accounting assessment challenge

Utilizing AssessmentAiP Accounting Department

To provide an education in design, media arts, and culinary that prepares students for individual and professional success.

How does the Accounting Department help to fulfill the mission of AiP???

AiP Mission Statement:

During this process, the Accounting Department creates an Institutional Effectiveness Plan to ensure we are supporting the mission of the college, as well as the goal of Operational Effectiveness.

The Strategic Planning Process:

Two Initiatives where assessment was utilized to make improvements:

#1 – Monitor/Refine internal collection process

#6 – Provide effective customer service

Review of the FY’12 Institutional Effectiveness Plan:

#1 – Monitor and refine internal collection processes to reduce collection outsourcing.

Reviewing process determined that we were not doing enough to communicate with students regarding past due account balances.

Additionally, bad debt has been steadily increasing year over year.

Review of the FY’12 Institutional Effectiveness Plan:

Ways to improve communication with students regarding past due accounts?

Implemented four step communication approach:

Automated Phone Call Personalized Letter Account Hold Personal Follow-Up Phone Call

Review of the FY’12 Institutional Effectiveness Plan:

By implementing an effective communication approach we hoped to:

Reduce the number of past due accounts each month.

Increase internal collections Decrease overall bad debt

While results were not as favorable as we had hoped, the process of communication and collection on past due account has improved slightly.

Review of the FY’12 Institutional Effectiveness Plan:

#6 – Provide effective customer service to the college community.

Are we providing the best customer service possible?

Review of the FY’12 Institutional Effectiveness Plan:

Utilized the Noel Levitz Survey Winter 2011 results indicate all Gap Scores

greater than 1.0, higher than what we prefer.

#11 – 1.93 Gap Score#20 – 1.13 Gap Score#57 – 1.72 Gap Score

We need to improve customer service!

Review of the FY’12 Institutional Effectiveness Plan:

Ways to improve customer service? Implemented several management

initiatives: Regular staff meetings, where a portion of time is

allotted to discuss customer service. Review difficult situations from prior week

One on one coaching during or immediately after customer service experience

What was done right? What was done wrong? How could a situation have been handled

differently? Professional Customer Service Training in the near

future

Review of the FY’12 Institutional Effectiveness Plan:

Winter 2012 Noel Levitz Results indicate a small improvement in customer service.

#11 – 1.98 Gap Score#20 – 1.10 Gap Score*#57 – 1.68 Gap Score*

*Gap score reduced from prior year

Review of the FY’12 Institutional Effectiveness Plan:

Continued focus on these two assessment areas to improve results

Continued use of assessment and related data to improve outcomes in FY’13

Other areas for potential improvement? Other ways to incorporate assessment and

utilize related data to improve our ability to fulfill AiP’s mission

Going forward to FY’13: