HCC Opportunities for Improvement Survey

Results & Post Survey Action Plan

August 2009

Daniel Seymour, Vice Chancellor, Planning & Institutional Effectiveness

Martha Oburn, Executive Director, Institutional Research
Tenecia Brown, Web Content Specialist
Introduction

A survey was administered to all full-time faculty and staff members of Houston Community
College in May, 2009. The purpose of the survey is to generate feedback on a range of
institution-wide climate issues, district-level work processes, and strategic planning initiatives.
The intention is to administer this survey on a bi-annual basis so that longitudinal changes can
be tracked and used to drive continuous improvement. By asking ourselves these questions, it
also forces us to be accountable, not to an external agency, but to ourselves in making our
vision to become “the most relevant community college in the country” a reality.

Five hundred and fifty-one (551) individuals responded to the on-line survey of which 43% are
faculty members, 40% staff members, 12% administrative/executive and 6% department chairs.

This report is divided into six sections:

Executive Summary—This section provides a short summary of the survey results as well as
key items from the Post Survey Action Plan.

Climate—The climate section is intended to evoke an overall impression of the respondents’

view of their work at Houston Community College rather than specific areas or detailed topics.

District-Level Services—While the initial set of climate questions evaluates a broad set of
attitudes about Houston Community College, the second set of questions is specifically targeted
at district-level services. (It should be noted and acknowledged that discriminating between
district-level service and college-level services is an imperfect exercise.)

Strategic Planning—This section generates feedback on how people perceive the strategic
planning effort of the College is proceeding.

Post Survey Action Plan—The draft results of the survey were presented to the Chancellor’s
Cabinet for review and discussion of next steps. As a result, this section begins to answer the
question— “What do we do now?”

Methodology—The final section describes the research methodology used to generate these
findings.

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Executive Summary

The Climate section of the survey yielded important feedback on how HCC employees feel
about broad aspects of the institution. Perhaps most importantly, a series of general questions,
such as, “I would recommend HCC to others” and “All things considered, HCC is a great place
to work,” produced very positive results with almost 90% stating they “somewhat agree,”
“agree,” or “strongly agree” with the statements. Written comments like “While things are not
perfect, there is a real sense of momentum at HCC” and “Things are much better and improving
every day” reinforce the data.

Overall, the survey results paint a picture of an institution on the move. The feeling is that HCC
is doing a lot of things right and moving in the right direction with a sense of purpose and
urgency.

Statements that cluster at the bottom of the rankings tend to reflect decision-making,
accountability and the management of resources—indeed, the statement that ranks the lowest
is, “HCC manages resources effectively.” The Post Survey Action Plan (PSAP) section of this
report enumerates a broad series of efforts currently being undertaken that are intended to
address directly many of these issues.

The other area that should cause concern is the mediocre response to the statement, “HCC is
truly a student centered college.” Less than 20% of the respondents strongly agreed with the
statement while more than one in four expressed some level of disagreement. The PSAP
section outlines a proposal to engage in a district-wide effort to improve these results over the
next two years.

The District-Level Services section describes both bright spots as well as a series of
opportunities for improvement. At the top of the list of “high satisfaction” services are a number
of information technology functions—web-based communication, access to the internet and
wireless infrastructure, and support services to PeopleSoft. What is most impressive about
these results is that these same functions were deemed of “high importance” to the
respondents. Congratulations to our techies!

Other areas that generated strong, positive feedback are:

 Payroll—salary and wage payments, time entry, and so on

 Business Services—mail distribution, asset and fleet management
 HCC Foundation—private fundraising
 Division of Extended Learning—School of Continuing Education, Corporate College,
Adult Education Programs and so on.

The Post Survey Action Plan section discusses actions proposed to respond to services that
scored the lowest on the “satisfaction” scale. Two of our contracted services fall into this

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 category—Barnes & Noble and Aramark. Other services that were lower on the scale that
prompted serious discussions and change strategies are, “creating a fair and equitable
workplace” and “instructions and response to security threats.”

Finally, services relating to “hiring of new faculty and staff members” and “performance
evaluation” scored in the lower range and present opportunities for improvement. Ideas for
improving performance in these areas are detailed in the Post Survey Action Plan.

The Strategic Planning section of the survey yielded two important results. First, almost one in
three people responded, “I don’t have enough information to evaluate progress.” This clearly
means that the plan and the College’s efforts to advance the plan are not being effectively
communicated. The PSAP section addresses this opportunity in greater detail. Second, the
Goal area that generates the least positive response is, “Accountability and Strategic Decision
Making.” This result aligns with Climate section statements such as “Senior leadership at the
District demonstrates a high degree of accountability for institutional decisions” that are also
relatively lower scoring.

As one respondent stated, “In the spirit of the administration’s openness, I hope the results of
this survey will be made available to the HCC community.”

The results are in.

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 Climate

The 25 questions in the Climate section of the survey cover a broad range of topics such as
resource management, communication, and leadership. As such, “climate” entails a respondent’s
general sense of Houston Community College.

Appendix A displays all 25 Climate questions in rank order from highest to lowest mean score.
On a scale of 1 (very dissatisfied) to 6 (very satisfied), the range of mean responses was from a
low of 3.44 (“HCC manages resources effectively”) to a high of 5.18 (“I understand how my job
contributes to HCC’s mission”).

An initial observation is that HCC’s faculty and staff members have a generally positive attitude
about the health and direction of the institution. The average of even the lowest-rated items are
in the positive area of the six-point scale (somewhat agree). Further, one of the most broad-
sweeping questions—“I would recommend HCC to others”—is the second highest-rated
question (5.01). Almost 90% of the respondents stated they “somewhat agree,” “agree” or
“strongly agree” with the statement. Another global question, “All things considered, HCC is a
great place to work” is the sixth highest-rated question. Again, almost 90% agree with this
statement. The following quotes reflect this sentiment:

 “I think the college under this new administration is moving in the right direction.”
 “Things are much better and improving every day. We are on the right track but have
some more work to do.”
 “While things are not perfect, there is a real sense of momentum at HCC.”

A second general observation reflects a phenomenon in survey research. All of the questions
that focus on the individual respondent (questions that begin with the personal “I” or “My”) tend
to result in higher levels of satisfaction; questions that are directed at an organizational entity—
e.g., senior leadership, district administration—tend to score lower.

