INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY ASSESSMENT TOOL & CAPACITY CAFÉ
A comprehensive and systematic approach to move forward
Supporting the student experience from connection through completion requires a holistic, student-centered design. In order to help you operationalize integrated, impactful, and sustainable student supports, our dynamic team works with your university to:
- Understand current challenges and opportunities for improving student supports
- Envision the ideal student experience
- Develop a prioritized action plan to address core issues
- Improve operational workflows and internal communication
- Deepen your intitution’s understanding of equity and equity-based, student-centered design
- Conduct student-focused research strategies
- Create the structure and culture to support continuous improvement centered on the students you serve
ICAT is your catalyst for transformative change
Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool in Action
Changing campus culture and improving student outcomes is a challenging task that requires self-reflection, critical thinking and feedback, and coordinated action across the institution. ICAT is a tool that supports this work. Colleges that have completed the ICAT are leveraging the results to guide strategic planning, prepare for accreditation, launch pathways, implement high impact practices, facilitate discussions across the college, and drive action.
Definitions of the seven capacity areas are:
- Leadership and Vision - The commitment and collaboration of the institution's leadership with respect to student success and the clarity of the vision for desired change
- Data and Technology - The institution's capacity to collect, access, analyze and use data to inform decision, and to use powerful technology to support student success
- Equity - The commitment, capabilities, and experiences of an institution to equitably serve low-income students, students of color and other at-risk student populations with respect to access, success, and campus climate
- Teaching and Learning - The commitment to engaging full-time and adjunct faculty in examinations of pedagogy, meaningful professional development, and a central role for them as change agents within the institution. Also, the college's commitment to advising, tutoring, and out-of-classroom supports as well as restructuring developmental education to facilitate student learning and success
- Engagement and Communication - The creation of strategic partnerships with key external stakeholders, such as K-12, universities, employers and community-based organizations and internal stakeholders across the institution to participate in the student success agenda and improvement of student outcomes
- Strategy and Planning - The alignment of the institution with the umbrella goal of student success and the institution's process for translating the desired future into defined goals and objectives and executing the actions to achieve them
- Policies and Practices - The institutional policies and practices that impact student success and the processes for examining and aligning policies and practices to remove barriers and foster student completion
ATD’s expert coaches help use your assessment to move towards a concrete plan. The Capacity Café is a facilitated three-hour workshop held on your campus to help you analyze and learn from your survey results and includes a summary report.
The Capacity Café turns awareness into action by helping you:
- Get insight into your institutional strengths and areas to streng then
- Identify gaps in communications and perception, shared concerns, and priority actions
- Understand what “doing better” could look like
- Gain broad engagement of stakeholders from all areas of your college or university
- Make your college more data-informed and student-centered
- Develop a common language to discuss institutional issues and focus the conversation
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