Program, Schedule, Theme & Tracks 

Day 1 

Day 2

Evening open for team meetings/dinner, networking, partner organization receptions, etc.

The 2019 RP Conference theme is Institutional Effectiveness: Navigating the Seas of Change, which focuses on the evolution of the institutional, research, planning, and effectiveness (IRPE) field and how IRPE offices and practitioners can best support student success across their institutions. The IRPE field bridges improvement efforts across instructional, student services, and administrative areas of the institution through evidence-based practices and a continuous cycle of planning, assessment, and improvement. In the rapidly changing landscape of our California community colleges, IRPE practitioners must adapt to increasing external demands for accountability and reporting while maintaining a focus on continuous improvement efforts across the institution with the ultimate goal of increasing student success. With this in mind, the 2019 RP Conference aims to create venues in which IRPE practitioners can connect, share effective practices, and engage with statewide, regional, and institutional topics of interest. This year’s conference sessions are organized within four tracks.

• Advancing Student Equity

• Institutional Effectiveness

• Planning

• The RP Toolbox

Advancing Student Equity

The Advancing Student Equity track focuses on building momentum for and evaluating student equity-related efforts by leveraging qualitative and quantitative data. Advancing Student Equity sessions may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Building an equity framework to integrate efforts across the institution

• Leveraging the student voice in equity-focused activities and evaluation efforts

• Showcasing effective practices in improving equitable student completion

• Implementing and evaluating student equity-focused efforts

• Applying an equity lens to institutional research and planning

• Utilizing and leading effective methods for conveying equity-related findings for all populations and initiatives (e.g adult learners, strong workforce, SSSP, homeless (non-academic barriers), LGBTQ, Veterans, Foster Youth)

• Fostering equity-focused action planning across the institution

• Facilitating difficult conversations about student equity

• Advancing and assessing an inclusive campus culture

• Applying strategies for disaggregating data to assess equitable student access and outcomes

Institutional Effectiveness

The Institutional Effectiveness track showcases projects, tools, and approaches that have proven effective in addressing the challenge of bringing together institution-wide improvement efforts. Sessions in this track may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Defining “Institutional Effectiveness” for the institution

• Organizing, implementing, and evaluating guided student pathways for transformational change

• Evaluating programs, processes, and systems to inform improvement efforts

• Linking research and planning with budget and resource allocation

• Implementing effective organizational change efforts

• Analysis of student loss and momentum points, including identifying intermediate metrics to measure student progress and success

• Leading and organizing accreditation efforts

• Leveraging research results to improve policy and practice

• Implementing effective strategic enrollment management practices

Planning

The Planning track includes examples, strategies, templates, tools, and approaches that have yielded promising results in institutional, master, strategic, operational and integrated planning. Sessions in this track may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Developing institutional and project goals, objectives, and key performance indicators

• Developing approaches to integrated planning across the institution

• Integrating various campus programs/services and aligning campus plans

• Making institutional plans meaningful

• Developing and executing program and project evaluation plans

• Developing and evaluating institutional planning processes

• Integrating outcome assessment data, student achievement data, and other institutional data into planning efforts

• Addressing comprehensive master planning and evaluation cycles

• Applying a systems approach to institutional research related to planning activities

The RP Toolbox

The RP Toolbox track aims to showcase and demonstrate practical tools, research methods, approaches, software, and resources for new and experienced institutional researchers and planners. Sessions in this track should include interactive activities and discussions, and may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Navigating institutional governance structures and processes

• Applying leadership skills to various levels of IRPE work

• Effectively conveying research findings and facilitating conversations about data

• Leveraging software and other tools for data visualization and sharing the data story

• Sharing analytical approaches, research methods, and statistical software

• Demonstrating qualitative data collection and analysis methods, tools, and software

• College and District work in MIS and IPEDS

• Showcasing tools or methods for addressing statewide initiatives or accountability mandates such as the following:

  • Student-Centered Funding Formula

  • Simplified Metrics

  • AB 705

  • Guided Pathways

  • 115th College (Online College)

  • Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM)

  • Strong Workforce/Career Education

  • Adult Education

  • Vision For Success

  • Dual Enrollment