For example, the statements that generate the highest levels of agreement (“strongly agree”)
are:

 My job at HCC makes good use of my skills and abilities (47%).

 I understand how my job contributes to HCC’s mission (45%).
 My supervisor/department chair makes his/her expectations clear (43%).

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 This suggests that individuals have a strong personal connection to the institution regardless of
whether they agree with other aspects of its direction or priorities.

While, as stated, the overall results are quite positive, there are “opportunities for improvement”
embedded in the climate results. First, it can be noted that three of the bottom five lowest-rated
items reflect resource management:

 HCC manages resources effectively (3.44)

 Senior leadership at the District demonstrates a high degree of accountability for
institutional decisions (3.73)
 HCC is well run (3.74)

Given the size of HCC and its administrative structure (six colleges but accredited as one
institution), these observations would not be unexpected. Still, if HCC can find innovative ways
to make closer connections between the institutional operations and individual needs, these
results may improve.

A second observation is in some ways more problematic. While the administration at both the
district and college levels is responsible for developing and implementing effective resource
allocation processes, everyone—faculty, staff, and the administration—has an important role in
making HCC a student-centered institution. However, the question, “HCC is truly a student-
centered college” yielded a mean score of 4.23, placing it in the middle of the pack of 25 climate
questions. Only 19% of the respondents say they “strongly agree” with the statement, while
more than one in four respondents expressed some level of disagreement.

While one respondent took a narrow focus, “HCC is not student-centered, it is administrator-
centered,” another took a broader look, “I believe we do some excellent work at HCC, but I also
believe we are severely lacking in some services for students.” Another individual said, “I feel
that in recent years HCC has lost its focus on the student . . . every day I watch students fight
their way through admissions, attempt to speak to a ‘real live’ person, only to be sent to a
computer lab.”

Perhaps the most comprehensive comments are as follows:

 “This College needs to realize that our students are our greatest asset and quite
frankly our clients. If the College cannot (or will not) address its issues, we can only
expect to see our enrollment decrease and our students drift away to the plethora of
education opportunities that are placed throughout the city of Houston.”

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  “Better customer service from the staff to our students; remember that if it wasn’t for
our magnificent students there will be no HCC.”

 “The relationship between teacher and student is the key ingredient in learning and we
spend the least on this aspect.”

District-Level Services

Each statement in this section is rated on two scales: importance and satisfaction. This dual
exercise is critical because it acknowledges that not all services are viewed as being equal.
Appendix B displays the services in rank order on “importance.” It should not be surprising that
questions regarding payroll functions and compensation and benefits are rated “very important”:

 HCC ensures that all payroll functions—salary and wage payments, time entry,
deductions, and so on—are conducted in a correct and timely fashion (76%).
 HCC provides up-to-date information and services regarding compensation and
benefits (68%).

Respondents also feel that services around safety and security are “very important”:

 HCC maintains a highly visible presence on campuses to ensure a safe and orderly
environment on campus and helps to prevent crime and to protect life and campus
property (77%).
 HCC provides employees with clear instructions as to their responsibilities and
suggested responses to bomb threats, lockdowns, and other security threats (68%).

What might be surprising is that various information technology functions which might be
perceived as necessary tools to enable individuals to do their jobs were also rated as “very
important”:

 HCC provides effective telephone, e-mail and other web-based communication

services for faculty, staff and students (74%).
 HCC provides timely and effective Help Desk support for faculty and staff members
(73%).
 HCC ensures stable and secure access to the college’s network and wireless
infrastructure (71%).

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 An analysis of services that were rated lower might indicate a differentiation between things that
are traditionally considered core to the mission of community colleges and things that might be
perceived to be less central to that mission. For example, “We provide effective leadership in
the area of ‘grantsmanship’—research, writing, training and administering—to increase external
resource development for HCC” and “HCC has developed strong district-wide international
initiatives, including partner programs with foreign institutions of higher education and study
abroad opportunities” were both among the areas that were seen to be of less importance.

As noted, each statement in this section is also rated on a scale of satisfaction. Appendix C
displays the services in rank order on “satisfaction.” The Information Technology area has three
of the top four rated services. Respondents stated they are “somewhat satisfied,” “satisfied” or
“very satisfied” at the following rates:

 HCC provides effective telephone, e-mail and other web-based communication

services for faculty, staff and students (80%).
 HCC ensures stable and secure access to the College’s network and wireless
infrastructure (78%).
 HCC provides and ensures administration, access and support services to PeopleSoft
student, human resources and financial management systems (75%).

The other services that received high satisfaction ratings are:

 HCC offers effective non-credit instruction—e.g., School of Continuing Education,

Corporate College, Adult Education Programs—throughout the city of Houston
(Division of Extended Learning).
 HCC ensures that all payroll functions—salary and wage payments, time entry,
deductions, and so on—are conducted in an accurate and timely fashion (Finance).
 The Foundation has developed a strong private fundraising capacity that results in
increased resources for student scholarships as well as faculty and staff support (HCC
Foundation).
 We provide effective and timely business services—mail distribution, asset
management and fleet management—that enable faculty and staff to concentrate on
the business of student success.

Two contracted services—Barnes and Noble and Aramark—were at the lower range of the
satisfaction scale. The other services that received low satisfaction ratings (on a scale of 1 =
very dissatisfied to 6 = very satisfied) were:

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  We assist in the recruiting and hiring of new faculty and staff members by providing the
necessary information and services as well as responding promptly and reliably to
inquiries and requests (3.55).
 HCC provides an effective performance evaluation methodology that allows HCC
employees and supervisors to set goals and assess their accomplishments (3.69).
 HCC provides effective procurement services—processing requisitions and placing
orders—for timely acquisition of resources and services that support instruction and
operational needs (3.81)

Another analysis in this section is the review of N/As (not applicable). It is appropriate for
individuals to respond to a service area with N/A if they do not have enough knowledge or
experience to give an accurate response. With the two particular services below, more than
one in three respondents answered N/A on the importance and satisfaction scales:

 HCC has established active district-wide councils (e.g., Counselors, Testing,

Enrollment Deans and Student Life) to engage and support the colleges’ student
services departments (Student Services).
 We provide effective student account payment and support services that results in
increased student options for college access (Finance).

There may be a need to communicate more effectively about what we do in these areas.

