10% 47% 13% 62% 11%

2014-15 67% 16% 59% 28% 64% 19%

Last 5 Years 71% 10% 61% 16% 67% 13%

…ex. 2014 72% 7% 59% 12% 67% 9%

2014-2015 Citations by Accreditation Standard (% of Follow-up Requests):

Report Standard

I

Standard

II

Standard

III

Standard

IV

Standard

V

Standard

VI

Standard

VII

Self-Study 3% 13% 37% 13% 65% 81% 23%

PRR 0% 4% 24% 13% 63% 70% 11%

Both 19% 9% 31% 13% 64% 76% 18%

Note: The above table is based on mapping the outgoing 14 standards with the 2014 standards.

Key:

% of citations for the Self-Study is 10 or more percentage points above the PRR figure

15

Prioritization of MSCHE Standards:

< 30% of Follow-up

Requests

30% or More of Follow-up

Requests

Less/Similar Focus to PRR I and IV V

More Focus in Self-Study than

the PRR

II and VII III and VI

Note: Less/Similar focus to PRR means there is a less than 10 percentage point difference in citation rates as a share

of follow-up requests. More focus in the Self-Study indicates a 10 percentage point or greater difference in citation

rates as a share of follow-up requests.

Self-Study Citations by Accreditation Standard (% of Follow-up Requests):

Report Standard

I

Standard

II

Standard

III

Standard

IV

Standard

V

Standard

VI

Standard

VII

2014 6% 9% 38% 15% 68% 82% 12%

2015 0% 18% 36% 11% 61% 79% 36%

Both 3% 13% 37% 13% 65% 81% 23%

Note: The above table is based on mapping the outgoing 14 standards with the 2014 standards.

Beginning with 2009 when Lehman College’s last Self-Study Report was submitted and

evaluated by MSCHE, 80% of CUNY institutions’ Self-Study Reports resulted in requests for

follow-up reports. That is above the figure for public institutions. In the cases of CUNY

institutions, the most commonly cited MSCHE Standard was Standard VI (Planning, Resources,

and Institutional Improvement). That Standard was cited in 63% of the follow-up requests.

MSCHE Self-Study Outcomes by Type of Institution (2009-2015):

Type of Institution Follow-up Reports (% of Self-Study Reports)

CUNY 80%

Public 62%

Private 71%

All 68%

To gain insight into the most significant Standard VI risks, the next page contains a detailed

breakdown of the Standard VI-related issues that were cited for the institutions that received

sanctions following their Self-Study Reports.

16

Standard VI Issues for Institutions receiving Sanctions (2009-2015):

Issue % of Cases

Assessment:

Sustained assessment of institutional effectiveness (planning, resource

allocation, institutional improvement)

Use of assessment results to guide planning, budgeting/resource allocation,

institutional improvement, and/or improvement of teaching/learning

Assessment results are shared with appropriate constituents

86%

71%

29%

Budgeting/Resource Allocation Process:

Annual budgets

Multi-year projections

Aligned with institutional mission, goals and/or strategic plan

Assessed on a regular basis

14%

29%

29%

14%

Data:

Enrollment and fiscal data

14%

Linkages among Institutional Plans:

Academic, enrollment, faculty, and/or technology plans are linked

14%

Strategic Plan:

Clearly-stated institutional and unit-level goals and objectives stated as

outcomes

Linked to the institutional mission

Used to guide long-range planning, budgeting/resource allocation, and

decision-making

43%

29%

29%

17

Overall Risk Assessment:

The MSCHE outcomes data, 2009 Self-Study Report outcome, and the 2014 Periodic Review

Report outcome, suggests that Standards III (Design and Delivery of the Student Learning

Experience), IV (Support of the Student Experience), V (Educational Effectiveness Assessment),

and VI (Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement) should be given greater emphasis

in the Self-Study Design. The Self-Study Design should allow for research questions concerning:

• The linkage between these planning, budgeting, and assessment

• Sustained assessment processes

• The use of assessment results to improve programs, services, and outcomes

• Multi-year and updated budget projections

• Linkage between the Comprehensive Enrollment Management Plan and budgeting

• Efforts to develop or strengthen alternative revenue sources and the outcomes

• Financial contingency plans related to potential financial shocks e.g., Governor Cuomo’s

preliminary budget proposal to reduce State funding to CUNY by $485 million leaving

New York City to pick up the cost46

• Efforts to stabilize or grow reserves and address increasing liabilities associated with

post-retirement benefits

• Evidence of integrated activities (strategic plan updates, annual planning calendars,

annual budget calendars, annual assessment calendars)47

• Evidence that all relevant stakeholders are considered in the planning, budgeting, and

assessment activities

A recent New York Times story48

documenting the adverse consequences of financial challenges

affecting CUNY, including what was described as a chronic leak in Lehman’s Library, may

increase the rigor of MSCHE’s financial review. Defensible answers and evidence to deal with

such matters should be available, if needed.

The preliminary report of the Office of the Inspector General issued in November 2016 should

also be reviewed, as it contains findings that may impact compliance, the Requirements of

Affiliation, and MSCHE Accreditation Standards II (Ethics and Integrity) and VI (Planning,

Resources, and Institutional Improvement). At the time this annual report was prepared, it

remained uncertain whether the CUNY-related issues, including those related to internal controls

and related policies, impacted Lehman’s internal controls and related policies. It was also

uncertain whether the issues identified in the Inspector General’s report would reduce confidence

in the robustness and enforcement of CUNY-wide rules on which Lehman College also relies.

