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JSU Creates Office of Institutional Effectiveness and names Tim Smith its Director |
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Jamie M. Eubanks JSU News Bureau JACKSONVILLE -- September 26, 2001 -- Jacksonville State University recently created the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and named Tim Smith its director. But neither the function of this office nor Smith is new to JSU. For years, institutional effectiveness, which assesses the quality of programs and services of a university, was managed by a committee appointed by JSU's president. But this job became too burdensome for the committee. They felt a full-time position should be devoted to the task. Smith graduated from JSU in 1985 with a bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems and he later received his master's from the University of Alabama in Higher Education Administration. From 1980 to 1991, Smith worked for JSU but left to teach at Ayers State. There, he also served as Ayers' director of institutional research and computer services. He returned to JSU in 1997 and worked in data systems management. Now Smith will direct the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, which includes the areas of institutional research, assessment and effectiveness. Joe Whitmore has been director of institutional research at JSU. Whitmore handles accreditation processes, student credit hours, numbers of degrees and contracts like Marriot Sodexho and Coca Cola vendors on campus. Now his title will be director of special services. Though he will keep all of these responsibilities, he will also add more financial analysis and research. Dr. Allen Smith, professor of psychology at JSU, also serves as coordinator of assessment. By taking surveys of students, faculty and staff and administering tests, Allen is able to judge the quality of programs and services at the university. And the results of these tests and surveys can be used to improve them. "Our office will put all these aspects under one umbrella," says Smith. "That way communication and coordination can be completed effectively." With Smith's extensive technology background, he is hoping to use JSU's intranet to do most of this coordination, which will minimize paper documents. Another goal of Smith's is to make it simple and efficient for JSU's departments to apply the university's mission statement. "We want everything within the university to support the mission statement," comments Smith. Smith and his wife, Susan, have two children, Ryan and Katelyn. |
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