Strategic Planning

This section is focused on the college-wide strategic plan that was developed in 2008 (The
Strategic Plan for our Future). Appendix D has the detailed responses.

For each of the six strategic goal areas the question was asked “To what extent has HCC made
progress towards Goal ____?” The highest-rated goal was “Student Learning” (4.72) and the
lowest was “Accountability and Strategic Decision Making” (3.94). The range here is very
narrow, and all the means are on the positive side of the six-point scale.

There are two key opportunities for improvement reflected in these results. The first is that the
goal area that received the lowest score—“Accountability and Strategic Decision Making”—
correlates with the finding in the Climate section concerning accountability and resource
management:

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  “This administration is working to create leadership stability and consistency. Please
stay on track. Also, continue on the path of accountability by placing high expectations
and standards among the decision makers of the organization.”

 HCC needs to accept no less than total accountability on all levels.”

 The accountability at some levels is ineffective and allows incompetent managers to

exist on their jobs.”

 “Hold everyone accountable for their actions.”

The second key finding is embedded in the response, “I don’t have enough information to
evaluate process.” The range of responses was a low of 22% to a high of 36% across the six
goal areas, making it evident that the plan itself and the actions that are being taken need to be
more fully communicated.

Post Survey Action Plan

It can be noted that while many people had comments such as, “Thank you for this opportunity
to give input,” others stated the importance of being transparent—e.g., “In the spirit of the
administration’s openness, I hope the results of this survey will be made available to the HCC
community.” Perhaps most importantly, however, there were numerous comments and
references that reflect the sentiment: “There is always room for improvement.”

With that in mind, the initial results of this survey were compiled and presented to the
Chancellor’s Cabinet for discussion and action planning. The key question was, “What do we
do now?”

Climate Actions

It was noted in the survey analysis that three of the bottom five lowest-rated items reflect
resource management issues:

 HCC manages resources effectively (3.44)

 Senior leadership at the District demonstrates a high degree of accountability for
institutional decisions (3.73)
 HCC is well run (3.74)

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 After careful analyses it was concluded that many initiatives are well underway to address the
effective management of resources and improve decision-making. The following activities are
currently being pursued:

Containing costs—Phase 3 of our successful cost-saving program, now beginning its third
year, starts in September (the first two phases have resulted in more than $2 million in direct
savings and an additional $14 million in revenue). Phase 3 has 11 ideas selected and prioritized
from 230 ideas gathered from employees’ suggestions submitted anonymously in October 2008
and January 2009. All selected ideas have been assigned to a leader and team of
administrators accountable for ensuring their implementation. Top priorities include a staffing
audit, on-line meeting software, a comprehensive recycling program, and on-line attendance
rosters and semester grades.

Increasing effectiveness in teaching and learning—It is imperative that we find ways to

manage of resources (including time and energy) so that they bring direct benefit to the
classroom. Two new efforts should help do that:

 CurriucUNET has been identified as a program that will streamline curriculum

development and approval tracking. It will automate the entire process of submitting
course and program proposals via a Web browser and provide historical tracking of
all courses and programs. It will also maintain all necessary information on courses.
A prime example is student learning outcomes.

 The Program Review Self Study Instrument for Career and Technology Education
(CTE) has been revised and piloted with 18 CTE programs. Similar revisions are
scheduled this year for Transfer and Continuing Education. In general, the process
is more streamlined but calls for the use of more and better data to inform decision-
making. Finally, a new rating system has been approved. The system will result in
self study reports that are more quantifiable and provide more thorough analyses of
program accomplishments and challenges.

Improving the budgeting process—Several major initiatives are underway:

 Budget reform has been affected over the two years, with the result that the process
is now more transparent and college-centric. The major component of this
transformation has been the focus on academic planning, which now uses class
sections as the unit of measure for resource allocation. Class schedules drive more
than 80% of all college resources and the other 20% are relatively fixed costs
(escalated by inflation or by debt agreements). Class sections are a universally
understood concept within the institution and, therefore, create additional
transparency in how and where resources are distributed and used. The final

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 component is measurement of effectiveness, and class sections provide the most
direct correlation to successful employment of resources.

 HCC’s Board of Trustees approved the implementation of the first two-year budget
appropriation. This major change aligns the college with the Texas bi-annum of
appropriations schedule, and allows the college scheduling process to be framed
within the known amount of resources available for consumption. The new
methodology creates more certainty and confidence with the ranks of the faculty and
administration, and strengthens leadership’s ability to manage growth, new program
development, and access for students. The two-year budget cycle allows the
development of multiple year operational planning, which ties into the strategic plan
and goals. The most significant outcome is that longer-term planning is now enabled
and supported at the governance level in a truly landmark way.

Using technology to improve efficiencies—There are a broad range of efforts being

implemented that result in a more efficient and effective HCC:

 The external student application has been reprogrammed and integrated into the
PeopleSoft system. The application was reduced from 15 web pages to 5 which
reduced the amount of time required for students to input their information. The
application has also eliminated an external process that required special
programming skills and a custom interface.

 PeopleSoft registration and payment rules were developed that require students to
pay for their course sections when registering. The process provides college
presidents, deans and department chairs with accurate information concerning their
section enrollments and provides them with a decision-making tool for managing
sections and staffing.

 The financial aid automatic award recalculation module has been implemented. The
module automates the recalculation of financial aid awards when students drop or
withdraw from course sections. The module provides the financial aid department
with a method of tracking over-awards which reduces bad debt and debt collection
needs as well as the staff time required.

 A process that provides students with 1098Ts (validation of tuition paid needed for
income taxes) online has been implemented. The process has improved student
access to information and reduced printing, handling and postage costs.

 An online attendance sheet system in being piloted and implemented for the fall
2009 semester. The system provides each faculty member with an accurate student
roster and allows faculty to enter section attendance for each student via a

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 PeopleSoft screen and submit the sheet electronically to the registrar’s office. The
system tracks the entire attendance sheet submission process and provides a
method of keeping the college in compliance.

 A workflow that provides budget authorities with the ability to approve purchase
requisitions online has been developed and implemented. The workflow documents
and tracks the purchasing process from the point of creation through to the
assignment of a purchase order number. The workflow has reduced the amount of
time required to create a PO and has eliminated the need to print and route paper
requisitions.

