• AQIP
• Systems Portfolio
• Instructions
• Overview
• Category 1:
  Helping Students Learn
• Category 2:
  Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives
• Category 3:
  Understanding Students' and Other Stakeholders' Needs
• Category 4:
  Valuing People
• Category 5:
  Leading and Communicating
• Category 6:
  Supporting Institutional Operations
• Category 7:
  Measuring Effectiveness
• Category 8:
  Planning Continuous Improvement
• Category 9:
  Building Collaborative Relationships

Instructions

(excerpted from http://aqip.pbwiki.com/Instructions)

The Overview should be under 5000 words (approximately 10 double-spaced printed pages). The complete Systems Portfolio, including the Overview, should be under 50,000 words (approximately 100 double-spaced printed pages).

In each Category, address "in depth" at least 1/3 of the total items P, R, and I items, covering in depth at least one P, one R, and one I item. A Systems Portfolio should include references (item numbers, at a minimum) for all Category items. Items not addressed in depth and thus recognized as future opportunities for improvement may be answered briefly and honestly: "We don't do this at present." Or "We currently have no comparative performance results from other organizations for processes in this category."

Visit http://aqip.pbwiki.com/ for Notes and Support for Systems Portfolios, an internet-based wiki containing both official AQIP guidance as well as advice and tips from the AQIP community higher educators.

The AQIP Steering Committee is pleased to invite you to participate in drafting UIU's AQIP Systems Portfolio; you can participate at any time by visiting our collaborative Web page at http://uiu.edu/aqip/systemsportfolio/ .

Below you will find a simple Q & A that may be helpful before you start.

What is a Systems Portfolio?
As a whole, the Systems Portfolio is a tool for developing a better, fuller understanding of your organization for the people who work for it and for the people who have a stake in its success. is It is also an aid to maintaining accreditation, but that is a subsidiary function, best viewed as secondary rather than primary. (AQIP Wiki)

Where is UIU's Systems Portfolio?
UIU's System Portfolio is located on our Web site. This is a collaborative site, where you will have the chance to contribute to the final version by providing clicking on links to provide feedback.

When I click "submit," what happens to my responses?
A script is running behind the scenes that turns your response into an anonymous email, which will be placed into the draft of the systems portfolio.

Why are you asking me to participate?
In its Categories, AQIP uses you and we (rather than the stiffly formal the institution and the Higher Learning Commission) to advance the welcoming, friendly tone that models and reinforces the relationship AQIP seeks to establish with institutions. Sharing its institutions' goals, AQIP wants participating colleges and universities to thrive and be vital: we and you both want your students to experience educational programs that will make their lives fulfilling and successful, and your faculty and staff to have satisfying, productive, and secure jobs. AQIP pushes and supports your institution to succeed in achieving your goals, and we share your pride when you are successful.

Moreover, AQIP stresses that higher education institutions are the ongoing creation of the administrators, faculty, and staff that operate them - that you, the employees, individually and collectively, hold responsibility for continuing or changing your operations. If how you are operating now is working well, producing the results you want, then continuing to do things the same way makes sense. But if your current processes are not producing the performance you want - the number and quality of applicants you wish, the faculty and staff you need, the salary levels you want, the student achievement levels that would make you proud - then you must decide to change processes and performance, and you must make the changes happen. The AQIP Categories provide a set of "How-do-you..?" questions your institution can ask itself, as a whole or at the level of specific academic units, divisions, departments, programs, or offices. Systems thinking makes it essential for institutions to cascade these questions, posing them at every level, The questions in the AQIP Categories provide tools for systematic and penetrating self-study, and the Systems Portfolio provides an effective tool for communicating the discoveries and insights that emerge. ( AQIP Wiki)

Will I have to answer every question?
AQIP wants every institution to CONFRONT every item in the Categories, but recognizes that different institutions are in different places developmentally, and that not everyone will have, say, a succession plan, or comparative performance results for their human resource processes. By having everyone write an answer -- cursory or in-depth -- to every question, but by allowing everyone to focus their attention (by writing in-depth responses on those items where they actually want and need feedback), AQIP allows the System Portfolio to be customized to each institution's current situation. (AQIP Wiki)

How much time do I have to work on this?
The collaboration period will end on February 28, 2009. Your department may already have a process in mind for responding to the questions in each of the categories, and we will be sending bi-monthly reminders to participate.

Will the final version of the systems portfolio be published on our Web site?
Yes; the collaboration page (not viewed by the public) will be replaced with the final version of UIU's System Portfolio. However in this case, "final version" is an oxymoron - the Electronic Systems Portfolio is subject to revision, and will always include links in order for you to provide the steering committee with valuable feedback.

Who do contact if I need additional information?
Your supervisor, your department head, or an AQIP steering committee member.

Okay, I'm ready; how do I begin?
Simply click! Thank you in advance for your participation; we look forward to hearing from you,

2012 AQIP Steering Committee
Don Aungst, Dave Chown, Bill Duffy, Scott Figdore, Ryan Griffith, Shelby Kaura, Melik Khoury, Mari Molseed, Rich Patrick, Deena Serra, Janet Shepherd

2011 AQIP Steering Committee
Don Aungst, Dave Chown, Bill Duffy, Scott Figdore, Shelby Kaura, Melik Khoury, Mari Molseed, Rich Patrick, Chris Sanders, Deena Serra, Janet Shepherd

2009 AQIP Steering Committee
Kent McElvania, Linda Haines, Tim Hunt, Jobyna Johnston, Joel Kunze, Doug McReynolds, Terry Smid, Holly Streeter, Becky Wadian, Alan Walker, Kata McCarville, Pam Reinig, Linc Morris, Mary Rettig, Ron Crooker, Don Aungst, Louise Scott, DeWayne Frazier, Deena Serra.

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