Institutional Effectiveness

Institutional Effectiveness (IE) supports success at Illinois Valley Community College by fostering a data-informed culture and is committed to partnering with constituents on matters of accreditation, compliance, continuous improvement, course assessment and evaluation, data governance, decision support and analysis, innovation and planning, institutional research, program review, quality improvement, and strategic planning.
The IE team is responsible for extracting, collecting, compiling, analyzing, and reporting data from the student information system, learning management system, and other educational software as appropriate to conduct research relevant to students, employees, costs, programs, and policies to serve the needs of the college to achieve its mission and goals.

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Contact Information

Data Request Form

IVCC Institutional Information

Accreditation

Compliance

Illinois Community College Board (ICCB)

Recognition

"Recognition is a statutory term describing the status of a district which meets instructional, administrative, financial, facility, and equipment standards as established by the Illinois Community College Board" (Section 805/2-12f and 805/2-15). ICCB evaluates IVCC every five years to ensure compliance with standards required for state funding eligibility.

Program Review

ICCB Statewide Program Review serves to "support strategic campus-level planning and decision-making related to instructional programming and academic support services, including but not limited to program revisions, program closures, and revisions to services; address inequities to support program improvement; and support the delivery of locally responsive, cost-effective, high quality programs and services across Illinois’ community college system."

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Institutional Research Board

The Institutional Effectiveness Office oversees IVCC's Institutional Research Board (IRB). The IRB committee oversees procedures for carrying out the college's commitment to protect human subjects in research. IRB reviews proposed research projects that involve the use of human subjects; ensures the individuals involved in the project are treated ethically; ensures all subjects are provided with substantial information about the study and consent to be a subject in the study; and ensures all private information will be handled with confidentiality. The IRB is authorized to review, approve, require modifications in, or disapprove research activities conducted by or through the college using human subjects.

The IRB does not assume the role of evaluating the soundness of the proposed research study, the merits of the research design, nor the potential contribution of the research to the scholarly literature. Rather, the IRB is charged with evaluating each project's compliance with ethical standards in regards to issues such as informed consent, confidentiality, and any risk to the participants.

US Department of Health and Human Services - Office for Human Research Protections

IVCC IRB Guidelines (PDF)
Request to Conduct Human Subjects Research (PDF)
Request Limited Dataset (PDF)
Request for Continuing Approval (PDF)
Sample Informed Consent (PDF)

Committee Members

Dr. Kathy Hart (Chair) - Dean of Institutional Effectiveness
Dr. Sue Caley Opsal - Anatomy and Physiology Instructor
Dr. J.D. Chavez - External Member
Chris Herman - Director of Project Success
Keith King - Biology Instructor
Betsy Klopcic - Psychology Instructor
Dr. Vicki Trier - Vice President for Academic Affairs

Institutional Effectiveness Committee

Key Performance Indicators

National Community College Benchmark Project (NCCBP)

Satisfaction Surveys

Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE and CCFSSE) Important Dates

CCSSE (Students) Opens: March 23, 2026
CCFSSE (Faculty) Opens: March 30, 2026
Surveys Close: April 10, 2026
Results Received: July 31, 2026
Discussions Begin on Development Day: October 9, 2026
Discussion Results Aggregated by IE Committee: January 2027
Results Presented to SLPC: February 2027
Close the Loop on Development Day: March 12, 2027

Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE and CCFSSE)

The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) measures student engagement by surveying student perceptions of institutional practices and student behaviors that are correlated with learning and retention. CCSSE serves as a benchmarking instrument, diagnostic tool, and monitoring device, helping colleges assess educational practices, identify improvement areas, and track institutional effectiveness over time.
The Community College Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (CCFSSE) gathers insights from faculty about their teaching practices, use of professional time, and perceptions of students' educational experiences. Designed as a companion to CCSSE, it allows institutions to compare faculty and student perceptions, offering valuable opportunities for dialogue.

Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE)

The Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) collects employee perceptions across four key climate factors—Institutional Structure, Supervisory Relationships, Teamwork, and Student Focus—to help evaluate organizational climate, identify areas for growth, and support strategic planning.

Ruffalo Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey (SSI)

The Ruffalo Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) measures students' satisfaction and priorities across various aspects of college life, including academics, advising, registration, financial aid, campus climate, and more. The SSI asks respondents to rate both the importance of and their satisfaction with key institutional services and experiences. This dual-rating approach provides actionable data to identify gaps between student expectations and experiences, guiding institutional improvements focused on enhancing the overall student experience.

Student Course Feedback Survey

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness facilitates Student Course Feedback Surveys at IVCC. The student course feedback survey is administered for select instructors after the midterm of courses each term. The survey includes 14 questions and takes approximately 8 minutes to complete. The survey results are anonymous, instructors do not receive their results until after final grades are submitted and only if participation thresholds are met.

Student Course Feedback Survey Instrument

Course Feedback Schedule

Fall 2025 Surveys Administered; Results Available

1st 8 week classes - September 17-24; October 13
14 and 16 week classes - October 22-29; December 17
12 week and 2nd 8 week classes - November 12-19; December 17

Spring 2026 Surveys Administered; Results Available

1st 8 week classes - February 11-18; March 16
14 and 16 week classes - March 18-25; May 15
12 week and 2nd 8 week classes - April 15-22; May 15

Student Access

Student Email - Students receive an email sent to their IVCC email address the first day of the survey with a link that takes them directly to the survey. Daily reminder emails are sent to students who have not completed their surveys.
Brightspace – Students see a notification with a button to Go to My Survey or Do It Later. The notification disappears after they complete their surveys.

Results Access

Deans can access Course Feedback Results for Report Administrators the day after the survey ends.
Faculty can access Course Feedback Results for Instructors after grades are due.

More information

Visit IVCC Student Course Feedback for more information

Contacts

For instructors: Jennifer_Etscheid@ivcc.edu, 815-224-0529
For students: Student Learning Technologies

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness follows the Association of Institutional Researcher's Statement of Ethical Principles and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation Guiding Principles for Artificial Intelligence in Accreditation and Recognition.