 An electronic timesheet system is being tested, piloted and implemented. The

system has been installed and is being configured with a pilot scheduled for
September 2009. The system is expected to go LIVE in February 2010. The system
will automate the entry and routing of timesheets through to the PeopleSoft payroll
system. Anticipated outcomes include the elimination of hard copy timesheets,
reduced data-entry errors, improved tracking capabilities and reduced costs for
document printing, handling, storage and retrieval.

Using information to improve decision-making—The Office of Institutional Research is

taking the lead in helping decision-makers make better decisions by improving access to timely
information:

 A Decision Support System (DSS) is being developed in the Office of Institutional

Research. This system will include a comprehensive series of reports targeted at
key decision-making groups—e.g., department chairs. The reports will focus on the
decisions that each group regularly makes and then provide trend and/or
comparative information according to a defined timeline. NW College is the beta site
for this work with the results in place later this fall.

 An HCC Dashboard—or easy-to-read display of key performance indicators—is

currently being developed by the Office of Institutional Research. The ten items are
Access, Persistence, Completers, Transfer Rates, Faculty Ratios, Student
Engagement, Placement Rates, Financial Aid, Stakeholder Satisfaction and
Recognition of Excellence. The Dashboard is designed to demonstrate
accountability to external stakeholders and will be placed on our web page by
January 2009.

 Survey research is being used on a regular cycle to develop longitudinal data and
drive continuous improvement. This district-wide survey will be done every other
year and will be accompanied by a Post Survey Action Plan (PSAP). This coming

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 spring a college-based survey will enable college employees and students to give
feedback on campus-level services.

It should be noted that many of these initiative are included in the College’s Strategic Plan in
Goal Area 6—Accountability and Strategic Decision-Making.

Another climate question that received a lower score was, “HCC’s policies and practices ensure
fair treatment for all faculty, administration and staff.” The Chancellor’s Office has recently
created the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance reporting to the General Counsel which
will assist the college in ensuring that students and employees have the opportunity for full
participation in the life of the Houston Community college by:

 Ensuring compliance with HCC policies, employment law, and laws governing higher
education.
 Providing counsel and support for informal resolution of discrimination and
harassment complaints.
 Promoting the positive impact of the diverse HCC community (moving beyond
compliance) through systematic initiatives such as training, to proactively advance
awareness of the benefits of inclusion and equity.
 Investigating formal complaints of discrimination promptly and impartially and
reporting findings and recommendations to the appropriate senior administrator for
action.

As noted in the results section of this report, the question, “HCC is truly a student-centered
college” yielded a mean score of 4.23, placing it in the middle of the pack of 25 climate
questions. Only 19% of the respondents say they “strongly agree” with the statement, while
more than one in four respondents expressed some level of disagreement. This is not
acceptable.

The Vice Chancellor of Student Success has been charged with appointing a district-wide task
force to research this issue during the fall semester. While the colleges and the district office are
undoubtedly doing many good things, this effort will look externally for best practices in creating
a student-friendly environment. The task force will also use the electronic suggestion box
method that has been used successfully at HCC to generate cost containment ideas, to engage
HCC employees and students in the exercise of becoming more student-centered.

Finally, while the colleges already gather information on students—e.g., Community College
Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE)—the Chancellor will begin requesting that campus
administrators show evidence that they are using the results to make changes.

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 District-Level Services Actions

A useful way of addressing the district-level services is to juxtapose “importance” and

“satisfaction” in a Resource Optimization Matrix (Appendix E). By combining the importance
and satisfaction scales we can create four quadrants. The quadrants are as follows:

High importance/high satisfaction: These areas can be described as “relative strengths.” These
are functions that we need to continue to invest in because of their importance to the
community. The relative degree of that investment, however, needs to be tempered. It does
make sense to communicate these successes and to acknowledge the hard work on the part of
many at HCC that have enabled these achievements to happen. In particular:

 Information Technology—Three of the four services provided by HCC’s Information

Technology group had the highest combination of importance and satisfaction.

 HCC Police—The stated service, “HCC maintains a highly visible presence on

campuses to ensure a safe and orderly environment . . .” was also perceived as being
both very important and the respondents were very satisfied with the service.

 Finance—“HCC ensures that all payroll functions . . . are conducted in an accurate

and timely fashion” is a service that is also in this quadrant.

Low importance/high satisfaction: The concern in this quadrant is that while the respondents
give them high ratings in terms of satisfaction, they also acknowledge they are relatively less
important. Simply put, it is far better to have high satisfaction ratings than low. The only service
that fell into this quadrant was, “HCC has developed strong district-wide international initiatives,
including partner programs with foreign institutions of higher education and study abroad
opportunities.”

Low satisfaction/low importance: This quadrant generates low satisfaction ratings which make
them a source of concern. On the other hand, their lower importance ratings suggest that this is
not where we can get the greatest “bang for our buck.” None of the rated services were in this
quadrant.

Low satisfaction/high importance: These areas are of high importance to the respondents. The
fact that they also generate low satisfaction ratings—“relative weaknesses”—means that we
could have a disproportionate impact on the College by improving these areas or services. The

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 relative weaknesses can be clustered in three areas. The following are the recommended
actions:

Contracted Services—Barnes and Noble is rated very low in satisfaction while the function
itself is perceived as being fairly important. Aramark has similar scores. It is the intention of the
administration to communicate these results to both contractors as part of upcoming contract
negotiations. A recent analysis of Aramark’s corrective and maintenance task list shows over
16,000 work orders this year with a completion rate of 98% and so the focus of improvement
efforts will be on timeliness.

Human Resources—Several services provided by Human Resources will be addressed in the

Post Survey Action Plan as opportunities for improvement. First, “HCC provides an effective
performance evaluation methodology that allows HCC employees and supervisors to set goals
and assess their accomplishments” was in the high-importance/low-satisfaction quadrant as can
be seen in Appendix E. The Performance Excellence Program (PEP) was implemented four
years ago, based upon HCC shared values and the belief that each HCC employee plays a vital
role in helping achieve our vision. The power of PEP to enhance alignment of individual goals
with those of HCC contributed to our exceeding last year’s all-college fiscal and enrollment
growth. The relatively high scores (means of 4.74 -5.18) for climate questions 1, 4, 5, 13, 14,
15, and 24 are related to a positive PEP effect. The following are specific action to be taken:

 A five-year review cycle of the evaluation documents will be implemented to ensure

continued relevance, starting with the faculty evaluation instruments put in place in
2004. In partnership with the Faculty Senate and VP Instruction, a cross-discipline
team of faculty, deans, and college presidents will be formed this fall.