The relevant working groups should undertake a proactive examination of the matters raised in

the Inspector General’s report.

https://ig.ny.gov/sites/default/files/pdfs/CUNYInterim.pdf

18

Lehman College’s Mission, Vision, and Values Statements49:

Institutional Mission Statement: Lehman College serves the Bronx and surrounding region as an intellectual, economic, and

cultural center. Lehman College provides undergraduate and graduate studies in the liberal arts

and sciences and professional education within a dynamic research environment, while

embracing diversity and actively engaging students in their academic, personal, and

professional development.

Institutional Vision Statement: Lehman College has entered a new era in its history as an institution of higher education.

Already known for its outstanding faculty, dedicated staff, superb library, art gallery, theaters,

speech and hearing clinic, and athletic facilities, the College will now build a new state of the

art, environmentally “green” science facility that will invigorate faculty and student research as

well as prepare Lehman students for science-based careers.

Supported by the University’s expanding technological resources, the College will promote

creative teaching strategies, greater access to courses through online learning, off campus

access to library resources and enhanced student services. The new Multi-Media Center will

stimulate technological innovation in all areas of communications and the arts for both the

College and the region.

Lehman has always been a commuter campus that prides itself on its diversity and commitment

to multicultural understanding. Now, the College looks forward to providing a residential

experience to attract a wider range of students and lead to the development of new learning

communities to enhance student success.

Lehman College will prepare students to live and work in the global community through new

interdisciplinary programs, such as environmental studies and international business, along with

study abroad and experiential learning opportunities. The College’s geographic information

systems and numerous partnerships with schools, hospitals, social service and governmental

agencies, small businesses, major corporations, and cultural and scientific institutions will

contribute to the economic development of the region. Service learning and internship

opportunities will be further developed to foster the engaged citizenship and commitment to

public service embodied in its namesake, Herbert H. Lehman.

Recognized for small classes, close interaction between students and faculty, a successful

Teacher Academy and Honors College, and a caring and supportive environment, Lehman

College will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary in 2018 as the college of choice in the region,

committed to preparing students for graduate studies, professional careers, and lifelong

learning.

19

Institutional Values Statement: Lehman College is committed to providing the highest quality education in a caring and

supportive environment where respect, integrity, inquiry, creativity, and diversity contribute to

individual achievement and the transformation of lives and communities.

20

Endnotes: 1 Self-Study: Creating a Useful Process and Report (Third Edition), Philadelphia: Middle States Commission on

Higher Education, January 2016, p.9. 2 Self-Study: Creating a Useful Process and Report (Third Edition), Philadelphia: Middle States Commission on

Higher Education, January 2016, pp.9-10, 14. 3 Self-Study: Creating a Useful Process and Report (Third Edition), Philadelphia: Middle States Commission on







Higher Education, January 2016, p.14. 10

Self-Study: Creating a Useful Process and Report (Third Edition), Philadelphia: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, January 2016, p.14. 11














Evaluation Team Representing the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, “Report to the Faculty, Administration, Trustees, Students of CUNY-Herbert H. Lehman College,” Prepared after the institution’s Self-Study Report and a visit to the campus on March 8-11, 2009, pp.1-2.

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Evaluation Team Representing the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, “Report to the Faculty, Administration, Trustees, Students of CUNY-Herbert H. Lehman College,” Prepared after the institution’s Self-Study Report and a visit to the campus on March 8-11, 2009, pp.7-8. 26

Evaluation Team Representing the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, “Report to the Faculty, Administration, Trustees, Students of CUNY-Herbert H. Lehman College,” Prepared after the institution’s Self-Study Report and a visit to the campus on March 8-11, 2009, pp.12-14, 16-17, 19-20. 27

Evaluation Team Representing the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, “Report to the Faculty, Administration, Trustees, Students of CUNY-Herbert H. Lehman College,” Prepared after the institution’s Self-Study Report and a visit to the campus on March 8-11, 2009, p.12. 28

Evaluation Team Representing the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, “Report to the Faculty, Administration, Trustees, Students of CUNY-Herbert H. Lehman College,” Prepared after the institution’s Self-Study Report and a visit to the campus on March 8-11, 2009, pp.9-12, 14-16. 29


Evaluation Team Representing the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, “Report to the Faculty, Administration, Trustees, Students of CUNY-Herbert H. Lehman College,” Prepared after the institution’s Self-Study Report and a visit to the campus on March 8-11, 2009, pp.2-4, 9-12. 31


“Verification of Compliance, Reviewer’s Report,” Philadelphia: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, July 20, 2014, p.3. 33

“Report to Faculty, Administrators, Trustees, Students of Lehman College,” Philadelphia: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, August 1, 2014, p.3 34

“Verification of Compliance, Reviewer’s Report,” Philadelphia: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, July 20, 2014, p.3. 35

“Report to Faculty, Administrators, Trustees, Students of Lehman College,” Philadelphia: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, August 1, 2014, pp.3, 5, 10. 36

“Report to Faculty, Administrators, Trustees, Students of Lehman College,” Philadelphia: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, August 1, 2014, p.7. 37


“Financial Review of the Lehman College 2014 Periodic Review Report,” Philadelphia: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 2014, p.2. 39






Periodic Review Report, June 1, 2014, p.69. 45

Periodic Review Report, June 1, 2014, p.71. 46

Vivian Yee, “Cuomo to Continue Shrinking State’s Share of CUNY’s Costs,” The New York Times, January 14, 2016. 47

“Aligning Planning, Assessing and Budgeting (Richard Stockton College of New Jersey), MSCHE’s Self Study Institute, November 10, 2014, p.24.

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David W. Chen, “Dreams Stall as CUNY, New York City’s Engine of Mobility, Sputters,” The New York Times, May 28, 2016. 49

http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/about/mission.php.

http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/about/mission.php

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