 HR will also be working with end-users to pinpoint any other barriers to effectively
setting goals and assessing accomplishments under the PEP methodology. The
District action item to more effectively communicate the College’s efforts to advance
the strategic plan may also address this issue by helping clarify the link between
individual and college goals.

 The PEP work group will commit this year to another round of improvements to the
instrument itself with the goal of making it “more user-friendly.”

Next, the statement “We assist in the recruiting and hiring of new faculty and staff members by
providing the necessary information and services as well as responding promptly and reliably to
inquiries and requests” deserves special attention since it is the second lowest of all district
services. HR will be examining the process on several fronts: a “part-time hiring” process re-
engineering project will be conducted this fall as well as an Employment Services restructuring
project. Changes in HR work approach are anticipated. Implementation of a hiring workflow

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 and implementation of “short work break status” in PeopleSoft-HR has the potential to
significantly reduce time-to-hire and largely eliminate paper transactions. This improvement will
be placed in the IT implementation pipeline for fall.

Police—The issue of HCC providing employees with “clear instruction as to their responsibilities
and suggested response to bomb threats, lockdowns, and other security threats” was rated very
high on the importance scale but generated a somewhat less than satisfied response on the
corresponding satisfaction scale.

The HCC Police has recently put in place a National Incident Management System (NIMS)
compliant, all-hazard emergency plan for the colleges and the district. Meetings with the
administrators at each college have been scheduled and working plans will be in place on or
about August 15th. The Police is also offering three classes starting this fall through the Center
for Teaching & Learning Excellence (CTLE) for faculty and staff—TL5000 Active Shooter,
TL5010 Fire/Bomb Threat, and TL5020 Chemical Spill/Major Crime.

A multimodal-hosted system for communicating emergency information (Connect-Ed) has been

implemented that provides all HCC faculty, staff and students with a text, email, cell phone and
land line message in the event of an emergency. Contact information is updated by faculty, staff
and students and uploaded directly from the PeopleSoft system to the Connect Ed system.

Finally, it was also noted earlier that two areas of the survey yielded a high numbers of N/As
(not applicable). One way to interpret these results is that people don’t have enough
information to respond.

The first area of concern is, “HCC has established active district-wide councils (e.g.,
Counselors, Testing, Enrollment Deans and Student Life) to engage and support the colleges’
student services departments.” This lack of knowledge of the wide range of groups charged with
integrated information flow prompted an exercise to answer some basic questions: Who are
they? What do they do? Who convenes them? When do they meet? The result is an inventory
of these district-wide groups organized on our web page http://www.hccs.edu under “About
HCC” and then “District-Wide Councils.”

A second area of concern is, “We provide effective student account payment and support
services that results in increased student options for college access (Finance).” We are
implementing the HCC EZ Student Payment Plan this fall. It was successfully piloted last spring
with 36,000 students enrolled and effectively eliminates the need to deregister or “purge”
students from the system. HCC students only need to go online, register for classes and sign
up for a payment plan. Students can spread the cost of their tuition and fees over the semester.

16
 Payment terms are dependent upon the career and term for which they register. A clear
description of this student-friendly process will be posted in HCC News several times this fall.

Strategic Plan Actions

As was noted earlier, the most important feedback in this section is that one-third of the
respondents don’t have enough information to evaluate HCC’s progress on the strategic plan.
Two action items will be taken. First, the details of planning activities will be placed in the web
under Institutional Effectiveness. Each goal area and the strategic activities describe the Unit of
Primary Responsibility (UPR), the timeline and up-to-date notes. Second, the Chancellor and
the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness have committed to giving annual
updates on the Strategic Plan at the colleges.

Methodology

The survey was administered by the Office of Institutional Research (OIR) during a one-week
period at the beginning of May 2009. The intent is to conduct the survey every other year using
approximately the same questions so as to track longitudinal performance and drive
improvement. Moreover, a college-level instrument is currently under development and will be
administered in May 2010.

The survey was developed using Zoomerang, an on-line survey software.

A total of 551 HCC employees responded to the survey. Representation was distributed broadly
across colleges as follows:

 Central 16%
 Coleman 8%
 Northeast 12%
 Northwest 15%
 Southeast 6%
 Southwest 19%
 District 23%

In terms of employee groups, 43% of the respondents were faculty and 40% staff.
Administrators represented 12% of the respondents, with an additional 6% being department
chairs.

17
 Appendix A
Climate Section - -Sorted by Mean Mean N

Question 13: I understand how my job contributes to HCC's mission. 5.18 537

Question 24: I would recommend HCC to others. 5.01 535

Question 1: My job at HCC makes good use of my skills and abilities. 5.01 546

Question 5: My job performance is evaluated fairly and by my

4.89 514
immediate supervisor.

Question 14: My supervisor/department chair makes his/her

4.89 535
expectations clear.

Question 25: All things considered, HCC is a great place to work. 4.88 539

Question 15: I receive feedback from my supervisor/department chair

4.74 533
that helps me.
Question 11: HCC places sufficient emphasis on having a diverse
4.58 521
faculty, administration and staff.

Question 4: I am given the opportunity to develop my skills at HCC. 4.58 544

Question 16: Non-teaching professional personnel meet the needs of

4.33 492
the students.
Question 2: I am provided the resources I need to be effective in
4.30 548
doing my job.

Question 17: HCC is truly a student centered college. 4.23 532

Question 19: Senior leadership at the District has the knowledge,

4.15 468
skills and experience necessary for institutional success.

Question 9: When I offer a new idea, I believe it will be reasonably

4.04 512
considered.

18
 Climate Section - -Sorted by Mean Mean N

Question 3: There is appropriate recognition of innovative and high

4.00 486
quality teaching at HCC.
Question 18: Senior leadership at the District (3100 Main) provides a
3.98 486
clear direction for HCC's future.
Question 12: Faculty are appropriately involved in decisions related to
3.93 406
education programs.
Question 7: HCC's recognition and award programs are meaningful to
3.84 490
me.

Question 20: Senior leadership at the District shows a genuine interest in

3.83 487
the well-being of faculty, administration and staff.

Question 21: Senior leadership at the District communicates openly about

3.80 488
important matters.

Question 23: HCC is well run. 3.74 534

Question 10: HCC's policies and practices ensure fair treatment for all
3.74 524
faculty, administration and staff.

Question 22: Senior leadership at the District demonstrates a high degree

3.73 465
of accountability for institutional decisions.

Question 8: District administration works together with college faculty and

staff members to ensure the success of institutional programs and 3.66 479
initiatives.

Question 6: HCC manages resources effectively. 3.44 524

19
 Appendix B
Chart Importance Satisfaction
Services --sort by Importance Mean Number Mean Mean

51. HCC maintains a highly visible presence on

campuses to ensure a safe and orderly environment on 26 5.66 4.41
campus and helps to prevent crime and to protect life
and campus property.

43. HCC ensures that all payroll functions—salary and

18 5.65 4.58
wage payments, time entry, deductions, and so on—are
conducted in a correct an accurate and timely fashion.

49. HCC ensures stable and secure access to the 24 5.64 4.76
college's network and wireless infrastructure.

48. HCC provide effective telephone, e-mail and other

23 5.61 4.67
web-based communication services for faculty, staff and
students.

55. HCC ensures that policies and procedures regarding

30 5.55 4.02
financial aid, admissions, international and veteran
student affairs are clearly and concisely written.

47. HCC provides timely and effective Help Desk 22 5.55 4.37
support for faculty and staff members.

52. HCC provides employees with clear instructions as

27 5.54 3.86
to their responsibilities and suggested responses to
bomb threats, lockdowns, and other security threats.

50. HCC provides and ensures administration, access

25 5.53 4.60
and support services to PeopleSoft student, human
resources and financial management systems.

57. HCC services offices regularly reviews and updates

32 5.53 4.26
student information (e.g., student handbook, catalog and
web pages).

20
 Chart Importance Satisfaction
Services --sort by Importance Mean Number Mean Mean

46. We provide effective student account payment and

21 5.52 4.16
support services that result in increased student options
for college access.

56. We encourage and support professional

31 5.51 4.30
development and training opportunities for counselor
and student services associates.
38 5.49 4.05
63. ABM helps to maintain a clean work environment.

35. HCC has built an effective leadership team that

10 5.47 4.22
works with the Board of Trustees and all internal
constituencies to address critical issues.

61. HCC ensures that legal documents are reviewed, 36 5.47 4.11
revised and finalized in a timely fashion.

62. Barnes and Noble provides a convenient and well-

stocked bookstore that responds to both faculty 37 5.47 3.44
members and students’ needs on a timely and cost-
effective basis.

44. HCC provides effective procurement services—

processing requisitions and placing orders—for timely 19 5.47 3.81
acquisition of resources and services that support
instruction and operational needs.

37. HCC provides up-to-date information and services 12 5.46 3.88

regarding compensation and benefits.

28. HCC's website is an effective resource for faculty 3 5.46 4.14

and staff members.

34. HCC supports and works collegially with deans,

9 5.46 3.99
disciplines chairs, division chairs, and other instructional
leaders to ensure quality in instruction.

54. Environmental safety practices—fire drills, first aid 29 5.44 4.09

kits, bio hazard—are taken seriously at HCC.

65. Aramark provides timely and appropriate facilities 40 5.44 3.79

repairs and maintenance at the colleges.

21
 Chart Importance Satisfaction
Services --sort by Importance Mean Number Mean Mean

45. HCC delivers accounts payable services that ensure

20 5.43 3.87
timely and accurate payment to vendors for services
rendered.

41. HCC creates a fair and equitable workplace through

the administration of HCC policies and employment 16 5.42 3.89
laws such that problems and concerns are dealt with in
a legal, confidential and timely fashion.

38. HCC offers a full-range of professional development 13 5.42 4.21

opportunities to staff members.

53. We provide effective and timely business services—

mail distribution, asset management and fleet 28 5.42 4.51
management—that enable faculty and staff to
concentrate on the business of student success.

36. HCC ensures an open and transparent internal

11 5.42 3.97
communications effort that both reinforces the vision
and listens for opportunities to improve.

59. HCC creates an internal environment in which

data—e.g., reports, surveys—are collected and 34 5.38 4.13
distributed to decision-makers to ensure timely and fact-
based decisions.

60. HCC offers effective non-credit instruction—e.g.,

School of Continuing Education, Corporate College, 35 5.38 4.64
Adult Education Programs— throughout the city of
Houston.

33. We create many opportunities for increased

8 5.38 4.43
professional development—e.g, Center for Teaching
and Learning—for faculty members.

58. HCC has established active district-wide councils

(e.g., Counselors, Testing Enrollment Deans and 33 5.36 4.30
Student Life) to engage and support the colleges'
student services departments.

42. We provide proactive HR Generalist services that

17 5.34 3.86
aid in advising and counseling employees with a sense
of fairness and in accordance with HCC policy.

22
 Chart Importance Satisfaction
Services --sort by Importance Mean Number Mean Mean

64. A-Rocket Moving provides efficient and effective 39 5.32 4.49

moving and storage services to the colleges.

29. The Foundation has developed a strong private

fundraising capacity that results in increased resources 4 5.31 4.52
for student scholarships as well as faculty and staff
support.

40. We assist in the recruiting and hiring of new faculty

and staff members by providing the necessary 15 5.31 3.55
information and services as well as responding promptly
and reliably to inquiries and requests.

30. HCC provides strong leadership in the coordination 5 5.27 4.45

and delivery of distance education courses.

26. HCC presents a strong, consistent image in 1 5.27 4.38

advertising, media stories and through its website.

31. We provide effective leadership in the area of

“grantsmanship”—researching, writing, training and 6 5.24 4.00
administering—to increase external resource
development for HCC.

39. HCC provides an effective performance evaluation

methodology that allows HCC employees and 14 5.19 3.69
supervisors to set goals and assess their
accomplishments.

27. We create well-designed, timely and effective

2 5.19 4.29
publications that help advance the colleges and their
programs.

32. HCC has developed strong district-wide international

initiatives, including partner programs with foreign 7 4.84 4.24
institutions of higher education and study abroad
opportunities.

23
 Appendix C
Chart Importance Satisfaction
Services --sort by Satisfaction Mean Number Mean Mean

49. HCC ensures stable and secure access to the 24 5.64 4.76
college's network and wireless infrastructure.

48. HCC provide effective telephone, e-mail and other

23 5.61 4.67
web-based communication services for faculty, staff and
students.

60. HCC offers effective non-credit instruction—e.g.,

School of Continuing Education, Corporate College, 35 5.38 4.64
Adult Education Programs— throughout the city of
Houston.

50. HCC provides and ensures administration, access

25 5.53 4.60
and support services to PeopleSoft student, human
resources and financial management systems.

43. HCC ensures that all payroll functions—salary and

18 5.65 4.58
wage payments, time entry, deductions, and so on—are
conducted in a correct an accurate and timely fashion.

29. The Foundation has developed a strong private

fundraising capacity that results in increased resources 4 5.31 4.52
for student scholarships as well as faculty and staff
support.

53. We provide effective and timely business services—

mail distribution, asset management and fleet 28 5.42 4.51
management—that enable faculty and staff to
concentrate on the business of student success.

64. A-Rocket Moving provides efficient and effective 39 5.32 4.49

moving and storage services to the colleges.

30. HCC provides strong leadership in the coordination 5 5.27 4.45

and delivery of distance education courses.

24
 Chart Importance Satisfaction
Services --sort by Satisfaction Mean Number Mean Mean

33. We create many opportunities for increased

8 5.38 4.43
professional development—e.g, Center for Teaching
and Learning—for faculty members.

51. HCC maintains a highly visible presence on

campuses to ensure a safe and orderly environment on 26 5.66 4.41
campus and helps to prevent crime and to protect life
and campus property.

26. Communications Department (3 Questions) HCC

1 5.27 4.38
presents a strong, consistent image in advertising,
media stories and through its website.

47. Information Technology (4 Questions) HCC provides

22 5.55 4.37
timely and effective Help Desk support for faculty and
staff members.

56. We encourage and support professional

31 5.51 4.30
development and training opportunities for counselor
and student services associates.

58. HCC has established active district-wide councils

(e.g., Counselors, Testing Enrollment Deans and 33 5.36 4.30
Student Life) to engage and support the colleges'
student services departments.

27. We create well-designed, timely and effective

2 5.19 4.29
publications that help advance the colleges and their
programs.

57. HCC services offices regularly reviews and updates

32 5.53 4.26
student information (e.g., student handbook, catalog
and web pages).

32. HCC has developed strong district-wide international

initiatives, including partner programs with foreign 7 4.84 4.24
institutions of higher education and study abroad
opportunities.

35. HCC has built an effective leadership team that

10 5.47 4.22
works with the Board of Trustees and all internal
constituencies to address critical issues.

25
 Chart Importance Satisfaction
Services --sort by Satisfaction Mean Number Mean Mean

38. HCC offers a full-range of professional development 13 5.42 4.21

opportunities to staff members.

46. We provide effective student account payment and

21 5.52 4.16
support services that result in increased student options
for college access.

28. HCC's website is an effective resource for faculty 3 5.46 4.14

and staff members.

59. HCC creates an internal environment in which

data—e.g., reports, surveys—are collected and 34 5.38 4.13
distributed to decision-makers to ensure timely and fact-
based decisions.

61. HCC ensures that legal documents are reviewed, 36 5.47 4.11
revised and finalized in a timely fashion.

54. Environmental safety practices—fire drills, first aid 29 5.44 4.09

kits, bio hazard—are taken seriously at HCC.
38 5.49 4.05
63. ABM helps to maintain a clean work environment.

55. HCC ensures that policies and procedures regarding

30 5.55 4.02
financial aid, admissions, international and veteran
student affairs are clearly and concisely written.

31. We provide effective leadership in the area of

“grantsmanship”—researching, writing, training and 6 5.24 4.00
administering—to increase external resource
development for HCC.

34. HCC supports and works collegially with deans,

9 5.46 3.99
disciplines chairs, division chairs, and other instructional
leaders to ensure quality in instruction.

26
 Chart Importance Satisfaction
Services --sort by Satisfaction Mean Number Mean Mean

36. HCC ensures an open and transparent internal

11 5.42 3.97
communications effort that both reinforces the vision
and listens for opportunities to improve.

41. HCC creates a fair and equitable workplace through

the administration of HCC policies and employment 16 5.42 3.89
laws such that problems and concerns are dealt with in
a legal, confidential and timely fashion.

37. HCC provides up-to-date information and services 12 5.46 3.88

regarding compensation and benefits.

45. HCC delivers accounts payable services that ensure

20 5.43 3.87
timely and accurate payment to vendors for services
rendered.

42. We provide proactive HR Generalist services that

17 5.34 3.86
aid in advising and counseling employees with a sense
of fairness and in accordance with HCC policy.

52. HCC provides employees with clear instructions as

27 5.54 3.86
to their responsibilities and suggested responses to
bomb threats, lockdowns, and other security threats.

44. HCC provides effective procurement services—

processing requisitions and placing orders—for timely 19 5.47 3.81
acquisition of resources and services that support
instruction and operational needs.

65. Aramark provides timely and appropriate facilities 40 5.44 3.79

repairs and maintenance at the colleges.

39. HCC provides an effective performance evaluation

methodology that allows HCC employees and 14 5.19 3.69
supervisors to set goals and assess their
accomplishments.

40. We assist in the recruiting and hiring of new faculty

and staff members by providing the necessary 15 5.31 3.55
information and services as well as responding promptly
and reliably to inquiries and requests.

62. Barnes and Noble provides a convenient and well-

stocked bookstore that responds to both faculty 37 5.47 3.44
members and students’ needs on a timely and cost-
effective basis.

27
 Appendix D
Strategic Goal Question N Mean

Goal 1: Student Learning — Helping students Question 66: To what extent has
achieve their fullest potential by investing time HCC made progress towards
419 4.72
and resources in innovative methods of course Goal 1?
delivery, teaching practices and support
services.

Goal 2: Effective Leadership — Empowering Question 67: To what extent has

diverse teams and individuals to meet our HCC made progress towards 415 4.33
institutional values, fulfill our mission, and realize Goal 2?
our vision.

Goal 3: Resource Development — Enhancing Question 68: To what extent has

resources by developing revenue streams— HCC made progress towards
343 4.58
federal grants, corporate and private giving, Goal 3?
enrollment management—to support our
mission, vision, and strategic goals.

Goal 4: Global Perspective — We are Question 69: To what extent has

committed to both a wide range of ideas and to a HCC made progress towards
356 4.61
broader context of diverse partnerships and Goal 4?
communities in order to extend the boundaries of
the institution.

Goal 5: Effective Communication — We use Question 70: To what extent has

open and transparent communication across HCC made progress towards 417 4.04
internal boundaries and interact effectively with Goal 5?
external audiences.

Goal 6: Accountability — We use timely, logical, Question 71: To what extent has
and deliberate processes to assess the quality of HCC made progress towards 395 3.94
institutional and individual actions to improve Goal 6?
decision-making.

28
 Appendix E
Importance and Satisfaction

5.00

4.80
24
35 23
4.60 25 18
4 28
39
5 8
4.40 1 26
22
2 33 31
7 32
4.20 13 10
Satisfaction

3 21
34
29 36
38
4.00 6 30
11 9
16
17 20 12 27
3.80 19
40
14
3.60
15
37
3.40

3.20

3.00
4.40 4.60 4.80 5.00 5.20 5.40 5.60 5.80 6.00
Importance

29

Low Importance, High Satisfaction
7 32. HCC has developed strong
district-wide international
initiatives, including partner
programs with foreign
institutions of higher education
and study abroad opportunities.
Low Importance, Low Satisfaction
30
Reference Table for Importance/Satisfaction Matrix
High Importance, High Satisfaction
26. Communications Department (3 Questions) HCC presents a strong, consistent image in advertising, media stories and
1
through its website.
2 27. We create well-designed, timely and effective publications that help advance the colleges and their programs.
3 28. HCC's website is an effective resource for faculty and staff members. 
29. HCC Foundation (1 Question) The Foundation has developed a strong private fundraising capacity that results in
4
increased resources for student scholarships as well as faculty and staff support.
30. Office of Instruction (5 Questions) HCC provides strong leadership in the coordination and delivery of distance education
5
courses.
31. We provide effective leadership in the area of “grantsmanship”—researching, writing, training and administering—to
6
increase external resource development for HCC.
33. We create many opportunities for increased professional development—e.g, Center for Teaching and Learning—for
8
faculty members.
34. HCC supports and works collegially with deans, disciplines chairs, division chairs, and other instructional leaders to
9
ensure quality in instruction.
35. Office of the Chancellor (2 Questions) HCC has built an effective leadership team that works with the Board of Trustees
10
and all internal constituencies to address critical issues.
36. HCC ensures an open and transparent internal communications effort that both reinforces the vision and listens for
11
opportunities to improve.
13 38. HCC offers a full-range of professional development opportunities to staff members.
43. Finance (4 Questions) HCC ensures that all payroll functions—salary and wage payments, time entry, deductions, and so
18
on—are conducted in a correct an accurate and timely fashion.
46. We provide effective student account payment and support services that result in increased student options for college
21
access.
47. Information Technology (4 Questions) HCC provides timely and effective Help Desk support for faculty and staff
22
members.
23 48. HCC provide effective telephone, e-mail and other web-based communication services for faculty, staff and students.
24 49. HCC ensures stable and secure access to the college's network and wireless infrastructure.
50. HCC provides and ensures administration, access and support services to PeopleSoft student, human resources and
25
financial management systems.
51. HCC Police (2 Questions) HCC maintains a highly visible presence on campuses to ensure a safe and orderly
26
environment on campus and helps to prevent crime and to protect life and campus property.
53. Administrative Services (2 Questions) We provide effective and timely business services—mail distribution, asset
28
management and fleet management—that enable faculty and staff to concentrate on the business of student success. 
29 54. Environmental safety practices—fire drills, first aid kits, bio hazard—are taken seriously at HCC.
55. Office of Student Services (4 Questions) HCC ensures that policies and procedures regarding financial aid, admissions,
30
international and veteran student affairs are clearly and concisely written.
56. We encourage and support professional development and training opportunities for counselor and student services
31
associates.
32 57. HCC services offices regularly reviews and updates student information (e.g., student handbook, catalog and web pages).
58. HCC has established active district-wide councils (e.g., Counselors, Testing Enrollment Deans and Student Life) to
33
engage and support the colleges' student services departments.
59. Office of Institutional Research (1 Question) HCC creates an internal environment in which data—e.g., reports,
34
surveys—are collected and distributed to decision-makers to ensure timely and fact-based decisions.
60. Division of Extended Learning (1 Question) HCC offers effective non-credit instruction—e.g., School of Continuing
35
Education, Corporate College, Adult Education Programs— throughout the city of Houston.
36 61. General Counsel (1 Question) HCC ensures that legal documents are reviewed, revised and finalized in a timely fashion.
38 63. ABM helps to maintain a clean work environment.
39 64. A-Rocket Moving provides efficient and effective moving and storage services to the colleges.
High Importance, Low Satisfaction
37. Human Resources Department (6 Questions) HCC provides up-to-date information and services regarding compensation
12
and benefits.
39. HCC provides an effective performance evaluation methodology that allows HCC employees and supervisors to set goals
14
and assess their accomplishments.
40. We assist in the recruiting and hiring of new faculty and staff members by providing the necessary information and
15
services as well as responding promptly and reliably to inquiries and requests.
41. HCC creates a fair and equitable workplace through the administration of HCC policies and employment laws such that
16
problems and concerns are dealt with in a legal, confidential and timely fashion.
42. We provide proactive HR Generalist services that aid in advising and counseling employees with a sense of fairness and
17
in accordance with HCC policy.   
44. HCC provides effective procurement services—processing requisitions and placing orders—for timely acquisition of
19
resources and services that support instruction and operational needs.
20 45. HCC delivers accounts payable services that ensure timely and accurate payment to vendors for services rendered.
52. HCC provides employees with clear instructions as to their responsibilities and suggested responses to bomb threats,
27
lockdowns, and other security threats.
62. Contracted Services (4 Questions) Barnes and Noble provides a convenient and well-stocked bookstore that responds to
37
both faculty members and students’ needs on a timely and cost-effective basis.
40 65. Aramark provides timely and appropriate facilities repairs and maintenance at the colleges.